Jiangnan

After handing the weightlifting competition over to Zhu He, Yan Jue finally relaxed.

After all, the casual entertainment events were only there to add a little flavor; it was fine to let Little Pig go have some fun.

In the afternoon.

Yan Jue wore a light Bi-shan green pleated skirt and met Qi Xianqing at the mountain gate.

The latter half of the Five-Dragon Summit was, of course, still an indispensable part of the event.

But compared with the tightly packed individual matches, it was much more leisurely.

So Qi Xianqing and Yan Jue still had plenty of time to do other things.

By the time Yan Jue stepped onto the bluestone stairs at the mountain gate, Qi Xianqing was already waiting for her.

Qi Xianqing stood there in a black fitted outfit, her dark hair pinned up with a jade hairpin, her posture straight and tall, her face exceptionally refined.

Yan Jue’s lips curved before she could stop them. She ran up in a few quick steps and clung to Qi Xianqing.

Qi Xianqing raised a hand and gently pressed it against Yan Jue’s back, amusement flickering in her eyes. “A junior sister from my sect watched the stars last night and said it would be cloudy for the next few days. The moon won’t come out, either.”

“Then the team competition probably won’t be able to go on, either.”

“I need to hurry to Jiangnan and take care of something.”

Qi Xianqing was truly too busy. She had a great deal of official business every day; if she wanted to handle private matters, she had to make time for them.

When Yan Jue heard Qi Xianqing mention Jiangnan, she had already faintly guessed something.

She frowned slightly. “Senior Sister...”

Qi Xianqing turned back to look at her and said softly, “I’m going to find the Echo Hall disciples and use zither music to send my parents’ spirits on their way.”

Yan Jue knew that for Qi Xianqing, her parents’ deaths might well be a knot she would never be able to untie.

How much pain it brought up for her to mention them was self-evident.

As they went down the mountain, they did not speak much. Yan Jue followed behind Qi Xianqing and, almost unconsciously, took her hand.

-

After leaving the mountain, they traveled the rest of the way by sword.

By nearly dusk, they finally arrived in Jiangnan.

Jiangnan lived up to its fame as a land of extraordinary beauty.

Pavilions and towers lined the roads, with people coming and going in streams.

Countless waterways crisscrossed the area; fishing boats moved back and forth between them, and the rivers were so clear one could see the bottom.

Yan Jue held Qi Xianqing’s hand and walked slowly along the riverbank, curiously admiring the scenery around her. The gold necklace at her neck swayed, the little bells chiming crisply.

After looking for a while, Yan Jue turned her head and found Qi Xianqing looking at her.

Yan Jue asked, “What is it, Senior Sister?”

“You once told me that you’re from the north.” Qi Xianqing looked at her, her gaze tender. “But I always feel like you’re from Jiangnan.”

Not only did her temperament seem that way; even the way she spoke did.

That soft, lilting voice like a Jiangnan girl’s; such naturally alluring gestures...

Yan Jue: “My grandmother was from Jiangnan, and my father was from the north. I grew up in the north.”

As for her background, Yan Jue had wracked her brains and told Qi Xianqing everything she knew.

She wasn’t lying, either. Back when she was in the modern world, she really had grown up in Jiangnan.

The two of them wandered the bustling streets for a long time.

Yan Jue and Qi Xianqing chatted idly as they walked, and they also bought a lot of strange little trinkets.

Soon, Yan Jue was drawn over by a sugar figure stall and left Qi Xianqing behind to go take a look.

Qi Xianqing had wanted to follow, but the corner of her eye suddenly caught sight of an elderly man under the shade of a tree not far away. He had set up a small table, and in front of it stood a large banner.

On the banner were the words divination.

With her hands behind her back, Qi Xianqing slowly strolled over to the fortune-teller.

The old fortune-teller looked up and smiled at her. “Young lady, would you like a reading?”

Qi Xianqing had never believed in this sort of thing. First, she was too busy in her daily life to have time to brood over such matters; second, her guiding principle had always been that man can conquer heaven. She never bought into omens.

This was the first time she had ever stopped in front of a divination stall like this.

Qi Xianqing glanced at Yan Jue, who was over there with the sugar figures, and confirmed that she hadn’t noticed anything. Only then did she ask the old man to read her fortune.

“Thunder below, mountain above; this is an image of nurturing the body...”

The old fortune-teller paused for a long while. “The young lady’s future wife is right beside you.”

Qi Xianqing’s heart gave a jolt, and the hand hanging at her side tightened unconsciously.

The old man smiled. “If you seize the opportunity, you can be married this year.”

Qi Xianqing had never regretted the things she chose to do.

Though she and Yan Jue had only been together for a short time, Qi Xianqing had already thought things through to an astonishing degree.

Sometimes in the dead of night, when she woke and looked down to see Yan Jue sleeping soundly in her arms, she would think of this matter.

It might sound too abrupt, but Qi Xianqing would do everything she could to give Yan Jue a sense of security.

When she heard this, even a faint flush crept onto Qi Xianqing’s pale cheeks. She said in a low voice, “I hope it’s as you say, sir.”

Qi Xianqing then placed a silver ingot on the table and turned to leave.

The fortune-teller stared at the ingot on the table and instantly widened his eyes.

This was far too much...

Qi Xianqing returned to Yan Jue’s side and saw her smiling as she watched a group of children spinning the sugar-figure wheel.

In the center of the children sat a skilled craftsman. Holding a spoon, he slowly drizzled the translucent syrup onto a board.

Child: “Boss, my father said you tampered with this sugar-figure wheel.”

Boss: “You little brat, don’t talk nonsense. When have I ever tampered with anything?”

The boy pouted. “If you didn’t, then why is it that every time it never lands on a dragon?”

Boss: “Your luck is bad and you blame me for tampering with the wheel. I’m truly wronged, oh.”

When Yan Jue saw Qi Xianqing arrive, she suddenly laughed and tugged her over. “Little brother, let this sister spin it for you.”

“I guarantee she’ll get you something good.”

Qi Xianqing was naturally cold; unless she had no choice, she rarely spoke to strangers. Being dragged over like this without warning, she immediately became the center of attention for all the children.

“...”

Qi Xianqing turned to look at Yan Jue, half smiling and half not, her tone gentle in a way that felt strangely dangerous. “What do you mean by that, junior sister?”

Yan Jue still hadn’t noticed anything. Her narrow fox eyes glimmered like rippling light as she smiled brightly. “I don’t know about anything else, but I do know that Senior Sister’s luck rivals a carp’s; you’re sure to spin something good.”

Qi Xianqing watched her smiling face and, somehow, her irritation dissolved all at once.

Helpless, Qi Xianqing reached out and ruffled Yan Jue’s hair.

The boy watched for a long time from the side before asking tentatively, “Big sister, can you help me spin one?”

Qi Xianqing hooked a long needle onto the wheel and secretly sent a thread of inner force through her fingertips.

She was a sword cultivator to begin with, and her strength was rich and steady. Quietly counting the turns, she gently pushed the pointer.

The pointer spun round and round, and the children around them followed it with their eyes.

In the end, it stopped at a conspicuous spot.

A dragon!

A burst of cheers went up all around them. The boy shouted, “Did you see that! This sister spun a dragon for me!!”

In an instant, all the children crowded over.

“Big sister, I want a dragon too...”

“I want a monkey.”

“I want a...”

Qi Xianqing turned her head and looked at Yan Jue, her gaze faintly accusing.

There were more than a dozen children here. If she helped each of them spin one, who knew how long it would take.

Yan Jue gave an awkward laugh. Just then, another little boy came over and asked in a clear voice, “Big sister, can you...”

Yan Jue pointed over there. “That sugar man over there looks even better. Why don’t you go eat that one instead?”

The children all turned to look.

Yan Jue grabbed Qi Xianqing and ran.

“Hey, why are you leaving?”

“Sister, you still haven’t spun one for me!”

“I want...”

“Don’t go!!! You all!!!”

While the children were still stunned, Yan Jue’s feet were already stirring up wind. She had long since dragged Qi Xianqing dozens of steps away.

A few of the children refused to give up and immediately chased after them.

The streets of Jiangnan were crowded and lively.

Yan Jue pulled Qi Xianqing through several turns, repeatedly apologizing to the vendors along the way, before finally ducking into a sparsely populated alley.

The children hadn’t seen that alley and ran straight past it.

At last, they had shaken them off.

“Phew... phew... phew...”

Yan Jue stood in the alley, hands braced on her knees, panting hard, her face red.

...

Qi Xianqing: “Look at you now. What do you look like?”

Though she was speaking, she still had her head lowered, looking at Yan Jue without missing a single detail.

Qi Xianqing asked softly, “Couldn’t you have just told them directly that you couldn’t spin it?”

Yan Jue had finally caught her breath and straightened up. “Some things can’t be said that directly. They’re still children; how awkward would it be to refuse them outright?”

Qi Xianqing was speechless. “Then was it appropriate for you to just run off?”

Yan Jue thought of what had just happened and started laughing again.

Qi Xianqing looked at her and smiled too.

Yan Jue laughed until she was tired, then went limp and draped herself over Qi Xianqing, speaking in a soft voice, “Senior Sister, I want sugar figures. I want a butterfly.”

Qi Xianqing put an arm around her waist, her palm against her back, and gently patted her. “I’ll help you spin one in a little while.”

-

It was still early. Qi Xianqing said her friend was still in quiet cultivation at this hour, so the two of them did not rush to Echo Hall.

Qi Xianqing and Yan Jue chose for a long while along the street before finally walking into a tavern they passed on the way.

The tavern was full of people coming and going. As Yan Jue pushed through the crowd, she vaguely heard voices from a nearby table.

“I hear the King of Luan Terrace has fallen ill. He didn’t even attend the most recent immortal sect conference...”

“Fallen ill?”

“I heard the Princess of Luan Terrace ran away. No one knows why...”

“Luan Terrace has always looked down on people just because they have phoenix blood. Did the princess run away on the day of her wedding? As for why she fled, I’m afraid only Luan Terrace knows.”

“The Imperial Court is currently evaluating the newest immortal sect rankings. If Luan Terrace doesn’t plan to attend the Myriad Immortals Assembly, hehe, they’ll probably be surpassed by that Lotus Island...”

Yan Jue instinctively turned her head and was still planning to listen when someone lightly steadied her shoulder.

Qi Xianqing gestured for her to go upstairs.

Yan Jue then followed Qi Xianqing up to a private room.

After they entered the room, Qi Xianqing ordered a pot of Luofuchun.

It was a specialty wine from the Jiangnan region.

Out of consideration for Yan Jue, Qi Xianqing didn’t order anything too strong.

While they waited for the wine, Qi Xianqing drew back the curtain and looked at the busy street outside the window. “I told Master about the little phoenix.”

That day when they returned from Luan Terrace, they had brought the divine beast phoenix of Luan Terrace back to Five Dragons Mountain.

Since the phoenix was, after all, a divine beast, Qi Xianqing had to report it to their master.

Yan Jue asked, “What did Master say?”

Qi Xianqing: “Master heard about what happened in Luan Terrace that day and said the phoenix could stay in Five Dragons Sect for the time being. Once Luan Terrace recovers its strength, if they come asking for it, we’ll still have to let the little phoenix go.”

After all, the phoenix came from Luan Terrace. Yan Jue nodded and responded in acknowledgment.

“Of course; whether it goes back with them or not still has to depend on the little phoenix’s own wishes.”

Yan Jue rested her chin in her hand and couldn’t help sighing.

The things the people of Luan Terrace had done were truly unbearable to look at. No matter how miserable they were now, Yan Jue wouldn’t feel the slightest bit of sympathy for them.

The waiter quickly brought the Luofuchun up.

Qi Xianqing stopped discussing other matters and drank with Yan Jue across from each other.

The faint fragrance of Luofuchun rolled over her tongue and teeth. Yan Jue held the cup, squinted in comfort, and savored the wine’s delicate aroma.

Qi Xianqing sat opposite her and watched as the girl’s fair cheeks gradually warmed with a light flush, the slender bones of her throat moving up and down with each swallow.

The emotions in Qi Xianqing’s eyes darkened, and all at once her mouth felt dry.

Lately, Qi Xianqing had already lost control in front of Yan Jue more than once.

It seemed the longer she stayed with Yan Jue, the stronger these inexplicable feelings became.

When she was alone with Yan Jue, she didn’t want to miss a single movement of hers; she wanted her to become entirely her own.

But...

Such feelings were utterly disgraceful. Qi Xianqing was the sort who liked to take things slowly and steadily. How could she bring up these things right after they had gotten together? It might even make Yan Jue doubt her sincerity.

Yan Jue drank a little wine, and with the alcohol going to her head, she was a little dazed as well.

In this state, Yan Jue had no such thing as shyness. She suddenly opened her eyes and stared fixedly at Qi Xianqing.

Qi Xianqing sat upright across from her, a black robe making her skin look even whiter.

Qi Xianqing had peach blossom eyes, their outer corners slightly lowered, long and restrained, and she was also looking at her without missing a single detail.

Yan Jue swallowed, then suddenly dropped to all fours and slowly crawled over to Qi Xianqing’s side.

Qi Xianqing tilted her head to look at her, her gaze as gentle as a hunter waiting for prey to step into the trap.

Yan Jue shamelessly acted spoiled. “Senior Sister...”

Qi Xianqing raised a hand, the pad of her finger gently brushing Yan Jue’s translucent lips. “What is it?”

Yan Jue’s lower abdomen tightened on its own. Maybe because her period was almost over, just this touch from Qi Xianqing was enough to send her thoughts spiraling wildly; her whole body went soft.

Her narrow phoenix eyes blinked lightly, and a mist of moisture rose up.

The room fell silent, the air around them seeming to grow hotter and hotter. Qi Xianqing looked at Yan Jue deeply, and her hand quietly stopped moving at some point.

Then, suddenly, there was a burst of commotion downstairs, along with scattered footsteps.

“It’s Du Xuetang!”

“Really? I heard Du Xuetang has been in seclusion these past few days. Why did he come out today?”

“Hurry, hurry! It’s rare for Echo Hall disciples to be on patrol in Jiangnan. Let’s go watch from the front!”

Yan Jue immediately pulled herself out of her dazed infatuation with Qi Xianqing and crawled to the window to look down.

Qi Xianqing: “...”

Qi Xianqing slowly lowered her hand and was almost angry enough to laugh.

The atmosphere had been so subtle just now; what exactly had she been planning to do? Did Yan Jue really not know?

And yet Yan Jue had suddenly pulled away just then, as if nothing had happened at all.

Was she perhaps far too confident in her own self-control?

Yan Jue knelt by the window. Though she was looking at the scene below, in truth her heart was pounding like a drum.

Nothing downstairs made it into her eyes.

That was close... just a little more and Qi Xianqing would have seen through her.

If Qi Xianqing found out that she didn’t actually want to date her properly, but instead spent her days dreaming about sleeping with her...

Yan Jue had no idea what Qi Xianqing would think...!