The plot fell apart

"That rotten octopus was caught. Master Yu Qing cast three Forbidden Curses and personally sealed him beneath the Demon-Suppressing Tower forever. The curses drained Master's magic power, so he was unconscious for a whole day. He's gone into secluded cultivation again." Ouyang Susu bit her lip, feeling inexplicably resentful. "It was the same last time. Master Yu Qing personally punished Senior Brother Zhao to avenge Senior Brother Xiao."

Xiao Qinghe gave an awkward laugh. "You must be joking, little junior sister. That Octopus Monster belonged to the Demon Clan. Master has always considered slaying demons his duty, so of course he wouldn't let him off easily. Besides, the Octopus Monster bullied you. Master was angry on your behalf. What would that have to do with me?"

Ouyang Susu's eyes lit up. "Really?"

Bai Yuqing had always been cold and stern. Xiao Qinghe would never flatter himself into believing Bai Yuqing would go to such lengths for him. For Ouyang Susu, though, that sounded plausible.

"You're the darling of the entire Sect, little junior sister. What's so strange about Master severely punishing a Demon Clan member for you?"

Ouyang Susu's pretty face flushed. Remembering how Xiao Qinghe had said Bai Yuqing had feelings for her and had even secretly kept her red dudou, she believed his explanation wholeheartedly.

She said haughtily, "I'm not the darling of the entire Sect! Senior Brother Xie doesn't care about me. He left me to die, and he even snapped at me just now!"

Xiao Qinghe silently covered his face.

The Octopus Monster was part of the main storyline. He was supposed to spark feelings between Ouyang Susu and Xie Jun, trapping the two of them in a cave where they would spend seven sweet, cozy days and nights together.

Instead, the plot had completely fallen apart. The ones trapped in the cave had been him and Xie Jun.

Sleeping in each other's arms, keeping each other warm, intimate dual cultivation, performing Sword Dance and giving flowers-Ouyang Susu hadn't experienced any of it. Instead, he, a grown man, had gone through the whole lot.

What the hell was this mess?

Now, not only had Ouyang Susu failed to develop feelings for Xie Jun, she had actually grown distant from her. What was he supposed to do?

As the plot's designated tool, Xiao Qinghe naturally had to put everything back on track. He cleared his throat and put his acting skills to work. "There's something you don't know, little junior sister. This is precisely what makes our junior sister so clever. On the surface, it looked like she was leaving you to die, but the truth was the exact opposite."

Seeing that Ouyang Susu was confused, Xiao Qinghe patiently guided her along. "The situation was critical, and our junior sister couldn't be everywhere at once. To unsettle her, the Octopus Monster would inevitably target whoever mattered most to her. She saw right through that, so she played along. By pretending not to care about you, she actually kept you safe!"

Sound reasoning. Perfectly plausible.

With Ouyang Susu's sweet, innocent airhead characterization, she might actually believe it.

Ouyang Susu stared blankly, then murmured dazedly, "Senior Brother Xie was actually trying to save me? But he snapped at me just now..."

Xiao Qinghe inwardly cursed Xie Jun for being such a blockhead. If she had shown even a little tenderness toward a pretty girl, would things have gotten this bad?

You drove your future wife away, and now I'm the one stuck cleaning up your mess!

"There's something else you don't know, little junior sister. Our junior sister never says what she really means. Besides, you were clinging to me just now. She must have gotten jealous, which was why she spoke so harshly to you." The more Xiao Qinghe said, the more brilliant he thought this explanation was.

Every time Ouyang Susu approached him, Xie Jun bristled all over. Wasn't that exactly what happened when a youngster first fell in love and got jealous over her dream girl?

Did that mean Xie Jun had already developed feelings for the female lead, but was too caught up in it to realize it herself?

Thoroughly won over, Ouyang Susu blushed. "So Senior Brother Xie likes me that much."

Then, perhaps remembering that Xiao Qinghe was her devoted admirer, she took his hand again, her pretty face shy. "I know you like me best, Senior Brother Xiao. I like you too, but in a very pure, brother-and-sister sort of way."

Xiao Qinghe: "..."

Why did that sound so much like a manipulative tease?

No wonder the female lead had countless devoted admirers, each more loyal than the last. When a sweet, innocent heroine told a man she liked him with that beautiful, guileless face, few men could withstand it.

"Junior Sister likes Senior Brother Xiao?" Zhao Guangyi suddenly appeared at the doorway, having happened to overhear those words.

His expression darkened as he glared fiercely at Xiao Qinghe.

His eyes brimmed with hostility, as though stabbing Xiao Qinghe once last time hadn't been enough and he wanted to stab him again.

Like a colorful butterfly, Ouyang Susu fluttered over to Zhao Guangyi and hugged his arm, smiling sweetly as she said in a lilting voice, "I like you too, Senior Brother Zhao!"

Zhao Guangyi was instantly walking on air. "Last time, you said you wanted Walnut Pastry, so I bought you a box. Do you still want some?"

"But Senior Brother Xie went down the mountain to buy roasted sweet potatoes..."

"How could roasted sweet potatoes compare to Walnut Pastry? Walnut Pastry tastes best while it's hot. If you don't eat it now, the flavor will change."

After a moment's consideration, Ouyang Susu happily went off with her arms wrapped around Zhao Guangyi to eat Walnut Pastry.

With his dream girl holding his arm, Zhao Guangyi felt as if his feet barely touched the ground. He grinned like a complete idiot.

Xiao Qinghe watched in amazement.

Did the female lead just flirt with me and run off-with another man, no less?

She was a total player!

Xie Jun returned carrying roasted sweet potatoes and found Xiao Qinghe looking as though his entire worldview had shattered. Her heart tightened. "Senior brother, does it hurt somewhere?"

"It certainly does." Xiao Qinghe looked at the bewitchingly beautiful youngster and felt sorry for her for three seconds.

With a female lead like this, wouldn't she end up being cheated on left and right?

Xie Jun thought he meant his wound hurt, and her fists clenched.

She hadn't been strong enough to protect her senior brother.

She couldn't accept that.

"Senior brother, when can we practice dual cultivation again?"

"Cough, cough..." Xiao Qinghe nearly choked on a mouthful of Roasted Sweet Potatoes.

Although dual cultivation could greatly increase his magic power, it could also easily stir up the demonic energy within Xie Jun.

In the cave, the Octopus Monster had provided cover, allowing them to blame it on his underhanded attacks. But if they took dual cultivation any further, the demonic energy would inevitably reveal itself. No amount of excuses would conceal Xie Jun's identity as a member of the Demon Clan then, and he would surely be held accountable for harboring her.

Given how much Master hated the Demon Clan, he could kill both him and Xie Jun with a single sword stroke in an instant.

Xiao Qinghe broke into a cold sweat. "Junior sister, cultivation is a gradual process. You should stick to orthodox cultivation methods. You can't rush it."

"But I don't want to wait!" Xie Jun became agitated.

Xiao Qinghe suddenly remembered that, according to the original novel's timeline, the second main storyline would soon begin: the Heroes' Conference.

It was an annual grand event where all the major sects gathered, bringing together the younger generation under everyone's watchful eyes. It was the perfect opportunity for individuals and major sects alike to make a name for themselves.

The Heroes' Conference was where Xie Jun first distinguished herself.

Not only did she defeat dozens of opponents in succession single-handedly, but a chance turn of events also led her to form a Soul-Tying Thread Death Pact with the female lead.

The Soul-Tying Thread bound two people's souls together, allowing each to sense the other's emotions through their souls and pinpoint their location.

It was practically like putting a tracking device on each other!

Clearly, it was a romantic toy made exclusively for couples!

A ding sounded.

The system suddenly issued a mission.

[The main storyline "Heroes' Conference" is about to begin. Host, please urge Xie Jun to intensify her cultivation, improve her cultivation level, and achieve outstanding results at the Heroes' Conference!]

Xiao Qinghe nodded inwardly, then patted her shoulder with an encouraging expression. "The Heroes' Conference is about to begin. You really should work hard at your cultivation, junior sister. When you step onto that stage, you're sure to shine! I believe in you. Train hard!"

He was thinking that if Xie Jun trained hard and stunned everyone with a spectacular performance, she would be able to capture the female lead's heart.

But to Xie Jun, his words meant something entirely different.

Xie Jun had never imagined that her senior brother believed in her so much.

Her heart surged with emotion, and she abruptly stood. "Senior brother, I won't let you down!"

Before Xiao Qinghe could ask what she was going to do, she left the room and headed straight for Bai Yuqing.

Bai Yuqing was in secluded cultivation and was deeply displeased by her uninvited intrusion. "You've caused Qinghe to get hurt twice, and I have yet to settle accounts with you. You still have the nerve to come before me?"