"Xiao Qin, try not to attract attention when you go to Baiyao Hall," Zefang instructed with worry. "A talent that stands out is soon destroyed by the wind. Within a sect, factions are complex. Until you grow stronger, try to keep yourself hidden."
"Zefang, you're more naggy than my father," Xiao Man couldn't help but laugh. "My father isn't as naggy as you."
Zefang's face darkened. "I'm worried about you!"
"Yes, yes, our Zefang has grown up and knows how to worry about his brother!"
"I'm older than you!" Zefang retorted loudly, his face red. "I'm the older one!"
"Why are you blushing? Who's the older brother, does it matter?" Xiao Man served Zefang food. "Here, eat more and grow taller."
"I'm already a head taller than you." Zefang argued back, but obediently ate the food.
Xiao Man smiled. She wondered what this kid ate to grow so fast. She had worried about him not growing tall earlier, but these past two days, he had shot up, becoming a head taller than her. Was it always this magical for boys to grow taller?
"Even if you've grown taller than me, I'm still older," Xiao Man patted Zefang's head. "Good boy, call me brother."
Zefang snorted. Call him brother? Impossible in this lifetime! He was old enough to be her grandfather, how could he possibly call a mere youngster "brother"!
"Little Zefang, come, call me brother, and I'll give you candy."
"I don't eat candy, it's bad for my teeth." Zefang glanced at Xiao Man. "How about this: you call me brother, and I'll give you something good."
Zefang took out a spirit herb with purple flowers and waved it in front of Xiao Man.
Agave! Xiao Man's eyes widened. She reached out to grab it, but Zefang quickly withdrew his hand. "Call me Zefang Gege, and I'll give it to you."
Xiao Man gritted her teeth. "I'll trade you something else."
"No trade. If you don't call me brother, I'll eat it right now." Zefang moved to put it in his mouth, and Xiao Man quickly grabbed his arm.
"Wait, wait, don't! You can't eat it! Xiang Jian is waiting for the agave to save his life!" Xiao Man shouted excitedly.
"Then why aren't you calling me Zefang Gege?"
Xiao Man bit her lip. It's just calling someone brother, it won't cost her a piece of flesh. She could just think of Zefang as Xiao Luo!
Xiao Man tugged Zefang's sleeve, whining playfully, "Zefang Gege, good brother, please, please give me the agave."
Zefang felt his breath hitch, his earlobes instantly turning red. He quickly handed the agave to Xiao Man. "Since you're being so obedient, I'll give it to you."
Xiao Man quickly put the agave away. The agave Zefang gave her was very fresh, it might even survive. If she could cultivate some agave later, she wouldn't have to worry about lacking it.
Having obtained the agave, Xiao Man eagerly rushed to the Ling Snake Sect to save Xiang Jian. Zefang, however, felt uneasy. The more he interacted with Xiao Man, the more worried he became about her. Not only could she open the barrier of the Forbidden Land, but she also intended to shake the formation of Yangming Valley. If this news got out, the Four Great Sects would surely rush over to eliminate her.
"Young Master, I can't stall any longer. Wu Yan is getting impatient and wants to report to the sect."
Zefang tapped his fingers on the table. "Go tell Wu Yan that in three days, at most three days, I will return. Tell him not to act rashly."
"Young Master, you can't be so willful anymore. It's time to go back." Gu Yu stomped his feet anxiously. What kind of anomaly was that Xiao Qin that he could make the Young Master so unwilling to return?
"Just three more days. After three days, I will definitely leave." Zefang said with no room for argument. "Alright, stop nagging. Go tell Wu Yan to wait."
"Alright, Young Master." Gu Yu walked out helplessly, but Zefang called him back as he reached the door.
"Wait..."
"Young Master, have you changed your mind?" Gu Yu immediately rushed back, looking at Zefang with delight.
Zefang coughed, masking his awkwardness. "Call me Gege. Let me hear it."
Gu Yu stared at him with confusion. Call who Gege?
"Call me Zefang Gege, good brother."
Gu Yu's confusion deepened, but when Zefang glared at him, he immediately said, "Zefang Gege, good brother."
Zefang looked like he had swallowed a fly, extremely disgusted. Gu Yu looked hurt. "Young Master, you told me to say it!"
Zefang coughed, perhaps he had the wrong approach. "Do this, tug my sleeve, and say, Zefang Gege, good brother."
Gu Yu looked like he had been struck by lightning. "Young Master, I'm a man."
"I know you're a man, my eyes aren't blind. Just do it if I tell you to!"
Gu Yu, with doubt in his eyes, extended two fingers, tugged Zefang's sleeve, and squeaked in a high-pitched voice, "Zefang Gege, good brother... Ouch!"
Zefang waved his sleeve and sent Gu Yu flying, crashing into the wall. Gu Yu rubbed his arm repeatedly, feeling disgusted, so disgusted he could puke!
Gu Yu got up from the ground, looking at Zefang's disgusted and loathsome expression. He felt utterly rejected. "Young Master, you can't torture me like this! It's one thing for me, a grown man, to learn to act cute like a woman, but you're disgusted by me too!"
Zefang couldn't even bear to look at Gu Yu. "Scram!"
Gu Yu left with a mournful face. Ever since the Young Master met that Xiao Qin, he had become completely abnormal!
After Gu Yu left, Zefang took a deep breath, suppressing the feeling of disgust. Why did his heart fill with joy and even excitement when Xiao Qin acted cute and called him Gege? But when Gu Yu called him Gege, he felt disgusted? They were both men, so why didn't Xiao Qin's cuteness disgust him? On the contrary, he liked it when she acted cute towards him. Why was that?
Zefang took out a turtle shell and divination coins from his spatial ring. He wanted to see Xiao Man's destiny. If he could foresee danger, he could help her avoid it. After all, she was daring beyond measure, and he didn't know where she got the nerve to provoke anyone and stumble into any trouble!
Based on his usual principles, he wouldn't get close to such a person, because such people would bring him unstable danger. But Xiao Man had a fatal attraction for him. He always wanted to be by her side, even if it meant watching her get into trouble, he still felt happy.
Zefang was very confident in his divination skills, but to his surprise, he divined three times in a row and could not obtain any useful information. Usually, he could achieve his goals with just divination, but it didn't work for Xiao Man.
"Strange, why can't I divine her future?" Zefang frowned. There were three types of people whose destinies couldn't be divined: one, those with no future; two, those whose destiny was tied to the Heavenly Dao, which divination could not penetrate; and three, those whose destiny was intertwined with the diviner's. Which category did Xiao Man fall into?