A Balloon Above the Clouds

Lin Yuan turn back and she is walking towards them.

She didn't greet him. Just walked up and said, flatly, "Why are you avoiding me?"

He didn't answer.

"If you don't want a follower like me, just say it plainly: 'I don't want you.' I can handle it."

Lin Yuan turned slowly. "I… I'm sorry for pushing you away before. But that doesn't mean you can hug me like that."

Rena's lips tightened. "Do you think one hug will destroy your whole relationship with that little girl you besides you? This is a female-only sect. Lesbians aren't exactly rare. But you act like touching another girl will shatter your world.I am old enough and I don't want to destroy your puppy love."

She stepped closer, arms folded. "If she restricts you so much, maybe you should find someone who doesn't.And I like men."

Before Lin Yuan could speak, Lady Qingxuan strolled in with a bowl of fruit and set it down between them.

"I told you I'm beautiful," Qingxuan said, not looking at either of them. "But you and your siblings still act like I'm not. I must really be hideous, huh?"

Lin Yuan sighed. "We're not in love. But she deserves respect. She's the youngest elder in the sect."

Rena blinked, then bowed. "I apologize, Elder. I didn't know your identity. I was angry."

"It's fine," Qingxuan said breezily, popping a grape in her mouth. "Everyone calls me a little girl until I put on makeup."

But Rena wasn't finished. "He's been avoiding me for nearly four months. Never called me. Never met me. You gave me a formation entry, sure—but then treated me like I'm here for resources. Like a gold digger."

Lin Yuan frowned. "Then what do you want?"

"A follower's job is to do what the master doesn't want to. Handle small things. Run errands. Hunt for meat. Pick herbs. You never ask anything of me."

He scratched his head. "I'm broke. Do you want to go hunting with me.I well be dangerous.You might die."

"I can do anything," Rena said without hesitation.

"…Fine," he said. "We're going hunting tomorrow."

---

That Night

Lin Yuan returned to the Sect Leader's residence. Lady Qingxuan was already there, frying vegetables in a pan with deadly precision. The aroma filled the house.

Sect Leader Yuexian arrived a moment later, her robes half-dusty from mission, but her face calm as ever. They sat together and shared the meal in peace.

Then came the inevitable.

"I need money," Xiao Hu said, holding a spoon like a weapon. "I'm completely broke."

Qingxue, passing by with a report scroll, muttered, "If I keep feeding the refugees, I'll be broke too. We still need to buy food for Tearlume."

Lin Yuan shrugged. "I've got nothing left."

Sect Leader lifted a wine cup. "I can feed you. But don't ask me for money."

Qingxuan raised an eyebrow. "You stopped giving me pocket money."

"You're an elder now," the Sect Leader replied dryly. "Act like it."

Lin Yuan clapped his hands. "Alright. Tomorrow, we go hunting. Make some money. Do some sect missions."

The Sect Leader nodded. "Take that demon girl you rescued from the auction. She has wilderness experience."

"I want to go too," Qingxuan added.

---

After Dinner

As the table was being cleared, Qingxuan sat beside Lin Yuan, eyes narrow with curiosity.

"Yuan… why don't you tell us about your engagement?"

The Sect Leader raised an eyebrow, her wine cup frozen mid-air.

Lin Yuan coughed. "Actually… I'm already married."

Everyone froze.

"Tearlume is my wife."

Qingxuan gawked. "A toddler?!"

Lin Yuan explained with mix of truth and lies, "Her mother passed away a long time ago. Her last wish was to see her daughter get married before she died. Her battle dress made us married before the dress die."

The Sect Leader placed her cup down gently. "You saw a spirit?"

"Yes. We all did. I didn't want to lie. When Tearlume grows up, I'll tell her everything and… divorce her properly. She deserves to know the truth."

"I don't believe you," Qingxuan muttered.

"It's Xiao Hu who's always around her," she added.

"If she falls in love with Xiao Hu," Lin Yuan shrugged, "she can marry him."

Xiao Hu puffed up. "I've always treated her as my little sister-in-law! If she were really my little sister, I'd even bathe her myself!"

The Sect Leader raised a brow. "She's not human, is she?"

Lin Yuan nodded. "She's not. But I can't tell you her origin."

There was a beat of silence.

"That's fine," the Sect Leader said. "I'll assign hunting missions for tomorrow."

---

The warm scent of steamed buns, fried tofu, and spiced vegetables drifted into Lin Yuan's nose before his eyes even opened.

He sat up groggily, blinking away the last of sleep—and stopped. The low dining table in the Sect Leader's house was filled with dishes. Braised spirit mushrooms, silver lotus rice, moonlight porridge, even crispy river beast slices. It was enough to feed a dozen people.

In the kitchen, Lady Qingxuan was humming softly, sleeves rolled up as she turned over another dish in the wok with a grace that defied her usual bluntness.

The Sect Leader was seated nearby, reading through a scroll while sipping tea. She glanced up and caught Lin Yuan's shocked expression.

"She started learning after watching me cook," the Sect Leader said with a rare smile. "Before that, in seventy years, she never cook for herself."

Qingxuan scoffed. "You make it sound like I was useless."

"You were."

"...Fair."

After breakfast, once the others had started waking up, the Sect Leader handed Lin Yuan a set of scrolls bound in golden thread.

"Your mission details," she said. "Also—go take a look outside."

Curious, Lin Yuan stepped out into the courtyard.

A large balloon-like airship floated gently in the morning mist. It shimmered faintly, its surface enchanted with runes that absorbed wind and solar energy.

"It's a prototype," the Sect Leader said from behind him. "Low energy use, almost free flight. And if something goes wrong—" she smirked, "—it has three modes."

"Three?" Lin Yuan asked, eyes gleaming.

"Balloon mode: normal drift. If damaged, switch to hot-air mode—simple heating technique using fire Qi. And if you're in danger... activate rocket mode and escape at high speed. I know how much you attract trouble."

---

By the time the sun had risen fully, everyone had gathered. Their belongings already stored safely in their spiritual storage bags—packing was instantaneous.

Lady Qingxuan handed everyone a food pill just in case, though no one wanted to eat it after her cooking.

The ten demon girls Lin Yuan had rescued from the auction stood ready. Each carried a weapon and wore a simple traveling robe, eyes sharp, expressions calm. They were quiet but clearly well-trained.

Rena also come ready.

Before departure, they made one final stop—just outside the sect gates.

There, four graceful figures stood waiting under the shade of a willow tree.

Lady Mingyan, Lady Baihua, Lady An, and Lady Fangyuan—Lin Yuan's four "mothers."

Today, Lady Mingyan had disguised herself as a man. Her hair was tied back, her robe was simple, and she wore a subtle illusion that added sharpness to her jawline.

"Well?" she asked, arms crossed. "Are we leaving or should I grow a beard while waiting?"

Lin Yuan grinned. "We're ready."

The balloon hissed softly as its gate opened. One by one, they climbed aboard.

A strange journey lay ahead—missions, monsters, maybe even fortune. But as the balloon lifted into the morning sky, drifting above the Taiyin peaks, Lin Yuan looked around at his companions—his chosen family—and felt a little lighter.

This wasn't just another mission.

This was a voyage into the unknown.

Mission Scroll: Beast Tide Extermination

Mission Rank: ★★★★☆ (High-Risk)

Location: Ruins of Moonshade Valley

Client: Elder Qingyuan, Taiyin Sect Outer Hall

Reward:

300 Contribution Points

5 High-Grade Spirit Stones

1 Rare Beast Egg (Unhatched, Affinity Unknown)

Bonus: 1 Moonlight Spirit Talisman (if completed within 24 hours)

---

Objective:

> Hunt down at least 100 low to mid-level Feral and Awakened Beasts causing destruction near Moonshade Valley, a sacred resting place now overrun after a spirit array collapsed.

Details:

The collapse of a forbidden barrier has caused a Beast Tide, and over 300 wild beasts are roaming freely.

Lin Yuan must slay or disable 100 of the following:

Crimson Fang Wolves (Feral, Rank 2)

Ashback Boars (Feral, Rank 3)

Vine Serpents (Awakened, Rank 4)

Shadow-Tailed Foxes (Awakened, Rank 5)

---

Warning:

> A Spirit Beast – "Silver-Eyed Bone Drake" (Rank 6) has been spotted near the edge of the valley.

It is extremely territorial and intelligent. Do not engage directly.