Shen Zhaozhao and Pei Lang felt a sudden lightness around them, and the oppressive feeling that had almost crushed them suddenly dissipated.

The two of them subconsciously looked up.

The newcomer was dressed in a simple, bamboo-colored Taoist robe. He stood there quietly, his posture composed and elegant, with a faint, gentle smile on his lips.

When those clear eyes looked over, they seemed to be filled with tenderness and warmth.

Shen Zhaozhao was stunned.

Pei Lang was also stunned.

The bustling square seemed to be paused at that moment.

Between heaven and earth, it seemed that only that elegant and slender figure, as graceful as a bamboo, and the gentle, tranquil aura emanating from him could soothe all restlessness.

Even Yun Wan'er, who was on the high platform, instantly forgot all her previous grievances and embarrassment the moment she saw the person's face clearly.

Two blushes rose uncontrollably from that meticulously painted face, and her heart pounded. Although Senior Brother Gu was handsome, the person in front of her... was simply like a celestial being who had stepped out of a painting.

More importantly, he simply stood there and easily dispelled Senior Brother Gu's suffocating pressure. He was an absolute powerhouse, and also so handsome...

Yun Wan'er felt her cheeks burning, her eyes glued to the figure of the green bamboo, almost unable to look away.

Yun Wan'er was clearly not the only one in the square whose heart was pounding.

Pei Lang, who had been rescued by a "hero," looked closely at that picturesque profile and felt the tranquil aura emanating from her. His heart began to race uncontrollably.

No... Pei Lang, the dignified Little Tyrant of the Crimson Cloud Sect, what kind of beauty hasn't he seen?!

But... but why is his little heart so uncooperative?!

The vague thought that "something seems off" had just popped into Pei Lang's mind when, before he could even figure out that "it's a bit strange that we're all male cultivators," the ethereal figure in the painting had already spoken.

The moment he opened his mouth, the tiny pink bubble that had just sprouted in Pei Lang's heart was instantly extinguished.

This elegant and ethereal beauty, with a raised eyebrow, swept her gaze across at the murderous Gu Xuanchen opposite her, and spoke in a very down-to-earth Northeastern accent: "What are you looking at? I'm asking you what you're looking at there for? Try looking at one more time!"

His distinctly Northeastern accent contrasted sharply with his face.

The entire square fell into an even more profound, deathly silence than when Gu Xuanchen had unleashed his oppressive aura.

Pei Lang: "..."

A young boy's budding romantic feelings were shattered just like that.

Shen Zhaozhao: "..."

Shen Zhaozhao's vision went black for a second. Before she could fully recover from the dizziness of "What is all this?", she felt her collar tighten suddenly.

The next second, she was lifted up by an irresistible force, like a little chick, and dragged from Pei Lang's side to the figure of Cui Zhu.

Wan Qianqiu looked down at Shen Zhaozhao, whom he had brought right under his nose. On that ethereal face, there was a sense of helplessness, like an elder looking at a junior.

"Sigh, look at you, you coward. Rui Rui risked her life to send me a message, telling me to keep a close eye on the new junior sister when I came to Yunqi City to get drunk at Yundian. And you just cowered behind her like a quail?"

"What are you afraid of?"

"Come on, stand up straight and be confident!"

As he spoke, he slapped Shen Zhaozhao's shoulder twice with his free hand, the force almost making her shrink half an inch, his tone arrogant: "It's alright, whatever happens, your senior brother is here. Anyway, that loser can't beat me, hehe~"

Shen Zhaozhao: "..."

Shen Zhaozhao was almost knocked out of her body by those two "slap slaps," her mind buzzing. She opened her mouth, then closed it again, then opened it again, then closed it again.

He hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

He stopped speaking, yet still desired to.

So, the immortal with the thick Northeastern accent standing before me is the legendary senior brother who cultivated a mosquito that could roam the land, sea, and air at the Golden Core stage, and who left the sect in anger because the sect leader disliked him for his "plain appearance and questionable taste"?

no?

Senior Brother, what's with your accent?!

It doesn't match her face at all!

And hey, Senior Brother, what do you mean by "plain and ordinary"?

Is our sect leader blind?!

Shen Zhaozhao's heart was in turmoil at this moment, oblivious to the world around her, and naturally she had no mind to pay attention to Yun Wan'er's face, which was almost distorted by jealousy.

Yun Wan'er gripped Gu Xuanchen's sleeve tightly. Her once infatuated eyes were now filled with shock, jealousy, and disbelief, a stark contrast to her usual adoration for the immortal.

Shen Zhaozhao, how could a traitor who deserted her sect be allowed to join a sect with such powerful experts?

Why would such a god-like figure personally intervene to protect it?

Yun Wan'er felt a surge of anger coursing through her heart. Why... did Shen Zhaozhao get all the benefits?

However… Yun Wan'er took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the surging jealousy and hatred, a faint dark glint flashing in her eyes.

Shen Zhaozhao is merely taking advantage of her fellow disciples and proximity to the source. How much sincerity does a lowly deserter deserve?

Thinking of this, Yun Wan'er quickly switched back to her pitiful and aggrieved expression, gently tugged at Gu Xuanchen's sleeve, and spoke in a soft and gentle voice, with just the right amount of understanding and forbearance.

"Senior Brother Gu, let it go... Didn't Master always tell us to prioritize harmony when we're out and about, and not to cause trouble lightly..."

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