Ye Qingchen felt a surge of indignation. He had painstakingly tidied up his room and repaired the thatched cottage, only for Elder Yang to steal all the credit. But Ye Qingchen also understood that trying to reason with Elder Yang about it would be a waste of time. What mattered most now was how his senior brothers would react when they returned to find their original homes demolished and in an even worse state of disrepair.

Just then, Elder Yang suddenly spoke, "Alright, Qingchen, your senior brothers will be here shortly. I’ll introduce you all properly then."

Ye Qingchen knew Elder Yang’s perception was unparalleled. Though he hadn’t sensed anyone approaching, if Elder Yang said they were coming, it was certainly true.

At that moment, Li Nian’er brought over a chair and sat beside Elder Yang. She propped her doll-like face up with both hands, looking particularly innocent and naive. However, the fullness of her chest was quite incongruous with that childlike face.

A moment later, three figures ascended the low hill and walked toward Elder Yang. After paying their respects to the elder, the three greeted Li Nian’er with enthusiasm, and finally, their eyes fell upon Ye Qingchen.

Elder Yang sat up a bit straighter and began his introductions. "This is your Eldest Senior Brother, Qin Chuan. He is also the disciple I am most satisfied with so far."

Qin Chuan clasped his hands toward Ye Qingchen and said with a cheerful smile, "Master told us long ago that he had taken on a new junior brother, but I’ve been away training and haven’t had the chance to meet you. Now that I see you today, Junior Brother is truly a man of fine bearing."

Ye Qingchen hurriedly returned the gesture and replied, "You flatter me, Senior Brother."

As they spoke, Ye Qingchen took the opportunity to size up Qin Chuan. He appeared to be in his twenties, but his demeanor was remarkably calm. His smile was both joyful and profound, and he exuded an air of maturity and stability that naturally inspired trust. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Next, Elder Yang pointed to the somewhat stout man beside Qin Chuan. "This is your Second Senior Brother, Zhu Liang. Don’t be fooled by his unremarkable appearance; his combat strength can be considered unrivaled at his level!"

Zhu Liang chuckled good-naturedly, revealing a simple and honest nature. He nodded at Ye Qingchen and said, "Little Junior Brother, Master loves to exaggerate. I’m not that impressive."

Ye Qingchen smiled and returned the gesture. "You’re too modest, Second Senior Brother. This is the first time I’ve ever heard Master praise someone. I hope to learn much from you in the future."

After speaking, Ye Qingchen turned his gaze to the last person. This man had delicate features and incredibly clear eyes; he was a devastatingly handsome man. However, from the moment he arrived, his gaze had been fixed on Li Nian’er with an intense focus, hardly ever leaving her. Yet, despite the intensity of his gaze, he didn’t spare a single glance at her stunning figure. His eyes were filled only with tenderness, as if he were looking at the love of his life.

Li Nian’er, on the other hand, treated him with utter disdain, not even deigning to look at him.

Elder Yang noticed this and sighed helplessly before saying to Ye Qingchen, "This silly boy is your Third Senior Brother, Cheng Lu. A natural-born romantic. Sigh... actually, among you five disciples, Cheng Lu is the one who most resembles me in my youth. Whether in looks or in bearing... ah, time spares no one!"

Elder Yang’s words earned him looks of scorn from several of his disciples, including Cheng Lu.

Ye Qingchen looked at Elder Yang’s withered, unkempt old face. How could anyone compare that to Cheng Lu’s exceptionally handsome one?

Feeling a bit awkward under their stares, Elder Yang gave a light cough.

Li Nian’er curled her lip and said to Ye Qingchen, "Don’t listen to the old guy’s nonsense. Cheng Lu isn’t a romantic; he’s simply heartless."

Ye Qingchen looked at Li Nian’er curiously. Though his inner gossip was piqued, he knew it wasn’t right to ask about his senior brother’s personal affairs in front of him.

Li Nian’er, however, had no such reservations. "This guy falls for any woman he sees," she continued. "After he successfully woos them, he loses interest in three days, tops. Who knows how many naive girls cry their eyes out over him every day."

Unfazed by Li Nian’er’s accusation, Cheng Lu continued to gaze at her with gentle eyes. "Little Junior Sister is both right and wrong. I don’t swindle them out of money, nor do I deceive them for pleasure. What does their heartache have to do with me?"

Li Nian’er pouted and said irritably, "But you treat them so earnestly at first, only to turn around and abandon them. That’s called seducing and discarding!"

Cheng Lu smiled, his tone utterly sincere as he replied, "I only feel something for those I cannot have. Once they are obtained, the mystery vanishes. Forcing ourselves to stay together would only make us both miserable. My decisive departure is to prevent them from falling too deeply. I do it for their own good. After all, a clean break is better than prolonged suffering."

Li Nian’er continued to argue, and the two of them bickered back and forth. Meanwhile, Elder Yang, Qin Chuan, and the others watched as if it were nothing out of the ordinary, not bothering to intervene and simply letting them argue.

Ye Qingchen, however, was truly shocked by his third senior brother’s way of thinking. His logic is insane! He glanced at his three senior brothers again. Elder Yang really does have a peculiar taste in disciples...

After a while, Li Nian’er finally lost the argument to Cheng Lu. She sat there, huffing and refusing to look at him. Cheng Lu, on the other hand, acted as if nothing had happened, his gaze still fixed ardently on Li Nian’er, his eyes full of tenderness.

Elder Yang chuckled and said to Ye Qingchen, "This is your Fourth Senior Sister. You’ve already met, so there’s no need for a lengthy introduction. But I must warn you, your Fourth Senior Sister has a fiery temper. Try not to provoke her."

Ye Qingchen smiled and nodded, then bowed respectfully to Li Nian’er. "Greetings, Senior Sister Nian’er. And thank you for your help today."

Li Nian’er, still stewing from losing the argument, was filled with frustration. If she weren’t outmatched by Cheng Lu, she probably would have exploded in a rage by now. Hearing Ye Qingchen’s words, she waved her hand dismissively and remained seated, still fuming, without saying a word.

Elder Yang smiled and shook his head, then turned back to Ye Qingchen. "With your current strength, you shouldn’t be fighting the Demon Clan yet. However, you’ve now been promoted to an Inner Court Disciple. If you can distinguish yourself during the joint competition between the four major academies, you might have a chance to participate in the Demon Clan trials."

Qin Chuan smiled and picked up the conversation. "Junior Brother, it’s rare to see someone with such a strong sense of justice, willing to risk your own safety for the sake of humanity to participate in the Demon Clan trials."