Xiao Lin had encountered many people who said one thing but meant another, both before and after his transmigration.

But he had never met anyone quite like Luo Qingyan.

This couldn't even be called duplicity anymore... Xiao Lin even suspected that Luo Qingyan might have a split personality.

Even if she didn't have it now, it seemed like only a matter of time.

Sooner or later.

"Since Second Junior Sister isn't interested in this position, I'll take my leave." Xiao Lin pushed aside the stray thought of "should I stay away from Second Junior Sister in the future" and prepared to make a quick exit.

Sorry, I'm a bit scared.

Let me catch my breath first.

"Why?"

Luo Qingyan coldly uttered a single word.

Based on past interactions, Xiao Lin knew she was asking why he thought he was unsuitable—many who spoke with the taciturn Luo Qingyan often couldn't understand her meaning, but over the years, Xiao Lin had been the only one who could accurately grasp what she wanted to express from her sparse words. This had once made Xiao Lin quite proud.

But now, it seemed that this ability might not be so necessary after all, because...

[Why won't you do it? Did something upset you? Who bullied you? Tell me! I'll see who dares to have such audacity!]

...what he understood didn't seem to be what Luo Qingyan intended to express.

Xiao Lin: I'm so foolish, really.

"Well, I just feel that as the Senior Brother, my cultivation level isn't the highest, and I feel guilty about it." Xiao Lin's nonsense came out effortlessly.

Of course, he wasn't speaking without reason; he was prepared.

After all, he was currently only in the Lower Core Formation Realm, while Luo Qingyan was already in the Mid Core Formation Realm. Such a level, even among the younger generation across the world, was a rare existence, comparable only to the direct disciples of a few top sects.

Since the topic of cultivation levels had come up, it was necessary to explain the cultivation system of this world—cultivators' realms are generally divided from high to low into the Lower Three Realms, Middle Three Realms, and Upper Three Realms. The Lower Three Realms include Body Tempering, Qi Refining, and Foundation Establishment, which is the process of drawing qi into the body and opening the qi sea. The Middle Three Realms include Core Formation, Nascent Soul, and Spirit Soul, which is the process of refining spiritual energy and spirit souls. The Upper Three Realms include Dao Integration, Tribulation Crossing, and Human Immortal, which is the process of transcending the mundane and ascending to immortality. Each major realm is further divided into lower, middle, and upper sub-realms.

Currently, Luo Qingyan was already in the Mid Core Formation Realm, and in some third-rate sects, she could even be an elder.

Although the gap between her and Xiao Lin, who was in the Lower Core Formation Realm, wasn't large, it didn't stop him from using it as an excuse.

"That's enough." Luo Qingyan responded with these two words.

Xiao Lin roughly understood that she was saying his cultivation level was sufficient for him to be the Senior Brother.

But now, even without guessing, he could understand Luo Qingyan's meaning—

[Ahhhh! How could this be? So it's my fault that Senior Brother wants to resign? Damn it! I should just die! Should I suppress my cultivation back down? But that seems very harmful to the body...]

"Ahem, it seems Second Junior Sister has a point!" Xiao Lin quickly spoke before her inner voice finished playing, addressing the cold-faced Luo Qingyan, "I underestimated myself!"

Although he hadn't figured out the situation, Xiao Lin could roughly see that his Second Junior Sister seemed to regard him as her white moonlight and was quite... fervent?

Damn! This is unbelievable...

In any case, Xiao Lin was very afraid that Luo Qingyan might actually follow through—after all, dispersing one's cultivation wasn't something that could be easily regained. Such an act could leave lasting damage, severely impacting future cultivation.

"Alright."

Seeing Xiao Lin's expression of sudden realization, Luo Qingyan nodded in satisfaction, only to hear him continue, "The reason I wanted to step down as Senior Brother actually has another reason, but since Second Junior Sister doesn't want to take over, I won't disturb you."

With that, Xiao Lin turned around, summoned his spiritual energy, and swiftly left the area.

Are you kidding? I see you as a sister, but you want to marry me?

Boys must protect themselves when they're outside.

Run, run quickly.

"Wait..."

Luo Qingyan raised her hand to stop him, but Xiao Lin's figure was already gone.

A few struggles flashed in her distant eyes, but in the end, Luo Qingyan didn't chase after him and turned back to look at the small pond.

Even if she wanted to, she had to maintain her cool and aloof persona.

Why doesn't Senior Brother want to be Senior Brother anymore? I want to ask, but I have to maintain my persona... ahhhh! Why do I have to maintain my persona!

Feeling increasingly annoyed, Luo Qingyan's gaze turned cold, and she let out a cold snort.

In an instant, over a dozen white lines appeared on the boulder.

These lines came and went quickly, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

All that remained was the shattered boulder and the cold-eyed, white-clad beauty.

But today, I talked a lot with Senior Brother, hmm, one step closer to marriage...

Thinking of this, the white-clad beauty's mood improved slightly.

***

"Damn it, damn it, Second Junior Sister might also be a transmigrator... Tsk, how did I not notice all these years?"

In a bush, Xiao Lin squatted down, holding his head with a rather complex expression.

Who would understand? Both Junior Sisters I've known for over ten years are transmigrators, it's mind-boggling!

"Fourth Junior Sister is probably from a book, what about Second Junior Sister? A character card... probably something like a game? So is this world a game or a novel?" Xiao Lin plucked a leaf, put it in his mouth, and suddenly felt that the world he was in was more complex than he had imagined.

Just on the small Green Lotus Peak, besides himself, there was now a pair of hidden talents.

Not to mention he also had a Third Junior Brother and a Fifth Junior Sister.

His intuition told him that those two probably weren't easy to deal with either.

"Tsk, if Third Junior Brother and Fifth Junior Sister have issues too, then... what about the master who picked us all up?" Xiao Lin spat out the leaf and decided that after finding Third Junior Brother and Fifth Junior Sister, he would also need to see the master.

After all, if nothing else, since he wanted to resign, he had to communicate with his direct superior.

As for the fact that he seemed to be Second Junior Sister's white moonlight... well, given that Second Junior Sister seemed a bit scary, he'd try to keep his distance in the future.

"Alright, since the system won't speak, I'll have to move on to the next one. Let me see who else my mind-reading can work on, and let me see what other surprises you all have that I don't know about."

Standing up and dusting off his hands, Xiao Lin oriented himself and then used his movement technique to leap away.

Next target, Third Junior Brother.

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Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan