Transforming into a stunningly beautiful fox spirit, leaving a scar on the heart of a prodigy.

The sun was blazing, and beyond the woods lay a desolate, grassy slope.

Gu Xiangshen trudged through the grass, his shoes making a strange "gurgling" sound with each step—the sound of mud and sweat fermenting together.

His once decent long gown was now unrecognizable, the hem torn into strips, covered with burrs and unknown grass seeds, his hair a mess like a chicken coop that had just been cleaned, and his face smeared with streaks of black ash.

His appearance was so bad that calling him a refugee fleeing famine would be an understatement; he looked like a wild ghost that had just crawled out of a mass grave.

In contrast, Su Qing was walking half a step to his side.

His blue robe was perfectly smooth without a single wrinkle, and he was waving a folding fan with obvious ease. His cloud-patterned boots were spotless, without a speck of mud or even dust on them.

The two walked side by side, their styles so drastically different that they seemed to come from two different worlds.

Gu Xiang stopped, panting heavily, wiped the oil and sweat from his face with his sleeve, and stared intently at Su Qing's shoes.

"Brother Su."

Gu Xiang asked in a resentful tone, "Where did you buy these shoes?"

Su Qing stopped fanning herself and glanced down at the stall: "Roadside stall, twenty coins a pair."

Gu Xiang's lips twitched.

These shoes of his were sewn by Er Ya herself with a thousand layers of soles, and she even oiled them before he left home, but they're almost worn out after all this walking.

Looking at Su Qing again, not only were her shoes clean, but she also didn't have a drop of sweat on her body. She even had a faint, pleasant, cool scent, as if she had just stepped out of an ice cellar.

"Brother Su, tell me honestly."

Gu Xiang leaned closer, lowered his voice, and said seriously, "Are you one of those legendary... wandering knights-errant?"

Just now in the woods, Su Qing's few fans had sent several burly men sprawling on the ground, and that scene was still swirling in Gu Xiang's mind.

Although scholars adhere to the principle of "not speaking of strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, or spirits," who doesn't harbor a dream of wandering the world with a sword in hand?

Su Qing glanced at him and twirled the folding fan between her fingers.

"What if I told you I'm a fox spirit who eats people's hearts? Would you believe me?"

Su Qing's voice was languid, her peach blossom eyes slightly narrowed, and a half-smile curved at the corner of her eyes.

Gu Xiang was stunned for a moment.

He stared at Su Qing for a long time, then suddenly burst out laughing, waving his hand and saying, "Brother Su, you're really joking."

"What, I don't look like it?" Su Qing raised an eyebrow.

"Doesn't look like it!"

Gu Xiang said decisively, "The books all say that fox spirits are alluring to the bone, and they look... cough cough, although Brother Su, you are indeed excessively handsome, but this temperament is not right."

Gu Xiang straightened his back and analyzed with an upright expression: "Just now, when facing the robbers, Brother Su's actions were ruthless, but that was punishing evil and promoting good! That's chivalry! What does a vixen know about chivalry?"

In his opinion, Su Qing was just joking around.

What kind of monster would openly admit that it is a monster?

Besides, what vixen would follow a poor scholar down such a muddy road?

Su Qing looked at Gu Xiang's confident expression and chuckled inwardly.

That idiot, he doesn't believe the truth and insists on making things up in his head.

"Fine, if you say it's not, then it's not."

Su Qing didn't bother to explain and continued walking forward.

Gu Xiang, however, seemed to have been given a free rein to talk. He quickly caught up, his face full of admiration: "Brother Su, could you teach me that 'Swinging Words' move just now? Especially the force with which it sent people flying, it was so satisfying!"

"I can't teach it."

Su Qing casually brushed it off, saying, "That's a skill for children, you have to start practicing it from the womb."

Gu Xiang looked regretful, but quickly cheered up again.

He suddenly stopped, straightened his tattered clothes, and his expression became unusually solemn.

"Brother Su."

Gu Xiang called out.

Su Qing turned around: "What is it now?"

Gu Xiang took a deep breath, clasped his hands together, and bowed deeply to Su Qing, his waist almost touching the ground.

"Brother Su, I have no way to repay your life-saving grace. Along the way, although you have been sharp-tongued, you have always acted with integrity and are a role model for us all."

Gu Xiang raised his head, his eyes sparkling. "Although I am but a scholar, I am grateful for kindness. If Brother Su does not mind my poverty and foolishness... ah, I mean my poverty and weakness, I am willing to become sworn brothers with you!"

Su Qing paused in her fanning.

To become sworn brothers?

Just as Su Qing was about to refuse, that familiar mechanical voice suddenly rang in her mind.

[Ding! Target person "Gu Xiang" has been detected to have proactively proposed establishing a deep bond relationship.]

[Side Quest Triggered: Oath of the Peach Garden (Fake)]

[Mission Objective: Accept Gu Xiang's request and become sworn brothers with him.]

[Task Rewards: +10% Favorability, Obtain the special title "Confucian Sage Brother/Sister," and reduce the difficulty of subsequent missions by 10%.]

Su Qing's lips twitched.

This lousy system is shameless, it's willing to do anything for a little bit of goodwill.

"Okay."

Su Qing's face instantly lit up with a smile. He snapped his folding fan shut, his straightforwardness leaving Gu Xiang somewhat bewildered. "Since Brother Gu is in such high spirits, then let's pay our respects!"

Gu Xiang was overjoyed.

He had been worried that someone as accomplished as Su Qing would look down on him, but he hadn't expected her to be so approachable.

"well!"

Gu Xiang was so excited that his hands were trembling. He looked around and said, "But this is the middle of nowhere, there's no incense, candles, or paper money, and no chicken head wine. This..."

"If you have it in your heart, that's enough. Why be so particular?"

Su Qing casually folded three withered grasses and handed them to Gu Xiang, "Here, use these instead of incense."

Gu Xiang took the dry grass. Although he felt it was a bit simple, he thought, "We're all江湖儿女 (jianghu children), we don't care about trivial matters."

The two found a slightly flat earthen slope and knelt down side by side.

Gu Xiang planted the three withered grasses on the mound of earth in front of him, his expression solemn, and clasped his hands above his head.

"Heaven above, Earth below!"

Gu Xiang spoke in a loud, clear voice, "Today, I, Gu Xiang, vow to become sworn brothers with Su Qing. We do not ask to be born on the same day, month, and year, but we ask to die on the same day, month, and year! We will help each other in good times and bad, share blessings and misfortunes, and support each other in times of trouble. If I break this vow, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!"

After saying that, he turned to look at Su Qing, indicating that it was her turn.

Su Qing lazily raised her hand and replied dismissively, "Me too."

Gu Xiang: "..."

Although she felt something was wrong, Gu Xiang still held back.

After all, truly accomplished people tend to have their own unique personalities.

"Big Brother!" Gu Xiang changed his address quickly, looking at Su Qing with a sincere expression.

Judging by age, Su Qing's avatar looks two years younger than him, but according to the rules of the martial arts world, the most accomplished comes first, so he called him "Big Brother" willingly.

"My dear brother."

Su Qing smiled and responded.

The way he called out "Brother" was so enchanting and poignant that it made Gu Xiang's bones melt.

Before Gu Xiang could react, Su Qing leaned against his shoulder.

Gu Xiang froze.

Su Qing's entire weight pressed down on him, soft and limp, not at all like the hard, muscular build a grown man should have.

The most deadly thing was that the cool, delicate fragrance instantly entered Gu Xiang's nose, even stronger than before.

"Ouch, my legs are a little numb from kneeling for so long."

Su Qing said her legs were numb, but she showed no intention of getting up. Instead, she took advantage of the situation and snuggled closer to Gu Xiang.

Gu Xiang's mind exploded with a "boom".

His hands were frozen in mid-air, unsure whether to put them down or hug them, like a screaming chicken being choked.

This feel...

Something's not right!

Even through her clothes, he could clearly feel that Su Qing's body was excessively soft, and... and her shoulders were too narrow, weren't they?

"Big...Big Brother..."

Gu Xiang stammered, her face as red as a monkey's bottom, "You...you get up first..."

"Brother, are you looking down on your elder brother?"

Su Qing looked up, and that face, which looked like it had brought ruin to the country, was right in front of her.

She blinked, her eyes sparkling, her long eyelashes almost brushing against Gu Xiang's face.

Gu Xiang's breath hitched, and her heart pounded wildly, as if it were about to leap out of her throat.

He could even see the fine downy hairs on Su Qing's face, and her lips that were almost too red.

"No...no..."

Gu Xiang leaned back desperately, trying to create distance, but there was only a sloping earthen mound behind him, leaving him nowhere to retreat.

"Now that we've become sworn brothers, we're family."

Su Qing chuckled mischievously, then suddenly opened her arms and gave Gu Xiang a tight hug.

They hugged her very tightly.

Gu Xiang felt two soft, warm mounds pressed tightly against his chest, a sensation that was definitely not what pectoral muscles should feel!

Before he could think it through, Su Qing leaned close to his ear and gently blew a breath.

The heat penetrated through my earlobe, sending a jolt of electricity up my spine and straight to the top of my head.

Gu Xiang felt a chill run down his spine.

[System Notification: Gu Xiang's favorability has increased by 5, current favorability is 20%.]

[System notification: Target Gu Xiang's sanity is plummeting, he is feeling extremely ashamed and questioning his existence.]

Gu Xiang was indeed questioning the meaning of life.

Only three words were playing on repeat in his mind:

Am I gay?

I've become gay!

I have let down the ancestors of the Gu family!

I feel so sorry for Er Ya at the village entrance!

I actually had a reaction to a man!

And this man is my newly sworn brother!

This is utterly inhuman!

Gu Xiang shoved Su Qing away and crawled back a few steps, looking like a timid young wife who had been teased.

"Big...Big brother! Men and women...no, men and men shouldn't touch each other!"

Gu Xiang stammered, her face flushed crimson, "This...this is outrageous!"

Su Qing wasn't annoyed by being pushed away. She sat cross-legged on the ground, propped her chin on her hand, and watched Gu Xiang's devastated state with great interest.

"Brother, why are you blushing?"

Su Qing asked knowingly, "What's wrong with a hug between brothers? Do you want to sleep with me?"

"puff--"

Gu Xiang almost spat out a mouthful of blood.

"No! Absolutely not!"

Gu Xiang shook his head vigorously, making it look like a rattle drum. "I, Gu Xiang, have studied the classics and cultivated a noble spirit; I would never have such despicable thoughts!"

"Oh?"

Su Qing drawled out the last syllable, "Then why is your heart beating so fast? I could hear it, thump-thump-thump, like a drum."

Gu Xiang clutched his chest, wishing he could dig a hole and bury himself right there.

He just wants some peace and quiet right now.

Even if a robber comes and knocks him unconscious, that would be better!

Just as Gu Xiang was so embarrassed that he was digging his toes into the ground, wishing he could die on the spot, a gust of wind suddenly blew in from the ravine in front of him.

Su Qing, who had been joking, instantly lost her smile.

She suddenly stood up, opened the folding fan with a "whoosh," and held it in front of her.

Those peach blossom eyes, which had originally held a playful smile, now turned icy and chilling.

Gu Xiang was startled by her sudden change, and the awkward feeling instantly vanished.

"Big...Big Brother?"

Gu Xiang tentatively called out, "What's wrong?"

Su Qing didn't turn around, but simply tilted her head slightly and sniffed the air gently.

"My dear brother."

Su Qing's voice was very soft, yet it carried a chilling aura that sent shivers down one's spine.

"Looks like our oath of brotherhood is quite effective. We just said we'd die on the same day, in the same month, in the same year, and someone's already delivering sales figures."

Gu Xiang was completely bewildered: "What performance results?"

Su Qing turned her head, looked at Gu Xiang, and a cruel smile appeared on her lips.

"There's a smell of death ahead."

Su Qing pointed with her folding fan to the seemingly peaceful mountain valley in front of her.

"Many, just died."

"and……"

Su Qing paused, a bloodthirsty glint flashing in her eyes.

"And there's a pungent, musty smell that I really hate."

Before Gu Xiang could ask anything, he saw Su Qing light a tap of her toes and leap away like a large blue bird.

"Stay close, my dear brother."

Su Qing's voice came from afar.

"I'll take you to see what real... wickedness of the human heart is like."

Gu Xiang watched Su Qing's departing figure, gritted his teeth, and gripped the strap of the book box tightly to his chest.

Although he didn't know what lay ahead, since he had called him "Big Brother," he had to brave this danger together!

"Big brother! Wait for me!"

Gu Xiang roared and, with legs that felt like lead, stumbled and chased after him.

But as he was running, it suddenly dawned on him.

That hug just now...

It's really soft.

Gu Xiang slapped himself.

"Gu Xiang, Gu Xiang, you're a beast!"

After berating himself, he ran even faster.