Mo Liyan was ten years younger than Mo Liyue. Their father had died early, and it was almost entirely Mo Liyue who raised him.
Because of this, Mo Liyue had always indulged her younger brother. She didn't force him to manage the Demonic Cult, and when Mo Liyan reached his rebellious phase and declared he wanted to go out and train, Mo Liyue readily agreed.
She had always believed her brother was a calculating person. Who knew what he had done this time to provoke the righteous sects into a讨伐 (tǎofá - punitive expedition)?
Mo Liyue was extremely troubled, but she couldn't abandon her only brother.
So, she commanded the hall masters, "Issue an order. Instruct all halls to search for the Young Master's whereabouts with all their might. And!"
Mo Liyue paused before continuing, "Activate the informants within those sects. Find out what exactly happened. See what leverage the Young Master has over them."
Mo Liyue didn't believe that these people, who never acted without benefit, would issue a kill order simply because her brother had abducted one of their disciples.
Even if that disciple's status was high, it was purely that sect's affair. Other sects would be too busy watching the show to actively get involved.
Therefore, what he had threatened must be the interests of everyone.
Mo Liyue was lost in thought. She was very curious about what kind of event could make these sects unite against their Demonic Cult. After all, if the Demonic Cult were gone, they would have no target for their future actions.
Although the people of the Demonic Cult were usually brawlers, they were reliable when it came to important matters.
In less than a week, a disciple brought news that the Young Master's mark had been seen in a place called An Yan Town. The mark was very fresh, no more than three days old.
Upon hearing the news, both Mo Liyue and Xing Yuan fell into deep thought.
Mo Liyue recalled her brother mentioning his apprenticeship when he last returned. She had painstakingly discovered that his master lived near An Yan Town. It was when she was trying to find this mysterious master that she had accidentally met Xing Yuan.
Unfortunately, she had stayed there for a month without finding any clues. At the time, she thought either Mo Liyan had been deceived, or he had kept it a secret even from her. Now, it seemed that person had hidden too well.
What Mo Liyue could think of, Xing Yuan could naturally also think of. She ground her teeth in annoyance. Why had she taken such a disciple?
Good things never came to her, but when she was being chased, she remembered her. Did she look like a gullible fool?
It seemed her residence was exposed at this time. Although her disciple was her sister's biological brother, it was still possible for her to beat him up and frame those people before that.
Mo Liyue prepared to go herself.
If they could track Mo Liyan's movements, so could those righteous individuals. According to the information Mo Liyue received, those people were already in An Yan Town.
Mo Liyue grabbed her weapon and was about to leave. Xing Yuan skillfully embraced her.
Mo Liyue, having been attacked frequently recently, reacted quickly. She used a bit of internal energy to break free and turned to look at Xing Yuan calmly, revealing no emotion.
Mo Liyue asked warily, "What do you want now?"
"Nothing! What could I possibly want?" Xing Yuan smiled innocently.
Xing Yuan conceded, offering proactively, "Alright! I do have a small request."
Mo Liyue: "No!"
"I haven't even said it yet!" Xing Yuan protested.
"I know what you're going to say, but this journey is dangerous, and you don't know martial arts. Just stay put in the cult and wait for me," Mo Liyue soothed.
"Actually... actually, I'm not completely clueless about martial arts," Xing Yuan said, scratching her head and acting embarrassed.
"Oh?" Mo Liyue adopted an expression of watching her performance.
Then, she curved her lips into a smile and said, "Giving up the act?"
"What are you talking about! I don't understand," Xing Yuan blinked innocently, trying to melt her with her cuteness.
Mo Liyue turned her head away and said coldly, "Enough! Let's have an honest conversation. Don't give me that look!"
Mo Liyue feared she would waver again. Who knew how she had been bewitched back then? Xing Yuan's reasons and nonsense were almost indistinguishable, yet she had believed them.
If Xing Yuan hadn't repeatedly refused to practice martial arts, she wouldn't have suspected anything. She was truly foolish.
Mo Liyue smiled self-deprecatingly, saddened by her past foolishness.
She was never someone who trusted easily. Making a mistake once was enough, but now she still hadn't given up, even thinking that this person might have some unspeakable difficulty. How ridiculous!
Xing Yuan panicked. She hadn't expected the sister in this world to be so perceptive.
"Sister, I, I didn't mean to lie to you," Xing Yuan said decisively.
Then she quickly explained, "I didn't mean to approach you, and I wasn't sent by any faction. I..."
Xing Yuan lowered her head and looked at her toes, then continued, "I don't know why, but I felt a sense of closeness the moment I saw you, and I couldn't help but want to be near you. That's why I deliberately didn't tell you I knew martial arts.
Because I knew that if you knew I knew martial arts, you would definitely think I was sent by someone else and wouldn't have taken me in. So, I didn't dare to say."
Mo Liyue listened to Xing Yuan's clearly hesitant words, and the coldness in her eyes gradually receded.
If she hadn't experienced it herself, she wouldn't have believed in love at first sight or fate. But as the person before her said, she felt an urge to get close the moment she saw her, and wasn't it the same for herself?
At the time, she thought she had been cursed, but after carefully examining her body, there were no signs of any curse. And her feelings at the time...
Rather than love at first sight, it felt more like a reunion after a long separation.
Mo Liyue looked at the young girl with red eyes and soft sobs, and couldn't bring herself to be harsh.
"Don't cry," Mo Liyue said awkwardly.
Xing Yuan looked up at her, continuing to sob softly, but still maintaining her image, crying with great aesthetic appeal.
Mo Liyue sighed and gently touched Xing Yuan's head, then ruffled her hair.
With tear streaks on her face, Xing Yuan looked up at Mo Liyue with a dazed and pitiable expression. Mo Liyue's eyes unconsciously softened.
Soon, she regained a bit of the composure of a Demonic Cult Saintess.
She took out a snow-white jade box and handed it to Xing Yuan, saying, "If you want me to believe you, eat this."