Huh?

Looking at the completely transformed small courtyard before him, Qi Yuan felt as if he had walked through the wrong door. He glanced left and right, confirming that this was indeed his residence, before stepping inside with a strange expression on his face.

All the weeds and moss in the yard had been cleared away, replaced by rows of pleasing and elegant spiritual flowers and trees. The soil around the roots of these spiritual plants was loose, clearly indicating they had been recently transplanted.

The air was filled with a refreshing fragrance of plants and trees, uplifting to the senses.

“Junior Brother Qi, you’re back.”

Just then, Senior Sister Bai Xirou gracefully walked out to greet him like the lady of the house, a gentle and serene smile gracing her brows and lips. “I’ve just finished tidying up inside. Come in quickly and see if you’re satisfied.”

With that, she pulled the still-dazed Qi Yuan into the main hall.

The previous set of stone table and chairs had long disappeared, replaced by various exquisite and elegant furniture.

Fine rugs covered the floor, delicate silk served as curtains, and several potted plants that helped calm the mind and spirit adorned the room, blending elegance with warmth.

Good heavens!

Does she really intend to stay here and live with me?

Qi Yuan scratched his nose with a face full of question marks, then turned his gaze to Bai Xirou. “Senior Sister, what are you doing?”

“Your living place was far too unrefined,” Bai Xirou said affectionately as she gazed at him, her voice soft. “I simply couldn’t bear to see it like that, so I rearranged it a bit. Now it’s barely passable for living.”

Suddenly reminded of something, Qi Yuan felt a stir in his heart and spoke with the utmost seriousness.

“Senior Sister, did you happen to see Zhen Yuyan before?”

At this point, even if he were slow-witted, he could tell that her spiritual platform was obscured and her soul unstable—her condition was clearly abnormal.

Considering the Demonic Sect’s eerie methods of manipulating minds, it was hard for him not to suspect that Ji Chan’er was behind this.

Upon hearing the three words “Zhen Yuyan,” a flicker of confusion immediately flashed in Bai Xirou’s eyes. Her lovely and charming face flushed a deep crimson, and even her body began to grow hot.

“How did you…”

Before Qi Yuan could finish his sentence, a soft, smooth sensation touched his lips.

Wait, are you serious?

He froze on the spot, looking somewhat stiffly at the woman who had suddenly thrown herself into his arms.

Before he could react, he saw all the daze and confusion on Bai Xirou’s face recede like a tide. In almost an instant, she returned to normal.

Simultaneously, Bai Xirou shuddered, abruptly pushed Qi Yuan away, and exclaimed in disbelief:

“Big Qi! Why did you kiss me?”

Qi Yuan: “???”

As if recalling something, Bai Xirou’s face flushed red again. Then, with extreme shyness, she touched her lips and stammered.

“Junior Brother Qi… no… don’t misunderstand… I… I didn’t mean to kiss you on purpose… I think I was possessed just now…”

With that, she fled as if running for her life.

What kind of mess is this?

Watching her panicked retreating figure, Qi Yuan was utterly bewildered.

He had originally been on high alert, fearing he had fallen into the Demonic Sect’s scheme. Who would have thought it would end so abruptly…

That enchantress went through so much trouble to control Bai Xirou’s mind—just to make her come over and give me a kiss?

Damn it! Is Ji Chan’er sick?!

Elsewhere.

“Oh heavens! I must have gone mad. How could I do such a thing to Junior Brother Qi? This is so embarrassing…”

Bai Xirou leaned against a tree in disarray, hands pressed against her chest as she breathed heavily, her heart pounding wildly.

“Could it be… I’ve been secretly in love with Junior Brother Qi all along but never realized it myself?”

Suddenly, a terrifying thought surfaced in Bai Xirou’s mind. Her face instantly paled; she nearly fainted from fright.

“I just kissed a man… will I… become pregnant after some time?!”

She had grown up without a mother since birth, raised solely by her father, Bai Qingwu.

Bai Qingwu was always busy with affairs and keen on maintaining his strict father image; naturally, he never imparted certain knowledge to his daughter.

Moreover, as the sole daughter of the Sect Leader with a special status, no one dared tell risqué jokes in front of her or even utter crude language.

Thus, Bai Xirou’s upbringing was extremely monotonous—every day was filled with nothing but cultivation. She had absolutely no understanding of matters between men and women; she was as pure as a blank sheet of paper.

In other words, Bai Xirou simply didn’t know what it meant to “become a man’s woman”; she mistakenly believed that a kiss counted as such.

This led to her subconscious mind confirming that she had fulfilled Ji Chan’er’s requirement. Consequently, she snapped out of her “hypnotized” state.

Previously, Ji Chan’er had set it up so that Bai Xirou would immediately regain consciousness after “becoming Qi Yuan’s woman”—only then could Qi Yuan and Falling Cloud Valley become bitter enemies.

If, under the influence of soul-snatching magic, Bai Xirou remained devoted to Qi Yuan for life—then what enmity would there be? Qi Yuan might as well stay in Falling Cloud Valley as a live-in son-in-law!

To achieve the desired effect, Bai Xirou must awaken after the incident believing Qi Yuan was scum who ruined her purity, thereby thoroughly intensifying their conflict!

Unfortunately, Ji Chan’er accounted for everything except one thing: she never imagined a nineteen-year-old girl could be this innocent.

In secular society, married women of that age might already have children old enough to run errands. Although Ji Chan’er herself lacked romantic experience, having been born into a Demonic Sect where customs were already thoroughly twisted—even if she hadn’t eaten pork, she’d seen pigs run; she understood what needed understanding…

“This won’t do; I must go to the Library Pavilion right now—there must be methods there to prevent pregnancy…”

Thinking this, Bai Xirou bit her lip, then activated her movement technique, hastily flying toward the direction of the Library Pavilion.

Simultaneously.

Qi Yuan left his residence, arriving at the formation core located deep within Falling Cloud Valley.

Unlike last time, before he could speak, he saw a flash of radiance atop the iron tower. A red-lipped, white-toothed youth appeared—precisely the Sect Grand Formation’s Formation Spirit.

The youth glared angrily at him, his questioning tone unfriendly.

“Brat, seeing you makes this Old Man angry. Scram, scram, don’t loiter here.”

“Then I’ll leave?”

Qi Yuan made a show of preparing to leave. “Let’s be clear: if you yourself don’t want to recover a thousand years’ worth of lost spirit stones, don’t blame me in the future for not telling you!”

Hearing this, the youth’s expression slightly changed. He hurried forward and stopped him. “Brat… uh no, little friend, wait. First explain clearly: the spirit stones this Old Man lost—you found them?”

Qi Yuan smiled slightly. “Although the items haven’t been found, I found the thief who stole them for you. Want to meet them?”

“Excellent.”

The Formation Spirit was first delighted, then skeptical. “This time you’re not fooling this Old Man, right? You kid tricked me twice already, remember.”

“Believe it or not.”

Qi Yuan shrugged. “Anyway, losing spirit stones isn’t my problem.”

The Formation Spirit suspiciously scrutinized him, finally nodding. “Fine, this Old Man will make an exception and believe you once more. Tell me, where is the thief?”

Qi Yuan shook his head and said calmly:

“That one is not a thief, but a thieving grass.”

“Grass?”

The Formation Spirit was immediately stunned.