Chapter 132: Yet I Have Only You

Every gift clearly showed the giver’s thoughtfulness.

Especially the substitute talisman given by Senior Brother Wen Changhe—it wasn’t just a matter of spending spiritual energy and effort, but also required cultivation power and time to craft.

A substitute talisman, though just a single symbol, consumes the cultivator’s own power to create.

In the cultivation world, one’s power is akin to life itself. How many would be willing to expend their life force to forge such a talisman for another?

Yet Wen Changhe was willing, just as the Sect Master of the Punishment Sect was willing to sacrifice his life to help the original owner suppress his inner demon.

Yan Shu looked at the gift in her hands, her eyes suddenly reddening. She even felt an urge to tell them she was not the original owner and did not deserve such treatment.

The seal within her body trembled faintly. Taking a deep breath, Yan Shu suppressed that impulse.

Liu Zhiqing saw her reddened eyes and quickly said, “Ah, we gave you birthday gifts to make you happy, not to make you cry. Put everything away quickly; tonight we feast and drink till we’re merry!”

Yan Shu sniffed, nodded softly, and carefully put all the gifts away. She looked up and smiled at everyone: “Yes! Thank you, senior brothers. I’m very happy today. We won’t leave until we’re drunk!”

Even for Wen Changhe, Bing Shien, and the others, this meal was a rare luxury. Though their cooking skills were only average, the ingredients were top-notch, making the food quite delicious.

The wine was fruit wine brewed by Liu Zhiqing. Though he had selected the mildest batch, it was still somewhat intoxicating.

Luckily, having spent so many years in the Medicine King Valley, Yan Shu had developed a tolerance for alcohol. The five senior and junior siblings clinked cups, sharing amusing stories of the past and hopes for the future, enjoying themselves immensely.

Time passed unnoticed, yet none of the five felt bored.

Especially Liu Zhiqing and the other three—it was their first time sitting together with the junior sister, drinking heartily and laughing freely.

Wen Youhe smiled warmly, his face full of satisfaction: “Our junior sister is truly different from before. Without the inner demon, she’s much more cheerful!”

Yan Shu lowered her eyes and asked softly, “Senior brother, do you like my change?”

“Of course,” Wen Youhe replied gently. “You are our junior sister. No matter how you are, we all like you.”

The expected answer made Yan Shu smile and nod. “Yes! Since the inner demon was removed, I feel completely different. It was as if a veil was covering my spiritual awareness before; now that it’s lifted, I feel much lighter and happier!”

Bing Shien didn’t want her to recall the past struggles in darkness, those confused days when she even sucked the blood from others’ hearts. Hastily, he said, “Enough, enough. Let’s not mention the past. Junior sister is doing well now!”

Liu Zhiqing chimed in, and the conversation turned to other topics, bringing back a lively atmosphere.

Especially Shi Wanqing, who often traveled and had seen many fascinating and novel things, was almost fully informed of the movements of major sects.

They ate and chatted until deep into the night.

Meanwhile, in the grand hall of Supreme Peak, Xiao Jihan gazed at the moonlight outside, his face growing darker by the moment.

He had long been accustomed to solitude, even enjoying the freedom and tranquility it brought.

But now, the peace of Supreme Peak felt excessive to him.

Sitting indoors, staring at the bright moon, he realized they still hadn’t exchanged their Spiritual Mirrors.

This meant he couldn’t even remind her to come back.

Xiao Jihan felt he had been too indulgent with Yan Shu; it was time to set some household rules.

This thought reached its peak after waiting all night without her return.

Several times, he nearly lost control and went to the main hall to look for her, but he restrained himself.

Those few senior brothers clearly disliked him, and Yan Shu cared deeply for them. If a confrontation were to occur, he knew well whom she would choose.

After all, she had abandoned him for those senior brothers more than once.

Xiao Jihan silently repeated his thoughts many times, telling himself this would be their last meeting before parting, finally suppressing his urge to fetch her from the main hall.

Yan Shu had gotten drunk last night and stayed overnight in the main hall’s resting room. Fortunately, the spirit fruit wine caused no hangover.

The next day, she bid farewell to Wen Youhe, wearing the hairpin given by second senior brother Bing Shien from the previous day, happily returning to Supreme Peak.

Yet upon entering the main hall, a chill swept over her. Looking up, she saw Xiao Jihan standing inside, face darkened, his phoenix eyes coldly fixed on her.

Affinity: 30 (First Acquaintance)

Yan Shu: ...

Her painstakingly earned 25 affinity points had, overnight, dropped to just 5 before she could even warm them up.

She wanted to curse!

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she offered a smile to “Master” Xiao Jihan: “You’re awake? I thought you’d be in meditation for a long time.”

“Hmph!” Xiao Jihan looked at the hairpin on her head and sneered, “I woke long ago when you were still in the Essence Soil Space, but you were too busy thinking about your senior brothers to notice.”

“Heh... really?” Yan Shu swallowed nervously. “Well... I honestly didn’t realize. I thought you were still meditating.”

“Hmph!”

Xiao Jihan sneered again, “Is that your excuse for abandoning me as an outsider? Is that why you left me alone in the empty room while you went out to drink and have fun? Is that why you stayed out all night?!”

Yan Shu: ...

The barrage of questions left her speechless.

Moreover, they sounded strange.

What did “left alone in the empty room” mean? What did “seeking pleasure” mean?

This... sounded as if she was a careless scoundrel and he a frustrated woman locked away in her chambers!

Yan Shu felt she must be overthinking.

Xiao Jihan was surely referring only to the literal meaning of those words. Thinking of her behavior the previous day, hadn’t she indeed left him alone in the empty room while going out to enjoy herself?

Recalling Xiao Jihan’s possessiveness like a kindergartener, Yan Shu felt inexplicably guilty.

She opened her mouth to say something but saw Xiao Jihan suddenly shift from coldness to melancholy.

He looked at her quietly with those beautiful phoenix eyes and self-mockingly smiled: “Yes, for you and your senior brothers, I am indeed an outsider.”

He appeared utterly lonely. From his eyes, Yan Shu saw desolation, solitude, loss, and even bitterness and helplessness.

“But what can I do?”

Xiao Jihan lowered his gaze, his clear voice low in the hall: “You have your senior brothers. But me... I only have you.”