Ti Ying followed behind Jiang Xuehe and entered the residence of Jiang Xuehe and Chen Zichun.
Ti Ying curiously surveyed the room.
But she quickly lost interest: the living quarters of male and female disciples of the Yujing sect were not much different, equally simple, with two beds and two tables each, fearing that the disciples would indulge too much.
Ti Ying looked around.
She found the stool unclean and disliked the smell of sweat on Chen Zichun’s bed. With a leap, she landed on Jiang Xuehe’s bed.
Her senior brother hadn’t even laid out a mattress, yet the place was spotless. As Ti Ying sat down, she could still faintly smell the fragrance on the young man’s body… She hugged her books tightly, unconsciously feeling nervous for a moment, then fidgeted her legs, trying to calm herself down.
Jiang Xuehe closed the door and turned around, only to see Ti Ying sitting comfortably on his bed as if it were her own.
Beside him, Chen Zichun looked at Ti Ying in astonishment.
Ti Ying noticed the two of them and raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong?”
Chen Zichun couldn’t express this strange feeling and could only shake his head. Jiang Xuehe was always gentle; Ti Ying was sure he wouldn’t say anything either, so she provocatively looked at her senior brother.
With just one glance, Ti Ying noticed the numerous bloodstains on Jiang Xuehe’s neck again.
Her gaze flickered.
The Tenfold Annihilation Curse was truly frightening. Fortunately, her former master saved her in time.
Chen Zichun then remembered and reminded Jiang Xuehe of the wound on his neck. Jiang Xuehe calmly thanked him and cast a spell—whether the blood was still flowing or not, at least the two in the room couldn’t see it anymore.
Jiang Xuehe stood by the door, his dark eyes looking at her, suddenly asking inexplicably, “You really don’t want the hairband?”
She was puzzled as to why he suddenly brought up the hairband. It took Ti Ying a moment to remember. Her senior brother’s eyes were clear and moist; even without wearing the hood, Ti Ying found it hard to figure out what he was thinking.
But he stared at her without blinking, his voice hoarse and a hidden surge underneath.
Ti Ying was puzzled for a moment before answering, “No, I don’t.”
Chen Zichun sensed the atmosphere between the senior brother and junior sister, feeling that he was standing there, truly unnecessary and obtrusive.
Chen Zichun coughed, “Senior brother, maybe I should go out for a walk. You can talk to Little Ying first?”
Unexpectedly for both Chen Zichun and Ti Ying, Jiang Xuehe replied, “No need.”
Jiang Xuehe said to Chen Zichun, “You should listen to these words too.”
Chen Zichun and Ti Ying looked at each other, both puzzled.
Jiang Xuehe indeed had some things he wanted to discuss seriously with Ti Ying.
During the day, he had been distracted by Li Bu, and he was afraid that if they lingered any longer, it would arouse suspicion from the Yujing sect, so he hastily left with Chen Zichun. At this moment, after resting for half the night, Jiang Xuehe had regained some energy.
He needed Chen Zichun to stay nearby.
The brief moment of distraction tonight… made him not want to be alone with his junior sister.
So, Ti Ying and Chen Zichun sat side by side, both looking at Jiang Xuehe with bewildered eyes.
Jiang Xuehe took a sip of tea before slowly considering how to start: “Little Ying, are you determined to join the Yujing sect?”
Ti Ying was puzzled.
Her graceful and composed senior brother spoke unhurriedly, “You were previously a talisman cultivator. Among the Four Great Sects, the Wushen Palace follows the path of divine studies, so there’s no need to consider it, but between the Guantian Mountain and the Changyun, both focus on the Taoist path. Compared to the Yujing sect, they align more with what you originally learned.
“You shouldn’t neglect all that you’ve learned.”
Chen Zichun was still digesting the information about the Four Great Sects when he saw Ti Ying’s expression change abruptly.
She coldly said, “I’m not considering the Taoist path. I don’t want to learn Taoist techniques or draw talismans. I want to learn swordsmanship. I want to join the Yujing sect. Your persuasion is futile.”
Jiang Xuehe observed her.
As if trying to gauge how determined she was.
The young girl stared at him stubbornly and coldly, with hidden anger, almost cursing him as a “bad guy.”
Jiang Xuehe’s eyelashes flickered lightly as he lowered his gaze.
Setting down the teacup in his hand, he opened up unusually: “Yujing Sect is very peculiar, not what a qualified major sect should be like.”
Chen Zichun tensed at his words: “What’s so peculiar about it?”
Although Ti Ying didn’t say a word, there was a hint of curiosity in her gaze. She was just angry with him and refused to speak first.
In the dim light of the spiritual fire candle, perhaps the private space made people more relaxed. Jiang Xuehe tapped the table with his fingers, somewhat casual and lazy.
Jiang Xuehe explained calmly, “Firstly, the matter of the Wuzhi.”
“The Yujing sect imprisoned a powerful demon who made a mistake. After the demon died, instead of purifying its soul, they used its impurity and resentment to turn it into a Wuzhi, then imprisoned it in the Five Poison Forest.”
“This is similar to the reasoning constantly presented by Chen Da, who is disguised as Suan Yu—a major sect intentionally creating demons in this way and then imprisoning them as Wuzhi seems petty.”
“Considering the calmness from top to bottom in Yujing sect—I suspect this kind of thing isn’t just a one-time occurrence.”
Both Ti Ying and Chen Zichun were stunned by what they heard.
Jiang Xuehe raised a finger to his lips and continued to persuade slowly: “Secondly, the Yujing sect takes in disciples indiscriminately.”
Chen Zichun, feeling nervous, couldn’t wait to persuade him, “Isn’t this the compassion of the Yujing sect? Other major sects refuse to accept disciples midway, especially those of our age like me and Ti Ying; they wouldn’t even consider it. If we want to cultivate midway, isn’t Yujing Sect the only option?
Jiang Xuehe raised his eyes slightly, with a hint of glimmering light.
“The Yujing sect is the number one sect in the world because they inherit the legacy of the immortals. But whether immortals ever existed, some people still doubt… For example, the Changyun sect have always doubted whether the Yujing sect has ever produced any immortals.
“Secondly, the Yujing sect’s indiscriminate acceptance of disciples may not necessarily be good for the disciples. I don’t know if you listened carefully during the day, but the steward said you can use your own spell to exchange for sect merits. And merits can be used to exchange for sect resources, such as weapon artifacts, spirit stones, and secret realms.
“Today, many of you are excited about joining, but few are truly determined. However, as time passes in the Yujing sect, when disciples find they don’t have enough merits, they will use spells to exchange for them. With so many spells from various sects piled up in Yujing sect… what does Yujing sect intend to do?”
Chen Zichun’s understanding of the cultivation world was limited, and he was bewildered, but he did perceive a hint of coldness from Jiang Xuehe’s gentle words.
Yet Jiang Xuehe’s gaze was truly fixed on Ti Ying. She was the person he most wanted to persuade.
Ti Ying finally spoke reluctantly, “How do you know all this?”
Jiang Xuehe pondered for a moment before diplomatically saying, “Traveling extensively gives one more thought. You can consider me overly suspicious, but if even a fraction of my suspicions were to be true, we must be on guard towards the Yujing sect.”
Ti Ying retorted, “Then how can you be sure about the other sects?”
Jiang Xuehe detected her unfriendly tone.
Ti Ying continued, “I want to learn swordsmanship. Whether the Yujing sect has any conspiracy is the concern of the big shots; what does it have to do with me? Do the other sects have someone as formidable as Elder Shen in swordsmanship, someone who can teach me formidable sword techniques?
“I still choose the Yujing sect!”
Jiang Xuehe looked at her.
He said, “Don’t you want to give me a reason?”
His tone was calm, but there was a coolness in his voice, completely different from his usual tolerance.
Ti Ying’s eyes suddenly reddened, feeling deeply hurt. “It’s because you dislike me; you’re trying to force me!”
The atmosphere became somewhat tense.
Chen Zichun whispered softly, “Don’t argue, don’t argue. What’s the point of arguing between senior brother and sister? Senior Brother Jiang, if you have anything to say, say it nicely to Little Ying. Little Ying is still just a half-grown child…”
Jiang Xuehe turned his head slightly, exhaling slowly.
Chen Zichun didn’t understand this junior sister.
The girl had things on her mind but didn’t confide in him, not just for one or two days. However, Jiang Xuehe still didn’t understand the reason why his junior sister firmly chose the Yujing sect…
Moreover, with the threat of Li Bu, although he had cast a curse, he still remained wary of Li Bu’s methods. If he could take Ti Ying away, it would be for the best.
Jiang Xuehe looked at Ti Ying. Tears hung on Ti Ying’s eyelashes, her eyes red as she hugged her books tightly, turning her face away, unwilling to look at him.
It seemed that if he said one more word, she would burst into tears.
Jiang Xuehe’s heart tightened.
After a while, Jiang Xuehe helplessly asked, “Is it truly impossible to consider anything other than the Yujing sect?”
Ti Ying remained silent, her lips pursed in frustration.
Then she saw Jiang Xuehe tilt his head back, touch his nose, and let out a vague laugh.
He was usually as quiet as a virgin, but at this moment, although his smile was elegant, it carried a hint of helplessness, like a spring breeze brushing willows, imbued with the vigor of youth.
This smile was short-lived. Before Ti Ying could react, she saw her senior brother becoming more amiable again. “Since you’ve made your decision,senior brother will accompany you.”
Ti Ying couldn’t help but smile through her tears.
Then Jiang Xuehe said, “Since you’ve decided to join Yujing sect, in a few days, find an excuse to casually sell some unimportant spells to Yujing sect for merits. Chen Zichun doesn’t have any spells, so it’s safer for him; no need to worry.”
Both students nodded in agreement, remembering the teacher’s words.
After finishing talking about Yujing sect, Jiang Xuehe asked Ti Ying, “How are the injuries you suffered in the Five Poison Forest?”
Ti Ying patted her chest and said, “No problem!”
Jiang Xuehe frowned. How could there be no problem? What exactly had she done to herself…
Afraid that his junior sister wouldn’t be honest, Jiang Xuehe isolated Chen Zichun’s senses and sent a message directly into Ti Ying’s mind: “Can you let senior brother take a look into your sea of consciousness?”
Suddenly, the young, hoarse voice sounded right next to her ear, startling Ti Ying.
She panicked, covering her ears, only to find Chen Zichun looking at her blankly, while Jiang Xuehe sat upright in his original position.
In the quiet room, lit only by the burning candle, she met her senior brother’s innocent yet indifferent, snowy eyes.
… He was so naturally mischievous.
She hesitated for a moment before covering her chest, resisting, and moving back. “No!”
Jiang Xuehe was stunned.
He didn’t expect such a resolute refusal. He thought his junior sister should trust him.
Little did he know, Ti Ying was extremely cautious. “My former master said I couldn’t let others into my sea of consciousness! My sea of consciousness is the most private place for me; I can’t let anyone see it! I can only show it to my Dao companion.”
Her words were unfiltered, speaking of “Dao companion” confidently without a hint of embarrassment, glaring at Jiang Xuehe as if he were trying to bully her.
Jiang Xuehe: “…”
His temperament had always been calm, but now he couldn’t help but lean forward with a hint of amusement. “You won’t let me into your sea of consciousness, yet you freely enter mine. Isn’t that a bit unreasonable?” Follow the newest chapters on novelping.com.
Ti Ying was surprised. “I’m very reasonable. You… you’re just like my former master! Aren’t you supposed to give me whatever I want? Why are you saying this?”
Jiang Xuehe was speechless.
He slowly rubbed his temples, starting to feel a bit worried.
How did his master usually teach Ti Ying… it seemed like he had a long way to go.
After receiving no response for a while, Jiang Xuehe fell into silence.
Ti Ying seemed to realize she had gone too far. She jumped off the bed, moved to his side, and gently tugged at his sleeve, seeking forgiveness.
Meanwhile, after Jiang Xuehe withdrew his mental message, Chen Zichun was moved to see Ti Ying trying to appease her senior brother.
Until he heard Ti Ying say, “You can’t be angry… we have an exam tomorrow, and you have to study with me.”
Jiang Xuehe lowered his gaze, lifting his eyelids slightly to gaze gently at her.
Ti Ying looked extremely adorable as she continued to tug lightly at his sleeve, making soft noises.
His expression softened, and after a moment, he said, “There’s one last question.”
Ti Ying frowned. “You’ve been scolding me all evening… fine, I’ll give you one last chance.”
Jiang Xuehe readily agreed, “Why were you unhappy during the day and suddenly ran away?”
Ti Ying was taken aback.
She felt embarrassed to admit her jealousy, especially since it was just speculation, and she didn’t know if it was true or not. It would be embarrassing to say it out loud.
So she pretended to be confused. “I don’t remember.”
Jiang Xuehe leaned forward, took the book from her arms, and placed it on the nearby table.
He said, “Next time you’re unhappy, just tell senior brother directly; don’t just run away and sulk alone.”
Ti Ying: “Huh.”
She wasn’t about to listen to his lofty reasoning.
She was about to cover her ears and run away, but Jiang Xuehe reacted quickly, grabbing her hand to stop her from escaping.
Before Ti Ying could protest further, Jiang Xuehe changed his approach: “Little Ying, being angry for too long can make you sick.”
Ti Ying half-believed and half-doubted as she turned her head in Jiang Xuehe’s embrace, looking up at the young man.
Chen Zichun, on the other hand, listened with great admiration.
Having been a demon for several years and encountered many people, he still admired Jiang Xuehe. Jiang Xuehe didn’t even blink as he began to scare the little girl and then soothe her—Jiang Xuehe’s words flowed smoothly, recounting various illnesses caused by anger, with the most extreme being a woman who was so angry that she literally killed herself.
After finishing his story, Jiang Xuehe blinked his moist black eyes, looking at Ti Ying.
As if saying, Do you understand?
Ti Ying… understood.
But she hesitated.
She stuttered, “I don’t want to anger myself to death… but I can’t help it, What should I do?”
Chen Zichun’s mouth twitched as he listened.
But Jiang Xuehe had a stern face. “Then I’ll punish you.”
Ti Ying objected, “What are you going to punish me with?”
Jiang Xuehe replied, “I’ll slap your palms.”
Ti Ying blinked, still accepting, so she nodded.
Thus, the bad habit that her former master couldn’t change in four years showed a tendency to yield to Jiang Xuehe.
And Ti Ying was truly obedient when she wanted to be.
She reached out her hand to Jiang Xuehe.
Pouting, she said, “I got angry and ran away today, so you can slap my palms.”
Jiang Xuehe’s heart softened all of a sudden.
A little slap on his junior sister’s hand wasn’t something he couldn’t accept.
Jiang Xuehe carefully considered the force, gently reprimanding her. Unexpectedly, after Ti Ying’s palms were slapped, she became more and more unhappy and defiant.
Ti Ying pounced on him and said, “No, I want to slap you too!”
She pounced and played around, while Jiang Xuehe held her and whispered something in her ear. Chen Zichun stretched his ears but couldn’t hear, only seeing Ti Ying finally grab Jiang Xuehe’s hand and give it a solid slap.
Looking up at him, she found him incredibly charming and suddenly felt that she hadn’t suffered a loss at all. Her eyes brightened, and she smiled.
Jiang Xuehe has always been distant from others, but recently he has become obsessed with this kind of intimacy. The girl laughed happily in his ears. He couldn’t distinguish between good and bad, so he just put it down: “We can study now, right?”
Ti Ying happily agreed, “Yes!”
Chen Zichun was about to faint: …You slap her, and she slaps you back. Is this also considered punishment?
This was a night of great puzzlement for Chen Zichun, yet in the end, it turned out to be harmonious.