Did you forget I'm in the Ying Tian Realm?

A cultivator's senses are sharp; that's how Ji You felt after beginning his cultivation, which was why he spoke so softly.

But he didn't know that the upper five realms were called the Realms of All Laws precisely because cultivators at this level could wield the laws of the Heavenly Dao, and the ability to perceive wind and discern sound was the most basic skill.

Ji You's heart fluttered. Pretending nothing was wrong, he turned his head back. "Kuang Cheng, have you eaten?"

"Not yet..."

"My Instructor Cao is treating us. Are you coming?"

Kuang Cheng waved his hand upon hearing this. "I'm not familiar with Immortal Cao. I'll pass."

"Hey!" Ji You waved his hand. "What are you afraid of? He's not even coming."

"?"

Kuang Cheng was momentarily stunned. He thought, How can the host not be present? What kind of etiquette is this?

Ji You put down the teacup in his hand. "I'll pack him a portion later. He doesn't like spicy food, so we can't eat the same things."

Kuang Cheng still waved his hand. "Forget it. You have friends to accompany you, so I won't intrude. Let's meet again after you've safely returned to the capital."

"Are you afraid of getting beaten?"

"I just... can't stand to see blood..."

Ji You chuckled. She'll at most kick me a few times. How could she bear to draw her sword?

Afterward, the two parted ways. Ji You left the secluded residence with the Young Master Jian of Spirit Sword Mountain.

Just as he expected, Yan Shuyi didn't draw her sword to cause trouble for him. However, she stubbornly walked ahead of him, her left hand behind her back, the other resting on her sword. She remained silent, her expression cold, as if trying to show she wasn't cute.

But she didn't know that the more she acted like this, the cuter she appeared in Ji You's eyes.

He even forgot that this girl in front of him was actually the next Sect Master of Spirit Sword Mountain, nor did he remember she was the strongest direct disciple in the Heavenly Response Realm.

The two soon arrived at a restaurant called Dengying Residence. Compared to Hong Ding Tower and Xihe Tower, this place was not as famous, but the braised pork ribs were said to be delicious.

However, braised pork ribs didn't seem like food suitable for a lady, leaving Yan Shuyi with no way to start. She kicked him twice under the table.

"I'll be leaving soon. Do you have anywhere to go?"

Yan Shuyi threw the bones in front of her into the plate. "I'm leaving tomorrow too, heading to Qing Prefecture. A group of disciples from Spirit Sword Mountain have gone missing there, and I'm here for that. Seeing you is just along the way."

Qing Prefecture was between Spirit Prefecture and Shengjing. It wasn't "along the way" at all, but she still liked to emphasize it.

Ji You frowned upon hearing this. "Disciples from Spirit Sword Mountain are also missing?"

"They've been missing for several days. Before I left the mountain, I specifically sent disciples near Qing Prefecture to investigate. There should be some clues in the past few days."

"Disciples from the Celestial Academy also went missing before, and they were intricately linked to Evil Seeds. You need to take care of yourself."

Yan Shuyi nodded obediently after hearing his last sentence.

After the meal, the sky had already begun to darken. The night had gradually crept in with the fading light of the sunset.

The two walked back along the alley, the stubborn, cold-faced Young Master Jian still leading the way.

They followed each other step by step, gradually approaching an inn in the alley. This inn was very popular among cultivators in the capital, and most of the outer disciples of Spirit Sword Mountain stayed here.

The night before last, a disciple had even gone downstairs to book an extra room, but it remained empty for the entire night.

Yan Shuyi reached the entrance, glanced back, and then, as if she hadn't seen anything, walked towards the direction of Nishan Heavenly Script Academy.

Ji You followed behind her and also glanced at Hengfeng Inn as he passed, a faint smile on his face.

However, before he could ponder further, he suddenly frowned and turned his head to look back at the alley they had just passed.

Ever since leaving Qionghua Pavilion, he had felt as if someone was following him, but when he extended his spiritual sense, he couldn't detect anything.

It wasn't until this moment that he caught a trace of a presence, but it had now completely vanished.

The presence held no malice, but for some reason, it had been following him.

Ji You walked back a few steps, staring at the empty alley with a frown for a long time. It wasn't until Yan Shuyi's voice sounded from behind him that he turned to leave and returned to the Celestial Academy.

Just like yesterday, under the deep night sky, the two sat in the secluded room as usual, lit a stove, and looked out the window with a leisurely air.

The sweet potatoes from yesterday were already roasted, but Ji You still had some stored peanuts, so he added them to the pot.

The Young Master Jian seemed to have familiarized herself with this lifestyle in just one night. Upon entering, she watched him tend the fire and light the stove, her delicate face illuminated by the rising flames.

"I think I forgot to bring food for someone..."

"Never mind, it's not important."

Ji You pulled a stool from the corner and placed a cushion he had bought in the city that day on Yan Shuyi's.

The Young Master Jian smoothed her skirt and sat down. She casually took off her moon-white boots with emerald accents, revealing a pair of jade-like, small, and delicate feet. She slowly warmed the soles of her feet by the stove fire.

Her sleeping quarters were covered with thick carpets, so she usually disliked wearing shoes and always went barefoot on the mountain.

When they first met yesterday, she had been too shy, but now she didn't seem to care much. Her tender, jade-like toes curled slightly in the firelight, feeling the warmth gradually seep in.

In a short while, the peanuts in the pot were also cooked.

Ji You reluctantly averted his gaze, poured the peanuts into a basket, let them cool slightly, and then handed them to her.

Yan Shuyi picked up a peanut, peeled it, and popped it into her mouth. She suddenly remembered seeing this scene in a town at the foot of the mountain.

It was a humble farmhouse, the kind with bare walls.

The woman mended clothes for others in her room daily, while the man worked odd jobs during the day. In the evenings, they would sit by the stove, chatting about nothing in particular.

Yan Shuyi hadn't thought much of it at the time, but now, for some reason, her heart felt as if it had melted.

Cultivators didn't need to sleep daily, so the two sat by the stove for another night.

Ji You spoke to her about his past in Yuyang County and also mentioned who the scholar he'd seen today was, someone he found remarkably familiar.

Yan Shuyi, in turn, told him about life on the mountain. Her voice was soft and playful, unlike her usual self, as she murmured a few things and occasionally complained that she was tired of the mountain scenery.

As they exchanged words, the sky outside gradually brightened.

By the time of Chen Shi on the second day, Yan Shuyi had packed her things and stood in the courtyard outside the secluded room, feeling a little down.

She hadn't expected this when she arrived. She had only planned to meet him and leave, then roam the martial world with a cold demeanor to find the missing disciples.

But for some reason, she had ended up staying for two days and had even grown accustomed to the boring routine of the daily stove.

It was only when she thought of this that she realized he was just a man she had met for the first time.

"Help me pack my cushion."

"And my bedding, that's mine."

"And also, help me pack that cup with the gold thread, don't let it get dusty."

Yan Shuyi earnestly instructed Ji You before leaving. She didn't explicitly say she'd come back, but it was clear she wanted to.

Ji You stood at the door of the secluded room and looked at her. "It's already packed. You mentioned it once last night."

Yan Shuyi fell silent for a moment, wanting to ask if she could stay another day. But as the thought arose, the mountain sect jade token at her waist suddenly emitted a mystic light.

She had told Ji You yesterday that a disciple from Spirit Sword Mountain had been missing in Spirit Prefecture for many days. She had sent nearby disciples to investigate covertly, and it seemed there were now clues.

"Ji You, when you pinched my cheek and called me cute, did you remember I'm in the Heavenly Response Realm?"

"?"

Yan Shuyi's lips curved upwards, and mystic light suddenly erupted around her, surging like waves, far more potent than any pressure Ji You had ever felt from anyone.

In that instant, the Young Master Jian of Spirit Sword Mountain vanished from his spot, leaping a thousand miles and disappearing into the wind.

She disliked goodbyes, so she felt the best way to leave was quickly. She shot through the clear daytime sky like a meteor.

Ji You, however, watched the whirlwind that remained in his spot, holding his breath.

Yesterday, when food was dangled before him, he was glad he hadn't acted impulsively. He truly couldn't defeat this generation's strongest direct disciple.

Still, to show off before leaving was a bit too cute.