I don't want to be trained by my senior sister!

Northern Plains, a bitterly cold land.

A cold wind howled, and in a valley covered in ice and snow, a few medicinal herbs emitting a faint glow swayed in the wind.

Ning Qian bent down and carefully picked the last "Ice Soul Frost Blossom" by the roots, placing it into a specially made jade box.

"roar--!"

A massive, bear-like beast with a single horn roared and pounced.

Ning Qian didn't even turn her head; she simply pointed her fingers like a sword and casually slashed backward.

An invisible sword aura swept past.

The ferocious beast's hideous head silently separated from its massive body. Before the scalding blood could even spurt out, it was frozen into ice crystals by the extremely cold sword energy, and crashed onto the snow along with the corpse.

Ning Qian then slowly straightened up, without even looking at the beast corpse.

She walked to a large rock nearby, brushed the snow off it, and sat down.

She bent her legs, hugged her knees with both hands, and gently rested her chin on her knees.

On her cool and aloof face, her eyes stared blankly at a point on the ground.

It has been... 643 hours and three quarters of an hour since I last saw my junior brother.

Before, in the small courtyard, let alone 643 hours, even if she didn't see someone for half an hour, she would feel that the courtyard was empty.

From now on... there will be no more comfort from my junior brother.

She should get used to it...

Just like in the previous dozens of reincarnations, he was alone.

Accustomed to loneliness and coldness, accustomed to fighting.

But why... when I think of this, my heart still feels like it's being pricked by tiny needles, a sudden pang of bitterness?

It was even more uncomfortable than the biting wind of Kitahara hitting my face...

She blinked hard, forcing back the rising wetness.

The main ingredients needed to refine the "Nine-Turn Heart-Protecting Pill" have not yet been collected; Ice Soul Frost Essence is the last one.

Next, I need to make a trip to the East Sea. I must obtain the broken fragment of the "Ancient Void Mirror" from the Ruins of Guixu and refine it into a defensive magic artifact. It will be incredibly effective at resisting heavenly lightning...

She forced herself to bring her thoughts back to the important matter at hand.

Standing up, I stepped out of the sheltered valley and was greeted by a flurry of snowflakes.

The various dynasties of Beiyuan have consistently refused to hand over the east and west.

Then don't blame her...

......

The next day, at the Fang family's villa.

Fang Xuan had just finished the ceremony of receiving the seal from the head of the family and was preparing to go to Beiyuan.

He pushed open the door and saw the Fifth Elder standing outside, looking as if facing a formidable enemy, with dark circles under his eyes, and beside him an even more profound old man in a green robe with an imposing and dignified appearance.

"Young Master, you're awake. This is the Second Elder, who rushed here overnight from our ancestral homeland in the Southern Frontier."

.......

Over the next half hour, Fang Xuan deeply understood what "the elder's persistence" meant.

The Second Elder was clearly much more skilled than the Fifth Elder. He didn't cry or make a fuss, but presented the facts, reasoned with the family, talked about the greater good of the clan, and discussed the allocation of resources.

He quoted extensively from classical texts, spoke fluently and at length, but had only one core idea.

Stay, become the head of the family, and lead the Fang family to glory.

The Fifth Elder nodded vigorously, occasionally adding a few words, always with a painstaking and earnest expression.

Fang Xuan felt dizzy and disoriented. Two powerful cultivators at the Tribulation Transcending stage were surrounding him, a mere Nascent Soul stage cultivator, with an air of "Without you, the Fang family would be finished."

"Alright," Fang Xuan finally couldn't help but interrupt.

"Being the head of the family is impossible."

Has his father gone mad? Or is the Fang family so desperate that they've made an eighteen-year-old the head of the family?

Knowing that there was absolutely no hope, the Second Elder and the Fifth Elder exchanged a glance, their faces showing deep disappointment, but they did not insist any further.

They also know that pushing too hard might backfire.

"Since that's the case... if the young master insists on leaving, we can't force him to stay." The second elder sighed and took out a storage ring and an ancient token from his pocket.

"Inside are some holy medicines for healing, as well as a family token. If we encounter trouble outside, we can use this token to mobilize all of our family's resources and manpower. There is also a flying magic weapon called the Cloud Shuttle in the ring. It is fast enough and saves some spiritual energy."

Fang Xuan accepted the gifts without hesitation, saying, "Thank you."

Seeing that he accepted it, the two elders' expressions softened, at least they did not completely reject the family's goodwill.

Fang Xuan turned around, preparing to leave the villa that had put so much pressure on him.

He had only taken two steps when he looked back.

"Senior sister?"

But there was nothing there.

But then, a slender, fair hand reached out from the undulating void.

Then he scooped up Little Black, who was lying on the ground and dozing off, and then shrunk back down.

The spatial fluctuations subsided instantly, as if nothing had happened.

Fang Xuan: "..."

He stared at the spot where the hand had disappeared, stunned for several seconds.

So... does my senior sister think I don't want her anymore, and that's why she's angry? She's avoiding me and won't even see me...

Senior sister... why are you still so naive...?

......

Kitahara, atop a snow-capped mountain.

Ning Qian's figure fell out of the void, staggering before regaining her balance.

She was holding Xiao Hei in her arms, and it was still a little dazed from being suddenly taken away, and it protested instinctively.

Leaning against the cold mountain rocks, I slowly slid down, hugged my knees again, and buried my face in my arms.

Only a pair of slightly reddened eyes were visible as they gazed at the vast snowfield below the mountain.

My junior brother woke up... He looked a bit better.

And indeed... he wasn't the Fang family's illegitimate son who couldn't be brought into the light, but rather the Fang family's heir to the family headship, on whom they placed high hopes.

With such talent and a great background, his future holds limitless possibilities.

People like her are different...

She only brings misfortune, like a shadow in a gutter, unable to see the light, and always drags down those around her...

......

Ning Qian bit her lower lip.

Why can't she control herself?

I clearly decided not to go see him, but somehow... how did I inexplicably... tear open the space and go there again?

What if... what if my junior brother had spotted her and insisted on following her?

She simply couldn't refuse.

The moment her junior brother looks at her with those beautiful eyes and softly calls her "Senior Sister," all her defenses crumble instantly...

But no, absolutely not.

Those people in the upper realms have begun to notice her.

And then there are Dao Yi's remnants, those three wandering immortals who have always been eyeing her covetously... They will discover her whereabouts sooner or later.

It would be too dangerous for her junior brother to stay with her.

We can't let him get involved any more...

You can't secretly visit him for at least a month.

She lowered her eyes.

No... a month is too short. What if I can't resist? At least a year...

But... I was in too much of a rush just now, and the opening of the space was a bit off. I only saw my junior brother's profile and back, not his face...

He seems to have lost some weight; his injuries must still be quite serious, right?

Will the Fang family's medicine work? Will those two elders force him to do things he doesn't want to do...?

Or... should we go back and take another look?

Just one glance, enough to see her face clearly, absolutely no lingering, and absolutely no letting my junior brother notice.

Ning Qian tightened her grip on Xiao Hei's arm, her eyes filled with struggle...