A single misconception can easily lead to confusion.

Yan Huanyue spent the entire day at Xuyuan Peak meditating and circulating her qi in the quiet room.

He sat cross-legged on the old wooden throne and slowly rotated the five spiritual roots within his body according to the order of mutual generation.

Once the five elements have merged, the method of mutual restraint is used to carefully maintain the power of each spiritual root to a state of partial independence. Then, the innate spiritual energy is used to refine it, twisting it into a strand of spiritual power as fine as a hair, allowing it to circulate repeatedly between the spiritual veins.

It took most of the day just to extract this wisp of spiritual energy, and it also took a lot of time to guide it through the meridians and into the spiritual realm after going through countless hardships.

Invisible spiritual energy flowed from her fingertips resting on her knees, causing a break in the wisps of smoke rising from the incense burner beneath her, which quickly resumed.

Yan Huanyue slowly opened her eyes, her mind completely exhausted, her body drenched in sweat as if she had just been pulled out of the water.

The wooden statues of her in the quiet room emitted a soft glow, all of which was the spiritual power left behind by Song Lingwei.

She casually cast a cleansing spell to wash away the sweat from her body, then raised her hand to open the window overlooking the cliff. Looking out at the endless sea of ​​clouds, now dim and the snow on the mountain peaks waning, she knew that the mountains were already approaching dusk.

Thinking about her encounter with Xue Jingnian that morning, she didn't leave immediately, but instead stayed in the quiet room looking through cultivation manuals.

Only after the outside world had completely darkened, and the faint glow of a few warm yellow lanterns drifted through the gloomy fog outside the window, did he push open the door and step out of the quiet room, heading towards the Xuyuan Main Hall against the biting cold wind of the mountain peak.

The fine snowflakes stung her cheeks. She had recently reached a difficult point in her cultivation, a time when she needed to expend spiritual energy. Not daring to expend too much spiritual energy to resist the wind and snow, she endured this slight pain.

As soon as Zhao Liujin put down the lamp and walked out of the Xuyuan Main Hall, he saw his junior sister coming from the depths of the wind and snow in a light pink dress. She was covered in mist and snow, and looked like a piece of snow jade mixed with peach blossom juice.

Yet, her features were even more solitary and resolute than Han Ye's.

Zhao Liujin, always carefree, simply leaned against the large nanmu pillar with his hands in his pockets, and smiled at Yan Huanyue, saying, "I was wondering why I was always eyeing your things. It's because my junior sister looks so soft and easy to bully."

Yan Huanyue glanced up at the main hall entrance, but didn't reply. She simply walked down the long steps, made a hand seal, and said, "Greetings, Senior Sister."

Zhao Liujin took an umbrella out of his treasure pouch and threw it down the long steps. Yan Huanyue reached out and caught it.

Zhao Liujin continued, "There are guests in the hall. They say they are your elders who want to see how you are doing. But in my opinion, they are not any important people. Don't waste your time seeing them. Just let your master's wife see them. The snow has not stopped. Go to the East Imperial Hall and take my Xiaoyao Carriage back to rest."

Yan Huanyue opened her umbrella to shield herself from the snow, and heard voices approaching from inside the hall. Someone angrily said, "Senior Sister, what kind of rude people have you taught? They didn't even close the door and just stood there in the wind saying that we are second-rate! They even said that you should just meet us second-rate people. They have no respect for their elders!"

Zhao Liujin turned his head slightly and smiled at the people inside the hall: "Uncle Xu, that's enough! How old are you? You still have such a temper. Have you been wasting all these years cultivating your character?"

"Bringing a bunch of outsiders here so late at night, my fellow disciples could have gone back to rest after a day of cultivation, but now I have to serve you tea and water. You're allowed to come uninvited, but I'm not allowed to complain here. Is there no justice in this world?"

Xu Fengqiu didn't argue with Zhao Liujin, but instead said to Song Lingwei in the hall with slight annoyance, "Senior Sister, are you just going to indulge this unruly girl like this!"

Song Lingwei glanced at the Yu couple and Tan Guiyi sitting below her, and said coldly:

"Aren't you quite indulgent towards Yu Zhao too? Even things like the Rejuvenating Pearl that I don't know anything about, you went to the sect leader and junior brother to stop it, and you still wanted to come back with me to continue making trouble. You're forcing people to do things they shouldn't, and now you think you're so righteous?"

Xu Fengqiu was originally the youngest junior brother of their generation. He came from a prestigious family and was exceptionally talented.

After completing his studies, he did not return home, but continued to serve his master. He returned from the Northern War after narrowly escaping death. Everyone would give him some leeway because of his youth.

Now even the youngest has reached the position of elder. He has always been protective of his own, and he cherishes Yu Zhao's talent. He feels sorry for Yu Zhao's fate and has tried many ways to help him, but none of them have worked.

Now, upon hearing that the Rejuvenation Pearl might help Yu Zhao cultivate his soul, he immediately sensed the sinister nature of this claim. Putting aside the matter of the Rejuvenation Pearl, the idea of ​​Yu Zhao cultivating his soul was utterly absurd. Cultivating the soul? It was practically a death sentence!

He did not initially agree with the Yu couple's request, but on the day he went to visit Yu Zhao, he met a little girl named Xiao Zhuhua at the inn where Pei Xuanzhi was recuperating. He saw that she was very talented and developed a fondness for her.

Someone like him, who has stood at the pinnacle since childhood and has enjoyed all the benefits of his exceptional talent, has no patience to teach disciples who lack talent. When he encounters a child who can be described as having a heaven-splitting ability, he can't wait to take him under his wing.

Unfortunately, the sect rules do not allow it, and that little girl is currently being placed in the outer sect's Jingzi Zhai to cultivate. For this reason, he even arranged a residence for the little girl's grandmother within the Tianyan territory.

Unexpectedly, when Mr. and Mrs. Yu came looking for him, they found that he refused to ask about the Rejuvenation Pearl. They said that he had found a girl with extraordinary talent and no longer cared about the lives of his former disciples.

He could only try to persuade Yu Zhao that cultivating the soul would only hasten his death, but for some reason the other party was convinced of this. He had no choice but to go and find his senior brother, the sect leader.

To my surprise, I was given the cold shoulder and made to sit outside the gate in the freezing cold all afternoon, drinking cold tea. They wouldn't let me leave until I finished it.

He had been fasting for many years, and his stomach was still churning with the cold tea when he heard that Yu Jisong and his wife had stopped his senior sister's palanquin and followed it to Xuyuan Peak.

He hurriedly caught up, but before he could even say a word inside the Void Origin Hall, he was first berated by the juniors and then scolded by his senior sister. He had never been treated so badly in his life!

When he was furious, he didn't care whether Song Lingwei was his senior sister or not. It was not uncommon for the two of them to curse each other in court and even fight.

But today's events were not what he wanted in the first place. With Song Lingwei's reprimand, he was able to extricate himself from the situation, and he really looked like an obedient junior brother. He turned around, sat on the high chair, and drank a large cup of hot tea, looking annoyed but frustrated.

Seeing that he was unusually docile and well-mannered today, Song Lingwei immediately realized that this was not because he was relying on the Yu family.

Then he called out to the outside of the hall, "Ah Jin, call Bao Ying in."

Before Zhao Liujin could speak, Tan Guiyi walked out of the hall, stood in the windy spot, looked at Yan Huanyue below the long steps, and said with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Yan, it's been a long time. You still look as elegant as ever."

Zhao Liujin glanced at the beautiful woman whose face was covered by a light veil and sneered, "Go sit down quietly. We didn't call you out. Why are you making such a fuss?"

Tan Guiyi thought Zhao Liujin was extremely arrogant and presumptuous, but he smiled broadly and said, "It's been a long time since I've seen Fellow Daoist Yan. I can't hide my feelings, so I'm naturally excited. Please forgive my excitement."

Yan Huanyue, holding an umbrella, climbed the steps, passing Tan Guiyi, and went inside the hall to pay her respects to Song Lingwei and Xu Fengqiu.

He then paid his respects to Madam Yu and asked with concern, "Uncle and Aunt, how is Senior Brother Yu feeling now?"

Mentioning her son, Mother Yu immediately burst into tears, saying, "Zhao'er is having an increasingly difficult time. He often thinks of you, Bao Ying. Now, he might be able to repair his soul and restore his life, as long as you take out the Rejuvenation Pearl..."

Tan Guiyi, however, advised from the side, "Auntie, that thing may not necessarily help Yu Zhao. Don't believe those hearsay things."

Yu's mother gave her a cold glance and said, "What good intentions could a viper like you possibly have?"

Tan Guiyi pursed her lips helplessly and looked at Yan Huanyue. "I heard they were coming to find you for some kind of Rejuvenation Pearl. I don't know who spread the rumor. I was afraid it would harm Yu Zhao, so I followed them all the way here to persuade them. But I accidentally hurt Yu Zhao, and now no matter what I say, they won't listen."

That's true. Tan Guiyi has hurt Yu Zhao before. I'm afraid the more she tries to persuade them, the more the Yu couple will think it might be useful, and they'll insist on borrowing the Yang Pearl.

No wonder they followed me all the way here.

Yan Huanyue pursed her lips, her face filled with sorrow, and said, "If it could save Senior Brother Yu, I would gladly give my heart, let alone this bead, but I truly do not know what it is."

Tan Guiyi stared at her expression, which did not seem feigned.

She spent her life forced to serve a sickly half-demon out of gratitude, and never got to see Yu Zhao at his most radiant and brilliant. She must have felt a deep regret, which is why she was willing to give up her heart's blood for Yu Zhao.

Such devotion, if there truly were a resurrection pearl, wouldn't one immediately offer it up?

Yu Jisong said, "Now that you've joined the inner sect, there must be some difficulties you can't express. And since there are no outsiders here, you..."

Yan Huanyue said, "Uncle thinks too highly of me. It's just that my master's wife saw that I had at least put in some effort and didn't want to discourage the younger generation's ambition, so she reluctantly accepted me."

"What about Zhao'er?"

Mother Yu said sorrowfully, "You all came out of the Cold Winter Secret Realm together, but he was the only one seriously injured. He drank your heart's blood and was injured so badly. We are helpless. If only we had the Rejuvenation Pearl, we could try..."

Yan Huanyue's eyes reddened, and large tears fell from her eyes. "Whenever I think of Senior Brother Yu, my heart aches as if it's being torn apart."

Zhao Liujin crossed his arms, looked at the two of them crying, and frowned, saying, "Crying, crying, crying, so annoying! Junior Brother Yu is in such a state, instead of staying with him and trying to alleviate his pain, you're just causing trouble everywhere!"

As he spoke, he took out a double-petaled blood lotus, brimming with spiritual energy, from his sleeve and placed it in Yu's mother's hand.

Tan Guiyi's eyes widened instantly: Earth Fire Blood Lotus!

This arrogant and conceited Zhao Liujin truly lives up to the legend that he is "unconcerned with worldly affairs, a carefree immortal descended to earth."

He was of humble origin and had no family background, yet he just gave away this top-grade Earth Fire Blood Lotus.

Song Lingwei's eye twitched suddenly, even Xu Fengqiu was speechless, and Yan Huanyue forgot to shed tears.

Holding the gentle, spiritual blood lotus in her hand, Madam Yu stared blankly at the impatient woman beside her.

Yu Jisong stood up, his expression solemn. "This...this thing is rare. It can only be obtained by going to the core of the earth. Only one in a thousand chances can one encounter one. It is far too precious and cannot be used."

Zhao Liujin glared at him. "You talk too much nonsense. My things are for Junior Brother Yu, not for you. If you don't want them, have him come to Xuyuan Peak and tell me himself."

He added, "Now that the Tianyan Sect has sent so many spiritual herbs and precious plants to your Yu family, all to save Junior Brother Yu's life, how can you say you don't care about the disciples from before?"

"You've put Uncle Xu in a difficult position because of this unsubstantiated claim of the Rejuvenation Pearl. If this were discussed at Junior Brother Yu's bedside, he would likely be uneasy. Since my junior sister has indeed not obtained the Rejuvenation Pearl, it would be more beneficial for him if you took the Blood Lotus back with you."

Yu Jisong bowed to her and said, "We have come to inquire whether the Rejuvenation Pearl has been obtained by someone, and to find out where it is. Madam Yan knew more than others when she was in the Tingnan Pavilion. If we have any relevant information, we can go and find it ourselves."

Xu Fengqiu finally couldn't help but say, "I already told you that thing is useless, but you still insist on trying it. Fine, for Zhao'er's sake, you don't need to go looking for it. Isn't it just that cowardly coward Yun Xuanchen, who only knows how to play dead? Back then, he still wanted to play dead when he was in my hands. Now that I've dragged him out, won't all those beads be revealed?"

Tan Guiyi, unusually, retreated to where everyone else was, her eyes lowered, her gaze dark and gloomy.

Your father must have been unwilling to get entangled with an incompetent person like you back then, so he used a trick to escape and let you breathe for a few more years. It's one thing that you don't know how to be grateful, but you actually dare to spout nonsense here.

I'll make sure you don't even know how you died!

The Yu couple were both shocked. Yu Jisong said with emotion, "Elder Xu, you must feel the pain that my wife and I have suffered. We want to try anything, even if there is only a glimmer of hope."

Xu Fengqiu waved his hand, his eyes sharp, and said, "Alright, who told you about the Rejuvenating Pearl?"

Yu Jisong said, "It was the other brothers from Yunjing who heard it from others and came to discuss it with me."

Xu Fengqiu gently straightened the sash around his waist. Since it was said by someone from another branch of the Yu family, the news had probably passed through several hands by now, so there was no point in investigating it further.

This matter came suddenly. He had been drinking cold tea all afternoon, but now that he thought about it carefully, he realized that someone probably wanted to determine something by whether or not the Rejuvenation Pearl had been taken away.

So, some time ago, the sect leader sacrificed the Demon Clan's Ten Thousand Soul Banner and the Demon Clan's Ten Thousand Demon Token to expose Yun Xuanchen, causing Yun Xuanchen to worry about his son who had not yet returned home...

.

Guesthouse.

Since Yu Zhao's accident, the Yu couple have remained silent when they are alone.

If they start talking, they'll end up arguing about Yu Zhao, blaming each other, and even debating whether or not they should have sent Yu Zhao to the Tianyan Sect in the first place.

The two were sitting facing each other in silence when Yu Jisong suddenly looked up at the door.

A short while later, someone came and knocked on the door.

Yu's mother raised her hand to wipe away the tears that had fallen without her noticing, and got up to open the door.

Outside the door stood Su Xianqing and Ning Wuyang, dressed in thin clothes, followed by a young man wearing a cloak and a hood.

The boy stood in the snow outside the eaves, holding a treasure box.

Yu's mother's eyes darkened as she recognized the boy as the demon child who had stolen her son's marriage.

She has long forgotten how secretly pleased she was when the engagement was broken off. She blames everything on others to support herself.

If the demon child had not been found that day, Zhao'er might have already been arranged to marry Yan Huanyue. After the marriage, she would naturally have stayed in Yunjing for a while. Why would she have gone to the Suihan Secret Realm for trials?

When Yu Jisong saw that it was Pei Hanzhou's second disciple and Pei Xuan who had come, he got up and went to the door.

Su Xianqing greeted him with a hand seal and said, "Senior Yu, my master learned that you and your wife have come because of Junior Brother Yu. He told you not to worry for the time being. If you find Yun Xuanchen, you will present the Rejuvenation Pearl. My master obtained the source of spiritual energy from the Heavenly Evolution Spiritual Vein and specially ordered Junior Brother Pei to deliver it personally. It should be of some use in relieving Junior Brother Yu's pain."

After Su Xianqing finished speaking, Pei Xuanzhi stepped forward with the treasure box and handed it to Yu Jisong, saying respectfully, "My father said that he hopes you will not refuse."

Yu Jisong gently took the treasure box and looked at the boy, who seemed healthier than when he last met him. A question suddenly arose in his mind.

Pei Hanzhou must have spent countless precious resources to raise the once frail Yao'er to her current state, where she shows some signs of health.

Is it worth wasting all the good stuff on people who clearly have no chance of fully recovering?

A thought exploded in his mind in an instant under this question.

Having only one child is not enough; if you lose one, you have nothing left.

He wasn't like Pei Hanzhou, who could temporarily entrust the Pei family to someone else. The Yu family had accumulated wealth over generations, so why bother with the gains and losses of just one or two pieces of land?

Since Zhao'er is now crippled, he has been heartbroken for a long time. Taking advantage of his grief, the collateral branches are stirring up trouble. What he should do now is to immediately pull himself together and stop this trend, and take a few more concubines so that the main branch can continue its lineage.

"Thank you, Sect Leader Pei. It's kind of you three young friends to make this trip on a snowy night."

This time, we have acquired many treasures. Although the Yu family is not lacking in these things, it seems wasteful to use these top-grade items on Zhao'er.

It should be said that even when Zhao'er was ill, he still left many precious gifts for his future younger siblings...

.

When Yan Huanyue returned, the room was cold and empty; Pei Xuanzhi had not yet come back.

She first lit the charcoal brazier for him, and then lit the small stove on the table next to the couch and simmered a pot of water.

He then pushed open the door and went to the library to look for him.

Before they had taken more than a few steps, they saw him, cloaked, stepping down from Ning Wuyang's flying sword, carrying a swaying lantern, with Su Xianqing and Ning Wuyang following behind him.

Upon seeing her from afar, Ning Wuyang smiled and said, "What are you rushing out to do in this heavy snow?"

Yan Huanyue said, "It's to find Junior Brother Pei."

Ning Wuyang laughed and said, "He won't get lost, and there are no tigers or wolves in the sect. What are you worried about? Are you afraid he'll run away?"

Su Xianqing stopped and said coolly, "Master ordered us to deliver things to Uncle and Aunt Yu. Since you've come to pick him up, take him back."

Seeing Pei Xuan walk towards them without a word, Yan Huanyue stepped forward, took the lamp from his hand, and said, "My two senior brothers, please have a cup of tea before you go."

Ning Wuyang smiled and said, "No need to be so polite with us. In this weather, I should head back early."

With that, he followed Su Xianqing back on his sword.

Yan Huanyue muttered, "They actually arranged for you to deliver things to them on a snowy night..."

Pei Xuanzhi glanced down at her and said calmly, "My father feels guilty because of me."

Yan Huanyue paused for a moment, then turned and walked into the courtyard. "It's none of your business."

Once inside the room, Pei Xuanzhi took off his cloak and hung it aside before heading straight to the west room to bathe.

Yan Huanyue stood by the door and asked, "Have you had dinner yet?"

Pei Xuanzhi responded softly from inside the room: "Mm."

But she hasn't eaten yet.

Yan Huanyue poured out the hot water from the stove, simmered a pot of mountain delicacies soup, and placed a few pastries on the edge of the small stove to bake.

Once the pastries were soft, we sat down at the table and started eating.

When Pei Xuanzhi came out, he saw her eating snacks. Most of those snacks were bought for him, as she didn't usually like to eat them.

As he tied the ties of his plain white nightgown, he asked coolly, "Why aren't you in the mood for food today, sister?"

Yan Huanyue took a bite of pastry, sipped her tea, and said, "Something came up and I couldn't make it."

The filling inside the pastry had melted a bit and was too hot. She took a few bites, then breathed out and put it aside before going to the side room to take a bath.

Pei Xuanzhi walked to the table, picked up the half-eaten pastry and ate it naturally, then finished the tea she had just drunk.

When Yan Huanyue returned, still damp from the water, there were already a few simple dishes on the table.

Pei Xuanzhi nestled on the small couch, one hand propped up by his temple, the other holding a scroll, quietly reading.

She had just heard some noises outside. "Did you do this?"

Pei Xuanzhi hummed in agreement.

Yan Huanyue exclaimed in surprise, "Isn't our kitchen spotless?"

Pei Xuanzhi indifferently turned a page of his book. "These past few days I've taken the time to prepare things for the kitchen, in case you forget the time while you're cultivating and miss the closing time of the dining hall."

Yan Huanyue hadn't noticed anything he had prepared since she didn't go into the kitchen. She turned around and walked to the table, where she saw that all the dishes were her favorites, and the mountain delicacy soup on the stove had already been ladled out and was cooling.

She climbed onto the small couch, pulled the book from his hands, and looked at him with a smile, "Thank you, Junior Brother Pei."

Pei Xuanzhi picked up the book and covered his face, looking at the intricate celestial charts on it, and said calmly, "It's what I, as a junior brother, should do."

Yan Huanyue got up and sat down at the table. She picked up a piece of food with her chopsticks, took a bite, and praised, "Your cooking skills are quite good."

In the past, when I traveled with my husband, he would cook for him. My husband was a picky eater, so naturally he had some culinary skills.

She ate her meal while he remained silent the entire time.

Yan Huanyue gradually realized that he was unusually quiet today, so she asked, "Would you like to eat something else?"

He shook his head and remained silent.

After she finished eating, she cleaned up the dishes, washed up, and returned to her room where he was already asleep on the small couch, fully clothed.

Perhaps he had spent the whole day in the library, and then was sent to deliver things and cook when he came back, so he was tired.

Yan Huanyue went over and sat on the edge of the small couch, touched his forehead, and asked softly, "You caught a chill last night, are you feeling unwell now?"

Pei Xuanzhi closed his eyes slightly, coughed once, and said, "Go to sleep."

Fearing that he might catch a cold at night, Yan Huanyue brought another quilt to cover him. With another quilt on top, the small couch seemed a bit small, so she simply let him sleep comfortably on the small couch by himself.

She went to rest in the inner room by herself.

In the hazy darkness of the night, she felt a familiar, cool fragrance wafting over her, but without much precaution, she drifted off to sleep again.

When he pressed against her from behind, she suddenly woke up again, gripping the soft pillow tightly with her fingers, and muttered with a frown, "What's gotten into you all of a sudden!"

Pei Xuanzhi breathed warmly on her cheek as he nibbled at her cheek, then reached forward to touch her chest with one hand and said in a deep voice, "You are so caring when others are in trouble, but when I am silent for a moment, you leave me alone in the cold quilt."

Yan Huanyue suddenly realized that he had probably come to see her today and overheard her conversation with Xue Jingnian.

She felt inexplicably anxious, and ignoring his impulsive and offensive manner, she asked, "Xuanzhi, did you hear something...?"

Pei Xuanzhi sneered, "Why are you calling me 'sister' so intimately? Aren't I just Junior Brother Pei?"

Yan Huanyue bit down hard on the soft pillow. He reached inside and pulled the pillowcase out of her mouth, his thin lips brushing against her ear, his breath like a snake's tongue.

"What I'm doing to you now is not something an ordinary junior brother would do, my dear wife... I don't care if you're sincere or not, you'd better never let me hear you say such things again, otherwise..."

Yan Huanyue suddenly felt a chilling, damp sensation, as if she were being entangled by a venomous snake. The coldness enveloped her, and she involuntarily shivered.

Pei Xuanzhi held her tightly, his voice hoarse as he said, "I like you..."

Yan Huanyue felt that she had just had a hallucination, which was nothing more than him getting angry after hearing those words.

Even though he was angry, he still diligently cooked a whole table of food for her, which shows how good-tempered and tolerant he is.

However, she thought he was tired and didn't notice, and left him alone on the bed, which made him so angry that he said threatening things.

She turned around and hugged him, responding casually in the darkness. His breathing became erratic, and he just kept hugging her and kissing her wildly.

Although he wasn't usually without guile, how could someone so naive that he would easily become confused be the kind of person with a venomous nature?

Yan Huanyue became even more certain that what she had just experienced was merely an illusion.