Mingqing Sword Sect 4+1 · Conversa

Above the ten-thousand-li sea of clouds, several massive flying ships cut through the sky, trails of colorful spiritual light streaking across the heavens like soaring dragons. At the prow of the Mingqing Sword Sect's flying ship, Xie Yi lay sprawled unceremoniously across the carved balustrade with one leg crossed over the other. The gale whipped fiercely against his cross-collared immortal robes of vibrant crimson, making the gold-mounted ruby ornaments at his waist clatter in a crisp, lively rhythm against the bells on his bracers. A stalk of spiritual grass nicked from who-knows-where dangled from his lips, and he idly tossed a freshly woven snow-fox fur ball in one hand, radiating an air of effortless, languid nonchalance. Cruising alongside them was the verdant wooden vessel of the Rongxi Sect, barely a dozen zhang away. Across on the other deck, several Rongxi Sect disciples glared daggers at Xie Yi. "Hey, peacock of Mingjue Peak! What are you staring at?!" Unable to hold back any longer, one Rongxi disciple pointed at Xie Yi and snapped. "We haven't settled the score for when you trashed our herbal garden and pinched three centennial purple-leaf lingzhi mushrooms!" Spitting out the blade of grass, Xie Yi vaulted upright with one hand on the railing, raven-black hair sweeping back in the wind. He arched an eyebrow, the vermilion mark at the corner of his eye gleaming with smug amusement. "Yo, if it isn't our dear fellow Daoists from the Rongxi Sect~" He offered a cheeky wave. "What, is this young master simply too dazzling for your eyes? Besides, didn't I already cough up the spirit stones to pay for that garden incident~?" "As if that measly sum covers anything!" Livid, the disciple stomped his foot and whipped a jade-green vine spell straight at him. Xie Yi did not even flinch. A spark of scarlet heavenly fire flared at his fingertip. With a casual flick, the ember drifted toward the vine, instantly reducing it to a wisp of dark smoke and scorching the edge of a pennant hanging from the opposite ship. "Oops, my hand slipped." Xie Yi dusted his hands off, wearing a thoroughly punchable grin. "Second Senior Brother, please stop stirring up trouble..." Standing a short distance away, Ren Mi sighed softly. Dressed in celadon-green immortal robes over a white inner garment that peeked slightly at the collar, scarlet cords hung from his sash, and a slender, tasselled silver earring swayed gently as he tilted his head. He silently took two steps back from Xie Yi, still wearing the flower wreath Xie Yi had forcefully shoved onto his head. Refusing to let him slip away, Xie Yi playfully tugged at Ren Mi's wreath. "Junior Brother, do I look handsome today or what?" "Handsome. You're the most handsome of all." Just as Xie Yi turned back to taunt the Rongxi disciples again, the surrounding temperature plummeted without warning to subzero, and fine ice crystals began coalescing across the sea of clouds. A figure draped in ink-black robes landed silently upon the deck. Surrounding moisture snapped into white frost, creeping out in all directions from the hem of his robe. Si Wei stood amidst the frost, long silver-white hair tumbling like a frozen cascade, wisps of bangs dusted in fine ice, the crescent moon sigil between his brows gleaming chilly through the frigid mist. The immense aura of an Early Soul Formation cultivator caused a film of frost to coat the entire vessel, even frosting over the magical treasures the Rongxi disciples had just summoned. He glanced toward the Rongxi Sect's ship, dipping his chin slightly in apology, before his gaze swept like an icy blade toward the red-clad figure at the bow. "Eldest Senior Brother, I was wrong..." Xie Yi changed his tune faster than turning a page, snapping straight into an impeccably proper posture, while his hands behind his back quietly shoved the snow-fox fur ball into his storage ring. Si Wei grabbed Xie Yi cleanly by the back of the collar, hauling the strutting red peacock back. "Silence." Si Wei did not raise his voice, but the faint, trailing note—soft as snow settling on bamboo—carried a biting chill that sent shivers down the spine. "Master sent word. He is already awaiting us at the Jinyang Sect." Si Wei slowly lowered his eyes, his gaze sweeping coolly over the lingering sparks at Xie Yi's fingertips. "Cause trouble again, and you'll be punished as you were as a boy—ten times the duration." Xie Yi pleaded for mercy repeatedly, yet covertly winked and grimaced at Ren Mi beside him, howling through telepathic transmission: "Third Junior Brother, speak up for me, hurry!" Ren Mi turned around silently, pretending to gaze at the sea of clouds. "Second Senior Brother, you're on your own." "If I help you, Eldest Senior Brother will punish me too." Xie Yi choked with indignation and was just about to curse him for being heartless when Si Wei yanked him back, making him stumble. Sunlight bathed the deck, spilling broken gold across the floorboards. Filled with the boisterous, vibrant energy of youth, the ship forged ahead toward the Jinyang Sect.