Deep within a cave located at the far south from mount Skyhowl, soft white light illuminated the surroundings of the cave.

The source of that light was a massive white core embedded firmly into the stone wall itself, pulsing slowly like a living heart.

Each pulse sent faint ripples of spiritual energy through the cavern.

The area around it had long transformed into a land overflowing with life.

Clusters of Hollow Yeklo Grass grew wildly throughout the cave floor, nourished by the dense world essence leaking from the core.

Unfortunately, nearly all of them were still in their infant stage far from ready for harvest.

Xiao Pei stared at the vibrating white core with a strange expression.

"Uh... is that thing supposed to act like this?"

Not far away, Lu Yi lazily sat atop a stone while sipping wine from his gourd.

"How would I know?" he replied casually. "Zhaoyue, that crazy bitch dumped the responsibility of overseeing the World Essence onto us and disappeared with second brother."

"There you go again, calling her by name." Xiao Pei clicked his tongue. "Don’t come crying for help when she catches you."

As he spoke, Xiao Pei cautiously stepped closer toward the white core for a better look.

The vibrations had been growing stronger for a while now.

Lu Yi glanced at him before suddenly chuckling.

"You know... ever since you got yourself a wife, you’ve become more mature."

"Mature? Me?" Xiao Pei snorted. "Must be the wine talking."

Yet almost immediately after saying that he suddenly took three rapid steps backward.

Lu Yi’s relaxed demeanor instantly vanished.

In a flash, he rose to his feet and entered a battle stance.

"What is it?"

Xiao Pei slowly turned his head toward him.

Then, after a brief pause, he answered honestly,

"Nothing... I just suddenly felt like jumping back."

Silence filled the cave as Lu Yi stared at Xiao Pei for a long second before his face suddenly twitched.

"You bastard."

Before Xiao Pei could react.

BOOM!

Lu Yi kicked off the ground and shot forward like an arrow, wine gourd still in hand.

"You gave me a heart attack right there!"

Xiao Pei’s eyes widened.

"Wait—!"

A fist immediately came flying toward his face.

Xiao Pei twisted sideways just in time, the punch grazing past his cheek and exploding into the cave wall behind him.

Rocks shattered instantly.

"Are you insane?!" Xiao Pei shouted while leaping backward.

Lu Yi continued advancing relentlessly.

"You jumped back like you sensed death itself!"

Another punch came crashing down. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

BANG!

Xiao Pei blocked with both arms but the impact sent him skidding across the cave floor, crushing several patches of infant Hollow Yeklo Grass beneath his feet.

"Hey! Watch the grass!" Xiao Pei yelled.

"You watch the grass!" Lu Yi snapped back as spiritual energy exploded from his body.

The nearby vegetation bent violently from the pressure.

Xiao Pei’s smile stiffened.

"...Brother Lu."

"What?"

"I think you’re genuinely trying to kill me now."

"You noticed?" Lu Yi replied coldly before throwing another punch.

The moment Lu Yi threw another punch, Xiao Pei suddenly stepped in instead of retreating.

Lu Yi’s eyes widened slightly but it was too late for him to do anything.

BAM!

Xiao Pei’s forehead slammed directly into Lu Yi’s face.

A loud crack echoed through the cave.

Lu Yi staggered backward while clutching his nose.

"You—!"

Before he could finish, Xiao Pei drove a kick straight into his stomach, folding him in half before grabbing the back of his robes and smashing him into the ground.

The entire cave trembled violently as dust exploded everywhere.

Several stalks of infant Hollow Yeklo Grass were flattened instantly.

"Agh—! Xiao Pei, you dog—!"

"Look at you." Xiao Pei clicked his tongue while pinning him down with one knee. "Old already but still so jumpy."

Lu Yi immediately tried to retaliate but Xiao Pei casually slapped the back of his head.

SMACK!

"Behave."

"You’re dead!"

SMACK!

"Behave."

"I swear I’ll—"

SMACK!

"Still talking?"

Lu Yi finally went silent, glaring murderously at him while lying half-cratered into the stone floor.

Satisfied, Xiao Pei nodded.

"That’s better."

Then he calmly reached into his sleeve and took out a medicinal pill.

Lu Yi’s eyelid twitched.

"...Why do you have that pill on you?"

Xiao Pei forcefully shoved the pill into his mouth, grumbling in annoyance.

"I’m the youngest among the three of us, yet I’m the one stuck looking after you two. The Matriarch even said you’re mentally unstable, and only this pill can help clear your thoughts."

Lu Yi nearly choked on the spot.

"She said I’m mentally unstable?!"

Xiao Pei stared at him flatly before replying,

"Well... you did just attack me out of nowhere."

Lu Yi stared in annoyance but he didn’t retort and instead swallowed the pill and finally calmed down.

The violent spiritual fluctuations around him gradually settled as he leaned back against a stone, rubbing his sore face with annoyance.

"That woman seriously treats me like a lunatic," he muttered. "If that bitch wasn’t brother shaoge wife—"

Xiao Pei immediately sighed.

"Can you stop calling her by name already?"

Lu Yi clicked his tongue.

"Why?"

"Because," Xiao Pei replied tiredly, "like I said, it’ll be really bad if she hears you."

Lu Yi waved his hand dismissively.

"How would she know? It’s only the two of us here."

Then he smirked.

"And you aren’t the type to snitch."

Xiao Pei opened his mouth to respond but just then a young voice suddenly echoed throughout the cave.

"You’re right... but what about me?"

The two men froze instantly.

BOOM!

Their spiritual pressure erupted at the same time as both entered full alert.

Lu Yi’s wine gourd disappeared into his sleeve while Xiao Pei immediately stepped back into a defensive stance.

Their eyes swept across the cave before noticing a young girl standing quietly staring at the two with wide eyes.

She looked around ten years old, barefoot, wearing a dress woven entirely from leaves and vines.

Long pale hair draped down her shoulders while faint white light continuously flowed around her small body.

Xiao Pei was confused, so was Lu Yi, but just as Xiao Pei was about to call out to her, he noticed the empty spot in the wall.

The white core was gone.

Cold sweat instantly formed down his back.

He swallowed hard before carefully asking,

"...You’re the World Essence?"