Dual cultivation makes you stronger, everyone else is a prodigy, and I'm the only one slacking

As the sun begins to set in the west...

She had just pushed open the courtyard gate, ready to go out for a walk.

Looking up, I saw Lu Mingyu standing at the gate of the courtyard.

He stood with his back to the courtyard gate, his posture upright, yet he exuded a weariness that she couldn't quite describe.

Hearing footsteps, Lu Mingyu turned around.

Yu Luoning noticed that his eyes were bluish, as if he hadn't slept well.

Yu Luoning's eyebrows twitched slightly: "Brother Lu, what brings you here?"

Lu Mingyu opened his mouth.

He seemed to want to say something, but swallowed it back, and finally just whispered:

"Miss Luo Ning, I have a favor to ask of you."

Yu Luoning didn't agree immediately. Instead, she asked, "You want my help? You should at least let me know what it is first, right?"

Lu Mingyu was a little embarrassed, so he said with difficulty, "Actually, I wanted to find Senior Brother Shi, but outer disciples cannot enter the inner sect without permission, so I would like to ask Miss Luo Ning to pass on a message for me."

He didn't mention that it was about Lu Feishuang.

He knew that Lu Feishuang's branding incident had already offended Yu Luoning to the point of no return.

Yu Luoning glanced at him but didn't make things difficult: "There's no need to pass on a message. Just wait a moment, he'll come later on his own. The sect has cultivation tasks during the day, so he usually comes in the evening."

Lu Mingyu was delighted to hear that Shi Shangxu would be coming, but then he looked at Yu Luoning, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes:

"...Miss Luo Ning and her cousin have a really good relationship."

Yu Luoning could naturally understand the boy's thoughts. But what could she do when this boy wasn't listed in the illustrated guide?

She's always been practical in her work, even when it comes to dating; she only dates people she knows from her profile. Otherwise, she sees it as a waste of time.

Yu Luoning invited Lu Mingyu into the courtyard, asked him to sit down, and poured him a cup of tea.

The two chatted casually, and she didn't ask many questions, but she had already guessed most of it. As expected, it was mostly about Lu Feishuang.

As dusk fell, a gentle knock was heard on the courtyard gate.

Shi Shangxu pushed open the door and entered, dressed in a blue robe, his hair still damp with the night dew from the mountains.

He immediately spotted Lu Mingyu sitting in the courtyard, his eyebrows twitching slightly, clearly somewhat surprised.

"Young Master Lu?"

Lu Mingyu stood up and cupped his hands in greeting: "Senior Brother Shi."

Shi Shangxu's gaze lingered on his face for a moment.

Without saying much, he looked at Yu Luoning.

Yu Luoning smiled at him: "Brother Lu needs to see you."

Shi Shangxu then turned around, his expression becoming serious: "Junior Brother Lu, please speak."

Lu Mingyu remained silent for a moment before finally speaking.

"Senior Brother Shi, Miss Luo Ning... Actually, I came for my elder sister."

He spoke slowly and deliberately: "You should all know about my sister... being branded."

Yu Luoning's eyelashes drooped slightly.

Shi Shangxu also remained silent.

Since the branding incident, Shi Shangxu has unilaterally refused to associate with Lu Feishuang, even though they both come from Sichuan and it is not easy for them to reach the upper sect.

During this time, Lu Feishuang contacted him several times, still hoping to maintain the alliance.

Shi Shangxu refused, and afterwards, he knew nothing about her.

Lu Mingyu and Mo Fei were on good terms with Luo Ning, so out of consideration for Luo Ning, they naturally didn't mention Lu Feishuang much.

He had been in the sect for almost a month now, and he really didn't know anything about Lu Feishuang's current situation.

Lu Mingyu continued, "The sect elders have already taken action regarding the branding once."

"But the mark was etched too deeply, already ingrained in her soul. The elders said that if they forcibly removed it, it might damage my sister's foundation and even harm her path. So in the end, they only dared to remove half of it, leaving that wisp... still in my sister's soul."

His voice grew softer and softer as he spoke.

"These days, my sister has become a bit... obsessed."

"She locks herself in her room all day and won't see anyone. When she does go out, it's only to the library where she looks through deciphered texts. I've spent a lot of spirit stones trying to find out more, but my sister refuses to come out and see me."

"And Ye Yanshan..." Lu Mingyu frowned. "I don't know what she's up to. She keeps coming to see my sister. I'm very worried."

Yu Luoning's gaze sharpened slightly.

Ye Yanshan is Jiang Yuxing's person.

Her going to see Lu Feishuang will definitely not be a good thing.

Lu Mingyu paused, then lowered his head: "Actually, I didn't hear much either. My sister wouldn't tell me. But I think she must be in a lot of pain."

Silence fell over the courtyard for a moment.

Lu Mingyu raised his head, his eyes slightly red: "Senior Brother Shi, I know it's not good to trouble you with this, but I really have no other way."

The Sword Peak Library has far more books than the outer sect's. I... I wanted to ask my senior brother to help me look around and see if there's any ancient book that describes a method for removing this kind of mark.

Even the slightest clue would be helpful.

He paused, then lowered his voice even further: "My elder sister... is the eldest sister in our family."

"From a young age, she was the most competitive person in the family. With many sisters in the family, as the eldest daughter, she always took the lead and bore all the hardships herself without ever complaining."

"If it weren't for me... if it weren't for my brother's incompetence... she wouldn't have pushed herself to this point for me and for the family."

After Lu Mingyu finished speaking, the courtyard fell silent.

Shi Shangxu put down his teacup, his expression solemn. "I've noted this down. I'll go to the Sword Peak Library tomorrow to search for it. If I find any clues, I'll let you know immediately."

Upon hearing this, Lu Mingyu's eyes welled up with tears, and he stood up to offer prayers.

Shi Shangxu offered a helping hand: "There's no need for that. It's only proper between fellow disciples."

Yu Luoning sat to the side, remaining silent for a long time.

Noticing her silence, Shi Shangxu turned his head and asked, "Luoning, what do you think?"

Lu Mingyu also turned to look at her, his eyes filled with a hint of caution.

Yu Luoning raised her eyes to look at Lu Mingyu, then at Shi Shangxu, and finally slowly spoke: "I might actually have a way to resolve the issue of the brand."

The moment the words left his mouth, the two people in the courtyard were both stunned.

Lu Mingyu was taken aback: "Miss Luo Ning, you...you mean you have a way?"

Shi Shangxu's gaze also fixed on her.

Yu Luoning's eyes remained calm: "I'm just saying that I might have a way, but I'll have to try it myself."

"But I have to make this clear from the start: I don't want to help others for no reason and then get bitten in return."

Lu Mingyu lowered his eyes, his face slightly flushed: "That's how it is. Last time, elder sister... I apologized to Miss Luo Ning on her behalf."

Yu Luoning: "What does this have to do with you?"

"Back then, your sister blamed me for the incident involving the mark. Later, I produced the recording stone, and although the matter was outwardly resolved, she never apologized to me privately."

Lu Mingyu opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.

Yu Luoning added, "She is your sister. Whether she is a strong-willed legitimate daughter or a pillar who shoulders everything for the family, I will not comment."

To me, she's someone who blames my misfortunes on me, and who knows she's wrong but refuses to admit it.

"I won't stop my cousin from searching through the library to help you; it's his decision. But I don't want to be a pushover anymore."

Lu Mingyu lowered his eyes, and the courtyard fell silent once more.

Shi Shangxu didn't speak either. He knew Luo Ning's personality and that she was in the right in this matter.

He quietly placed his hand on the back of her hand and pressed it lightly, almost imperceptibly.

He supported every decision she made.

Yu Luoning felt the warmth on the back of his hand. She turned her head to look at him, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.

Lu Mingyu looked embarrassed, and he awkwardly placed his hands in front of him. "Miss Luo Ning, this matter was indeed my sister's fault, but there is no other way at the moment. I can only shamelessly ask you for help."

Of course, I won't let Miss Luo Ning work for nothing; I'm willing to exchange one of my Lu family's magic treasures for her.

As he spoke, he took something out of his Qiankun bag and placed it on the stone table.