Shenwei Senior Brother, Come Here

That day, in the Misty Cloud Sect's Ordinary Disciple Cultivation Area.

Yun Shenwei hid in a sparsely populated spot, rubbing his right ear as he sighed. "I was once so high-spirited, yet I'm actually troubled by such trivial matters."

A few days ago, Yun Yun had given him a harsh lesson in the Yunlan Sect Core Hall. He would never forget that scene for the rest of his life! The usually noble and aloof Yun Yun had unexpectedly shown a side of herself no one else had ever seen. She had even subjected Yun Shenwei to "torture," calling it: "A little whip in the dark, specially made for disobedient little brothers~" At the time, Yun Shenwei had nodded frantically, promising to cultivate properly from then on. Under Yun Yun's coercion, he had also muddleheadedly agreed to several things...

"Ah!"

The more Yun Shenwei thought about it, the angrier he became. In the end, he suddenly rose to his feet and let out a long howl toward the sky, drawing the gazes of several ordinary disciples nearby.

"Senior Brother, you're so noisy. Could you not disturb our cultivation? How uncouth..."

A junior disciple who had only recently joined the sect felt disturbed and complained from some distance away. The moment he finished speaking, he felt a chill run down his back. When he turned around, he discovered countless gazes sweeping over him. Some of the female disciples radiated killing intent, as though they wanted to devour him alive.

The junior disciple, who had only been in the sect for a few days, was immediately at a loss. Trembling, he asked, "Senior Brothers, Senior Sisters, what's wrong?"

"Hey, is that any way to speak to Senior Brother?"

A female disciple standing relatively close to him rebuked him.

The junior disciple was utterly confused. "But he disturbed our cultivation."

"What do you know? Senior Brother is extraordinarily gifted and has unique insights into cultivation. On the day you joined the sect, he broke through to become a One-Star Dou Zhe. He's the most outstanding genius our Misty Cloud Sect has seen in decades."

"That shout from Senior Brother just now must have held some deeper meaning. Even you know that loud noises aren't allowed here. Do you think someone of his status wouldn't know?"

"Go, go, get out of here. Stop getting in the way. None of us said anything, so who gave you the right to speak? You were the one who disrupted Senior Brother's cultivation. Don't blame us if we're not polite!"

The junior disciple still wanted to explain, but the other disciples were filled with righteous indignation. They spoke over one another and gave him no chance to refute them.

"Enough! Quiet, all of you. This matter was my fault, so stop bullying Junior Brother."

Yun Shenwei glanced at the crowd and rebuked them with the authority of a Senior Brother. Only then did everyone quiet down and resume cultivating.

At noon, he chose to remain here and cultivate as usual. After all, there were many people here, and the atmosphere was suitable for cultivation.

"Huh? Senior Sister Nalan Yanran is here."

Someone cried out in surprise.

Hearing that, Yun Shenwei turned around as well and happened to meet a familiar pair of eyes.

Upon seeing the one she loved, Nalan Yanran waved at him, a smile rarely seen by others appearing on her face.

"Whoa! Senior Sister seems to be looking at me?"

At the same time, the junior disciple who had only joined the sect a few days ago thought Nalan Yanran had come to see him. He ran over excitedly, but his excitement quickly faded.

Nalan Yanran ignored him outright. Her figure flashed, and she appeared beside Yun Shenwei.

The junior disciple was instantly dumbfounded. Having been scolded by so many Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters that morning had already made him miserable. Now that the beautiful Senior Sister had ignored him as well, he felt even worse.

He was not the only one. Quite a few newly joined male disciples drooped their heads in dejection after witnessing this scene.

"Heh, you dare set your sights on Senior Sister Nalan Yanran? Take a look at your own status and cultivation first! Shenwei Senior Brother is already a One-Star Dou Zhe. As for when you'll become Dou Zhes, who knows if it'll be in the year of the monkey or horse."

Nearby, a fat man in a moon-white robe sneered sarcastically. He was only half the height of an ordinary youth, yet his body was outrageously fat. Other male disciples looked well-fitted in their robes, but on him, they became stretched over a bulging belly. Anyone unaware might have thought he was pregnant.

Beside the short, fat man stood a companion as thin as a hemp stalk and scrawny as a monkey. His face was covered in pockmarks. He kept scratching his ears and cheeks, picking his nose one moment and licking his fingers the next, wearing an expression of pure enjoyment.

One was fat and the other thin, one short and the other tall. Together, they perfectly embodied the true meaning of "a crooked melon and a split date."

After mocking the new junior disciples, this bizarre pair stretched their necks and leered shamelessly in Nalan Yanran's direction...

"Shenwei Senior Brother, Yanran broke through to Four-Star Dou Zhe today, so Master Yun Yun allowed Yanran to come play with you."

Nalan Yanran spoke in a sweet voice, her pretty face flushed crimson.

As their eyes met, Yun Shenwei stared blankly for a moment.

After just a few days apart, this girl had become even prettier!

People said that girls changed greatly as they grew up. Once Nalan Yanran reached adulthood, she might not be as stunningly beautiful as Yun Yun, but she certainly would not fall far short.

Yun Shenwei's self-control was fairly good. After being distracted for a few seconds, he quickly coughed to ease the awkwardness. "Ahem... Very good. Making progress is a good thing. Keep working hard. Shenwei Senior Brother is proud of you."

"Shenwei Senior Brother, let's go. Yanran prepared some surprises for you."

Nalan Yanran grinned and took Yun Shenwei's hand. Seeing this, Yun Shenwei found it difficult to refuse and simply let the girl have her way.

The two were like a Golden Boy and Jade Girl. Amid the howls and envious cries of the many disciples, they gradually walked away.

It was already late spring. Mist drifted through the Misty Cloud Sect, while peach blossoms bloomed brilliantly.

Slender willow branches swept over the stream, and several flocks of young swallows busily pecked at spring mud.

"Shenwei Senior Brother, hurry up."

Nalan Yanran skipped along ahead, occasionally turning back to urge him on.

"Slow down."

Yun Shenwei shook his head slightly and quietly quickened his pace, staying close beside the girl.

One after the other, the two of them strolled leisurely until they arrived before a waterfall.

"We're here."

When Nalan Yanran spotted the waterfall in the distance, she stopped at a pavilion. Taking a box from behind one of its pillars, she said with a smile, "Ta-da... Shenwei Senior Brother, cultivation must have exhausted you these past few days, right? Yanran made Fried Buns. Come and have some."

"Really? That's wonderful."

Yun Shenwei was slightly stunned. He had been wondering what the surprise was all along, but he had never expected Nalan Yanran to make his favorite food. His heart could not help warming.

Nalan Yanran was the cherished jewel of the Nalan Family. She had enjoyed a life of luxury since childhood and was also the direct disciple of Yun Yun, the Misty Cloud Sect's leader. Her status could be considered exceptionally noble throughout the Jia Ma Empire. The fact that she had specially prepared a loving meal for Yun Shenwei was enough to show his place in her heart.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony."

Yun Shenwei reached out to take one.

"Ah~ Don't eat it like that."

Nalan Yanran gently pinched Yun Shenwei's ear, then picked up a steaming Fried Bun with her chopsticks. After blowing on it lightly a few times, she said tenderly, "Here, Yanran will feed you."

Yun Shenwei was not used to being fed by others and awkwardly scratched his head. But under the girl's resentful gaze, he quickly surrendered.

"Is it good?"

Nalan Yanran looked expectant as she waited for the answer from the one she loved. To prepare this meal, she had specifically made time to seek advice from several Senior Sisters skilled in cooking.

"Mm, it's good. Anything Yanran makes is delicious."

Though the taste was not especially amazing, Yun Shenwei was deeply touched. He nodded repeatedly, signaling for Nalan Yanran to continue.

The two were utterly devoted to each other, inseparable as glue, like a young married couple. If other disciples saw them, they would surely be even more envious.

"Wahahaha... Hahaha..."

At that moment, strange laughter drifted faintly from the distance.

"Shh!"

The more Yun Shenwei listened, the more he sensed that something was wrong. He signaled Nalan Yanran with his eyes, raised a hand to gesture for silence, and the two quietly approached the source of the sound step by step. Once Yun Shenwei confirmed its exact location and pushed aside the leaves blocking his view, he found the two bizarre figures—one fat and one thin.

At this moment, the fat and thin odd pair were playing two roles, imitating the scene of Yun Shenwei and Nalan Yanran eating together just now.

I definitely won't fawn over Xiao Yan. Even if I do "fawn," it's only a temporary strategy...