The bustling sounds of people filled the streets of the market.
Cultivators and merchants from various sects and trading companies were scattered throughout the area.
After returning to the market, Ye Anping strolled through the streets, contemplating the words spoken by Sima Xuanji earlier.
She mentioned that he was currently attaching himself to Feng Yudie, the golden dragon.
This analogy wasn't challenging to comprehend; it was akin to a rat climbing onto the back of an ox during the Chinese zodiac race.
Originally powerless, the rat gained the ability to compete on the same stage as the other eleven animals by attaching itself to the ox.
This newfound ability referred to the cultivation and fortune of a cultivator.
Ye Anping wasn't particularly superstitious.
The atheistic education from his previous life was deeply ingrained, and even after living over a decade in this world, he still harbored skepticism towards concepts like destiny and fortune.
However, upon reflection, he and his senior sister had both acquired numerous opportunities because of Feng Yudie.
The Grand Elder from the Poison Gu Sect, known as "Wu You," would not have been defeated if not for Feng Yudie's Immortal Emperor Dragon Body.
They wouldn't have had a chance to obtain the remnants of the "Mysterious Yin Art" if Feng Yudie hadn't injured him.
If his junior sister hadn't met Xiao Yunluo in the sect, he wouldn't have caught the attention of Sima Xuanji.
Moreover, crucially, Sima Xuanji mentioned that his sudden increase in cultivation was related to Feng Yudie.
Ye Anping wasn't one to have strong ties to Feng Yudie.
He initially planned to distance himself and Senior Sister Bai from Feng Yudie after some time, finding a place to quietly cultivate.
But contemplating Sima Xuanji's words, he realized that both he and his junior sister had received many opportunities because of Feng Yudie.
The phrase, "If she dies, you'll only fall into another pond," indicated that severing his connection with Feng Yudie might lead to a more perilous and unknown situation.
Sima Xuanji seemed to be advising him against it.
Ye Anping had to admit that Sima Xuanji's words made sense.
Sticking with Feng Yudie allowed him to anticipate encounters and prepare in advance.
If he left Feng Yudie's side, he wouldn't be able to predict what challenges lay ahead.
With these thoughts in mind, Ye Anping shrugged his shoulders and looked at the signboard of the auction house in front of him, taking a deep breath.
"In any case, let's focus on building our foundation for the next stage first."
He then stepped across the threshold and entered the auction house.
"Shopkeeper, do you have Sand Burial Bones, Morning-Evening Dew, Vermilion Fruit, Frost Dragon Jade, and Sun-warmed Jade? Give me two sets of each—Wait, make it three sets,"
The shopkeeper, hearing the list of materials, quickly approached with a smiling face, asking, "Are you preparing for your Foundation Establishment? Do you need Foundation Establishment Pills? I just got a batch of high-quality Foundation Establishment Pills; take a look..."
"Hmm... Let me see. The quality does seem good. Give me three bottles as well."
"Alright, this set costs 12,500 spirit stones, and three sets will be a total of 37,500 spirit stones."
After contemplating for a while, Ye Anping tried, "I am the owner of the Ye Massage Center on East Street. Shopkeeper, we're both running businesses, and we'll be frequent customers in the future. How about giving me a discount?"
"Oh? So, you're Young Master Ye. Senior Bai mentioned you to me before," the shopkeeper raised an eyebrow and tapped the abacus. "In that case, I'll give you a 20% discount. Each set will be 10,000 spirit stones. How about that?"
"Hmm, okay."
...
In the blink of an eye, Autumn is replaced by Winter, and the first snow of the year begins to fall in the Profound Star Sect.
Xiao Yunluo, as usual, woke up early, washed up in a daze, changed into a sweatshirt, and prepared to go out for some sword practice.
However, as she opened the door, she saw a vast expanse of white in the courtyard, accompanied by a biting cold wind.
Her body shivered, and she quickly closed the door, sliding back to the wardrobe to fetch her winter clothes.
'It's snowing again, it's been almost two months... that rascal Ye Anping never takes the initiative to find me...' Xiao Yunluo sighed involuntarily, only realizing something was off after her words.
'Wait! Why am I thinking about him coming to find me? Hmph!'
She shook her head, tossing the thought of Ye Anping aside, and went to the bamboo forest next to the courtyard to cut some bamboo.
Since the last 'spar' in the massage center, Xiao Yunluo hadn't visited Ye Anping again.
After all, he had intended to take her life back then, and she wasn't foolish enough to seek out someone who had tried to kill her.
But...
Swish!
The sword wind passed through the bamboo forest.
Xiao Yunluo swung her sword horizontally, sweeping her dull iron longsword in a circle, instantly cutting down all the withered bamboo within ten feet.
Then, she controlled her breathing, looking around.
Undoubtedly, since the incident where Ye Anping almost killed her, she felt like she could catch up with Pei Lengxue and Feng Yudie's footsteps.
She was confident that if she encountered the Seven Killers Sect's lackeys again, she wouldn't panic and be afraid like she did initially, to the point of not even holding onto her sword and having it taken away.
But she didn't know exactly where she had changed.
It was just a 'spar' with Ye Anping...
And why did Ye Anping's face always pop into her mind every time she practiced her sword?
Even though Ye Anping did have a handsome appearance...
But...
But...
'I can't possibly like him!'
Roaring to herself, Xiao Yunluo once again swung her sword forcefully, slicing a nearby scenic stone into two.
Then, she breathed heavily, gasping for air.
After catching her breath, Xiao Yunluo closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and suppressed the mixed emotions in her heart—anger, and strangely, something akin to love.
It was at this moment that a sword shadow streaked across the sky.
Xiao Yunluo couldn't help but look up, only to see Pei Lengxue seemingly just returning from outside. She still had a red scarf around her neck, looking quite cheerful.
After hesitating for a moment, Xiao Yunluo finally remembered.
It seemed that for the past month or two, every few days, she would see Pei Lengxue flying back in the morning.
Initially, Xiao Yunluo didn't think much of it, assuming that Pei Lengxue was just getting up early and going to the other peak to buy things. However...
No one at the other peak sells scarves.
And she had never seen Pei Lengxue wear a scarf before.
'...'
After hesitating for a moment, Xiao Yunluo quickly followed.
When she arrived in front of the Tri-Rivers Courtyard house where Feng Yudie lived, Pei Lengxue happened to land in the courtyard.
"Lengxue!"
"Ah?!" Pei Lengxue seemed startled by her, body trembling, and looking at Xiao Yunluo in surprise. "Yun—Yunluo? What's going on? Why are you here so early..."
Xiao Yunluo walked up, looked at the red scarf around her neck, and asked, "Where did you get this scarf?"
"Oh, my senior brother wove it for me. It's so soft." Pei Lengxue said happily, then handed the corner of the scarf to Xiao Yunluo to touch. "Want to feel it?"
Xiao Yunluo was stunned for a moment and asked, "Your senior brother wove it? When did he give it to you?"
"He gave it to me just now."
"You went to find your senior brother so early?"
"Ah..." Pei Lengxue was startled for a moment, her cheeks blushing. After hesitating for a while, she confessed to Xiao Yunluo, "Yunluo, actually... I spent the night at my senior brother's place."
"— —!"
"Hehe— Senior brother asked me to come over and sleep with him every two days. It's been like this for the past two months."
Hearing this, Xiao Yunluo was astonished but suddenly felt a stifling sensation in her chest.
"Slept together? Don't tell me you—!!"
"Uh-huh..." Pei Lengxue nodded, blushing and saying shyly, "Yunluo, you are the only person I've told this to. Actually, I've been sharing a bed with my senior brother for two months."
"—What?!!!"
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