Whether it was because the monsters only lingered at the foot of the mountain, or because they dared not provoke such a large group, the path to the summit was unexpectedly smooth.
With his mastery of lightning-based cultivation techniques, Chu Mingwei naturally took the lead, while Xiao Lingyu was protected behind him, walking alongside Meng Fan.
Meng Fan watched the senior brother cautiously advance while constantly monitoring Xiao Lingyu with his divine sense, and he couldn’t help but smirk inwardly. His eyes shifted to Xiao Lingyu with a playful gleam. “Little junior brother, you didn’t encounter any danger along the way, did you?”
Xiao Lingyu glanced at Meng Fan in confusion, unsure of the intent behind the question, but still recounted the experiences he had faced. He omitted mentions of Xiao Hei, but included encounters with demonic creatures, human cultivators, and even the illusions he had traversed.
As Chu Mingwei listened to Xiao Lingyu recount the dangers, his body tensed with every word, then relaxed each time Xiao Lingyu described narrowly escaping. Meng Fan quietly reveled in this, finally identifying his senior brother’s soft spot after all these years. He thought back to how Luo Shaohan had always complained about the unusual attention Chu Mingwei showed toward Xiao Lingyu and realized that Luo Shaohan had been keenly perceptive all along.
Lowering his gaze toward the seemingly oblivious Xiao Lingyu, Meng Fan felt pity for Chu Mingwei. The little junior brother seemed completely uninitiated. Recalling Chu Mingwei’s murderous intent toward Xu Xuan after that one strike, Meng Fan looked again at Xiao Lingyu, prompting the junior brother to notice him and ask, “What’s the matter?”
Meng Fan gave a wry smile. “Little junior brother, you’re impressive. If it weren’t for senior brother arriving just in time when he was trapped in the illusion, you probably wouldn’t have seen me again. I didn’t expect you to escape on your own.”
Su Wan interjected from the side, “I heard that those with pure hearts aren’t affected by illusions. Your mind is so clear, little junior brother; unlike some who are constantly distracted by all sorts of nonsense.”
Meng Fan’s lips twitched; he nearly fell over laughing.
Chu Mingwei had been quietly listening from the front. Though Xiao Lingyu spoke as if it were trivial, he knew the dangers were far greater than the junior brother made them out to be. He felt a mixture of pride and fear—pride that Xiao Lingyu had successfully navigated the first descent without protection, and fear for the perils he had faced. What if something had gone wrong?
His thoughts immediately turned to the near-fatal strike from Xu Xuan. While he resented the maliciousness of the act, the circumstances and presence of other Xuankun Sect disciples meant they couldn’t intervene. Xiao Lingyu’s good-natured mind assumed Xu Xuan’s action was only an impulse, unaware of the lethal intent. Chu Mingwei’s internal bitterness at previously advising Xiao Lingyu to get along with Xu Xuan now seemed ironic.
As his emotions surged, Chu Mingwei resolved to always protect Xiao Lingyu, letting not a single harm come near him. His divine sense swept over Xu Xuan; the murderous intent there could not be ignored. Chu Mingwei would have to find a way to eliminate this hidden danger, even if it meant punishment from their master for overstepping. But this thought could not be revealed to the junior brother—Xiao Lingyu’s kind heart would never believe in Xu Xuan’s malice.
Meanwhile, Xiao Lingyu himself was also scheming. Not just Xu Xuan, but Leng Hanyuan was also someone he considered carefully.
Scanning their surroundings under the guise of casual observation, Xiao Lingyu frowned. Being in a group made it difficult to act against either Xu Xuan or Leng Hanyuan. He needed to find a way to separate them.
Old Ghost jumped forward. “Killing them is small matter; seeking treasure is far more important.”
Xiao Lingyu shot him a glance. “Whether killing or treasure-hunting, I still need to separate them… or should I leave alone?”
Old Ghost tapped his ear. “Leave alone? Would you abandon your dear senior brother—or would your dear senior brother abandon you?” Seeing Xiao Lingyu’s annoyed expression, he shouted recklessly, “We all saw you hugging each other earlier, Zhu Yurun, didn’t we?”
Zhu Yurun, busy with a small snack, looked puzzled. “Old Ghost, didn’t you say senior brother is a little monster’s sweetheart? Isn’t hugging normal then?”
“Pfft!” Old Ghost spat blood from laughing. “Dead little white—didn’t you say that yourself?”
Zhu Yurun beamed at Xiao Lingyu. “Little monster wouldn’t gossip behind anyone’s back.”
Xiao Lingyu glared at the pair, letting a cold smile curl his lips. “Old Ghost, you’re banned from speaking for a year; Zhu Yurun, one year’s worth of snacks is deducted.”
Simultaneously, two voices rang out:
“I have news about the illusionary array!”
“I have a good smell to tell you about, little monster!”
Xiao Lingyu snorted. Old Ghost spoke first. “I suspect you’re heading the wrong way. When Chu Mingwei briefly shattered the illusion with the Lei Han Mirror, the distance from the midpoint to the summit wasn’t far. By now, following your pace, you should have reached the summit, yet you’re still on the path. Doesn’t that seem strange?”
Xiao Lingyu thought carefully and realized it was true. They had been traveling from the midpoint for some time, yet the summit still seemed far away. Could it be another illusion?
Zhu Yurun, taking advantage of Xiao Lingyu’s diverted attention, tried to sneak away, but Xiao Lingyu waved him back into his embrace. The little pig, unwilling to meet Xiao Lingyu’s gaze, confessed, “Earlier, where there was a good smell, there’s another one, just like the one you buried beneath Yilan Peak.”
Xiao Lingyu’s expression darkened. “Why didn’t you say so earlier?”
Zhu Yurun looked pitiful. “Wuwu… little monster buried that good smell beneath Yilan Peak, and I couldn’t detect it. I thought I’d sneak back and hide the source myself.” He clutched Xiao Lingyu’s chest, crying, “Little monster, little pig was wrong! I’ll never do it again! Please don’t roast me!”
Xiao Lingyu gave him a look of exasperation. Suddenly, Su Wan leaned over and exclaimed, “What a cute little pig!”
Xiao Lingyu forced a faint smile and stroked Zhu Yurun gently. Through gritted teeth, he said, “Indeed, very cute.”
Su Wan, oblivious to the murderous undertone, grew even more delighted. “Can I hold it?”
Xiao Lingyu smiled and handed Zhu Yurun over, giving him a stern glance to keep him in check.
Zhu Yurun felt enveloped in a fragrant, soft embrace, even better than the smell beneath Yilan Peak. He burrowed happily into Su Wan’s chest. “Eh? What’s this?” He wriggled around, curious that the little monster’s chest wasn’t soft.
Su Wan’s expression shifted from amused to flustered as Zhu Yurun attempted to burrow further, her face reddening. She glanced awkwardly at Xiao Lingyu, thinking, Little junior brother is still too young to understand… even if he did, he likes men. That’s fine.
Quickly, she returned Zhu Yurun to Xiao Lingyu’s arms. The little pig, adhering to the principle of questioning everything, asked, “Little monster, your embrace just now was so fragrant, and your chest soft. Why isn’t yours soft at all?”
“Pfft!” Old Ghost couldn’t help but laugh at Xiao Lingyu’s expression.
Sensing danger instinctively, Zhu Yurun leaped from Xiao Lingyu’s arms and scurried over to Chu Mingwei, lying at his feet with an adorably pleading expression.
Amused, Chu Mingwei picked up the little pig and returned him to Xiao Lingyu’s side.
Meng Fan and Su Wan exchanged a glance and moved ahead.
Chu Mingwei looked down at his junior brother. Though dangers surrounded them, he wished this path could continue just like this, with Xiao Lingyu safely by his side.
His gaze was so intense that Xiao Lingyu could no longer meet it with the casual confidence he once did.