She Dominates the Immortal Realm with Her HP Bar

Not far away, as the group of cultivators drew closer, their arrogant search grew increasingly noisy.

Yan Luoyue craned her neck, glancing around, and realized there wasn’t just one search party—there were several.

Watching the emerald-green snake’s tail flick back and forth like a wheat awn swaying in the wind, she finally couldn’t resist reaching out to grab it.

This little serpent, shimmering like jade, wasn’t just translucent in appearance—its smooth, cool texture felt just like polished stone.

With just a light touch, that refreshing chill traveled up her fingertips, as soothing as holding a slice of sweet watermelon cooled in well water on a summer night under the stars.

The moment its tail was caught, the little green snake stiffened into a rigid stick. If its scales could puff up like feathers, Yan Luoyue would surely have seen them flare in alarm.

Half a second later, as if realizing it could still fight back, the emerald serpent began thrashing violently.

“Shh—”

Mindful of the cultivators’ sharp hearing, Yan Luoyue didn’t dare say more, only letting out a long, quiet exhale.

“……”

In her palm, the cool, sinuous body hesitated for a moment before giving a small, uncertain twitch.

A blink later, the little snake coiled itself, its tail tip curling softly around Yan Luoyue’s pinky finger and giving it two gentle shakes.

…

The search party drew closer, finally reaching the tea stall.

The four of them took up positions at each corner of the stall, sealing off every possible escape route.

One of them had a talisman peeking out from his robes, its edge not properly tucked in. When Yan Luoyue glanced up, she recognized the patterns—it was a *Veiling Talisman*, used to conceal one’s aura.

Generally, the only people who wore such talismans to the Moonlit Market were human cultivators.

Perhaps because of this, despite their rich attire, overbearing demeanor, and expressions of undisguised arrogance, their tone remained surprisingly polite.

“Apologies for disturbing you, honorable shopkeeper and esteemed guests,” one of them drawled. “Our young master was out hunting today when, unfortunately, a serpentine spirit beast slipped away.”

“The creature is emerald-green, no bigger than a palm. Our young master fancied its beauty and intended to skin it for a brush stand… Should any of you provide a lead, we’re willing to offer a hundred low-grade spirit stones as reward.”

The stall’s patrons exchanged glances, and one particularly nosy customer couldn’t resist asking, “And what if we catch it ourselves?”

The leader smiled genially. “Then the reward will be tenfold.”

“So, if you’ll permit us to search this stall—should we find the serpent here, a thousand low-grade spirit stones will be split among all present, each getting an equal share.”

At this, even the tea seller raised no objections, allowing the cultivators to begin flipping over teacups and lifting pot lids one by one.

As for the customers, they wasted no time—some opened their chests, others upended their baskets.

Before the searchers could even begin, everyone was already rolling up their sleeves, eager to dig around.

A thousand low-grade spirit stones was no small temptation. If the target really was hidden here, this money might as well be free.

The search was meticulous. Aside from stopping short of demanding the guests strip to prove their innocence, the disciples inspected every last item—including the small boxes Yan Luoyue and her two companions used to store ointments.

At first, Yan Gan watched with interest, but the repetitive box-checking soon bored him.

He turned to Sang Ji and remarked, “Speaking of snakes, I actually *did* see a tiny green one once, just about this big—”

Before he could finish, one of the searchers whipped out a ruler-shaped artifact and pressed urgently:

“What snake? How big? When did you see it? Where?”

Though puzzled by the man’s intensity, Yan Gan answered, “About a year or so ago, back when my little sister had just been born. I was in our clan’s territory at the time—”

The artifact glowed white, confirming his words as truthful.

“…” The searcher shot Yan Gan an exasperated look, waving him off before he could finish. He returned to rifling through the boxes, muttering inwardly:

*What in the world do these two boys even do, carrying three whole baskets of perfectly sized bamboo boxes? Do they have nothing better to do?*

After combing through all three baskets with no results, the man couldn’t help but roll his eyes in frustration.

Now, only one person remained unchecked—a little girl.

The disciple glanced over. The child was young, nestled in her brother’s arms like a snowy-white doll.

Her sleeves and skirt hems were lined with rabbit fur, and two fluffy hair ornaments bobbed atop her head, adding to her lively charm.

His nerves had been taut at first, but the mind-numbing repetition of the search had dulled his vigilance. Faced with such a young girl, his guard dropped even further.

Following procedure, he pulled out the truth-detecting ruler and asked perfunctorily, “Little girl, have you seen a small snake around here?”

The girl tilted her head, blinking up at him with wide, innocent eyes.

She seemed unable to comprehend the subordinate's question, merely flashing him an innocent, childlike smile.

Recalling that the young man had mentioned his sister was barely over a year old, the subordinate boredly averted his gaze.

Though demonic creatures could take human form early, their maturation was prolonged, and their mental faculties had no fixed standard. This little girl, over a year old yet still unable to understand human speech, must be one of the slower ones.

The subordinate made a hand signal, indicating no findings: "I’ve checked everything here too. Let’s go."

"Wait a moment," the lead cultivator strode forward, his gaze suddenly settling on **Yan Luoyue**.

He spoke slowly, "Cunning demonic snakes might well conceal themselves beneath another’s robes to hide—this child is young and may not notice."

**Yan Gan** and **Sang Ji** exchanged glances, their expressions shifting.

"What do you mean? Are you saying you’d even flip up our little sister’s skirt to check?"

"We wouldn’t dare intrude so boldly."

Though the lead cultivator claimed reluctance, his lowered eyelids brimmed with arrogance. "I merely ask that this little girl hop a few times, shaking out her skirt. Surely that isn’t too much?"

The little girl’s guileless smile never wavered, as if she were too dim to grasp adult conversation.

Seeing this, the tension in the cultivator’s brow eased slightly.

Yet he pressed further, "Or perhaps... she could revert to her true form for inspection?"

For demons proficient in shapeshifting, clothing transformed with them. But any creature hiding in those garments could not.

During prior searches, they had never forced another demon to reveal their true form.

For mature demons, being compelled to shift outside of combat was a blatant insult.

But this child was merely an ignorant infant—no such courtesies applied.

"...Enough! You’ll inspect anything, won’t you?"

**Yan Gan** glared at them irritably, then hoisted **Yan Luoyue** by her armpits and plopped her onto a stool, making her feet thump loudly against the seat.

His movements were rough, and the smooth fabric of her winter dress would leave no room for concealment.

**Yan Gan** snapped, "Satisfied now?"

The lead cultivator’s smile remained unshaken as he swept his sleeve across the table, leaving a few spirit stones behind. "That will suffice. Our apologies for disturbing you and your sister—consider this a token of compensation."

Finally turning away, the cultivators’ departing words rang clearly through the teahouse: "From now on, this is the procedure for inspecting younglings."

That serpent was pivotal to their young master’s plans—not even the slightest chance of its escape could be tolerated!

As the group vanished from the tea stall, **Yan Luoyue** stifled a yawn and buried her face against **Yan Gan**’s shoulder.

**Sang Ji** asked at once, "Is she sleepy?"

**Yan Gan** patted her back and nodded apologetically at the uncle-nephew pair across from them.

"Forgive her—my sister has a habit of going quiet when drowsy. At most, she’ll smile, but she won’t engage with outsiders."

**Wu Pingyuan** scratched his head. "No worries, kids nap a lot."

The ledger-keeping uncle added, "We’ve received the first batch of salves. Leave the rest to us. If the little one’s tired, hurry back and let her sleep."

Only after the uncle and nephew watched the trio depart did **Wu Pingyuan** chuckle while packing the ointments into his storage pouch.

"Uncle, that girl seemed so clever and sweet—didn’t expect her to clam up when sleepy like any toddler."

The uncle cast him a slow, sidelong glance but said nothing.

**Wu Pingyuan** went on, "When she raised her arm earlier, I spotted a jade bracelet in her sleeve. Looked just right on that tiny wrist. Her parents really know how to dress her up—like a little jade fairy from a Bodhisattva’s throne."

This time, the uncle stared at him much longer.

Once all the salves were stored, **Wu Pingyuan**, still tempted by the bounty, ventured,

"Uncle, why don’t we stroll the **Moonlit Market** a bit longer? Maybe we’ll get lucky and nab that reward."

The uncle snorted. "How much does **Canglang Sect** pay those three young masters every quarter for their goods?"

**Wu Pingyuan** answered without thinking, "Twelve hundred low-grade spirit stones."

The uncle pressed, "And the bounty?"

**Wu Pingyuan** replied instantly, "A thousand stones."

The uncle finished packing his own belongings. "Then tell me—what’s the value of fostering goodwill with an alchemy master?"

**Wu Pingyuan** hesitated. "Uh... priceless?"

"Since you understand, why can’t you weigh the accounts?"

"Huh? Uncle, what do you mean? I don’t follow..."

"...I mean stop dawdling in the market. Forget the snake. Pack up, take the medicine, and return to the sect with me."

"Ah." Wu Pingyuan scratched his head again. "I don’t really get what’s going on, but since you’ve said so, I’ll just listen."

Yan Gan and Sang Ji took turns carrying Yan Luoyue as they left the Moonlit Market, walking a long, long way before finally setting her down.

The moment her feet touched the ground, Yan Luoyue noticed Yan Gan and Sang Ji standing on either side of her, eyebrows raised smugly.

"So? Your brothers are pretty clever, huh? Played along perfectly, didn’t we?"

"Where’d you hide that little snake? Show us already."

Yan Luoyue nodded emphatically. "Mm, thanks, brothers! I knew I couldn’t fool you."

With no need to hide anything among allies, she rolled up her sleeve without hesitation, revealing a plump, lotus-root-like wrist.

There, coiled around it, was a sparkling "jade bangle"—a delicate little green serpent, eyes closed, its tail clamped gently in its mouth as it rested obediently against Yan Luoyue’s skin.

When motionless, it looked convincingly real.

Sang Ji examined the snake from all angles, clicking his tongue in amazement and declaring he’d never seen such an intelligent spirit beast.

Yan Gan, however, pinched his chin thoughtfully. "This snake… why does it look kinda familiar?"

"Familiar?" Yan Luoyue stroked the little green snake’s back soothingly.

Its scales were smooth and cool to the touch, so pleasant she couldn’t help but press her whole palm against them. Softly, she murmured, "Don’t worry, they’re gone now."

No matter how chaotic the earlier noise had been, the little snake only opened its eyes after hearing Yan Luoyue’s reassurance.

Its nictitating membrane lifted slowly, revealing two sharp, gleaming black gems—its vertical pupils like obsidian, so dark they seemed bottomless.

The moment Yan Luoyue met those inky eyes, her body stiffened abruptly.

A familiar, numbing sensation—one she’d experienced before—spread instantly through her.

At the same time, a floating "-0.5" appeared above her head, signaling a tiny drop in health.

Yan Luoyue: "…"

Wait a second, this feeling…

Now she understood why Yan Gan thought the snake looked familiar. To be honest, she recognized it too.

—It’s you, Medusa!

The little green snake only opened its eyes for a brief glance at Yan Luoyue, confirming she was unharmed, before closing them again.

Blindly, it slithered back around her wrist, coiling into a perfect circle and clamping its tail once more, resuming its flawless impersonation of a jade bracelet.

The whole sequence was so seamless that Yan Gan gaped. "Wait, what’s happening? Is it just… claiming my sister now? It—it’s totally scamming her!"

"My sister—she’s my sister too," Sang Ji reflexively retorted, as if dredging up some deep-seated memory.

At the word "scamming," he couldn’t help but recall his own first meeting with Yan Luoyue. With heartfelt sincerity, he added, "If it knows how to scam, then they’re actually a pretty good match."

Yan Luoyue: "…"

Brother Ji, I feel personally attacked, and I have proof.

…………

With Yan Gan’s help, Yan Luoyue successfully smuggled the little green snake home and even gave it a warm, fragrant bath.

Using a late-night snack as an excuse, she swiped a fried yellow croaker from the dinner table.

She shredded the fish into fine white flakes and hand-fed the snake, watching as it eagerly gobbled each piece, its tail wagging unconsciously with loud, happy thumps.

For some reason, an overwhelming sense of pride swelled in Yan Luoyue’s chest.

No wonder so many people in her past life loved feeding pigeons in the square. This felt amazing.

Even while eating, the little snake kept its eyes dutifully shut, as if aware its gaze could harm Yan Luoyue.

It must have been starving—whenever she paused too long between bites, it would blindly nudge toward the scent, bumping its cool little head against her palm in a ticklish, oddly endearing way.

Yan Luoyue adored the sensation, lingering to stroke it twice before offering the next morsel.

"Don’t rush," she chided.

The snake tilted its head as if acknowledging her words, then resumed wagging its tail with noisy enthusiasm.

Between Yan Luoyue’s bold feeding and the snake’s fearless eating, by the time she snapped out of it, most of the fish was gone.

The snake’s once-slender, jade-green belly now bulged conspicuously, its shape uncannily resembling the number "5."

"Really, no more…! Stop wagging—licking the bones won’t help… Ugh, fine, look at yourself!"

Languidly, the little snake slithered back onto Yan Luoyue’s wrist. It tried its usual trick of curling into a perfect circle, but—

But that round, well-fed little belly was blocking the way. No matter how hard the little green snake stretched itself, its head couldn’t reach the tip of its own tail.

Little Green Snake: “……”

Yan Luoyue burst into laughter on the spot but quickly stifled it under the little snake’s accusatory wriggling. She tapped the smooth little head of the snake, her voice still tinged with barely suppressed amusement.

“Since you can’t coil up, why not just lie flat and sleep?”

Pulling out an old handkerchief, Yan Luoyue folded it into a soft little bed and placed it right beside her pillow. The bed had a slight incline, and the moment the little snake was placed on it, it rolled over with surprising flexibility.

Never in its life had the little green snake slept in such a comfortable spot.

Its eyes remained closed, its demeanor seemingly calm, but the way it wriggled and rolled betrayed its excitement.

Admirably, even in such cozy surroundings, the little snake hadn’t forgotten its ultimate goal—to serve as Yan Luoyue’s bracelet.

As it rolled left and right, it kept trying to curl itself into a neat loop. Its determination was unshakable, even when its plump belly bounced it back open multiple times.

After struggling for nearly half an hour, the little green snake—like every mischievous child who’s ever gotten their head stuck between railings—met its comeuppance.

“……”

It had tangled itself into a glowing green auspicious knot.

Yan Luoyue, who had been counting spirit stones under the lamplight, turned her head and was so startled by the sight of the little snake rolled into a ball that she lost track of her count entirely.

She rushed back to the bedside and manually untangled it, twisting this way and that until the little snake was straightened out again.

Even after blowing out the candle and lying down, Yan Luoyue couldn’t sleep. She absentmindedly stroked the little snake beside her pillow.

Coincidentally, the snake hadn’t fully digested its meal yet, and its tail flicked lazily at the ends of Yan Luoyue’s hair. Taking the opportunity, she began murmuring to it.

“I never thought I’d make such a big deal selling pills. Just the deposit alone is 600 spirit stones—enough to buy a decent fire seed.”

“Hmm, after selling the fire seed, there’ll still be some left. The rest can go toward materials—Sister Yu’s algae net, Brother Yan Gan’s arm shield, Brother Sang Ji’s rhino-tusk dagger…”

“Oh, and I mustn’t forget to buy some sweets for Master Jiang Tingbai.”

Yan Luoyue counted on her fingers, rambling as she calculated. Her thoughts wandered freely, and soon, her words drifted to her first meeting with the little snake.

“I wonder if you remember me? A year ago, we met once.”

Back then, this little snake had been mistaken for a “demon serpent” by an older demon hunter and nearly lost its life.

Now, Yan Luoyue had learned some aura-reading techniques. After she, Yan Gan, and Sang Ji took turns examining the little green snake, they found not a trace of demonic energy on it.

It seemed to be nothing more than an ordinary little spirit beast.

Except… ordinary little spirit beasts didn’t trigger the *Worlds Converge* serendipity event.

Remembering how that first encounter had ended, Yan Luoyue chuckled softly and stroked the snake’s head again.

“You’re my ‘serendipity’—the moment we met, you destroyed one of my wooden hairpins. And it wasn’t just any hairpin, you know. Look, I can’t even sleep without it.”

The little green snake, its eyes closed all this time, hadn’t noticed Yan Luoyue’s hairpin before. Hearing her mention it now, it visibly startled, shaking its head and tail as it tried to climb up her hair.

But Yan Luoyue, merciless as ever, grabbed it by the tail and dragged it back onto the handkerchief.

“Sleep properly,” she lectured sternly.

Little Green Snake: “……”

As the night deepened, Yan Luoyue’s eyelids grew heavy, and she drifted into sleep.

Listening to the soft, rhythmic sound of her breathing, the little green snake—which had been lying stiff and straight on the handkerchief—slowly, carefully began to move. Eyes still shut, it slithered down the bedpost.

The little bed was warm, soft, and accompanied by the soothing sound of breathing.

But it couldn’t stay any longer.

The bedpost was hard and angular, difficult to climb. Halfway down, the blindly slithering snake lost its grip and *plopped* onto the floor.

Dizzy from the fall, it rolled over, its once-pristine green scales now slightly dusty.

Ears pricked for any sign that Yan Luoyue had been disturbed, the snake relaxed only when it confirmed she was still asleep. Then it flipped over, and the translucent membrane covering its eyes slowly lifted.

For a fleeting moment, a faint human silhouette shimmered into view along the snake’s crystalline body. The shadow grew more solid, as if on the verge of transforming into a strikingly beautiful young boy.

But just before the transformation could complete, a sinister blood-red mark flared across the boy’s skin!

The child clutched at his throat, his body convulsing before he was forcibly reverted back into serpent form.

The exquisite little green snake writhed in agony, its head and tail thrashing against the floor like a fish tossed into boiling oil.

Under the torment of the curse seal, its vertical serpentine pupils dilated uncontrollably. Yet no matter how hard the little green snake tried, aside from faint hissing gasps, it couldn't utter a single human word.

A long time later, when the bone-deep pain gradually faded, the exhausted little snake finally collapsed flat.

Snakes are cold-blooded creatures, devoid of sweat glands.

Yet at this moment, the floor bore the faint imprint of a damp human silhouette—barely visible but radiating an undeniable hint of moisture.

The curse seal was slowly loosening. Though the process remained agonizing, it was far more bearable than before.

During its last attempt at transformation, bound by the curse, it couldn't even muster a crude human shape.

This time, it had left traces in the physical world.

Reluctantly rolling over, the little green snake turned its head to glance toward the wooden bed.

It carefully controlled the angle of its gaze, ensuring it wouldn’t disturb the sleeping Yan Luoyue. Instead, it stole the faintest glimpse of a single lock of hair dangling from the edge of the bed.

It remembered their last encounter, of course, and that peculiar wooden hairpin.

It also remembered the warmth that had radiated endlessly from her wrist when it coiled around her arm.

Aside from being seized by an enemy at its vital point, this was the first time its cold-blooded serpent form had felt such intimate warmth.

And most of all… it remembered this girl.

*This is the second time,* the little green snake thought silently. *The second time I’ve received her kindness.*

But the power gradually returning to its body now seeped through every scale.

Even though… despite… no matter how much it wished otherwise…

It truly had to leave.

The snake stiffened its neck and crawled forward a few steps, forcing itself onward.

Yet, after barely a second, it circled back in frustration, flicking its tail to lightly smack its own head in annoyance.

On the bed, Yan Luoyue remained deep in slumber.

Circling the bed frame once more, the little green snake finally slithered stealthily onto a low cabinet, extending its "criminal" tail toward a carefully chosen target.

With a deft flick, it hooked a small, fluffy white hair accessory—one Yan Luoyue often used to tie her hair.

Biting its own tail, the snake tore off a single translucent scale and placed it on the table as a replacement for the stolen puff.

Now, with the white pom-pom coiled in its tail, the jade-green serpent slipped silently through the door crack, vanishing into the distance without looking back.

It crossed the threshold, then traversed the courtyard.

As the first light of dawn broke with the crowing of a rooster, any sleepless observer might have glimpsed a strange sight in the dim glow—

A jade-like green snake slithered away along the base of the wall.

Wherever it passed, every blade of new spring grass withered indiscriminately, its vibrant green fading to brown.

As time crept forward, the snake journeyed farther, and the plants it touched now withered down to their very roots.

These plants had endured harsh winters and braved the biting winds of early spring, yet none had foreseen this unexpected visitor, mercilessly claiming them before the break of dawn.

…………

When Yan Luoyue awoke, her first instinct was to search for the little green snake.

Her sleeping posture was… somewhat unrestrained.

Ever since Yan Gan had granted her the privilege of sleeping independently, her nighttime habits had grown increasingly free-spirited.

At bedtime, she would lie peacefully on her back, yet upon waking, she’d inevitably find herself face-down, her cheek squashed flat against the pillow.

Bleary-eyed, she pawed at the pillow beside her, only to grasp an empty handkerchief.

Yan Luoyue: "!!!"

*No way—where’s the snake? That gorgeous little serpent was right here when I fell asleep!*

*Please don’t tell me… surely I didn’t… crush it into a pancake?!*

Her eyes flew wide open, all drowsiness vanishing in an instant. She bolted upright in a panic, frantically tossing aside blankets and pillows in her search.

Beneath the quilt, under the pillow, between the mattress—she even squeezed her own sleep-mussed bun, checking if the snake had coiled inside.

After a frenzied, storm-like hunt, she found no trace of the little green snake.

Only when she reached the bedside cabinet did she discover a single green scale.

The tiny scale was fresh, as if recently shed, its edges still tinged with bright blood.

Not even pausing to throw on a robe, Yan Luoyue dashed outside barefoot, clutching the scale.

Stumbling over the threshold, she was met only with the golden-red glow of sunrise stretching endlessly across the land.

There was no sign of that mesmerizing jade-green hue anywhere.

After the snake’s silent departure, Yan Luoyue remained despondent for days.

Only the thought of finally earning her first fortune—enough to select a fire-source for crafting—brought a faint lift to her spirits.

When it came to selecting fire seeds, Yan Luoyue had her own well-reasoned principles and could articulate them with great clarity.

However, the question of where to purchase affordable yet high-quality fire seeds lay entirely beyond her expertise.

Upon hearing this query, both Yan Gan and Sang Ji shook their heads repeatedly, admitting they had no experience in the matter either.

Sang Ji suggested to Yan Luoyue, "Why don’t you ask Master Jiang? I always feel like he knows everything."

And so, that very afternoon, after lunch, when Jiang Tingbai came to take her away, Yan Luoyue suddenly grabbed his sleeve.

Tilting her small face upward, she called out, "Master Jiang."

"Hmm?" Jiang Tingbai obligingly halted his steps.

Noticing she had something to say, he flicked his fingers, and the sword at his waist widened by several inches. With a soft *whoosh*, it flew beneath Yan Luoyue’s feet, lifting her steadily to eye level with him.

This was Yan Luoyue’s first time "riding a flying sword," and she widened her eyes in astonishment.

Only when Jiang Tingbai asked, "What is it?" did she snap out of her daze and pour out all her questions in one breath.

"Ah, so you’re looking to buy a suitable fire seed."

Jiang Tingbai nodded slightly. His slender fingers curled slightly, as though an invisible thread connected them to the sword, guiding it forward while carrying Yan Luoyue at a leisurely pace.

Even though Yan Luoyue was just a young child, Jiang Tingbai didn’t dismiss her request as childish babble. Instead, he listened attentively to each of her requirements.

After she finished speaking, a thoughtful expression crossed Jiang Tingbai’s face. After a brief pause, he replied gently, "I happen to know a thing or two about fire seeds, so I can answer your questions."

"Fire seeds priced below five hundred spirit stones are what the general public considers ‘low-grade.’ In the market, all such fire seeds available are essentially offshoots of a primary flame. For low-grade fire seeds, the difference in quality is negligible, so it hardly matters where you buy them."

Listening to Jiang Tingbai’s explanation, Yan Luoyue blinked with interest.

Not because his words were particularly profound, but because his perspective was textbook-perfect.

To an artifact refiner, low-grade fire seeds were like arithmetic exercise books for elementary students—no matter which brand you chose, the practice results wouldn’t differ much.

But those unfamiliar with artifact refinement would never grasp the subtleties.

Jiang Tingbai’s answer was so orthodox that it was clear he had received a highly formal education in the craft.

Yan Luoyue asked curiously, "So, Master Jiang, does that mean I can buy any fire seed that catches my eye?"

"No." Jiang Tingbai shook his head. "I’d recommend going to a reputable shop in the city center."

"While low-grade fire seeds sold anywhere are nearly identical in quality, you’re still very young. Ordinary shopkeepers might try to overcharge you upon seeing a child. It’s safer to visit a well-established shop in the city center and purchase a clearly priced fire seed."

Yan Luoyue nodded, then pressed further, "In Master Jiang’s opinion, which city should I go to?"

A faint smile touched Jiang Tingbai’s eyes. "What if I said Guiyuan City? Could you go there?"

Yan Luoyue immediately covered her face. "Master Jiang, please don’t tease me."

The Yunning Great Marsh bordered a demonic realm seal to the north and the beast-infested Pingning Mountain Range to the west. Countless demon clans thrived around the marsh, making the entire region flourish.

—That was the official description of the Yunning Great Marsh.

In Yan Luoyue’s own words, the Yunning Great Marsh was essentially an exceptionally vast wetland.

Within this wetland lay lakes, swamps, connections to demon realms, and passages to mountain ranges… Its natural scenery was breathtaking, but it was also *exceptionally* remote.

To put it in terms from her past life: in any city, the most prosperous commercial center would never be built inside a nature reserve.

Thus, not only was the Yunning Great Marsh itself isolated, but even the nearby cities were relatively small in scale.

The "Guiyuan City" Jiang Tingbai mentioned was an ancient metropolis spanning millennia, built around the Guiyuan Sect—one of the Four Great Sects of the cultivation world. It lay thousands of miles from the Yunning Great Marsh, placing it firmly among the cultivation world’s first-tier cities.

Even the teachers at their school were disciples of the Guiyuan Sect, sent from afar to support education in this remote region.

This world had no high-speed railways, and given Yan Luoyue’s current cultivation level and age, traveling to Guiyuan City would require either meticulous preparations for a long journey or relying on sheer imagination.

Jiang Tingbai chuckled softly. "Since Guiyuan City is out of reach, how about Ruyi City?"

Ruyi City was the closest small town to the Yunning Great Marsh.

As they conversed, the two turned down a winding, secluded corridor, nearing the bamboo cottage Yan Luoyue jokingly called the "teachers’ lounge." Suddenly, she remembered something and frantically rummaged through the storage pouch at her waist.

"Oh, Master Jiang!" Yan Luoyue stretched out her arm toward him. "These are for you!"

Jiang Tingbai blinked in surprise at the handful of colorful little trinkets spilling from her palm—so many she could barely hold them all.

It turned out that Yan Luoyue had handed him a handful of condensed milk candies.

And not just any candies—these were the most expensive kind from the Moonlit Market.

The sweets that filled Yan Luoyue’s cupped hands were easily caught in Jiang Tingbai’s single palm. Smiling, he ruffled her hair and reached into his storage pouch.

Jiang Tingbai reached into his storage pouch.

Jiang Tingbai began searching.

Jiang Tingbai continued searching.

Jiang Tingbai persisted in his search.

Jiang Tingbai…

Finally, Yan Luoyue couldn’t bear to watch any longer.

In a hushed voice, she offered him a way to save face: "Sir, just like my brother, you’re always forgetting things and misplacing stuff, huh?"

Jiang Tingbai chuckled. "Ah, yes, blame your careless teacher… Wait—" His eyes lit up. "I found—"

The rest of his words lodged in his throat as he stared at his open palm.

There, lying pitifully in the center of his jade-white hand, was a crumpled, empty candy wrapper.

Jiang Tingbai: "…"

Yan Luoyue: "…"

She could see it now—Jiang Tingbai was truly broke!

Unaware of the overwhelming sympathy in Yan Luoyue’s gaze, Jiang Tingbai merely paused for a moment before smoothly turning his wrist. With practiced ease, he untied the tassel from his sword and solemnly fastened it around Yan Luoyue’s wrist.

"Here, take this to play with."

Yan Luoyue stared at the tassel for a solid three seconds before she could no longer hold back. She shut her eyes, her expression grave.

—What in the world, Jiang Tingbai? Isn’t it said that a sword is a sword cultivator’s wife?

—And yet, the tassel you’ve adorned your blade with is just a string of clumsily woven grasshoppers—clearly your own handiwork!

—Jiang Tingbai, is this how you treat your wife?!

On this day, a speechless Yan Luoyue made a silent vow: Never in this lifetime would she become a sword cultivator.

…………

As another Guiyuan Sect disciple assigned to teach at the school, Feng Xiaoyuan had barely stepped into the bamboo hut when she spotted her usually refined senior brother, Jiang Tingbai, with a pile of brightly wrapped candies spread across his desk.

Upon recognizing the packaging, she couldn’t hide her surprise.

"Senior Brother actually splurged on these… Hmm, did you fly back to the sect this morning?"

Hearing the teasing in her tone, Jiang Tingbai shook his head with a wry smile.

He unwrapped one candy and discreetly tucked the rest into a drawer. "I didn’t return to the sect."

Feng Xiaoyuan caught on instantly.

Her eyes crinkled with amusement. "Oh, so it must’ve been a gift from a student."

Casually, she returned to her seat and "happened" to pull out a few grass-woven floral rings, a row of charmingly clumsy clay dolls, and a pair of roughly crafted apricot blossom hairpins from her own drawer.

Adopting an air of nonchalance, she remarked offhandedly,

"Ah, students truly have the purest hearts. Every time I teach, seeing their little faces glowing with enthusiasm just melts mine too."

As she spoke, she tugged her sleeve slightly, revealing a jingling bracelet strung with pretty, albeit worthless, little stones.

Jiang Tingbai: "…"

Feng Xiaoyuan’s bragging was blatant.

Jiang Tingbai shook his head in mild exasperation, amused yet understanding.

—After all, students really were adorable.

With that thought, he lowered his head and returned to his handicraft with earnest focus.

This time, he wove a tiny grass turtle for his sword—one that clutched a round candy between its paws.