Perhaps out of consideration for Yu Huang, their place of labor was not a harsh, barren mountain. Instead, it was Yan Mountain, overflowing with wildflowers. On the mountain, it was like spring all year round, with countless flowers in bloom – truly a beautiful and leisurely place.
Lin Wuxi and Yu Huang’s task was to pick the wildflowers on Yan Mountain. Yan Mountain was vast. Perhaps magic arts could be used in the picking process, but the work was still not easy. However, because this matter had been arranged so smoothly, both of them felt somewhat relieved.
But they couldn’t refuse now. They exchanged a glance, and Yu Huang gave Lin Wuxi a slight smile, as if to reassure her.
Yan Mountain was on the outskirts of the Wanhen Sect. Though on the periphery, it was still within the sect’s territory and not considered truly distant. In a short while, the two were led into Yan Mountain. Upon entering, they felt instantly enveloped by wildflowers, a delicate fragrance filling the air around them.
“Senior Sister Yu, welcome to Yan Mountain.” A charming male voice drifted from the sea of flowers. Lin Wuxi and Yu Huang both turned to see a man in white robes approaching.
The man was tall and handsome, his hair neatly tied up – a truly elegant young gentleman.
Before Lin Wuxi could react, Yu Huang’s brow furrowed. She instinctively glanced at Lin Wuxi, then asked the man, “Why are you here?”
“My family heard it was Uncle Song’s birthday soon, so they sent me to visit early and catch up. Uncle Song, knowing I was here, asked me to oversee some matters on Yan Mountain. I didn’t expect to be so fortunate as to meet Senior Sister Yu. It is truly my honor.”
Yu Huang scoffed inwardly. Some coincidence this is! Master must have arranged this long ago. For the past few years, she had always “coincidentally” run into this “young gentleman.” Though she knew the truth, he always behaved with decorum and grace, so he wasn’t particularly bothersome, and she had silently accepted it. This time, however, Yu Huang’s brow twitched. She felt an unshakeable unease, as if she had done something she feared would be discovered.
After greeting Yu Huang, the man noticed Lin Wuxi standing nearby. He politely introduced himself, “You must be Junior Sister Lin Wuxi. I am Li Yu, son of Li Yi. Any friend of Senior Sister Yu Huang is a friend of Li Yu. I hope the three of us can spend the next six months pleasantly. I will help you complete the task assigned by the Sect Master.”
Hearing his introduction, Lin Wuxi realized this elegant young man was the renowned genius from the Li family, one of the four great families in the cultivation world. It was said his talent was extraordinary, and he was hailed as the foremost youth in the cultivation world, second only to Yu Huang. Rumor often painted him and the Wanhen Sect’s Yu Huang as a perfect match. Seeing him now, those rumors seemed to hold some truth.
Moreover, he showed no arrogance, and his speech and manners were very polite. Lin Wuxi found it hard to dislike him. She returned the courtesy gracefully, “I am Lin Wuxi. It’s an honor to meet Young Master Li Yu. I’ve long heard of your remarkable talents. Seeing you today, you truly live up to your name.”
For some reason, Yu Huang lost her usual calm composure. Her heart, normally serene, began to feel flustered. Seeing the two exchanging polite pleasantries, she made an excuse and quickly pulled Lin Wuxi away.
Seeing Yu Huang, so unlike her usual calm self, Lin Wuxi raised an eyebrow. Could Senior Sister Yu Huang truly have special feelings for Li Yu? Why else would she be so flustered? This has never happened before. Lost in these thoughts, Lin Wuxi didn’t even notice that Yu Huang had stopped walking.
When she snapped back to reality, Lin Wuxi found herself in someone’s arms. Yu Huang’s exquisite face was right in front of her, and her own hand had somehow landed on Yu Huang’s waist. Yu Huang’s cool, fresh scent was surprisingly pleasant.
Looking up, Lin Wuxi saw a faint blush on Yu Huang’s face. This was hardly the cool and aloof Senior Sister Yu Huang she knew. To think Li Yu could make her like this, Lin Wuxi sighed to herself. So, before Yu Huang could speak, Lin Wuxi excused herself, saying she needed to find a quiet place to restore her spiritual energy. She felt it might be best not to disturb the two of them for a while.
Yu Huang had a swirl of explanations caught in her chest, but she couldn’t voice them. She wanted to tell Lin Wuxi that she and Li Yu were just ordinary friends. She wanted to say she hadn’t known Li Yu would be there. She wanted to insist she had no feelings for Li Yu whatsoever. But she couldn’t find a reason to say any of it. She didn’t even understand why she felt the urge to explain all this to Lin Wuxi. Especially after Lin Wuxi’s knowing glance, her heart felt even more tangled. She could only pace aimlessly, hoping to sort through her chaotic thoughts.
Li Yu somehow found Yu Huang. He stopped her as she was frowning and biting her lip. “Senior Sister Yu, do you know what it feels like to like someone?”
“Oh?” Yu Huang paused.
“Liking someone means thinking of them day and night, your heart holding only them. When they’re happy, you’re happy. When they’re sad, you’re sad. When you’re near them, you get nervous without meaning to, and when they leave, you feel lost and upset. Liking someone means you can’t bear to see them hurt or bullied, and you don’t want anyone else to admire or get close to them. Yu Huang, the truth is…”
As Li Yu spoke, the image of a figure in green slowly surfaced in Yu Huang’s mind.
Yu Huang cut him off. “I don’t think what you’re describing is liking. You’re mistaken.” With that, feeling even more agitated, Yu Huang mounted her Qingluan sword and flew into the sky.
After parting from Yu Huang, Lin Wuxi also found a quiet spot to begin restoring her spiritual energy. Her recovery wasn’t as fast as Yu Huang’s; she still needed several hours of cultivation and meditation each day. But today, her mind was inexplicably restless, and she couldn’t continue meditating. She just stood there, hands by her sides, gazing at the scenery for a while, hoping to calm herself.
With a thought, the purple lotus that resided in her sea of consciousness appeared in her hand. Its delicate, small petals were slightly unfurled, a subtle fragrance wafting around her. Though it was a spiritual treasure, after all this time, besides speeding up her recovery a bit, she hadn’t found any other use for it. Perhaps the right time just hasn’t come, she mused. Lin Wuxi wasn’t overly concerned about it. Her own life was hanging by a thread; she had no mind for chasing fame or fortune.
Just as she put away the purple lotus, she saw a dazzling streak of light shoot high into the sky and fly off into the distance. Soon after, another streak of sword light rose from a different spot, paused in mid-air for a moment, then flew towards the deeper parts of Yan Mountain.
Lin Wuxi’s sharp eyes recognized the first light as Senior Sister Yu Huang’s Qingluan sword. The second sword light, she guessed, belonged to Li Yu. She shook her head and sighed. Soon, how many men and women of the Wanhen Sect will be heartbroken? Though Li Yu was an exceptional young talent, Lin Wuxi felt he still fell a little short of Senior Sister Yu Huang. Then again, she couldn’t imagine anyone who truly was.
Just as she was pondering this, a small, jade flying sword zipped in front of her. It was a message sword, used for delivering letters. She took it and saw an envelope attached. Recognizing the seal, she realized it was a personal letter from the Sect Master. The letter stated that a large number of demonic cultivators had suddenly appeared in the north, and it ordered Lin Wuxi to go and provide assistance immediately.
The sect periodically assigned tasks to disciples who weren’t core members. These tasks varied in difficulty and type, and every disciple was obligated to complete them. If discovered slacking off, a disciple would be expelled. In serious cases, they might even be hunted by the sect. Thus, no one dared to take these assignments lightly. Fortunately, most tasks assigned by the sect were tailored to an individual’s abilities and weren’t usually too difficult.
But this mission was undoubtedly dangerous for Lin Wuxi, who was only at the Qi Refining stage. Combined with the Sect Master’s personal letter, perhaps this was my true punishment, Lin Wuxi thought. The labor on Yan Mountain was probably just a setup for Yu Huang and Li Yu to be alone.
Realizing this, Lin Wuxi knew that, for whatever reason, she had to succeed in this mission.
The north wasn’t usually a major hub for demonic cultivators. Why would so many appear there now? Knowing the urgency, Lin Wuxi immediately prepared to fly her sword towards Xiao Xi Village in the north to meet up with the other sect members.
After a moment’s thought, Lin Wuxi took out another message sword to inform Yu Huang of her departure. After all, given Yu Huang’s status, she wouldn’t normally be involved in this kind of mission. It was only right to let her know she was leaving suddenly.
Cultivators carried their belongings in storage bags, so Lin Wuxi had little to prepare. She immediately mounted her flying sword and sped towards Xiao Xi Village.
