Chapter 45: Do Well, and Senior Sister Won’t Treat You Poorly

The shout from outside the gate abruptly broke the tensed atmosphere within the courtyard.

Mo Yuyan straightened up immediately. First, she slipped her high heels back on properly. Then, she picked up the light outer robe she’d just shrugged off and gracefully draped it back over her shoulders. Finally, she shot He Yimo a pointed look.

He Yimo offered no objection, obediently heading over to open the gate for Yun Jin.

The climb to Ranmo Peak’s 2,700-meter (tln : ~8,860 ft) elevation had left the young woman flushed and breathless, her legs trembling faintly. Honestly, just the fact that she’d made it up alone earned He Yimo’s respect.

He helped a slightly wobbly Yun Jin into the courtyard and guided her to a seat. Taking the teapot from Mo Yuyan’s side of the table, he poured a cup of hot tea for the panting, Daoist-robed girl.

“Th-Thank you, Junior Brother Yimo,” Yun Jin murmured, cupping the warm tea gratefully.

Her eyes lifted, but she quickly spotted the poised, qipao-clad Immortal seated nearby. Yun Jin scrambled to her feet, bowing deeply. “M–Ms. Mo! G-Good morning!”

“There’s no need for such formalities. Sit down and rest,” Mo Yuyan replied nonchalantly, remaining seated, her black-silk-clad legs elegantly crossed beneath the slit of her qipao.

Realizing the Senior Sister had been home all along, Yun Jin felt intimidated, barely daring to speak above a whisper. She exchanged a wide-eyed glance with He Yimo beside her. Though no words were spoken, a faint blush crept onto both their faces.

Yun Jin looked at He Yimo, then flicked her eyes towards Mo Yuyan, silently questioning.

He Yimo shrugged, pouting slightly, and shot a quick glance back at the beautiful, loftily seated Sword Immortal, as if silently complaining about something.

“Pfft…” Yun Jin couldn’t help but stifle a giggle behind her hand. The current atmosphere weirdly reminded her of visiting a friend’s house as a child, only to find the friend had just been scolded by their mom. While she felt a twinge of sympathy for He Yimo, the comedic contrast was more striking.

After all…

That night, He Yimo had acted so mature and composed. Yun Jin couldn’t imagine that the eloquent Young Master from the Grand Preceptor’s mansion could be reduced to such a pitiful, puppy-dog state by his own cold Senior Sister back home.

“W-Wait, why are you both looking at me like thaaat?” He Yimo frowned, feeling Yun Jin must have misunderstood something. Both she and Mo Yuyan were staring at him oddly.

He scratched his head in confusion and looked back, only to see the usually stern-faced Immortal finally break into a soft chuckle.

“Heh~” Mo Yuyan’s lips curved into a playful smile, her eyes dancing with amusement as she looked at He Yimo.

After a moment, she composed herself, clearing her throat. Her voice, now unprecedentedly gentle, drifted over. “He Yimo, since Miss Yun Jin came all this way to invite you… you should get going. Go back to your room, wash up, get ready. Don’t keep Miss Yun Jin waiting too long.”

“Huh?!” Mo Yuyan’s sudden gentleness, changing faster than flipping through a book, left He Yimo completely stunned.

“B-But Senior Sister, weren’t you j-just worried about me going down the mountain…?” the boy asked meekly.

The Immortal turned her face away slightly, speaking lightly, “I wasn’t comfortable with you going alone. But now that Yun Jin is with you, I naturally have nothing to worry about.”

“Th-Thank you so much for your trust, Ms. Mo!” Yun Jin exclaimed nervously, quickly standing up to bow again.

Mo Yuyan smiled and nodded, indicating Yun Jin needn’t be so formal. But then, she beckoned He Yimo closer—

“Since Miss Yun Jin has already come looking for you, it wouldn’t look good to stand her up now. Go down the mountain with her and gain some experience for a few days.”

“However, before you leave, Senior Sister has three things to instruct you on.” Mo Yuyan’s voice was soft and low, almost a whisper meant only for He Yimo’s ears.

He Yimo nodded silently, understandingly leaning closer so his face was near Mo Yuyan’s lips.

Mo Yuyan remained seated, her beautiful eyes blinking slightly:

“First: Once you leave the Wuji Sect, you MUST reach the Snow Village ruins BEFORE nightfall. No detours, no running off randomly, no returning to the Grand Preceptor’s mansion, and absolutely NO taking Miss Yun Jin to any shady, improper places!”

“Wha—? D-Do I really seem that indecent in your eyes, Senior Sister?” Just the first instruction had He Yimo frowning, utterly bewildered. Man, if I knew I was doomed to end up in the Wuji Sect anyway, I wouldn’t have bothered going to that Phoenix Pavilion and ruining my image back then!

“Less nonsense!”

“You even dare to tease your own Senior Sister! Once you leave the Wuji Sect, who knows if you won’t try your luck with other girls?” Mo Yuyan’s eyes held a complex mix of resentment, coldness, appreciation, and exasperation for the young man before her.

She grabbed He Yimo’s ear, pulling him closer, her lips near his as she warned emphatically: “For this Snow Village mission, I will personally go check things out… If you dare run off midway, when I catch you, you can forget about ever leaving Ranmo Peak again!”

“Y-Yes, Senior Sister! D-Disciple wouldn’t dare,” He Yimo nodded obediently, thoroughly intimidated by her serious tone and dropping the cheeky attitude.

…

“Second: When Yun Jin first came to the Wuji Sect, I received her grandparents and promised the elders I would take good care of her… Therefore, when you reach Snow Village, you must stick with Yun Jin and protect her. You have the jade pendant. If you encounter danger, infuse it with spiritual energy, and I will arrive within seven breaths.”

“Understood.”

“Third: You can take Wangxue with you to the Northfall Snow Mountains this time. After researching in the Wuji Sect archives these past few days, I discovered that the natural ecosystem of the back mountain’s secret realm does not include any wild snow deer species! Perhaps… Wangxue’s origins are connected to the destruction of the Northfall Snow Village!”

“Unders…tood…” Hearing the third point, He Yimo swallowed hard, nodding seriously. He glanced at the little deer nearby, who looked back at him with pitiful eyes.

After clarifying the important points, Mo Yuyan released He Yimo’s ear. Her hand gently caressed his cheek, a satisfied, slight smile gracing her lips as she offered reassurance:

“He Yimo, you seem much more reliable now than you did back at the Grand Preceptor’s mansion.”

“Although this might sound overly cautious, honestly, with your unpredictable nature, I was genuinely worried you might devise some flawless plan and use this village-searching mission as a chance to defect back to the Luo City Grand Preceptor’s mansion… After all, you didn’t come here willingly; I essentially kidnapped you up the mountain.”

“So, for this mission, Senior Sister hopes you can be a little more obedient, give Senior Sister less to worry about… Right now, everyone in the Wuji Sect looks down on you. They advise me to take on more disciples, to stop wasting time and energy on a ‘useless playboy’… But precisely because of that, He Yimo, you need to prove them wrong! Don’t let the sword skills Senior Sister has taught you these past few days go to waste!”

“Of course, if Junior Brother performs well, Senior Sister won’t skimp on your reward when you return~♡” Mo Yuyan finished with a slight, charming smile, her lips pursed playfully. She lifted her other hand, gently cupping his face with both hands in an affectionate gesture.

In all their time together on Ranmo Peak, He Yimo had never seen such genuine warmth and trust in Mo Yuyan’s eyes.

With the atmosphere set like this, He Yimo couldn’t help but nod obediently, his own gaze firm.

He started to get up to pack, but Mo Yuyan stopped him one last time:

“By the way, aren’t you curious why Senior Sister values you so highly?”

“Because having me here means Senior Sister has someone to play chess with,” He Yimo answered honestly. He’d always had a pretty good idea; he wasn’t that narcissistic deep down.

But this time, Mo Yuyan chuckled softly, tilting her head. “That reason… probably only accounts for half of it now, I think.”

“Half?” He Yimo frowned.

“Actually, over this past week, Senior Sister has found you becoming more and more… special,” Mo Yuyan said thoughtfully, her expression serious. She looked up at He Yimo, a rare spark of admiration in her usually proud eyes:

“I believe your potential is vastly underestimated by the world.”

“Of course, I also know you’re intentionally playing dumb. While I don’t know why you’re doing it, every day I spend with you reveals something new…”

“Perhaps… that itself is the fun in wanting you to stay on Ranmo Peak.”