Master, don't tease me, you can't handle three of them.

Jingran slowly lowered the blanket down again.

But... it feels pretty good!

Recalling Jing Shu's anxious and shy appearance just now, Jing Ran's lips curled up slightly, as if she had discovered something very interesting.

Jing Shu, who had run out of the inner room, was still unable to calm down, his mind filled with the image of Jing Ran he had just seen.

"Snapped--"

Jing Shu slapped himself hard to bring his thoughts back.

The Nascent Soul didn't tease him at this moment, because if he were to see such a scene, he himself couldn't guarantee that he would be able to restrain himself like Jing Shu.

After regaining consciousness, Jing Shu used his spiritual power to erase the slap mark on his face so that his master wouldn't see it. He then took out the dishes from the food box one by one.

When Jingran came out dressed, he saw a table full of dishes and Jingshu standing with his back to him.

Jing Shu turned around and looked at Jing Ran, who was already dressed, and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He then spoke to Jing Ran with a normal expression.

"Master, dinner is ready."

"Hmm." Jingran didn't mention what had just happened. She gave a soft "hmm" and then sat down to eat quietly.

Jing Shu looked at Jing Ran, who had changed back into her old clothes, and a hint of unreadable emotion flashed in her eyes.

Aside from her appearance being completely different from her previous master, Jing Ran was exactly the same in every other way. Her master's clothes also fit her perfectly.

Jing Ran still picked up a piece of peach blossom pastry first, but this time he placed it in Jing Shu's bowl.

"When we're not alone, please call me Aran. I'm more used to it."

Jing Shu paused for a moment, then chuckled softly and picked up a peach blossom pastry from the bowl. "Okay, Aran."

Others can call him Master, but only he can call him Aran.

After finishing his meal, Jing Shu put the dishes and chopsticks back into the food box. "Aran, get some rest. I'm going out for a bit."

Upon hearing this, Jing Ran yawned and slowly asked, "What are you going out for?"

"My sect leader sent a message asking me to come over, probably to ask about things in Huacheng. It's nothing serious," Jing Shu explained.

"Hmm." After finishing her meal, Jingran felt sleepy again and couldn't help but yawn once more.

Seeing Jing Ran's forced composure, Jing Shu chuckled and said, "Ran, go and rest. You don't need to get up early tomorrow. You can sleep as long as you want."

"Okay." Jing Ran stood up groggily and walked towards the inner room. Halfway there, she turned back to Jing Shu and said goodnight.

Jing Shu watched Jing Ran disappear from sight before speaking softly.

"Good night."

----------------

Cloud Burial Sect, main peak.

"Knock—knock—"

Two knocks broke the silence of the night. The person inside seemed to have been waiting for a long time, and upon hearing the knocks, waved and opened the door.

"Junior Brother Jing, I've been waiting for you for so long!"

Fan Qingyan looked at Jing Shu, who had closed the door as soon as he entered, and said helplessly.

Before it got dark, he sent a spiritual message to Jing Shu, and Jing Shu replied that he was cooking and would come back after he finished eating.

Fan Qingyan remained silent for a long time after seeing the message, and finally sighed slightly. Well, it's only right that the two brothers finally met, caught up, and had a meal together. He didn't urge Jing Shu any further.

So he waited from dawn till dusk, just like a lonely old man!

"I just finished eating, and my senior brother, the sect leader, called me over. What does he want to ask me?"

Jing Shu didn't stand on ceremony any further and poured himself a cup of tea after sitting down.

Fan Qingyan didn't care about any of that; he was more interested in what the Lingxi Sect Master had just told him through the communication jade slip.

"Junior brother, did you really kill the Soul-Devouring Beast all by yourself?"

The information Su Manyi gave him was almost entirely about Jing Shu, saying that he had single-handedly killed the Soul-Devouring Beast and saved Huacheng, thus doing a great favor for her Lingxi Sect, and that she warmly welcomed him to visit Lingxi Sect in the upcoming sect competition.

Although Fan Qingyan was very proud that this was his junior brother, Jing Shu was a light-elemental cultivator! Even if he knew how to use a sword, he couldn't possibly be this powerful!

Furthermore, I've never heard my uncle mention that Junior Brother Jingshu was training in swordsmanship with him! Wasn't it only Junior Brother Shichuan who received my uncle's true teachings?

Fearing that Jing Shu might misunderstand, Fan Qingyan continued, "It's not that I don't believe you, I'm just curious. I've heard from my uncle that you specialize in talismans and formations, but the sect leader of Lingxi Sect told me that you use a sword."

After finishing his tea, Jing Shu slowly answered, "I have my own sword technique. Actually, I'm also learning swordsmanship, talismans, formations, and alchemy. Now I'm a little interested in weapon crafting. If you have any books on this subject, you can let me take a look."

Fan Qingyan's eyes widened upon hearing Jing Shu's words. Was he planning to develop in all aspects?! No wonder he was his master's disciple!

“Of course, there’s another reason why I was able to easily kill the Soul-Devouring Beast,” Jing Shu continued considerately.

"Actually, Senior Brother, that's not all you want to ask, is it? You're more curious about how I, a cultivator with a light spiritual root, can wield such powerful swordsmanship?"

"Hmm." Fan Qingyan was secretly amazed by Jing Shu's insight, but he also directly admitted it.

“Senior brother, I don’t know why people only regard cultivators with light spiritual roots as vessels, but in fact, the greater function of light spiritual roots is to counter demons.”

"!!!"

Fan Qingyan genuinely didn't know this. The Demon Realm and the Cultivation Realm had always kept to themselves, except occasionally when uncontrollable demonic beasts would come to the Cultivation Realm to cause trouble, which the Demon Lord of the Demon Realm did not concern himself with.

To paraphrase the Demon Lord, don't some of you cultivators sneak into the Demon Realm? Anyway, you obey whoever's territories you're on. Since they've taken the initiative to cause trouble, just kill them directly; there's no need to tell them.

Therefore, there has been virtually no war between the two realms, and given the extremely small number of cultivators with light spiritual roots, it's quite normal that they are unaware of this matter. What the cultivation world is more concerned with is why light spiritual roots are considered top-tier furnace physiques.

Fan Qingyan sighed softly, "Junior Brother Jing, what you're saying is something that probably no one in the cultivation world knows. Has your Uncle-Master ever told you why the Light Spirit Root is called a top-tier furnace physique?"

Jing Shu shook his head. His master had never told him these things.

"The Light Spirit Root is the best healing spirit root among all spirit roots, comparable only to the Water Spirit Root. But in addition to that, it has another function—it can dispel inner demons."

"No cultivator can guarantee that they will never develop inner demons. Once they do, all their efforts over decades or even centuries will be in vain. But as long as they have a cauldron with a light spiritual root, they will never have this problem again."

Fan Qingyan paused slightly, "But being a cultivator with a light spiritual root doesn't mean they won't develop inner demons. Because of this constitution, they are often sought after, and the fate of a light spiritual root cultivator is basically only to become a vessel for others, then develop inner demons because of it, and ultimately lose their usefulness..."

Looking at the silent Jing Shu, Fan Qingyan realized the topic was getting a bit heavy, so he patted Jing Shu's shoulder twice and said reassuringly.

"But Junior Brother Jing, don't worry! Your Uncle and the Cloud Burial Sect will protect you! But remember! You can't just choose any Daoist partner! They must be approved by your Uncle before you move into the Cloud Burial Sect! Regardless of gender, they must marry you!"