Chapter 057: Jiaojiao

Chapter 057: Jiaojiao

The sensation of vertigo still hadn't disappeared. It was only when the voice of System 626 automatically turned off the pain suppression feature that Lin Miao was jolted awake.

He still couldn't open his eyes, but he could smell the herbal fragrance in the room.

Unlike the scent of traditional Chinese medicine, this rich herbal aroma seemed to have an effect of its own, offering an invigorating and soothing sensation. Just a whiff of it made his whole body feel relaxed.

It was an ethereal scent, distinct from incense, perfume, or essential oils. Clearly medicinal, yet it carried a delicate fragrance that gently soothed the restlessness within his organs.

As the herbal aroma worked its way through his body, the dizzying sensation gradually subsided.

Lin Miao's eyelids fluttered, and he finally managed to open his eyes.

What greeted him was a beam running across the roof, a structure with an ancient architectural style that didn't quite resemble the decor of the cultivation world. The interior of the room was rather plain, leading Lin Miao to guess that Feng Yehan must have placed him in the home of a nearby villager. After all, his identity was unclear, and he had appeared in the lair of a demonic beast. Even Feng Yehan wouldn't easily bring him back to the sect... right?

As Lin Miao opened his eyes, he heard movement nearby. He turned his head slightly and saw the man in snow-white robes approaching, sitting down by his bedside.

"Your body is too weak to withstand the effects of medicinal pills. For now, we can only use this herbal aroma to regulate your condition. Don't try to get up yet. Once the poison in your body is neutralized, you'll recover."

In the original story, Feng Yehan wasn't a man of many words. He had little patience even for his own disciples. He only took in geniuses and never wasted words on those without talent. Yet, here he was, speaking softly and reassuringly to Lin Miao, a young man with a mixed spiritual root.

Lin Miao couldn't help but marvel at the power of the world's will. Even an ice cube like Feng Yehan seemed to melt into a sugar cube in his presence.

Well... perhaps a clear gummy candy was a better comparison.

If others were to see Feng Yehan, a man known for his cold and ruthless demeanor, acting like this, they might be so shocked that they wouldn't be able to eat for three days.

Lin Miao still couldn't speak. The poison in his body hadn't been completely neutralized, and he couldn't move either. He merely lifted a finger slightly, hooking it around the cold knuckle of the man sitting by his bedside.

Lin Miao thought that Feng Yehan's character design really was modeled after an ice cube. Even his hands felt like snow.

But in truth, there was someone in their sect even colder than Feng Yehan. However, no matter how aloof these people were originally, after seeing Lin Miao... well.

Lin Miao hooked his finger around Feng Yehan's, his fingertip soft and warm due to the lingering poison in his body, as if it could burn someone.

The finger he was holding paused for a moment but ultimately didn't pull away.

Lin Miao smiled softly at the man, his eyes curving slightly. He mouthed the words "thank you," though no sound came out. Yet, he saw Feng Yehan's frost-covered expression soften.

"Rest well. I'll go prepare some medicine for you."

Feng Yehan made an excuse to leave, but Lin Miao kept his gaze on him. He didn't have many thoughts, perhaps just observing, not thinking of anything in particular. But those wet, glistening eyes of his looked so pitiful that Feng Yehan, feeling somewhat flustered, couldn't bring himself to walk away.

The man reached out and brushed aside the stray hairs on Lin Miao's forehead, his tone gentle. "Sleep. I'll stay here with you."

Lin Miao: "..."

Wait, this man's mood changes faster than flipping a book.

But he did feel a bit drowsy. He nuzzled against the fingertip that hadn't moved away, then closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Lin Miao didn't dare return to the system space casually, fearing that Feng Yehan's spiritual sense might detect it, which would be hard to explain.

With nothing else to pass the time, he truly fell into a deep sleep.

When he woke up again, the man in snow-white robes was still sitting by his bedside.

The heavy, painful sensation in his body had completely disappeared. Lin Miao felt like he could now jump three feet high and punch through a bull.

Is this the cultivation world? Even the medicinal fragrance alone, not to mention the elixirs, is potent enough to cure such severe demon poison.

Lin Miao had no clue that as a sect elder, Feng Yehan's elixirs were way out of reach for ordinary disciples. Just the fragrance of these elixirs was worth several months' worth of allowances for outer sect disciples combined.

Feng Yehan helped him sit up, and only then did Lin Miao realize he was still wearing that nearly transparent thin garment. What covered him wasn't a quilt but Feng Yehan's outer robe, which had slipped off as he sat up, revealing his almost transparent clothing.

The man helping him slightly looked away, acting quite the gentleman. With a quick hand gesture, he magically produced a set of disciple robes.

"There's water in the room. After you bathe, use these robes for now. If needed, I'll take you to the market later to buy more."

After giving these instructions, Feng Yehan stood up and left without a backward glance, his steps quick and purposeful.

This man could have used a simple cleansing spell to clean Lin Miao thoroughly, but surprisingly, he seemed a bit shy, leaving a set of robes and hurrying away.

Not exactly what he had expected...

Lin Miao didn't pay it much mind. He folded the outer robe he had been wearing and placed it aside, then removed his thin garment and stepped into the bathtub to clean himself.

Having just spent time in a palace in his previous world, Lin Miao was quite familiar with ancient utensils and clothing. He quickly cleaned himself up and changed into the disciple robes.

The robes Feng Yehan had chosen seemed to reflect his own preferences—pure white disciple robes with intricate dark patterns. But as Lin Miao ran his fingers over the fabric, he felt a strange sensation, as if this wasn't just a piece of clothing but a magical artifact.

Probably just his imagination.

But why would Feng Yehan carry disciple robes with him?

These questions left Lin Miao feeling somewhat bewildered, as if this world wasn't quite right.

He called up the system to check, but it found nothing out of the ordinary.

Weird.

After putting on the robes, Lin Miao noticed that they weren't entirely white. The cuffs, collar, and hem were embroidered with light golden threads, and even the waistband was golden. These colors... reminded Lin Miao of the color of Feng Yehan's eyes.

Does this man only like white and gold?

There was no mirror in the room, but the robes fit perfectly. Lin Miao twirled around a couple of times, feeling that there were no issues with his appearance, and then went out to find Feng Yehan.

The man was standing outside the door, his back to the house, gazing into the distance.

The house was quite secluded, with no other homes around. It was unclear how Feng Yehan had found this place.

Probably because the plot required it.

"Immortal Lord," Lin Miao called out, realizing his voice had also recovered. However, due to his young age, his voice still carried a somewhat childish tone.

What a naturally soft and adorable saintly body.

Lin Miao had just thought of this term when he was struck by how ridiculous it sounded.

Don't curse yourself like that. He wasn't a bottom! No, he didn't want to be a bottom!!! This was the cultivation world, where physical abilities were even more extraordinary than in places where you needed to climb walls to enter. He didn't want anything to happen, or he might really die here.

Lin Miao quickly shook off these thoughts. He had to believe in the male lead, who would take everything from him, including the affection these men had for him.

Yes, "these."

The male lead would later become the white moonlight of the entire cultivation world, from the master to the senior brothers, junior brothers, the Demon Lord, and even Lin Miao's own brother who always sided with outsiders! Everyone would love the male lead but be unable to have him!

Among them were even the Demon Lord and his son, making quite the spectacle. But this is Jinjiang, what can you do even with numbers on your side?

Lin Miao confirmed where he was and felt a sense of relief.

Feng Yehan looked down at the teenager beside him, his voice deep.

"Do you remember why you appeared in that forest?"

Lin Miao nodded. Although he didn't remember, and the book didn't mention it, the system had stored the character's backstory, so he could naturally answer.

"I went to the mountains to gather herbs, and then I met..." At this point, Lin Miao suddenly turned pale, his voice choked as if recalling something utterly terrifying, unable to continue.

The man's hand gently landed on his head: "If you're scared, don't recall it. I already know."

Lin Miao nodded with trembling eyelashes, quickly glossing over his origins.

He fabricated a story of being an orphan raised by the charity of many, with a grandmother who was a village shaman, so no one dared to bully him, though others were afraid to play with him.

With his grandmother old and unable to walk well, Lin Miao had to gather herbs alone in the mountains.

This story was perfect, even explaining the faint trace of malevolent energy in Lin Miao's body.

It was a sign of his demonic bloodline awakening. Lin Miao was a hybrid of immortal and demon, making it impossible for him to survive in the Demon Realm. Demons and demonic creatures saw him as food; if not for being the Demon Lord's son, he would have been devoured, body and soul.

The only solution was to cultivate in the cultivation world. With sufficient cultivation, he could mask his demonic bloodline and aura.

But Lin Miao miscalculated one thing. Being the Demon Lord's son, he was different from the usual offspring of demons and ordinary cultivators. His demonic bloodline would become purer and stronger with increased cultivation, forcing him to extract the protagonist's spiritual root to suppress his demonic bloodline.

It was also because Lin Miao's demonic bloodline was too pure and advanced that even Feng Yehan initially failed to detect it.

Lin Miao certainly couldn't tell Feng Yehan his true background, but by lowering his eyelashes and tearfully playing the victim, Feng Yehan believed him completely.

As for the shaman grandmother, it was purely Lin Miao's fabrication, as Feng Yehan would never meet that mortal, merely sending some wealth and taking Lin Miao to the cultivation world.

Feng Yehan seemed like a greedy collector who wanted to possess a treasure without delay, not allowing Lin Miao any refusal.

But Lin Miao intended to use Feng Yehan to enter the cultivation world, hence taking this risky step, nearly losing his life.

Fortunately, it worked.

Hearing Lin Miao's tragic backstory, Feng Yehan asked if he would like to follow him to the cultivation world.

His body was too weak; staying in the mortal world, he might not live to adulthood.

Of course, this was Feng Yehan's scare tactic.

Lin Miao pretended to be frightened but hesitated, worrying about his shaman grandmother, an old woman with mobility issues, unlikely to live out her natural life.

Feng Yehan then took out a jade pendant, summoned a crane, and had the crane deliver the pendant to the grandmother's address, along with a letter from Lin Miao.

Feng Yehan showed a bit more appreciation upon realizing Lin Miao could read and write.

A clean, beautiful, and filial teenager, gentle in character, different from the illiterate fools, and considerate, seemed very endearing.

The crane, a life given by paper-cutting, delivered the items and reverted to its original form, never revealing the grandmother's reaction to receiving the pendant.

After ensuring his adoptive grandmother was cared for, Lin Miao felt relieved and respectfully prepared to kneel and call Feng Yehan his master.

"No need for that. From now on, you are my closed-door disciple. No one in this world will make you kneel."

Lin Miao: "..."

Perfect, the vibe is spot on.

He looked at Feng Yehan with a mix of timidity and excitement, his voice gentle and sweet: "Thank you, Master."

The golden pupils darkened, yet his expression remained gentle.

"Typically, ordinary people need to start cultivating from a young age, absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth..." Feng Yehan began explaining the basics of cultivation to Lin Miao on the spot.

In essence, Lin Miao had already missed the optimal time to start cultivating. If he began now, not only would his progress be slow, but his foundation would also be unstable, limiting the ultimate level he could reach and shortening his lifespan.

Lin Miao's eyes showed concern and disappointment, but he managed a smile at Feng Yehan.

"It's okay, Master. I can endure hardship. Just being able to meet you and follow you in cultivation is already enough for me..."

Feng Yehan looked down at him, his gaze even gentler, as if it could melt into water.

"You are my closed-door disciple, and of course, I won't let you suffer." Feng Yehan took out a pill. "This pill can cleanse and refine your meridians, but the process will be a bit painful. Take it with a drop of my blood, and it will help you withstand the pain. Once you fully absorb the pill, you can step into the Qi Refining stage."

Lin Miao was completely stunned.

For ordinary people, it could take three to five years, and even the most talented geniuses would need months to reach the Qi Refining stage. Yet, with just one pill, he could advance directly. He wouldn't even feel the pain!

Lin Miao was almost ready to kneel and call him "Father" on the spot.

As they say, a teacher for a day is a father for life. Lin Miao declared that from now on, Feng Yehan would be his father in all but blood!

"But... Master, your blood," he said with concern, looking at Feng Yehan. "Won't it hurt you?"

Rarely, the man with a frosty expression showed a hint of a smile at the corner of his eyes: "Physical pain is nothing for cultivators. Don't worry about it."

Lin Miao blinked, hesitating slightly before nodding.

Feng Yehan took out the pill and placed it in Lin Miao's palm. Without a second thought, Lin Miao put the pill in his mouth.

He had expected the cultivation world's pills to be like the maltose treats from TV dramas, where you'd at least have to chew a couple of times. But the pill, about the size of half a thumb, dissolved into thin air the moment it entered his mouth, disappearing in an instant.

Before Lin Miao could even react, a faint pain began to spread from his abdomen to his chest. It felt as if a massive black hole had formed inside his body, threatening to collapse him entirely.

Feng Yehan cut his finger in front of him, and Lin Miao, almost instinctively, opened his mouth and sucked on the fingertip before it even reached him.

It was cold, like swallowing a soft piece of ice.

The blood spread across his tongue, turning into warm streams that flowed into his limbs, enveloping and eroding the bone-chilling pain, completely purging it from his body.

Lin Miao's heart trembled with pain, and his eyes seemed to glisten with tears, though it was hard to tell. His slightly reddened eyes appeared even more captivating, and his pitiful demeanor was enough to stir one's heart.

Like a kitten, once he felt better, he became unsatisfied, gently licking the wound with his tongue, craving more.

The finger in his mouth was pulled away, and the wound on Feng Yehan's fingertip healed rapidly. This was the basic regenerative ability of someone at his cultivation level; even ordinary weapons couldn't harm his body.

But the soft, warm tongue, like that of a kitten, seemed to burn him.

Under the silver hair, his fair skin took on a faint pink hue, and even the tips of his ears turned red.

Lin Miao didn't notice the blush. His vision was blurred, and he felt dizzy, as if drunk, his body weak and collapsing.

The man in front of him sighed helplessly and pulled him into his arms. His gentle voice seemed distant: "You've taken in too much blood and can't absorb it. Don't move; I'll help you regulate your meridians."

Lin Miao obediently nestled in the other's arms, feeling lightheaded with a faint blush on his face, instinctively curling up like a soft, white dumpling of milk.

Curling up further, he let out an uncomfortable muffled groan, then whispered an apology so softly it was almost inaudible.

The only response was a gentle pinch on his earlobe.

Feng Yehan unfolded a crane, holding Lin Miao as they mounted it. Soon, the two soared into the sky like the wind.

The wind was strong during the flight, and a protective barrier was activated around the crane. As they ascended, the chill intensified, prompting Lin Miao to nestle deeper into the embrace that carried a hint of cold fragrance.

Just as he was about to drift off again, Lin Miao felt a slight prick on his head. It didn’t hurt, but it jolted him awake.

Something was wrong, very wrong!

When had he become so soft and delicate?! This didn’t feel like the vibrant energy of a fifteen or sixteen-year-old. Instead, he felt like he was melting into a pool of spring water!

Lin Miao felt a deep sense of fear, as if the soul in this body was no longer his own.

"System!" he shouted in his mind, "What’s going on? Why have I suddenly become so... so..."

Because it was an internal dialogue, the word surfaced directly in his thoughts.

"Delicate..."

Lin Miao was reluctant to admit it, but the word "delicate" had somehow become a part of his identity. Recalling his recent actions, especially referring to himself as "Miao Miao," he felt a wave of nausea.

It felt like he was the one who had been possessed!

"Host, there’s no need to panic. This is a normal phenomenon," System 626 explained slowly.

It turned out that to facilitate the progression of the plot, official employees would undergo a certain degree of fusion with the original character’s personality after entering the book world. This fusion, based on the employee’s own personality, was like putting on a new set of clothes. In this world, some habits of the original character would transfer to the employee, but once they left the world, they would return to their original state, as if "shedding" those clothes.

This fusion wouldn’t have any lasting impact on the employee, as it was merely a temporary change. The essence of the employee’s soul would remain unchanged, and there would be no lingering effects after leaving the book world.

Lin Miao remained skeptical. Could such a seamless behavioral fusion truly leave no trace once he exited the world?

After repeated assurances from System 626, Lin Miao reluctantly decided to trust it.

After all, he still had many worlds to traverse. If he really brought back habits from these worlds, he would become an extremely contradictory individual.

The Book Crossing Bureau was a high-level organization, so he chose to believe it this time.

As long as he didn’t pay too much attention, he probably wouldn’t notice the changes in himself.

Lin Miao could only mentally overcome his transformation.

He had initially admired the original character’s appearance, but if it came with such an affected personality, he’d rather go back to being a man.

With this delicate personality and this face, he wouldn’t even need to lift a finger to attract a group of devoted followers.

Endure it, pretend it’s not him. Once he left this book world, he would never let anyone know about this experience!

It was an absolute blight on his record. He would never choose such a role again, QAQ.

Warm and steady internal energy flowed through the veins where his wrist was touched. Feng Yehan helped Lin Miao fully absorb the blood in his body. Once Lin Miao had completely absorbed it, he found that his cultivation had reached the astonishing peak of the Qi Refining stage. It wouldn’t be long before he broke through and left the beginner’s range.

Lin Miao suddenly thought, maybe being a little delicate wasn’t so bad. He loved the feeling of effortlessly winning too much.

Feng Yehan flew him back to the sect. Since Lin Miao had just absorbed Feng Yehan’s blood, his body hadn’t fully recovered yet.

Perhaps there was another layer of personal intent.

Feng Yehan did not want Lin Miao to be seen by other disciples in the sect.

His face was too captivating; if other disciples saw it, his Chuyun Peak would never have peace again.

Unfortunately, Feng Yehan miscalculated one step.

Even if he kept it from others in the sect, just the disciples from their own school would be enough to cause chaos.

Feng Yehan was a sect elder, and the sect's no-fly rules did not constrain him. He brought a stranger back, and naturally, no one dared to question his actions.

He held a high status in the sect due to his extraordinary talent and rare mutated ice spiritual root, which was pure and profound. At a young age, he had already taken the position of an elder, opening his own peak. His sect had a thousand disciples, but only six were inner disciples. With Lin Miao's arrival, he became the youngest inner disciple, ranking seventh.

Chuyun Peak's status in the entire sect was as enviable as Feng Yehan's, a coveted place.

Even for outer disciples, it was a position that geniuses fought tooth and nail to compete for.

However, Feng Yehan never taught outer disciples; their education was managed by his few inner disciples.

As for these inner disciples, they were the most prominent supporting characters in this book.

When Feng Yehan brought Lin Miao back to Chuyun Peak, several inner disciples were also cultivating.

Seeing their master bring a strange teenager in a somewhat intimate manner, they all put down their tasks and came to the main hall to pay their respects.

Lin Miao was not tall and couldn't even jump off the crane directly. Feng Yehan did not undo the paper crane's transformation and personally carried him down.

Several disciples, who held high status outside, knelt in front of the hall, respectfully saluting Feng Yehan.

Lin Miao was startled by this scene and timidly hid behind Feng Yehan, peeking out with half his head.

However, these disciples were quite disciplined, and not one dared to look up secretly.

Lin Miao glanced around; there were four people present.

The eldest senior brother, Jiang Yuanye, the third senior sister, Song Qingzhou, the fourth senior brother, Wen Hexing, and the sixth senior brother, You Su.

The second-ranked Kong Shu (zhu) and the fifth-ranked protagonist, Chi Yu, were absent.

The protagonist, Chi Yu, had been on the verge of death and was reborn for some reason, so he couldn't make it for now. As for the second senior brother... he was the sword cultivator who practiced the path of emotionlessness, sometimes even daring to disregard Feng Yehan's face.

Feng Yehan valued talent, so he overlooked the other's rudeness. After announcing to everyone that Lin Miao was the inner disciple, he glanced at the people below.

"Where is Chi Yu?" Feng Yehan's tone was somewhat displeased, forgetting to hide it even in front of Lin Miao.

Regarding the protagonist Chi Yu, in this book, he was somewhat like air.

Before his rebirth, Chi Yu was diligent and took care of the entire school meticulously, always low-key and never seeking credit. Therefore, everyone felt his presence but also couldn't do without him.

For example, Feng Yehan, even as the master of Chuyun Peak, never inquired about the peak's affairs. Any orders he gave would naturally be carried out by someone, and these tasks would ultimately fall on Chi Yu. Thus, Feng Yehan had become accustomed to entrusting everything to Chi Yu.

Like now, all matters concerning Lin Miao's food, clothing, shelter, and daily life after entering the peak would be perfectly arranged by Chi Yu with just a call.

Chi Yu could even discern emotions that Feng Yehan himself hadn't noticed, arranging the best resources and the most comfortable, closest residence to the main peak for Lin Miao.

But with Chi Yu absent, entrusting these tasks to others might not yield the same satisfaction.

"Reporting to Master, Junior Brother Chi Yu was injured while sealing the beast tide a few days ago and only woke up today. He is still recuperating." With Chi Yu absent, these matters fell to the eldest senior brother, Jiang Yuanye.

This Jiang Yuanye was the first disciple Feng Yehan took in. Though his talent was average, his temper was quite good. At the time, Feng Yehan, who had just become a master, looked down on his eldest disciple's aptitude. However, having no other choice, he picked someone with a good temper to manage the various affairs of the peak for him.

But who would willingly accept being average? Moreover, Jiang Yuanye was the eldest senior brother, yet his talent and cultivation were the weakest among all the disciples. Fortunately, Chi Yu was considerate and willing to share the burden. Jiang Yuanye thus entrusted all the affairs of the sect to him and focused on his own cultivation.

Now, he hadn't had time to cultivate for several days and couldn't help but feel some resentment towards Chi Yu for falling ill at such a time. However, he wouldn't show it in front of Feng Yehan.

Feng Yehan frowned slightly and said, "You're always slacking off. Instead of wasting time, you should think about how to improve your cultivation."

But perhaps because Chi Yu wasn't there, his scolding went unnoticed. Moreover, Feng Yehan didn't want to appear too harsh in front of Lin Miao, so he didn't continue. Instead, he tossed a bottle of medicinal pills to Jiang Yuanye, instructing him to give them to Chi Yu for recovery.

Feng Yehan also handed over Lin Miao to Jiang Yuanye, asking him to take care of everything. Although Jiang Yuanye's expression showed some displeasure, he thought that since even Chi Yu could handle these tasks, so it would be embarrassing to admit he couldn't. So, he swallowed his pride but secretly added another grievance against Chi Yu in his heart.

Getting injured at the busiest time for the sect, Chi Yu must be avoiding responsibility.

Because of his dislike for Chi Yu, Jiang Yuanye prioritized settling Lin Miao.

Though he hadn't managed the peak's affairs for many years, he still knew how to read the room.

The child his master brought back had even less talent than he had, yet he was taken in as the youngest disciple.

Moreover, Jiang Yuanye sensed a familiar aura on Lin Miao. His master seemed like a territorial animal, eager to declare to the world that this little boy was his possession.

Being quick-witted, Jiang Yuanye naturally didn't get too close to Lin Miao. Even after spending so much time together, he hadn't even glanced at the boy's face.

"The inner affairs peak is too far, and you haven't learned to fly yet. Wait here, and I'll get your things and set everything up for you," Jiang Yuanye instructed Lin Miao before preparing to leave.

"Senior brother," a small hand gently tugged at his sleeve, the grip not too strong.

It was a slender, delicate hand, likely belonging to someone young. Even with long fingers, it looked quite tender, like that of a young master who had never done manual labor.

"Didn't Master ask you to deliver medicine to... um, Senior Brother Chi Yu? After all, it's Master's order. Neglecting it might lead to punishment. I can handle these small tasks slowly on my own..."

Lin Miao's voice sounded timid. This was the first time he had actively spoken to Jiang Yuanye. Previously, he had only responded when asked.

For once, Jiang Yuanye finally turned to look at the teenager he had been busy attending to.

Even Jiang Yuanye, who was accustomed to seeing cultivators, couldn't help but be momentarily stunned by the boy's appearance.

As cultivators' cultivation improves, their appearance also changes. At certain levels, they can even reshape their bodies and completely alter their looks.

It can be said that those with high cultivation levels are never ugly. Even the most ordinary-looking individuals exude an immortal aura due to their presence.

But this teenager before him had clearly just started cultivating and hadn't even broken through the Qi Refining stage, yet he already possessed a breathtakingly beautiful appearance.

Moreover, the child was exceptionally understanding and didn't act spoiled despite being young and the master's youngest disciple.

Jiang Yuanye softened a bit, "It's fine. Chi Yu has already woken up and will recover in a few days of cultivation. You haven't undergone body refining or fasting yet. Master has an ice spiritual root, and when he cultivates, the surrounding mountains will snow. If we don't prepare early, your body might not withstand it."

Lin Miao let go, looking somewhat guilty.

"Don't worry, the inner affairs peak isn't far. Just sit here and wait for me. I'll be back soon," Jiang Yuanye said, even pouring a cup of tea for Lin Miao.

Lin Miao nodded obediently, thanking him softly. He picked up the steaming tea, blowing on it gently.

With a simple spell, Jiang Yuanye could have cooled the tea instantly. But as he watched those moist red lips, he suddenly felt... thirsty.

The young man averted his gaze and left in a hurry after uttering a few words.

The water was still too hot.

Lin Miao sipped the tea slowly, marveling to himself, with System 626 chiming in, about how the cultivation world was indeed extraordinary—even the tea was delightful, sweet and refreshing, purifying his entire being with each sip.

System 626 lamented that it couldn't taste the tea.

While Lin Miao and System 626 were chatting in his mind, he suddenly heard footsteps approaching from not far away.

The keen senses he had developed in the previous world seemed even more acute in this one, especially after reaching the Qi Refining Stage. Lin Miao could even hear the faint flutter of an insect's wings in the bamboo grove outside.

Rumor had it that cultivators in the cultivation world could scan a large area with their spiritual sense, almost like an X-ray, and Lin Miao was somewhat looking forward to experiencing that.

The footsteps sounded somewhat carefree, and the person seemed to be toying with something. Lin Miao could even catch a faint rustle of wind from it.

When the person entered the room, Lin Miao finally saw what they were holding.

It was a jade flute, entirely emerald green and crystal clear, even more beautiful than the artificially dyed jadeite Lin Miao had seen online.

But Lin Miao figured the jade flute was probably natural, given the cultivation world's lack of advanced tech.

"Sixth Senior Brother..." Lin Miao immediately stood up and cautiously greeted the person.

Lin Miao genuinely felt a bit... wary of this scheming, smiling tiger.

Having read the original story, he knew his senior brothers and sisters well, so this sudden visit made him wary.

It was obvious this guy was up to no good, probably here to mess with him.

"Junior Brother, I only entered the sect a little over a decade before you. Just call me Senior Brother—calling me Sixth Senior Brother feels too distant," You Su said, twirling the jade flute in his hand with a warm smile that could easily make one think he was approachable.

"Yes, Senior Brother," Lin Miao replied, still playing the role of the obedient junior, obediently changing his address.

You Su seemed quite pleased with this and casually sat down, pouring himself a cup of tea. When he saw the tea, he let out a brief, silent chuckle, as if mocking something.

Then he knocked back the tea in one go.

"Don't be so nervous, Junior Brother. I'm quite easy to get along with. I was originally going to check on Chi Yu's condition, but I passed by and thought you might be feeling out of place as a newcomer, so I came to see how you're doing," You Su said, putting down the jade flute and fixing his gaze on Lin Miao's face, openly observing his expression before continuing.

"Speaking of which, Junior Brother, you haven't met Chi Yu yet, have you? Since I'm heading over there, would you like to come along and meet your Fifth Senior Brother?"