My junior sister was moved to tears.

The wind whistled, and the sea of clouds churned.

A streak of azure light pierced the sky, rushing straight down from the majestic Purple Bamboo Peak toward the most prosperous "Wanbao Peak" in the Inner Sect of the Taichu Holy Land.

It was an Azure Boat summoned by Su Ye, a High Grade Spiritual Artifact. While not a peerless treasure, it was a rare means of transportation among Inner Sect Disciples.

On the Azure Boat, Su Ye stood with his hands behind his back, his robes fluttering in the wind.

Half a step away from him, Lin Qianxue stood prettily. The soft hand that Su Ye had taken hold of had not been released since the beginning.

"Se... Senior Brother, we're almost there. If people see us... wouldn't it be bad?"

Feeling the increasing number of light streaks and fellow Disciples flying on swords around them, Lin Qianxue's cold face flushed with an unnatural blush. She tried to pull her hand back.

Although Purple Bamboo Peak was sparsely populated, she was an Inner Sect Disciple after all, and she was still thin-skinned.

"What is there to fear?"

Instead of letting go, Su Ye gripped her hand a bit tighter, his thumb even gently stroking the back of her hand.

"It is only natural for a Senior Brother to take his Junior Sister down the mountain to purchase household items."

"If anyone dares to wag their tongue, I will go and pull it out."

His voice was as warm as jade, yet his words carried a hint of unquestionable dominance.

Lin Qianxue's heart trembled. The demonic seed buried deep in her heart throbbed slightly, releasing a warm current called a "sense of security."

She stopped struggling and instead turned slightly, moving half an inch closer to Su Ye.

It was as if as long as she was beside this man, he would hold up the sky even if it fell... Wanbao Peak.

One of the thirty-six peaks of the Taichu Holy Land's Inner Sect, it did not focus on cultivation but instead gathered countless shops and markets, making it the largest trading center in the Holy Land.

It lacked the quiet solitude of Purple Bamboo Peak, replaced by sky-high clamor and the atmosphere of the Mortal World.

"Come take a look! Freshly made Second-Grade Qi Recovery Pills, high quality at a low price, only fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones!"

"This is the fur of a third-rank Yao Beast just hunted from Soul-Severing Valley, excellent material for making inner armor!"

"This Senior Brother, I see darkness between your brows. Why not come for a divination?"

The streets were wide, lined with shops on both sides, and stalls filled the long street.

Su Ye put away the Azure Boat and led Lin Qianxue to land at the entrance of the market.

The appearance of the two instantly attracted many gazes.

After all, Su Ye's iconic attire as the Eldest Senior Brother of Purple Bamboo Peak, combined with his peerlessly handsome face, made him quite famous in the Inner Sect.

Moreover, he was accompanied by a peerless beauty with the temperament of an icy mountain lotus.

"Is that... Senior Brother Su Ye of Purple Bamboo Peak?"

"Heavens, so handsome! I heard that although Senior Brother Su's cultivation talent is average, he is gentle with others and is a well-known gentleman."

"Who is that woman beside him? Such a strong coldness, like an unsheathed frigid sword."

"Never seen her before. Could she be a new Disciple recruited by Purple Bamboo Peak?"

Whispers continued to drift from the surroundings.

Lin Qianxue was somewhat uncomfortable with being watched and instinctively wanted to release her Sword Intent to force the crowd back.

But in the next moment, a broad back stood in front of her.

Su Ye turned his head and gave her a gentle smile: "Stay close to me, don't get lost."

Seven simple words instantly smoothed the agitation in Lin Qianxue's heart.

"Mhm."

She nodded obediently and followed closely behind Su Ye... "Since we are to furnish Tingxue Courtyard, let's start with the daily living items."

Su Ye knew the way well and led Lin Qianxue into a large shop called "Treasure Gathering Pavilion."

This Treasure Gathering Pavilion was the property of an Inner Sect Elder; it had a complete range of goods and guaranteed quality.

As soon as they entered, a deacon dressed in gray robes came forward to greet them.

"Oh, isn't this Nephew Su? It's been a while. What wind has blown you here today?"

This deacon's surname was Wang, a slick middle-aged man who knew how to say the right things to the right people.

"Deacon Wang."

Su Ye nodded slightly and casually tossed a Mid-Grade Spirit Stone onto the counter. "I've brought my Junior Sister today to purchase some household items. Bring out the best things you have."

Deacon Wang's eyes lit up. He grabbed the Spirit Stone, and the wrinkles on his face smoothed out in a wide grin.

"Certainly! Nephew Su is truly generous!"

"This must be the talented new Disciple of your peak? Truly an immortal grace and jade-like bones, stunning indeed!"

While flattering them, Deacon Wang led the two toward the private rooms on the second floor. "The second floor has all the premium goods. This way, Nephew."

Seeing Su Ye casually tip a Mid-Grade Spirit Stone, Lin Qianxue couldn't help but feel a bit pained.

One Mid-Grade Spirit Stone was equivalent to a hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

Back when she was with her Family, her entire monthly allowance was only about that much.

"Senior Brother... there's no need for such expense. Let's just buy some ordinary things," she whispered, gently tugging Su Ye's sleeve.

Su Ye stopped, turned around, and looked at her seriously.

"Light Snow."

"You are a Disciple of Purple Bamboo Peak and my, Su Ye's, Junior Sister."

"Although our Purple Bamboo Peak has few people, we must never let others look down on us."

"And..." He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I only want to give you the very best."

Lin Qianxue's earlobes instantly turned red. She lowered her head and didn't dare speak again, but her heart was filled with sweetness.

Even if she knew her Senior Brother might just be coaxing her, she was more than happy to accept it.

They arrived at the second floor.

The dazzling array of goods left Lin Qianxue a bit overwhelmed.

"Junior Sister, pick what you like and see what's missing." Su Ye sat casually on a nearby armchair, taking a cup of spiritual tea offered by a maid, his posture relaxed.

Lin Qianxue pursed her lips, her gaze scanning the shelves.

Though she didn't understand the finer points of life, she knew that Tingxue Courtyard currently had nothing but four walls.

She walked to an area where bedframes were displayed.

Pointing to a plain-looking wooden bed, she asked Deacon Wang: "This bed... how many Spirit Stones?"

Deacon Wang took a look and smiled: "Fairy has a good eye. This is a bedstead made of Century-Old Ironwood. It's sturdy and durable, only thirty Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

Lin Qianxue nodded, thinking the price was fair.

"I'll take thi—"

"Change it."

Before she could finish, Su Ye's voice drifted over indifferently.

Lin Qianxue was startled and looked back at Su Ye.

She saw Su Ye put down his teacup, his brow slightly furrowed, seemingly dissatisfied.

"How can you sleep peacefully on such hard wood?"

Su Ye stood up, walked to the other side, and pointed to a jade bed that was pure white and emitted a faint, warm aura:

"Deacon Wang, how much for this Warm Jade Fragrant Couch?"

Deacon Wang gasped and gave a thumbs up: "Nephew Su is indeed an expert! This is carved from a whole piece of thousand-year warm jade. Not only is it warm in winter and cool in summer, but it can also nourish the Meridians and assist in cultivation. It's an Earth Rank Low Grade Spiritual Artifact!"

"However, the price... is a bit expensive. It costs three thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

"Three... three thousand?!"

Lin Qianxue cried out in surprise, her almond eyes wide. "Senior Brother, this is too expensive! I don't need—"

"Bought."

Su Ye didn't even blink as he directly interrupted her.

"Senior Brother!" Lin Qianxue grew anxious.

"Be good."

Su Ye walked over and gently tapped her nose. "You Cultivate an ice-attribute technique, and Tingxue Courtyard is already heavy with cold. If you don't sleep well at night and damage your Foundation, what then?"

"But..."

"No buts." Su Ye directly pulled out a Storage Pouch and tossed it to Deacon Wang. "There are three thousand Spirit Stones in here. Pack it up and send it to Tingxue Courtyard on Purple Bamboo Peak."

"Understood!" Deacon Wang beamed from ear to ear and began packing with nimble hands.

Lin Qianxue stared blankly at the man who spent money like water.

While her heart ached for the Spirit Stones, the warmth in her heart grew even more intense.

No one had ever cared for her well-being so meticulously.

Even her parents back in her Family would only ask how her sword practice was going or if she had achieved a Breakthrough in her cultivation.

"What else? Keep picking."

Su Ye waved his hand with the air of a nouveau riche.

Over the next half hour, Lin Qianxue fully witnessed her Eldest Senior Brother's "money power."

She took a fancy to an ordinary ceramic tea set, but Su Ye thought it too coarse and replaced it with a set of "Pure Heart Emerald Cups" worth five hundred Spirit Stones.

She wanted to buy an ordinary futon for meditation, but Su Ye thought it didn't gather enough Qi and replaced it with a "Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Silkworm Silk Futon" worth eight hundred Spirit Stones.

Even the curtains, tables, chairs, and even a vase for plum blossoms.

Su Ye insisted on picking the best, the most expensive, and the most exquisite.

"This dressing table is not bad, take it."

"This Glazed Mirror reflects a clear image, buy it."

"These spiritual fruits and spiritual teas, get some of those too. Junior Sister can quench her thirst when she's tired from practicing her sword."

Deacon Wang followed behind, his smile never fading, his hand almost cramping from keeping the accounts.

A big customer!

This was definitely a super big customer!

In just a short while, Su Ye had spent nearly ten thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

This was almost equivalent to the entire net worth of an ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

Until finally.

Lin Qianxue looked at the mountain of goods and could truly take no more.

She grabbed Su Ye's hand, her tone carrying a hint of pleading: "Senior Brother, enough, it's really enough... if we buy any more, Tingxue Courtyard won't be able to fit it all."

Su Ye looked at her touched yet pained expression and couldn't help but laugh.

"Alright, since Junior Sister says it's enough, we'll stop with these for now."

He turned to look at Deacon Wang. "Deacon Wang, let's settle the bill."

"Right away! It comes to a total of nine thousand eight hundred and sixty Low-Grade Spirit Stones. I'll round it down for you—nine thousand eight hundred!"

Deacon Wang's abacus clicked and clacked loudly.

Su Ye didn't waste any words and paid the Spirit Stones directly.

As they walked out of the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, Lin Qianxue felt as if her steps were floating.

She glanced back at the magnificent golden signboard and silently vowed to herself that she would Cultivate hard in the future to properly repay Senior Brother.

"Are you tired?"

Su Ye looked at her somewhat dazed expression and asked softly.

"No... I'm not tired." Lin Qianxue shook her head.

"The 'Jinyi Pavilion' is not far ahead. Since we've already bought the furniture, we might as well get some clothes."

Su Ye led her through the bustling crowd toward an elegantly styled pavilion ahead.

Lin Qianxue instinctively wanted to refuse.

She felt that the white robes provided by the Sect were fine; they were stain-resistant and convenient for practicing the sword.

But at the thought of Su Ye saying he wanted to see her in a Rainbow Feather Garment... the refusal reached her lips but was swallowed back down.

"A woman dolls herself up for the one who admires her."

This saying from the Mortal World inexplicably surfaced in her mind... Jinyi Pavilion.

This was a place within the Taichu Holy Land specifically for selling Dharma Robes.

These so-called Dharma Robes were not only exquisitely styled but also inscribed with various defensive Formations; some even had effects like dust-repelling, water-repelling, and Qi-gathering.

The moment they stepped into the pavilion, a faint scent of incense wafted toward them.

The interior of the pavilion wasn't as noisy as the outside; it was actually quite peaceful.

Several graceful female attendants were tidying various Dharma Robes hanging on the racks.

Every piece of clothing here was radiant and magnificent.

There were 'Flowing Fire Skirts' as red as blazing fire, 'Emerald Water Shirts' that rippled like green waves, and palace dresses embroidered with gold and silver threads... Lin Qianxue had never seen such a display.

Her daily world consisted of nothing but black-and-white sword manuals and endless ice and snow.

Standing in this sea of colorful clothes, she felt somewhat at a loss.

"Oh, Young Master and Fairy, are you here to look at clothes?"

A beautiful woman in a pink gauze dress walked over, swaying her hips.

She was the manager of Jinyi Pavilion, known as 'Third Madam,' and she had an extremely sharp eye.

With one look, she saw Su Ye's extraordinary temperament and Lin Qianxue's cold but perfect figure for modeling clothes.

"Pick out a few suitable outfits for this Junior Sister."

Su Ye said calmly.

"Of course!"

Third Madam covered her mouth and chuckled, her gaze sweeping over Lin Qianxue with a flash of amazement in her eyes.

"This Fairy has a cold and ethereal temperament; ordinary, vulgar clothes naturally wouldn't suit her."

She led the two of them deep into the pavilion.

"Take a look at this one, the 'Moonlight Flowing Radiance Skirt.' It's woven from Moonlight Silkworm Silk and can automatically absorb moonlight at night. The hem flows like pouring moonlight; it's breathtakingly beautiful."

Third Madam took out a pale yellow long dress.

Lin Qianxue took a look and shook her head slightly.

Too bright.

Not suitable for her.

"Then what about this one? The 'Purple Cloud Misty Silk Shirt'..."

"Or this 'Green Lotus Listening to Rain'..."

Third Madam brought out several shop treasures in succession, but Lin Qianxue only glanced at them and shook her head.

They were either too gaudy or too complicated.

She was a Sword Cultivator and didn't like those flashy things.

Su Ye didn't interject, just watching quietly with a smile on his lips.

He knew this girl's taste.

Cold on the outside, warm on the inside.

On the surface, she rejected all beautiful things, but deep down, she craved attention and care more than anyone.

Just as Third Madam was getting worried and prepared to go to the warehouse for the most prized items...

Lin Qianxue's gaze suddenly fixed on a crystal display case in the corner.

There.

A long dress hung quietly.

It was a dress that wasn't pure white, but rather a very, very pale ice-blue.

The dress was made of an unknown material, thin as a cicada's wing, yet seemingly containing layers of frost.

At the collar and cuffs, several winter plums braving the snow were embroidered with silver-white silk thread, looking lifelike.

The most wonderful part was the hem.

It didn't hang flat but was layered, like piled snow or spreading Phoenix feathers.

As a light breeze blew through the pavilion, the hem swayed gently, and dots of starlight actually flickered within it, as if she were wearing an entire galaxy.

Beautiful.

Utterly beautiful.

It had both the purity of ice and snow and the liveliness of a young girl.

The moment Lin Qianxue's gaze touched the dress, she couldn't look away.

Her breath hitched slightly, and she unconsciously took two steps forward.

It was as if it were destiny.

She felt that this dress was born for her.

"This..."

Lin Qianxue reached out, wanting to touch the crystal case, but stopped mid-air, seemingly afraid of desecrating that beauty.

Seeing this, Third Madam's eyes lit up, and she immediately hurried over.

"Oh my! Fairy, you truly have a good eye!"

Third Madam's voice suddenly rose, carrying a hint of exaggerated wonder.

"This is one of our Jinyi Pavilion's greatest treasures, called the 'Ice Luan Sky-Dancing Skirt'!"

"It's primarily made of ten-thousand-year-old Ice Silkworm silk from the Far North, supplemented by threads drawn from Nine Heavens Profound Iron essence, and then an Artifact Refining Great Master was commissioned to inscribe three High Grade Formations: 'Ice Heart,' 'Wind Rider,' and 'Body Protection'!"

"Not only is its defensive power astonishing, comparable to a Medium Grade Earth Rank Spiritual Armor, but after putting it on, it can also amplify the power of ice-attribute Cultivation Techniques by thirty percent!"

Third Madam introduced it incessantly, her words flowing like a torrent.

"It's practically tailor-made for you, Fairy!"

Listening to Third Madam's introduction, the look of fondness in Lin Qianxue's eyes grew even more intense.

Amplifying ice-attribute techniques by thirty percent... For a sword fanatic like her, the temptation was even greater than the beauty of the dress itself.

But... her gaze shifted down to the small price tag beneath the crystal case.

"Ei... Eight thousand Spirit Stones?!"

Lin Qianxue's pupils shrank violently, and her outstretched hand snapped back as if it had been burned.

Eight thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones!

For just one dress?!

Buying that pile of furniture just now hadn't even cost ten thousand.

This one dress cost eight thousand?

This was insane.

This was practically robbery.

"This is too expensive..."

Lin Qianxue bit her lip, the light in her eyes instantly dimming.

Although she liked it, her reason told her this was absolutely out of the question.

This wasn't just luxury; this was being a spendthrift.

How could she let Senior Brother spend so much wasted money for her sake?

"Um... I don't..."

Lin Qianxue took a deep breath, just about to turn around and tell Su Ye she "didn't like it."

"Do you like it?"

A warm breath suddenly drew close to her ear.

Su Ye had stood behind her at some unknown point.

His chest was almost touching her back, and his hands reached past her shoulders to rest on the crystal case, effectively encircling her in his arms.

At this moment.

Lin Qianxue felt completely surrounded by this aggressive masculine scent.

Her body instantly stiffened, and her mind went blank.

"Sen... Senior Brother..."

"Answer me, do you like it?"

Su Ye's voice was low, carrying a trace of bewitching magic.

His gaze passed through the transparent crystal, falling on Lin Qianxue's exquisite face reflected in the glass.

Lin Qianxue looked at herself in the mirror, then at the 'Ice Luan Sky-Dancing Skirt' that seemed to be beckoning to her.

That long-suppressed girlish heart finally triumphed over reason.

"I... I like it."

Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz, carrying a hint of trembling.

But she said it anyway.

"But it's too expensive, really too expensive. Let's go..."

She turned her head, looking at Su Ye with an almost pleading gaze.

She was truly afraid Su Ye would buy it.

That was eight thousand Spirit Stones!

Looking at her cautious, longing, and heartbreakingly sensible appearance, a soft spot in Su Ye's heart was gently touched.

This girl.

She clearly wanted it, yet she still had to consider his wallet.

She really was a foolishly adorable treasure of a girl.

The corners of Su Ye's mouth curled up slightly, forming a cynical yet extremely doting arc.

He didn't heed Lin Qianxue's request.

Instead, he slowly raised his hand and tapped lightly on the crystal case.

"Third Madam."

"Wrap it up."

"Besides this one, wrap up all those elegant ones you showed us earlier as well."

"From now on, the clothes for the Purple Bamboo Peak's Fifth Junior Sister must be the best in the entire Holy Land."

"As for the Spirit Stones..."

Su Ye turned his head and looked at the completely petrified Lin Qianxue, letting out a light chuckle.

"As long as my Junior Sister likes it."

"Even if it were the stars in the sky, Senior Brother would pluck them for you."

"What's a mere few thousand Spirit Stones worth mentioning?"

Boom!

Lin Qianxue only felt a roar in her mind, as if countless fawns were crashing about.

She stared blankly at this domineering yet gentle man before her.

Her eyes, at some unknown point, had actually become somewhat moist.