Don't pretend, everyone knows you're the villain!

That's just how people are; when they receive protection from others, they have to pay a corresponding price when necessary.

Those who traveled with Luo Youran all knew that when faced with a life-or-death situation, no one would hesitate for a moment if it meant trading someone else's life for a delay; it was simply a matter of the survival of the fittest.

Xi Mingzhu and Lu Tiannan opened the door to the third-floor emergency exit and stepped inside—the floor and walls were all mirrors.

There are no shops; the entire space is filled with mirrors.

Before they had taken two steps, they saw Jiang Muyu and the NPC walking towards them together.

The NPC smiled and spoke politely to the three of them.

"Welcome to Mirror Paradise. Your abilities are evident to both me and the boss."

"This is a reward from the boss for everyone, please enjoy it."

The moment the NPC disappeared, the three of them fell into the mirror at their feet, with Xi Mingzhu and Lu Tiannan holding on tightly.

When I opened my eyes again, I forgot everything.

As a child, Xi Mingzhu sat quietly to the side, watching his senior brother happily tell their master, "Master, I have successfully refined the elixir today!"

The Master never hesitates to praise, and he takes great care of each and every disciple.

The senior sister who was frying eggs pouted unhappily. She turned her head and saw the junior brother sitting quietly to the side, so she quickly ran over.

"Junior brother, why are you hiding in the corner again without saying anything? How about your senior sister takes you down the mountain to buy some candied hawthorns?"

Xi Mingzhu rummaged in his pocket for a while, then pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to his junior sister to wipe her face.

The junior sister, her face grimy from the fryer, grinned and casually wiped herself clean.

"Junior Brother is so considerate. You stinky Senior Brother, you go to Master for praise as soon as you succeed in refining pills! You don't even know how to share your insights with me."

This sounded like a casual complaint, without any hint of jealousy.

Looking at everything before him, Xi Mingzhu felt the warmth that had just lingered in his palms dissipate.

The junior sister, having finished cleaning, grabbed her quiet junior brother and ran down the mountain with her purse in her pocket. Before leaving, she made a face at the senior brother over there before departing, satisfied.

The two wandered aimlessly through the streets, and whenever the junior sister saw something interesting or delicious, she would ask Xi Mingzhu if he wanted some. She even generously offered to treat him.

Xi Mingzhu wasn't very interested in any of these things. He had just finished eating one of the candied hawthorns in his hand—his junior sister had almost finished hers.

Suddenly, they noticed a little beggar staring at them expectantly from the corner, his gaze mainly fixed on the candied hawthorn in Xi Mingzhu's hand.

Xi Mingzhu wasn't one to meddle in other people's business. Everyone has their own destiny, and he was fortunate to have met a master who took him in and taught him. With his meager strength, he couldn't save others; the world was vast, and there were countless people suffering.

"Junior brother, you..." The junior sister also noticed that Xi Mingzhu was looking at the little beggar.

Her junior brother showed little interest in anything.

Although the little beggar was dressed in tattered clothes, his face was so cute that the junior sister took a closer look and found him quite pleasing to the eye.

"Junior Brother likes him? Let's take him back to show Master and have him become our junior brother!"

In the past, Xi Mingzhu would never have paid attention to such a thing, but when he met the little beggar's eyes, he was momentarily stunned.

It felt like I knew him, a very strange feeling.

"……it is good."

The junior sister smiled and struck up a conversation with the little beggar, saying she would take him to live a good life; in short, she made a very convincing promise.

Xi Mingzhu didn't say anything, but hesitantly handed over the candied hawthorn that he had already eaten one of, knowing the other person would probably dislike it. However, the way the other person was swallowing their saliva suggested they really wanted some.

The little beggar looked timidly at Xi Mingzhu, and seeing that the other party was calmly watching him and had no ill intentions, he accepted the candied hawthorn.

Carefully sticking out the tip of its tongue, it licked the outer sugar coating.

A happy expression appeared on her little face.

Xi Mingzhu pursed her lips. Is it really that delicious?

The junior sister persistently persuaded the little beggar who was eating candied hawthorn.

"Come back with us, Master will definitely accept you as a disciple."

Speaking of which, among their sect members, the junior sister comes from the best family background and is known for her open-mindedness and easy-going nature.

The only downside is that he likes to take children home.

The wealthy and powerful junior sister didn't think much of her compassionate heart. After all, she didn't just pick up anyone; it was all about first impressions, and if someone caught her eye, that was fate. Who knows, maybe she was meant to be someone's benefactor!

Xi Mingzhu raised her hand and pinched the little beggar's face, her tone still indifferent, only a little gentler than usual.

The junior sister blinked, still in a daze. It seemed that the junior brother really liked this little beggar.

"What's your name?"

The little beggar looked at Xi Mingzhu with sparkling eyes, smiling happily as his eyebrows curved.

"Lu Tiannan."

"I am Xi Mingzhu. Do you want to come back with... us?"

"I'll go with you."

The little beggar reached out his tiny hand and grasped Xi Mingzhu's fair hand. The junior sister didn't have time to stop him; her junior brother disliked being touched by others and would get angry.

Unexpectedly, Xi Mingzhu didn't say anything. He pulled the little beggar and headed back up the mountain. Along the way, the junior sister kept wondering to herself why her junior brother had changed his ways today.

He smoothly joined the sect, and Xi Mingzhu was no longer the junior brother; the title of junior brother was given to Lu Tiannan.

Lu Tiannan usually clung to Xi Mingzhu.

A year later, Xi Mingzhu followed his master to refine pills, while Lu Tiannan had no interest in pill refining and followed an elder to learn swordsmanship.

However, Lu Tiannan would still sit aside and watch Xi Mingzhu refine pills in his spare time.

All day long, he propped his little head up and just stared at Xi Mingzhu.

"Junior Brother! Why are you keeping an eye on Junior Brother Xi again? You're like a little supervisor all day long. You two are really close."

Lu Tiannan hadn't said anything at first, but upon hearing the words "very affectionate," he proudly replied, "Of course."

As they continued their practice, their fellow disciples descended the mountain and entered the secular world one after another.

The remaining Xi Mingzhu and Lu Tiannan were also close to completing their cultivation and were preparing to descend the mountain.

Over the years, Lu Tiannan's swordsmanship has made him stand out among the rising stars of several major sects, and he finally won the championship and became famous in the grand ceremony.

Xi Mingzhu's alchemy skills have surpassed his master's, and many powerful families are eyeing the two of them as they enter the world of alchemy.

Sword cultivators are known for being poor, but Lu Tiannan and Xi Mingzhu always travel together. Since they started their training, they have never lacked pills or money.

"Brother, I've made up my mind. Wherever you go, I'll go."

Xi Mingzhu knew that Lu Tiannan was referring to the matter of going down the mountain and entering the world, which was the last cultivation task that their master had given them.

"The Lin family. They offer a lot of benefits and also provide a lot of freedom."

Lu Tiannan had no objection; the Lin family of the Upper Three Gates was a good place to go.

“Okay, it would be good for me to be a doorman for my brother.”

Xi Mingzhu looked at Lu Tiannan calmly and earnestly.

"If you wish, with your abilities, the Lin family will never treat you unfairly. If you don't wish, stay by my side, and you will share in my future wealth and glory."

"Brother, you've treated me so well, you can't go back on your word. Even if you become a Daoist partner with someone else in the future, you must never break your promise." Lu Tiannan said seemingly cheerfully, but his eyes held a dark glint.

Over the years, Lu Tiannan has quietly driven away every single person around Xi Mingzhu who wanted to express their affection.

Xi Mingzhu replied calmly, "Of course not."