Although in terms of seniority, Yino called Xinyao "Auntie," she was actually only a few years older than him.
In this childhood story after his rebirth, Xinyao was more like an elder sister Yino had clung to since he was young, as well as his guardian and teacher in cultivation.
In the original story of The Fallen Immortal, Xinyao actually didn't pay any attention to Yino at all.
Now, Yino was doted on by his aunt, and the timeline had already diverged greatly from the original story of The Fallen Immortal.
As for the reason, Xinyao had already given the answer just now—
Ever since Yino brought the first-place bells and gave them to his aunt when he was seven years old, he had completely changed Xinyao's opinion of him and gradually became integrated into every aspect of Xinyao's life.
Of course, conversely, it also led to Yino being caught by Xinyao later on and having to serve her by washing her feet.
Including now, when Xinyao came to the Phoenix Pavilion to bring Yino home.
These were all changes to the timeline brought about by Yino's rebirth.
"Auntie..."
"I'm not a child anymore."
"When I was seven, you said I had talent, but the opportunity hadn't arrived yet. I believed you."
"When I was ten, I believed the opportunity would come sooner or later."
"At thirteen, I still looked enviously at my elder brothers and sisters forming their qi, building their foundation, and even condensing their golden core... hoping for my opportunity to arrive."
"But Auntie, I'm already sixteen this year. The children from aristocratic families of the same age as me have all cultivated to the golden core stage and have left the city to form teams to hunt demons."
Yino spoke with a sense of inadequacy.
Of course, he knew that Xinyao wasn't lying to him about the opportunity.
His mother had a special identity, and he had a demon bloodline hidden within his body. Perhaps one day, when the opportunity came, he would be able to release the seal and transform from a waste.
But the premise was that Yino could live to see that day.
In the original story, he had already kicked the bucket before the day of his opportunity arrived.
Now that he had been reborn as a cannon fodder character, Yino no longer believed in any so-called destiny. Compared to waiting for an opportunity to descend, he had more faith in his knowledge of the plot of The Fallen Immortal from his previous life!
"Alright..."
"It seems you really don't want to go to the Wuji Sect."
Xinyao sighed, her phoenix eyes gradually lowering.
But in fact, she was also putting on an act.
Xinyao's distress for Yino was real, but her disappointment and regret were definitely fake.
As soon as Yino expressed his resistance, the corners of the girl's lips had already been unable to hide a hint of delight.
After all, this way, Yino could continue to stay by her side!
She could take Yino out shopping with her, have him be her dining companion, and even have him pretend to be her boyfriend to accompany Xinyao in dealing with those annoying matchmaking candidates arranged by the mansion...
Sometimes, when Yino did something bad and was caught by Xinyao, she could even use it as leverage to threaten Yino, making him obediently serve her tea, pour water, and wash her feet.
After spending so many years together, Yino had long become a part of Xinyao's life!
Xinyao truly couldn't bear to let Yino go to the immortal sect and be bullied by others.
At least if he stayed in the Grand Tutor's Mansion, he had Xinyao's thigh to cling to. Others could only gossip behind his back at most and wouldn't dare to go too far with Yino.
In fact, as soon as she heard the elders' decision, Xinyao had wanted to object and let Yino stay.
But Xinyao thought about it calmly. She couldn't delay Yino's opportunity to cultivate in the immortal sect because of her own selfish desires.
Xinyao had always thought that Yino had a strong competitive spirit since he was young. Now that he had been labeled a "wastrel seventh young master" for many years, deep down, he would have a determination and desire to prove himself once he got the opportunity!
But as a result, Yino actually didn't want to go to the Wuji Sect either!
This was simply in line with Xinyao's wishes!
"In my opinion, those elders from the Wuji Sect may not necessarily teach as well as your Auntie..."
Seeing that his aunt had softened, Yino quickly changed to a gentle tone and flattered her with a few more words, his eyes full of admiration. "At least those aloof and arrogant cultivators definitely won't be as gentle and patient as Auntie. All these years, everyone has looked down on me, but only Auntie has never given up on a waste me!"
His words were full of affection, and coupled with the quiet moonlight, it seemed as if in the young man's eyes, Xinyao was the only relative he could rely on.
If he were eight or nine years old, he would probably hug the girl's thigh and throw a tearful tantrum.
But he was already sixteen this year, so Yino still maintained a bit of dignity as a man.
This was already enough to move Xinyao's heart.
The girl was deeply touched, biting her red lips, her phoenix eyes shining like pale golden moonlight, glimmering with a dazzling radiance.
Influenced by the atmosphere, she could no longer hold back her deep emotions. She raised her phoenix-patterned jade leg beneath her skirt and fiercely kicked the peach tree—
"Exactly!!"
"What's so great about those stinking people from the Wuji Sect?"
"In my opinion, the elders in the mansion are the ones who are blind! They clearly know that I've been the one teaching you cultivation since you were young, but they actually decided to send you to the immortal sect without even asking for my opinion!"
"It infuriates me. They're all self-righteous old fools!"
"Yino, isn't Auntie right?"
She cursed through gritted teeth, her phoenix eyes under the moonlight emanating an unprecedented cold aura.
Yino was startled by this sudden contrast.
He didn't know why Xinyao suddenly broke down and even cursed so loudly.
In his impression, Xinyao had always acted innocent and cute in front of the elders at home, only occasionally curling the corners of her lips and revealing a mischievous and playful smile when teasing Yino.
But he had never seen such a deeply resentful and darkened appearance like tonight, even in the game in his previous life!
"Moreover!"
"That woman named Mo Yuyan, she speaks coldly without any human warmth. She sits in the mansion like a big ice cube, putting on an icy face as if someone owes her millions!"
"She hasn't even met my little nephew, but just based on hearsay, she implies that you're a prodigal son. What kind of righteous immortal is she? The righteous human cultivators are all a bunch of people who look down on others!"
"Yino! Don't you think so too?"
Having poured out her pent-up grievances, the spirit fox girl finally turned to look at Yino beside her.
Yino had long been stunned by what he heard.
But suddenly being asked by his aunt, who was in a fit of anger, he had no choice but to nod repeatedly in agreement.
"Yes, yes, yes, Auntie is absolutely right, but… isn't your voice a bit too loud..."
Yino grabbed Xinyao's hand and whispered in her ear to persuade her.
In fact, from the moment she said "those stinking people—," Yino had already broken out in a cold sweat.
Xinyao's voice was really loud!
Next to this peach courtyard was the guest room of the Grand Tutor's Mansion!
In that guest room, there was an eighty percent chance that Senior Sister Mo Yuyan from the Wuji Sect was staying there.
If she heard this, Yino would definitely be held a grudge against!
"What's there to be afraid of?"
"Are you also afraid of those stinking cultivators?"
"It was the disciples of the Wuji Sect who were badmouthing you at the mansion during the day in the first place!"
"If it weren't for not wanting to delay your opportunity to go to the immortal sect, I would have long stopped serving those stinking cultivators!"
Xinyao had been holding back a belly full of anger during the day, but for the sake of Yino's future, she still endured it and didn't dare to offend those cultivators.
Now that Xinyao learned that Yino was unwilling to go to the immortal sect, she instead felt relieved of her psychological burden and could vent the resentment she had accumulated during the day as she pleased.
But the problem was, Yino was now in a complete panic!
He never expected that after being reborn and taking all sorts of precautions, he would still end up offending Yuyan in this way!
Don't think that just because she's the female protagonist, she's gentle and kind. That immortal may be cold and elegant on a daily basis, but when she turns dark, she's also a ruthless killer who won't even blink an eye!
"Yino, listen carefully!"
Xinyao grabbed Yino's hand for the last time.
She didn't care about the prestige of the senior sister from the Wuji Sect and said resolutely:
"In this world, only I have taught you, so only I have the right to evaluate you!"
"Later, you'll go find Yuyan and make things clear! If she doesn't want to accept you, there's no need to beg her. Tomorrow, I'll take you to find your father and tell him that the immortal from the Wuji Sect looks down on people. We won't go!"
"At worst, you'll stay in the Grand Tutor's Mansion, and I'll personally teach you cultivation from now on!"
"I guarantee you, within three years, I'll make sure you break through to the Golden Core stage!"
"The resources of our Grand Tutor's Mansion are no worse than the Wuji Sect's. Why do we have to look at the face of that big ice cube for such a small matter?"
...
...
...
"Heh~"
"Just a stinking cultivator, huh?"
In the courtyard of the guest room in the Grand Tutor's Mansion, a white-clothed immortal sat at a chess table, resting her chin on her hand, gazing up at the moon, her jade eyes shimmering.
She listened to the commotion outside the courtyard, a self-mocking and derisive smile appearing on her flawless and cold immortal face.
In fact, Yuyan had long known that she had offended Xinyao.
During the day at the mansion, Yuyan had already agreed to the elders of the Grand Tutor's Mansion to meet the seventh young master and take a look at his physique and cultivation.
However, the mansion couldn't find He Yino.
Before coming, Yuyan had already heard about the amorous rumors surrounding the seventh young master of the He Mansion.
Now that they couldn't find him, he was most likely spending a passionate night at a brothel again.
Therefore, Yuyan shook her head and chuckled disdainfully in front of the elders of the Grand Tutor's Mansion, hinting that the matter of accepting a disciple should end there.
Yuyan herself didn't say any unpleasant words on the surface.
But the Wuji Sect disciples behind her directly stated in front of the elders of the Grand Tutor's Mansion that Yino had a stubborn and unruly nature and did not meet the minimum standards for the Wuji Sect to accept disciples.
From that moment on, the little girl named Xinyao had an even uglier expression on her face than Yino's father.
Yuyan had never liked arguing with people in her life.
She had no interest in further discussing accepting a disciple and politely excused herself after a few perfunctory words.
But as she was leaving, Xinyao suddenly called out to her.
She said that before nightfall, she would definitely bring Yino home and asked the immortal to be sure to meet him and reconsider carefully.
"A philanderer, waiting for him to come back and flirt with me?"
Yuyan turned her head and asked in return, a charming and mocking cold smile on her face.
For a prodigal young master who stayed out all night and was a regular at the Phoenix Pavilion, Yuyan had no intention of taking him up the mountain from the very beginning. It would only disgrace the reputation of the Wuji Sect.
If it weren't for the orders of her master, Yuyan wouldn't even bother to come for a visit.
Xinyao was right. She indeed looked down on Yino.
Yuyan still remembered Xinyao's expression at that time, at a loss for words and extremely humiliated.
She was a girl who was good at reading people's expressions.
She naturally could see what attitude Yuyan had.
Therefore, Yuyan also knew very well that the contemptuous words Xinyao had just said about her in front of the mansion were not only directed at Yino.
In the quiet of the night, her voice was still so loud, clearly cursing for Yuyan to hear.
And the reason she cursed so harshly was probably because she no longer held any hope for Yuyan.
Xinyao had already been harboring resentment during the day, so she completely tore off the facade at night.
"Quite a temperamental little aunt."
"She doesn't fear me, indicating that she has ample confidence and her cultivation is not shallow."
"It seems the rumors are true. The Grand Tutor's Mansion doesn't keep idle people. Even a nameless maid has such a personality."
Thinking of this, the white-clothed immortal smiled faintly.
She rested her chin on her right hand, and with her left hand, she picked up a black chess piece and placed the final move on the stone board.
The game was over. She got up and came to the willow tree in front of the door, closed her eyes to rest her spirit, and quietly waited for the rumored young man to knock on the door and pay a visit.
"Yino, everyone in Luo City has heard that you are a prodigal disciple."
"But that girl has an unconditional bias towards you..."
"I'm quite curious. What unique charm do you possess?"