Ye Anping came up with a casual excuse to send Bai Yuelin back to Profound Star Sect. He locked the door to his healing center and posted a note on the door that said he had urgent matters to attend to. He then followed Zhuang Zhu on his sword and headed to a dilapidated mountain temple on a nearby hill, where he met with the other four people.

Once everyone had arrived, Zhuang Zhu exchanged the Seven Killers Sect’s secret code with the newcomers to confirm their identities. After that, they briefly introduced themselves to each other. Suddenly, Zhuang Zhu produced a jug of wine, led everyone to a statue of a Daoist at the entrance of the temple, and paid their respects.

This whole situation left Ye Anping somewhat speechless.

However, the other four people readily agreed, leaving him with no choice but to join in. He picked up a bowl of wine and became the “Sixth Brother” of this group.

After some small talk, Ye Anping took the lead and guided them through a hidden path that only he knew. They managed to bypass Profound Star Sect’s sect formation and the patrolling disciples, finally entering the rear mountains of Profound Star Sect.

Inside a cave at the peak of Snow Spirit Peak in Profound Star Sect’s rear mountains.

The crackling sound of the bonfire echoed, while the icy wind outside the cave felt bone-chilling.

Snow Spirit Peak was where the frigid qi of Profound Star Sect converged, making it one of the harshest environments within the rear mountains.

The disciples participating in the physical trial would be randomly sent to various peaks in the rear mountains. They were required to return to the main peak of Profound Star Sect within five days to pass the trial. For Feng Yudie and her group, even without the use of flying swords, this task was not difficult.

However, as soon as they arrived on Snow Spirit Peak, heavy snowfall began, as if the snow intended to consume them.

As a result, Feng Yudie and her group had no choice but to find a nearby cave. After expelling a monster that had occupied the cave, they took refuge there, intending to wait until the snowstorm subsided before continuing their journey.

Even though they were in the cave next to the bonfire, the dense frigid qi of Snow Spirit Peak was not something that could be easily endured.

Pei Lengxue had become accustomed to the cold due to her senior brother’s training, so she didn’t mind much. However, Xiao Yunluo, who sat beside her, was finding it difficult to bear.

Since the snow had started, she had been constantly rubbing her shoulders, and her chattering teeth made a continuous “clatter” sound.

“Inhale…”

Xiao Yunluo sniffled and sucked in her runny nose, then shrank her neck and glanced at Pei Lengxue, who was meditating with her eyes closed. Seeing Pei Lengxue’s calm demeanor, she couldn’t help but ask:

“Aren’t you you you… cold cold cold cold?”

Pei Lengxue opened her eyes and looked at Xiao Yunluo, who had bluish lips. After pondering for a moment, she asked, “Are you warming up with your inner energy?”

“I am, otherwise I’d freeze to death.” Xiao Yunluo pursed her lips and slowly moved closer to Pei Lengxue, looking somewhat awkward. “Can I snuggle with you?”

“Are you really that cold?”

“My hands are almost frozen…” Pei Lengxue sighed with resignation. After pondering for a moment, she took off her outer garment and placed it around both herself and Xiao Yunluo, holding Xiao Yunluo’s hands and gently rubbing them.

Xiao Yunluo, whose hand had been taken, was stunned. Her face turned slightly red, but her blush wasn’t due to shyness; it was because she felt embarrassed.

She was the biological daughter of “Moon Dan Master,” she is the young mistress of Profound Star Sect. She was a noble miss with extraordinary talents in spiritual root. She had enjoyed endless cultivation resources since childhood.

The elders of Profound Star Sect who taught her cultivation had all praised her exceptional aptitude.

She had always been proud of this and never slacked off.

No sleeping in, strict daily routines, dedicated sword practice, and attentive behavior in classes – she was more diligent than anyone else.

From the age of five to fifteen, Xiao Yunluo had been unwavering in her dedication.

So, when she first met Pei Lengxue, she assumed that Pei Lengxue was a novice cultivator. When she struck up a conversation with her, it was only to satisfy her own vanity and show off a bit.

— “Hehe, I’m amazing, right? I managed to last a quarter of an hour in front of Senior Sister Bai, who’s at the Foundation Establishment stage, before being defeated!”

That’s what she intended to say during the sword trial. But when she saw Pei Lengxue defeat Senior Sister Bai with a single move, she was utterly dumbfounded.

Now, seeing Pei Lengxue calmly sitting amidst the frigid qi, Xiao Yunluo felt struck again.

She bit her lip, somewhat envious, and asked, “Why are you so strong…”

“Huh?” Pei Lengxue didn’t quite hear her and tilted her head. “What?”

“I’m freezing to death, and your hands are warm like a furnace.” Xiao Yunluo frowned as she looked at Pei Lengxue’s face. “Why are you so strong?!”

“Am I strong?”

“Are you pretending to be clueless? Or do you really need me to compliment you?” Xiao Yunluo pursed her lips, discontented. “Your cultivation level is even lower than mine, and yet you managed to defeat Senior Sister Bai. What sword technique are you practicing?”

“…The sword technique my senior brother taught me.”

“Your senior brother…”

Xiao Yunluo looked at the slight smile on Pei Lengxue’s face and furrowed her brows.

It seemed that every time she mentioned Pei Lengxue’s senior brother, she would have this silly smile on her face.

Xiao Yunluo had seen it countless times.

For a moment, she became curious about Pei Lengxue’s senior brother and asked, “Pei Junior Sister, can you tell me about your senior brother?”

“Tell you about my senior brother?” Pei Lengxue hesitated and then said, “What should I say?”

“What kind of person is he? What do you usually like to do with him?” Xiao Yunluo asked, curious.

“Well…” Pei Lengxue bit her lip and pondered for a moment. She instinctively wanted to say good things about her senior brother, but when she saw Xiao Yunluo’s beautiful face, she suddenly realized something and changed her wording, “My senior brother is a super bad person!”

“Super bad person?” Xiao Yunluo looked puzzled.

“Yeah, a super bad person. He would barge in while I’m bathing, beat me up until I’m black and blue, twist my bones, feed me to monsters, and even poisoned me…”

“????” Xiao Yunluo was completely dumbfounded. “What kind of utterly evil villain is that?”

“Yeah, my senior brother is a villain with a human face and a beast’s heart,” Pei Lengxue solemnly nodded.

Seeing Pei Lengxue’s earnest expression, Xiao Yunluo paused for a moment and asked, “Didn’t you suffer a lot from him?”

“Yeah! I’ve suffered a lot…”

“I see…” Xiao Yunluo nodded and pondered for a moment before suggesting, “How about I help you?”

“Huh? Help… help me? Help me with what?”

“Well, after the trial is over, I can inform the elders about your senior brother. By then, Profound Star Sect’s elders will capture your senior brother. I promise he’ll spend the rest of his life in the Profound Star Sect’s prison.”

Hearing this, Pei Lengxue’s face immediately turned horrified, and she took a sharp breath.

She just didn’t want Xiao Yunluo to think her senior brother was a good person and get closer to him. Why was Xiao Yunluo suddenly talking about imprisoning him?

She quickly waved her hands, denying, “Ah, no! No!”

“Such a scoundrel should be locked up.”

“Ah… no… I…” Pei Lengxue hurriedly tried to explain but didn’t know how. She ended up grabbing Xiao Yunluo’s collar, glaring at her, and threatened, “Don’t touch my senior brother!!”

“… …” Xiao Yunluo quickly shrank her neck in fear.

“Ah, sorry.” Realizing that she had gone overboard, Pei Lengxue quickly apologized and stammered, “Um, that, actually my senior brother isn’t bad. He’s actually quite good.”

???

Xiao Yunluo raised an eyebrow, tilted her head, and asked in response, “Is your senior brother good or bad? You just said…”

“Well…” Pei Lengxue was somewhat ambiguous in her response, hesitating for a while before she resorted to a last-ditch effort, twisting her brow and threatening, “In any case, you’re not allowed to have anyone capture my senior brother!! He’s mine!! Otherwise…”

“Otherwise… what?”

Pei Lengxue looked left and right, saw Xiao Yunluo’s pale hands, and said, “Otherwise, I won’t warm your hands anymore!”

“…”

Xiao Yunluo had been unsure about her expression all along, but after some thought, she finally understood what Pei Lengxue meant.

“Oh, I get it. You want to take revenge personally, right?”

“Huh?”

“You don’t want me to help you get revenge. You want to do it on your own. Once you’ve advanced in cultivation, you’ll return to settle the score for all the things your senior brother did to you in the past.”

“???” This time, Pei Lengxue was left speechless.

After a pause, she said, “Just don’t let anyone capture my senior brother.”

“…”

“Don’t capture my senior brother! Did you hear me? Answer me?!”

“I heard you…”

Xiao Yunluo sighed, feeling a strange sympathy for Pei Lengxue.

Then she looked toward the cave entrance and asked, “By the way, why hasn’t that white-haired idiot returned yet? It’s been half an hour since he left, right?”

Pei Lengxue rolled her eyes and said, “Maybe the idiot got eaten by a bear.”

“Well…” Xiao Yunluo shrugged and stopped thinking about the white-haired idiot. After hesitating for a moment, she tried to squeeze closer to Pei Lengxue and asked, “Is it uncomfortable if I’m this close to you?”

“No, if you feel cold, snuggle in closer.”

“Well, that’s what you said…” Xiao Yunluo smiled mischievously, simply hugged Pei Lengxue, and pressed her face against her shoulder. She said, “By the way, you’re my friend now. If you encounter any trouble in Profound Star Sect in the future, just mention my name. No one will dare to bully you.”

“Ah, okay.”