Knock, knock, knock. Shi Tiexin rapped on the door.
No response.
He gathered his thought energy around his ears and listened carefully, but heard none of the familiar sound of deep, snorting sleep.
Could no one be home?
He knocked harder. Only then did a muffled response come from inside, along with the slap-slap of oversized slippers dragging across the floor.
Click. The door opened, and Shi Yuwei's petite little head poked out. She looked over with a pair of gentle, innocent, bleary eyes and gave him a sticky smile. "Uncle Brother, you're here—eh? Teacher Fei Yan too?"
"Cough, cough, cough!" Chu Feiyan, who was smoking a large pipe, immediately began coughing. Then, with a stiff expression, she tugged at the corners of her mouth in what passed for a smile. "Long time no see, little girl."
Shi Yuhui had gone out to fight, and the group had arranged to meet at the Shi residence.
Just then, the wind whistled, and someone flew in through the stairwell window. It was Shi Yuhui.
"Hu hu hua hahahaha!"
"Hehehe hiahiahia~~~!"
"You think you can fight me?"
"Hmph!"
Shi Yuhui returned with her head held high and chest puffed out, looking unbelievably pleased with herself.
Shi Tiexin asked in delight, "You won?"
Chu Feiyan rolled her eyes, her face full of gloom. "Don't listen to her bullshit. That guy's Heavenly Qi reserves were far more abundant than hers. It was already good enough that she escaped with her life."
"What do you mean, escaped with my life? I clearly forced him into a draw despite having lower cultivation." Shi Yuhui's nose was practically pointing at the sky. "I only just broke through. In the Heavenly Qi realm, you could say my cultivation is low, my accumulation is shallow, and my cultivation method is