Ziyan Speaks, the Hongchen Siblings Gather

After the Qingshi Gorge mission, the relationship between Ji Juechen and Huo Yuhao became increasingly subtle. Tales of their flawless Tacit Understanding spread throughout the academy, but only the two involved knew that the ideological rift first revealed in the canyon's freezing winds had not vanished. It had merely been temporarily suppressed by reason and their shared enemy.

That afternoon, Ji Juechen was practicing swordsmanship in the secluded grove on the academy's back mountain, a place reserved for him alone. His Sword Light flowed like water. Though he was only performing the most basic slashes and thrusts, they carried an intent to sever everything.

[Daily cultivation in progress... Sword Intent condensation +0.01%... Energy circulation efficiency optimization in progress...]

The system's prompts were as precise and tedious as ever.

"Pfft, still acting like strangers should stay away, and acquaintances aren't worth acknowledging." A lazy female voice laced with teasing came from behind a tree. Purple hair swayed as Jing Ziyan leaned against the trunk, a slender smoking pipe held between her fingers. As she exhaled clouds of smoke, thick purple mist, almost alive, curled around her. "Say, Ji Wooden Block, I heard you went out with that kid Huo Yuhao and came back an academy celebrity?"

Ji Juechen sheathed his sword, glanced at her, and said nothing. The System Interface popped up out of habit, only for him to ignore it reflexively—he was already familiar enough with Jing Ziyan that he had no need for the system's analysis.

"Quit playing dead." Jing Ziyan sauntered over and held out her hand without ceremony. "Where's the thing? That 'filthy stuff' you brought back from Qingshi Gorge. My little darlings are starving." As she spoke, the purple mist around her stirred as though alive, expressing its "hunger."

Silently, Ji Juechen took out the Black Crystal fragment containing remnants of Evil Aura from his Soul Tool. Jing Ziyan's purple mist immediately pounced on it like a glutton spotting a feast, Entangling and devouring it. The crystal's last traces of black energy vanished amid sizzling sounds.

"Mmm, that feels good." Jing Ziyan narrowed her eyes in satisfaction, then casually pointed her pipe at Ji Juechen. "Honestly, you went out to kill people and didn't call me? What, found a new love and forgot the old one? That Huo Yuhao kid is all soft skin and tender flesh. Is he really more convenient than having me help you 'dispose of the bodies'?"

The corner of Ji Juechen's mouth seemed to twitch imperceptibly. "...Troublesome."

"Yes, yes, I specialize in handling your 'trouble'!" Jing Ziyan rolled her eyes at him irritably. "If you dare hog everything again next time, I'll send this smoke into your room and fumigate you until you can't sleep!"

Just then, a somewhat arrogant voice cut in.

"Looks like we came at a bad time?"

Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen approached side by side. Xiao Hongchen looked at the intimate posture between Jing Ziyan and the expressionless Ji Juechen, one brow lifting slightly. Meng Hongchen blinked curiously.

"The hall master wants to see you, Ji Juechen." Xiao Hongchen got straight to the point, his gaze sweeping over the crystal fragment that was being completely consumed by the purple mist. "Regarding the corrosive effects of Evil Soul Master energy on Soul Tools that you mentioned in your last mission report, Mingde Hall has established a new project. The hall master wants you and me to participate in developing a new anti-erosion shield."

Ji Juechen replied without a second thought, "No time."

Xiao Hongchen nearly choked on his breath. "This is an order! And it can save countless—"

"The best way to save them is to cut down the source that creates trouble." Ji Juechen's theory of "trouble" surfaced once again.

Jing Ziyan snorted with laughter beside them and mocked Ji Juechen, "See? I told you he has trouble communicating with people. Every other sentence is about 'cutting down trouble.' Do you think everyone can put up with a block of wood like you?" She turned to Xiao Hongchen. "Hey, genius, telling him about saving the world is useless. You need to tell him—'Ji Juechen, come here. There's a tough, troublesome target that needs you to chop it with your sword.' Then I guarantee he'll run faster than anyone."

Meng Hongchen could not help covering her mouth as she laughed.

Xiao Hongchen was momentarily stunned by this bizarre "translation," but he still played along. With a hint of provocation, he said to Ji Juechen, "...Fine. The new shield we designed needs the most extreme attacks to test its strength. Does your sword dare to give it a try?"

Ji Juechen's gaze finally changed slightly. "It can."

[New mission: Participate in the strength test for the "Anti-Energy Erosion Soul Tool Shield."]

[Target: Xiao Hongchen. Comprehensive assessment: Top-tier Soul Tool genius. His work is an excellent test target.]

[Recommendation: Accept. High-intensity Soul Tool data can be collected.]

"Wouldn't it have been over if you'd said that from the start?" Jing Ziyan smugly blew out a smoke ring, then waved at the Hongchen siblings. "You two, when dealing with this block of wood in the future, remember to speak 'human language'—well, the kind of human language he understands: chop, chop, chop."

Xiao Hongchen snorted, tacitly accepting it. Meng Hongchen smiled and nodded at Jing Ziyan, finding this senior sister quite interesting.

This peculiar little group, invisibly brought together by Jing Hongchen and centered around Ji Juechen—consisting of an old friend who specialized in snarky remarks, Jing Ziyan, and collaborators with whom he was about to form deep connections, the Hongchen siblings—completed its first gathering in an atmosphere far more relaxed than expected.

Ji Juechen watched the scene before him: Jing Ziyan teasing him, Xiao Hongchen wearing an expression that said he could not stand him, Meng Hongchen smiling, and, through the Spiritual Link, the aura of Huo Yuhao rapidly approaching.

He remained silent, yet the system prompt in his mind seemed to carry an almost imperceptible trace of... liveliness?

[Team interaction pattern established: Host (core/executor), Jing Ziyan (coordinator/snark interference unit), Xiao Hongchen (technical support/provocation unit), Meng Hongchen (external buffer unit)...]

[Preliminary team structure analysis complete... "Sword Pavilion" model interpersonal relationship complexity increased... Database updating...]