Guiding Senior Sister Youqin, Happy Water for Otaku

"My story?"

Youqin Xuanya paused for a moment, then slowly began: "It went like this..."

As Youqin Xuanya spoke, Li Yang gained a great deal of information that wasn't in the original text.

This information didn't affect his cultivation, but it satisfied his appetite for gossip.

This kind of convoluted, clichéd tale of restoring a kingdom, childhood sweethearts, and scheming plots never got old. It just went to show that reality far surpassed artistic embellishment—this was simply too classic.

Watching Youqin Xuanya's dejected expression and hearing her low tone, Li Yang took a big bite of his skewer, downed a bowl of wine, let out a long breath, and shouted: "Refreshing!"

The sorrowful Youqin Xuanya was stunned. Why was Junior Brother Li Yang's reaction so different from the folk tales in the market?

"What? Senior Sister thinks I shouldn't be reacting like this?"

Seeing Youqin Xuanya's dazed look, Li Yang knew what she was thinking, so he teased her.

"Yes, I feel Junior Brother doesn't resemble the heroic saviors in the stories at all, who would be indignant upon hearing of others' suffering."

Li Yang refilled his bowl, lifted it to his lips, then seemed to think better of it and set it down.

"Senior Sister, you were born a princess of a kingdom, one where cultivation is possible. With even a bit of talent, you could enjoy a thousand years of wealth and honor. That already surpasses the lives of billions in this world.

What's more, you've joined the Immortal Crossing Sect. With your talent, you might one day attain immortality and enjoy eternal freedom.

Compared to ordinary mortals who haggle over every grain of rice and oil, or who start feuds over a millstone that last a lifetime, your so-called sorrow seems far too trivial to me."

Li Yang voiced his opinion, seemingly cold and heartless. But Youqin Xuanya was no fool—she was the sect's pride. Though she was a bit naive in the original story and prone to overthinking, this time she didn't misunderstand.

Her sorrow vanished, replaced by solemnity. She stood and bowed deeply to Li Yang.

"Thank you for the lesson, Junior Brother. Everyone in the world has their own hardships. What is serious to me may be nothing to others—just a ripple that hasn't even risen among the countless masses.

By dwelling on this, I've belittled myself and made things harder for myself..."

Li Yang raised a hand to stop her endless reflections. "It's not as deep as you think, Senior Sister. I was just making an observation. Don't take it to heart.

What I really mean is, you should let go of yourself and take down your enemies. Live freely... or rather, never let your enemies get away.

Wasting energy on internal conflict is useless. It's much more satisfying to exhaust your enemies.

As for me, an outsider, spare me. I just wanted to hear a good story as a little decoration on my path of cultivation."

Li Yang's words always carried his own unique insights. Youqin Xuanya wasn't stupid, so she bowed again.

"Junior Brother, I have learned from you."

"Alright, want to eat?"

Suddenly, a skewer of roasted scorpions was handed to Youqin Xuanya. She took it instinctively, and then a bowl of wine was pressed into her hand.

"Cheers!"

With a gentle clink, the fearsome scorpion entered her mouth. The sweet wine's bubbles burst on her tongue before sliding down her throat.

In an instant, Youqin Xuanya felt warmth spread through her entire body. The last traces of cold energy were expelled. Even the deeply hidden toxins that Detoxification Pills couldn't cure surfaced and vanished.

Then a voice whispered softly in her ear.

"Senior Sister, how is it?"

She replied instinctively: "Refreshing!"

"Hehehe!"

With a few light laughs, Youqin Xuanya snapped back to reality. Seeing Li Yang's smiling face and remembering her earlier loss of composure, she blushed.

"Senior Sister, in this world, only good food and happiness should never be betrayed."

Li Yang smiled and gestured for Youqin Xuanya to sit down and taste the insect delicacies.

She sat down and took a large skewer of roasted bugs, but her gaze fell on the gourd carved with a monkey pattern and inscribed with the words 'Monkey Wine.'

"Junior Brother, why is this Monkey Wine different from any I've had before? It's dark red, has no spiciness at all, yet carries a unique fragrance?"

"Senior Sister, you mean this?"

Li Yang shook the gourd. "That name is a lie. Inside isn't wine, but a spiritual drink I brewed from a large amount of Spiritual Medicine.

I won't boast, but this drink can cure most injuries and illnesses in the world.

Most importantly, it tastes great.

Senior Brother tasted it and praised it as 'Happy Water for Otaku, perfectly suited for me!'"

Youqin Xuanya couldn't find the words to comment, so she finally said:

"Senior Brother Changshou is quite an interesting person."

"Right? I think so too!"

With that, Li Yang deliberately capped the gourd, shook it vigorously, and handed it to Youqin Xuanya.

"Senior Sister, open it and see!"

Youqin Xuanya looked at Li Yang's smiling face and the hint of mischief in his eyes. Curious, she took the gourd and instinctively opened the lid.

"Pop!"

"Pfft!"

"Ah!"

Accompanied by a startled cry, the cave echoed with hearty laughter.

"Hahahahaha..."

Five days later, two figures darted through a jungle thick with poisonous miasma.

A figure in red said, "Junior Brother, why won't you let me send a letter to my father, exposing Yuan Qing's true face and warning him to beware of those rebellious villains?"

Another figure in cyan replied, "Senior Sister, this is the Northern Juru Continent. You're only at the Void Refining Realm, and I'm merely at the Spirit Transformation Realm. According to what you said, Martial Aunt Jiujiu is still trapped by them. With our meager cultivation, how could we quickly transmit the message back? So instead of returning to report, it's better to wait here, stall for time. Once the sect realizes they can't contact Martial Aunt, experts will naturally rush to rescue us. Leaving the Northern Juru Continent—the entrance and that stretch of road in and out—will surely have their ambushes set up. Choosing to go deeper is the safest course of action."

These two figures—the fiery red one was Youqin Xuanya, the cyan one was Li Yang.

It had already been five days since they left the cave. Unlike the Senior Brother in the original story, Li Yang hadn't abandoned Youqin Xuanya; instead, he chose to take her along as they fled. Because he understood clearly: since Youqin Xuanya had fallen before him, there was no possibility of him discarding her.

And at this moment, Youqin Xuanya, hearing Li Yang's words, subconsciously looked at him. Two figures surfaced in her mind.

One was her so-called childhood friend, who had joined the Immortal Crossing Sect alongside her—Yuan Qing, who would immediately catch up once she showed herself. Yet who would have thought he was a two-faced person? Once he tore off that hypocritical mask he wore daily, he turned out to be so venomous, so despicable!

The other was this Junior Brother Li Yang. She wasn't familiar with him; they hadn't even exchanged more than a few words during this training journey. But precisely because of that, it was someone like him who, at the most critical moment, saved her without hesitation, guided her when she was feeling low, and even devised this escape plan more thoroughly and perfectly than she could.

Gradually, Li Yang's figure grew clearer and clearer in her heart.

"Dodge!"

Suddenly, Li Yang bellowed, and a palm blast sent her flying.

"Boom!"

Then, a long spear slammed into the ground, kicking up a storm of rubble and dust.