Chapter 103 The junior sister with the flower wreath feigns pitifulness, and the senior sister falls for it. ...

Upon hearing Qiao Yanshen's reply, Si Changxi lowered his head, seemingly lost in thought.

Familiar yet vague, I can't remember where I saw it before, and all that's left is a name, with no other records.

"There's one more thing," Yan Xueya said, "Golden Core Realm disciples can try to offer courses within the sect, share their insights, and guide other disciples in their cultivation. Yan Shen, you've received a lot of praise after the minor competition. Do you have any plans regarding this?"

Qiao Yanshen blinked, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Master, we have accepted the mission and will set off tomorrow."

"Then we'll talk about it when we get back." Yan Xueya nodded. "Putting time aside for now, would you be willing to give a lecture at Wan Jianfeng's place?"

“I am willing. I have been guided by the immortals since I joined the sect. Now that I have reached the Golden Core stage, I should give back to the sect.”

Yan Xueya smiled and said, "There's no need to be so formal. Alright, Li Xia, you go back first. The sect leader and I have some things to discuss with your senior sister."

"The magical artifacts will be delivered to your courtyard later," Si Changxi waved his hand.

After leaving the palace, Shen Lixia started pacing back and forth. She wanted to wait for Qiao Yanshen to return so she could investigate the strange demonic energy again. Remembering that Yan Xueya had mentioned going to the library, she walked towards the back of the palace and entered the library through a side door.

The library room didn't look very big on the surface. Shen Lixia had thought it would be a magnificent library, but in person it looked more like a reading room inside a library. There were about a dozen bookshelves, a desk next to it, and the window faced snow-covered green bamboo.

It wasn't until she examined the bookshelf closely that she realized its hidden secrets—these were actually magical storage artifacts. In other words, the number of books was far greater than what appeared to be. Her fingertips touched a jade stone embedded beside the bookshelf, and the names of the scrolls inside appeared in her mind one by one. She tried to think of a word, and the jade stone automatically filtered out the scrolls that did not contain that word.

Shen Lixia suddenly felt that the heavens and earth were reversed. It was as if all the technology in the modern world she had come from was just leftovers from this world. The lack of cell phones was probably just because everyone was too busy cultivating and too lazy to develop such things.

However, the existence of messengers is already quite convenient. It is said that high-level messengers possess the same ability to traverse space, making delivering messages a matter of a moment. There is an unspoken rule in the cultivation world that messengers should never be harmed at will.

If it is a secret message, there is another way to transmit it.

After searching for a while, perhaps because she had spent so much time with Qiao Yanshen, she had become more patient and meticulous, and quickly picked up a book. The book was titled "The Book of a Hundred Diseases," and inside it mentioned a suspicious rumor about a plague:

"After the war in the ancient times ended, a large-scale plague and famine ravaged the world for decades. It was the chaos of that period that led to the loss of a large number of records and items from the ancient times, which may also be said to be the origin of the civilization gap."

After reading and putting the book back, and searching again to make sure there were no more, Shen Lixia finally left the library.

Seeing that her senior sister was still inside the hall, she went around to the back of the hall, thinking about the various strange and unusual diseases recorded in the "Hundred Diseases Book". Some of them were quite funny. She couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips and chuckle softly.

The snow, like silver snakes, lay softly on the earth. A cluster of azure flowers bloomed amidst the pristine white snow, making them stand out strikingly. The boy noticed this unusual color, quickly went over, and knelt down to gently manipulate it.

"If it doesn't have spiritual power, then it's not a divine herb. Don't worry, I'll keep some for you and spread out some more blossoms so you'll have more companions next year..."

Her voice was drowned out by the wind and snow.

-

When Qiao Yanshen came out of the main hall, he saw this scene.

The boy had his hands behind his back, clearly hiding something. The snow wasn't like snow, but more like a rain, covering her entire body with a light, shimmering white frost. She wasn't exactly disheveled, but rather like a small white dog frolicking happily in the snow, its fur fluffy fur and its eyes shining with longing, just for her, just waiting for her to come.

How stupid! If it weren't for the protection of spiritual energy, I would have sneezed long ago.

However, Shen Lixia didn't shake off the snow, as if she deliberately wanted to look like this. Her soft hair was blown into disarray, and a few strands fell down, which instead created a messy yet beautiful effect at the corners of her sharp eyes.

She stood there smiling in the snow, quietly waiting for Qiao Yanshen to arrive. The moment their eyes met, the swirling snow no longer felt cold; warmth welled up from the bottom of her heart.

Qiao Yanshen deliberately slowed her pace, making this moment seem infinitely long. Although she couldn't actually bear to, the short distance was covered in the blink of an eye. She first cupped the boy's face in her hands and said gently, "Why aren't you going back? Why are you still standing here?"

After staying in the snow for a while, Senior Sister's usually cold palms warmed up. Shen Lixia smiled and said, "I wanted to give Senior Sister something, but I was afraid you would come out when I turned around, so I could only wait."

After saying that, she took out a cleverly woven flower wreath from behind her back and placed it on Qiao Yanshen's head.

The blue flowers on it were pure and serene, sparkling and shimmering, casting dappled light of azure upon his jet-black hair. The boy gently placed his hands on the wreath, adjusting it, his eyes filled with a seriousness that almost resembled the devotion one would show at a coronation.

This bouquet truly suited my senior sister perfectly. It could bloom even in the freezing cold, and the branches were incredibly sturdy, perfect for making wreaths; several times, I nearly pricked my fingertips. If it weren't for the plausible reason for my racing heartbeat, I would almost have suspected the flowers were poisonous.

When one is swept away by surging and tender emotions, it is common to feel unsettled. But when Qiao Yanshen reached out and stroked the flower wreath, then took her hand, Shen Lixia felt as if she had landed on a solid and tangible place.

Perhaps, the snow was just too soft.

Qiao Yanshen held her hand, the rough texture of the calluses on her skin bringing a slightly itchy, tingling sensation. Shen Lixia pursed her lips, feeling Qiao Yanshen gradually rubbing the back of her hand and fingers harder, then gently breathing on it to warm it up and melt away the stiffness caused by the cold.

She had clearly taken the initiative, yet in the end, she was left swayed by her senior sister's teasing. She smiled helplessly, and only gently withdrew her hand after letting Qiao Yanshen warm it up.

“I really like it,” Qiao Yanshen said at the right moment, speaking earnestly. “I like every gift Li Xia gives me.”

Sincere intentions should be cherished.

Shen Lixia was taken aback, unsure how to respond to her words. She simply turned her head away and mumbled, "As long as Senior Sister likes it..."

Her reddened ear tips were just peeking out, seemingly still steaming. Qiao Yan resisted the urge to touch them, tightened her grip on the boy's hand, and walked down the mountain with her.

As they descended the mountain on their swords, before they even reached the courtyard, two people called out from afar, "Wait!"

Hearing a familiar voice, they stopped and turned around.

Tang Huairou and Lin Yuxian, still covered in snow and frost, came up and only raised their hands to brush off the fine snow after confirming that they had intercepted the person.

Shen Lixia asked in confusion, "Where did you come from?"

Tang Huairou sighed, "We heard you went to Frostblade Peak, so we rushed over, only to find you had just left, so we hurried back here..."

"Next, we'll be preparing for the grand competition, and everyone should be going into seclusion. Aunt Xueya also mentioned that you're going to Yingzhou, and we don't know when you'll be back... It just so happens that you invited us to your house for dinner, Senior Sister Chen. In that case, why don't we all prepare a farewell dinner together?"

Qiao Yanshen was unaware that she had said that before, and looked at the young man beside him, seemingly seeking his opinion. Just then, Shen Lixia also looked over, and the two, as if on cue, said in unison, "Alright. Then we'll trouble everyone..."

Tang Huairou tucked her messy hair behind her ear and said repeatedly, "No trouble at all, it's just a meal together. Since we've found someone here, why don't we go grocery shopping together?"

Shen Lixia readily nodded. The group turned and headed towards the outer gate of the small town.

Halfway there, Lin Yuxian finally couldn't resist and her gaze fell on the flower wreath in Qiao Yanshen's hair.

She asked softly, "What is this?"

Qiao Yanshen said calmly, "A flower wreath. If Junior Sister Lin wants to learn, my junior sister can teach you."

She raised her hand to support the cool flowers, stroking them repeatedly. Tang Huairou saw through their act but didn't say anything, knowing that the change in their atmosphere must be due to progress in their relationship. She smiled silently, but unexpectedly, Qiao Yanshen turned his gaze and looked over.

"Senior Sister Tang, you can learn from her too."

This tone didn't sound like a suggestion to send someone a flower wreath, but rather like...

Showing off.

It was as if reminding everyone present that the wreath was made for her by her junior sister.

I never imagined that Junior Sister Qiao would have this side to her.

Tang Huairou chuckled softly, "Yes, it's especially suitable to give to one's beloved after learning how. Even if the fallen petals are willing..."

Shen Lixia laughed and quickly raised her hand to cover the man's mouth.

She didn't want this matter to become public knowledge, as it would put pressure on her senior sister. Shen Lixia would have to sit up at three in the morning and think she deserved to be beaten.

Unexpectedly, Qiao Yanshen simply smiled and infused the wreath with spiritual energy, causing it to shimmer and maintain its vibrant color.

After their fun, they arrived at the small town's vegetable market. The group discussed what dishes to make and then each picked out their own vegetables. Tang Huairou and Shen Lixia haggled fiercely over the price, while Qiao Yanshen and Lin Yuxian quietly and readily paid.

Although they claimed to be bargaining, the two knew how difficult it was to take care of the fruits and vegetables, so they simply rounded down the price or politely asked the shopkeeper to give them a little extra weight. Once they had the ingredients, Shen Lixia and Tang Huairou exchanged a knowing smile.

I hadn't visited these places in a long time, so even though it was just ordinary grocery shopping, it felt quite interesting.

After placing the fruits and vegetables into her mustard seed space, she returned to the courtyard. Before even entering, she could hear the lively sounds of people. As if afraid the two might misunderstand, Tang Huairou explained, "We asked the sect leader for a token that can break the barrier. But please rest assured, junior sisters, everyone is just setting up tables and chairs in the outer courtyard and hasn't gone inside."

After all, you shouldn't touch other people's things without permission, even if they're good friends. Everyone knows that boundaries are essential for a lasting relationship.

Upon entering the courtyard, a group of people sat on chairs, leaving Shen Lixia stunned. Qiao Yanshen, standing beside her, also let out a soft "Eh," his gaze falling on several unfamiliar faces.

It wasn't exactly giving birth, it was just...

It's only natural that Lu Changqing and Wu Zhuyue are here. But why are Xie Chunan, Zu Lan, and Yan Jueshu also here?

-----------------------

Author's note: I've accepted that I've been procrastinating on my writing. If you don't like it, just skip it. [crying emoji] This author is really finished.

Some random thoughts: I'm sorry for the slow updates lately; I'm trying my best to get back to daily updates. I updated my Weibo with a group photo of the teachers when they were younger; you can check it out if you're interested. I like drawing strong, broad-shouldered women. Actually, I had a lot of fun writing these two chapters; we were all having dinner together…!