I don't want to be trained by my senior sister!

Fang Xuan's mind was in a mess, and he couldn't fall asleep.

He tried to count the sheep.

Finally, when counting to the third one, I fell fast asleep...

.......

Early the next morning.

Fang Xuan woke up just as dawn was breaking.

He opened his eyes and met a pair of eyes that were very close to his, clear and cool yet still slightly misty from just waking up.

Ning Qian had woken up sometime earlier and was lying on her side, quietly watching him.

The two stared at each other, wide-eyed.

Immediately, Ning Qian's ear tips flushed crimson again, and she turned away...

"Good morning, Senior Sister." Fang Xuan coughed and greeted her casually.

"Mmm." Ning Qian lowered her head and spoke softly.

Get out of bed quickly.

The two washed up and tidied their clothes.

Going downstairs, I saw Shen Qingqing sitting in the lobby having breakfast.

"Senior Sister Ning, Junior Brother Fang, good morning." Shen Qingqing smiled sweetly, as if nothing had happened last night.

"I've already inquired with the garrison headquarters. That group of evil cultivators has been active in the Black Wind Pass area west of the town recently, frequently killing passing caravans and lone cultivators. How about we go there and investigate today?"

She acted proactively and sensibly, appearing fully committed to the task.

However, neither of them paid any attention to her; she acted as if she were talking to thin air.

......

Next, Ning Qian led him through a perfunctory investigation, knowing full well it was just a formality.

Both he and Ning Qian were focused on how to get rid of Shen Qingqing, while she remained stubbornly smiling foolishly.

First, they went to the garrison headquarters to review several case files, and then visited several victims who had been robbed.

The information received was largely the same.

This group of evil practitioners suddenly appeared in the last half month. Their numbers are unknown, but they are ruthless.

Their cultivation levels ranged from the mid-stage of Qi Refining to the early stage of Foundation Establishment, with the leader suspected of having the strength of the late stage of Foundation Establishment.

They come and go like the wind, targeting those with weak defenses or who are alone. After succeeding, they disappear into the towering mountains to the west, making them difficult to track down.

An old man tugged at Fang Xuan's sleeve, sighing repeatedly:

"Immortal Master, you must avenge us! This southern border region is remote. Although there are usually some demonic beasts and bandits, how could there be such a well-organized group of cultivator bandits?"

"I don't know where it came from, but this huge menace suddenly appeared..."

While comforting his father-in-law, Fang Xuan already had some guesses in his mind.

In the remote southern border region, a group of organized and highly skilled evil cultivators suddenly appeared, right under the feet of the Qingyun Sect.

He glanced at Ning Qian beside him.

She was listening quietly to another victim's account, her cool profile revealing no emotion.

But Fang Xuan felt that it was impossible for her not to have thought of the strangeness in this matter.

The original novel is vague about this background of evil cultivation, only using it as a plot device to push Ning Qian to be framed.

But now it seems that the origins of this group of evil cultivators are probably not so simple.

The tactic of the thief crying "stop thief!" is nothing new in the world of cultivation.

.......

After visiting several victims, the sun was already close to noon.

Ning Qian took him directly to Fuchunlou.

Fang Xuan thought that his senior sister was probably preparing to verify it.

Private room on the second floor.

The same elegant woman as before, after ordering the food, Ning Qian asked about the evil cultivators.

The proprietress waved her handkerchief and spoke in a low voice:

"They seem to have some background, Miss Ning. Do you think they came from the mountain...?"

This statement is almost an explicit accusation that someone within the Qingyun Sect is harboring or colluding with these "evil cultivators."

Ning Qian raised her teacup and then asked, "Do you have any intelligence?"

"Where's the money?" The proprietress sat down as well.

"I have no money," Ning Qian said matter-of-factly.

Upon hearing this, Fang Xuan immediately began to frantically eat rice—meat, not steamed buns.

Now, if he sees steamed buns again, he'll feel like throwing up.

The proprietress paused for a moment, then tentatively asked, "What about the price for this table?"

"No banquet." Ning Qian repeated, without blushing or skipping a beat.

"The young man is getting more and more handsome," the proprietress gritted her teeth, deciding to change her target.

"The last time I saw him, he was still quite naive, but now, standing beside Miss Ning, his demeanor is completely different..."

"Look away." Ning Qian's cold voice rang out.

She didn't look at the proprietress again, but simply reached out and pulled Fang Xuan closer to her side.

The proprietress was taken aback for a moment, then burst out laughing, covering her mouth with her handkerchief:

"Oh my, can't I even look? Miss Ning, is your little Daoist partner that precious?"

Ning Qian didn't reply. She put a few spirit stones on the table, grabbed Fang Xuan's wrist, and got up to leave.

The only way for her to contact Zhongzhou was through this place; otherwise, she wouldn't bother with these people at all...

.......

We left the restaurant.

The two walked slowly down the bustling street, one in front of the other.

Ning Qian's pace suddenly slowed down as she passed an old man's stall selling candied hawthorns.

She stared at the candied hawthorns for a few seconds, then walked over and bought two skewers.

He turned around and handed one of the strings to Fang Xuan.

"?" Fang Xuan looked at the candied hawthorn that suddenly appeared in front of him, and then at Ning Qian's expressionless face.

"This is for you." After saying that, Ning Qian looked away.

Watching him eat quickly, and then glancing at the untouched skewer in her own hand, she hesitated for a moment before handing it over: "...It's too sweet, you eat it."

Fang Xuan: "...Okay."

Uh... why is Senior Sister so obsessed with feeding him candied hawthorns?

After walking a while, Ning Qian stopped again when she passed a stall selling trinkets.

Her gaze fell on a dark blue hair ribbon with a small, warm white jade bead at the end.

"How much is this?" she pointed.

The stall owner, who was also a cultivator, quickly smiled and said, "Young lady, you have a good eye. This ribbon is made of fine material, and the white jade is also of good quality. Three spirit stones."

Ning Qian paid the money, picked up the ribbon, and turned to look at Fang Xuan.

Fang Xuan, still eating the candied hawthorn skewer, blinked upon seeing this: "Senior Sister?"

Ning Qian walked up to him, raised her hand, and untied the somewhat loose, ordinary cloth band from his head.

Then, with slightly clumsy movements, she used the newly bought dark blue ribbon to tie his hair back up.

Fang Xuan could only think, ...Hmm, is Senior Sister raising a child...?

Ning Qian tied her hair up, took a step back, looked at it, and seemed to be quite satisfied. Her usually cool expression softened.

Looking at Fang Xuan's handsome face, which still retained some boyishness, she suddenly said softly, "Junior brother, you're still young. You're not even twenty yet, you're still three years away from reaching adulthood."

It seemed like she was explaining something, or perhaps reminding herself.

Fang Xuan: "......."

He seemed to understand, yet he also seemed even more confused.

......

The two continued walking forward.

As Ning Qian passed a steaming bun shop, she stopped for the third time.

The shop assistant greeted him warmly, "Freshly steamed white buns! So fragrant and soft! How many would you like, Immortal?"

Ning Qian looked at the steaming hot buns, her eyes flickering.

She remembered that her junior brother really liked eating steamed buns.

Fang Xuan's inner monologue: No! I didn't! Hurry, senior sister!

"Twenty," she said.

The waiter quickly packed the steamed buns and handed them over.

Fang Xuan looked at the familiar food, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

His memory of taste... began attacking his brain again.

But he had no choice but to bite the bullet, take the oil paper package, and in front of Ning Qian, take one out and take a bite.

Yes, it tastes just like a regular steamed bun.

Ning Qian watched him eat, and the corners of her usually cool lips seemed to curve slightly—very faint, but genuine.

She said softly, "If it's not enough... then I'll buy some more."

Fang Xuan: "..."

.......

The streets were bustling with activity, people coming and going...

The two walked side by side, slowly heading back towards the inn.

Fang Xuan, clutching a pile of steamed buns from a paper bag, craned his neck and ate voraciously...

All right......

At least, his senior sister bought it for him.

[Detected a perverse fetish: the host is forced to accept forced feeding by the owner, and despite feeling physically disgusted by the objects, still harbors a liking for them, even ingesting them entirely.]

[Behavioral Assessment: The slave's deep obedience to the master's feeding behavior increases the training value by 0.2]

[Note: Steamed buns are a good thing; please acknowledge your inner craving for them!]

Fang Xuan: "......" System, shut up.

Uh...I feel physically nauseous...?

Anyone who didn't know better would think he was eating...something...weird stuff...

.......