Purple Dawn Peak.
After returning with Xiao Jixue, Tang Yan plunged straight into his room.
When Li Mo and the others heard that their eldest senior brother had acquired some Enlightenment Tea, they followed him to Purple Dawn Peak to get a taste.
Once the tea was brewed, Xiao Jixue poured each of them a cup.
"Second junior brother, third junior sister, now that a Demon Clan spy has appeared in the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, send word back to your families when you have time. Tell them to stay alert."
At the mention of the Demon Clan spy and the Demon Clan's eventual return, everyone's expression darkened.
Li Mo and Feng Sheng nodded solemnly. "You're right to remind us, eldest senior brother. We'll send word to our families as soon as we get back."
Li Mo and Feng Sheng were both born and raised in the Cultivation World, and each had a family of their own.
Cui Yishu, on the other hand, was a princess of the Mortal World.
The Mortal Region was inhabited entirely by ordinary people. To protect its inhabitants, the Cultivation Domain and the Mortal Region were separated not only by countless mountains and rivers.
Countless Maze Formations had also been laid between them, preventing just anyone from entering.
Besides, the Demon Clan sought to plunder places like the Cultivation Domain, lands rich in spiritual energy that nurtured exceptional talents.
To the Demon Clan, the Mortal Region, devoid of spiritual energy, was nothing but a barren wasteland. Naturally, they had no desire to plunder it.
Thus, whether a thousand years ago or now, the Mortal Region had always remained peaceful, safe, and tranquil.
After a moment's thought, Xiao Jixue added another stern reminder.
"Troubled times lie ahead. You must work hard to improve your cultivation, too. Don't spend all day chasing gossip and watching the fun."
Xiao Jixue recalled something A-Yan had casually mentioned before.
None of the fellow disciples would meet a good end, and a powerful sense of urgency suddenly rose within him.
Watching them spend every day following A-Yan around for gossip and entertainment, growing even less diligent in their cultivation than before, only gave him more of a headache.
Xiao Jixue's face hardened, his cool voice filled with stern severity.
"Starting today, I'll personally oversee your cultivation. From now on, the three of you will report to Purple Dawn Peak punctually at the hour of the Rabbit every day."
Looking at Xiao Jixue's stern expression, Li Mo and the other two wailed inwardly, but none dared voice an objection.
Their eldest senior brother had raised them under his strict supervision—and his fists. They wouldn't dare entertain even the slightest thought of resistance!
They knew their place well enough. Sigh...
Feng Sheng's eyes darted about. Little Five was on Purple Dawn Peak, which meant they would have an endless supply of juicy gossip.
Her dejection vanished at once, replaced by eager anticipation for their future cultivation sessions.
Just then, Tang Yan emerged from his room with an exquisite jade box in his hands.
Feng Sheng asked with a smile, "What were you doing just now, youngest junior brother?"
Tang Yan walked over and sat at the table, handing the jade box to Xiao Jixue without forgetting to answer Feng Sheng. "Getting something."
Then he turned toward Xiao Jixue, a particularly radiant smile spreading across his face.
"Eldest senior brother, I said I'd give you a birthday present on your birthday before. I'm making up for it today. Take a look—do you like it?"
Xiao Jixue froze. This was a birthday present for me?
His grip on the jade box tightened involuntarily, and a deep smile flickered in his eyes.
Then he opened the box with care. Beside him, Li Mo and the other two leaned over curiously to look.
An intricately carved jade hairpin lay quietly inside the exquisite box, its body made from the finest white jade.
In the Mortal World, it would surely have been worth a fortune.
A dragon pattern had been carved into the hairpin, with a Silver-Ink Crystal set into the dragon's eye at its end.
Under the sunlight, it glittered brilliantly.
Looking at the unremarkable jade hairpin in his hands, which bore neither formations nor talismans, Xiao Jixue felt warmth fill his heart.
He had received many birthday presents since childhood, every one of them a Spirit Artifact or Spirit Treasure.
Yet at that moment, he found himself thinking, absurdly enough,
that none of those things could compare to the ordinary jade hairpin A-Yan had given him.
A faint smile graced Xiao Jixue's thin lips, instantly lending his exquisitely handsome face a dazzling allure that captivated the heart.
Even the tiny crimson mole beneath his right eye took on an added touch of graceful, vivid beauty.
Tang Yan gazed at the delighted smile on the lips of the man before him, and at that strikingly beautiful face.
His heart abruptly skipped a beat. Then it felt as though a lively little wolf pup had nestled inside his chest, thumping merrily away without end.
A rare hint of bewilderment surfaced in Tang Yan's eyes, and he unconsciously raised a hand to his wildly pounding chest.
What was... wrong with me?
"I like it very much. Thank you for your gift, A-Yan." Xiao Jixue's cool tone abruptly softened.
His mysterious, aloof silver-ink eyes settled directly on Tang Yan's face, and the smile at his lips unconsciously deepened.
Tang Yan felt a little uncomfortable under the gaze of those fathomless eyes.
"Ahem..." He coughed softly, then replied with a smile, "I'm glad you like it. That makes all the time I spent carving it worthwhile."
Surprise colored Xiao Jixue's face, and a gentle pleasure suddenly welled up in his heart.
He actually carved this himself?
His grip on the jade hairpin tightened. With a soft chuckle, he said, "You went to so much trouble. I'll take good care of it."
[Ding—Xiao Jixue's affection increased by 50. Total affection: 100.]
Tang Yan chuckled inwardly. Those fifty affection points put him in a very good mood.
Beside them, Feng Sheng rubbed her chin, her curious eyes discreetly studying her eldest senior brother and youngest junior brother.
As she watched, an excited gleam flashed through her eyes.
Aaaaah! Look what I've discovered! Feng Sheng screamed inwardly. ୧⍢⃝୨
My eldest senior brother, always as cool as the moon, so cold and aloof, was actually smiling at our youngest junior brother with such tenderness and affection!!
And all our youngest junior brother gave him was an ordinary jade hairpin—junk no one would pick up if it were dropped on the ground—yet he treasured it so much!!
Holy crap! Could eldest senior brother have feelings for youngest junior brother?
Feng Sheng recalled the storybooks she had bought to read while gaining experience down the mountain.
Some of them were about men becoming Dao companions with other men and spending their lives together.
Wasn't everything eldest senior brother did for youngest junior brother exactly like how the men in those stories treated the men they loved?
Gentle and doting only toward him, treasuring his gifts so dearly... Oh my heavens, it all fit! It all fit!
Hehehe! Feng Sheng's pretty face flushed with excitement, her expression practically declaring, My ship is real, right here in front of me!
She nudged Li Mo and Cui Yishu beside her, repeatedly blinking at them to signal that they should look at Xiao Jixue and Tang Yan.
Without understanding why, Li Mo and Cui Yishu followed her cues, looking at Xiao Jixue and then at Tang Yan.
Unable to make sense of it, they were utterly bewildered.
Feng Sheng grew so anxious that she nearly blurted out that something was going on between their eldest senior brother and youngest junior brother.
Yet even after she had blinked so much that her eyelids nearly cramped, Li Mo and Cui Yishu still failed to understand.
Instead, Li Mo wondered whether something was wrong with her eyes and asked with concern,
"Third junior sister, are your eyes bothering you?"
Cui Yishu added, "Senior sister, would you like me to take a look? I know a little medicine."
Even Xiao Jixue and Tang Yan turned toward her with concern.
Feng Sheng: "..."
Feng Sheng beat her chest and stamped her feet. Hopeless! These two were hopeless!
Gritting her teeth, she replied glumly, "I'm fine."
At that moment, no one could understand her complicated feelings!
Waaah~~ So miserable~ ::＞_＜::
Before you continue