On the second day of Yuan’s break, Min Li tried to knock on his door again after her failed attempt the previous day, but alas, nobody answered.
"Could he be at the Dragon Pavilion?"
Thinking this, Min Li went to the Dragon Pavilion to find him.
"Good morning, Fairy Min!"
"Fairy Min, where are you going today?"
On her way to the Dragon Pavilion, the other disciples would approach her in hopes for something— anything at all.
Once she’d arrived at the Dragon Pavilion, the disciples there also approached her, almost like she was a celebrity or something.
"Fairy Min, are you here to dine today? It’s on me!"
"Why don’t you come with us, Fairy Min?"
"I’m just here to look around." Min Li said as she walked around the Dragon Pavilion, hoping to see a masked individual sitting at one of the tables.
Unfortunately, she was unable to find Disciple Yuan anywhere in the Dragon Pavilion, so she decided to give up for the day and return to her own room to practice her cultivation.
However, not long into her cultivation, Min Li felt her communication jade slip tremble again.
"Have you spoken to Disciple Yuan yet? Our parents said they need you to report to them your progress every day." Her elder brother asked her.
"Not yet. He’s currently unavailable, so I cannot find him, much less speak with him." Min Li relayed this message back to her elder brother.
Not even a minute later, another message arrived.
"I don’t want to hear any excuses! Every minute you’re not speaking with him is every minute you’re giving our competitors! Our parents really want Disciple Yuan! You know what will happen if you disappoint them, right?!"
"What am I supposed to do if he’s not home and I don’t know where to find him?" Min Li asked.
"Then find someone who does!"
Min Li sighed, and she stopped her cultivation to go outside.
"Besides the Sect Master, who might know Disciple Yuan’s location? It’s not like I can just request an audience with the Sect Master to ask about Disciple Yuan..." Min Li sighed again.
"Oh, right. Xuan Wuhan might know something since she’s Elder Xuan’s granddaughter."
Thus, Min Li went to look for Xuan Wuhan in the Core Disciple’s area.
Normally, Outer Court disciples cannot go inside the Inner Court unless they were on a mission, but considering Min Li’s background, who would dare to refuse her entry?
After reaching Xuan Wuhan’s living quarters, she knocked on the doors.
A few moments later, Xuan Wuhan came outside.
"Disciple Min? What are you doing here?" Xuan Wuhan asked her.
"Sorry if I am bothering you, but do you happen to know where Disciple Yuan is? I need to speak with him about some urgent matters." Min Li said.
"Urgent matters? I don’t know, but I can ask my grandpa. Give me a moment." Xuan Wuhan said before taking out her communication jade slip and sending Elder Xuan a message.
A minute later, Elder Xuan responded.
"Disciple Yuan should be resting inside his living quarters. He didn’t check out of the sect or anything since we returned from the Mystic Realm. I can try sending him a message."
A few minutes later, Elder Xuan messaged Xuan Wuhan again, "Unfortunately, Disciple Yuan isn’t responding. He’s most likely busy right now."
"There you have it." Xuan Wuhan said.
"I see... Thank you for your help." Min Li said before turning around in a dejected manner.
Xuan Wuhan raised her eyebrows after seeing her gloomy mood, and she asked, "Did something happen? What’s this urgent matter you need to take care of? Mind telling me?"
"It’s just some family business..." Min Li said.
"The Min Family?"
After pondering for a moment, Xuan Wuhan realized something.
"Oh, I see... Your family is trying to recruit Disciple Yuan into their family after what happened at the Mystic Realm, huh? I totally understand. An 18-year-old who’d managed to reach Spirit Master... I would also want him for myself if I was part of the Seven Legacy Families."
"You don’t understand a thing, Disciple Xuan, and I don’t mean any offense. I have been assigned by my parents to recruit Disciple Yuan, and if I do not achieve this goal, they might kick me out of the family, and that’s the least of my concerns."
"Being part of the Seven Legacy Families may seem nice and all from the outside, but they don’t know how much we have to struggle to receive even the slightest recognition from our own family. Meanwhile, if we make even the slightest mistake, all hell would break loose and everyone in the family will look at you like they have a grudge against you. Perfection— this is what keeps the Seven Legacy Families at the top."
Xuan Wuhan was speechless after hearing Min Li’s words.
"Well... I highly doubt Disciple Yuan would join any of the Seven Legacy Families, so what are you going to do?" Xuan Wuhan asked her.
"Prepare for the worse, I guess." Min Li shrugged.
"I mean... If you tell Disciple Yuan about your situation, maybe he’ll help you out. He’s that type of person, too."
Min Li shook her head, "While that’s true, I don’t want to take advantage of his kindness. Although I may be desperate, I am not that desperate..."
"I can only say good luck to you, Disciple Min." Xuan Wuhan said to her.
"Thank you..."
Min Li disappeared from the Inner Court shortly after, and she returned to Yuan’s living quarters.
After knocking on his doors again, Min Li proceeded to sit in front of his doorsteps.
’Guess I’ll have to sit here until he returns...’ Min Li sighed inwardly as she began cultivating in front of Yuan’s doorstep.
Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, three days have passed since the Mystic Realm ended.
After eating breakfast made by Meixiu, Yuan waited for her to finish cleaning the dishes before they entered the game together.