"Ah Yin!" Huang Wenjun turned his head and saw him, striding over with joy overflowing on his face.

It was understandable for him to be so happy. Ever since Zhou Yin left, these past years had been filled with more bitterness than joy, and there wasn't a single person he could confide in. Ye Mu could be considered someone he could talk to, but he wasn't one of those who came over from the Mirror Sea Sect back then, so there were many things he couldn't discuss with him.

Zhou Yin still had a blank expression, taciturn as ever. Seeing him not even raise an eyebrow, Huang Wenjun didn't mind at all, finding him incredibly amiable no matter how he looked at him.

"What did the Sect Leader say to you? Did he ask you to stay?"

"Mm."

"So what did you say?"

"I'll think about it."

Huang Wenjun was speechless. Many people wanted to join the Shangxuan Sect but had no way in, yet this guy was actually saying he'd think about it.

He laughed, "Anyway, you have nothing to do now. Come, let's go sit at my place for a bit!"

Huang Wenjun's residence was not on Tianshu Peak, but on Yaoguang Peak.

Back when the Mirror Sea Sect merged into the Shangxuan Sect, the Shangxuan Sect allocated resources based on each person's aptitude and cultivation. The one who fared the best was the former Mirror Sea Sect's Sect Leader Lu Yanping, who was assigned under Yaoguang Peak's Qingyuan Zhenren and became his personal disciple. Over the years, following Qingyuan's side, he had made some achievements.

As for the rest, their fates varied.

Like Huang Wenjun, he was also assigned under the Yaoguang Peak Master, but he didn't have Lu Yanping's luck. He became one of the many disciples of Yaoguang Peak. Due to setbacks over the years, his cultivation had made no progress.

Now he had fallen to the status of a third-rate disciple, which could be seen from how he was guarding the mountain's base with Ye Mu this time, not even getting a turn to go out and subdue demon beasts.

As for Liu Xiaowan, she and Huang Wenjun were childhood sweethearts back then, having a better relationship with him than with the others. Everyone thought they would surely become Daoist partners in the future. But who knew, after coming to the Shangxuan Sect, Liu Xiaowan's beauty attracted the attention of many.

With so many talented people here, naturally there were far more people fawning over Liu Xiaowan compared to when they were in the Mirror Sea Sect. As a result, the nephew of Tianxuan Peak's Qingxuan Zhenren won over the beauty, while Liu Xiaowan, a weak reed with no support, would rather depend on the shelter of the strong and become someone's concubine than endure hardships together with Huang Wenjun.

Actually, it was only natural for people to aim high. It's just that Huang Wenjun had been close to her since childhood, so how could he accept this blow? Depressed, his cultivation naturally made little progress. And no matter where, one relied on strength to speak. With his mediocre cultivation, he was naturally pushed further out from the core disciples' circle.

On the contrary, He Yun, who originally disliked Liu Xiaowan and had an average relationship with Huang Wenjun, was taken in by Yuheng Peak's Qingying Zhenren and became the Peak Master's closed-door disciple.

Over the years, she focused on cultivation, turning a deaf ear to outside matters, and had already reached late Foundation Establishment. Right now she was in closed-door cultivation, striving to break through to Core Formation, unable to come out.

Speaking of which, Huang Wenjun originally also disliked how He Yun always targeted Liu Xiaowan. Now without Liu Xiaowan, when they met, they could still exchange a few words amiably.

No one expected that among the four, Zhou Yin, who entered the sect the latest, would end up having the highest cultivation.

Huang Wenjun had a belly full of bitterness with no one to confide in. Now that he finally encountered Zhou Yin, he naturally poured it all out. In the end, he sighed, "If only I had left the Mirror Sea Sect with you back then!"

Zhou Yin said indifferently, "You can still leave now."

Huang Wenjun choked for a moment, unable to speak for a long time.

Although he might not have an honorable position here, at least it provided a place to shelter from the wind and rain. The Shangxuan Sect, as the number one major sect in the world, made even disciples from other sects treat them with courtesy. If he worked hard in cultivation, he would eventually have his day.

These were all benefits brought by the Shangxuan Sect's golden signboard. Huang Wenjun naturally was reluctant to give them up.

Zhou Yin glanced at him without comment.

Although others looked down on him, he had never thought of secretly plotting against others, and could be considered upright. So Zhou Yin had no ill feelings towards him. If he despised him, he wouldn't have stayed here listening to his nonsense for so long.

"The woman ran off, you can find another. Cultivation is low, start cultivating now. With your aptitude, even if you can't reach Nascent Soul, Core Formation should be no problem." Zhou Yin said nonchalantly. He thought his words were the best comfort.

As a result, after hearing this, Huang Wenjun looked even more worried. "What? I really have no hope of reaching Nascent Soul?"

Zhou Yin said, "If you sit here all day talking nonsense, let alone Nascent Soul, you have no hope of even reaching Core Formation."

Huang Wenjun smiled bitterly. His "comfort" was truly unique, but the effect was significant. He indeed no longer felt as depressed as before.

Zhou Yin really didn't feel that Liu Xiaowan had that much charm to enchant Huang Wenjun to this extent. Or rather, in Zhou Yin's eyes, there was basically no one who could make him feel they had charm. As for Zhou Chen, he was more pleasing to the eye when he turned into a furball.

Although Zhou Yin said he would consider it, Qinghe Zhenren did not mistreat him, specially indicating a nice guest residence for him to stay in for the time being.

A month ago, a Core Formation cultivator like Zhou Yin might not have been much in the Shangxuan Sect. But recently, due to the frequent appearance of demon beasts, at the request of the Canghe's ruler, the Shangxuan Sect sent many mid-level disciples to help subdue the demon beasts, resulting in a hidden situation of being understaffed in the sect.

Since Zhou Yin had such a connection with the Shangxuan Sect, it was just a simple gesture for Qinghe Zhenren to win him over.

Staying here and taking on the title of a Shangxuan Sect disciple naturally meant working for the Shangxuan Sect. But leaving might not necessarily be any better. With demon beasts increasing outside, it would be difficult to find a quiet place to cultivate.

After some thought, Zhou Yin made a decision.

On the other side, Huang Wenjun was still chattering away, persuading him to stay.

"I say, just don't go. If even Beidou Mountain can have demon beasts appear, let alone other places. Staying here, at least there are ample spirit stones..."

A crane cry sounded from outside, clear and resonant, piercing through the sky.

Zhou Yin's mind stirred and he got up to walk out.

Huang Wenjun: "Hey, Ah Yin?... Where are you going?"

Outside in the courtyard, a human-height immortal crane stood there, tilting its head to size up the person who walked out.

Seeing Zhou Yin approach, it opened its beak and spat out a red pellet, which flew towards Zhou Yin.

The pellet landed in his hand and immediately turned into a letter.

Zhou Yin opened it.

My dearest darling Little Yin Yin, how are you? It's your dear Little Chen Chen!

It's been ten years since we parted. Even though I know you're in seclusion, I still get jealous, not knowing if you think of me every day. I think of you all the time.

There are many beauties in the demon beast clan, but don't worry, even if a beauty tries to seduce me, I will firmly resist. My pure body belongs only to you. No matter how beautiful those women are, I won't even look at them, and the same goes for men.

There have been many demon beasts outside recently, but I didn't release them. To be honest, instead of wasting time on that, I'd rather spend more time kissing you. I can't get away at the moment because of this matter, but I'll be able to come see you very soon. Wait for me and take care of yourself.

The corner of Zhou Yin's mouth twitched as he continued reading.

Below, Zhou Chen went on at great length, using over ten thousand words to describe how much he missed Zhou Yin.

The white crane was still standing there, ignoring the shocked Huang Wenjun, looking straight at Zhou Yin as if waiting for his reply.

After reading, Zhou Yin wrote a reply in the blank space below the original letter and handed it to the white crane.

The crane took the letter in its beak, transformed it into a pellet and swallowed it into its stomach, then flew away with a long cry.

Huang Wenjun's mouth hung open for a long time. "Ah Yin, is this your pet?"

Before Zhou Yin could speak, a red light appeared in the sky. Another person riding a flying magic weapon arrived, reaching them in an instant.

Yun Zong looked travel-worn, his face still cold.

Judging from his appearance, it seemed like he had encountered something at the foot of the mountain, but not quite.

"If you have time, I'll take you to see your current residence," Yun Zong said to Zhou Yin.

Huang Wenjun immediately took the hint. "Ah Yin, I'll go cultivate first. Senior Brother, take your time chatting."

Only when Zhou Yin followed Yun Zong to the destination did he realize that his residence was next to Yun Zong's, the two courtyards connected, with intertwining branches and vines, lush and vibrant with life.

"What's the situation at the foot of the mountain?" Since he had decided to stay, he naturally had to understand many things clearly.