Chapter 1: The Eldest Senior Brother Fears Cold and Bitterness: If You Dare Fall in Love with Them, You’re Dead

The desolate winter left only a few stubborn yellow leaves clinging to the large trees on the back mountain. The grass had withered to a pale yellow, and the cold wind cut like blades.

On the barren patch of grass on the back mountain, two figures sat side by side.

One was a young man dressed in a plain blue robe, his face flushed red as he stared at the gloomy sky, remaining silent for a long while.

Beside him sat another youth who appeared two or three years older. Unlike his simply dressed companion, this one—named Pei Chengyin—wore a dark blue brocade robe beneath an ornate cloak embroidered with intricate patterns and trimmed with fox fur. A snow-white hood attached to the cloak framed his jewel-like face, exuding an air of luxury.

“Xiu Xiu, why did you call me to the back mountain?” Pei Chengyin’s eyes were innocent, his tone gentle as he finally broke the silence. He and his junior brother had been sitting shoulder to shoulder in the piercing cold for an hour already. If they didn’t get to the point soon, he would catch a chill.

At fifteen years old and having cultivated for three years, falling ill like this would be somewhat embarrassing.

“Eldest Senior Brother… Senior Brother, I… I have something to tell you…” Usually eloquent, He Xiu found himself inexplicably tongue-tied today.

Pei Chengyin turned to him with a slight smile and nodded.

He had been waiting for him to speak all along.

“E… Eldest Senior Brother, I… I-I-I…” He Xiu’s face turned crimson, his lips opening and closing rapidly, yet only managing to produce a handful of syllables devoid of meaning.

As the cold wind seeped into his limbs, Pei Chengyin couldn’t help but turn away, covering his mouth with both hands to muffle a soft sneeze. Afterward, he pulled a handkerchief from his sleeve, wiped his hands, and quietly tucked it back into place.

“Eldest Senior Brother!” He Xiu steeled himself, ready to pour out the words he had rehearsed all day.

But as soon as he uttered those three words, Pei Chengyin rose from the ground. Standing at his full height, he appeared even more opulent, with gold and jade ornaments hanging at his waist and subtle patterns embroidered along the hem of his robes. Pei Chengyin stood tall and poised, his expression serious as he placed his hands on He Xiu’s shoulders and looked intently into his eyes.

He Xiu, still seated on the stone, looked up to meet his gaze, his heart racing nervously as he licked his dry lips.

“Xiu Xiu.” Pei Chengyin spoke decisively, having weighed the situation. “Whatever it is, let’s talk about it next time. We’ve been sitting here for an hour already. It’s time to return and cultivate, or Master will be angry.”

“Huh?” He Xiu looked bewildered for two reasons: first, their master Yu Xuhuai never lost his temper with Pei Chengyin, and second, since joining the sect, he had rarely seen Pei Chengyin cultivate. If not for Pei Chengyin’s basic mastery of flight and the Five Elements Technique, He Xiu would have assumed one could simply hold a nominal position in the cultivation sect without doing any real work.

“I’ll go find Master first. You should head down the mountain early too.” Pei Chengyin withdrew his hands, tightening his cloak around himself, and accidentally let slip his true thoughts: “It’s too cold up here.”

He Xiu opened her mouth, clearly unwilling to give up, but Pei Chengyin, believing he had properly resolved the matter, eagerly turned around and strode swiftly down the mountain. Left alone, He Xiu futilely reached out toward Pei Chengyin’s retreating back, gazing pitifully at the hem of his robe fluttering in the wind before quickly disappearing along with his fading figure.

After descending the mountain, Pei Chengyin immediately returned to the palace of the Lingxu Immortal Sect. This cultivation sanctuary, built high upon the mountains, stood majestic and grand with centuries-old architectural planning. Its towering walls and stone pillars were carved with auspicious patterns and mythical beasts, dwarfing modern structures. Those walking within felt minuscule as mayflies, unable to see exits or touch boundaries, as if crushed by Mount Tai’s weight.

The young man pulled his cloak tighter as he strolled leisurely along the broad main path, not trapped within but merely passing through the mortal world. Upon reaching his courtyard, he entered to find a burly man in blue-white training robes warming himself by the fire. The man glanced expressionlessly at Pei Chengyin and bluntly remarked, “Eldest Senior Brother, you’ve finally returned. I nearly thought you’d frozen to death out there.”

“Truly someone who’s followed me since childhood—you know me too well,” Pei Chengyin replied, slightly turning his face away with tearful eyes.

Zhou Fuli silently picked up the fire poker to adjust the charcoal, warming the room further. Pei Chengyin removed his cloak, carelessly tossing the frost-kissed garment onto a chair before pulling up a stool to sit by the fire basin. He eagerly stretched his hands toward the flames, letting the light illuminate his rosy cheeks as he soaked in the warmth.

“What did Senior Brother He want with you?” Zhou Fuli wondered curiously. “Hasn’t he been inviting you out rather frequently lately?”

“Xiu Xiu is still young,” Pei Chengyin felt he could understand. “Perhaps there’s some unclear coursework she wishes to consult her Eldest Senior Brother about.”

Zhou Fuli looked at the young master he’d raised and spoke from the heart: “Impossible.”

Pei Chengyin’s twitching lips betrayed his urge to anger, but his temperament proved too gentle, leaving him with nothing but a strained smirk as he shot Zhou Fuli a sidelong glance.

None could blame Zhou Fili—in the three years since Pei Chengyin had been sent to the Lingxu Immortal Sect, he seemed only to eat more heartily and sleep more soundly than at home. Books went unread, morning training went ignored, let alone diligent cultivation. What could such a person possibly have to teach others?

Fully aware of his own shortcomings, Pei Chengyin rubbed his nose while insisting he must possess undiscovered virtues that truly made him the Eldest Senior Brother everyone needed.

Yet recently, He Xiu wasn’t the only peculiar one.

When Pei Chengyin woke near noon in his warm room, enjoying pastries while reading novels during this cozy winter interlude, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded outside his door. Recognizing the visitor, he remained unmoved, continuing to reach for his snacks.

“Eldest Senior Brother!” A girl in pink-white robes shoved his door open and barged in unceremoniously.

“Yining,” Pei Chengyin addressed her.

By sect hierarchy, Jiang Yining was Pei Chengyin’s third junior sister, yet she surpassed him by one year in age. Her recent growth spurt had made her tall enough to stride to his side and hoist him directly from his stool.

Pei Chengyin blinked in confusion, his hand still hovering over the pastries.

“Come! I’ll take you down the mountain for some delicious food!” Jiang Yining declared with heroic flair, confidently pointing her thumb at herself.

“Down the mountain?” Pei Chengyin’s tone was full of hesitation. “The wind is too strong today…”

His words lacked conviction, and Jiang Yining seized the opportunity, grabbing his collar and swiftly dragging him out.

The cold wind howled. At a small shop at the mountain’s base, a few tables and chairs were set up outside. Pei Chengyin, adorned in gold and silver from head to toe, exuded an air of privilege that starkly contrasted with the simple, humble shop. Shivering in the chilly wind, he spooned hot soup into his mouth without a single word of complaint.

Jiang Yining raised her hand, proudly flicking her hair and revealing the beautiful smile she had practiced countless times in the mirror. She asked the young man before her, “It’s good, right? This is my hidden gem of a shop. So far, you’re the only one I’ve brought here!”

Pei Chengyin looked up and offered Jiang Yining a casual smile.

His smile seemed to melt the surrounding wind and snow, as if flowers were blooming everywhere.

Jiang Yining silently covered her face, realizing she had chosen the wrong approach to win him over.

Pei Chengyin, focused and undisturbed, diligently finished the tangyuan in his bowl, eager to return to the Lingxu Immortal Sect and, most importantly, to his room.

Just as he was focused on eating, a hand suddenly appeared from behind him, resting on the table in front of him. A teasing voice rang out, “I never expected to run into you here at the foot of this broken mountain, little beauty.”

Pei Chengyin ignored him and continued eating intently.

A screeching sound of a stool being pulled came from the next table. The owner, noticing Jiang Yining standing up, immediately understood what his regular customer was about to do and anxiously cried out, “Immortal! Spare the ignorant passerby’s life!”

But his words came too late. The person who had flirted with Pei Chengyin was already being dragged away by Jiang Yining. From a corner by the mountain, the man’s piercing screams echoed.

Shortly after, Jiang Yining returned to Pei Chengyin’s side, dusting off her hands and pointing toward Huaheng Mountain. “Once you’re full, let’s head back,” she said.

Pei Chengyin immediately put down his bowl and chopsticks and followed her.

Jiang Yining escorted Pei Chengyin back to his room, then turned to leave with a defeated expression, muttering as she walked, “This isn’t right… This isn’t how I imagined things would go…”

Pei Chengyin stood in his room, watching as Jiang Yining ran off frantically, clutching her head and wailing in distress.

“Was that Senior Sister Jiang?” Zhou Fuli, who was helping Pei Chengyin clean his room, asked curiously. “What did she want from you? Normally, at this time, she should be cultivating.”

Jiang Yining was a diligent cultivator.

“The pressure of cultivation must be getting to her. She probably needs me, the senior brother, to help ease her mind,” Pei Chengyin thought to himself, believing he was a stable and comforting presence for others.

Zhou Fuli glanced at the young master he had raised since childhood and gave him a disapproving look.

With the unusual behaviors of He Xiu and Jiang Yining as precedents, Pei Chengyin remained completely unfazed when Xu Zhian showed up unannounced at his courtyard.

The five disciples were not ranked by age. Xu Zhian was Pei Chengyin’s second junior brother, yet he was the oldest among them. Smooth and adept in social interactions, he had no intention of making Pei Chengyin step out of the room when he came to visit. Instead, he reached out, plucked a blooming winter plum blossom, and handed it to Pei Chengyin with a smile, saying, “A flower for the beauty.”

“Thank you, junior brother,” Pei Chengyin accepted it.

“The plum blossom tree in front of the main hall has bloomed exceptionally beautifully this year. Since you rarely go out in winter, I feared you might miss the sight, so I specially picked this branch to bring to you.” Xu Zhian’s tone was casual, yet it carried a strong, teasing ambiguity, making it hard to discern sincerity and tempting one to ponder further.

“You’re very thoughtful.” Unfortunately, Pei Chengyin not only refrained from pondering but didn’t give it a second thought. He naturally took the branch, placed it in a vase, and returned to sit on the original luohan bed. Gesturing toward the unfinished chess game, he nodded to Xu Zhian and said, “Please.Xu Zhian naturally walked over, sitting opposite Pei Chengyin to play chess, while simultaneously flirting with Pei Chengyin and continuously showering him with sweet words.

Pei Chengyin heard the words but paid them no mind, focusing entirely on the chess game and thoroughly defeating Xu Zhian.

Xu Zhian hadn’t come to play chess in the first place, but after losing two games, he couldn’t help but grow serious. Yet even with renewed determination, he was no match for Pei Chengyin and still lost completely.

Pei Chengyin looked at the finished game with satisfaction, picked up a cup nearby, and took a sip of hot tea.

“Let’s stop here for today,” Xu Zhian said with a trembling hand, forcing a smile as he rubbed his forehead. “I should go cultivate.”

“I won’t see you out,” Pei Chengyin replied with a nod and a smile.

Xu Zhian left the courtyard in a daze.

“What was that about?” Zhou Fuli had actually been in the room the whole time.

Pei Chengyin didn’t answer Zhou Fuli’s question, merely gazing contentedly at his chessboard.

Three of his junior brothers and sister had already come to see him; only one remained.

Pei Chengyin waited two days before finally seeing his fourth junior brother, Changsun Zexi.

Changsun Zexi stood at the courtyard gate, looking at Pei Chengyin from a distance. Though his face was expressionless, his repeatedly shifting feet—stepping half a step forward only to retreat—vividly revealed his inner struggle.

Having been disturbed for several days, Pei Chengyin watched him with hopeful eyes.

Unfortunately, Changsun Zexi’s face was still too thin-skinned. He stood at the gate for the time it takes an incense stick to burn before ultimately choosing to turn and leave.

Pei Chengyin felt both regretful and realized that he needed to face the issue head-on.

His junior brothers and sister were clearly behaving strangely.

Pei Chengyin sat by the heater, pondering deeply for a long time but found no clues. In the end, he decided to give up thinking.

On a cold winter night, the wind howled and battered the windows. Pei Chengyin, wrapped in his quilt, should have been asleep early, but the gentle moonlight outside suddenly changed color. A brilliant red light enveloped all four sides of the room. Frowning, Pei Chengyin pushed off the covers, got up immediately, grabbed the cloak from the chair, threw it on, and strode out the door.

The moment the door opened, he saw the dark clouds in the sky completely parted, revealing an enormous, blood-red moon that seemed to press down overhead, suffocatingly close.

Blood Moon.

Pei Chengyin widened his eyes in astonishment, his long cascading black curls lifting in the wind.

Just as he realized this was an ominous celestial phenomenon, the moon seemed to move, instantly expanding in his vision and drawing closer to his face.

A cold breeze swept over him. Pei Chengyin closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he found himself lying in bed with daylight shining on his feet.

He stared blankly, thinking the sky he had seen last night was nothing but a dream.

“Senior Brother, the Sect Leader returned last night and wishes to hold a morning meeting with all of you,” Zhou Fuli said, having received the order to wake Pei Chengyin.

Hearing this, Pei Chengyin immediately sat up, changed his clothes, and hurried to the Azure Cloud Palace.

Though he rushed there as swiftly as he could, by the time he arrived, the other four junior disciples were already present. They were seated in two rows, leaving the foremost seat for him. Upon seeing him, Xu Zhian, Jiang Yining, Changsun Zexi, and He Xiu simultaneously cupped their hands in salute and said, “Greetings, Senior Brother.”

Just as Pei Chengyin was about to tell them there was no need for such formality, a strange voice intruded into his mind.

Host Xu Zhian, your mission remains to win over Pei Chengyin and make him fall in love with you

Host Jiang Yining, progress in winning over Pei Chengyin is at 55. In his heart, you are merely a junior sister he somewhat favors

Host Changsun Zexi, please take measures as soon as possible to win over Pei Chengyin

Host He Xiu, would you like a prompt regarding Pei Chengyin’s favorability toward you?

Hearing these bizarre voices, Pei Chengyin frowned, but the four before him showed no unusual reactions, as if they hadn’t heard the voices—or at least, not each other’s.

Just as Pei Chengyin thought he might still be groggy from sleep and needed to clear his head, another voice, entirely different in tone, echoed in his mind.

Host Pei Chengyin

I am the Heavenly Dao System, now residing within you

You can hear the system voices attached to the other four, but do not reveal this

You also have a mission

Under no circumstances allow these four to win you over. If you dare fall in love with any of them, you are doomed

————————

Mini Theater

System: If you dare fall in love with them, you are doomed.

Pei Chengyin: Your words are too terrifying.

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