While the elders were selecting their personal disciples, Ji Jue tugged at Qin Wan's sleeve.

Qin Wan turned her head to look at him, "What is it?"

Ji Jue blinked, then obediently stretched out her hand in front of Qin Wan, spreading her five fingers to reveal the ancient-patterned Qiankun Ring clearly visible in her palm.

Qin Wan frowned and looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"Disciple was unaware that this was an item reserved for Master's exclusive use and accepted it rashly. It was my fault, and I hope Master will forgive me."

Upon hearing this, Qin Wan's slightly furrowed brows relaxed, and she said calmly, "Since I've given it to you, it's yours. Keep it."

Seeing Qin Wan about to turn her head, Ji Jue quickly reached out and grabbed her sleeve to stop her.

"Master, please take this Qiankun Ring back."

"If my senior brothers and sisters don't have something, I, as the junior brother, absolutely cannot surpass them. Otherwise, they will feel sad and think that Master is being biased..."

As she spoke, Ji Jue's face showed a look of guilt and sadness, "I can't let Master be criticized because of me, absolutely not!"

"..." Qin Wan looked at the young man in front of her with complicated emotions.

Xiao Han, Jiang Shuyu, and Nangong Rou all looked extremely grim.

What does Ji Jue mean?

Is this a veiled criticism of the three siblings, suggesting they would blame their master for favoritism and speak ill of him behind his back?

Thinking of this, Xiao Hanjiang, Shu Yu, and Nangong Rou all turned to look at Qin Wan, bowing respectfully in awe.

“Master, you are wise to know that I have never had such thoughts.”

"To be personally instructed by my master is already the greatest fortune for me. I will never have any other thoughts towards my master."

Xiao Han hurriedly explained, feeling very annoyed by Ji Jue's lack of emotional intelligence and his careless remarks.

Seeing the terrified expressions of Xiao Han and the other two, a look of self-reproach and unease appeared on Ji Jue's androgynous and alluring face.

He looked at Qin Wan anxiously, "Master, did I say something wrong?"

Qin Wan glanced at him indifferently, then gave him a reassuring smile, "No, silly boy, don't overthink it."

Qin Wan's tolerance towards Ji Jue caused Xiao Han and his two fellow disciples' expressions to change, their eyes filled with complex emotions.

What exactly makes Ji Jue so special?

It's just a talent for having both water and fire spiritual roots, which is not uncommon in the cultivation world.

It should be noted that all three of them, the senior and junior siblings, possessed the talent of a single spiritual root, and their cultivation speed was far beyond what Ji Jue could match.

If Qin Wan were willing to personally teach them and pay more attention to them, the three of them could have made rapid progress in their cultivation.

They had been Qin Wan's disciples for several years, but it was their senior brother Xiao Han who had been teaching them cultivation. Qin Wan was always in seclusion and didn't care about the three of them at all.

Thinking of this, Jiang Shuyu and Nangong Rou looked at Qin Wan with complicated expressions, a hint of resentment mixed with an instinctive longing and yearning.

Qin Wan is the number one among the ten True Monarchs of Tianyun Sect. True Monarch Fengming has an extremely resounding reputation in the cultivation world. She is the youngest, most talented, and strongest Nascent Soul True Monarch.

To become Qin Wan's disciple is the dream of countless young cultivators in the cultivation world.

Previously, although Jiang Shuyu and Nangong Rou regretted not receiving personal instruction from Qin Wan, they were also very proud that they had stood out from tens of thousands of cultivators and successfully become Qin Wan's disciples.

But as the saying goes, there is no harm without comparison.

If Ji Jue hadn't appeared, they might have only felt regret, but no other emotions.

But then, Ji Jue appeared...

His appearance allowed the three senior and junior disciples to see Qin Wan's favoritism and witness what it was like to be favored by Qin Wan.

People are selfish. As Qin Wan's disciples, they were more talented and skilled than Ji Jue, and they became Qin Wan's disciples earlier than Ji Jue.

They clearly held a huge advantage, yet they still lost to Ji Jue, who was inferior to them in every way.

Seemingly to reassure Ji Jue, Qin Wan turned her head to look at Xiao Han, Jiang Shuyu, and Nangong Rou.

Are you accusing me of being biased?

"Your disciple wouldn't dare!"

"I don't have any, my disciple."

"Master, you are wise to see the truth!"

The three siblings explained with expressions of trepidation.

Seeing this, Qin Wan showed a faint expression of satisfaction and turned her gaze back to Ji Jue.

"See? Your senior brothers and sisters didn't think much of it, and they didn't blame you, so don't blame yourself, okay?"

After being reassured by Qin Wan, Ji Jue cautiously glanced at Xiao Han and the other two, and tentatively asked with a hint of unease, "Senior brothers and sisters, is it true?"

Xiao Han forced a smile, his expression still appearing fairly natural. "Junior Brother is overthinking it. The Qiankun Ring is Master's private property. Master can give it to whomever he wants. How could I, as his disciple, have any other thoughts?"

After Xiao Han finished speaking, Ji Jue's gaze fell on Jiang Shuyu again.

"..." Jiang Shuyu pursed his thin lips slightly, lowering his eyes to conceal the fleeting coldness in them.

"No, I wouldn't dare," Jiang Shuyu said in a cool and indifferent tone.

Unlike Xiao Han's gentle and refined senior brother image, Jiang Shuyu has always been taciturn and rarely smiles.

Apart from Nangong Rou, who received special treatment from him, even Xiao Han, who was both a father and brother to him in his cultivation and growth, did not receive the slightest bit of tenderness from him.

Not to mention Ji Jue, Qin Wan's junior brother who had only been her disciple for less than a quarter of an hour.

Jiang Shuyu was only able to answer him because of Qin Wan, his master.

Faced with Jiang Shuyu's cold treatment, a faint look of disappointment flashed uncontrollably across Ji Jue's eyes.

Seeing this, Nangong Rou quickly began to explain.

"Junior brother, don't be sad. My two senior brothers and I really have no other thoughts or ideas."

"As the eldest brother said, this Qiankun Ring is Master's private property. Master can give it to whomever he wants, it's all up to Master to decide."

"As for the second senior brother, he has always been aloof and taciturn, and he has no other intentions. Junior brother, please don't overthink it."

Nangong Rou speaks softly and gently, which makes it easy for people to like her.

Not to mention, her words were full of protection for Jiang Shuyu.

Jiang Shuyu looked up at her, a tenderness in his eyes that he himself was unaware of.

Then there's Xiao Han. Seeing how understanding Nangong Rou is and how she even helps his second junior brother clean up his messes, he dotes on Nangong Rou even more.

"Thank you, Third Senior Sister. I didn't mean to blame Second Senior Brother..." Ji Jue paused, then cautiously glanced at Jiang Shuyu.

"I dare not blame my second senior brother."

Ji Jue spoke very softly, but everyone present was a highly skilled cultivator, so even if he spoke very softly, they could all hear him clearly.

Xiao Hanjiang, Shu Yu, and Nangong Rou looked at Ji Jue with complicated expressions, as if they had something difficult to say.

The sect leader and the elders watching looked at Ji Jue with complicated expressions, and a thought flashed through everyone's mind at the same time...

This kid is something else!

The weather on Phoenix Mountain is about to change...