The sight of identical twin sisters, both exceptionally beautiful, wasn't something one encountered every day, and Li Yundong recognized them immediately. He smiled and said, "Of course, please, have a seat anywhere you like!"

"Wow, that’s wonderful! Sister, I told you it would be fine!" The girl wearing the red headband laughed, turning back to tug at the arm of the girl wearing the blue one.

The girl with the blue headband offered a shy smile, a faint hint of bashfulness flickering in the corners of her eyes.

Li Yundong smiled and nodded toward the girl in the red headband. "You're Deng Yu, right?"

Deng Yu winked at Li Yundong, her voice a mixture of surprise and delight. "You still remember me?"

Li Yundong chuckled. "You two sisters are so eye-catching, how could I forget? Besides, my Su Chan offended you last time."

Su Chan, standing nearby, pulled on Li Yundong's arm and scolded him playfully, "Don't bring that up again! It wasn't on purpose, you're being mean!"

Li Yundong laughed heartily and ruffled the little girl's hair.

Deng Yu pulled her sister down to sit, grinning as she handed over a notebook. "Hehe, I actually came to ask for your autograph."

Li Yundong took the notebook and smiled. "Didn't I sign one for you last time?"

Deng Yu winked slyly. "This time, it’s for my sister."

Deng Jiao, sitting beside her, blushed fiercely and yanked Deng Yu’s arm hard. Deng Yu giggled, "It's fine, Sis! You’re hardly the only girl in school who has a secret crush on Li Yundong."

Deng Jiao was so mortified her cheeks burned as if they might bleed. She jumped up, stomped her foot, and retorted in mock anger, "How can you be like that! I’m ignoring you!" With that, she covered her face and fled the scene.

Li Yundong shook his head and chuckled. "Is that how you treat your own sister? Here you go. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Deng Yu happily took the notebook back. "It’s okay. She won't say it out loud, but she’ll keep it bottled up forever! College only lasts a few years, you know? If she holds onto it for a few more, some things you never get to say at all!"

Feng Na, standing nearby, couldn't help but laugh. "What about you, then? Is there anything you want to say? You should seize the opportunity while you have it!"

Deng Yu’s cheeks flushed. Her eyes darted around, and she gave a cunning smile. "If I were going to say anything, it wouldn't be here. There are too many beauties around, the pressure is immense!" Saying this, she chuckled lightly, waved the notebook at Li Yundong, and said, "Thanks a bunch! I need to go now! I have to cover a shift after my afternoon exam!"

Li Yundong smiled. "Where are you busy now? Not at McDonald's anymore?"

Deng Yu chuckled. "I still work at McDonald's, it's just a part-time job! Gotta run, I’m off!"

With that, she hurried out of the cafeteria, shouting loudly, "Sister, wait up for me!"

Deng Jiao’s voice echoed clearly from outside, "I’m not waiting for you! You’re annoying!"

Li Yundong and the others exchanged smiles. Cao Kefei suddenly whispered to Su Chan, "So many beautiful girls like Li Yundong; aren't you the least bit jealous?"

Su Chan lifted her chin, stating proudly, "The more people who admire my man, the more it proves how excellent my taste is!"

Li Yundong burst into laughter, affectionately wrapping an arm around Su Chan's waist. "Nonsense. No matter how good your taste is, it can’t surpass mine. I picked out the most beautiful little enchantress in this entire world!"

Su Chan beamed, asking with undisguised pleasure, "And who might that be?"

Li Yundong tapped the little girl’s nose. "Why, it’s you, my little enchantress!"

Su Chan dissolved into giggles, utterly delighted.

The public display of affection between the young couple left Zhou Qin and the others suffering in silence. They each lowered their heads, pretending to focus on eating, but their hearts were heavy with unspoken melancholy.

After finishing their meal, Li Yundong asked Cao Kefei, "Is that banquet you mentioned today?"

Cao Kefei smiled. "It is. Shall we head over soon?"

Li Yundong pointed to Su Chan. "She’s no problem, but I absolutely must bring her along. Without her, I’m not going anywhere!"

Cao Kefei inwardly frowned slightly, but her composure was deep, and she showed nothing of her reaction, simply laughing, "You two are awfully affectionate, aren't you? Fine, if you go, you go together. It makes no difference."

Li Yundong turned to Zhou Qin, Feng Na, and Cheng Cheng. "What about the rest of you? What are your plans for this afternoon?"

Just as Li Yundong finished speaking, Zhou Qin's phone rang. She picked it up, and the smile instantly vanished from her face. Her expression hardened as she said into the receiver, "What do you want?"

When Zhou Qin’s face fell, everyone at the table felt as if the surrounding air temperature had dropped several degrees. Li Yundong and Su Chan exchanged curious glances, whispering guesses about who was calling Zhou Qin.

A moment later, Zhou Qin ended the call with a cold expression. She forced a small smile for Li Yundong. "Excuse me, something’s come up. I need to leave early."

She nodded briefly to Cao Kefei, Feng Na, and Cheng Cheng, then quickly walked away alone.

Once Zhou Qin had left, Feng Na and Cheng Cheng found the atmosphere at the table instantly awkward. Cheng Cheng nudged Feng Na’s arm, and Feng Na laughed, "I’m finished eating too, and we have exams this afternoon, so we should go back and rest."

Li Yundong waved to Feng Na and Cheng Cheng with a smile. "Thank you all for today."

Feng Na and Cheng Cheng waved back with smiles and departed together.

After watching them leave, Li Yundong turned to Cao Kefei. "Will it be too early if we go now?"

Cao Kefei smiled. "It’s fine; we’ll take you to change outfits first."

Li Yundong was instantly reminded of his previous spending spree that had nearly bankrupted him, and he couldn't help but give a wry smile. "I have nice clothes, but I don't dare go back to get them."

Cao Kefei looked utterly perplexed. "What happened?"

Su Chan secretly pinched Li Yundong’s arm, signaling him not to reveal anything about the cultivation world. Li Yundong suddenly snapped back to reality and deftly changed the subject. "It's nothing; let's go then."

The three of them left the campus, got into Cao Kefei's outrageously flashy sports car, and sped towards the city center.

Meanwhile, near Tiannan University, inside a Hongqi sedan, Zi Yuan was gazing intently into an ancient, exquisite glazed mirror she held in her hands.

Reflected in this antique mirror was the scene of Li Yundong, Su Chan, and Cao Kefei in the car, chatting and laughing.

Zi Yuan’s expression was serene, like that of a transcendent master looking down from a height, detached from the common throng, observing the subtle threads of destiny and entanglement weaving through the mortal world.

Ruan Hongling, seated beside her, suddenly pointed at Cao Kefei in the mirror. "Sister Zi Yuan, doesn't this person seem strange?"

Zi Yuan nodded. "This person’s three Hun souls and seven Po spirits are incomplete. Neither the Celestial Soul nor the Earth Soul remains within her body, and among the seven Po spirits, the Spirits of Qi, Strength, Essence, and Vigor are also gone. She is indeed very peculiar!"

Ruan Hongling sounded amazed. "There are people in this world who can survive with only one Hun soul and three Po spirits? How bizarre!"

Then she added suddenly, "Sister Zi Yuan, how long do we have to observe like this? The longer my Dharma artifact remains in his possession, the more spiritual energy it will cost me to refine it back later!"

Zi Yuan gave her a faint glance. "Didn't you say you were going to retrieve it yourself?"

Ruan Hongling’s face flushed, and she replied guiltily, "How can I take it back alone?"

Zi Yuan kept her gaze fixed on the Sky-Piercing Glazed Mirror before her, not looking at Ruan Hongling. She said meaningfully, "Are you truly alone?"

Ruan Hongling knew she couldn't deceive her senior martial sister. She braced herself and said, "Is there any fault in me trying to reclaim what belongs to me!"

Zi Yuan's tone turned cold, and her voice became stern. "You actually allied with people from the Divine Fist Sect to deal with an ordinary person who hasn't even reached the Foundation Establishment stage! If word of this gets out, what will the other sects think of our Ling Gong Sect!"

Ruan Hongling defiantly stuck out her neck and shouted, "There was a demonic woman with him; he wasn't alone either! Why couldn't I seek help! Furthermore, he is the esteemed successor of a Golden Core cultivator; how can he be measured as an ordinary person? One roar from him nearly scattered my soul and killed me! Aren't you worried that I might die by his hands, instead of worrying about me harming your future husband? In your heart, does your junior sister who has been with you day and night for over a decade count less than some newcomer you’ve never even met!"

Zi Yuan was furious; her delicate willow-leaf eyebrows slowly rose. But when she saw Ruan Hongling’s stubborn face, the anger in her heart slowly subsided. She sighed and said, "Stop speaking of Golden Core successors or future husbands. I have been observing him these past few days. I only see a man obsessed with romantic entanglement, unable to grasp the suffering of the mortal world. Even with the aid of a Golden Core, a man who drowns himself in the company of perfumed women every day will find it hard to achieve anything great later on!"

Ruan Hongling was overjoyed and vociferously agreed, "Exactly, exactly! What future can such a dissolute disciple have! Sister Zi Yuan, let’s stop observing. We’ve watched long enough; we understand this person clearly enough!"

Zi Yuan shook her head. "You can draw a tiger’s skin, but you can’t draw its bones; you know a person's face but not their heart. Didn't you claim this person was a lecherous villain before? Yet, didn't you also witness him roaring in public for the sake of an old woman? This shows he still possesses the heart of a chivalrous hero. As long as the concept of righteousness exists in one's heart, they cannot become truly wicked; even if they stray onto a crooked path, they can still turn back."

Ruan Hongling couldn't help but explode in anger. "You keep defending him! I truly don't know what's so good about this person that makes you shield him like this!"

Zi Yuan did not grow angry, merely sighing softly. "I also wish to know what is so good about him that our Master left behind such an enigmatic verse!"

Ruan Hongling raged, "Enigmatic verse, enigmatic verse! Ten years ago, when Master ascended, she left behind this cryptic poem, and ever since, you’ve been possessed! Our Ling Gong Sect has fallen to the point of being bullied by our own collateral branches, and you haven't uttered a word! The moment you heard of a Golden Core appearing, you immediately descended the mountain! What kind of senior sister are you? Your junior sister is being bullied and has had her Dharma artifact stolen, yet instead of helping her retrieve it, you speak up for the enemy!"

Zi Yuan remained silent for a long time. She reached out and wiped the surface of the Sky-Piercing Glazed Mirror before her; instantly, the swirling mist and reflections vanished. She said, "Don't worry. I will help you retrieve your artifact tonight..."

Ruan Hongling was overjoyed and threw her arms around Zi Yuan’s. "That’s my good senior sister! Oh, and make sure you teach that degenerate disciple a good lesson!"

Zi Yuan did not respond to Ruan Hongling’s request. She looked up, her gaze deep and ethereal, fixed on the distance, as if trying to pierce through the dense fog of the mundane world to see the destiny and path of the future.

After a long pause, Zi Yuan murmured, "Incidentally, I also want to make contact with this Golden Core successor and see what kind of person he truly is."

Ruan Hongling was furious upon hearing this, thinking: So, you’re only taking action for the sake of that fellow! Oh, Senior Sister, what spell has he cast on you? It’s infuriating!