Chapter 7: First Meeting Under Golden Wind and Jade Dew
The moon was like a silver disk, with stars filling the sky.
On the cliff peak of the Xiao Family's back mountain, Xiao Yan leaned against a protrusion in the grass, a blade of green grass dangling from his mouth.
He chewed lightly, and the bitter taste of grass roots mixed with a bit of soil quietly spread in his mouth.
He raised his fair hand above his head, blocking the huge silver moon in the sky, then made a grasping motion, as if to hold the bright moon in his hand.
“Sigh.”
Noticing that his action was a bit ridiculous, Xiao Yan sighed softly, lazily placing his hand back behind his head, his eyes becoming somewhat dazed for a moment.
“Fifteen years it has been.”
The young man's murmur drifted over, a hint of lingering confusion mixed with its flatness.
“Fifteen years it has been~”
A sudden, sweet voice came, completely destroying the melancholic atmosphere of the young man's self-pity.
Xiao Yan was startled by the sudden voice, coughing violently a few times, spitting out the grass root he was holding, and looked in horror to his side—
A girl in a black robe was lying beside Xiao Yan, her pose with her arms under her head exactly mirroring his own just moments before.
Xiao Yan's voice changed pitch slightly, and he said urgently, “You are you!”
“Oh, does Third Young Master recognize me?”
“During the test this afternoon, were you imitating me?”
“Imitating you?” The black-robed girl kept her posture, but her tone became lost and Gloomy, “After all, this world doesn't belong to me.”
“It was you after all!” Xiao Yan forcibly suppressed the fear in his heart and said angrily, “Why did you imitate me? If it wasn't for you, how could I have…”
“Oh dear, Third Young Master, you're truly wronging me…”
The black robe covered the girl's face, but from her voice alone, it sounded as if she had suffered an enormous injustice: “I just didn't understand what you meant by that sentence, so I subconsciously repeated it. What exactly does it mean that the world doesn't belong to you?”
“This…”
Xiao Yan stiffened, stammering and unable to speak, the anger that had risen earlier doused by a chill.
After all, his identity as a Transmigration was his biggest secret and could never be revealed.
After a long pause without a reply, the black-robed girl tilted her head, her tone carrying a hint of sympathy,
“That's right, after all, it's inevitable for Third Young Master to feel a sense of loss after falling from such a high position.”
“You understand my past?”
“You are a famous person in Utan City. I can hear your reputation even in the Imperial Capital.”
“...Imperial Capital, so that means, young lady, you are indeed not from Utan City. No wonder you possess such strength.” After saying that, Xiao Yan paused, his tone bitter: “As for that reputation, it's nothing but infamy. Three years have passed, and I've gradually gotten used to it.”
“Seeing you today, I actually think you still have your charm.” The girl said, standing up and stretching. Her black robe flapped in the mountain wind blowing at the cliff.
“Third Young Master, do you want to become stronger?”
The upward mountain wind intensified slightly, and the hood of the girl's black robe inadvertently slipped, her waist-length blue hair swaying like ocean waves in the wind, giving her exquisite and flawless face a touch of carefree elegance. The girl's crimson lips curved slightly, revealing a smile that even the moonlight was intoxicated by.
The silver moon, the starlit sky, and even every blade of grass and tree on the cliff seemed to become her backdrop.
Her deep eyes silently gazed at the young man lost in thought opposite her, letting time quietly slip away.
After an unknown period, Xiao Yan finally came back to his senses. Noticing his rudeness just now, the young man's face showed a hint of embarrassment and apology. He took several deep breaths and said frankly:
“Yes!”
“How about I help you?”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan hesitated for a moment, then gently shook his head: “When the young lady asked me earlier, I already had some suspicions in my heart. I do want to become stronger, but... I won't trouble the young lady. I believe there is nothing about me worth your help.”
In his opinion, this suddenly appearing mysterious girl was full of suspicious points. Not to mention why she would come to a small place like Utan City, just that phrase 'still has your charm' made Xiao Yan feel uncomfortable all over.
For him, a three-stage Dou Qi practitioner, to be praised for his charm, wasn't that just speaking nonsense with open eyes?
Therefore, even though the other party was indeed powerful and the conditions offered were very tempting, Xiao Yan still forced himself to refuse. After all, he did not want to fall into the palm of such a powerful person and be used for entertainment.
Seeing the wariness in Xiao Yan's eyes, the girl put her small hands behind her back, sized him up for a moment, and then said with a beaming smile: “Does Third Young Master think what I said is too fake?”
“…” Xiao Yan remained silent, but from his slightly cold demeanor, it was clear he tacitly agreed.
“Your cold and unyielding attitude truly makes me sad.” The girl's gaze showed a hint of grievance, and her mouth pouted, making her look pitiful.
“Third Young Master, it's one thing if others can't tell, but haven't you yourself noticed your special qualities?”
“Special qualities… What special qualities could I possibly have?”
“Hehe… Your Soul Power seems to be different from ordinary people. I noticed it as soon as I entered Utan City.”
Soul Power!
As a Transmigration who had lived two lives, Xiao Yan's Soul strength far exceeded that of ordinary people, which also meant he possessed extraordinary perception and Cultivation talent.
And in his understanding, there didn't seem to be any specific Cultivation Technique that could assist in Cultivating Soul Power; even Heaven Rank Cultivation Techniques didn't have that effect. Therefore, it was precisely with the blessing of Soul Power that Xiao Yan earned his former reputation as a Genius.
It could be said that this extraordinary Soul Power was basically Xiao Yan's biggest secret, apart from his identity as a Transmigration. Now that it had been exposed by the other party, his sense of unease grew even stronger. If not for the huge disparity in strength between them, he would have even wanted to turn and flee.
“So that's how it is…”
He took a deep breath and said, “I didn't expect the young lady to possess the means to detect Soul Power. In that case, I was indeed narrow-minded earlier.”
“However, regarding this matter of assisting in Cultivation, I still feel it's somewhat inappropriate.”
The girl remained silent, her deep, ocean-like eyes quietly watching him. Just as Xiao Yan's scalp began to tingle from being stared at, she suddenly smiled: “Third Young Master, it's still too early for you to say that... How about you give me your answer tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow?”
A fragrant breeze wafted over, and the girl suddenly moved close to Xiao Yan, her fair, tender fingertips intentionally or unintentionally brushing his finger joints, soft and cool.
“Yes, tomorrow…”
Before her voice faded, she had already vanished.
Xiao Yan stared blankly at the finger joint where she had touched him, only to see a dark, ancient na ring glowing faintly under the moonlight.
“This woman really knows something.”
His expression changed several times, Xiao Yan sighed softly, then turned and forced a smile: “Father, you're here.”
As soon as his voice fell, a middle-aged man slowly emerged from among the tree branches, his face filled with concern and affection,
“Yan, it's so late, why aren't you resting? Are you still thinking about this afternoon's test?”
“Even Father didn't notice her…”
Muttering to himself, Xiao Yan didn't rush to answer the other party, but suddenly asked a nonsensical question: “Father, is there anything special tomorrow?”
“Special? Indeed, I was just about to remind you that we have distinguished guests tomorrow, so don't be impolite.”
“As expected…”
“Haha, Yan, what are you mumbling about? Tell your father too?”
“…Ah, nothing!”
“You rascal…”