The aged wooden floorboards groaned softly underfoot as Lian Rougang gracefully lowered herself onto the curved-back chair on the terrace.

Her pristine white martial robe with dark blue stripes whispered around her legs as she settled into the seat. The terrace overlooked the courtyard, which was filled with boulders and neatly arranged and stacked wooden logs, causing her to chuckle faintly at the sight.

"Thank you for waiting," Ji Wuye's voice rang out, a warm smile spreading across his features as he approached, carefully cradling a ceramic teapot in his hands.

He moved with a fluid grace, taking the seat opposite Lian Rougang and gently setting the teapot on the small round table between them with a muted clink.

"It wasn't long at all; it was actually quite fast," Lian Rougang responded, her voice soft yet carrying a subtle strength. A hint of a smile played across her lips, though her gaze remained averted, fixated on some indistinct point near Ji Wuye's feet.

A rosy blush crept across her high cheekbones, barely visible.

With deft movements, Ji Wuye arranged the delicate cups before carefully filling the teapot from a ceramic kettle that had been keeping the water hot.

The fragrant aroma of jasmine unfurled through the air as he poured the first cup for himself. "Please," he murmured with a respectful nod, gesturing for Lian Rougang to serve herself.

It caused Lian Rougang to be stunned for a moment, seeing Ji Wuye's gesture. She thought he was kicking her out, yet seeing how her Junior Brother didn't say any more words, she once again let out a chuckle as she spoke with a smile, "Alright, then."

She then responded with a demure incline of her head, raising the cup with both hands in a practiced flourish. Her every motion exuded an effortless, refined grace as she poured the steaming jade liquid, her shoulders rolled back and spine admirably straight.

A few stray strands of her lustrous dark hair had obstructed her view, and she absently brushed them back with one slender finger.

...

The afternoon sun had long since gone by the moment they arrived at his courtyard.

Yet, the world seemed to still around them as they sipped the fragrant tea in companionable silence. Only the night wind's whispered caress through the courtyard's cherry blossom tree and the distant call of nightbirds reached their ears.

Lian Rougang's blush slowly faded, and she finally lifted her gaze to find Ji Wuye's crimson eyes already waiting, unblinking, for her own.

A slight tremor ran through her, and she stifled a small cough, quickly averting her eyes once more as she set her cup down with a quiet clink.

"The event will last for five days and begins two days from now," she began, angling her body slightly away from her Junior Brother to face the gate entrance to the courtyard.

Her eyes grew a touch bolder, the shyness gradually giving way to a more focused gaze as she once again angled her chair to directly face him.

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Ji Wuye watched the subtle shift in her demeanor with an amused glint in his crimson eyes.

"It begins with..."

...

Long story short, the first day of the Kunlun gathering is marked by a welcome feast, where all disciples and guests gather on the sect's leveled courtyard or the vast training area where Ji Wuye and the other Outer Disciples usually perform their morning exercises.

Following the feast, the Elders leave their disciples to familiarize themselves with each other until the end of the day.

The second day features official sparring between the Outer Disciples and the guests of Kunlun.

On the third day, it's the turn of the Official Disciples to spar against the guests. The fourth day sees the Inner Disciples sparring against the guests.

The last day is unique, as it's the guests' turn to host a farewell feast for Kunlun. While Kunlun prepares the food and welcomes the guests on the first day, the final day is when the guests prepare dishes they brought from their homes to bid farewell to Kunlun.

...

As Lian Rougang concluded her explanation, any lingering traces of timidity and shyness had melted away entirely. She gazed directly at Ji Wuye, her eyes bright and expression open, occasionally punctuating a point by leaning forward slightly, elbows resting on the table's edge.

'It's all the same,' Ji Wuye thought inwardly as he sipped his tea, summarizing and listening to his Senior Sister's words.

A faint, answering smile played across Ji Wuye's lips as he listened attentively, giving a small nod of understanding. "So that's it," he murmured once she fell silent, setting down his ceramic cup. "Where are you stationed during the events, Senior Sister?"

Lian Rougang tilted her head slightly, her gaze drifting upwards towards the night sky as she hummed thoughtfully. Bringing her fingers to her lips, she cradled her chin as she answered Ji Wuye's query.

"The sect has tasked me with guarding near the waterfall on the first and second days," she began, then paused, her eyebrows drawing together as her shoulders slumped almost imperceptibly. "Then, from the fourth day until the last, I'm assigned to patrol the village."

As she relayed her duties, Lian Rougang's entire demeanor seemed to deflate. She shifted her weight restlessly, fingers tapping out an agitated rhythm against the table's edge as she let out a small sigh of displeasure.

"That's very unfortunate," Ji Wuye murmured, his crimson eyes keenly observing every subtle reaction from his Senior Sister. A ghost of a smile played across his lips as he noticed Lian Rougang's slight nod of reluctant agreement, only for her to quickly avert her gaze once more.

'I didn't realize Senior Sister could be this...amusing,' the thought flickered through his mind, fondness softening his expression.

Yet the looming threat of the impending attack could not be ignored. Recalling the potential dangers it posed, Ji Wuye leaned forward intently. "Try talking to Elder Qiao about your task, Senior Sister."

Lian Rougang's head snapped up, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Elder Qiao? Why would it be related to Elder Qiao?" She scrutinized him suspiciously, as if dismissing the very notion that the famous Elder could be swayed by her Junior Brother's handsome looks.

"Did you do something inappropriate, Junior?" Her voice took on a warning edge as her eyes narrowed to reptilian slits, the hint of a smile vanishing from her lips. "Tell me, what did she do to you? Did she make things difficult for you, like Elder Xia?"

Her expression hardened, solemn now. "I just remembered, you've just come from Elder Qiao's cliff, right?"

Ji Wuye was quick to reassure her, reaching across to take Lian Rougang's hands in his own, an action that seemed to instantly defuse the tense situation. Her brow smoothed as she felt the warmth of his touch.

"Of course not, Senior Sister. It's not like that, you can be assured," he said gently but firmly, holding her gaze.

Yet, despite that, he could still sense the lingering solemnity in his Senior Sister's expression, so he pressed on to reassure her further. "I just felt uneasy hearing you'd be patrolling the village and guarding near the waterfall. That's why I suggested you talk to Elder Qiao."

He met Lian Rougang's eyes steadily. "In our last conversation, I overheard that she's short on disciples for some tasks."

It was a lie, of course, but one glance at Lian Rougang's features softening told Ji Wuye it was more than worth it. Not to mention, he had his own plans surrounding the waterfall area and didn't want to risk his Senior Sister getting inadvertently injured.

"Ah, and if you can, remind the other Sisters to let the male disciples handle the patrolling around the village," he added, his crimson gaze purposeful as it locked with hers.

As usual, the intensity of his stare stunned Lian Rougang. Her pupils dilated momentarily before she hurriedly averted her eyes, pulling her hands back. A vivid crimson blush bloomed across her cheeks as strands of her dark midnight tresses fell forward, shielding her expression.

"O-okay, t-then, I'll be going now," she murmured, already halfway to her feet and turned towards the courtyard gate. But then she paused, glancing back at him over one shoulder. "Thank you, Junior, for caring about me."

The silver light of evening gilded her features as she gifted him with a radiant, kind smile, eyes crinkling at the corners with happiness. Her dark tresses fluttered around her face before she turned once more, striding swiftly through the gate and disappearing from sight.

"Silly," Ji Wuye said fondly, a warm smile spreading across his own features as his crimson eyes softened. "I should be the one thanking you, Senior Sister."

He was genuinely worried for her safety and that of the other Sisters. Yet with no time to meet them all individually, he could only hope they would take his subtle warning to heart.

Suddenly...

No sooner had Lian Rougang departed than Ji Wuye, still seated on the terrace before his living quarters, noticed a couple of shadowy figures approaching through the courtyard gate.