At this moment, Tuoba Qiyue felt a surge of delightful warmth.


    Yes, this was the feeling.


    Holding hands with her junior disciple, it was as though her entire being became more transparent, clear-headed even. A flood of inspiration swirled in her mind, making it hard to resist the sensation.


    Tuoba Qiyue did her best to keep a straight face, all to ensure that neither Ye Yu nor Hong Luan would notice anything amiss.


    As for repairing Lin Miaoxue''s damaged soul, it wasn''t an overly difficult task for Tuoba Qiyue, just a bit time-consuming. Yet, she didn’t find it bothersome in the slightest. As long as she could keep her fingers intertwined with her junior’s, she’d be happy to sit there for ten days and nights.


    Ye Yu, of course, didn’t understand anything about soul restoration. But Hong Luan certainly did! Holding hands to help out? Please. It was obvious Tuoba Qiyue was just looking for an excuse to get closer to him.@@@@


    It was surprising. This newly accepted disciple of hers was proving to be quite charming. Honestly, if Saintess Yun Roumu weren''t around, internal romance within Five-Finger Peak wouldn''t be so bad! After all, both Tuoba Qiyue and Xie Muling seemed to suit him well!


    Hong Luan glanced subtly toward a boulder not far off, where a figure with white hair—Xie Muling—was practically grinding her teeth in frustration.


    "Outrageous!" she muttered under her breath. "This is just too much!"


    To think that Tuoba would seize the opportunity for herself, brazenly holding hands with Ye Yu without any sense of restraint. Wasn’t she the senior disciple? Shouldn''t she at least maintain a bit of dignity?


    “Just you wait,” she muttered to herself. “You’ll both regret this.”


    Moments later, Lin Miaoxue''s soul fractures were fully mended, and she returned to her body. Tuoba Qiyue exhaled deeply, opened her eyes, and said in a gentle voice, "For now, it’s stable."


    Ye Yu immediately asked, "For now? Why only for now?"


    “Oh, and I almost forgot,” he added. “After her soul was damaged, she seemed to have lost part of her memory. What’s the reason for that?”


    “Master, are you just going to let this slide?” she demanded. “Senior Sister has no restraint whatsoever! She’s holding hands with Junior Brother in broad daylight! If someone saw this, what would they think?”


    Hong Luan took her time, slowly sipping from her wine gourd before replying softly, “Why worry about the opinions of others? Many advised me against accepting you all as disciples, yet I brought you all in regardless.”


    Xie Muling huffed, speechless. It was true; Hong Luan’s ways were unconventional, often beyond the understanding of others, and she’d never cared for anyone’s judgment. If she decided to do something, no one could stop her; if she chose not to, no one dared force her.


    But Xie Muling couldn’t stand Tuoba Qiyue’s audacious behavior. Ye Yu should’ve been hers, and yet... couldn’t Tuoba Qiyue share, just for a little while?


    The more Xie Muling thought about it, the angrier she got, stomping her foot in frustration. Hong Luan chuckled, reaching out to ruffle her silky white hair.


    “Alright, don’t be upset. I know what you''ve been up to with Ye Yu,” Hong Luan said with a mischievous smile. “You were just too hasty; that’s why he’s so wary around you.”


    “But, Master, you know I just couldn’t hold back!” Xie Muling replied, her tone sullen.


    Hong Luan’s smile widened. “Then cultivate well, and if you can’t hold back... take what you want.”


    These words were like a revelation to Xie Muling, who straightened up, newly inspired. She nodded firmly.


    Once Xie Muling departed, the Qingyun Sect leader Luo Ze appeared, clearly intent on a serious matter. Seeing that his perpetually inebriated senior was awake despite her earlier binge, he hesitated.


    Noticing the exceptionally beautiful woman lying on a boulder nearby—someone he’d never seen before—he asked curiously, “Senior Sister, who is that?”


    “Why so curious?” Hong Luan replied dismissively. “Just tell me what trouble has brought you here.”


    Unnerved by her bluntness, Luo Ze quickly collected himself. This was urgent; he couldn’t keep it to himself any longer.


    “Senior Sister, this is dire news—Ye Yu has been captured by the demon Lin Fengyuan!”