Then he looked at Zhao Ping'an with a questioning look in his eyes.

"Junior Sister! Senior Brother Mu Yuan brought a gift from the Sect Master. He heard you were practicing swordsmanship, so he came to see you!"

Zhao Ping'an immediately began to explain in a flurry of chatter.

"Thank you for your generous gift, Sect Leader. It is my pleasure to have Senior Brother Mu Yuan deliver it personally."

Zi Xi then looked at Mu Yuan again, her tone flat and completely mechanical.

"Junior sister, you're too kind."

"I just saw my junior sister practicing her sword. Her sword intent was refined and her foundation was solid. What's even more admirable is her diligent and tireless spirit. I truly admire her."

Mu Yuan's smile was flawless. He took a few steps forward, his voice so gentle it could melt hearts.

Here we go again; this guy always has that standard, seductive fake smile.

But she wasn't a newbie, and she wasn't a top-tier succubus either.

"Senior brother, you flatter me. Diligence can make up for shortcomings, and I dare not slack off."

Zi Xi merely glanced at him indifferently, her tone completely flat.

"Junior sister, why be so modest? I think your swordsmanship has some unique aspects. Perhaps you have some other insights?"

"If you encounter any difficulties in your practice, feel free to speak them out, and your senior brother may be able to offer some guidance."

Mu Yuan's smile remained unchanged. He had shown kindness and offered help, and an ordinary female cultivator would probably have been moved to tears by now.

"Master has already given me guidance on cultivation. I can figure out any confusion on my own. I wouldn't dare trouble you, senior brother."

Zi Xi refused again and drew a clear line between them.

"The spiritual energy on Hidden Peak is thin, so Junior Sister's cultivation must be quite difficult. There is a Spring of Ice Heart on the main peak that is very effective in calming the mind and concentrating the spirit. If Junior Sister..."

Mu Yuan raised an eyebrow and changed direction, his tone carrying just the right amount of pity.

"Hidden Peak is excellent, sufficient for cultivation. If there's nothing else, I need to continue my chain cultivation. Excuse me."

Zi Xi interrupted him, her tone still indifferent.

After saying that, he didn't even glance at Mu Yuan again, and turned to continue practicing his sword.

Mu Yuan: "..."

For the first time, the perfect smile on his face looked genuinely stiff.

A strange sense of frustration welled up in Mu Yuan's heart.

Just like the nickname he gave her in his heart, Little Ice Cube really was a piece of ancient ice that had existed for ten thousand years.

Unmoved by anything external, and without giving him any opportunity for in-depth communication.

Moreover, she wasn't feigning aloofness, nor was she playing hard to get.

Little Ice Cube really didn't take him seriously at all.

Even Zhao Ping'an received more attention from Xiao Bingkuai than he did.

That's interesting, so interesting!

He narrowed his fox-like eyes, watching Zi Xi's aloof figure as she left, and the smile on his lips deepened.

There's plenty of time in the future, he remembered.

*

The atmosphere was solemn inside the council hall on the main peak of the Tianyan Sect.

Several elders and core disciples gathered to discuss a major event in the cultivation world.

The once-in-a-decade Cloud Realm Secret Realm is about to open.

This secret realm is formed from fragments of an ancient ruin, containing numerous spiritual herbs and minerals, as well as many cultivation techniques passed down from ancient predecessors.

The Cloud Heaven Secret Realm is only open to cultivators at the Foundation Establishment level and below. It is fraught with danger, yet it remains a place for young disciples of various sects to hone their skills and find opportunities.

As the number one sect, Tianyan Sect naturally received the most slots.

The disciplinary elder in charge of this matter is reading out the allocation plan, and each peak has been allocated a number of places according to their strength and contributions.

Mu Yuan, as the sect leader's first disciple, stood lazily to the side.

He appeared to be listening attentively, but in reality, his mind was wandering, and he had no interest in these trivial assignments.

It wasn't until he heard the Discipline Elder finish reading all the names and prepare to end the meeting that he seemed to suddenly remember something, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips.

"Master, elders, please forgive me for saying something."

He stepped forward, bowed gracefully, and spoke in a gentle and clear voice.