Nie Shiyun gave a response as requested, though he felt a flicker of doubt.
"What’s wrong? Is he not there?" Qi Xuan’er asked, seeing Qi Miaohan’s strange expression.
"He’s there, but he told us to wait outside for a moment."
After waiting for a good while, Qi Miaohan began to grow impatient, wondering what kind of tricks Nie Shiyun was up to. Just as she was about to send another transmission to inquire, Nie Shiyun personally came to the door and lifted the restrictions for them. "Let’s go inside to talk."
The group looked at each other, wondering if Nie Shiyun had some urgent matter to discuss.
Once they entered the courtyard, Nie Shiyun stopped in his tracks and spoke with great solemnity. "All of you are people I trust, my closest acquaintances. I didn't want to do this, but circumstances are unpredictable. What I am about to say is of great importance to me. I must ask you all to first swear upon your Heart Demons that you will not breathe a word of this to anyone."
"What is it? You’re being so serious," Qi Miaohan said, her brow furrowing.
"It’s mainly because of you," Nie Shiyun said helplessly, leaving Qi Miaohan even more confused.
Nie Xing’an and Qi Xuan’er exchanged a glance. It was one thing for Qi Miaohan to be in the dark, but even they, his fellow sect members, had no idea what was going on. They truly couldn't guess what this was about.
However, the three of them were not guarded against Nie Shiyun. It was merely a matter of keeping a secret, and it wouldn't harm them. Seeing that Nie Shiyun didn't intend to go inside before they complied, they didn't ask further and collectively swore the oath as he requested.
Only then did Nie Shiyun lead them into the house, inviting them to sit in the outer room.
"Cousin, what exactly is going on?" Nie Xing’an couldn't help but ask.
Nie Shiyun cleared his throat. "Actually, I have another guest here today..."
The group was stunned. At that moment, Zhai Bairong, who had just hurriedly tidied his appearance, emerged from the inner chamber. Their expressions instantly froze, and the entire room fell silent.
"How do you two know each other? No—wait, isn't he part of Xu Yehua and Duan Mingyu’s group?" Qi Miaohan cried out in disbelief.
In her mind, Qi Xuan’er was screaming, *Sister, you’ve missed the point!* But she couldn't bring herself to say anything. The man had clearly walked out of her Senior Brother’s inner room, and the way they looked at each other was obviously not that of ordinary acquaintances. Thinking back to how her Senior Brother had been so slow to respond earlier—it was extremely abnormal... As an unmarried young woman, she didn't even know where to look.
Nie Xing’an was also somewhat shocked. The two young girls might not understand, but as a man himself, he recognized certain scents. Perhaps because they had been waiting at the door, the two had been in a rush; although his cousin and this Daoist friend had tidied their appearances, the air was still thick with an indescribable lingering atmosphere. He felt a bit embarrassed, suddenly realizing the three of them must have interrupted something intimate.
Qi Miaohan was usually at the front line whenever there was gossip, yet now that she was witnessing the scene firsthand, she failed to notice the obvious. Nie Shiyun, the party involved, felt a wave of exasperation at her denseness.
"Fellow Daoists, I know you must be filled with doubt. Please, allow me to say a few words," Zhai Bairong said as he sat down, his expression calm.
Nie Shiyun trusted that Zhai Bairong knew what to say and what to keep hidden, so he left the explanation entirely to him.
Zhai Bairong’s tone was very polite. Naturally, he did not mention Nie Shiyun’s unique circumstances, nor did he breathe a word about Duan Mingyu’s Heavenly Yin Physique. He simply stated that he and Nie Shiyun had been close for several years, and because he had certain difficulties, they were forced to maintain this kind of relationship for now. His relationship with Duan Mingyu, he claimed, existed in name only.
He mentioned his dilemma regarding the Cold Ice Sword. First, he wanted to discuss with Qi Miaohan whether they could manipulate tomorrow’s match. Second, he wanted to introduce himself to the people close to Nie Shiyun, lest they end up on opposing sides in the future and accidentally injure their own.
The others sat with their mouths half-open, taking a long time to digest this information.
"Well, that’s a relief. You scared me to death! I thought you found out I gave that guy a beating this afternoon and came here for revenge!" Qi Miaohan said, clutching her chest. "I was saying, what’s so good about that guy? All he does is act pitiful to attract trouble."
Seeing Zhai Bairong could only offer a bitter smile, Nie Shiyun stepped in to smooth things over. "Let’s not talk about him; it’s in the past. Why don't we discuss tomorrow’s matter?"
"Oh, right. I’ve been listening for a while, and your point is that you don't want to be first, and you definitely don't want that sword?" Qi Miaohan looked at Zhai Bairong.
"Correct," Zhai Bairong nodded.
Qi Miaohan couldn't help but whisper, "...Maybe you wouldn't have been able to beat this lady anyway."
"Sister..." Qi Xuan’er nudged her with an elbow.
"Indeed, that is also a possibility. But if I were to win by chance, or lose too obviously, I fear there would be trouble. So, I hope Fellow Daoist Qi can lend a hand," Zhai Bairong smiled, following her lead.
In truth, Qi Miaohan disliked putting on a show, but hearing that if Zhai Bairong won, Duan Mingyu would ask him for the Cold Ice Sword made her even more displeased. She was fuming just thinking about it.
"But Sister, you don't have an Ice or Water Spirit Root. What will you do if you get the Cold Ice Sword?" Qi Xuan’er asked curiously.
Qi Miaohan said proudly, "If I want to keep it, Master certainly won't force me to give it up. I can play with it however I like later. If I get bored of it, I’ll just give it to my fellow sisters in the sect."
Her words were pointed, but Zhai Bairong wasn't angry. He only sighed sincerely, "Fellow Daoist Qi has a wonderful Master."
In the past, Qi Miaohan would have cursed him in her heart for being a hypocrite. But she was a person of double standards; now that she had Nie Shiyun’s guarantee that this man was on their side, she felt that Zhai Bairong was indeed quite refined and polite. Although she usually spoke with thorns, one does not strike a smiling face. Qi Miaohan retracted her sharp edges and began to seriously discuss the next day’s events with him.
"But winning first place in such a muddled way isn't my style. We must have a private match later. If I lose, I’ll compensate you with something of equal value, otherwise, I won't feel right!" Qi Miaohan declared.
"Of course," Zhai Bairong agreed, thinking that this Fellow Daoist Qi was indeed a heroine among women. Though a bit spoiled, she was fundamentally a straightforward and good person.
Qi Xuan’er and Nie Xing’an kept their eyes on their noses and their noses on their hearts, sitting silently to the side. Nie Shiyun poured tea for them, and they drank it incessantly, wondering in their hearts how and when Zhai Bairong and Nie Shiyun had gotten together. Knowing this now and thinking back to the various clashes between the two sides over the past few days, the more they thought about it, the more subtle it felt. These two were far too good at keeping secrets!
Qi Miaohan and Zhai Bairong discussed for a while until they had a general plan. However, the more they intended to fake the match, the more Qi Miaohan couldn't afford to be lax. She needed to be fully equipped, or it would be easy to show a flaw. Since that was the case, Nie Shiyun naturally had to make a trip to help her repair her Dharma treasure.
"Where is Du Zhi?" he asked casually. Although he didn't know why Du Zhi hadn't come today, it actually made things easier. Even though Du Zhi was one of them now, they hadn't known each other for very long. If he had come along, it would have been awkward whether they let him in or made him wait at the door.
"He heard about the artifact refining exchange competition the day after tomorrow and went down the mountain to buy some supplies. He’ll contact us once he’s done. If you’re here, Senior Brother, maybe he won't need to come," Qi Xuan’er replied. Both she and Nie Xing’an felt a bit embarrassed. Last time Nie Shiyun wasn't around, Du Zhi had helped them a lot. This time Du Zhi wasn't here, and they were bothering Nie Shiyun again. To put it bluntly, their skills weren't up to par, and they didn't dare to be overconfident.
Du Zhi was truly a man of meager means. His storage ring was a discarded one he’d picked up from an elder in his village, and its capacity was tiny. The cauldron he brought out was also battered and worn. Fortunately, when Du Zhi mentioned this today, Nie Xing’an saw his plight and quickly allocated some spirit stones to him, saying it was an advance on his salary from the Pavilion. Combined with the proceeds from his previous consignments, Du Zhi had hurried off to buy a new cauldron and refining tools.
Nie Shiyun naturally knew which matters were important, but thinking back to the perfect atmosphere he’d shared with Zhai Bairong just now—they had almost started a second round—he couldn't help but feel a bit stifled.
Everyone stood up, promising once again not to mention what they had seen and heard today to others. Zhai Bairong knew they had sworn upon their Heart Demons, so he nodded, feeling at ease about that point.
Zhai Bairong noticed Nie Shiyun’s gaze lingering on him and understood what was on his mind. He stepped closer and instinctively straightened Nie Shiyun’s collar, whispering, "It’s not too late. I’ll stay here for now. You can just come back later."
"That works," Nie Shiyun nodded.
The two were standing extremely close. Only now did Qi Miaohan belatedly realize their relationship was far from ordinary. Her eyes widened as if they were about to pop out. Fearing she would open her mouth and disturb them again, Qi Xuan’er and Nie Xing’an quickly dragged her out of the courtyard to wait for Nie Shiyun.
As long as these few didn't talk, Zhai Bairong didn't care much about other reactions. Remembering something, he said, "Leave Meiqiu here. I finished refining those medicinal pills he likes earlier; it’s a good time for him to eat."
Hearing this, Nie Shiyun summoned Meiqiu. Meiqiu had been dozing inside the Divine Fire Shroud, having been lax in his cultivation for a while, and was startled awake.
"Ooh, you’re here!" Seeing Zhai Bairong, Meiqiu immediately beamed with joy.
"Shiyun has to go out for a while. Why don't you stay here? I’ve finished refining the things you wanted."
"Yes, yes, yes!" Meiqiu was very satisfied and immediately sat on the table, refusing to leave.
Nie Shiyun told Zhai Bairong he would be back soon, left a quick kiss, and hurried away.
Once he passed through the restriction, the others were practically bursting with questions. However, walls have ears, so they couldn't discuss it openly and could only signal anxiously with their eyes.
"This isn't the place to talk. Let’s go," Nie Shiyun instructed succinctly.
Earlier, Qi Miaohan had mentioned to Jiang Baixiang that the people from Yunqing Pavilion had rented an earth fire room to repair the Lotus Platform. Jiang Baixiang had scolded her and immediately assigned her a vacant artifact refining room on the side mountain, even giving the Yunqing Pavilion group tokens to enter and exit the area.
Now, Qi Miaohan led everyone to this location.
Nie Shiyun looked around. The equipment and tools were complete, the earth fire was vigorous, and the space was vast. This was the same standard as the exclusive refining rooms he and Nie Xing’an had at Yunqing Pavilion. Large sects were truly wealthy and powerful.
The refining room had essentially been gifted to Qi Miaohan, making it her territory. She had set up a restriction earlier, and now that they were inside, she could finally speak her mind.
"You, you, you... You and Zhai Bairong are in *that* kind of relationship?"
"Yes. You only just realized?"
"You didn't say it explicitly, how was I supposed to know! Don't you guys agree?" Qi Miaohan shouted, only to look around and find Qi Xuan’er looking at the sky and Nie Xing’an looking at the ground. Clearly, they had noticed long before her. Qi Miaohan suddenly felt a bit defeated.
Nie Xing’an didn't say much, only whispering, "Sorry, Cousin. Showing up so suddenly today... I might have disturbed you."
"Cough, it’s fine. Actually, the timing was just right."
"Then let’s get to work quickly, so you won't be too late getting back."
Listening to the two men speak in such vague riddles, Qi Xuan’er and Qi Miaohan more or less understood the meaning. One turned a bit red, while the other’s interest was piqued intensely.
"How exciting! You’ve actually accomplished what I wanted to do back then," Qi Miaohan couldn't help but let her lips curl up into a wide grin.
"Hmm?"
Seeing that Nie Shiyun didn't understand, Qi Miaohan said impatiently, "Stealing Duan Mingyu’s man! Although this old lady doesn't care for that Xu Yehua anymore."
Though she spoke bluntly, she wasn't wrong. Nie Shiyun couldn't refute it.
"No, this is too amazing. I’m so curious. Tell me, who’s on top and who’s on the bottom..." Qi Miaohan nudged Nie Shiyun with her elbow, looking like a total gossip.
"Don't you feel ashamed, prying into someone else’s bedroom affairs?" In two lifetimes, Nie Shiyun had never been asked such a question by a woman. He had truly encountered an eccentric.
"It’s not like it’s something shameful..." Qi Miaohan said dismissively.
"I haven't asked for his opinion, so I won't talk nonsense in front of outsiders," Nie Shiyun threatened. "Alright, any more gossip and I’ll hide a Spirit Flame Talisman in your Lotus Platform. You might randomly step on one and it’ll explode."
Qi Miaohan shrieked, "I won't ask! I won't ask! How can you be so cruel?"
The two bantered for a few more moments before dropping the subject. As curious as Qi Miaohan was, after hearing Nie Shiyun say that, she did feel her questioning had been a bit brash. She just hadn't expected Nie Shiyun to be so considerate of the other person’s feelings. Recalling the scene she had witnessed—the polite and refined Zhai Bairong looking at Nie Shiyun with such tenderness while straightening his collar—she felt her teeth ache from the sweetness. She vowed never to actively seek out such a display of affection again.
Qi Xuan’er’s face was burning after hearing words like "top and bottom" and "bedroom affairs." She felt as if she wanted to bury herself in the ground, keeping her head down as she silently prepared the materials for refining. Nie Xing’an also took the opportunity to quietly walk away. He had actually caught on to the truth, but he naturally wouldn't be a big-mouth and discuss it with Qi Miaohan.
Soon, Nie Shiyun threw himself into the work of repairing the Lotus Platform. On the other side, Nie Xing’an performed minor maintenance on the slightly damaged Lotus Leaf Whip. Qi Xuan’er acted as a discerning assistant between the two, bringing out the materials and spirit talismans they needed. Knowing that all three were busy on her behalf, Qi Miaohan didn't want to disturb them further and sat to the side, closing her eyes to cultivate in a rare moment of silence.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 心魔誓 | Heart Demon Oath | A binding oath in cultivation novels; breaking it leads to cultivation deviation. |
| 天阴之体 | Heavenly Yin Physique | A special constitution, often sought after in dual cultivation. |
| 寒冰剑 | Cold Ice Sword | The prize of the competition. |
| 煤球 | Meiqiu | Literally "Coal Ball"; Nie Shiyun's spirit beast. |
| 神火罩 | Divine Fire Shroud | A magical artifact used by Nie Shiyun. |
| 地火室 | Earth Fire Room | A room utilizing natural subterranean fire for artifact refining or alchemy. |
| 莲台 | Lotus Platform | Qi Miaohan's primary magical treasure. |
| 荷叶鞭 | Lotus Leaf Whip | Qi Miaohan's secondary weapon. |
| 灵焰符 | Spirit Flame Talisman | A talisman that releases fire. |
