Chapter 19: Shi Zhen Senior Sister

Afterwards, Zhou Qing turned his attention to the two slots of [Heart Mirror Vision]. At first, he thought of his Master, but after careful consideration, he abandoned the idea—his image in his Master’s eyes was obvious, and changing it in the short term was impossible.

Yet—

From his experiences over this period, Li Daoxuan had provided him with a considerable number of Heart Mirror points.

And the reason was Lu Yaoyao.

Many people revolved around that girl, and only her several senior brothers could observe her movements at any time.

Whether out of admiration or affection, to Zhou Qing, they were all excellent candidates.

Of course, there was one person he needed to watch out for: the elusive Second Uncle.

Just thinking of him made Zhou Qing grit his teeth.

If he could bind him, no matter how he changed his appearance, he’d have nowhere to hide before Zhou Qing—and since he could know his thoughts, Zhou Qing would never be deceived again.

“Bind Second Uncle!” Zhou Qing said aloud.

He glanced at the interface. No change.

Of course—just a name wasn’t enough. Who knew how many people shared the same name? Besides, he still didn’t know whether the man’s name was real or fake.

Perhaps only direct binding would work.

Zhou Qing gave up the idea, tidied up casually, and was about to head to Shen Yue Peak when a knock came at the courtyard gate.

Zhou Qing frowned, opened the door, and saw Shi Zhen, senior sister from Yu Qing Peak, standing outside, holding a beautifully wrapped gift box.

Seeing her, Zhou Qing felt embarrassed and hurried to say: “Senior Sister Shi, it’s a misunderstanding—I wouldn’t dare, no matter how bold I am…”

“I know!” Shi Zhen cut him off, and surprisingly, she herself looked a little embarrassed.

“Rumors are just rumors—I know the truth inside,” Shi Zhen said seriously.

Others didn’t know, but didn’t she know? There were too many inconsistencies.

First, her cultivation base was far higher than Zhou Qing’s. If he approached her residence, she’d sense it immediately.

Second, he had spoken out loud himself that night, muttering as if in a nightmare.

Finally, she had seen with her own eyes how he fell ill—there was no way to fake that.

Now, looking back, she felt a chill of fear.

If she had truly frightened Zhou’s junior brother into madness, her responsibility would be immense.

With her meticulous nature, this might become an unsolvable knot in her heart, a barrier to her future cultivation.

Especially since they saw each other daily—even hearing others mention it would disturb her peace of mind.

Moreover, because of her, the outside world’s misunderstanding of Zhou’s junior brother had deepened, filling her with guilt.

In fact, thinking carefully, that incident where someone was rumored to have spied on eighteen outer disciples bathing might also have been caused by Zhou’s condition.

“Junior Brother Zhou, I’m truly sorry about that night—I didn’t realize your sleepwalking was so severe. Please accept this small gift!”

Shi Zhen extended the exquisitely wrapped gift box, her face filled with apology.

Seeing this, Zhou Qing felt even more embarrassed.

“No, no, no, Senior Sister Shi—I should be the one apologizing to you. As long as you don’t misunderstand me, that’s enough!” Zhou Qing was stunned, sighed in relief, and hurriedly refused.

After several rounds of refusal, Zhou Qing finally accepted the gift.

Shi Zhen thought for a moment and said: “It’s still early. How about I treat you to a meal at Yu Shan Hall? Not just to apologize, but also to clear up some misunderstandings.”

Yu Shan Hall was located on Shen Yue Peak, where the Master resided; its food was infused with spiritual essence. Unlike the kitchen hearths of each peak, dining at Yu Shan Hall required spirit stones.

Zhou Qing felt awkward, but Shi Zhen’s logic was sound—sharing a meal together might truly help dispel some rumors.

If someone had really spied on you bathing, could they still laugh and chat over a meal afterward?

Perhaps this was his chance to shed the label of “Peeping Tom.”

After Shi Zhen insisted repeatedly, Zhou Qing pretended to refuse twice, then agreed.

Seeing Shi Zhen’s happy expression, Zhou Qing smiled too.

In truth, Shi Zhen’s warmth might stem from two reasons.

One might be guilt; the other, perhaps, was Great Brother Gui Ao.

Great Brother Gui Ao, the top disciple of Xiao Ling Peak, was not only decisive and ruthless in action, but also cold and stern in character.

Especially his deep eyes and chiseled face—uniquely attractive to girls.

According to Third Brother, years ago during a trial mission, Great Brother had saved Shi Zhen’s life.

Since then, Great Brother’s shadow had been deeply etched into her heart.

Think about it—if she had frightened her beloved’s junior brother into madness, how could she ever get close to Great Brother again?

Fortunately, Zhou Qing was unharmed—she must show her best now.

“Senior Sister, wait a moment—I’ll go change clothes.” Zhou Qing entered the room.

But as soon as he changed, he suddenly remembered something and glanced cautiously outside.

Shi Zhen was pacing restlessly under the tree.

“Careless—if she’s really Second Uncle in disguise?”

That old man had no limits—he’d do anything. Maybe this time he’d lure me out and trick me again.

But what if this is the real Shi Zhen? Not going would break my promise and hurt my reputation; going would leave me uneasy.

Looking at the [???] above Shi Zhen’s head, Zhou Qing gritted his teeth and abandoned his previous strategy—he directly bound her.

Instantly, the question mark above her head was replaced by golden text: [His Junior Brother].

Seeing this, Zhou Qing’s heart finally settled, and he walked out with a full smile.

“Senior Sister, sorry to keep you waiting—let’s go!”

…………

As soon as they stepped into Yu Shan Hall, a sense of opulence washed over them.

From the entrance, two massive doors of rare purple-gold nanmu wood stood tall, intricately carved with dragons and phoenixes in auspicious patterns, every line inlaid with tiny spirit-light stones.

Above the lintel hung a plaque carved from a single block of warm jade, the three characters “Yu Shan Hall” written in spiritual ink, radiating ancient dignity.

The floor was paved with precious star-patterned white jade, each tile meticulously polished, emitting a soft, lustrous glow.

Above, a vast stained-glass dome filled with threads of spiritual energy scattered multicolored light patches across the hall under the sun’s refraction.

Even the tableware and plates were forged from seabed cold iron mixed with mithril, edged with a ring of crystal.

The chopsticks were made of spiritual jade, their tips embedded with tiny storage spirit stones to hold special seasonings.

In short, every detail exuded luxury and refinement.

Of course, many came here to eat—from the Sect Master, Elders, and Hall Masters down to various disciples; as long as you had spirit stones, you could order freely.

Indeed, as Zhou Qing and Shi Zhen entered side by side, everyone dining there stared in disbelief.

Hadn’t they just heard Zhou Qing was caught spying on Shi Zhen bathing?

What was going on?

Were the rumors false?

(End of Chapter)