A few days later.

Missing her brother terribly, Yue Bing accompanied Yi Nan and Yueyang to visit the newly restored Jade Domain manor.

As their host, Bi Lv naturally made sure everyone was well looked after. After a tour of the premises, Yue Bing caught sight of Lieyan in the middle of grueling training — working to better integrate her ancient dragon blood inheritance — and couldn’t help marveling aloud: “Lieyan-jiejie has been progressing so fast! She broke through from Sky-rank Level 5 to Level 6 not long ago, and now in less than a month she’s already at Level 7…”

For reasons that weren’t immediately apparent, Lieyan’s face went bright red at those words.

Yi Nan, of course, knew exactly why.

And it wasn’t only Lieyan who had advanced — Bi Lv, standing right there, had gone from peak Sky-rank Level 3 to Level 5, jumping two full ranks as well.

Yue Bing had no idea about any of this and assumed Lieyan had simply achieved her breakthrough through sheer hard work. She looked at her with open admiration. “Do you have any insights you could share? I train hard every day too, but my progress has been so slow.”

Lieyan flapped her hands in flustered denial. “I have no insights. Don’t ask me!”

Yueyang chose that moment to return from listening to Yanzao’s report. The moment Lieyan saw him, she bolted — taking out a sizable chunk of the doorframe as she went without even noticing.

Yue Bing was thoroughly baffled. What on earth was wrong with her?

Yi Nan was quietly suppressing a smile.

Not something she was going to explain to Yue Bing, even though the two of them could normally talk about anything.

Lieyan dug in her heels about not returning to the Sky-Reaching Tower with Yueyang — but Bi Lv expressed that she would very much like to go and pay her respects to Fourth Elder Sister and Yueyang’s family at some point. Eventually, at Yi Nan’s gentle persuasion, they agreed to leave the Jade Castle in Yu Qianjun’s capable hands and return to the World Tree at the base of the Sky Stairway together. The Southern Heavenly Realm affairs could wait — Yueyang’s main attention was shifting to the Trial Grounds in the Western Heavenly Realm, and there was no real reason for the others to stay.

Back under the World Tree, Yue Bing mentioned once again to Yue Yu that she worried she might be too slow — even Lieyan, who had joined them later, was leaving her far behind.

Yue Yu genuinely didn’t know how to reassure her.

It was Luohua, passing by, who offered a suggestion: have Yue Bing room with Yi Nan again from now on, and let Yi Nan’s influence help carry her progress. Yue Bing happily went to retrieve her pillow and blankets. She had moved out of Yi Nan’s room previously at Yue Yu’s urging — and now that she thought about it, her cultivation speed really had been slower since the move. Sharing space with Yi Nan, her little sister-in-law, clearly had a noticeable positive effect. With that realization, the girl’s mood improved considerably.

“That’s not a good idea,” Yue Yu said, because of course she knew exactly what the real reason was.

“It’s fine. Better than a certain brother who sneaks into his sister’s room in the dead of night to channel energy into her. People who know the truth understand he’s a devoted and caring brother. People who don’t might start getting the wrong ideas entirely.” Luohua then turned to Yue Yu with a sudden, bright smile: “Actually — why don’t you come sleep in my room tonight? There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you about.”

“No — absolutely not.” Yue Yu startled and waved her hands. “If you have something to say, say it right here.”

“I genuinely have something I want to ask. Nothing like what you’re thinking.” Luohua’s expression was entirely earnest.

“Don’t bring this topic up.” A faint blush crossed Yue Yu’s cheeks. She glanced around to make sure no one was nearby and lowered her voice: “What is it you want to ask? I probably can’t help — you should ask Tianfa or Wuhen.”

“I already asked them. Everyone’s situation is a little different, and I thought yours was closer to mine, so I came to you.” Luohua sent the next part in a private whisper.

“I don’t know anything about that… figure it out on your own!” Yue Yu turned scarlet, shut down any possibility of further discussion, and Luohua sighed in mild resignation. She had thought Yue Yu might actually know something useful — a quiet exchange between them would have helped both of them make progress — but Yue Yu, with her particular set of considerations, refused to engage. “Alright. You don’t need to be like this. Fine — I won’t bring it up. Go back to what you were doing. I’ll go ask Qianqian and Wuxia instead — maybe they can help.”

“They definitely don’t know. No matter how talented someone is, there are things they haven’t encountered yet.” Yue Yu pushed past her embarrassment to offer a suggestion: “Try Yi Nan. She probably knows something.”

“Yi Nan is so young — I feel like I’d be asking a junior. It’d be a bit awkward.” Luohua’s expression carried a trace of genuine discomfort.

“You know it’s awkward? Then how can you just come and ask me?” Yue Yu was thoroughly exasperated.

“Hehe.” Luohua gave an easy, unapologetic shrug, her expression speaking clearly: we just get along better, so of course I came to you — which only made Yue Yu more irritated.

That evening, Phoenix Fairy apparently caught wind of something, and proposed a certain initiative. Yue Bing didn’t quite follow what was being discussed, but when she tried to join, Yue Yu stopped her — which made Yue Bing feel that she probably just wasn’t strong enough to participate. In the end, under Phoenix Fairy’s repeated persuasion, Luohua and Hong and others reluctantly agreed to take part.

Was it something involving Brother, Tianfa-jiejie?

Yue Bing drifted off to sleep with that thought. When she opened her eyes, she found her brother lying fully clothed on the edge of the bed, one arm extended, letting herself and Yi Nan use it as a pillow. Her heart flooded immediately with warmth.

So her brother hadn’t gone to participate in whatever that initiative was at all. He’d done exactly what he always did — finished up his business and come to rest with her.

“Shh.”

Yue Bing raised one slender finger to her lips and gestured for Yueyang to go on resting — she’d get up quietly to train without disturbing Yi Nan. She tiptoed carefully over Yi Nan, then turned back and thoughtfully pulled out the blanket, draping it gently over her brother. He didn’t feel the cold, she knew — but sleeping on top of the covers still wasn’t comfortable. With their mother not here, it fell to her to look after her brother in her mother’s place. After washing up, she crept back in to show him her face — checking whether she looked energized and ready — and when he gave her a big thumbs-up and a go get ’em gesture, her heart lit up with happiness. She pulled the door carefully shut and stepped outside, brimming with energy and ready to train.

Today she had her brother’s encouragement, and the good effects of resting beside Yi Nan. Yue Bing felt that both her mental state and her energy reserves had taken a genuine step forward.

Which only made her more determined. She threw herself into a new day of cultivation.

When it came to putting in the work — she had never been behind anyone.

Yue Yu, watching from a distance, gave a quiet, slightly rueful smile.

This girl’s heart was so completely pure.

And the more Yueyang’s purification and guidance worked its way through her, the purer her spirit, body, and energy became. With a mind free of distraction and a powerful driving motivation, Yue Bing’s progress was almost inevitable — it would have been hard for her not to advance rapidly.

Yue Yu turned it over in her mind and decided it really was a good thing. A pure heart wasn’t a bad thing. Cultivation taking off like a rocket was definitely a good thing.

No one was saying anything, and who outside their circle would ever know?

As for herself — well, she was in much the same position. Yue Yu felt her cheeks heat unexpectedly, and quickly swept certain mental images out of her head, composing herself back into the capable, serious person she normally was.

Three days later.

Yue Bing went with her brother to visit Fourth Elder Sister at Heaven’s Web Imperial Palace, and proudly reported to her: “Mama — I’ve broken through another realm! I thought it would take ages, but Brother is such good luck — the moment he came back, I made it! And this hairstyle — Brother did it for me himself. He says leaving one little hair sticking up on top is cute. Mama, don’t you think so?”

The girl’s face was practically glowing — that radiant smile of hers enough to make every flower feel outdone.

At the top of her head, one carefully exposed strand of hair.

Sticking straight up with tremendous dignity and pride.

Full of spirit. Absolutely vibrating with energy.

Fourth Elder Sister laughed and reached out to give her head an affectionate pat. “You’re almost grown up — how are you still having your brother help you do your hair? Though having that one little piece sticking up is very different from usual. It’s quite charming, honestly. As long as you like it.”

Shuang’er pouted. “What’s so special about one? I have loads of sticking-up hairs.”

Yue Bing fixed her with a look. “Yours are just messy because you didn’t brush your hair this morning. Don’t act like that’s impressive. Come here — let me fix it for you.”

Shuang’er, who found the whole thing inconvenient, immediately bolted and took refuge behind Yueyang. “No thanks!”

After spending time with Fourth Elder Sister, Yueyang went to try to see the Emperor to ask whether any information about Buried Sword Manor had surfaced. This time, the Emperor was genuinely put out and refused to receive him entirely. But when Yueyang was preparing to go find Jun Wuyou instead, the Emperor had someone deliver a book — something from who knew what era, the archaic script within it so ancient that even Yueyang, with the majority of the knowledge inheritance to draw on, couldn’t fully read it. A cold sweat broke over him.

Jun Wuyou was much more accommodating.

And efficient. By the time Yueyang had finished his Southern Heavenly Realm business and returned, Jun Wuyou reported that he’d already had people dig through to where the ancient rune was located.

“The ancient rune is definitely there — but it may not be the right fit for you.” The Old Fox let a gleeful, gloating smile show. “You usually have excellent luck, kid, but this time I suspect it’s genuinely not yours to claim. I went and looked at it myself, and discussed it with Nangong and the others — we think it’s an ancient rune suited to be fused by a woman.”

“If I can’t use it, I have a sister,” Yueyang said. He was not the type to let good things go to outsiders when family was around.

“Hold on — you don’t just have a sister, you have a fiancée. Bring my precious daughter along too — maybe my Qianqian is a suitable match for that ancient rune!” Jun Wuyou, the devoted twenty-four-hour model father who treated his daughter as the center of his universe, was of course not the only one of his kind. The Eastern Heavenly King was cut from the same cloth. That man would fight Yueyang on the spot if he heard there was any chance of not bringing Luohua along.

“Can you both calm down just slightly?” The Old Fox covered his face and refused to look at either of them. You’re an Emperor and a Prince, for crying out loud.

The truth was, he had already analyzed the situation thoroughly and concluded that his own daughter was unlikely to be compatible with the rune — which was exactly why he was so relaxed about it. If he thought otherwise, he’d be the one grabbing Yueyang by the collar.

When Yueyang asked about Buried Sword Valley, Jun Wuyou said it would take a little longer — even the Boring Mountain Earthworm had its limits.

Back at the Sky Stairway, Luohua and the others had already heard the inside details from their own sources and couldn’t be bothered going to look at an ancient rune that clearly wasn’t meant for them. Princess Qianqian and Xue Wuxia also felt it unlikely that they would be the match — the rune’s attribute had begun showing faint hints of its ideal compatibility type. But they wanted the experience of observing a fusion, and hoped someday a similar opportunity might come for them.

The only one who knew none of this was Yue Bing.

Her single little cowlick bounced proudly upright on her head, her whole face lit up with excitement as she followed her brother, brimming to overflowing with energy.

She was just so happy — thrilled to be setting off on an adventure with her brother — and she completely missed the subtle hint Sick Beauty sent her way.

“This girl is incredibly lucky,” Luohua said with an amused laugh. “To have a brother like that, and now this on top of everything.”

“Bing’er works incredibly hard too,” Yue Yu said. “That’s the more important reason.”