Chapter 360: Senior Brother, Two-Timing
“Immortal Calendar year 2115, May 3rd.
“I managed to snag a spiritual herb gathering mission on Tianyun Peak. One Moon Heart Grass can be exchanged for fifty Spirit Stones. My luck today was especially good! I encountered twelve plants on the mountain in total, earning six hundred Spirit Stones! After deducting the cost of renting the Spirit Gathering Array, I still have three hundred and twenty-seven Spirit Stones left!
“A Peace Charm was recently put on display at Jade Spring Pavilion in the marketplace. Every time I hear the words ‘peace’ and ‘charm,’ I think of Ye Anping, and I just couldn’t help myself. So, I spent some of my savings to buy it and hung it on the grand door of the Three-Bay House he shares with Young Master Xiao.
“I hope Ye Anping can live a peaceful life as his name suggests, forever! And Junior Sister Pei too, of course!”
The warm breeze of early summer swept across a courtyard on the waist of Tianyun Peak. The woman sitting by the window placed her brush back on the brush rest on the table, closed the diary in front of her, sat up straight, raised her arms high, and stretched.
“Woo~~~~ Oh…”
Bai Yuexin exhaled softly and turned her head to look out the window.
Before her lay layered mountains hidden behind dense clouds, and filling her nose was the fragrance of myriad flowers blooming in summer.
Elder Lei had apparently done something wrong a few days ago and was kicked to who-knows-where by the Sect Master. Thus, for the past few months, Xuan Xing Sect has been, in the literal sense of the word, “peaceful and tranquil.”
It was just a pity that while Xuan Xing Sect enjoyed its “peace and tranquility,” her own peace was absent.
“Has Anping forgotten about me, his elder sister? That stinky brat…”
Bai Yuexin complained absentmindedly, yet felt a profound sense of helplessness. Just a while ago, Junior Sister Pei Lianxue had reached Core Formation, and she told Bai Yuexin that Ye Anping had also reached Core Formation at the Hundred Lotus Sect.
She remembered when she first met Ye Anping, he was merely a young cultivator at the fifth or sixth level of Qi Refining.
Now, in just over six years, that young master who used to help people with physiotherapy in the marketplace had already begun undergoing the Core Formation heavenly tribulation.
And what about her?
Six years ago, she had just stepped into the Mid Foundation Establishment stage. After dedicating six years of painstaking cultivation, she had only just managed to brush against the threshold of Late Foundation Establishment, with Core Formation seeming an impossibility.
What limited her was not her aptitude, but Spirit Stones and resources.
She was a cultivator with a single spiritual root and had entered Xuan Xing Sect through the sect selection. Among the disciples who entered in the same batch, she was considered of average caliber.
However, she had neither the support of a great family nor any fortuitous encounters. Relying solely on completing missions within Xuan Xing Sect daily was like using a cup of water to put out a conflagration. She had even been using a flying sword that had been broken for some time, and she’d been reluctant to send it for repairs, opting instead to wrap it with bandages and continue using it.
Earlier, she heard Feng Yu Die mention that Ye Anping had helped her earn a lot of Spirit Stones. Bai Yuexin felt a surge of exhilaration and wondered if Ye Anping could take her along.
But when she heard Feng Yu Die talk about killing demonic cultivators and needing to come and go before Nascent Soul and Deity Transformation cultivators, she immediately abandoned the thought.
She knew her limits; she could not be like a genius like Feng Yu Die, able to come and go freely in front of cultivators who were one or even several major realms above her.
All she could do was help Ye Anping clean his house, watch his shop, and other such tasks…
Of course, Bai Yuexin had also considered asking Ye Anping for a loan.
But she immediately stamped out that idea.
She asked herself honestly, her kindness towards Ye Anping was not aimed at gaining any benefit from him.
She simply wanted to watch over Ye Anping as an older sister.
Just as Ye Anping had comforted her like a younger brother six years ago, if Ye Anping encountered any difficulties in the future, she would comfort him like an elder sister!
The Bai Yuexin of six years ago had been disheartened after being defeated by Pei Lianxue and Feng Yu Die during the sect selection.
The Bai Yuexin of six years later would not repeat the same mistake!
She closed her eyes, took a light breath, and raised her hand to pat her cheeks. She stood up:
“Alright! Stop being morose, Bai Yuexin. Time to clean up the Three-Bay House. Junior Sister Pei and the others are gone again, so it’ll be covered in dust and weeds again.”
Cheering herself up, Bai Yuexin rolled up her sleeves, tied her flowing sleeves to her shoulders with a ribbon, pushed open the door, summoned her flying sword, and headed towards the cluster of Three-Bay Houses on the mountainside.
The residents of the Three-Bay House cluster were all disciples who had ranked in the top ten during the sect selection six years ago.
However, apart from Feng Yu Die and a few others, the highest cultivation among them was only at Early Foundation Establishment.
Because Bai Yuexin came here often, she was already on familiar terms with these disciples. As soon as she landed, she received several respectful greetings:
“Good afternoon, Senior Sister Bai!”
Although they all knew she was here to clean the houses for Xiao Yunluo and Feng Yu Die, no one looked down on her. Sometimes, they even offered to help her.
After exchanging pleasantries with these disciples, Bai Yuexin, as usual, arrived at the grand door of the Three-Bay House where Xiao Yunluo and Ye Anping resided.
“Hoo…”
Bai Yuexin exhaled deeply and took out a broom from her Storage Bag.
Even though she knew Ye Anping wouldn’t be there, every time she came and pushed open the door, she would intentionally knock:
Bang bang—
“Anping, are you there?”
“… …”
Naturally, there was no response.
Bai Yuexin felt a bit helpless and took out the token that Xiao Yunluo had given her from her Storage Bag.
However, before she could inject spiritual energy into the token to activate the courtyard’s restriction.
Creak—
The courtyard door of the Three-Bay House was pulled open from the inside.
A handsome young man appeared behind the door, dressed in green robes and boots, with his black hair tied up and hanging down his back. He had a look of surprise on his face:
“Senior Sister Bai, how did you know I’m back?”
“… …”
Bai Yuexin, holding the token high, froze in place. She looked at Ye Anping’s face, as if she barely recognized him.
His appearance was still the same as she remembered, a handsome and dashing young master, but his demeanor was vastly different from before.
His originally somewhat cold deep purple eyes now held a hint of warmth.
“Anping?”
“Yes, Elder Sister? What is it?”
“Anping!!”
Unable to restrain herself, Bai Yuexin rushed forward and pulled Ye Anping into a bear hug, tears welling up in her eyes:
“Anping, Elder Sister misses you so much!!”
Ye Anping was slightly surprised but quickly recovered. He gently patted her back and comforted her, saying:
“It has indeed been a long time since I’ve returned.”
But the next moment, seeing that Bai Yuexin was still stuck at Mid Foundation Establishment, a trace of sadness appeared in his eyes.
Bai Yuexin was not a cultivator who idled around all day, nor was her aptitude poor. The reason for her stagnant cultivation was none other than the issue of resources.
Ye Anping understood; it wasn’t that Xuan Xing Sect was stingy. Xuan Xing Sect simply couldn’t provide special care for every single disciple. A thought of helping her arose in his heart.
He didn’t lack Spirit Stones or heavenly treasures now, so giving Bai Yuexin a portion wouldn’t be an issue…
Just as he was about to do so, Bai Yuexin slowly let go of him, took his hand, and quickly ran to the door of his bedroom:
“Look at this… Elder Sister bought it for you.”
Ye Anping was a little bewildered. Following her finger, he noticed a crystal-like concentric jade disc hanging on the wooden door. This style was generally called a Peace Charm.
“Did Elder Sister hang this up?”
“Yes, I bought it for you at Jade Spring Pavilion for ten thousand Spirit Stones, to bless you with peace and safety. What do you think? Do you like it?”
Ye Anping fell silent for a moment upon hearing this, then quickly and secretly tucked the tassel hanging from his waist back into his Storage Bag. With a smile, he replied:
“Yes, I like it. Thank you, Elder Sister.”
Hearing Ye Anping say he liked it, Bai Yuexin felt that her ten thousand Spirit Stones had not been wasted. However, when she turned and looked at Ye Anping’s face, she suddenly remembered that Feng Yu Die had said she had earned nearly a million Spirit Stones with Ye Anping!
Instantly, Bai Yuexin felt like an idiot, pursed her lips awkwardly, and asked with a trembling voice, her face blushing:
“Anping, do you really like it?”
Ye Anping quickly responded:
“I really do. The gift is small, but the sentiment is great. Since Elder Sister gave it to me, how could I not like it?”
*Small gift… I saved up for a month and a half…*
Bai Yuexin pursed her lips, said nothing, and changed the subject:
“Anping, how many days will you be staying at Xuan Xing Sect?”
“I’ll be leaving soon. I was just passing by and came back to take a look.”
“Ah… Oh.”
*I was going to accompany you to browse the marketplace. A few interesting little shops have opened there…* Bai Yuexin nodded and asked:
“Where are you going?”
“Northern Region, Hantian Kingdom. My junior sister went there for some reason. Hantian Kingdom has been very dangerous lately, so I need to hurry there.”
“Indeed. I’ve also heard that the demonic cultivators in the Eastern Domain have been stirring up trouble recently, nearing the eastern passes of the Northern Region, but I’ve only heard rumors, I don’t know if it’s true. Be careful on your journey.”
“Mm.”
“Then hurry and go. While you’re gone, I’ll help you look after this courtyard. I guarantee that when you return, you can move in directly without needing to clean.”
“…Mm.”
Ye Anping looked at Bai Yuexin, feeling an inexplicable pang of sadness. He wasn’t so dense as to not understand anything. He could naturally tell that Bai Yuexin was mostly feeling uncomfortable right now.
He had originally planned to give Bai Yuexin some Spirit Stones and heavenly treasures, but if he gave them to her now, she might feel even worse.
After a moment of thought, Ye Anping made a sword finger gesture, took out a box of pastries and a jar of high-grade tea from his Storage Bag, and pushed them into Bai Yuexin’s hands. He said:
“Elder Sister, can I trouble you with something?”
Bai Yuexin looked at him somewhat puzzled, then at the items he handed over, and asked:
“Just tell me what it is.”
“On the mountainside of Moon Spring Peak, there is a lush bamboo forest. Please deliver this box of pastries and high-grade tea to the person inside the cave dwelling.”
“Isn’t that just a bamboo forest there?”
“Yes, there’s an illusionary formation set up. Junior Sister Xiao lives inside. If you mention my name, someone should guide you in.”
“…Young Master Xiao has a sister?” Bai Yuexin looked confused. “I’ve been in Xuan Xing Sect for so many years, and I’ve never heard that the Sect Master has two daughters.”
“Yes, I heard from her that she never really came out of her cave dwelling before. I only met her by chance.”
“I see… Should I go now?”
“Yes.”
Bai Yuexin paused for a moment, then decided not to overthink it. Carrying the pastries and tea, she turned and ran out of the Three-Bay House, summoned her flying sword, and flew towards the mountainside of Moon Spring Peak.
After watching Bai Yuexin leave, Ye Anping let out a sigh and gave a wry smile, feeling helpless. He used his spiritual energy to remove the Peace Charm hanging on the doorframe and gently rubbed it in his palm.
He had originally come to Xuan Xing Sect intending to see Si Xuanji once and check on her. But now, it seemed better to have Bai Yuexin go.
“Hoo…”
At this moment, Li Longling, who had been hiding in the house, also emerged with her Fire Phoenix. She covered her mouth and chuckled:
“Giving a man a fish is not as good as teaching him to fish. Young Master Ye handles things so smoothly.”
“It’s just repaying kindness,” Ye Anping lowered his gaze and shook his head, hanging the Peace Charm on his belt. “Senior Sister Bai helped me a lot before. It’s just a matter of returning a favor. Let’s go, we need to continue our journey…”
“Mm.”
Ye Anping summoned his Divine Travel Boat, stepped onto it, then pulled Li Longling up. The two then flew away on the Divine Travel Boat.
The already tidy courtyard of the Three-Bay House returned to tranquility once more…
… …
————
Moon Spring Peak, mountainside, cave dwelling amidst a bamboo forest.
Within a waterside pavilion, Si Xuanji lay lazily on a rocking chair, her Yin-yang heteromorphic eyes gazing at the luminous trail left by the Divine Travel Boat in the sky. She puffed out her cheeks and cast a displeased glance, pouting:
“Ye Anping is becoming more and more like that brat from Yun Tian Mi’s family. When he reached Core Formation, he kept calling me ‘senior,’ but as soon as he reached Core Formation, he forgot all about this old lady and didn’t even come to visit.”
Behind her, Qiu Shui Rou, who was helping her rock the chair, sighed upon hearing this:
“Sect Master, as much as I understand, Young Master Ye doesn’t know that True Person Tian Ji is you, does he? He hasn’t even seen the face of a Dual Cultivator in the past two and a half years…”
“But he should at least come to visit Miss Xuan Ji, shouldn’t he? Miss Xuan Ji treated him well, hmph!”
Si Xuanji crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks, appearing quite angry and adorably fierce.
Qiu Shui Rou could only sigh helplessly upon seeing this. However, she was secretly relieved that her Sect Master still possessed a shred of decency and used the alias “True Person Tian Ji” when Ye Anping reached Core Formation.
Otherwise, if Ye Anping knew that he had been tricked by the mother of Young Master Xiao, his Dao heart would surely be shattered!
It was at this moment that a woman’s voice suddenly came from outside the cave dwelling.
—”This humble disciple is from Tianyun Peak. Young Master Bai Lian is sending something here.”
Upon hearing this, Si Xuanji’s eyebrows twitched. Her eyeballs darted towards the entrance of the cave dwelling. After a moment of silence, she turned her head away again:
“Hmph! He actually didn’t come in person! This old lady is angry!”
“… …” Qiu Shui Rou looked helpless and asked, “So, are we not letting her in?”
Si Xuanji pondered for a moment, then shook her head helplessly.
She still remembered this disciple, Bai Yuexin.
When she had asked Ye Anping to look after ‘A’ying,’ ‘A’ying’ had argued with Bai Yuexin every day, and Bai Yuexin had even cursed ‘A’ying’ as “which ill-mannered disciple raised you…”
She knew of Ye Anping’s identity as the second young master of Xuan Xing Sect.
Now, Ye Anping was asking Bai Yuexin to run errands for him.
The implication was quite clear.
It was nothing more than him wanting her to help and support Bai Yuexin.
Si Xuanji shook her head, looking somewhat helpless, and said:
“Just bring the items in. Tell her to go to the Sword Pavilion on Lei Jian Peak in Xuan Xing Sect and help Old Man Liu organize the spirit swords in the pavilion.”
“Hmm? With Mr. Liu’s temperament, will he accept?”
“If he dares not to accept, then let him go accompany Old Man Lei! That Bai Yuexin lacks intelligence and won’t go far on the path of cultivation, but she is honest and kind. If she were to forge swords, she would likely achieve some passable success.”
“Understood.”
Qiu Shui Rou shook her head helplessly, only sighing inwardly that the Sect Master treated Ye Anping as if he were her own son.
She flickered and disappeared from the pavilion.
After a while, Qiu Shui Rou returned to Si Xuanji’s side carrying the tea and the box of pastries that Bai Yuexin had brought:
“Sect Master, Young Master Ye sent a jar of high-grade tea and some pastries.”
Si Xuanji glanced at them, then turned away and “Hmph’d”:
“Even though she has True Person Tian Ji, he still sends things to Miss Xuan Ji! Is he trying to play both sides?”
?
Didn’t you just complain that Young Master Ye wasn’t coming to visit Miss Xuan Ji?
So, it seems no matter whether Young Master Ye sends you something or not, it’s still Ye Anping’s fault?
Qiu Shui Rou blinked. She had finally figured it out.
Si Xuanji was simply upset.
As for why she was upset, she couldn’t figure that out.
However, one thing was certain: Ye Anping was indeed the person her Sect Master cherished the most in the past thousand years.
This was the first time Qiu Shui Rou had seen Si Xuanji treat anyone so well.
“Sect Master, why exactly are you angry with Young Master Ye?”
Si Xuanji glanced at her and replied coldly:
“Does this Venerable Being need a reason to be angry? Hmph!”
“… …”
“Not enough trouble! Not enough trouble!!”
Si Xuanji’s brows furrowed, and she immediately tilted her head back and glared at ‘A’ying’ in the sky.
… …
