As the sun set in the west, night fell. Little Bamboo Peak was as deathly silent as ever under the cover of darkness. A graceful figure arrived, riding a flying sword, and descended slowly into the courtyard.

The rich aroma of alchemical pills brought a faint smile to Qu Rou’s cool, detached face. Her Junior Nephew’s talent in the Dao of Alchemy was comparable to that of a heaven-defying genius. He might actually succeed in reaching Foundation Establishment. It was a pity his aptitude was so poor; forming a Golden Core was likely hopeless.

Qu Rou sighed softly. In the end, he was merely a passing traveler in her life. Junior Nephew Li did not have the qualifications to become her Heart Demon. Swaying her slender waist, she walked to the door of the house, gently pushed it open, and entered.

She did not disturb Junior Nephew Li in the alchemy room. Familiar with the way, she pushed open the bedroom door and stepped inside. Upon entering, Qu Rou’s brows suddenly furrowed. Her graceful figure shot upward, flying toward the window.

With a sharp crack, the window was flung open. A purple, alluring shadow flew out, riding a sword straight into the sky. Above Little Bamboo Peak, Qu Rou hovered in the air. Her curvaceous figure, with its full bust and hips, was bathed in moonlight as she stared coldly at a patch of cloud mist not far away.

“Show yourself!” Her clear, cold voice swept through the surrounding air.

The cloud mist stirred, and a figure emerged riding a sword. The figure drew closer, coming to a stop in mid-air several hundred meters from Qu Rou. He wore deep cyan robes, making his status as an Inner Sect Foundation Establishment disciple clear.

“Have you been following me?” Qu Rou asked, her expression shifting between light and shadow.

Su Can smiled slightly, looking up at the full moon. “The Taiyin Star is full tonight. Why don’t you find a spiritually resonant place with this Senior Brother to admire the moon?”

Su Can glanced down at the dilapidated courtyard on Little Bamboo Peak. “I heard an old man nearing his Lifespan Limit lives here. Could it be that Junior Sister came to Little Bamboo Peak at night for a secret rendezvous?”

Qu Rou’s face turned colder, a sharp killing intent flashing in her eyes. Su Can’s appearance meant he had been watching her within the sect all along. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have followed her here tonight.

“Haha, how could that be possible? Right, Junior Sister!” Su Can laughed heartily, a trace of mockery in his eyes. This woman dared to refuse him? He would make Junior Sister Qu understand the price of rejection.

Qu Rou watched him expressionlessly. Su Can was a descendant of the family of Golden Core Elder Su Zhe. Relying on such backing, he acted arrogantly and domineeringly within the Inner Sect.

“Junior Sister, don’t be angry. If you can come here, can’t I? Just pretend I don’t exist. I merely came out for a walk to admire the moon. Please, carry on as you were!” Su Can smiled. Junior Sister Qu seemed very angry, and that was good. It meant he had come to the right place.

Although he didn’t know why she had come here, it definitely involved the little old man in that rundown courtyard. He heard the man was an Alchemist. Was she here to seek pills? But why choose nighttime? Su Can sensed something unusual. If he could uncover her secret, he might use it as leverage to force her to become his Dao Companion.

Qu Rou’s expression shifted. Little Bamboo Peak had no Restrictions for isolation and could not block the Divine Sense of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. If she left now, Su Can would surely cause trouble for Junior Nephew Li.

Qu Rou rode her sword back down to the courtyard, landing soundlessly.

“Senior Qu, who has come?”

With a creak, the door opened. Li Meng’s aged body emerged, looking weary from exhaustion. He entered the courtyard and looked up. In the sky just beyond the peak, Su Can was visible.

Li Meng saw Su Can, and Su Can saw him. Looking at the little old man, Su Can narrowed his eyes. He recognized him—the old fellow he had encountered at the Thousand Treasure Pavilion months ago.

“So it’s you!” Su Can grinned ferociously. Excellent. It seemed the old fellow’s relationship with Junior Sister Qu was not ordinary. He might not be able to deal with her directly, but a mere Outer Disciple was easy prey.

“Junior Sister Qu, the night is deep. I will not disturb you further. Farewell!” Su Can’s voice rang out, and he rode his sword into the distance, a streak of cyan light vanishing beyond the horizon.

“Senior Qu, has he left?” Li Meng asked, looking at her.

Qu Rou looked back. Seeing her Junior Nephew’s exhausted appearance, a flicker of emotion passed through her eyes. “It is late. You should rest early.” She turned to fly off again.

“Senior Qu!” Li Meng called out. She turned back. “What is it?”

Li Meng stepped forward and grasped her slender, jade-like hand. “Senior Qu… I want to hold you while I sleep.”

Li Meng felt deeply fatigued today. If he perished before reaching Foundation Establishment, it would be a tragedy. Qu Rou cast a cold glance at him and pulled her hand free. Instead of leaving, however, she walked toward the house.

Li Meng followed her with a beaming smile, the weariness vanishing from his face.

Early the next morning, Li Meng opened his eyes. The warm body that had been nestled in his arms was already gone, but a faint trace of her unique scent lingered. He sat up and stretched lazily.

Recalling the previous night, a lecherous smile touched his lips. He got out of bed, draped his cyan robe over himself, and entered the alchemy chamber.

Last night, Qu Rou had spoken to him about Su Can. The man held grudges over minor slights. Now that he had discovered Li Meng—someone he already had conflict with—trouble was inevitable.

“Once women are involved, trouble inevitably comes knocking!” Li Meng sat on his meditation mat, feeling vexed. He hated trouble. “Forget it! Let it come.”

A mere Foundation Establishment cultivator was nothing to fear. At worst, he could smack him with the Supreme Elder token. Who didn’t have backing these days? If that failed, he could always rely on the “soft rice” provided by his Master or Junior Sister Yuan Baobao.

Li Meng flicked his sleeve and began refining pills once more. In the following days, Little Bamboo Peak returned to its usual tranquility. Qu Rou did not visit again, as Su Can was watching her closely.

Junior Sister Yuan Baobao and Junior Brother Xuan were preparing for the Outer Sect Grand Competition. Having survived the Scarlet Forbidden Ground, they did not lack resources. Junior Sister Chen Lan also hadn’t appeared, likely occupied with missions or secluded cultivation.