"It's called Pipi, and you'll be in charge of taking care of it from now on."

Shen Zhaozhao said in a serious tone, "When you're running around here, if you get bored, or if you see it lying on the ground looking pitiful, feed it a piece of this."

As she spoke, she stuffed the 100 high-grade spirit stones that the system had returned into Little Yellow's paw.

"If it wakes up after you feed it, play with it for a while. If it falls down again after you feed it... just let it lie down."

Little Huang looked down at the heavy storage bag in its paws, then at the soft, white fur ball in Shen Zhaozhao's hand. Dou Dou's eyes lit up even brighter: "Then, then I'll be its brother from now on?!"

Completely unaware of Shen Zhaozhao's feelings, Little Yellow excitedly tugged at the Pixiu with its paw, then puffed out its little chest and shouted at Shen Zhaozhao, "Don't worry, I'll definitely take good care of my brother!"

Shen Zhaozhao's lips twitched uncontrollably. Looking at Xiao Huang's excitement at becoming a big brother, and then at the "money-devouring beast" cub in her hand, a deep sense of powerlessness instantly overwhelmed her.

"...Whatever."

She waved her hand weakly: "Then you two brothers... should get along well."

After saying that, Shen Zhaozhao, who had collected the three items of "Silly Happy Brother, Gold-Eating Melon, and Broken Her", withdrew from the spatial ring.

no?

Wasn't she here in Liuyunchuan to happily snag some bargains?

What on earth happened?!

Why does she suddenly want to have another child?!

at the same time.

His handsomeness was unparalleled within the clan.

Wan Qianqiu and Xiao Jingrui spent a full incense stick's worth of mental preparation outside the hall before steeling themselves and, like two brave warriors about to be executed, slowly made their way to the entrance of Xie Linyuan's cave.

Inside the cave, Xie Linyuan did not immerse himself in the atmosphere of "heartbreak flowing like a river" and cry as they had imagined. He simply sat quietly in front of a cold jade platform.

On the platform hangs a shimmering water mirror—the World-Responding Water Mirror.

The mirror was clearly replaying a scene from the valley outside Yunqi City after the Newcomer Competition.

Pei Lang leaned close to Shen Zhaozhao and said something that made Shen Zhaozhao's eyebrows curve into a smile, her eyes sparkling, and even carrying a hint of slyness and ease.

Xie Linyuan stared intently at Shen Zhaozhao's reflection in the mirror, his thin lips pressed tightly together. The oppressive aura emanating from him caused a thin layer of frost to form on the stone walls of the cave.

Finally, he sighed almost inaudibly.

The sigh, as light as a feather falling to the ground, struck the hearts of the two people peeking through the doorway with a heavy blow.

Wan Qianqiu: "..."

Xiao Jingrui: "..."

I understand.

The sauerkraut jar has come to life and is fermenting here.

Just as the two were frantically exchanging glances, Xie Linyuan's voice, which was somewhat empty yet seemed to see through everything, rang out softly, not loud, but clearly penetrating their ears.

A moment later.

Xiao Jingrui's expression was complicated. After hesitating for a long time, he finally managed to squeeze out a few words: "You mean..."

"Junior Sister Zhao Zhao, she deliberately got very close to that Pei Lang to get your attention, and smiled like a trumpet flower, just to... provoke you?"

"And then make you panic, make you anxious, make you desperately want to go find her?"

Is that what you mean?

Xie Linyuan's gaze remained fixed on Shen Zhaozhao's smiling face in the mirror, his eyes filled with a kind of worldly-wise compassion and... helplessness.

Wan Qianqiu: "..." Rui Rui, it seems he really thinks so.

Xiao Jingrui: "..." May the heavens strike him with lightning and kill him, I'm willing to do anything for you.

The entire cave was deathly silent, except for Xie Linyuan's logically closed-loop, self-consistent, and self-indulgent analysis, which echoed and clashed wildly in Wan Qianqiu and Xiao Jingrui's minds like a demonic chant.

Honestly, Wan Qianqiu and Xiao Jingrui have never been afraid of anything in their lives, but they are extremely afraid that Xie Linyuan will mess with their precious brains!

Xiao Jingrui suppressed the urge to strangle the guy in front of him. He took a deep breath and tried to make his voice sound less like he was cursing: "Dog... ah, no, sect leader."

"Do you think it's possible that all of this is just you being delusional?"

"Perhaps Junior Sister Zhao Zhao doesn't have even the slightest thought for you?"

Xie Linyuan finally turned his head slowly.

There was no obvious anger on that face that could captivate all beings; only his shimmering peach blossom eyes swept over Xiao Jingrui with a calm gaze, as if he were looking at a stubborn rock by the roadside.

"impossible."

Three words, resolute and resounding.

Immediately, his gaze lingered for a moment on Xiao Jingrui's handsome face, which was clearly far inferior to his own, as if he suddenly understood something. A knowing look flashed across his eyes, and there was even a hint of... subtle, condescending sympathy.

He slightly curved his lips, a curve that was less a smile and more a pity for the limited understanding of ordinary people. He also softened his voice, as if afraid of hurting the other person's pitiful self-esteem: "That's true."

"Someone as plain-looking as you... would never understand."

Xiao Jingrui: "???"

Xiao Jingrui's eyes turned red with anger. He took a deep breath, as if he was trying his best to suppress something, and then he pinched Wan Qianqiu's philtrum tightly!

Wan Qianqiu: "???"

Xiao Jingrui trembled with anger as he gritted his teeth and forced out the words: "I'm afraid you'll faint from anger, Senior Brother."

Wan Qianqiu: "..."

Wan Qianqiu struggled to pry his junior brother's hand away from pressing his upper lip into his gums, and rolled his eyes in annoyance: "There's no need for that, brother can handle this little thing."

Seeing that they couldn't beat Xie Linyuan in a fight, and felt that his insults were just out of jealousy, Wan Qianqiu and Xiao Jingrui exchanged glances and instantly reached a consensus—let's do it!

"cough."

Wan Qianqiu cleared her throat first, her face instantly switching to a worried expression, and said to the sect leader on the Cold Jade Platform who was still "observing the world": "Sect leader, we've heard about most of the newcomer competition."

"But in this way, the Tianyan Sect and we will be mortal enemies."

Xiao Jingrui immediately followed up, his tone heavy: "Yes, although the Heavenly Evolution Sect's Lingxiao True Person was caught off guard by the lightning tribulation that came early a few days ago, and his cultivation was directly reduced by an entire major realm, he is currently hiding in the forbidden area to recover."

"But before he went through his tribulation, it seems he deliberately dragged Gu Xuanchen out of his seclusion room and muttered something to him."

"With the elders of the Tianyan Sect about to emerge from seclusion one after another, and considering that there are quite a few properties under the Tianyan Sect's name in Liuyunchuan, and Junior Sister Zhao Zhao is all alone..."

At this point, Xiao Jingrui sighed deeply, his voice filled with a sense of helplessness and distress: "We would like to lend a hand, but alas... any one of the elders of the Tianyan Sect is at least at the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul stage. Our meager cultivation is simply no match for them."

"Sect Leader, what do you think?"