Three Hours Later, in the Vast Green Grasslands Near the Purple Lotus Sect's Hills
Upon reaching one of the hills, the bet between Qi Yuan and Xun Yi ended with Xun Yi as the winner. The difference in their cultivation levels was evident, with Qi Yuan being below Xun Yi's current realm.
However, had Qi Yuan taken the bet seriously, Xun Yi likely wouldn't have won. Having lived with Qi Yuan for a long time, Xun Yi was well aware of his true strength.
"I'm lucky he didn't use his true power, hehe," Xun Yi murmured to himself, exhausted from their match.
"Ugh! I lost! This is unfair, Sister Xun!" Qi Yuan grumbled, pointing at Xun Yi with a frustrated expression as he sat down to rest. The Purple Lotus Sect was only thirty meters away now.
"Haha! You better remember your loss and treat me to a nice meal!" Xun Yi laughed, her face filled with smug satisfaction as she looked at Qi Yuan, who had now collapsed beside her.
As they lay down, joking around, a chubby boy about Qi Yuan's age suddenly approached and asked, "Excuse me, do you know the way to the Purple Lotus Sect?"
Xun Yi simply pointed north. "That way. The sect's buildings are hidden by the mist and are located behind those hills."
"Ah, thank you, beautiful lady! You two make a great pair, haha. Alright, I'll be on my way!" The chubby boy grinned, thanking Xun Yi before hurrying in the direction she pointed.
Hearing his words, Xun Yi's face turned red. Qi Yuan, still lying beside her, was completely unaware of her reaction.
"A pair? No, no, no! We're just siblings. I can't think like that!" Xun Yi muttered to herself, shaking her head to clear her thoughts.
Qi Yuan suddenly opened his eyes and noticed her strange behavior. "What's wrong, Sister Xun? Did an evil tree spirit possess you?" He frowned, confused by her odd reaction.
Startled, Xun Yi quickly responded, "N-no! What are you even saying, you idiot? Let's go! We're almost at the Purple Lotus Sect." She hurriedly got up, urging Qi Yuan to continue their journey.
With that, they ended their short break and resumed their walk toward the sect.
A Dispute Near the Purple Lotus Sect
Tap. Tap.
Swoosh!
Not far from the sect, two young wandering cultivators were in the middle of an intense argument.
"Damn you!" one of them shouted. He wore red robes that appeared slightly luxurious, and his golden hair shimmered under the sunlight.
"You're only at Qi Foundation Stage Five, yet you act like a genius? Apologize to me at once!" the golden-haired man sneered, trying to humiliate the other young man before the surrounding cultivators.
However, his opponent, dressed in simple clothing, didn't bother responding. "I won't apologize. I have more important things to do—like preparing for the upcoming outer disciple recruitment at the Purple Lotus Sect in two days." The young man, who carried a double-edged sword on his back, turned to leave.
Feeling ignored, the golden-haired man grew furious and immediately launched an attack.
Swoosh!
Ting!
Without even looking, the swordsman effortlessly blocked the strike with his weapon. "I already said, I need to focus on cultivation for the upcoming recruitment," he stated calmly, parrying the golden-haired man's attack with ease.
"You bastard! You bumped into me and now you think you can just walk away? I won't let you!" the golden-haired man roared, preparing to strike again.
Just then, Xun Yi and Qi Yuan arrived at the scene and observed the commotion.
"What's going on here?" Xun Yi muttered to herself before stepping forward, with Qi Yuan by her side.
Then, she recognized the golden-haired troublemaker.
"Jiantong! You're always causing problems, whether it's in the capital or here!" she scolded, calling him out in front of everyone.
The surrounding cultivators, who had been watching the fight, started whispering among themselves.
"X-Xun Yi?!" Jiantong stammered in shock, his face paling. His surprise wasn't just because Xun Yi had suddenly appeared—there was something more.
"Didn't you… die?" Jiantong asked, his voice filled with disbelief.
Meanwhile, the swordsman Jiantong had been fighting took the opportunity to leave, not interested in dealing with such petty matters.
Swoosh!
"Tch, where do you think you're going? Ugh, whatever!" Jiantong huffed, letting him go and turning back to Xun Yi.
Jiantong then explained that he had heard of Xun Yi's supposed death three years ago from his older brother, who was an inner disciple of the Purple Lotus Sect.
"Yeah, yeah, if I hadn't come back, everyone would still think I was dead. And you—you're still the same troublemaker! If you keep causing problems in front of me, I'll beat you up!" Xun Yi warned, glaring at him.
Despite their bickering, it was clear that Xun Yi and Jiantong had known each other since childhood. Jiantong was about Qi Yuan's age, only a few years younger than Xun Yi.
A New Goal: Entering the Purple Lotus Sect
One by one, the young cultivators who had gathered to watch the fight started leaving.
"Let's go. This is boring now," some muttered as they dispersed.
Jiantong then revealed that he wasn't just here to cause trouble—he was actually planning to take the entrance exam for the Purple Lotus Sect's outer disciples. This year, multiple sects across the world were conducting recruitment exams at the same time.
Since the Purple Lotus Sect had strict rules about allowing visitors to stay overnight, Jiantong, Xun Yi, and Qi Yuan decided to head toward Zhenwu Capital City to find an inn for the night.
Before they left, Xun Yi formally introduced Qi Yuan to Jiantong.
"This is Qi Yuan," she said.
"Nice to meet you! Haha, good evening," Qi Yuan said awkwardly, feeling a little shy about being introduced so suddenly.
"Haha, just call me Jiantong, like Sister Xun does," Jiantong replied casually, walking alongside them toward the city.
Xun Yi also explained that Qi Yuan was now her adopted brother. However, she and Qi Yuan had made a vow—to stand together, no matter what hardships the future might bring.
Hearing this, Jiantong's expression darkened for a moment.
"Why did Jiantong look annoyed when he heard about their vow? Did he and Xun Yi have a deeper relationship in the past?"
To Be Continued…