Ji Xian, Xia Lihua, and Xiao Yueyin descended the Core Yin Pavilion. On their way down, they met Guo Xinyi, who have returned after showing Physician Yue Li and the others to their residence.

“Senior Ji Xian, Senior Xia Lihua, Yueyin… huh? Where’s the Sect Master?” Guo Xinyi greeted them before realizing Shao Qinglian was nowhere to be seen.

Xiao Yueyin smiled, “Xinyi, you’ve returned.”

“Yes.” Guo Xinyi nodded, “I had to wait until Physician Yue Li and the others settle down before I can leave.”

“Well, it looks like you’ll have to send them home soon.”

“What do you mean?”

Xiao Yueyin sweetly smiled and it left Guo Xinyi stunned.

Yueyin… when was the last time she smiled like that. I almost can’t remember, it seems to have been a while. She has really changed, hasn’t she? She’s no longer that cold and indifferent woman…

“Ji Xian was able to heal Senior Fang Yu! You won’t need need to invite those physicians anymore in the future.”

“What!” Guo Xinyi exclaimed.

She looked at Ji Xian in bewilderment. If it wasn’t for her trust in Xiao Yueyin, she would’ve seriously doubted what she had just heard. After all, she was only gone for a short moment! It has only been ten minutes from when she left to when she returned!

What exactly happened while I wasn’t here?

Ji Xian nodded. He walked past Guo Xinyi and left a few words before leaving with Xia Lihua.

“They’re at the top floor, and remember to stop calling me Senior or next time, I’ll do something unspeakable to you.”

Guo Xinyi blankly stared at Ji Xian’s back as his figure slowly fade away from view.

Xiao Yueyin didn’t immediately follow them. She wanted to take this opportunity to tell Guo Xinyi about the method that can allow her to breakthrough into the Ninth Life Destruction.

…

Ji Xian and Xia Lihua closely walked side by side as they toured the Ardent Yin Sect. They happily chatted as they visited a few significant areas.

They passed by a couple of attractive disciples who looked at them enviously.

“Look at that couple, they look so intimate.”

“Ugh… I’m so envious!”

“It’s not like the Sect forbids you from finding a companion, why don’t you just find someone?”

“You don’t think I want to? It’s just that none of these men are worthy of someone like me.”

“… Absurd. Then what did you think about that man?”

“How should I know? I can’t even see his face. I wonder if he has nasty scars or something.”

A distance away, Xia Lihua giggled as she walked beside Ji Xian. Naturally, she was able to hear them.

“She sounds almost as narcissistic as you do.” Said Xia Lihua.

“Impossible.” Ji Xian jokingly snickered, “You know, if you didn’t nerf me with this veil, who knows how many of these girls will want to climb on me?”

“What’s nerf?” Xia Lihua asked before blushing when she realized what he said at the end.

“Hmph! Vulgar moron… as if you can handle that many women.”

“Moron?” Ji Xian loudly laughed, “That’s a new one.”

He continued, “As for whether or not I can handle that many women… hmm… as a man, I naturally don’t want to admit that I can’t, but you’re right…”

“I might be sucked dry by the end of it.”

A few disciples walked by and overheard him. They looked at him weirdly. Some of them were disgusted, while a few had red faces.

“Shut up!” Xia Lihua immediately used her hand to cover his mouth.

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Ji Xian smiled. He pulled her soft hand off his face before holding it in his palm.

“Come on, let’s see if we can find an auction.”

Xia Lihua didn’t shy away and happily allowed Ji Xian to hold her hand, “What’s with you and auctions? You’re always looking for one.”

“Auctions are the windows to opportunities.” Ji Xian shook his head, “This is common knowledge, Lihua. You should read more.”

“…”

Xia Lihua was speechless. Ji Xian talks as if there is a guide on how to succeed as a cultivator. If things were that simple, wouldn’t everyone be able to ascend to the Upper World?

“If you’re so well read shouldn’t you know sects don’t typically hold auctions?” She smugly countered.

“Huh? They don’t?” Ji Xian stopped walking and asked.

Xia Lihua raised an eyebrow, “You’ve never been in a sect before?”

“I was in one when I was younger but got kicked out after getting caught trying to steal a few things.”

“…”

Xia Lihua dumbfoundedly looked at Ji Xian.

Does this moron just go around and think about stealing all the time? What kind of person is this?

She look at him for a moment before a thought appeared in her mind.

So Ji Xian has only been in one sect before he got expelled… but he was still able to reach this far by himself…

Xia Lihua was quietly in awe. Although loose cultivators aren’t exactly uncommon in the Mortal Haven World, it’s incredibly rare to run into one!

Due to the constant invasion of the Upper World, almost every sect will open its doors to anyone who can cultivate. So with such a simple requirement to enter, along with the resource of a sect to assist one in their cultivation, why would anyone want to become a loose cultivator where you have to repeatedly put your life on the line to fight for meager benefits?

Not to mention, the sects in Mortal Haven rarely restrict an individual’s freedom!

With the positives overwhelmingly outweighing the negatives, there wasn’t any reason not to join a sect!

“Why didn’t you just join another sect?” She asked curiously.

“Well…” Ji Xian was hesitant, “It’s not that I didn’t want to join another sect but none of them wanted me. “

“They all said I have no talent for cultivation.”

“What?” Xia Lihua frowned.

This had to be the biggest joke she has ever heard. If Ji Xian wasn’t able to cultivate, then how did he even get to where he is today?

Ji Xian nodded before chuckling, “They weren’t exactly wrong, I really couldn’t cultivate at the time.”

Xia Lihua’s eyebrows pinched even tighter upon hearing this. She took a careful look at him and saw something in his eyes that she has rarely ever seen from Ji Xian.

It was sadness.

Her heart ached when she saw him like this. This wasn’t the Ji Xian she knew. The Ji Xian that she was familiar with, is someone who always has a smile on his face, as though nothing in the world can get to him. She had never once thought that behind that dashing smile, was a pain that no one knew about.

“What exactly have you been through?” Xia Lihua gently held his face in her hand.

“…”

Ji Xian shook his head before recovering to his usual casual demeanor. “That is a story for another time.”

He smiled as he held her hand and pulled her along, “I think I saw something interesting over here, let’s go.”

“…”

Xia Lihua silently stared at his back and bitterly sighed. It looks like Ji Xian is still hesitant with telling her about his past.