Yun Qingyi, who had originally been indulging Mi Xingzhe, stopped immediately upon seeing Li Luoning standing at the door of Mi Xingzhe's room, and gestured frantically to Mi Xingzhe.
Mi Xingzhe, whose attention was still on Yun Qingyi, was wondering why his senior suddenly stopped, still playing with Yun Qingyi's arm, feeling a twist of pain around his waist.
It turned out Yun Qingyi had seen that Mi Xingzhe hadn't reacted yet, so he pinched his waist hard as a reminder.
At this moment, Mi Xingzhe still hadn't noticed the stern-faced Master standing at the door, continuing to play around like a monkey, pulling and tugging at Yun Qingyi, feeling a twinge of pain in his waist.
Yun Qingyi, helpless, increased the strength of his grip on Mi Xingzhe's arm and gave him a meaningful look, whispering, "It's Master."
However, this fool still hadn't realized, thinking Yun Qingyi was just scaring him, facing Yun Qingyi, and shouting loudly at Li Luoning, who was shouting and screaming in the room.
"Senior, don't come here, it's late, Master must be asleep by now, always scaring..." Mi Xingzhe said nonchalantly, turning around and seeing Li Luoning's stern face standing at the door.
Seeing Li Luoning's dark face, Mi Xingzhe's drunkenness instantly sobered up, and he quieted down, quickly standing up straight and tidying up his wrinkled clothes, unenthusiastically hiding the wine jug behind him.
This little action naturally didn't escape Li Luoning's eyes.
Yun Qingyi, who was beside him, didn't know what to say, just nudged forward, trying to block Mi Xingzhe.
Mi Xingzhe noticed the deep brown Bingo flower in Li Luoning's hand...
Several hours ago...
"Niannian, I've put the medicine and honey on the table for you. Remember to take it later. Master asked me to fetch some medicinal herbs today. After you take the medicine, remember to copy the heart technique properly. I'll check it when I come back, and then you can give it to Master." Thinking Mi Xingzhe was still in the study, Yun Qingyi placed the tray on the table and instructed.
After a while without a response, Yun Qingyi realized that Niannian had run off again. Helplessly shaking his head, he sat down and started copying the heart technique for him.
At dinner, Li Luoning saw only two sets of bowls and chopsticks on the table, and asked curiously, "Where's Niannian?"
"Uh, he said he wasn't hungry today," Yun Qingyi said somewhat nervously, unable to protect his little junior brother.
"Feeling unwell?" Li Luoning asked.
"Don't worry, Master, Niannian's fine. I left him some food, and I'll bring it to him later." Yun Qingyi responded with a guilty expression.
Li Luoning didn't expose Yun Qingyi's lie, just glanced at the untouched copy of the heart technique on the side.
Back to a few hours before dinner...
Mi Xingzhe went to the shelf behind the room and took two bottles of Bingo wine from it.
"This should be the wine that Sister Ruling mentioned to me before." Opening the lid and smelling it, Mi Xingzhe nodded in satisfaction. He had previously worked as a miscellaneous worker in a wine shop, so he could tell good wine with just a sniff. He casually took two bottles and went out.
In the Starlight Pavilion of the Liao Yin Immortal Realm, Mi Xingzhe and Yue Ruling sat facing each other, with several fruit plates and two water-blue wine bottles on the stone table.
"Sister, is this the wine you mentioned?" Mi Xingzhe picked up a wine jug and poured a glass for Yue Ruling.
Yue Ruling picked up the cup and sniffed, her face full of satisfaction.
"Wow, amazing, Little Junior Brother, just as I said, I didn't expect you to actually get it. This refreshing and elegant floral scent, hmm~ smooth and gentle on the palate, sweet but not overpowering. How did you get it?"
"Stole it from Master's storeroom," Mi Xingzhe replied nonchalantly. He took a sip and nodded in approval.
"Ah, stole it!" Hearing Mi Xingzhe's answer, Yue Ruling was so startled that she sprayed all the wine in her mouth onto Mi Xingzhe's face.
Mi Xingzhe wiped the wine off his face, "It's not like you wanted this wine, and I couldn't let Master find out, so I had to steal it."
"Do you know that the entire Immortal Realm is coveting your Master's Bingo wine? Even the Immortal Sovereigns only receive a small pot as a birthday gift every year. You've casually taken... two pots. If Master finds out, aren't you afraid he'll be angry?" Yue Ruling said nervously.
"Do you still want this wine? If not, I'll take it back." Mi Xingzhe said somewhat unhappily.
"Yes, yes, yes, since you've taken it out, don't waste it." Yue Ruling grabbed the wine jug like a treasure and hugged it to her chest.
"
Then let's make it clear, I can only drink a little with you. I have to go back later to copy the heart technique." Mi Xingzhe said seriously.
"Okay, okay, okay, I know, I know, just a little bit." Yue Ruling quickly agreed, gesturing with her hand.
"Sister, I've obtained an elixir." Mi Xingzhe said after taking a sip of wine.
"An elixir? What elixir?" Yue Ruling was curious because she didn't know about Mi Xingzhe's situation.
"It's the spiritual energy elixir used for cultivation. It's made from Immortal Grass. Sister, you've taken it before." Mi Xingzhe didn't think there was a need to keep secrets between him and Yue Ruling, so he told her the truth.
"Immortal Grass? Little Junior Brother, you've also taken Immortal Grass? Let me see if there's any change." Hearing that Mi Xingzhe had also taken Immortal Grass like her, Yue Ruling stood up excitedly and came to Mi Xingzhe's side to check his arm.
"Ah, it's just ordinary Immortal Grass, helping me form a spiritual energy elixir. Why are you so excited?" Mi Xingzhe felt a little embarrassed by Yue Ruling's actions and dodged her while answering.
"It's different. Now I'm not the only one in this Liao Yin Immortal Realm who has taken Immortal Grass. Of course, I'm happy. Come, for Immortal Grass, let's drink this cup~" Yue Ruling's face was filled with indescribable joy, then she picked up the wine glass and drank it all.
Having finished dinner, Li Luoning wanted to go to the Medicine King's alchemy room to get something. Passing by the Starlight Pavilion, he heard familiar laughter from nearby. It had been a long time since he heard Yue Ruling laugh so happily, so he was curious and wanted to go and see. As a result, he turned the corner and saw Mi Xingzhe and Yue Ruling having a small drink in the pavilion.
Li Luoning naturally recognized the two bottles of wine on the table as his own Blue Snow Clear Brew, and couldn't help but frown.
It wasn't that he couldn't bear to part with his two bottles of wine, but he had repeatedly instructed Mi Xingzhe not to drink during his medication.
But then Li Luoning thought to himself, "It's rare for Ruling and Wan Nian to get along so well." So he decided not to make a fuss and quietly left.
Back at Mirror Cloud Residence, Li Luoning saw Li Minghan waiting at the door from a distance...
"Senior! Why didn't you come in?" Li Luoning called out and walked forward to salute.
"Luoning, you're back," Li Minghan responded.
"Why did Senior come to my Mirror Cloud Residence so late? Is there something you need?" Li Luoning and Li Minghan sat opposite each other at the stone table outside the door.
"It's nothing special, just thought that the Blue Snow Clear Brew in your Mirror Cloud Residence should be ready, so I wanted to come here under the pretext of catching up and have a cup with you." Li Minghan was frank.
"Senior is joking. If Senior likes the Blue Snow Clear Brew, just send an immortal servant to fetch it. Why bother coming in person?" Li Luoning couldn't help but smile and said, "What's going on? Everyone seems to be thinking about my Blue Snow Clear Brew." With a wave of his hand, two wine glasses and a jug appeared on the table.
"Oh, it's different. I came here in person so I could also see the Blue Snow Flowers blooming in your courtyard." Li Minghan chuckled and pointed to the Blue Snow Flowers blooming in the courtyard.
"Senior has always liked light tea and weak wine. It's rare for my humble courtyard and home-brewed wine to catch Senior's eye." Li Luoning naturally understood that Senior's intention was only for the wine, and said jokingly, pouring a glass of wine for Li Minghan and handing it over with both hands.
"Is Junior Brother mocking me for being a wine enthusiast?" Li Minghan smiled lightly and took the wine glass in front of him.
"Luoning dare not." Li Luoning smiled faintly and said.
After a few sips, Li Minghan slowly put down his wine glass and asked, "Luoning, has everything been going smoothly lately?" Li Minghan asked with a hint of meaning.
"Thanks to Senior's guidance, everything is going smoothly now. Mi Xingzhe has already formed his inner pill, so there's no need to worry about him turning into nothingness at any time." Li Luoning responded.
"That's good, that's good. This rare treasure naturally has its own uniqueness. Junior Brother, you still need to put more effort into teaching him in the future in order to achieve success." Li Minghan reminded with just a few words.
"Luoning understands, Senior's concern is appreciated." Li Luoning naturally understood the meaning behind Senior's words. Although the heavenly secrets cannot be revealed, with the tacit understanding developed over the years growing up beside Senior Li Minghan, he could quickly understand the meaning behind his words.
"By the way, Junior Brother, when did the Blue Snow Flowers in your courtyard have different colors? Just now, under the window outside my room, there was a Blue Snow Flower with a dark color. Is it a new variety?" Li Minghan was curious.
"Dark color? Senior, are you mistaken? As the name suggests, Blue Snow Flowers are mainly blue, and I've never heard of flowers with a dark color." Li Luoning asked somewhat puzzled.
"Oh, it's that one." Li Minghan led Li Luoning to the window behind the room, and indeed there was a Blue Snow Flower with a slightly different color.
Li Luoning reached out and plucked the Blue Snow Flower by the window and handed it to Li Minghan.
Sniffing the flower, a strong herbal scent filled Li Luoning's nose.
Li Luoning frowned. With his nose for medicine, he naturally knew what this smell was and guessed what was going on with this Blue Snow Flower.
In the middle of the study, Mi Xingzhe and Yun Qingyi had been standing for about a stick of incense's time.
Li Luoning looked at Mi Xingzhe, who was still swaying, and then glanced at Yun Qingyi beside him without a good mood.
He naturally knew that Yun Qingyi usually doted on Mi Xingzhe, but today's matter was indeed a bit excessive. First, he helped him copy the heart technique, and then he deceived himself into thinking Mi Xingzhe was unwell and helped him cover up for going out to get drunk.
He didn't know whether to say that he, as the senior brother, was not doing his job properly, or that Mi Xingzhe was corrupting Yun Qingyi.
Mi Xingzhe turned his head to look at the senior brother standing behind him, and then looked at the senior master with a grim face.
Wanting to say something to Yun Qingyi, he turned his head and saw the senior brother gesturing to him not to speak, so he could only reluctantly clamp his mouth shut and turn his head back.
Li Luoning slowly walked to Mi Xingzhe's side, glanced at the wine jug still in Mi Xingzhe's hand, and then reached out in front of him.
With an apologetic smile, Mi Xingzhe slowly took out the wine jug from behind and placed it in Li Luoning's hand.
Li Luoning didn't pay him any attention and put down the wine jug, then took out the Blue Snow Flower.
"Do you know what this is?"
"It's a flower... There are Blue Snow Flowers everywhere in the courtyard." Mi Xingzhe replied.
"This flower is called Blue Snow Flower," Li Luoning said slowly.
"Oh, this is the flower you use to brew... wine." Mi Xingzhe's words were interrupted halfway through, realizing that he might have accidentally confessed, he swallowed the rest of his words.
"Since it's called Blue Snow Flower, as the name suggests, this flower is mainly blue, resembling delicate snowflakes. I've been accompanied by this flower in my courtyard for several years, but today, I found one with a slightly different color under the window of your room." Li Luoning deliberately paused for a moment when he mentioned "your room window," and deliberately looked at Mi Xingzhe, noticing that when he mentioned these words, Mi Xingzhe's body trembled slightly.
"Ah, is that so? Well... that's quite... special. Um, it's late, I should go back to my room first, Senior, you should also rest early." Hearing Li Luoning specifically mention the window of his room, Mi Xingzhe felt that he might have revealed something about his usual tasks, so he wanted to find an excuse to leave.
"Hold on!" Li Luoning reprimanded sternly.
Mi Xingzhe looked at Yun Qingyi for help, but he was hesitant and didn't dare to turn his head back.
"Made a mistake, where do you plan to run off to?"
Mi Xingzhe instinctively shrank his neck, feeling a chill down his back, and didn't dare to turn his head to see Li Luoning's face. He could only inch his way to Yun Qingyi's side and hide behind him, not daring to come out.
Li Luoning looked at Mi Xingzhe's reaction with some anger, and with a flash of gold, he slapped the table with a ruler.
This sound scared Mi Xingzhe and Yun Qingyi, both of them shivered, Mi Xingzhe poked his head out from behind Yun Qingyi's shoulder, looking at the ruler with a terrified expression.
Yun Qingyi didn't expect Senior to be so angry about this, he even brought out the ruler.
But looking at the pleading expression on his little junior brother's face, he couldn't bear it. He sighed and pretended to be brave, continuing to stand in front of Mi Xingzhe.
"Master... Master, it's Qingyi's fault, as the older brother, I failed to set a good example, please forgive him this time, Qingyi is willing to take the punishment on behalf of my little junior brother." Yun Qingyi didn't even remember when was the last time he saw a ruler, but the oppressive pressure made him feel nervous.
But he really couldn't bear to see his little junior brother punished, so he took a deep breath, pretending to be brave to stand in front of Mi Xingzhe.
Mi Xingzhe, who was hiding behind Yun Qingyi, nodded vigorously and leaned his head on Yun Qingyi's shoulder, whispering apologetically, "Master, I'm sorry."
"Qingyi, since you're so fond of copying heart techniques for him, then go down and copy all the heart techniques in the study." Li Luoning didn't give any face, then said coldly.
"Master... Master" Yun Qingyi weakly said a word, only to meet Master's stern gaze.
"Step aside."
Yun Qingyi dared not stay any longer, he was very familiar with Master's temper. If he continued to stay here, in the end, it would still be his little junior brother who suffered.
Turning his head to look at Mi Xingzhe, who was full of helplessness, he slowly retreated, pretending to be brave to stand in front of Mi Xingzhe.
"Master... Master, it's Qingyi's fault, as the older brother, I failed to set a good example, please forgive him this time, Qingyi is willing to take the punishment on behalf of my little junior brother." Yun Qingyi didn't even remember when was the last time he saw a ruler, but the oppressive pressure made him feel nervous.
But he really couldn't bear to see his little junior brother punished, so he took a deep breath, pretending to be brave to stand in front of Mi Xingzhe.