Qi Qing's mood improved rapidly with Qi Yu's comfort, and she became even more clingy.
Yue Zhiyin watched Si Qing tugging at Qi Yu's clothes, refusing to leave her side, and couldn't help but tease, "Junior Brother Si Qing, are you a clingy little puppy?"
"That's right!" Ming Lou also complained, "You've been sticking to Junior Brother Qi Yu ever since you arrived! Look how sensible Junior Brother Feng is!"
The sensible Junior Brother Feng was still looking around aimlessly.
Qi Yu pressed her forehead, too tired to retort, and simply let Si Qing cling to her like a little tail.
Wherever she went, Si Qing followed. When Qi Yu entered the formation, Si Qing quickly lined up behind her.
They arrived at the venue for the Cultivation Grand Ceremony.
Yue Zhiyin followed Yu Zhen and Li Yu to find the North Yuan Sect's seating area and led the disciples to sit down.
Qi Nian, seeing Si Qing still following Qi Yu with a pleading look, couldn't resist teasing, "Those who know you would think you're a junior brother, but those who don't might think you're Qi Yu's little wife."
"Brother, Second Senior Sister is laughing at me," Si Qing looked at Qi Yu with wide eyes.
"Hahaha, no, I just think you're so cute and chubby," Qi Nian reached out to pat Si Qing's head.
Si Qing lifted his head, "You can't touch me. My mother once said I shouldn't let girls touch my hair casually."
"Is that so?" Qi Nian chuckled. Her gaze drifted to Qi Yu, a hint of amusement playing on her lips.
Si Qing remained oblivious.
Qi Yu, however, felt a prickle of unease.
Hiss...
Why did Qi Nian's gaze feel a bit off?
Qi Yu unconsciously looked in Qi Nian's direction.
Sensing Qi Yu's gaze, Qi Nian turned her head to meet her eyes, "What's wrong?"
"Ah, nothing," Qi Yu withdrew her gaze and turned to watch other sects enter.
The venue for the Cultivation Grand Ceremony resembled an aerial coliseum made up of various stone islands.
In the center was an open space, surrounded by stone islands of various sizes, adorned with pavilions, corridors, and seating areas.
Each sect could choose their preferred stone island and then enter and take their seats.
Their North Yuan Sect was the first to enter, so their seats were at the very front.
Opposite them was the Xuan Yue Sect, who entered second.
Qi Yu watched the Xuan Yue Sect members enter and take their seats, her gaze sweeping over them one by one, finally settling on Shen Yunwen, who was seated right next to Venerable Su Dao.
Seeing this, Qi Nian swapped seats with Sui You, propped her chin on her hand, and asked Qi Yu, "Qi Yu, I have a question I've been wanting to ask you for a while."
"What question? Second Senior Sister, ask away," Qi Yu met Qi Nian's gaze with confusion.
Qi Nian looked at the Xuan Yue Sect opposite them, "The mountain where the Xuan Yue Sect is located was originally called Xuan Yue Mountain, and only later became the Xuan Yue Sect. Before you came to the North Yuan Sect, was the place where your original self lived Xuan Yue Mountain?"
Qi Yu's heart skipped a beat, but she still nodded.
Qi Nian's expression was one of "as expected," and she rubbed her forehead, lost in thought.
In fact, from the moment she first saw Qi Yu and heard her name, Qi Nian had felt a sense of familiarity.
Because she remembered that hundreds of years ago, by the Forgetfulness River and the Naihe Bridge, she had saved a small wandering soul from the daughter of Lord Liuyun.
At that time, the little wandering soul was already close to dissipating, but everyone in the underworld had stood by and watched.
After she intervened and saved her, seeing that the little wandering soul had been corroded by the waters of the Forgetfulness River and could not reincarnate, she took the little wandering soul to Xuan Yue Mountain and placed her inside a jade stone.
To stabilize the soul, she had given her the name Qi Yu, taking her own surname.
The jade stone was a pure spiritual item, best for nourishing souls. She had originally intended for the little wandering soul to recuperate within the jade stone, but when she returned later, she found that a Xuan Yue Sect had appeared in that place, and the jade stone containing the wandering soul had disappeared.
A long time had passed since then, and she had searched for years, using the excuse of her sister's disappearance, but had found no trace of her.
Therefore, from the day she first saw Qi Yu, she had always felt... that Qi Yu was the little wandering soul she had personally saved.
Although she was dressed as a man and her features had changed, when she bestowed the name, her words had the power of law, allowing Qi Yu to stabilize her soul. Thus, Qi Yu's name contained her spiritual power, and she couldn't possibly be mistaken.
It was just unclear why Qi Yu seemed to have no memory of this event.
Thinking of this, Qi Nian's gaze involuntarily drifted to Qi Yu's attire, and she began to speculate about Qi Yu's gender...
Qi Yu's soul should be female.
But... why was Qi Yu dressed as a man?
Could it be that she chose a male form when she achieved cultivation? But if her soul was female, she shouldn't be able to transform into a male when cultivating. Was she ignorant?
Or perhaps... Qi Yu was disguised as a man?
With this doubt in her heart, Qi Nian unconsciously reached out.
Qi Yu flinched, looking down at the hand suddenly on her waist, then at Qi Nian, who was awkwardly maintaining her outstretched pose. She suddenly clutched herself, her face showing a look of vigilance:
"Second Senior Sister, what are you going to do to me..."
Qi Nian's expression became awkward. She had intended to explain that it was a misunderstanding, but upon seeing Qi Yu's look of a villain, Qi Nian was amused to the point of anger. She grabbed Qi Yu's wrist, pulled her onto her lap, wrapped an arm around her from behind, and pinched her chin threateningly:
"What am I going to do? What can I do? Of course, I want to dote on you..."
"Second Senior Sister!" Qi Yu exclaimed, her face instantly flushing red. She struggled to get down, while Si Qing beside her pulled her down.
Qi Nian held Qi Yu firmly, with a mischievous look, "What are you shouting about? Even if you shout, you can't escape my grasp."
After saying that, she pushed Si Qing aside, "Get away, I'm going to start bullying your brother."
Si Qing was furious.
Qi Yu reached out to push Qi Nian's head.
Qi Nian held her hands, restraining her in her embrace, her fingertips brushing against Qi Yu's palm and the skin near her neck, further solidifying her conviction that she was a girl.
Unable to break free, Qi Yu finally opened her mouth to bite Qi Nian.
Perhaps the commotion was a little too loud, and Li Yu heard it. She turned to tell them to be quieter, but before she could speak, she saw Qi Nian holding Qi Yu in her arms.
Li Yu's expression grew complicated:
"...You two... doing this in broad daylight, isn't that a bit inappropriate."