Xuanwei seemed quite pleased by Zhang Xian’s astonishment. A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he reached up to stroke his smooth chin. “Thanks to the Duke of the Nation, my cultivation has made a breakthrough, so I’ve naturally regained the appearance of my youth.

“Hehe, now that you’ve seen this breathtakingly handsome face of mine, you must know who my Senior Sister truly loves best,” he said, gently squeezing Li Miaoyin’s delicate hand.

Li Miaoyin felt slightly shy. Yesterday, Xuanwei had sought her out and shared Yu Yun’s analysis with her. As the person directly involved, Li Miaoyin hadn’t sensed any improper intentions from Zhang Xian toward her at all.

However, she’d received so much kindness from him lately that she decided it was time to clarify her feelings, lest things become awkward in the future. And so, this scene unfolded.

Having spent so many years in the Great Liang Kingdom, Zhang Xian’s romantic life was far richer than theirs. He immediately understood their intentions, though he found it rather amusing. It seemed he’d given them too much generosity, leading to unnecessary misunderstandings.

Zhang Xian didn’t call them out directly, but politely remarked, “I simply never imagined Daoist Brother Xuanwei would be so radiant and dashing—no wonder Daoist Sister Miaoyin is so captivated.”

Li Miaoyin’s face flushed even deeper, and she shot Xuanwei a reproachful glance. “What sour grapes are you eating? If Zhang Xian truly had ulterior motives, would he say something like this?”

“I’ve noticed your progress has been astonishing these past few days. I suspect you’ve achieved another breakthrough,” Li Miaoyin quickly changed the subject.

“I’ve already reached the third stage of Qi Refining.”

The two were somewhat shocked. In this small world where spiritual energy had long since vanished, Zhang Xian had managed to forcefully cultivate himself all the way to the third stage of Qi Refining. Clearly, he possessed quite a few Spirit Stones.

If they knew that the resources Zhang Xian had consumed were actually ten times greater than what he claimed, they’d likely be utterly dumbfounded.

“I plan to stabilize my current realm for a while, and then head to the grand cultivation world in about half a month,” Zhang Xian continued.

Both Li Miaoyin and Xuanwei had long known about Zhang Xian’s plans, but they hadn’t expected it to happen so soon.

Li Miaoyin cautioned, “The grand cultivation world is vastly different from the Great Liang Kingdom. It’s a place where danger and opportunity coexist. Daoist Brother, please be cautious. And once you arrive there, it’s best not to reveal your origins. This world has completely run out of spiritual energy; if someone discovers your background, they’ll surely investigate and covet you, causing unnecessary trouble.”

Zhang Xian thought to himself, If that wretched Nangong Yao recognizes me, I’m finished. Though I’ve already concealed my name, I’ll also have to alter my appearance significantly.

Thinking this, he nodded and said, “Thank you for your advice, Daoist Sister. Actually, I’d like to ask you something else. Have you ever heard of the Yunmiao Sect?”

Hearing this, both of them felt a chill in their hearts.

“The Yunmiao Sect is one of the top two major sects in our Southern Region. It has countless disciples, and its jurisdiction alone is more than a hundred times larger than the Great Liang Kingdom. It even has hundreds of affiliated sects under its umbrella.”

“Senior Sister and I were originally cultivators of the Shuiyun Sect, an affiliated sect of the Yunmiao Sect. I came from a background as a wandering cultivator, while Senior Sister Li’s family held some influence within the Shuiyun Sect. Among these affiliated sects, those with exceptional talent are usually sent to the Yunmiao Sect for cultivation. Senior Sister was exceptionally gifted and originally had the chance to join the Yunmiao Sect, but I ended up dragging her down.”

As he spoke these words, Xuanwei’s expression filled with guilt, while Li Miaoyin smiled softly and linked her arm through his.

“Back then, Senior Sister and I were deeply in love. But the branch of the Yunmiao Sect that wanted to accept her as a disciple practiced a special Water-based cultivation technique—one that required maintaining a pure, unblemished state and severing all emotional ties. Senior Sister refused to do that.”

“At the time, the pressure was immense. I almost gave up myself, but Senior Sister was so stubborn that she ultimately fell out with her family and secretly pledged her life to me.”

“Because of this, Senior Sister was punished by her family, stripped of her cultivation, and I was expelled from the sect. The Li family even sent people to hunt me down. With no other choice, Senior Sister and I fled to this small world and have remained here ever since.”

Li Miaoyin added calmly, “Actually, the Yunmiao Sect didn’t pursue the matter back then. It was just the Li family’s fear of offending the Yunmiao Sect.”

“But after all these years, my brother and I have long since let go of it. My family gave me life and raised me, and later stripped me of my cultivation—those debts are settled. As for the Yunmiao Sect’s cultivation technique, which demands severing all emotional ties—if I can’t stay with my brother, then there’s no point in pursuing cultivation anyway.”

As she finished speaking, the two intertwined their fingers tightly, gazing into each other’s eyes with deep affection.

Zhang Xian, suddenly bombarded with such romantic vibes, felt overwhelmed. He never would have guessed Li Miaoyin was such a hopeless romantic.

After offering a few comforting words, Zhang Xian pressed on, “Have you ever heard of someone named Nangong Yao from the Yunmiao Sect? She’s probably a Senior Elder or something similar.”

“We’ve never heard of her. My cultivation is too low to come into contact with figures of such high rank. However, in Tianmu City, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Yunmiao Sect, there’s a Nangong family. You should be able to find out more there.”

Zhang Xian silently made a note of this.

Li Miaoyin and Xuanwei knew Zhang Xian had many secrets, but since he wasn’t sharing them, they wouldn’t pry either. Still, they expressed some concern: “Daoist Brother, neither the Yunmiao Sect nor the Nangong family is someone you should provoke right now.”

“Oh, why would I? To be honest, all my cultivation treasures are thanks to the Yunmiao Sect. I’m here precisely to pay my respects and express my gratitude,” Zhang Xian replied without flinching.

Half a year later, in the grand cultivation world, five hundred li outside the Shuiyun Sect.

This was a spiritually auspicious mine located in a shaded mountain area, where scattered cultivators were busy digging with mining hoes. Among them, one figure stood out particularly—a figure dressed in goose-yellow.

She wore a short, cross-collared jacket, her wrists slender as jade, and a knee-length, pale apricot-colored skirt whose hem rippled like waves, revealing a pair of exquisitely shaped calves wrapped in snow-white socks. Right now, she was bent over, gripping her mining pickaxe, her fingertips tinged pink, her face delicate and petite, wisps of hair plastered to her reddened cheeks by sweat.

Every time she bent down to dig, the neckline of her garment would slightly open, revealing the gentle rise and fall of her chest, and the sleek lines of her calves beneath the white socks, alternately taut and relaxed.

At this moment, she was murmuring softly, her tongue unconsciously brushing her lower lip, deepening the already vibrant hue of her lips. A single bead of sweat hung precariously from her chin, suspended halfway between falling and staying put.

This sight left several nearby male cultivators utterly entranced.

“Today, Sister Yinyin is so beautiful! Especially her thighs, barely hidden beneath that short skirt!”

Seemingly exhausted from digging, the lovely woman sat directly on the spiritual ore, raising both arms high and stretching luxuriously. This movement caused her already slender frame to unfurl completely.

The apricot-colored jacket was pulled upward by her motion, exposing a stretch of waist as smooth and luminous as jade, dotted with fine beads of sweat that shimmered delicately in the sunlight. Her body also tightened with the movement, outlining the soft curves of her youthful hips and waist.

Gulp. Several male cultivators couldn’t help but swallow hard.

Her name was Lin Yinyin, the undisputed “Mining Flower” of this very mine.

After catching her breath for a moment, she pulled a flask of spiritual spring water from her bosom and took two hearty gulps. Then, she handed the flask to a nearby male cultivator who seemed somewhat distracted, her voice sweet and coy.

“Senior Brother Song, you must be tired too, would you like some?”

The male cultivator instantly became agitated, instinctively glancing at Lin Yinyin’s cherry-red lips before nervously taking the flask and quickly drinking two sips, finding today’s spiritual spring water especially sweet.

“I’ve indirectly kissed Sister Yinyin! I’m so happy!”

With a casual flick of her fingers, Lin Yinyin swept her loose strands of hair behind her ear. How effortlessly charming!