The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Xiao Xue was up early.
She called Xiao Lei, Xiao Yun, and their parents into the courtyard.
“Third Sister, what are you up to at this hour?” Xiao Lei asked, puzzled.
She immediately waved at Xiao Lei and said with a grin, “Second Brother, didn’t you say yesterday that you wanted to fly in the sky?”
“Come on, I’ll take you for a few spins up there.”
Xiao Lei looked at Xiao Xue’s dead-serious expression.
The excitement that had just flickered across his face quickly receded, replaced by a hint of wariness.
“You… you’re sure this is just a flight?”
“You’re not going to mess with me?”
Xiao Xue rolled her eyes.
“If you don’t have the guts, then forget it.”
That struck a nerve with Xiao Lei.
There was nothing he hated more than being called gutless.
Sure enough, the moment he heard that, Xiao Lei strode over in big steps, muttering under his breath.
“Fine, I’ll go.”
“Who’s afraid of who?”
“You think I’m scared you’ll drop me?”
Seeing him take the bait, Xiao Xue could barely contain her smile.
However, she kept her face neutral, simply stepping aside to make room and pointing at the flying sword hovering in midair.
“Then step on it.”
Xiao Lei walked up to the sword and stared at the blade trembling faintly in the air.
He swallowed hard.
He was, after all, a mortal who had never seen much of the world.
There was still some fear in his heart.
He took a deep breath, carefully lifted one foot, and stepped on.
The sword dipped slightly, then steadied.
His body swayed, and he instinctively reached out to wrap his arms around Xiao Xue’s waist in front of him.
“This sword’s so narrow.”
“I can’t keep my balance.”
“Just stand steady.”
“Don’t be scared.”
Xiao Xue turned her head and winked at him.
Then, she clasped her hands in a simple hand seal.
“Here we go.”
Before the words even faded, the flying sword shot into the sky with a “whoosh.”
It moved as fast as an arrow loosed from a bow.
“Ahh—”
Xiao Lei’s scream instantly echoed across the skies of Qixia Town.
Xiao Xue stood at the sword’s tip, her silver hair whipping backward in the fierce wind.
A smile tugged at her lips as she deliberately asked.
“Second Brother, how is it?”
“Fun, right?”
Xiao Lei clung to her waist for dear life, his eyes squeezed shut and his voice trembling.
“Fun, fun my ass—”
“Slow down, Third Sister!”
“Slow down, it’s too fast!”
Xiao Xue had no intention of listening and sped up even more.
The Cold Moon Sword carved a beautiful arc through the air.
Then, it tilted into a side roll, the whole blade angling over as if it were about to fly sideways.
“Ahh!”
“Third Sister, this is definitely revenge!”
Xiao Lei’s shriek pitched into a different register, as shrill as a pig being slaughtered.
In the courtyard, Xiao Fu and Xiao Mu looked up at the icy-blue streak of light darting back and forth across the sky.
They were at a loss for words.
Xiao Mu was still somewhat worried.
She walked over to Ye Qingshuang and asked with concern.
“Qingshuang, nothing’s going to go wrong, is there?”
Ye Qingshuang waved her hand with a smile.
“Mother, don’t worry.”
“Junior Sister flies as steady as can be.”
“She knows what she’s doing.”
“Second Brother might have wobbly legs when he gets down, but he’ll be fine after a rest.”
She paused as if a good idea had suddenly struck her.
Her eyes lit up as she turned to look at Xiao Fu, Xiao Mu, and Xiao Yun.
“Father, Mother, Eldest Brother, do you want to give it a try too?”
“It’s lots of fun.”
The moment Xiao Fu and Xiao Mu heard that, they shook their heads like rattles.
They waved their hands frantically.
“No, no, no.”
“These old bones of ours can’t take that kind of punishment.”
“We’ll just watch from down here.”
Xiao Fu gave an awkward laugh and took two steps back.
Xiao Mu chimed in as well.
“That’s right, that’s right.”
“I get dizzy even in a carriage.”
“Flying that high would probably kill me.”
Only Xiao Yun’s eyes showed a hint of eager curiosity.
Ye Qingshuang caught the look instantly and added with a smile.
“Don’t worry, Eldest Brother.”
“I guarantee it’s safe.”
Hearing that, Xiao Yun found himself becoming interested.
He nodded.
“All right then.”
“Once Third Sister comes down, I’ll give it a try too.”
The screaming from the sky continued.
“Third Sister, I was wrong!”
“I was really wrong!”
“I shouldn’t have teased you yesterday!”
“Please let me down!”
Standing at the sword’s tip, Xiao Xue let a sly grin spread across her face.
“What did you say, Second Brother?”
“The wind’s too loud.”
“I can’t hear you.”
“I said I was wrong—”
A sharp turn cut off the rest of his sentence.
His words instantly turned into a bloodcurdling shriek.
Watching from below, Xiao Fu couldn’t help but sigh.
Then, he turned to Xiao Mu and spoke.
“That second one really has an itchy hide.”
“He’s always poking at Third Sister.”
Xiao Mu was enjoying the show, her hands tucked into her sleeves and her head tilted back with a cheerful grin.
“Good for him.”
“It’ll teach him a lesson so he’ll stop acting so cheeky all the time.”
After about another quarter of an hour, the screams from the sky finally died down.
They were replaced by Xiao Lei’s weak, exhausted pleas.
“Third Sister, I give up.”
“I really give up.”
“Let me down now.”
“I’ll never talk back to you again…”
Only then did Xiao Xue, satisfied, slow down.
She descended gently and landed in the middle of the courtyard.
The moment the sword touched the ground, Xiao Lei scrambled off it in a clumsy tumble.
He stumbled and dropped straight to his knees.
Both hands braced against the ground, his head lowered as he vomited with a loud “hurk.”
“Ughh!“
Xiao Xue, meanwhile, landed lightly beside him.
She looked down at her second brother’s miserable state with zero sympathy.
Instead, she planted her hands on her hips, thoroughly amused.
“Second Brother, how was it?”
“Did you enjoy the flight?”
“Want another lap?”
Xiao Lei lay sprawled on the ground, gagging between dry heaves.
He lifted one hand and waved her off.
“No, no.”
“One more lap and I’m a dead man…”
Ye Qingshuang hopped down from the stone bench, carrying her cup of soy milk.
As she walked over to Xiao Xue, she nudged her with an elbow and whispered.
“You were way too rough on him.”
Xiao Xue lowered her voice in reply.
“He asked for it.”
While Xiao Lei was still heaving, Xiao Xue had already turned her head toward Xiao Yun under the eaves.
The grin on her face softened into something more serious.
“Eldest Brother, you coming?”
“Don’t worry.”
“I promise it’ll be smooth.”
Looking at his second brother on the ground, who was throwing up as if the world were ending, Xiao Yun swallowed hard.
He hesitated for a moment but ultimately nodded.
“All right.”
“I’ll give it a try.”
He walked over, mimicking Xiao Lei’s approach.
He stepped onto the flying sword, then reached out and gently looped his arms around Xiao Xue’s waist.
Once she felt he was steady, she formed a hand seal.
The Cold Moon Sword rose smoothly, neither too fast nor too slow.
There wasn’t a hint of turbulence.
Xiao Yun was tense at first, his arms locked tightly around her.
However, after flying for a while, he gradually relaxed.
He even dared to open his eyes slightly and look down.
Below, Qixia Town had shrunk into a tiny chessboard.
Its gray-tiled, white-walled houses were arranged in neat rows.
The fields beyond the town stretched out in fresh green.
Morning mist clung to the distant mountains like a thin veil.
“It really is quite beautiful,” Xiao Yun murmured.
Xiao Xue smiled without replying.
She simply slowed down, taking her eldest brother on a leisurely loop around Qixia Town.
Then, she flew past the small river outside the town before finally landing back in the courtyard.
When Xiao Yun stepped off the sword, his face was a little pale.
However, at least he hadn’t thrown up and could still stand steadily.
Xiao Lei, having recovered somewhat, pointed at Xiao Xue with a look of utter grievance.
“Favoritism.”
“This—is—absolutely—favoritism.”
Xiao Fu and Xiao Mu couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the sight of him.
Xiao Xue stowed her sword and walked over to Xiao Lei.
She crouched down in front of him and spoke with a beaming smile.
“Second Brother, you’re right.”
“It is favoritism.”
“What are you gonna do about it?”
Xiao Lei was so furious that his face turned pale.
He pointed a shaking finger at her.
“You… you unfilial sis—”
“No, no—”
“Unfilial little sister.”
“I only said a couple of words yesterday!”
“Was it that serious?”
“Yes, it was.”
Xiao Xue stood up and brushed imaginary dust from her skirt.
Then, she turned and walked over to Ye Qingshuang, naturally slipping her arm through hers.