Would You Two Sisters Serve Me Together?

After leaving the cultivation room, Lu Yang went to the dining hall and ordered three Spirit Cuisine dishes for a simple breakfast.

Of course, what was simple to Lu Yang was far too extravagant for the other outer disciples.

By now, Lu Yang had made something of a name for himself around Profound Metal Peak's subsidiary peaks.

He ate Spirit Cuisine three meals a day, and his looks and bearing were so outstanding that anyone who saw him would remember him. It was hard to keep a low profile.

All sorts of guesses about his identity circulated among the outer disciples.

Some said he was the child of a reclusive expert. Others claimed he was the heir to a major power outside the Golden Rainbow Sword Sect's territory. Some even swore that he came from a reclusive Lineage beyond Qin Province and had come to the Golden Rainbow Sword Sect only for an experience arranged by his Lineage.

In short, the rumors grew more outlandish with every retelling.

Lu Yang knew about them because Senior Brother Zhao Qingshan had told him.

The veteran disciple, who had spent nearly twenty years in the sect, was quite friendly toward him. Their houses were close to begin with, and whenever they ran into each other, they often went to the dining hall together.

Though Zhao Qingshan's cultivation was only at late Qi Refining, he had been in the sect a long time, had many friends, and was well informed.

From him, Lu Yang heard quite a few amusing stories and secrets about the sect that neither Qin Nanyue nor Lin Ying had ever mentioned.

As Lu Yang ate, he took out his sect token. Both Qin Nanyue and Lin Ying had sent him voice transmissions.

Lin Ying's voice was soft and sweet, with its usual gentleness. "Junior Brother, are you leaving the sect today? Please be careful on the way."

Lu Yang smiled faintly and sent a transmission back. "Senior Sister Lin, are you sure you don't need me to escort you home?"

Though he and Lin Ying had rarely met these past days, they had never stopped exchanging voice transmissions.

After talking so much, he had learned quite a bit about Senior Sister Lin's circumstances.

Like him, Senior Sister Lin came from a small cultivation Lineage.

Her situation was somewhat better than his, though. Her Lineage's ancestor was an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The Lin Household was in the Yuan Kingdom, another small country, some distance from the Yue Kingdom.

With a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator holding the fort, the Lin Household had some say among the cultivators of the Yuan Kingdom.

Lin Ying had shown good talent for alchemy at a young age, and the Lin Household's ancestor had immediately decided to put the strength of the entire Lineage behind her studies.

It was thanks to that support that she had been able to enter the Golden Rainbow Sword Sect's Pill Peak and become an Alchemist.

Lin Ying had always been grateful to her Lineage. Every year, she saved up some pills to take home at New Year and give back to them.

For that very reason, she wasn't particularly well-off, despite being an Alchemist.

Lu Yang wanted to grow closer to Lin Ying so he could raise her favorability faster, and naturally hoped to show his face at the Lin Household.

He had already asked Lin Ying if she wanted him to accompany her home.

Lin Ying's reply was the same as ever. "No need. Thank you, Junior Brother. There's quite a distance between the Yuan Kingdom and the Yue Kingdom. I'd be putting you to too much trouble."

It was the same reason as before, and Lu Yang had expected it.

Lin Ying had a strong sense of pride and disliked troubling him with everything.

Since she had refused again, Lu Yang respected her wishes. "All right, then. Be careful on your way home too. If I have time after New Year, I'll come visit you."

After he sent the transmission, Lin Ying was silent for a while.

Then her soft voice came back, trembling slightly at the end. "O-okay. Will you come to the Lin Household then, Junior Brother Lu?"

The corners of Lu Yang's mouth lifted as he deliberately asked, "Do you want me to come, Senior Sister Lin?"

Lin Ying fell silent at once.

Lu Yang could practically picture her pretty face turning bright red, leaving her unable to speak.

He smiled and stopped teasing her. "If I get the chance, I'd like to visit."

Lin Ying's voice soon came back, as light as a breeze. "O-okay. I'll tell my family."

Lu Yang put away her transmission and opened Qin Nanyue's.

Qin Nanyue's brisk voice came straight out. "Junior Brother Lu, I'm about to set off. See you at the outer sect square in a bit!"

Qin Nanyue went home for New Year every year, and she was setting off today as well.

When they had chatted a few days ago, she had mentioned that the Qin Household's disciples always traveled home together.

Besides Qin Nanyue, several other Qin Household disciples in the sect were making the journey this time.

Qin Nanyue had also offered to take Lu Yang part of the way, but now that he had the Flowing Light Flying Boat, he had naturally declined politely.

Even so, the two had agreed to leave the sect together, and Qin Nanyue had said she would introduce Lu Yang to the Qin Household disciples.

Lu Yang was indeed a little curious about them.

After all, the Qin Household was a Golden Core Aristocratic Clan, and he had heard it had both inner disciples and personal disciples in the sect. Its strength was nothing to scoff at.

Getting to know them and making friends could naturally do Lu Yang no harm.

He sent a transmission. "All right, I'll be right there."

Qin Nanyue's reply came back in less than two seconds. "Okay. Yingying will be there too. She said she's coming to see us off."

Lu Yang was a little surprised. "Senior Sister Lin didn't tell me."

Qin Nanyue's tone was teasing. "Hehehe, that girl wanted to surprise you."

Lu Yang was speechless. "...Then why did you tell me beforehand?"

"Just pretend I didn't. It's a surprise for you anyway, not me." Qin Nanyue's voice was light.

The corner of Lu Yang's eye twitched. "Are you jealous that Senior Sister Lin treats me too well?"

Qin Nanyue had done plenty of complaining in their recent conversations.

She had said that Lin Ying now spent more time every day sending voice transmissions to Lu Yang than to her own best friend.

The two girls used to talk about everything, but now all Lin Ying's thoughts were on Lu Yang.

According to Qin Nanyue, she even suspected Lu Yang had cast some kind of Incantation on Lin Ying.

At the edge of the outer sect square, Qin Nanyue stood beneath an old pine, holding her sect token, the corners of her mouth slightly raised and a smile on her face.

She sent a transmission, her tone half serious and half teasing. "That's right! It's all your fault for stealing Yingying away, you brat!"

Lu Yang was silent for a moment before a new transmission came through. "Then how about you join us? That way, you and Yingying can be good sisters again. Hehe."

Qin Nanyue froze.

At first she didn't understand. After a pause of about two breaths, she realized what he meant.

A blush crept over her pretty face, and the roots of her ears grew hot.

Both embarrassed and annoyed, she unconsciously tightened her grip on the token. "Lu Yang! I'm going to tell Yingying! How dare you say so brazenly that you want us two sisters to serve you together? I really am going to beat you up!"

The moment the transmission ended, Lin Ying's somewhat puzzled voice came from beside her. "Nanyue, what's wrong?"

Qin Nanyue gave a slight start.

She quickly put away the token and put on a casual smile, reaching out to wrap an arm around Lin Ying's shoulders. "Nothing. I was just telling that brat Lu Yang to hurry up."

Lin Ying's gentle eyes glanced at her, flickering slightly before she nodded. "Oh, all right."

Qin Nanyue didn't dare touch the token again. She held on to Lin Ying and chatted with her about this and that.

After a while, Lu Yang came walking over from the distance.

Today he wore the new supreme-grade magic robe he had exchanged for. It was the same style as the Golden Rainbow Sword Sect's standard outer disciple robes, but on him, it had a touch more unworldly grace.

He walked up to the two of them, and when his gaze fell on Lin Ying, a perfectly timed hint of surprise appeared on his face, as though he had no idea she would be there. "Senior Sister Lin, you're here too?"

Lin Ying pressed her lips together in a faint smile, which looked especially gentle in the morning light. "Mm, I came to see you and Nanyue off."

Qin Nanyue stood to one side with her arms crossed, pouting as she muttered, "...How come I'm second? Yingying, you've changed. You used to mention me first, but now I rank below that bastard Lu Yang."

Lin Ying's pretty face instantly turned red, and she waved her hands repeatedly. "N-no, that's not it..."

Lu Yang gave Qin Nanyue an annoyed look. "Senior Sister Qin, stop picking on Senior Sister Lin all the time."

Hearing this, Qin Nanyue felt an inexplicable, indescribable pang of bitterness.

But she quickly suppressed the feeling, then reached out and gently patted Lin Ying's shoulder, saying with a half-smile, "Looks like a certain bastard cares quite a bit about you, Yingying."

Lin Ying: "..."

She lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes. She no longer knew what to say, and the roots of her ears were so red they looked ready to bleed.

Lu Yang watched the scene and smiled gently.

He stepped forward and took Lin Ying's hand as naturally as could be. "Let's go."

Lin Ying's fingers trembled slightly in his palm, then slowly relaxed. She didn't pull away.

Qin Nanyue looked at their joined hands, her eyes flickering.

Then the corners of her mouth rose. Grinning, she went around to Lin Ying's other side and took her other hand.

"A few of my older brothers and sisters are waiting over by the marketplace. Let's head over first."

"Okay."

The three walked side by side out of the outer sect square.

The morning breeze blew through the mountains, gently stirring their sleeves.

The pines on either side rustled softly in the wind, and sunlight streamed through their needles, casting broad patches of bright light on the ground.

Sandwiched between Lu Yang and Qin Nanyue, one on either side, Lin Ying suddenly felt that today's morning breeze seemed a little warmer than usual.