“Brother, are you really not going?”
In the early morning mountain air, a faint mist floated around.
Li Muyang stood on the ridge, holding a giant water scoop and casting the Little Cloud Rain Technique, with steam winding above the spiritual fields and drops of water pattering down.
And behind Li Muyang, a young girl in a light green dress, carrying a food box, blinked her eyes and said.
“Today, Sister Ning has agreed to go down the mountain with me~~”
“She agreed to go down the mountain with me, knowing that I might ask you to join us. I believe with your cleverness and wisdom, you must have guessed the deeper meaning behind this, right?”
Li Yuechan spoke these words with a tempting tone.
Li Muyang, who was holding the water scoop and casting the Little Cloud Rain Technique, glanced at her.
He had almost forgotten when they started talking, but nowadays, the two siblings managed to exchange a few words every day when delivering meals.
However, Li Yuechan usually came at dusk, chatted with Li Muyang for a bit while holding a food box, and then left.
But today, she came over early in the morning.
First thing in the morning, just as Li Muyang got up, washed up, and started to water the spiritual fields, the girl in her pretty dress appeared on the mountain path, hopping along.
She said she wanted to play in Yunxiao City today and might return a bit late in the evening, so she brought today’s meals over in advance for Li Muyang to heat up and eat in the evening.
The girl also revealed that among her companions for today was that Miss Ning from Jiuyuan City.
—The goddess whom the original owner of this body loved hopelessly.
If it were the original owner, he would have been unable to resist and would have immediately wanted to go upon hearing that Miss Ning would be accompanying them.
But Li Muyang was calm and composed, “I’ve said it, I’m no longer interested in women.”
“It was the old Li Muyang who adored Miss Ning. The current Li Muyang only wants to cultivate diligently.”
“You two go have fun, don’t worry about me.”
Li Muyang remained serene and composed, as if he was a sage who had seen through the mundane world.
Hearing his response, Li Yuechan holding the food box blinked and said, “That’s really a pity. I thought you hadn’t been looking for Sister Ning these past few days because you were playing hard to get.”
“I didn’t expect that you really don’t like her anymore… It’s said that Sister Ning has excellent talents and stands a great chance of entering the Inner Sect as a disciple.”
“It’s such a waste for you to give up on her now, especially since it’s rare for Sister Ning to take the initiative to accommodate you…”
The young girl sighed with regret, still attempting to persuade Li Muyang.
Li Muyang was also somewhat surprised upon hearing this news.
Indeed, each year there were a few individuals with exceptional talents who were favored by the Sect and directly promoted to the Inner Sect.
But for Miss Ning to have such talent…
Li Muyang shook his head: “That’s all the more reason for me not to go.”
“She is someone with the potential to be promoted to the Inner Sect, a remarkable person who will sooner or later become a phoenix soaring above the branches.”
“As for me, I’m nothing but a menial disciple of the outer Sect, insignificant and weak.”
“The gap between us is so vast. Even if an insignificant fellow like me could win Miss Ning’s heart, it would only bring endless troubles.”
“Therefore, it’s better to maintain a distance and for each of us to live well on our own.”
Miss Ning from the Ning family was a beauty beyond compare, understanding and gentle like water, an exceptional woman of this world, according to the original owner’s memories.
But Li Muyang, after shedding the original owner’s obsessive filter and reviewing the memories, recognized her as a highly manipulative and shrewd woman, who played the original owner, the poor lovestruck fool, like a fiddle, squeezing out all his savings.
Li Muyang intended to warn his cheap little sister to not get too close to green tea types like Miss Ning and to be careful of being schemed against.
But considering their relationship wasn’t yet close enough for him to admonish and advise her.
Thus, Li Muyang closed his mouth and continued to cast the Cloud and Rain Technique over the spiritual field, choosing to remain silent.
Seeing Li Muyang’s firm attitude, the young girl let out a sigh and said, “Alright then, I thought we could have gone together to stroll around Yunxiao City.”
“I’m leaving then, brother. Your meal is by your door, okay…”
After setting down the food box, the girl waved from afar. Li Muyang on the ridge nodded to indicate he understood.
However, not long after she walked away, the girl suddenly turned back and said.
“By the way, brother, you suddenly lost interest in Sister Ning… It can’t be because you’ve found another girl you like more, can it?”
In the morning light, the girl suddenly blurted out this question.
Li Muyang was taken aback by her query and had not yet figured out how to answer.
But the girl had already dashed off as if certain of her conclusion.
“It must be! Brother, you’re such a playboy! Always chasing after new loves!”
“I’ll tell Sister Ning when I see her later, and tell her that you’ve fallen for someone else!”
Full of excitement, the girl ran off into the distance, disappearing along the mountain path.
Li Muyang watched her receding figure, shaking his head.
This little girl… Although she has high emotional intelligence and a good temper, she’s still a bit childish.
As for whether Miss Ning would get angry after hearing her exaggerated stories… Your anger at Jiuyuan City’s Li Muyang has nothing to do with me, transmigrator Li Muyang, right?
Li Muyang turned back around to continue casting the Cloud and Rain Technique, watering the spiritual field.
Only by ensuring at least two rains a day could he maintain the growth of the spiritual grain.
After finishing the watering, Li Muyang could continue playing games.
Things in reality may not always be true, but the gains in the game are definitely real.
Indeed, I must still play the game…
…
On the field ridge, Li Muyang held a water ladle, performing the Cloud and Rain Technique.
At the flying boat ferry of the Refinement Demon Sect’s outer sect, the girl Li Yuechan, dressed in her prettiest dress, had already met the waiting Ning sister from the Ning family.
By the bustling, noisy ferry, Ning Wan’er from Ning Mansion of Jiuyuan City was somewhat surprised to see Li Yuechan arrive alone.
“Yu Chan, you… came by yourself?”
Ning Wan’er’s look was tinged with confusion.
She had thought that the son from the Li family would accompany her.
Amid the crowd, Li Yuechan hurried over to Ning Wan’er’s side and took her onto the flying boat that was about to depart.
The two enchanting beauties stood on deck, the mountain wind blowing around them as Li Yuechan sighed.
“Don’t mention it, my brother refused to come.”
“Who knows what kind of enchanting potion the sect fed him, now all he thinks about is cultivation. He used to love lively scenes the most; the chance to go to Yunxiao City for fun would definitely not have been missed.”
“Not to mention that Ning sister would be with us.”
As Li Yuechan spoke, she winked at Ning Wan’er and said mischievously, “Ning sister, you don’t think my brother has given his heart to someone else, meeting a girl he likes better within the sect, do you?”
Li Yuechan’s last question was abrupt and even somewhat impolite.
——Who asks such questions directly?
And so unexpectedly…
Ning Wan’er was taken aback for a moment but then smiled.
“The Refinement Demon Sect is a great sect of the Demon Path, with countless distinguished talents within. It’s not surprising for Young Master Li to have found someone he likes.”
Faced with Li Yuechan’s probing and teasing, Ning Wan’er responded calmly, her voice devoid of any emotional ripples.
She didn’t particularly dislike the young master from the Li family, but she wasn’t particularly fond of him either.
It was true he was generous in his dealings, and Ning Wan’er, without offending him, took many favors in stride.
But to actually marry this man?
Ning Wan’er had never entertained such a thought.
The Li family had some power and status in Jiuyuan City, which in the eyes of outsiders, did not compare to the Ning family with its long-standing scholarly lineage.
But the current Ning family, despite having an impressive ancestral mansion, had most of its heritage mortgaged and lost by her father to others.
Today’s Ning Mansion appeared stately, yet it struggled even to maintain its monthly expenses.
Although the Li family had risen only during Li Damu’s generation, he was highly trusted by the City Lord, with real power, military strength, and a broad future.
Her mother indeed encouraged her to marry Li Muyang, to take advantage of this simple-minded young man from the Li family.
But Ning Wan’er had no such interest.
She had never thought about getting married, even though her parents had long been eager to marry her into a good family to gain some advantages.
But in Ning Wan’er’s view, marrying oneself off for a hefty dowry and silver coin… was simply the most inferior and laughable form of investment.
Her value, Ning Wan’er’s value, was not to become someone’s wife.
In this great era of cultivation, human potential held infinite possibilities.
Her parents were shortsighted, but she must not be foolish along with them.
This young master from the Li family, Li Muyang, was nothing more than a stepping stone for her ascent.
With the young master’s generosity, she had quietly accumulated some spiritual objects beneficial to cultivation. Once she began her cultivation, she would surely progress faster than others.
Not to mention, she seemed to have a direct opportunity to enter the Inner Sect, making the young master from the distant Li family in Jiuyuan City even less important to consider.
As for the young miss from the Li family…
Ning Wan’er looked at Li Yuechan’s innocently smiling face and smiled warmly herself.
“Next time there’s an opportunity, Yu Chan, you can ask your brother to see if he really has someone he likes.”
Li Yuechan from the Li family seemed naive, lively, and adorable, but Ning Wan’er had a vague feeling that she was more troublesome.
Compared to her simple-minded brother, this sixteen-year-old girl was much more difficult to handle.
Ning Wan’er said warmly, “If he really has met someone he likes, then perhaps we can help him.”
Ning Wan’er’s tone was gentle as she spoke, looking every bit the caring older sister.
With that, she effortlessly distanced herself from the matter—even though everyone in Jiuyuan City knew that Li Muyang had previously liked her.
After listening, Li Yuechan blinked and then replied cheerfully, “If Ning sister is willing to help, that would be wonderful. With Ning sister’s intelligence, if you help him out, my brother will surely be very happy.”
The girl with the innocent smile was like a little flower swaying in the wind.
Ning Wan’er also smiled and answered, “We’re all fellow townsfolk, mutual assistance is natural.”
As the flying boat set sail, the mountain wind enveloping the deck, the two girls exchanged glances and then simultaneously smiled slightly.
In that instant, their smiles strangely resembled each other’s.
The somewhat awkward and peculiar topic also came to an abrupt end after this simple probe and was mentioned no more.
The two of them chatted and laughed about the legends and amusing stories of Yunxiao City as if no one had ever brought up Li Muyang…