Ling Qinghe stood in the middle of the training field, snow-white hair catching the golden afternoon light like some walking filter effect. The whispers around him had turned into a full-blown gossip festival. Gu Xichen, the untouchable inner sect genius, was still holding Ninebro like the fox had paid a deposit on his shoulder.
"Bro, you can give him back now," Ling Qinghe called out cheerfully, walking closer with his hands in his wide sleeves. "Ninebro gets clingy with tall people. Thinks they're climbing trees."
Gu Xichen's steel-cold eyes narrowed slightly. The fox was purring louder than a spirit engine, all nine tails wrapped around the young master's arm like possessive golden ribbons. For a man famous for freezing disciples with one glare, this was... new.
"He seems to have chosen poorly," Gu Xichen said flatly, yet he made no move to remove the fox. His hand stayed supporting the fluffy butt.
Ling Qinghe's blue eyes sparkled with mischief. "Nah, he's got great taste. You look like you need more hugs in your life, Big Shot Bro. All that ice energy can't be healthy."
The entire field inhaled sharply. An outer disciple just called the top genius "Big Shot Bro" to his face. Someone in the back fainted from second-hand embarrassment.
Ping!
System: Bold move, Host. Gu Xichen's irritation level: Rising. But his staring level? Also rising. New achievement: "Walking Chaos Generator."
Before Gu Xichen could respond, the system delivered on its earlier promise. A small jade bottle materialized in Ling Qinghe's sleeve. He pulled it out and shook it happily.
"Sweet! My Qi Condensing Pills. Time to go from houseplant to slightly better houseplant."
He popped one pill immediately and swallowed it dry, making a satisfied "ahhh" sound like it was soda. The pill dissolved with a warm buzz in his chest — his trash F-rank qi actually stirred a tiny bit, like a sleepy kitten stretching.
The instructor nearby cleared his throat nervously. "Young friend, those are for after proper meditation—"
"Meditation is just napping with extra steps," Ling Qinghe replied, waving him off. "I'm optimizing, bro."
Ninebro finally decided to return, leaping from Gu Xichen's arms in a golden blur and landing on Ling Qinghe's head like a fluffy crown. The fox's tails draped over his shoulders dramatically.
Gu Xichen's gaze lingered on Ling Qinghe for another long second. His eyebrow twitched again — twice in one day, a new personal record. Without another word, he turned and left the field, dark robes swirling like a dramatic exit in a movie. But not before shooting one last glance over his shoulder.
Ling Qinghe grinned. "See you around, Ice Prince Bro! Don't forget to smile sometime!"
Back at the dormitory that evening, the comedy escalated.
Ling Qinghe's two roommates — Buzz-cut (now nicknamed Buzzbro) and Chubby (kindly dubbed Snackbro) — were staring at him like he'd grown a second head.
"You really talked back to Young Master Gu?" Buzzbro whispered, eyes wide. "People get frozen into ice statues for less!"
"He's just a guy with good hair and resting murder face," Ling Qinghe said, sitting cross-legged on his bed while Ninebro chased his own tails in circles. "Besides, my fox likes him. That's basically a five-star review."
Snackbro leaned in, munching on a stolen spirit fruit. "You know he's going to be the next Sect Leader, right? His family's basically royalty in the cultivation world. And you... you offered him hugs?"
"Everyone needs hugs, bro. Even final bosses."
A knock on the door interrupted them. A nervous outer disciple poked his head in. "Um... Ling Qinghe? The outer court elders want to see you. Something about... special attention due to your... um... appearance and the fox incident."
Ling Qinghe groaned playfully. "Great. More meetings. Do they have snacks at least?"
The elders' pavilion was fancy — all polished wood and floating lanterns. Three old cultivators with long beards sat in a row, looking serious until Ling Qinghe walked in with Ninebro on his shoulder. Their expressions melted into stunned appreciation.
"Such... exceptional spiritual affinity," one elder murmured, staring at the glowing white hair.
The head elder cleared his throat. "Due to the Nine-Tailed Golden Fox's approval and your... unique presence, we're assigning you extra resources. But you must attend morning training diligently. No more... casual attitudes."
Ling Qinghe saluted lazily. "Got it, Elder Bros. Diligent vibes only. Maybe throw in some spicy snacks as motivation?"
As he left the pavilion, Ninebro suddenly perked up and dashed off into the nearby bamboo grove. Ling Qinghe chased after him, laughing. "Ninebro! No fox zoomies right now!"
He rounded a corner and skidded to a stop.
Gu Xichen was standing there under the moonlight, arms crossed, looking like he'd been waiting. Ninebro was already nuzzling his leg again, traitor that he was.
Ling Qinghe blinked. "Stalking me already, Big Shot Bro? That's fast even for cultivation romance plots."
Gu Xichen's voice was cold but carried a hint of something unreadable. "Your fox keeps following me. Explain."
"Simple. He thinks you're fun to annoy. Same reason I do." Ling Qinghe stepped closer, blue eyes meeting frozen ones without fear. "Also, you're kinda glowing with that inner sect qi. Looks tasty to a spirit beast."
For a moment, the ice prince said nothing. Then, very quietly: "You are... strange."
Ling Qinghe laughed, the sound bright and carefree, echoing through the bamboo. "Strange is my middle name. Well, not really. It's Qinghe. But close enough."
Ping!
System: Gu Xichen's interest level upgraded from ??? to "Mild Curiosity." Careful, Host — ice can crack... or crush.
Ninebro refused to leave again, forcing Ling Qinghe to stand there awkwardly while the fox played divide-and-conquer between the two.
"Second life keeps delivering the chaos," Ling Qinghe muttered, grinning despite himself. "Guess I'll just roll with it."
Gu Xichen's lips almost — almost — twitched upward before he turned away into the shadows.
Ling Qinghe watched him go, Ninebro finally returning to his arms.
"Bro... I think we just speed-ran making an enemy. Or something else. Either way, tomorrow's training is gonna be fun."
End of Chapter 5