Chapter 495

These past years.

Second Senior Brother had always been like this; they had long grown used to it.

"Alright, let's head in first. It's been so long since I've been back — you wouldn't be so heartless as to leave your little junior sister standing out here at the gate, would you?"

Hua Ciyan spoke up.

Among the eighteen disciples of Tai Xuan, she ranked thirteenth, Ku Fengchun sixteenth, and Meng Zhangqing nineteenth.

So calling herself junior sister before these people posed no problem at all.

"Thirteenth Junior Sister, still as lovely as ever — so many years and not a change, still radiant as before."

Hearing this, Shangguan Zhi immediately looked over and said with a smile.

"What's that supposed to mean? Just because I'm an old-timer from '93, right?"

The Lu Qingtai of Medicine King Peak instantly grew displeased.

"Ahem, I didn't say that."

Shangguan Zhi quickly stepped aside.

"Enough, let's go in. We'll hold a welcome feast for our little junior brother and all the other disciples."

Xi Yingqing said with a soft laugh.

Then the cloud vessel sailed toward the Zong Sect.

Only the disciples below remained, still staring intently, and only when the cloud vessel vanished from sight did they, one by one, look away.

"So that's the Shao Sect? He's so handsome!"

"If I could become the Shao Sect's dao companion, even if it meant eating and drinking well every day, living on a spirit peak, and using the finest elixir — I'd be willing!"

"Damn! You really dare to dream — not willing to lose out on anything!"

"Dao companion? Even becoming a maidservant would be a blessing from the heavens! The Shao Sect, my lord, is the number one of the Southern Realm today! The foremost talent!"

Many female disciples immediately began to daydream.

And the male disciples were the same — only what they wanted was to follow him!

Not far away.

Stood a slender figure.

She kept her distance from the crowd.

She looked somewhat forlorn.

It was Kong Linxue.

Since the martial assembly, she had not seen Meng Zhangqing again.

The distance between them seemed to keep growing — no matter how hard she chased, she could never catch up.

Until even his back was no longer in sight.

And the feelings in her heart — perhaps it was time to let them go.

They had first met at Juefeng Ridge, then come to know each other, befriended each other, grown close — she had thought that surely they would be together in the future, but now it seemed it had all been a reflection of flowers in a mirror, moonbeams on water.

Meng junior brother of today was dazzling beyond compare.

Standing high above the heavens.

Like a figure out of legend.

"Meng junior brother, the road ahead of you will surely be filled with cheers, will surely bloom with flowers, will surely be blessed with martial fortune."

"I sincerely wish you well."

A smile of breathtaking beauty surfaced on Kong Linxue's face.

Then, turning her back on the crowd, she left this lively place.

――

Yet when she came out from a corner.

Her steps abruptly halted.

Her gaze went blank.

Because not far away.

There stood a lush great tree, and beneath it leaned a young man.

A gentle breeze drifted by.

Grass and leaves fluttered, and the young man's hair-tips danced lightly with them.

"Senior Sister Kong, it's been a long time."

The young man said with a smile.

Chapter 205: Kong Linxue: Meng junior brother, you're poking me... (3/4, please subscribe!)

"Meng... junior brother!"

Kong Linxue instantly covered her mouth with both hands, an expression of disbelief surfacing in her eyes.

Wasn't Meng junior brother just on the cloud vessel?

How did he suddenly... appear here?

"It's only been half a year since we last met — Senior Sister Kong doesn't recognize me anymore?"

The young man was none other than Meng Zhangqing.

He stepped forward and came to stand before Kong Linxue.

Although there were many disciples below, with his spiritual cultivation base, he had naturally sensed Kong Linxue's presence.

Unlike the others.

Kong Linxue stood rather far away.

There was a sense of being utterly alone.

He thought it over.

Meng Zhangqing informed the Zhang Sect and left the cloud vessel.

"How could I."

Kong Linxue said hurriedly.

A surge of excitement and joy welled up inside her.

"I'm just... I'm just..."

For a moment, Kong Linxue didn't know what to say.

Her flustered, nervous look made Meng Zhangqing laugh despite himself.

He remembered their first meeting—Kong Linxue certainly hadn't been like this.

Back then she had the full bearing of a senior sister.

Now, in front of him, she seemed more like a junior sister.

"You're just what?"

Meng Zhangqing teased.

"It's just been so long since I saw you, and suddenly... I'm a little happy!"

The words spilled out of Kong Linxue.

At once her cheeks flushed bright red.

How had she just blurted out what was in her heart?

Hearing this,

a smile also appeared on Meng Zhangqing's face.

Then he flipped his right hand over.

Two jade hairpins appeared in his palm.

One looked plain and unremarkable; the other was incomparably precious, radiating treasure-light.

"Senior Sister Kong, do you still remember this jade hairpin?"

Meng Zhangqing said.

"This is... my jade hairpin."

Kong Linxue was slightly stunned.

Though it wasn't anything precious, she had worn it since she was small.

Of course she could recognize it at a glance.

"Mm, on this trip I happened to come across a jade shop, so I had it repaired."