“How could you not tell me? How old was Master? Twenty? A hundred? Two hundred? Five hundred? I’m Master’s only direct disciple, how come I’m not qualified to know? I’m going to cry, I’m really going to cry.”
Chu Xianning’s words shattered Jiang Huai’s Dao heart. Seeing his anxious expression, she turned her face away, “Just teasing you.”
“That’s good then.”
Jiang Huai’s tearful demeanor vanished instantly, truly embodying the phrase “changing faces faster than flipping a book.” He walked up to Chu Xianning and softly asked, “Has Master taken the pill?”
“I’ve taken one.”
“Give me your hand, I want to see the effects of the medicine.” Jiang Huai moved a chair and sat opposite Chu Xianning. Chu Xianning reluctantly stretched out her hand. Jiang Huai grasped her fair, jade-like wrist and carefully sensed her condition with a faint trace of spiritual qi. The Dragon Blood Spirit Pill had begun to work.
“My body feels a bit hot,” Chu Xianning said softly.
“Dragon blood is inherently a very hot substance. I’ve added some medicinal herbs to neutralize it. If you still feel a bit overheated, you should bear with it for about half an hour. If Master cannot sleep, perhaps you could walk around a bit?”
“Where to?”
“I don’t know. How about Master takes me for a night flight on a sword?”
“Aren’t you afraid of heights?”
“I’m not afraid when Master is by my side.”
“You can go out,” Chu Xianning pointed to the door. Jiang Huai lowered his gaze, and only after turning away did a disappointed expression surface. He softly acknowledged and walked towards the door.
***
“Jiang Huai.”
Chu Xianning’s voice came from the courtyard.
Jiang Huai, who had already returned to his room and was silently cursing Chu Xianning for being stingy, froze and almost jumped out of bed. He opened the door and stepped outside. Chu Xianning was wearing a flowing snow-white dress, appearing as sacred as a statue under the moonlight. Her jet-black hair was pinned up with a hairpin. Jiang Huai was mesmerized and blinked, “Huh?”
“Why did you go back to your room?”
“Didn’t Master tell me to go out?” Jiang Huai was taken aback.
“I told you to go out… I meant I needed to change my clothes.” A hint of dissatisfaction flickered in Chu Xianning’s eyes. “Do I usually treat you badly?”
Jiang Huai scratched his head.
He had thought Chu Xianning telling him to leave meant telling him to get lost.
“It’s nothing. I just thought Master didn’t want to move.”
Jiang Huai felt somewhat flattered. Previously, when he had indirectly suggested going out with Chu Xianning, she might not have agreed. Yet today, he had so directly proposed a sword flight night tour, and she had agreed so readily?
Something was not right!
“I can’t sleep anyway, might as well get some fresh air,” Chu Xianning said faintly. The Suoxue Sword appeared behind her and immediately levitated, its body enlarging more than tenfold. Chu Xianning stepped onto it, and Jiang Huai quickly followed behind her. The sword edge soon began to ascend. Jiang Huai dared not look down, his heart growing more anxious with every glance, until Chu Xianning spoke, “If you’re scared… you can hold onto my hem.”
But her dress was a single piece, where was the hem? As the flying sword ascended higher, Jiang Huai’s anxiety grew, so he reached out and placed his hand on Chu Xianning’s shoulder. He expected Chu Xianning to turn back and scold him, but she said nothing.
Something was not right!
Chu Xianning’s sword flight speed was not fast. The wind whispered past their ears, cool and refreshing. Jiang Huai, trailing behind Chu Xianning, could smell her faint fragrance. It was pleasant. He couldn’t help but want to get closer, yet he lacked the courage.
In front of Chu Xianning, he always seemed to be a coward. It was only when she was drunk that he dared to be a little bold.
The flying sword had ascended very, very high. Looking down, the flickering Firefly Stones of the Tian Xuan Sect resembled countless fireflies. Suddenly, something occurred to Jiang Huai. He released Chu Xianning’s hand and cautiously sat on the edge of the flying sword.
Chu Xianning glanced back at him. After a moment of hesitation, she also sat down by the edge of the flying sword, maintaining a moderate distance from Jiang Huai. Any closer might seem ambiguous, but any further felt too distant.
“Are you going to Daoji Ancestral Land again in a few days?” Chu Xianning suddenly asked.
“Yes, I promised to accompany Wen Wanwan to Daoji Ancestral Land to find Foundation Establishment spiritual qi. Since I believe my cultivation level will allow me to enter, and this time Daoji Ancestral Land is rumored to have Heavenly Way spiritual qi appearing, it will likely attract many Eastern Region prodigies. It’s safer for me to be by her side.”
“Go ahead,” Chu Xianning agreed faintly, her eyes gazing at the distant night sky where the stars shone brightly.
A brief silence settled between them again, before Chu Xianning suddenly said, “I occasionally miss going out for a stroll.”
“Where to?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then I’ll scout out some scenic spots, and perhaps we, master and disciple, can go explore together?”
“I want to go alone,” Chu Xianning’s words carried a hint of coldness.
Jiang Huai remained silent for a moment, then said, “That’s fine too. I’ll gather information for Master and think of some fun places.”
“No need,” Chu Xianning shook her head. “I just want to wander aimlessly. Once I have a destination, I won’t want to go.”
“I see. Then if Master wants to go out, tell me. I’ll prepare some snacks for the journey, a change of clothes, spirit stones, and even mortal treasures like gold and silver for Master.”
“What if I leave and don’t come back?” Chu Xianning asked suddenly.
Jiang Huai froze, remaining lost in thought for a long time. He turned to look at Chu Xianning, “Why wouldn’t you come back?”
“I’m just saying, what if.”
“If Master doesn’t come back, what can I do? If Master allows me to find you, then I’ll search the world for you. But if Master doesn’t allow it… what can I do?” Jiang Huai lowered his head slightly, his voice tinged with disappointment.
“I was just saying, what if,” Chu Xianning added after a moment of silence.
“That’s good then.” Jiang Huai looked up again, towards the sky, and softly said, “Master, look, the moon is so bright.”
Chu Xianning also looked up. The serene moonlight fell into her eyes. The moonlight was incredibly gentle, not dazzling, but it felt so distant.
Jiang Huai muttered something very, very softly. Chu Xianning pricked up her ears and heard him clearly.
“It’s bright but useless. Useless but bright.”
The evening breeze brushed against them. Jiang Huai couldn’t help but shiver and whispered, “Master, I’m a little cold.”
“Because your body is weak.”
“You can tell that too?”
“I have inherited the Qi Gazing Technique. Your body lacks the nourishment of spiritual qi, and if you don’t exercise restraint, it’s deserved to feel weak and cold.” Chu Xianning said indifferently. However, even as she said this, she produced a small brazier. Spirit fire ignited within, and it was placed between them. Jiang Huai immediately felt warm again.
But now he couldn’t quietly move closer to Chu Xianning? Damn it, did Chu Xianning anticipate even this?!
Jiang Huai felt that Chu Xianning was unexpectedly easy to talk to tonight, so his courage grew slightly, and he began to murmur, “It’s not that I don’t exercise restraint, it’s because Wen Wanwan made Qingyu angry, and then…”
“Your original yang essence is still intact. If you were to engage in normal dual cultivation with her, you wouldn’t be so weak.”
“What? You can tell that too!”
Chu Xianning turned her head and looked at him as if he were an idiot. Jiang Huai sheepishly shrunk his head and then whispered, “I promised Qingyu that I would marry her on her twentieth birthday.”
“Luo Yueguan has already told me,” Chu Xianning said calmly.
“What does Master think?”
“Scumbag,” Chu Xianning stated plainly.
Jiang Huai’s eyes widened. “Why are you suddenly calling me names?”
“If you marry her, what about Wen Wanwan?” Chu Xianning glanced at him faintly. Jiang Huai scratched his head. “I’ll find a way to persuade Luo Qingyu within the next year and a half.”
“And what if you can’t persuade her?”
“Then I’ll let things take their course and deal with it then. It’s a disgrace to break a promise of marriage to Qingyu, but it’s also disgraceful to abandon Wen Wanwan. No matter what I do, it’s wrong, so I might as well continue making mistakes.”
“If you weren’t so fickle from the beginning, you wouldn’t have these troubles now.”
“I told you, I used to be a very devoted person.”
“Excuse,”
“Sigh, excuse, sigh.” Jiang Huai couldn’t refute. He thought about what Chu Xianning said, and it was indeed reasonable. He idly gazed at the silver moon in the distance and mused, “Perhaps my views are different from many people’s, Master.”
“Oh?”
“Actually, I’ve always been quite resistant to the idea of marriage. I don’t know if it’s because I’m used to being alone. The thought of facing everything with another woman for the rest of my life, living together until old age, actually frightens me. That’s why I’ve been trying to postpone it for as long as possible. I don’t want to get married.”
“But you still made a promise to Luo Qingyu.”
“Because the longer I delay, the more worried she becomes. As a man, I have to bear the responsibilities I should bear, and I can’t let her worry like that anymore. So, I’m adjusting my mindset and preparing to face the reality of marriage in a year and a half.”
“I saw you laughing and talking with Wen Wanwan today, you didn’t seem like someone preparing to face reality.”
“Because Junior Sister Wanwan is very sensitive. She notices the slightest disturbance and gets upset, and she really cares about my feelings, completely disregarding her own. So I have to coax her. But marriage is something that truly scares me just thinking about it.”
“That scared?”
“It’s hard to say. Maybe it depends on the person? I’ve known Luo Qingyu for three or four years, and she’s stayed at our place several times. While we’re together, I don’t feel uncomfortable, but sometimes I still feel a bit awkward. Later, I thought, if Luo Qingyu were replaced by Master, I wouldn’t feel awkward at all. I’ve been with Master for thirteen years, and every day has been so happy. If life could continue like this… I don’t think I would be afraid at all.”
Chu Xianning fell silent for a moment, her voice rising slightly, “Have I been too gentle with you today?”
“I’ll shut up,” Jiang Huai covered his mouth with his hand, signaling his submission and apology.
Chu Xianning gave him a cold glance. “Say one more word, and I’ll throw you off the flying sword.”
…Since childhood, Chu Xianning had often said such intimidating things, but from past to present, it had always been just words.
