(T/N: This chapter may contain explicit scenes; reader discretion advised)
Fang Xuan felt completely refreshed the next morning.
The winter sun shone through the window frames, casting a warm glow over him.
He took a long, deep stretch, feeling his body loosen as spiritual energy surged within him, his spirits higher than they had ever been.
It felt truly wonderful...
He was, of course, referring to sunbathing.
He certainly wasn't thinking about his senior sister’s long, slender legs and their elegant grace.
Nor was he thinking about her soft and endearing presence.
He definitely wasn't thinking about those hands of hers, which could both strike down enemies with a sword and be so incredibly gentle... or their remarkable dexterity.
And he wasn't thinking about her slender, supple waist.
Well...
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Suddenly, he found himself thinking that his senior sister’s collarbones were actually quite beautiful as well.
...
Last night’s session... well, they had certainly been inseparable.
Of course, that was referring to the battle the Transformation Realm elders had fought.
The results were outstanding.
He was now at the early-stage Nascent Soul Realm.
A seventeen-year-old in the Nascent Soul Realm—if this news were to spread, it would be enough to terrify the so-called geniuses of the entire Southern Wilderness and the Central Plains, let alone the Qingyun Sect.
Fortunately, the system was reliable, allowing his cultivation to stay ahead of his senior sister’s, which was why he could always maintain his lead over her...
Fang Xuan felt quite satisfied as he thought about this.
...
The door creaked open softly.
Ning Xian stepped out.
She had changed into a simple, light-colored dress, her dark hair still tied up with a basic wooden hairpin.
However, there were still faint dark circles beneath those cool, distant eyes today.
Seeing Fang Xuan sunbathing in the courtyard, the corners of her mouth curled upward into a faint, shallow smile.
Fang Xuan looked at those dark circles and felt a small twig of guilt.
It was Senior Sister who had said cultivation must never be neglected and that they needed to consolidate their gains... so, it was all for the sake of cultivation.
But she really did look beautiful when she smiled...
"Morning, Senior Sister," Fang Xuan said, waving a hand.
"Mhm," Ning Xian responded softly as she walked over to him.
She looked up at the sky.
"Today... we should just go out for a walk to clear our heads," she said, her voice remaining cool and calm.
The commotion yesterday was not small.
Although the Tianyan Sect hadn't shown themselves yet, they might not be entirely unaware.
It would be a nuisance if they ignored the rules and forcibly intervened in the secular affairs of the Tianlan Kingdom.
In any case, they were only here to deal with Lu Qingsong and buy some time.
They could also see if they could gather some resources while they were at it.
This wasn't a place they intended to stay for long; they could leave at any moment.
If the situation changed, they would simply return to the Qingyun Sect first.
"I’ll follow your lead, Senior Sister." Fang Xuan stood up and took Ning Xian’s slightly cool hand, giving it a squeeze.
Then, he naturally reached out and patted her head.
He had become increasingly accustomed to this gesture.
Ning Xian was momentarily stunned by the rubbing before she tilted her head away. "You are not allowed to just pat Senior Sister’s head whenever you like."
Fang Xuan replied matter-of-factly, "But you said I could before."
"Mhm...?" Ning Xian blinked, a hint of confusion appearing on her cool face.
Had she said it was okay?
It seemed like she had...
Taking advantage of the moment while his senior sister was lost in thought, Fang Xuan pushed his luck and gave her head another gentle rub.
Ning Xian instinctively ducked her head, but then she leaned into his palm as if she found it quite comfortable.
However, she snapped back to her senses a second later, immediately straightening her face to maintain her crumbling authority as his senior sister.
"No... it's not allowed."
This was... quite improper; her junior brother would surely become more and more disobedient.
"Alright, Senior Sister," Fang Xuan said, immediately withdrawing his hand and standing tall with a well-behaved smile.
Looking at his I’m-very-obedient act, the seriousness Ning Xian had tried so hard to build instantly dissolved.
She felt an inexplicable sense of happiness when her junior brother was being obedient.
...
The city streets remained bustling and noisy.
To the vast majority of mortals, the earth-shaking battle between cultivators in the inner city yesterday was merely a bit of gossip to discuss over tea.
Life went on; the sounds of street vendors and laughter were endless.
Fang Xuan and Ning Xian walked side by side through the crowd.
They found a restaurant facing the street and took a seat in an elegant booth by the window on the second floor.
They ordered a few side dishes and a jar of warmed wine.
Fang Xuan picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks, and just as he was about to eat it, a dark shadow squirmed over.
"You’re quite the glutton, aren't you?" Fang Xuan chuckled and held the meat out to Xiao Hei.
After swallowing it, Xiao Hei rubbed against the back of Fang Xuan’s hand as if to flatter him, staring longingly at the chopsticks again.
Fang Xuan picked up a piece of green vegetable.
Xiao Hei leaned in, ate it in one bite, and then licked the chopsticks.
Fang Xuan stared blankly.
He didn't want the chopsticks anymore after they had been licked.
He flicked his finger against Xiao Hei’s head.
"Puji!"
Xiao Hei made a pitiful sound and retracted itself.
Ning Xian watched this scene quietly, a faint smile rippling through her cool eyes.
She took a small sip of wine, her gaze returning to the window.
The winter wind swept through the street, swirling a few withered leaves and blowing a stray lock of hair against her ear.
She raised her hand and gently tucked the strand of hair behind her ear.
Her expression seemed distant, as if she were deep in thought.
Fang Xuan rested his chin on his hand, simply admiring the view.
His senior sister was almost unfairly beautiful.
He figured she was probably thinking about tomorrow's plan.
...
Ning Xian’s internal monologue:
Her breath was steady, her Nascent Soul newly formed, and her foundation solid.
The effects of last night’s assisted cultivation were even better than expected.
Her junior brother’s talent and constitution were truly extraordinary.
At this rate, if they steadily consolidated his progress and supplemented it with more resources...
Fang Xuan would be eighteen after this year.
In the mortal world, the coming-of-age ceremony was at twenty, but cultivators had long lifespans and usually marked adulthood by the completion of Foundation Establishment.
Her junior brother had reached Foundation Establishment long ago and was now even at the Nascent Soul Realm.
But... she still felt he was a bit young.
She should probably wait at least two more years.
But...
Why did he have to be so young?
She had to wait two more years.
How was she supposed to endure this?
He was right there in front of her every day.
Yet she had to pretend to be a serious senior sister who was free of worldly desires and purely focused on guiding his cultivation...
How frustrating.
Through all her cycles of reincarnation, she had never felt time pass so agonizingly slow.
...
Ning Xian let out a soft sigh.
Seeing this, Fang Xuan assumed that planning so meticulously must be truly exhausting for her.
She was actually sighing from the stress.
She withdrew her gaze from the window.
She picked up her wine cup and took another sip.
She needed to plan carefully how to continue coaxing her junior brother into dual cultivation over the next two years.
She had to stabilize their relationship while waiting patiently.
She absolutely could not rush things and scare him off.
Yes, she had to take it step by step and ensure there was always a valid reason.
She had to make him feel that everything was for the sake of their grand path of cultivation, so they could naturally... engage in dual cultivation day and night.
Ning Xian silently refined her 'Advanced Plan for Training a Younger Dao Companion' in her mind.
Her cool face remained expressionless, but her ears had quietly turned a shade of crimson when no one was looking...
Fang Xuan had no idea that beneath his senior sister’s calm exterior, she was making such a grand and far-reaching plan.
"Senior Sister, this wine is pretty good. Why don't you try this dish?"
Fang Xuan snapped out of his thoughts and placed a piece of food into Ning Xian’s bowl.
Ning Xian returned to her senses, looked into Fang Xuan’s smiling eyes, and gave a soft "Mhm" in response...
...
"Ahem... after we go back later, I... I will help you stabilize your realm again."
"Uh... Senior Sister... can you still handle it?"
...
To think he dared to question his senior sister.
He definitely needed to be disciplined thoroughly.
Rate on N.U.
