She Dominates the Immortal Realm with Her HP Bar

"Carrots and greens, I love to eat, hopping around so sweet~"

Ji Qinghong led Yan Luoyue by the hand as they walked outward.

His spiritual sense was far more acute than Yan Luoyue's.

Noticing something, Ji Qinghong tilted his head slightly in a certain direction.

"Your friends are waiting for you outside."

Yan Luoyue instinctively asked, "Which friends?"

"Two friends."

After casually answering her question, Ji Qinghong recalled something else.

"That friend of yours with unusual eyes… what’s his name?"

Yan Luoyue guessed he was referring to Wu Manshuang’s petrifying gaze.

Upon hearing Wu Manshuang’s name, Ji Qinghong’s brows first rose slightly, then he looked at Yan Luoyue with a peculiar expression.

His gaze held a hint of amused scrutiny, as if Yan Luoyue were something fresh and rare.

…How to describe it?

It was like a student who’d had their phone confiscated and spent two hours daydreaming in class suddenly discovering a sudoku puzzle carved into the desk by a previous occupant.

Yan Luoyue couldn’t help leaning back slightly. "Why are you looking at me like that, Demon Venerable?"

"No need to call me Demon Venerable. In a few days, you’ll be addressing me differently anyway," Ji Qinghong replied offhandedly.

"—Was your name given to you by your family? And your friend’s name—did it come from the same person?"

Yan Luoyue blinked and answered truthfully, "My name came from my family. As for Manshuang’s name… I gave it to him. Is there something wrong with it?"

Hearing this, Ji Qinghong raised an eyebrow again.

"Nothing’s wrong. It’s just that the two of you sound rather interesting."

Yan Luoyue cautiously asked, "…Why do you say that?"

Ji Qinghong smiled thoughtfully at her. "They say the third divine treasure, unknown to outsiders, is called the Frost-Clad Stone."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Yan Luoyue reached the spot where her two friends were waiting.

Under her astonished gaze, Ji Qinghong patted her head lightly, let out a half-serious laugh, and strode away.

Before leaving, whether intentionally or not, the hem of his robe brushed against Wu Manshuang’s cloak.

The moment Wu Manshuang saw Yan Luoyue, he unconsciously smiled. He took two quick steps toward her, then hesitated and glanced back.

"What’s wrong?" Yan Luoyue asked with concern.

"That Demon Venerable Ji," Wu Manshuang said uncertainly, "just before he left, it seemed like he looked at me…"

…

Rumors said that on the day of the grand competition, five hundred victors were selected as expected.

Naturally, these refiners—whether from other sects or simply rogue cultivators—couldn’t compare in overall strength to the disciples nurtured by the four great factions.

Some of them didn’t even attempt to dismantle fifth-grade artifacts.

Instead, they dismantled large quantities of third- and fourth-grade artifacts, accumulating more points to advance.

In short, this group had voluntarily given up on harder challenges, staying within their comfort zones before diving into relentless competition.

One could say that every single victor selected this way was a workaholic through and through.

This also indirectly confirmed Yan Luoyue’s suspicion:

The purpose of this competition wasn’t to find the most exceptional geniuses, but to sift out a group of diligent worker bees.

What kind of secret realm was recorded on that map, that even after gathering elite disciples from the four great factions, the Hongtong Palace still needed to summon these refiners under the guise of the Thousand Refinements Assembly?

Yan Luoyue considered several possibilities, but none seemed entirely plausible.

After the competition, the streets quieted down for several days.

Rumors spread that in the black market, a single command token had been bid up to fifty thousand low-grade spirit stones.

Upon hearing this, nearly every refiner who’d obtained a token dared not step outside the Thousand Refinements Veil.

They feared that the moment they left the protected zone, opportunists would come hunting, killing for the sake of a single token.

A few refiners, however, didn’t value this opportunity much and willingly traded their tokens for spirit stones at the Thousand Refinements Veil’s auction house.

After they left, news of their fates trickled back.

Some were ambushed by unknown cultivators shortly after departing the Veil.

After all, even without the tokens, carrying tens of thousands in spirit stones still made them tempting targets.

Hearing this, the token-holding refiners grew wary.

Aside from a handful of highly skilled individuals, few ventured in or out of the Thousand Refinements Veil anymore.

Yan Luoyue observed these developments with a cold eye.

She sensed that the rule prohibiting private conflicts within the Veil had likely been established precisely for this moment.

This also explained why, despite the Niu Brothers’ home-field advantage as hosts of the Hongtong Palace’s event, they hadn’t dared to ambush Yan Luoyue in some secluded corner.

The prohibition against private conflict within the Thousand Refinements Veil was likely an ironclad rule deliberately set by the Hongtong Palace—one that couldn’t be violated.

The trio spent their days in the inn, studying quietly and waiting for the commotion outside to die down.

Rumors said many Hongtong Palace disciples were privately selling extra tokens. Since refiners tended to be wealthy, sellers and buyers alike engaged in bold transactions.

Many profited handsomely from this single Thousand Refinements Assembly.

By the time the uproar faded, a month had passed.

The so-called exchange-oriented Assembly finally concluded, and the true exploration of the secret realm began.

Only when led into the realm did many realize with a start—

The location marked on the map was actually within the Thousand Refinements Veil itself!

No wonder the four great factions had chosen this site for the Assembly!

If those refiners who’d left earlier knew the treasure mountain had been right under their noses all along…

Imagining that scenario, many wore expressions of mingled regret and disbelief.

The entrance to the secret realm was unlocked by the leaders using a special method, and the group filed in one after another.

The sight that greeted them inside made many gasp or widen their eyes in silent awe.

A flicker of surprise also passed through Yan Luoyue’s gaze.

Before them stretched a hundred-mile-long Seal Wall.

Massive as a mountain range, it was composed of countless refining seals interspersed with a few formation seals.

The wall extended beyond sight, towering into the clouds with an ancient, majestic grandeur that exuded an ineffable air of mystery.

"No wonder the four great factions summoned refiners from across the land—this, this…"

"As expected of the place that sealed the Crow’s Cry Flame! Such scale, such presence!"

"It’s too long—far too long. Couldn’t they just invite a Sword Venerable to cut through it all in one strike?"

Another proposed the simplest solution: "So… we’re supposed to drill a hole through this ‘Seal Wall’ to get inside?"

The person in charge patiently addressed each of the questions raised by the crowd.

First of all, sword cultivation was out of the question—Hongtong Palace had already tried it.

The defensive power of this sealing wall was as solid as an impregnable fortress. At most, spiritual sense could barely penetrate a few dozen miles inward. The materials of the seal, stretching hundreds of miles, were tightly interwoven into an unbreakable whole.

An ordinary sword cultivator wouldn’t even be able to scrape off a speck of dust from the cliff face.

If they invited a formidable Sword Venerable to strike it, they risked damaging the treasures inside with a single slash.

As for suggestions like drilling a tunnel… that was also impossible.

While explaining, the person in charge demonstrated for everyone: "This entire sealing wall has a very unique property."

No sooner had the words left their mouth than the person in charge manually disassembled a large chunk of material from the wall.

Before the refiners could even look relieved, the adjacent section of the wall seemed to come alive, "flowing" over in the blink of an eye to fill the gap created by the person in charge.

"...Just like this," the person in charge added. "Based on our analysis, this sealing wall can gradually thin out uniformly, but it’s impossible to carve a tunnel inside. The only way is to dismantle it layer by layer, like moving mountains and filling seas."

"......"

At this moment, Yan Luoyue finally understood why so many "worker bees" had been selected in the competition.

Who could have imagined that such an infuriating seal existed in the world?

It single-handedly reduced all refiners to mere laborers, doomed to dig like miners…

Yet at the same time, a quiet sense of excitement spread among the refiners.

—The Wuti Flame! The treasure sealed inside must be the Wuti Flame!

Only the Wuti Flame could forge such a near-divine seal, fusing so many rare materials into one. In all the world, nothing else could accomplish this!

While the other refiners were swept up in excitement, Yan Luoyue’s thoughts remained pragmatic.

To her, the Wuti Flame was certainly enticing, but for now, it was both out of sight and out of reach—not to mention already claimed by Hongtong Palace.

So, she figured it was better to focus on things that could actually end up in her own pocket.

For example: the vast quantities of materials used to craft this sealing wall!

Yan Luoyue scuttled sideways along the wall, her small steps making her look like a little crab from behind.

The sealing wall was composed of refining seals of varying levels.

And the materials used to make these seals… things like Moonlight Glass, Void-Severing Secret Sand, and Formless Sacred Mist…

These materials had already been refined once.

Once dismantled, the secondhand materials would undoubtedly contain impurities, making them less effective than their pristine counterparts.

But to get her hands on so many rare treasures at once—who could afford to be picky?

Just as Yan Luoyue’s eyes sparkled with greed, someone tugged on the braid at the back of her head.

Turning around, she was unsurprised to see a certain elusive white-haired demon lord.

Ji Qinghong remained as composed as ever.

His long, silken hair fluttered in the wind, as if woven from the purest frost and snow.

Today, the demon lord wore a flowing, water-blue robe with wide sleeves. As he walked, his feet never touched the ground, enhancing his ethereal, immortal aura.

When Yan Luoyue turned to look, Ji Qinghong smiled softly and said, "That little friend surnamed Wu is staring at you."

Actually, Wu Manshuang wasn’t staring at Yan Luoyue—he was staring at Ji Qinghong.

To be precise, his gaze was fixed on the hand currently tugging Yan Luoyue’s braid.

With Ji Qinghong’s keen senses, he didn’t even need to turn around to detect the boy’s urge to rip off his blindfold and glare at him.

This was… truly amusing.

A faint smile curled at the corners of his lips as Ji Qinghong, eyes glinting with mischief, gave Yan Luoyue’s braid another playful tug.

"...If you have something to say, just say it. No need to pull my hair," Yan Luoyue sighed.

Ji Qinghong chuckled but didn’t respond.

The first tug had been purely because he felt like it.

This second tug, however, was entirely due to Wu Manshuang’s reaction—which made him want to do it even more.

"I saw you staring at the seal the moment you entered. What’s on your mind?"

At the mention of this topic, Yan Luoyue perked up immediately.

Without any hesitation, the raw, unfiltered answer spilled out:

"I want to collect scrap! I want to sell junk!"

Ji Qinghong: ???

Huh? That was… unexpectedly bizarre.

Though he instantly grasped her meaning, the answer still left Ji Qinghong’s tone tinged with complexity.

He gave Yan Luoyue a long, appraising look, as if seeing her in a new light.

With measured amusement, he remarked, "It’s a wonder Jiang Tingbai gets along with you."

After all, for the past century, due to certain circumstances, Jiang Tingbai had been so poor he could barely afford water.

But Yan Luoyue… well, she was certainly… a very practical sort of talent.

......

The official dismantling work began the next morning.

Yan Luoyue had three command tokens in total—one for herself, and one each for Wu Manshuang and Ling Shuanghun.

The three of them passed through the secret realm’s entrance without issue. Before approaching the sealing wall, Yan Luoyue quickly shot her friends a meaningful glance.

Her eyes seemed to say: Feel like slacking off?

Wu Manshuang and Ling Shuanghun’s gazes were resolute: Absolutely!

As the second-to-last and third-to-last in the written exam, Wu Manshuang and Ling Shuanghun clearly couldn’t decipher a single seal on that wall.

But as everyone knew, interns who slacked off on their first day—unless they had powerful backing—were doomed to be fired.

So Yan Luoyue figured they should at least pretend to work.

Every so often, she would swap places with her two friends, creating the illusion that they were contributing.

In return, whenever dismantled secondhand materials appeared, Wu Manshuang eagerly stuffed them into his storage pouch.

This didn’t even require Yan Luoyue’s prompting.

The frugal little snake had long since developed a habit of hauling things back home.

According to incomplete records, since moving into the Thousand Refinements Pavilion, Wu Manshuang had collected:

138 spirit stones, 371 spirit pearls, one outer disciple token from Hongtong Palace, 26 lab rats, 18 lab ferrets, and all the hair from their stalkers.

The spirit stones and pearls were kept in a shared coin jar in the living room. Anyone who needed money for errands could just grab a handful.

Like last night, when Wu Manshuang suddenly remembered something, hurriedly scooped up some change, and dashed out.

When he returned, he was clutching a hair ribbon for Yan Luoyue.

Unsurprisingly, the pink ribbon had two round, fluffy white pom-poms dangling from the ends.

"......"

She should’ve known—the little snake’s tastes never changed. He was so predictable.

Wu Manshuang handed her the ribbon, watching her nervously.

"Can you… wear this tomorrow?"

"Of course! I love it."

Yan Luoyue’s eyes curved into crescents as she immediately tied the ribbon into her hair.

With a slightly mischievous attitude, Yan Luoyue teased, "Hey, this seems like the first time you've given me something besides scales, huh?"

It was unclear what direction Wu Manshuang interpreted her words in.

He lowered his head shyly, his ears slightly red, but his voice was firm. "I'll give you more often from now on."

"What?" At that moment, an oblivious white crane interjected into the conversation.

"I think I heard something about gifts—wait, why didn't I get any scales or hair ribbons?"

Accused so bluntly by his friend, Wu Manshuang reflected deeply on his actions.

"Sorry, Xiao Ling. I'll make it up to you tomorrow."

That night, Wu Manshuang fully showcased his talent as a crafting prodigy.

Using materials he had collected in daily life, picked up unintentionally during disputes, or obtained as spoils from occasional conflicts, he painstakingly created a heartfelt gift for Ling Shuanghun.

—Wu Manshuang presented Ling Shuanghun with a feather duster made from crane plumes.

"..."

When he received the gift, Ling Shuanghun's expression was indescribable.

He looked at Wu Manshuang, opening and closing his lips several times as if struggling to speak. After a long pause, Ling Shuanghun finally choked out,

"...Thank you, Xiao Wu."

Wu Manshuang shook his head bashfully, clearly delighted by the direct gratitude.

"You're welcome, Xiao Ling. I still have some materials left—next time, I'll make you a few shuttlecocks with crane feathers."

"...I'm deeply moved, but that really won't be necessary," Ling Shuanghun muttered under his breath.

In a place where Wu Manshuang couldn't see, Ling Shuanghun frantically scribbled notes on bamboo slips before turning to Yan Luoyue to inquire about Wu Manshuang's upbringing.

Yan Luoyue was baffled. "Why are you asking about that?"

"I've realized that childhood experiences can have a profound influence on a person," Ling Shuanghun answered solemnly.

Yan Luoyue blinked in confusion. "What?"

"What I mean is—even if Xiao Wu doesn’t mean to, isn’t he just dripping with black-heartedness when you really think about it?!"

"Not at all," Yan Luoyue replied cheerfully, fiddling with the new hair ribbon tucked behind her ear. "He’s pretty and soft, don’t you think?"

Ling Shuanghun: "...Stop talking. We’re not the same."

...

At the worksite, Yan Luoyue diligently covered for them while the snake and the crane shamelessly slacked off.

Yan Luoyue deftly dismantled components one after another, with Wu Manshuang following closely behind, collecting all the materials she fancied.

After just a short period of adjustment, their movements became perfectly synchronized.

Because of this, Wu Manshuang’s slight delay in catching up stood out to Yan Luoyue.

"What’s wrong, Manshuang?" Yan Luoyue turned to see Wu Manshuang deep in thought over a dismantled piece.

When she asked, he showed her the markings on the material.

"This is the twenty-third one. I’ve noticed that all the higher-grade refining materials have traces of formation arrays. This one... I think I can handle it."

As he spoke, the corners of his lips curled slightly, as if struck by a sudden thought.

"See, if I handle the formation while you refine the material, it’ll be easier for you, right?"

Yan Luoyue wasn’t well-versed in formations, but she never dismissed possibilities.

Encouraged by Wu Manshuang’s suggestion, she eagerly agreed. "Sure, let’s give it a try!"

So, Wu Manshuang dipped his fingers into formation materials and traced intricate lines across the sealed wall. Yan Luoyue only saw a surge of white light across the surface before Wu Manshuang called out, "Now!"

Pink flames coiled like electric currents around Yan Luoyue’s fingers, twisting into a thin thread.

This refining process was indeed smoother than before.

But just as Yan Luoyue was about to break through, a thick, liquid-like glow surged from the formation. The softened seal instantly hardened again.

The sealed wall remained silent, but the newly complicated array lines seemed to mock Wu Manshuang outright.

"...Huh?" Yan Luoyue blinked in surprise.

Wu Manshuang didn’t say a word.

Under his cloak, the little snake’s lips drooped slightly, looking dejected.

His expression was the same as when he’d discovered that the toxin he extracted not only removed hair but also made people lose all their locks instantly.

Though his appearance hadn’t changed much, Wu Manshuang seemed like a little snake that had flopped onto the ground and turned into a sad pancake—making one itch to pat his head.

Yan Luoyue’s fingers twitched in her sleeves.

But before she could raise her hand, a lazy voice sounded from behind them.

"Your approach isn’t bad, but this cliff connects to the grand formation of the entire mountain range, which constantly replenishes this node—something you didn’t account for."

As he spoke, Ji Qinghong reached over their heads.

A fleeting glint passed through his crimson eyes before his fingers moved like lightning, altering seven or eight connection points in the formation.

Ji Qinghong’s hands were slender yet strong, with smooth, rounded joints and fingertips. The soft pink hue of his palms and fingertips nearly made Yan Luoyue mistake them for bunny paws.

A second later, Ji Qinghong gave Yan Luoyue a light pat on the back, startling her so much she nearly jumped.

"Your turn to refine."

After the order, Ji Qinghong tilted his head with an amused smirk. "What’s with the daze? Thinking up ways to slander me in your head?"

Yan Luoyue waved her hands frantically.

Ji Qinghong chuckled, clearly not buying it but letting it slide for now.

He leisurely tucked his right hand back into his sleeve before addressing Wu Manshuang. "Did you understand what I just did?"

Wu Manshuang shook his head honestly.

Ji Qinghong raised his hand as if to demonstrate again—

Wu Manshuang leaned forward slightly in anticipation.

"—then I won’t show you again."

With a sudden shift in tone, Ji Qinghong flashed Wu Manshuang a wicked grin before adding kindly, "You’re quite perceptive. Figure it out on your own."

Wu Manshuang: "..."

Yan Luoyue: "..."

If she hadn’t been in the middle of refining, Yan Luoyue would’ve covered her eyes—what kind of sadistic hobby was this, bullying a kid like that?

Ji Qinghong watched Wu Manshuang with interest as the latter silently bowed in respect.

"Many thanks for the guidance, Demon Venerable."

After expressing his gratitude, Wu Manshuang quietly stepped aside to recall and study Ji Qinghong’s demonstration on his own.

"..."

Observing the little snake’s dark silhouette, Ji Qinghong raised an eyebrow with an unreadable expression.

Just as Yan Luoyue finished dismantling another piece, she noticed Ji Qinghong’s look and casually asked,

"How’s Manshuang’s aptitude? He only started learning formations half a month ago."

Ji Qinghong nodded slightly, as if weighing something. "Not bad. His personality’s quite amusing too."

"...Huh?"

Hearing him say this, Yan Luoyue couldn't help feeling a bit puzzled.

After ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‍all, in her eyes, Wu Manshuang had simply reacted in the most common way one would when facing Ji Qinghong: thanking the Demon Venerable, then keeping a safe distance to avoid provoking him.

Not everyone had Jiang Tingbai as their backer, after all.

And certainly not everyone had a personality like Yan Luoyue—a mischievous troublemaker who often danced on the edge of danger.

Ji Qinghong calmly observed, "Others thank me too, but their gratitude is either reluctant or stems from feeling toyed with and afraid."

At this, Ji Qinghong flashed a radiant smile. "But your friend here thanked me with genuine sincerity."

Of course he did. Yan Luoyue inwardly scoffed: Wu Manshuang would sincerely thank anyone who taught him something.

Because ever since he was just a little snake, Wu Manshuang had always been an eager learner.

Yet in the next moment, Ji Qinghong’s tone abruptly shifted. "Even so, he’s merely a second Jiang Tingbai—hardly enough to impress me."

"What truly piqued my interest was..."

Here, as if deliberately teasing, Ji Qinghong leisurely trailed off.

His narrow crimson eyes narrowed further as he gazed at Yan Luoyue with an unreadable smile.

The Demon Venerable’s expression was gentle and serene, yet it was impossible to guess what lay beneath.

"..."

For a fleeting moment, Yan Luoyue suddenly understood why others feared Ji Qinghong so much.

There was something inherently unpredictable in his demeanor—an unsettling quality that made it impossible to anticipate his next move.

Ji Qinghong continued staring at her in silence, smiling until Yan Luoyue’s skin crawled.

Following his gaze, she instinctively reached behind her head. "What’s wrong?"

Her fingers brushed against her hair ribbon: her braid was neatly tied, the two little pom-poms on the pink ribbon still soft and fluffy… Everything seemed perfectly normal!

Seeing her genuine confusion, Ji Qinghong slowly shook his head.

—So she didn’t know. The boy had secretly inscribed a spell array on her hair ribbon.

And this was what had amused Ji Qinghong: the array’s sole purpose was to prevent anyone from tugging Yan Luoyue’s braid.

Recalling the look Wu Manshuang had given him from behind his veil days earlier, then glancing at the ribbon tied around Yan Luoyue’s hair, Ji Qinghong’s smile deepened.

This time, his delight was genuine.

And yet…

With a slow, deliberate motion, he reached out and tugged Yan Luoyue’s braid again.

The array Wu Manshuang had left on the ribbon couldn’t even hold for a thousandth of a second under Ji Qinghong’s touch.

The small, discreet, and meticulously crafted spell—designed not to mar the ribbon’s appearance—vanished like frost dissolving in hot water, disappearing without a trace the instant contact was made.

"Ow!"

Caught off guard, Yan Luoyue yelped. At the same time, Wu Manshuang’s head snapped toward them from a distance.

"..."

Witnessing this, Ji Qinghong raised an eyebrow in amusement.

Even through the white veil, he could see Wu Manshuang’s eyes widen—his expression less like a snake and more like a startled young deer.

Pinching the two little pom-poms at the end of the ribbon, Ji Qinghong tossed them lightly in his palm.

"You’re both quite entertaining," he remarked cheerfully.

Yan Luoyue: "..."

After having her braid yanked three times in two days, she finally couldn’t hold back her protest:

"You could’ve just called my name. Was this really necessary?"

Ji Qinghong smirked. "And you have the nerve to ask that?"

"...Huh?"

With a flick of his finger, an invisible current wove into Yan Luoyue’s ribbon, leaving behind an even more intricate array.

At the same time, Ji Qinghong mused idly, "You don’t know the first thing about arrays—how can you claim to be my disciple in public?"

"...Wait."

Though she’d expected this, wasn’t it a bit too soon? They hadn’t even had the formal tea ceremony or established their master-disciple relationship yet.

Just as Yan Luoyue was about to seize the opportunity and cement things with a respectful "Master," Ji Qinghong cut her off thoughtfully.

"Then again, upon reflection… your senior brother isn’t skilled in arrays either. In fact, he barely grasped a fraction of my craftsmanship in artifact forging."

He sighed dramatically, tapping his fist lightly against his palm. "Tsk. Such an unworthy disciple—perhaps I should just expel him."

Yan Luoyue: "..."

Well, it seemed she could hold off on calling him "Master" for now.

It might be pointless anyway, given how Ji Qinghong changed moods as easily as flipping a page. Expelling a disciple sounded as casual to him as having a meal.

Still…

Curious, she blinked, trying to appear as endearing as possible.

"Who… is my senior brother?"

"..."

At this question, Ji Qinghong’s expression turned inscrutable.

He brushed aside a strand of silvery-white hair that draped over his cheek and gave Yan Luoyue a long, deep look.

After confirming she truly knew nothing about it, his gaze grew oddly amused before he burst into laughter.

A beautiful person’s laughter might resemble blossoms trembling in the breeze.

But given Ji Qinghong’s devilishly handsome, almost demonic looks—like a villain straight out of a storybook—his muffled shoulder-shaking chuckle resembled nothing so much as a supervillain reveling in his latest scheme.

In the vicinity of the sealed wall, a few scattered cultivators had been diligently working.

Ji Qinghong’s laughter alone was enough to send them fleeing in terror, leaving only the three of them behind.

"Did Jiang Tingbai never tell you?" Ji Qinghong replied coolly, his ruby-like eyes gleaming with undisguised mockery. "He was the first disciple I ever took."

He tilted his head, teasing. "You knew Jiang Tingbai recommended you to me—yet you didn’t know whose disciple he was?"

Yan Luoyue: "..."

Even knowing full well that her stunned reaction would only amuse Ji Qinghong further, she couldn’t help being utterly floored.

—Wait, what?! Jiang Tingbai was Ji Qinghong’s disciple?!

Their seniority was all wrong.

Judging by how they acted around her, Jiang Tingbai seemed ten thousand times more mature than Ji Qinghong!

And it wasn’t that Yan Luoyue hadn’t considered the possibility—it was just that their areas of expertise were worlds apart.

According to Ling Shuanghun, whose memories were gradually returning, Ji Qinghong was a renowned grandmaster of arrays and artifact forging.

With these two rare skills, no one had ever seen him short on money—nor could anyone guess just how wealthy he was.

As for Jiang Tingbai… he was a swordsman.

A very, very, very poor swordsman who, when it came to forging, could only recite textbook passages by rote.

...Ah, right. It seemed like a long, long time ago that Yan Luoyue’s impression of Jiang Tingbai included the note: "Received orthodox training in artifact refinement."

But this... no... upon closer thought, it was still utterly absurd...

Yan Luoyue let out a bewildered cry: "Why would a pure swordsman take a master who’s both a formations expert and an artifact refiner?"

"Yes, why indeed?"

Ji Qinghong’s smile widened, thoroughly enjoying helping Yan Luoyue search for an answer. He even kindly listed out possible options for her:

"Could it perhaps be because I’m simply so exceptionally skilled that I can teach anyone?"

Yan Luoyue: "..."

There was no way to answer that.

The way the question was phrased was just so... Ji Qinghong.

Glancing pointedly at Ji Qinghong’s waist, Yan Luoyue was certain—he didn’t carry a sword.

...In other words, he was definitely not a swordsman.

Finally, Yan Luoyue couldn’t hold back the question that had puzzled her for years.

"Since you’re also Jiang-laoshi’s master, how did my senior brother end up so poor?"

Watching as Yan Luoyue subtly inserted herself into the sect hierarchy with this question—while also cementing Jiang Tingbai’s position as "senior brother"—Ji Qinghong couldn’t help but burst into laughter again.

Patting Yan Luoyue’s head amiably, Ji Qinghong tossed the question right back at her.

"Indeed, with a junior sister like you, why is Jiang Tingbai still so poor?"

In high spirits, he turned to leave, hands clasped behind his back. Before disappearing, he couldn’t resist casting one more glance in Wu Manshuang’s direction.

The moment Ji Qinghong vanished, Wu Manshuang stepped forward. Gently tugging Yan Luoyue’s sleeve, he slipped her a new hair ribbon from beneath it.

Yan Luoyue took a closer look and—sure enough, it was exactly as expected: the ribbon was sky blue, with two tiny pink pom-poms dangling at the ends.

"..."

Recalling how Ji Qinghong had been staring intently at her braid earlier, Yan Luoyue suddenly understood.

"Was there something wrong with the hair ribbon?"

Wu Manshuang’s reply was tactful: "There is now."

Yan Luoyue: "And before?"

"...For the span of a single snap of the fingers, there was nothing wrong with it."

Yan Luoyue: "..."

Feigning sternness, Yan Luoyue deliberately asked, "Then the one you’re giving me now—does it also have a problem?"

The moment her expression turned serious—even if only as a joke—Wu Manshuang grew flustered.

"Don’t be angry. I’ll tell you everything."

After listening to the snake spirit’s concise summary of events, Yan Luoyue widened her eyes, scrutinizing the replaced pink ribbon.

Well, she couldn’t see anything unusual.

Wu Manshuang provided the explanation: "He left a formation on the ribbon. If I hadn’t undone it and you kept using it, every two hours, you’d feel like someone tugged your braid."

Yan Luoyue: "..."

How utterly childish!

And how had Wu Manshuang figured out the formation’s purpose at a glance?

Realizing this, a sudden thought struck Yan Luoyue—hiss, this actually seemed... quite feasible!

Counting on her fingers, Yan Luoyue began analyzing.

"You see, even a swordsman can be his disciple."

"...Mn."

Wu Manshuang, listening on the side, was a little confused, but he instinctively agreed with whatever Yan Luoyue said.

Yan Luoyue curled another finger. "If we’re assigning one radish to each hole, then I’m the radish in the artifact refinement hole."

"You’re not a radish," Wu Manshuang hurriedly corrected. "He’s more like a radish—a big white radish."

Yan Luoyue looked up at Wu Manshuang, eyes sparkling. "And you happen to have an exceptional talent for formations!"

In that instant, Wu Manshuang suddenly understood what Yan Luoyue was plotting.

Yan Luoyue becoming Ji Qinghong’s disciple = Yan Luoyue returning to Huiyuan Sect with Ji Qinghong = After the secret realm excavation, the two of them would have to part.

Once this equation formed in his mind, Wu Manshuang declared resolutely: "I’ll be the radish!"

Yan Luoyue: "..."

Though slacking off on the first day of work wasn’t ideal, there was no time to worry about that now.

Grabbing Wu Manshuang’s hand, Yan Luoyue turned and headed back toward the secret realm’s entrance, against the flow of the crowd.

"Let’s go back first. Tell me about the formations you’ve been studying lately... We need to plan this carefully."

As she spoke, sunlight filtered through the layered barrier walls, refracting into a prism of colors that spilled over Yan Luoyue’s hair and shoulders, like the vibrant hues of their recent days.

Watching her animated expression, Wu Manshuang felt a conviction slowly solidify in his heart.

He thought: No matter what happens, no matter what obstacles arise... I’ll be that radish.

Yet after that day, Ji Qinghong didn’t reappear for five or six days.

Rumor had it that changes had occurred in the barrier walls deep within the secret realm, and all the grandmasters had rushed there upon hearing the news, remaining absent ever since.

On the seventh day, Yan Luoyue suddenly received a paper crane from Jiang Tingbai.

At the start of the letter, Jiang Tingbai happily addressed Yan Luoyue as "junior sister."

Midway through, he also shared some news.

Jiang Tingbai assured her: Junior sister, rest assured—Shifu likes you very much, and he likes your friend too. Hearing that you’re both doing well at the Thousand Refinements Assembly has brought me great comfort.

But at the end, Jiang Tingbai cautiously raised a small question:

"Junior sister, from Shifu’s tone, it seems he’s recently considered renaming our peak ‘Radish Peak’—do you have any idea why?"

Yan Luoyue: "..."

How could she possibly... ah, actually, she did know.

It seemed that when she and Wu Manshuang were discussing "radish holes" that day, Ji Qinghong had been listening all along.

"..."

And it was at this moment that Yan Luoyue suddenly remembered: From their very first meeting, invisibly spectating had been one of Ji Qinghong’s signature moves...

Suppressing a faint pang of guilt, Yan Luoyue picked up her brush and wrote back:

"I’m not sure, senior brother. Maybe it’s because rabbits just love radishes..."