Yuyao leaned forward, grasping Baifeng's right hand with both of hers, her eyes sparkling like stars. "Please, Baifeng, you must promise to communicate with me properly. This is my one and only request in my lifetime!"

"That request seems a bit cheap!" Baifeng couldn't help but retort.

"By the way, about that book..."

"I'll bring you one when it's out."

"Thank you, junior brother! From today on, you are my adoptive father. You can call me 'senior sister,' and I'll call you 'adoptive father.' We'll each have our own discussions from now on!"

"..."

Baifeng suddenly had a new understanding of Yuyao's mischievous personality.

How did she even get into Qingzhu Peak?

"By the way, here’s what you wanted." Baifeng pulled out a tightly sealed book from his storage bag. "There's also an animation stone inside. Don't lose it; it's quite valuable."

"Mua! You're the best, adoptive father!"

Yuyao kissed the book's packaging and eagerly stuffed it into her own storage bag. Tonight's materials were secured!

By "materials," she meant the fabric for designing clothes.

Meanwhile, Xiao Qi tilted her head, wondering if they had someone named Chunqiu at home. And what about this book...

Xiao Qi decided to stop pondering. Since Baifeng hadn’t mentioned it, she wouldn’t dwell on irrelevant matters!

"By the way, where's Bai Shimei?" After putting away the book, Yuyao suddenly realized someone was missing.

"She went to change clothes. If we calculate the time, she should be back soon."

As soon as Baifeng finished speaking, the door swung open from the outside.

"Oh! You look amazing!" Yuyao exclaimed, gazing at the doorway. "I knew my judgment was spot on; purple really suits Bai Shimei!"

Bai Yumo smiled shyly, wearing the light purple robe designed by Yuyao. The upper part was predominantly white, but the collar and sleeves featured purple patterns, while the lower half was mainly purple, adorned with beautiful engravings.

Especially since Bai Yumo usually wore rather plain clothes, this outfit truly made her stand out, enhancing her beauty.

"Not bad, not bad. Looks great," Baifeng added, though after seeing Bai Yumo in her previous ruffled skirt, this ordinary robe didn’t have the same impact on him.

Xiao Qi observed Bai Yumo thoughtfully, unsure of what she was thinking.

After receiving Baifeng's compliment, Bai Yumo felt a bit secretly pleased. If it weren't for Yuyao being present, she would have chosen bolder outfits.

But considering there were others around, she held back.

Baifeng glanced a few times before looking back at Yuyao, lightly clapping his hands. "Alright, let's get ready to eat! Let’s welcome the spirit beast meat brought by Yuyao!"

Food was far more important than clothes!

...

"From today on, I will teach you formations until you master everything I know. You can come to me anytime; as long as I’m free, I’ll patiently guide you."

Liu Meng stood before Baifeng, while Chu Ningyan watched with keen interest from the side.

"Yes, Master Liu."

"Don’t call me that. Just like Lan Qian, call me 'Master' instead." Liu Meng shook her head. "This was also your master’s suggestion, but if you don’t want to, you don’t have to. I’ll still teach you with all my heart."

Baifeng instinctively glanced at Chu Ningyan, who was encouraging him with her eyes, and he understood what it meant.

After all, Liu Meng intended to pass on her lifelong knowledge to him. It was only right, both emotionally and logically, for him to acknowledge her as his master.

Moreover, his master, Chu Ningyan, would be pleased to see this. Whether to win Liu Meng over or to deepen his relationship with a master of formations, it was beneficial for both him and the Tianjian Sect.

With that in mind, there was no reason to hesitate.

Baifeng nodded. "Alright, Master."

"Good. Since I don’t know your current level, let’s start with the killing formations, which I’m most proficient in. If you have any questions, remember to ask me in time."

Liu Meng stood before Baifeng, explaining some of the complexities of formations.

Baifeng sat below, deep in thought. Liu Meng was indeed a renowned master; her level in killing formations was hard for others to match. Even when discussing basic theories, her unique thought processes and techniques were enlightening.

"Alright, we’ll stop here for today. If you have any questions, you can come to my cave to find me."

"Okay, thank you, Master."

Baifeng watched Liu Meng leave. Just as he was about to head home to organize his thoughts from today’s lessons, he noticed Su Lanqian approaching with her head down.

---

Chapter 50: Can You Talk to Me About This?

"Wait, um..."

Su Lanqian called out to Baifeng, who was about to leave. Her eyes instinctively darted to the side, her expression a bit awkward.

"Is there something you need?" Baifeng stopped, a hint of exasperation in his voice.

Could it be that she still wasn’t satisfied and wanted to challenge him to another formation duel?

"I... I’m sorry." Su Lanqian bit her lip, her voice barely audible. "I shouldn’t have said what I did before."

Before Baifeng could respond, she looked up, trying hard to keep her gaze steady. "If possible, please... allow me to stay by your side."

Before she could finish, her face turned visibly red, and Baifeng worried she might faint on the spot.

Though he didn’t know why Su Lanqian was acting this way, he had to refuse!

Their relationship was already a bit rocky, and this kind of request sounded troublesome. He couldn’t think of a reason to agree.

So, Baifeng shook his head. "Has your personality changed too much? I preferred you when you were more 'lively.'"

"I... I’m really sorry." Su Lanqian was no longer the arrogant girl she once was; instead, she looked like she was about to cry. "I’ll do anything I can. Please, I beg you..."

"That kind of talk can easily be misunderstood!" Baifeng’s lips twitched slightly. "Can I ask why?"

"I... I’ve developed a heart demon." Su Lanqian shrank back, hugging her arms. "Now, whenever I encounter formations, I think of you, and I can’t become a formation master anymore."

"Is it really that serious?"

Baifeng’s eyes widened. This was probably a late stage of heart demon! She was just a step away from being consumed by it.

How fragile was her psyche?

"Yeah..." Su Lanqian nodded, reaching out to tug at Baifeng's sleeve, her head lowered, her voice barely a whisper. "I want to find a way to dispel the heart demon, so even if it means being your... your close attendant..."

"Stop right there!" Baifeng interrupted her directly, flicking her forehead as she leaned closer.

Perhaps sensing the firmness in his tone, she fell silent.

"Considering our master, I’ll allow you to stay by my side to find a way to dispel the heart demon..." Before Su Lanqian could thank him, he quickly added, "But only during class. Don’t disturb me during my free time, okay?"

Su Lanqian nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes! Thank you, junior brother! I... I’ll be obedient."

"..."

Don’t just assume you’re my servant!

Baifeng rubbed his forehead, regretting setting up the illusion formation.

He had intended to teach that arrogant little brat a lesson, but he hadn’t expected her to be so fragile, crumbling under a little pressure.

Besides, they didn’t have any deep-seated enmity. Having an extra classmate to share lessons with wasn’t a bad thing.

"Alright, I’m going to rest now. Don’t disturb me unless it’s something urgent."

"Okay."

As Su Lanqian watched Baifeng leave, she realized she had just lied. It wasn’t only when she encountered formations that she thought of him.

Ever since she came out of the illusion formation, she had been hearing voices, as if another version of herself was speaking to her.

Sometimes, when she closed her eyes, she could see Baifeng, especially the moment he broke through the Fire Dragon Formation, which was also the moment she lost.

At that moment, the voices in her head grew louder, causing her a splitting headache.

But when she was led by those voices, the spot on her forehead where he had flicked her suddenly throbbed, and a voice broke through everything:

"This is an illusion; return to reality!"

Su Lanqian touched her forehead, still feeling the lingering pain. Her emotions were complex, unsure of how to face Baifeng.