'It's really Senior Sister...' Ji Wuye thought inwardly, his initial surprise subsiding as a warm smile graced his delicate features and his piercing red eyes softened.

Ji Wuye then glanced towards Elder Qiao, who had lowered her luminous gaze in an uncharacteristic display of shock and disappointment towards her two male disciples. Their narrow-minded reactions seemed to have caught the elegant Elder off guard.

"Master!"

"Master!"

Kang Xia and Yuan Xu blurted out simultaneously, their arrogant pride stung by Elder Qiao's unexpected warmth towards Ji Wuye. They raised their heads defiantly, eyes searching their Master's exquisite porcelain visage for answers, but found only an unfamiliar, inscrutable expression.

"A—" Elder Qiao parted her full crimson lips, poised to speak, but Ji Wuye suddenly stepped forward, his flowing white hair swaying with the fluid motion. He looked down at his two Senior Brothers with a calm, appraising gaze, taking in their mixed reactions.

'One is jealous of my appearance and the warm reception from Big Sister Qiao,' Ji Wuye mused, his eyes flickering towards Yuan Xu, who met his stare with unveiled resentment etched across his furrowed brow.

From the moment of his arrival, Ji Wuye had been carefully observing the Elder Qiao's three male Inner Disciples, reading their subtle shifts in body language and facial expressions.

Yuan Xu's initial stunned disbelief had swiftly soured into undisguised anger as he witnessed the elegant, peerlessly beautiful Master shower Ji Wuye with a tender fondness.

Yuan Xu's shoulders tensed, his fists clenching almost imperceptibly at his sides as waves of envy rolled off him in nearly palpable currents.

'A disciple coveting his Master's favor and affection, I suppose,' Ji Wuye speculated shrewdly, shifting his crimson gaze to his other Senior Brother, Kang Xia.

Though Kang's expression lacked the potent resentment of Yuan Xu's, it held a more nuanced, conflicted depth.

‘Trust, maybe? He’s never fully had his Master’s trust.’ Ji Wuye assumed. Unlike Yuan Xu, Kang Xia resembled more of a cunning strategist. He was the one who first mentioned Ji Wuye’s fame and tried to be kind and welcoming when Ji Wuye arrived.

Although Ji Wuye hadn’t expected Kang Xia to oppose him now, he could see it in Kang’s eyes and behavior. It was becoming clear that Elder Qiao had already explained everything about Ji Wuye to her disciples. ‘He’s probably the one who doubts the information that i gave to Big Sister Qiao…’ Ji Wuye concluded.

Back in the real world, Ji Wuye's silent assessment of his two Senior Brothers had taken less than ten measured breaths before his crimson gaze flickered back towards the now disheartened Elder Qiao.

Then, his eyes found Senior Sister Lian Rougang, who was still shooting daggers at the offending Yuan Xu and Kang Xia with her almond-shaped eyes.

"I must say, I'm really touched, Senior Sister. You've been the kindest and most precious person to me," Ji Wuye spoke softly, a faint, grateful smile gracing his finely chiseled features. The simple gesture seemed to freeze the tense, glaring atmosphere around the raven-haired beauty.

"E-eh, n-no, y-yes..." Lian Rougang stammered, her cheeks flushing as she averted her eyes from Ji Wuye's sidelong glance. Suddenly, she felt warm, strong arms envelop her from the front, reaching around to the curve of her back as she stood frozen.

But before she could fully process the comforting warmth of the embrace, it ended, leaving her staring into her Junior Brother's handsome, serene visage.

"Thank you. Let me handle the rest," he murmured, the gentle timbre of his voice sending involuntary tremors through her full rose petal lips.

She felt her eyes prickling with the faint sting of unbidden tears as the lingering embarrassment and anger melted away, replaced by a soft, unguarded smile.

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'If it's him... no. I'm sure... It has to be him now,' she thought inwardly.

"Instead of Senior Sister Lian, please give me this chance to be enlightened, Big Sister," Ji Wuye continued, cupping his hands respectfully towards Elder Qiao, who sat serenely at the rounded stone table, bathed in soft, glowing light.

The elegant Elder Qiao's piercing eyes scanned Ji Wuye's face searchingly, as if trying to plumb the depths of his thoughts. Yet his eyes remained calmly closed, his expression one of tranquil indifference that seemed to lift her previously disheartened mood.

"I must say, this is... unexpected," Elder Qiao finally spoke, a faint, bemused smile curling her full crimson lips as she set down the long-stemmed ivory pipe, emitting a final wisp of rich, honeyed smoke.

Meanwhile, Yuan Xu, still seething with impotent rage, glared daggers at Ji Wuye, utterly at a loss for words. That this brazen Junior would dare address his Master with the overly familiar "Big Sister" shattered his sense of propriety.

Yet his Master's expression remained one of satisfaction, even delight, completely contradicting his own visceral indignation.

"Tsk!" Yuan Xu couldn't contain his frustration any longer, loudly clicking his tongue in annoyance. "If Junior Brother Ji has no complaints, please allow us to spar, Master!" he added through gritted teeth, a derisive snort escaping his flared nostrils.

"Sure," Elder Qiao replied casually, seemingly unbothered by her disciple's brazen request.

Meanwhile, Kang Xia observed the unfolding scene with furrowed brows and a deepening sense of confusion. Neither of his three Martial Sisters protested or showed any visible reaction to Yuan Xu's provocative demand.

His frown etched deeper as his gaze flickered back towards his Master, her exquisite porcelain features remaining serene and relaxed, despite granting such an outlandish request with hardly a second thought.

...

The wind gusted across the cliff's edge, sending Ji Wuye's flowing white tresses billowing while further tousling Yuan Xu's already unkempt raven locks.

Their eyes locked, crimson clashing with narrowed black, as the other cleared a wide, open space around them, allowing room for unencumbered movement.

On the sidelines, Lian Rougang stood apart from her peers, her anxiety a nearly palpable force. Her almond eyes alternated restlessly between the impassive Elder Qiao and her seemingly indifferent Inner Disciples.

Her slender hands twisted the fabric of her white martial robes as unease blossomed within her chest.

"E-Elder..." Lian's melodious voice quavered as she approached the serene figure seated regally upon the rounded stone chair, a small, placid smile fixed on Elder Qiao's full crimson lips.

"Please, stop them. I... I've made a terrible mistake. I shouldn't have allowed my Junior Brother to take on this challenge. It's not right for him to bear the consequences of my actions." The words tumbled out in a rush, laced with guilt and growing fear.

Elder Qiao's piercing eyes softened as she regarded her distressed Lian Rougang. "Little Gang," she spoke gently but with a firm undertone, "take a deep breath. Look around you."

With a graceful wave of her hand, she gestured towards the watchful line of disciples. "Your Senior Brothers and Sisters are here, vigilant and ready. They will intervene if... well, if the unexpected occurs."

Despite Elder Qiao's reassuring words, the crease between Lian Rougang's delicate brows remained firmly etched, her plump lower lip caught anxiously between her teeth.

"But Elder," she whispered, voice barely audible over the gusting wind, "what if Junior Brother gets hurt? What if Senior Brother Yuan Xu goes too far? I couldn't bear it if..."

She trailed off, unable to give voice to her deepest, most visceral fears regarding Ji Wuye's safety.

Elder Qiao observed the worry writ large across the beautiful disciple's features, her own smile widening as a mischievous glimmer danced in her piercing eyes. In her mind, pieces began falling into place regarding Ji Wuye's unexpected willingness to accept this ludicrous challenge.

'That troublesome kid,' she mused silently, a soft chuckle escaping her crimson lips. 'Tsk, tsk, tsk. Just look at her. He's taking on this ridiculous provocation all for this girl.'

Her gaze grew distant then, thoughts adrift on eddies of memory. 'The precious and kindest, indeed,' Elder Qiao reflected wistfully. But as quickly as the nostalgic amusement had appeared, it faded, replaced by a melancholic sadness that seemed to age her ageless features.

'Oh, Elder Sister,' she thought, her inner voice laced with a familiar longing, 'if only you could see him now. Our little troublemaker has grown up, hasn't he? He's not just fooling around anymore...'

For a prolonged moment, Elder Qiao's luminous eyes misted over, lost in recollections of a simpler time now long passed into memory.

The weight of that absence pressed heavily upon her, an ache that never truly faded. With a subtle shake of her head, she banished the ghosts of the past, her focus shifting back to the anxious Lian Rougang before her.

...

Meanwhile, from Ji Wuye's perspective, Yuan Xu stood across from him, body tense and eyes narrowed in unveiled disdain. The disheveled disciple snorted derisively.

"I will lower my strength to the level of a 2nd realm martial artist," Yuan Xu declared with complete arrogance, his furrowed brows and curled lip conveying his utter contempt. "And as your Senior, I'll let you take the first move."

He didn't even bother unsheathing the jian at his waist, his arms remained stubbornly crossed over his chest.

As Yuan Xu's narrowed gaze drank in Ji Wuye's calm, almost ethereally flawless visage, something inside him seemed to snap. His veins began bulging prominently beneath his flushed skin, annoyance curdling into outright rage.

"What's the matter with you?" he spat venomously. "Are you deaf or just stupid? I said, draw your jian!"

"No," Ji Wuye replied instantly, the placid refusal catching Yuan Xu completely off guard. His next words, delivered with infuriating nonchalance while those unwavering crimson eyes bored into Yuan Xu, only stoked the flames of his fury higher. "Instead of that, I would gladly receive your guidance. Please, release your Zone, Senior Brother."

"What?!" Yuan Xu's enraged bellow echoed across the cliff face, his face twisting into a rictus of disbelief and unbridled fury. He glared daggers at the unruffled Ji Wuye, his eyes burning with barely leashed anger. After a prolonged moment, a sharp, bitter bark of laughter exploded from his lips.

"You insolent brat," he snarled, fists clenched so tightly at his sides that his knuckles shown pale. "You haven't even opened your Upper Dantian, and yet you dare act so arrogantly?" His voice rose in volume with each successive word, the strain of attempting to control his temper evident in the tremor of his speech.

"Do you think this is a game? That you can disrespect me and get away with it?"

Abruptly, Yuan Xu whirled to face Elder Qiao, his expression shifting into a strained mask of respectful deference, a stark contrast to his previous volatile outburst. He cupped his hands formally, though his knuckles remained pale from tension.

"Master," he ground out, his voice now carefully controlled but tinged with an unmistakable eagerness, "may I use my advantage to teach this arrogant young pupil a lesson he won't soon forget?"

"Sure," Elder Qiao replied casually, expelling a fresh plume of rich, honeyed smoke from her ivory pipe.

In an instant, a cruel grin split Yuan Xu's features as an invisible wave of oppressive pressure descended upon Ji Wuye. But then, Yuan Xu's eyes flew wide in shock as he registered what he was sensing...