Why was she bathing again?

"Hey, you're not planning to join that Qianyuan Sect or whatever, are you?"

"Their sect master's not even stronger than a puff of your breath. Has your brain burned out?"

Xiaobai had changed back into human form and lay lazily inside the immortal abode, asking Lin Yu in some confusion.

"Could you put some clothes on before you speak next time?"

Lin Yu laughed. "You wouldn't understand even if I explained. We're here to travel, not actually cultivate in a sect."

"Travel? What's that?"

The confusion on Xiaobai's face deepened.

Lin Yu: "..."

"Then where are you going now? Weren't we already at the Qianyuan Sect just now?"

After eating so much of Lin Yu's food, Xiaobai seemed much more familiar with him and began chattering away with endless questions.

For some reason, eating Lin Yu's food gave her an inexplicable sense that she was perfectly entitled to it.

"There's still some time before the sect admission assembly starts. Let's visit some old friends first."

Lin Yu smiled faintly. The Great Yan Empire was full of his old acquaintances.

In his previous life, he had focused solely on cultivation, with little leisure or inclination to concern himself with others.

This time, he could take things more casually.

"Hold on tight!"

Amid Xiaobai's startled cries.

Lin Yu abruptly accelerated, turning into a streak of light that vanished into the horizon.

The Cold Moon Pavilion.

In a pool in the woods, a stunning young woman with a tall figure, exquisite features, and skin as white as mutton fat was carefully washing every inch of her skin.

In the pool, the young woman's snow-white shoulders appeared and disappeared, lending a hint of heated temptation.

Of course, the place where she bathed was the Cold Moon Pavilion's forbidden grounds. Apart from the pavilion master and this holy maiden of the Cold Moon Pavilion, no one else was allowed to enter.

Yet at that moment, a violent fluctuation of energy suddenly surged near the pool!

Within that fluctuation, a figure seemed to flash past.

"Why is she bathing again..."

"I'm out of here..."

The instant after the figure appeared, he vanished along with the chubby little cat in his hand.

Moreover, as he vanished, he seemed to cover the cat's eyes.

"Children shouldn't look at this."

Lin Yu spoke to Xiaobai with righteous solemnity.

Xiaobai immediately rolled her eyes at Lin Yu in contempt.

You're the child. Your whole family's made up of children.

"Huh... was there some movement over there just now..."

At that moment, the young woman in the pool seemed to finally notice something. With a startled cry, she wrapped her arms around her chest and scanned her surroundings warily.

Of course, she found nothing.

"Yuyao, what happened?"

Just then, a cool female voice rang out, and a beautiful woman appeared beside the pool.

It was none other than the Cold Moon Pavilion's master, Zhou Yuexi!

Zhou Yuexi scanned the surroundings with a somewhat hostile expression. If someone had trespassed into the Cold Moon Pavilion's forbidden grounds, that was unquestionably a capital offense!

"Master, it's nothing. I must have sensed it wrong..."

Xia Yuyao quickly put on a white dress and shook her head gently, her voice apologetic.

She had never expected to actually alert her master.

Yet for some reason, she had felt a trace of familiarity in that fluctuation of energy just now, which almost certainly should have been an illusion.

In fact, it was not merely familiarity, but affinity.

For Xia Yuyao, this feeling was almost a first in her life.

"As long as nothing's wrong." A trace of gentleness entered Zhou Yuexi's voice.

She tended to this sole seedling of their Cold Moon Pavilion with meticulous care, leaving nothing unattended.

"Only one year remains until the Eastern Region's grand sect gathering."

"Cultivate diligently. If you need anything, just come to me."

"Yes, Master. I understand."

Xia Yuyao nodded obediently. This grand sect gathering of the Eastern Region was extremely important to the Cold Moon Pavilion.

Hearing Xia Yuyao's reply, Zhou Yuexi nodded in satisfaction. After giving her a few more reminders, she left the forbidden grounds.

"Sigh, I don't know why, but ever since I sensed that fluctuation of energy, there seems to have been this hollow feeling in my heart."

Xia Yuyao's pretty face grew slightly tense. She shook her head in distress, then held her breath and focused her mind, unwilling to think about it any further.

As the holy maiden of the Cold Moon Pavilion, cultivation was what mattered most...

The Yin Baleful Intent Sect.

Atop a mountain peak, a handsome young man sat cross-legged, a dark presence faintly gathering in his palm.

This was Yin Hao, the only son of the Yin Baleful Intent Sect's master!

The Yin Mystic Sect, which had previously attacked the Lin Household, was a subsidiary sect of this Yin Baleful Intent Sect!

Unlike the Yin Mystic Sect, the master of the Yin Baleful Intent Sect was a genuine nascent soul peak stage expert!

Given a fortuitous opportunity, he would have a chance to break through to the legendary spirit transformation realm!

"Who's there?"

Yin Hao, whose eyes had remained tightly shut, suddenly snapped them open!

Just now, his heart had skipped a beat as he sensed an intense threat of death!

Yin Hao stared fixedly ahead, his heart pounding uncontrollably!

He finally made out a young man's face before him!

The young man was also holding a fat cat.

"To think I'd wander past this ill-omened place of yours while strolling around."

"Oh well, I'll take care of your Yin Baleful Intent Sect while I'm at it, so you won't come stirring up trouble at my Lin Household later."

Ignoring Yin Hao's intensely murderous gaze, Lin Yu shook his head helplessly.

Dealing with this Yin Baleful Intent Sect would take no more than a wave of his hand.

But having it spoil his good mood for the day really was not much of a bargain.

"Hmph, whoever you are, wanting to wipe out my Yin Baleful Intent Sect is biting off far more than you can chew!"

Yin Hao's face was dark as still water as he spoke. He actually struck first with his palm, instantly unleashing his powerful golden core stage strength!

That palm strike was about to hit Lin Yu's body!

"Get lost!"

Just as Lin Yu was about to strike and reduce Yin Hao to dust, he heard a girl's cry. Immediately afterward, a young woman's figure appeared before him.

It was Xiaobai!

Just now, Xiaobai had actually rushed out of Lin Yu's immortal abode first and transformed into a giant tiger.

Then she reduced Yin Hao to dust with a single slap!

Afterward, Xiaobai did not return, but instead changed into human form.

Her large eyes darted about, and her little mouth formed a slight pout.

Within her beautiful eyes, a trace of some inexplicable emotion seemed to stir.