Pei Lianxue remembered it was early December when she entered the Spirit Gathering Array.

On that day, there was a light snowfall in the ***Black Star*** Sect.

The platform in front of the cave was half snow white and half pale green. Now, when she came out and looked around again, the life force was flourishing before her eyes, and her ears were full with the sound of the chirping birds.

"It's already spring... I've actually been building the foundation for almost five months?"

The wind gently ruffled Pei Lianxue's long dark brown hair as her amber eyes gazed at the **Heavenly Cloud Peak**, located in the southeast part of the ***Black Star*** Sect.

She squinted and stretched like a kitten, her eyes full of anticipation.

She was looking forward to seeing her brother. When he saw her, he would immediately rush over and give her a hug. And since she had reached maturity now...

---*"Sister, will you marry me?"*

Although Pei Lianxue herself thought it was unlikely, but what if?

What if it was possible?!

Pei Lianxue patted her cheeks and dismissed the thoughts in her mind. After taking a deep breath, she rubbed a long strand of her hair in her hands, and seeing that it was pretty tangled, she summoned the flying sword and rushed back to the **Heavenly Cloud Peak**. She had to take a bath to make herself fragrant and soft again before finding her brother.

The courtyard was very quiet when Pei Lianxue landed, and she was a little confused when she saw that the clothesline was full of sheets and clothes.

The bed sheets and clothes appeared to be hers and looked like they had been washed recently and were still not completely dry.

Her brother didn't have a disciple badge and couldn't enter the sect, so it couldn't be him who did the chores.

But if it wasn't him, then who was it?

Could it be that second idiot? Was she that diligent?

At this time, the sound of a broom sweeping came from her bedroom.

Pei Lianxue hurried over and called out before entering the room. "Second..."

Inside the house, Ye Anping was sweeping the floor, and when he heard her calling 'Second', he straightened up and turned to look at her.

"Eh?"

"Brother?!"

Second... Brother...

?

Ye Anping stared blankly and didn't say anything. Seeing the tears in his sister's eyes, he put down the broom and opened his arms. "Come here."

Stomping on the floor, Pei Lianxue rushed ahead, opened her arms, and threw herself into Ye Anping's arms.

Although he was mentally prepared, the force of her pouncing like a cute tiger on food still hurt his ribs.

Sensing that the bed was behind him, he simply followed the inertial force of his sister's attack and fell back, letting her press him down.

Ye Anping didn't say anything, he just caressed her hair gently.

After letting her hug him for a while, he said, "Haven't you hugged enough?"

Pei Lianxue shook her head. "Hold me for a little longer~~ We have to make up for five months..."

"Five months. Then, will you hold me for a week or two without letting go?"

"Hmm..."

Ye Anping smiled helplessly, shook his head, and simply relaxed, letting her cuddle into his arms.

"By the way, did you remember what I told you before you entered the cave?"

"I remembered. After building the foundation, I used my spiritual power to force out the remaining cold energy from the Cold Sky Sand piece. When the elders asked about it later, I told them it was accidental..."

"Good."

Ye Anping nodded in relief.

The method he taught Pei Lianxue was meant to hide her spiritual roots from most of the elders in the ***Black Star*** Sect. Unless Si Xuanji or Yunxian, one of the five Great Elders, saw Pei Lianxue coming out of the cave, it was unlikely that the others would think of the 'pure water spiritual root'.

After a while, Ye Anping grabbed Pei Lianxue's shoulders and slowly pushed her up from him.

"Brother, I haven't hugged you enough..."

"Look at how old you are, why are you still acting like a spoiled baby?"

Ye Anping tapped the tip of her nose and smoothed her messy bangs. Then, he took out an exquisite wooden box from his storage bag.

"Here is a gift from me for your coming-of-age."

Pei Lianxue's hair stood on her head, and she quickly reached out to take it. From the box size, there should be a booklet, a copybook, or something like that inside.

And if it's a booklet...

Could it be...

An invitation card?! Invitation card for engagement!!!

Pei Lianxue's cheeks instantly flushed. After a short hesitation, she greedily reached out to untie the ribbon on the wooden box, took off the lid, and looked inside with great expectations.

When she saw the book in the box with the title '*Erotic Pictures of the Immortal Palace*' printed on it, her thoughts seemed to vanish into the vast universe, and she instantly stilled.

"*Erotic Pictures of the Immortal Palace*?" Pei Lianxue looked at Ye Anping with a puzzled look on her face. "What kind of book is this?"

"Just some book."

"..."

Pei Lianxue forced a smile and nodded, then opened the first page. She didn't seem to understand, so she turned a few more pages and pursed her lips when she saw the two little characters in it.

"Brother..."

"Hmm?"

"I'm already so old, and you still give me comic books." Pei Lianxue frowned and glanced at him with disdain. "Do you still think I'm a little girl? I'm old enough to get married!!"

"What... comic books? Well, you're right, but..."

Ye Anping was a little embarrassed and hastened to explain. "Sister, this is not an ordinary comic book. It can move. If you infuse some spiritual energy in it, the little figures inside it will move."

Pei Lianxue was not interested at all. She now felt that her five months of anticipation in the Spirit Gathering Array had all fizzled out in this instant, so she puffed out her cheeks and replied, "Oh, thank you, brother."

Ye Anping didn't know how to explain the book's content to her. If he explained it too clearly, it would be too obscene and make him look like a pervert.

After thinking for a while, he said, "If you don't understand, you can ask Sister Xiao. I got this book from her. I thought it should be quite useful to you..."

"Sister Xiao?"

Hearing this, Pei Lianxue was slightly startled. Only then did she notice that her brother was wearing the clothes of a ***Black Star*** disciple, which were the same as hers, except that they were tailored for male disciples. Her eyes suddenly widened.

"Brother, are you Yunluo's companion?"

"Well, on the day you and Feng Yu Die entered the cave, Sister Xiao came to me and said that I had to become her companion, and then I went back to the ***Hundred Lotus*** Sect with her to build the foundation there."

"You guys went to the ***Hundred Lotus*** Sect together?"

"Uh-huh."

"So... it's like this..."

Pei Lianxue nodded, looking away, put the book into her storage bag, and stood up.

"Brother, Elder Qin asked me earlier to go to the middle peak."

Ye Anping raised his eyebrows. "Take a bath and change clothes before going."

"No, I'll bathe when I get back. I'll be quick. Wait for me."

Pei Lianxue smiled faintly, summoned her flying sword again, and took off in the direction of the middle peak.

Ye Anping sighed like an old father, then stood up and continued to clean the house for his sister.

...

Xiao Yunluo was in the kitchen, preparing a loving breakfast for herself and Ye Anping.

Although she didn't dare to talk to Ye Anping for several days because of the little erotic book, things gradually developed in the direction she expected.

Not to say lovey-dovey, but at least plain talking and laughing.

In the morning, they went to classes together, and Ye Anping acted as her study companion. He would sit next to her and help her prepare her ink and brush.

At noon, they would sit together at the stone table in the courtyard to bask in the sun, gather energy and practice, and also discuss the lesson taught by Mr. Qi that day.

In the evening, they would meditate together in the small Spirit Gathering Array in the courtyard and condense the energy. Then, they bathed individually, said good night, and went to their rooms to sleep.

Apart from the four actions of holding hands, hugging, kissing, and double cultivation, she felt that she and Ye Anping could be said to be an extremely well-matched cultivator couple.

"Who knows when Lianxue will come out... Should I try to hug him today?"

With this in mind, Xiao Yunluo put the kneaded rice dumplings in the lunch box and prepared to fetch Ye Anping to class.

Just as she opened the door and walked out of the house, Xiao Yunluo's breath hitched when she saw the woman standing in the yard.

The woman was holding a spiritual sword in her hand, her thick, long hair covered her face, and her whole body emitted a strong killing intent.

Xiao Yunluo reckoned that if it were night, she would definitely scream in terror.

She stared at the woman for a long time before recognizing her as Pei Lianxue.

"Ah... Lianxue? You came out?"

"Yes." Pei Lianxue nodded, pushed her messy hair back, and stepped forward. "Yunluo, my brother said that he has become your companion and lives with you..."

"..."

Although the tone was extremely soft and bland, but...

Xiao Yunluo looked at the spirit sword in Pei Lianxue's hand, gulped, and said, "Yes, it is true." Then, she hurriedly blurted the explanation she had prepared a few days ago. "Lianxue, I wanted to give you a surprise."

Pei Lianxue tilted her head ninety degrees to the right.

"Surprise?"

Xiao Yunluo gulped once more and replied as calmly as possible, "Look, don't you like Young Master Ye? Normally, he can't enter the ***Black Star*** Sect, so I asked him to be my companion so you can meet him more often..."

At this, Pei Lianxue froze for a moment, and her resentful eyes suddenly lit up. She hastily reversed her grip on the sword and put it behind her back.

"So it's like this..." Pei Lianxue pursed her lips. "Thank you, Yunluo."

*Looks like I'm good at fooling people*... Xiao Yunluo breathed a sigh of relief in her heart, but at the same time, she felt a little disappointed-- it seemed that her good days with Ye Anping were over.

Ten days were not enough...

"Right. I made some pastries, want to eat together?"

"No... My brother is waiting for me, so I'll go back now."

"Oh... okay."

After watching Pei Lianxue leave, Xiao Yunluo stood in the courtyard for a while, then looked down at the two portions of breakfast she had just prepared. In the end, she returned to the house and ate them both.

After that, she only felt her stomach bloated, her chest stuffy, and she was very disappointed.