In his hands, Master held a round object adorned with many flowers of unknown origin, with the words "Happy Birthday, Xiao An!" written in the center. A ring of candles surrounded the object. The warm candlelight illuminated Master's face, making it appear even softer and more captivating.

Shu Lan smiled at Qin An and said, "This is a cake, something my family eats for their birthdays. I thought your birthday was coming up, so I made one for you."

Shu Lan handed the cake to Qin An, "Quickly close your eyes, make a wish, and then blow out the candles. I heard that if you blow out all the candles, your wish will come true!"

"So, today is my birthday..." Qin An was deeply moved. His master had actually remembered his birthday and even taken the time to celebrate it with him. How could he possibly deserve such care from his master...?

Looking at Shu Lan in the candlelight, Qin An's heart fluttered. The loud pounding of his heart echoed in Qin An's ears, and an indescribable emotion flowed through his heart.

Qin An closed his eyes and silently prayed, "I hope my master brother can celebrate my birthday with me every year." After he finished praying, Qin An opened his eyes and blew out all the candles with all his might.

Shu Lan cut the cake, scooped out a piece, and handed it to Qin An.

Qin An picked up a spoon, scooped up a spoonful, and put it in his mouth. A sweet taste immediately filled his entire tongue. It was a sweetness he had never tasted before.

Under Shu Lan's gentle gaze, Qin An ate cake bite after bite, feeling extremely happy.

Shu Lan watched Qin An eat his cake, then reached out and patted his head. "May Xiao An be happy every year, and safe and sound every year." May he never have any worries.

Looking into Shu Lan's eyes, which were brighter than the Milky Way, Qin An, with his heart pounding wildly, softly said, "I hope my master brother feels the same way."

The two smiled at each other, sat side by side on the grass in the courtyard, and looked up at the starry sky...

Spring goes and autumn comes, time flies. Before we knew it, three years had passed.

In these three years, Qin An has grown rapidly. Through his diligent practice, Qin An has reached the early stage of Foundation Establishment, becoming one of the best among the disciples.

In the fleeting passage of time, Shu Lan watched helplessly as Qin An grew from only reaching her chest to shoulder height. Although Shu Lan herself was also growing taller during this period, it was clear that it was only a matter of time before Qin An surpassed her in height.

Shu Lan was a little puzzled, but seeing Qin An's still well-behaved demeanor, she felt somewhat relieved. After all, he was her adopted brother, and no matter what, his affection for her would never change. Why should she fuss over such things? Having a brother was wonderful; he was so obedient.

That day, Shu Lan sat under the orchid tree, sipping tea as usual. Qin An, meanwhile, practiced his swordplay nearby.

The boy's figure had grown slender and supple. When he practiced swordsmanship, it was both powerful and unpredictable. Combined with his flexible physique, it possessed an unparalleled beauty.

Just then, two disciples came to see him.

Shu Lan activated the protective array around the mountain, allowing them to enter.

"Reporting to Grandmaster Uncle, Grandmaster Lieyang is very busy and sent us to inform you that the Tianyuan Secret Realm is about to open. Grandmaster Lieyang's words are all in this jade slip. Please accept it, Grandmaster Uncle." One disciple bowed and said this, while another disciple handed over a jade slip.

Shu Lan accepted the jade slip. "I'll accept the jade slip. Thank you for making this trip."

"No trouble at all, no trouble at all. It's what we should do." The two disciples were somewhat flattered and quickly took their leave.

Shu Lan used her divine sense to receive the information from the jade slip, gaining a slight understanding of the opening of the Tianyuan Secret Realm.

Shu Lan waved to Qin An, and Qin An, seeing his master calling him over, quickly sheathed his sword and walked towards Shu Lan.

"Brother Shizun, is there something you need?"

"My senior brother told me that the Tianyuan Secret Realm is about to open. You'll be going in this time too." With that, Shu Lan moved aside, making room for someone to sit.

"Come, sit down. Let me tell you about this Tianyuan Secret Realm."

Qin An sat down next to Shu Lan as instructed, and the distance between them immediately closed. So close that Qin An could faintly smell the delicate fragrance of magnolia on Shu Lan, which made his mind momentarily dazed.

Shu Lan, however, did not notice Qin An's unusual behavior. Instead, she carefully and thoroughly explained the Tianyuan Secret Realm to Qin An.

"This Tianyuan Secret Realm is controlled by the Xinghe Sect and is opened once every five years. Any disciple who has reached the Foundation Establishment stage or below can enter this secret realm."

"There are many good things in this secret realm, some of which are even useful to cultivators in the Golden Core and Nascent Soul stages!"

"If you encounter any opportunities inside, be sure to seize them." Shu Lan patted Qin An on the shoulder. "It will definitely bring you many benefits."

Qin An listened to Shu Lan's instructions while nodding repeatedly to show that he understood.

"Then you should prepare well now and try to enter the secret realm in the best possible condition tomorrow."

"I will definitely prepare well and won't let my master brother down!" Qin An said with great enthusiasm.

Back in her room, Shu Lan suddenly realized that the name "Tianyuan Secret Realm" sounded familiar. After recalling the plot in her mind, she exclaimed, "Ah! Isn't that where the protagonist obtained the Fire Spirit Essence?"

It was this Fire Spirit Marrow that helped the protagonist refine his superior fire spirit root into a top-grade fire-attribute heavenly spirit root.

Now that his disciple also possesses a superior fire spirit root, it is precisely the time when he needs this fire spirit marrow.

While it's somewhat inappropriate to seize the protagonist's opportunities, the protagonist often has more than one. Moreover, when a protagonist loses one opportunity, Heaven often finds ways to compensate him with others. Therefore, taking one or two of his opportunities isn't a big deal.

But his own disciple is different; he doesn't have the protagonist's halo, and he has to rely on himself when danger arises. Improving his cultivation and increasing his strength as soon as possible is the only way forward.

So, Ye Feiyu, I'm afraid I'll have to make you suffer! Shu Lan thought to herself.

Although I am your grand-uncle, isn't it my duty to respect my elders? Thinking of this, Shu Lan breathed a sigh of relief.

Therefore, the most urgent task is to infiltrate this Tianyuan Secret Realm as soon as possible.

How should I get in? Shu Lan pondered quietly.

Suddenly, Shu Lan had an idea, and her eyes lit up. "Okay, that's it!" Shu Lan clapped her hands, happily making her decision.

Meanwhile, Qin An was still preparing for his entry into the secret realm the next day. The thought of not being able to spend time with his master brother tomorrow filled him with a little sadness.

Little did he know, his master was secretly preparing to infiltrate the secret realm.