When They Don't Exist

Qin Yudie walked into the What Are You Looking At Small Shop with anticipation and nervousness. She said to Xu Yan, who was carving a wooden puppet, "Senior Xu, today is my birthday. I wonder if you have time to attend my birthday banquet."

As the granddaughter of the Sect Master of the Tianren Sect, her birthday banquet was naturally a grand affair, attended by the young talents of the cultivation world.

Originally, the banquet was to be held on Tianren Mountain, but Qin Yudie had changed it to a manor in Tianren City at the last minute.

The manor belonged to the Tianren Sect, but usually, the cultivators of the Tianren Sect stayed on Tianren Mountain and did not come here.

The young talents from various factions in the cultivation world did not know why Qin Yudie chose to hold the banquet in Tianren City. Only Qin Yudie knew the reason.

She wanted to invite Xu Yan, and since Xu Yan was a reclusive expert, he naturally wouldn't go to a Sect's location. That's why she changed the banquet venue to the manor in Tianren City.

The wooden puppet in Xu Yan's hand was finished at this moment. He quickly put it into a wooden box prepared beside him, looked up at Qin Yudie, and smiled, "Your birthday is here so soon? Alright, let's go."

He actually quite liked this girl, Qin Yudie. She was very polite to him, always calling him Senior. Attending a banquet wasn't a big deal.

"That's great!"

Qin Yudie was overjoyed. Being able to invite Senior Xu was enough; it didn't matter if no one else came.

Senior Xu was the most important guest at her twentieth birthday banquet.

"Little Fox, you stay here and don't run around. I'll bring food back for you."

Xu Yan instructed Su Jiuer, then set off with Qin Yudie. The shop door was not locked, just gently closed.

The Tianren Sect's manor in Tianren City was located in the very center of Tianren City and occupied a large area.

Xu Yan followed Qin Yudie to the manor gate. Looking at the magnificent manor, he said, "So this is the largest manor in Tianren City, and it's your family's. It seems your family is extraordinarily wealthy."

One could say that this manor was the most luxurious residence in Tianren City. Anyone who could live there could not be ordinary.

"Miss, you're back."

There were two maids at the manor entrance. Upon seeing Qin Yudie return, they spoke in unison.

Qin Yudie nodded slightly and led Xu Yan directly into the courtyard deep within the manor.

There were quite a few young people here, all with outstanding temperaments. The men were handsome, and the women were beautiful. Not a single mediocre person among them.

"Yudie, who is this?" A distinguished-looking man asked, a hint of imperceptible coldness appearing in his eyes as he smiled at Xu Yan, who was beside Qin Yudie.

He was the grandson of the Grand Elder of the Tianren Sect, Judi, and one of the most outstanding young cultivators in the Tianren Sect.

He was less than thirty years old and had a cultivation base in the middle stage of the Spiritual Roaming Realm.

"This is Senior Xu. Everyone, please entertain yourselves and don't pay too much attention to Senior Xu and me," Qin Yudie said to Judi and the other young men and women in the courtyard, knowing that reclusive experts disliked being disturbed.

Afterward, she led Xu Yan to the front seating area of the courtyard, seating Xu Yan in the leftmost seat, while she sat in the rightmost seat, very close to him.

Judi's expression turned completely grim. At first, he had been curious why the honored seats were arranged side-by-side, but now he understood it was for this person.

He strode towards Xu Yan, a fake smile on his face, and said, "This Fellow Daoist looks unfamiliar. May I ask where you serve?"

Xu Yan looked at the man who was hostile towards him and felt somewhat bewildered. He hadn't stolen the man's wife, so why did he seem to have a deep-seated hatred for him?

However, this was Qin Yudie's birthday banquet, and he couldn't be bothered to argue. He replied, "I'm in Tianren City. I run a small shop selling trinkets. You're welcome to come and buy things."

Judi frowned slightly upon hearing this. Could this person really be a mortal?

He couldn't sense the strength of Xu Yan's cultivation and had assumed Xu Yan was hiding his power. But after hearing Xu Yan's words, it seemed he was just a mortal.

Qin Yudie wasn't foolish and sensed Judi's hostility towards Xu Yan. She immediately said with a slight chill in her tone, "Go take care of your own business and don't disturb Senior Xu!"

Regardless of whether Judi was a disciple of the Tianren Sect, if he disrespected Senior Xu, she would not give him a good look.

Senior Xu was a reclusive expert and was approachable, willing to guide a junior cultivator like her. His state of mind was extraordinary.

In any aspect, Judi could not compare to him. They were like heaven and earth, incomparable. To even mention them in the same breath would be to elevate Judi and insult Senior Xu.

Judi clenched his fists tightly, anger already brewing in his heart.

After all, he was considered Qin Yudie's senior brother, yet Qin Yudie was treating him like this.

However, this was Qin Yudie's birthday banquet, and he didn't want to ruin the atmosphere here. He walked towards the others.

There were many young talents in the courtyard, all of them prodigies from various sects and families in the Southern Domain. They had their own small circles.

"Miss Qin, have I offended your friend?" Xu Yan asked.

He felt very innocent. He hadn't done anything, yet it seemed he had offended someone.

Qin Yudie smiled and said, "Senior Xu, you don't need to mind them. Just pretend they don't exist."

As she spoke, she personally peeled a fruit and offered it to Xu Yan.

Xu Yan took the fruit and ate it while saying, "Miss Qin, this isn't quite right, is it? They all came to attend your birthday banquet."

He felt a bit sorry for these people. They had come to attend Qin Yudie's banquet, yet she said to just pretend they didn't exist.

Qin Yudie replied, "It's alright. As long as Senior Xu came to my birthday banquet, that's enough."

A slight blush appeared on her cheeks as she picked up another fruit and began peeling it.

Judi's expression turned extremely unpleasant as he watched Qin Yudie personally peel the fruit for Xu Yan.

Everyone in the Tianren Sect knew he was pursuing Qin Yudie. Qin Yudie's actions were undoubtedly a slap in his face.

At this moment, the gazes of other Tianren Sect disciples in the courtyard turned strange. His dignity was being trampled upon.

"Sister Yudie, I'm here!"

A lively voice rang out, and a moment later, a young girl came bouncing into the courtyard, holding a bouquet of flowers.

The girl was Mu'er, who had bought a wooden puppet from Xu Yan before.

Mu'er presented the bouquet to Qin Yudie and said, "Happy birthday, Sister Yudie!"

She and Qin Yudie had a very good relationship, much like sisters.

Qin Yudie accepted Mu'er's flowers, reached out to pat Mu'er's head, and smiled, "Thank you for the flowers, my Mu'er!"

Among those present, only Xu Yan and Mu'er were people she liked; she couldn't even be bothered to look at anyone else.

Mu'er smiled happily, then noticed Xu Yan beside them and exclaimed in surprise, "You're the senior from 'What are you looking at'!"

She didn't know Xu Yan well, but Qin Yudie had said Xu Yan was very, very powerful, a senior, so she also called Xu Yan senior.