"Just now, you seemed a bit uncomfortable. Were those disciples bothering you?" Chen Ye asked warmly.

Li Qiuyun looked up and saw the knowing smile in Chen Ye's eyes,

only then did she understand Chen Ye's intention. Her heart was moved, and she said somewhat awkwardly,

"It's... nothing, really... I'm just not used to dealing with such scenes."

Her voice got quieter and quieter, like a child who did something wrong,

"Thank you, Uncle Chen, for coming to my rescue..."

This Li Qiuyun, just as he expected, isn't naturally aloof but rather not good at socializing.

Chen Ye remembered that True Man Sun had said that when Li Qiuyun first came to Yunxi District, she cried because she missed home.

Truly... one shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

"It's nothing," Chen Ye waved his hand. "I noticed you seemed a little troubled earlier. A cultivator should follow their heart. If you don't like something, just refuse it directly. Don't force yourself."

Li Qiuyun, upon hearing this, was taken aback, feeling somewhat bitter.

Her father never allowed her to refuse.

He only demanded her to cultivate hard and become stronger, without tolerating any resistance.

No one had ever genuinely cared for her.

And fellow disciples like Junior Brother Liu often had obvious motives...

"Uncle Chen, Qiuyun understands." This time, when Li Qiuyun called him Uncle Chen, it was much more sincere than before.

Chen Ye glanced at those disciples and opened the door: "Come and sit with me for a while."

Li Qiuyun nodded numbly, but immediately regretted it after nodding.

It's late at night. How can she enter a man's room alone?

At this moment,

the room in Chen Ye's cabin was brightly lit.

Qing Jun and Zhiwei were lying on a small wooden table, enthusiastically playing Gomoku.

Qing Jun wasn't very good at the game, often cheating and regretting her moves, which made Zhiwei both exasperated and amused, yet patiently played with her.

Upon hearing the door open, both little girls looked up simultaneously.

"Master! Sister Qiuyun!" When Qing Jun saw Li Qiuyun, she immediately dropped her chess pieces and ran over joyfully, still holding onto Li Qiuyun's clothes with her little hands.

Seeing the two adorable little girls, Li Qiuyun's anxiety dissipated significantly.

She squatted down and patted Qing Jun's little head: "Qing Jun, what are you playing with Senior Sister?"

"It's the Gomoku our master taught us! It's so fun! Sister Qiuyun, do you want to play too?" Qing Jun enthusiastically invited her.

The little girl was incredibly enthusiastic.

She couldn't beat her senior sister or her master. Could she beat Sister Qiuyun?

Li Qiuyun looked at those black and white pieces and the crisscrossing lines, a hint of curiosity flashing in her eyes.

Since childhood, she had been focused on strict cultivation and had never encountered such new and interesting things.

But...

"I... I should go back and cultivate first."

Li Qiuyun hesitated for a moment but eventually spoke up.

Although she was curious, the habits she had developed over a long time instinctively placed cultivation as her priority.

Chen Ye, seeing her wanting to play yet restraining herself, couldn't help but chuckle.

This Li Qiuyun always kept a string tight in her heart.

And yet, she's not the kind of cultivator with a steadfast mind, continuing like this would eventually overwhelm her.

Chen Ye walked to the table, picked up a black piece, and leisurely said:

"Qiuyun, the path of cultivation requires a balance between tension and relaxation. Relentless cultivation isn't necessarily a good thing. As the saying goes, haste makes waste. Proper relaxation can, in fact, help you to clear your mind, which greatly benefits cultivation."

"But, Uncle Chen, I'm... I'm not a child anymore."

Li Qiuyun bit her lower lip, trying to defend herself softly.

Joining in to play these "children's" games with two little girls would feel a bit embarrassing.

"Pfft!"

Qing Jun covered her mouth, chuckling to the side, and then said with a serious tone,

"Sister Qiuyun certainly isn't a child! Sister Qiuyun is so... plump, how could she be a child?"

"Qing Jun!" Zhiwei softly reprimanded, tugging at her sister's sleeve.

Li Qiuyun: "..."

She looked down at herself... Indeed, she was "fuller" than Qing Jun and Zhiwei, who were still young girls. But... could this be called fat?!

Chen Ye couldn't help but laugh as well. He cleared his throat and said to Li Qiuyun:

"Qiuyun, Qing Jun's words are just innocent jokes, don't take them to heart. But since you call me Uncle Chen, in front of me, you're just a child, aren't you? How about playing a round with them to relax?"

"Ugh... Qing Jun is the one who's a child!"

The little girl thought sulkily, but still tugged at Li Qiuyun's sleeve,

"Sister, please keep Qing Jun company..."

Li Qiuyun looked at the little girl who was persistently pleading, and her resolve finally wavered: "Alright, just one game."

She carefully sat down by the table, picked up a white piece, and with guidance from Qing Jun and Zhiwei, awkwardly placed it on the board.

At the beginning of the game, Li Qiuyun was somewhat reserved, placing her pieces slowly and hesitantly.

But the rules of Gomoku were simple and easy to learn, and after a few rounds, she gradually became engrossed in the game.

As the light flickered, it illuminated the four figures, two big and two small.

In the small cabin, laughter rang out into the night, quietly dispelling the cold and stormy night outside the window.

...

The spiritual ship sailed through clouds and mist, and three days passed quietly amidst monotonous cultivation and occasional relaxation.

During this time, Li Qiuyun would often "pass by" to visit.

Sometimes she brought some spirit fruit snacks unique to the Lingyin Sect, making Qing Jun cheer with joy;

sometimes she patiently answered Chen Ye's questions about the sect rules or some inquiries about Herb Peak, concise yet hitting the point.

More often, she would play chess with Chen Ye and his two disciples.

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