Brother, how come you're a witch?

A slender figure amidst the bustling crowd at the market.

He was dressed in a simple inner disciple's uniform, his black hair tied up in a simple style, making him indistinguishable from the outer disciples passing by.

If Su Yan hadn't been so familiar with her figure and demeanor, and hadn't noticed the flying sword with white tassels always hanging from her waist, he would have almost missed her.

It is Liu Baishuang.

She actually went out to play again, and so blatantly at that.

Su Yan immediately wanted to go over and see what was going on, but a pair of icy little hands pressed down on his front shoulder and side, making it impossible for him to get away.

He lowered his head and met a pair of slightly cold, dark eyes.

"Xiao Ye."

Su Yan's lips twitched, and he patted the little sword ancestor's shoulder, intending to talk to her about dedication and ideals.

Although we did agree to go shopping together, saving the world is also really important.

You promised me.

Ye Jingqiu's tone remained calm, but his voice was lower than usual.

Su Yan froze on the spot under her unquestionable gaze, the profound truth he wanted to say stuck in his throat, leaving him speechless for a moment.

"I......"

He opened his mouth, and Ye Jingqiu's eyes, which were usually like deep pools, were now covered with frost, clearly reflecting his figure, with a subtle shimmer within them.

"Okay, okay, okay."

Su Yan raised his hands in surrender:

"I'll go shopping with you, but at least let go of my hand first, or I'll hurt myself by pressing it too hard."

Ye Jingqiu stared at him for two seconds before slowly releasing her grip.

Su Yan felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He rubbed his aching shoulders and kept his gaze fixed on Ye Jingqiu, no longer looking at the shop entrance.

Let the world wait one more day; he has to stay with Little Sword Ancestor now.

"Come on, Master Ye, let me focus on choosing one for you now."

Su Yan put on a smile, trying to dispel the slight awkwardness from before, picked up a light-colored dress with cloud patterns, and handed it to Ye Jingqiu:

"What do you think of this one? The color is one you usually like to wear, and the style is... a bit softer?"

Ye Jingqiu's gaze lingered on the garment for a moment before shifting to Su Yan's face, as if assessing his sincerity.

It seems he doesn't like it very much...

Su Yan sighed inwardly. He had always felt that Ye Jingqiu was more suited to wearing cute and well-behaved dresses, rather than following Liu Baishuang's lively and girlish style.

Let me pick some more for you.

Su Yan turned around and continued to choose from the dazzling array of brightly colored dresses.

He could sense that Ye Jingqiu was watching his back like a supervisor, so he dared not be negligent in the slightest.

But suddenly, he felt that there was an extra gaze fixed on him from behind.

Su Yan frowned and turned around, only to find that the slender figure who had been walking through the crowd was now standing at the entrance of the clothing shop, her gaze fixed on Su Yan for a long time.

The little vixen discovered him... Su Yan felt that the possibility of the world being beyond saving had increased even more.

There was silence for a moment.

The two stared at each other in silence, with Ye Jingqiu's upper head between them.

Ye Jingqiu looked up at Su Yan, then turned to look at Liu Baishuang standing at the door, then turned back to look at Su Yan again, her little brain seemingly unable to figure out what to do now.

She stopped Su Yan from going to find Liu Baishuang, but she couldn't stop the other woman from coming closer to her.

No, it's not unstoppable. There's one more thing she can do, and is best at...

Draw your sword—

Didn't pull it out.

Seeing that something was wrong, Su Yan rubbed her head vigorously, and all her strength seemed to dissipate, letting out a very soft "uh-uh".

"Pfft."

Seeing this scene, Liu Baishuang suddenly smiled and walked into the shop.

The clothing store wasn't large; she approached it in a few breaths, carefully scrutinizing Su Yan from head to toe. Suddenly, she extended her jade-like hand:

"fine."

"what?"

Su Yan was taken aback and didn't react for a moment.

But then she remembered that Liu Baishuang was indeed a member of the Enforcement Disciple Committee for this year, but she only held the title and did not actually do anything.

However, the authority to punish an outer disciple who stole inner sect robes still exists.

"Did you come all this way just to fine me?"

Su Yan was speechless. He wanted to say that they had some connection, so maybe they should skip it... But then he thought that this kind of behavior of trying to build a relationship was not proper and that he couldn't corrupt the little vixen and pollute her pure mind, so he decided to admit defeat and pay up.

"Just trying to scare you... but given our relationship, let's skip that."

Liu Baishuang blinked, her tone light and cheerful.

Su Yan's hand, which was about to take out money, froze. He raised his eyes strangely and looked at the little vixen in front of him.

Liu Baishuang seemed different today; something about her seemed to have changed.

Temperament? Tone of voice? Or even way of thinking?

Su Yan inexplicably felt that Liu Baishuang in front of him seemed to be on the same wavelength as him in terms of thought.

"Looking at it now, you can't recognize me?"

Liu Baishuang met Su Yan's gaze gracefully, slightly raising her chin to reveal her slender, snow-white neck.

Su Yan was slightly lost in thought. The little vixen seemed to have a strange attraction to him today. A subtle and inconspicuous action of hers could just hit him right away.

"...I almost didn't recognize her; Senior Sister Liu looks very different today."

Su Yan composed himself and answered honestly.

For a fleeting moment, he wondered if the Liu Baishuang in front of him was someone else in disguise, but upon closer inspection, it was indeed her.

"Oh~"

Liu Baishuang raised her voice slightly, wanting to get closer.

Ye Jingqiu immediately moved to the side, blocking Su Yan's path, and confronted the little demoness with a blank expression.

Liu Baishuang wasn't angry. She lightly touched the little sword ancestor's cheek with her gaze and gently shook her head.

"You're still so annoying."

"?"

"Hey, Master Ye, never mind, never mind."

Su Yan stepped forward to restrain Ye Jingqiu, otherwise she might tear down someone else's shop.

"Pfft."

Liu Baishuang smiled again, raising her hand to half-cover her lips.

Her shoulders trembled slightly, and she laughed for a while before stopping, waving to Su Yan and Ye Jingqiu, who was being supported by him.

The little vixen seemed to have nothing more to say. Her gaze lingered on Su Yan's face for a moment before she suddenly turned around and twirled her skirt.

Seeing that she was about to leave, Su Yan quickly called out, "Senior Sister Liu, wait a minute!"

Liu Baishuang paused, turned half her body to the side, and her black hair swayed slightly with the movement.

"What? Is there something else?"

Her voice carried a light, playful tone, unlike her usual reserved or cunning manner.

Su Yan released Ye Jingqiu's hand and stepped forward, with Little Sword Ancestor following closely behind.

"Senior sister... what brings you here today?"

Su Yan asked cautiously, glancing at her ordinary inner sect uniform:

"And... this outfit?"

"Can't I just come out for a walk to clear my head?"

Liu Baishuang blinked, her eyes clear and bright:

"Cultivators are still human after all, and humans need to relax. Too much pressure will prevent them from going far."

Su Yan was slightly taken aback. He, a thousand-year-old sword cultivator, was being lectured on profound principles by a nineteen-year-old girl.

"Su Yan".

Liu Baishuang suddenly called him again, her eyes lowering slightly beneath her long eyelashes:

"Take a rest, you've done a great job."

She turned to leave, and in that fleeting moment of looking down, Su Yan couldn't see her last look.