But since he had a good reputation, he wasnāt worried about the other party brazenly causing him trouble.
"Miss, donāt fall asleep." Xu Changāan said helplessly, "Isnāt this person supposed to be formidable?"
"If you like him... then you like him. If you think heās formidable... then he is." Yun Qian yawned.
Xu Changāan: "..."
He had mentioned powerful forces and Immortal Swords, but the lady just never listened, seeming completely uninterested in such people.
Normally, anyone would be a little curious upon hearing that, right?
It was at this moment that Yun Qian lightly tugged on his sleeve and said, "Can I take off the veil? Itās stifling and a bit damp."
"Weāre meeting strangers, bear with it." Xu Changāan cleaned the veil with Spiritual Power.
"...Okay." Yun Qian nodded, breathing in the pleasant scent of Spiritual Power on the veil, and stopped complaining.
āā
Thus, time passed.
After a long while, Yun Qian leaned on his shoulder and let out a tiny, adorable snore.
The Senior Sikong who had arranged a meeting with him... still did not show up.
Xu Changāan: "..."
Stood up?
Could this be a joke on him?
Xu Changāan thought that after such a long time, even with his physical strength, the message should have reached and he should have arrived from Muyu Peak by now.
Soon after, Miss Yun pretended to fall asleep.
"Senior, are you still there?" he addressed the empty clearing in the distance.
After a ripple, the youth from the Profound Sword Bureau who had said he left slowly reappeared.
He hadnāt left, still watching from afar... both of them quietly understood each other.
Seeing the helplessness on Xu Changāanās face at this moment, the young man was a bit embarrassed: "Junior Brother, weāve already informed the Young Master. How about you... wait a little longer?"
He also wanted to know where the person went.
One must know he was under pressure watching Xu Changāan here, as this junior brother was practically the center of trouble, best to avoid involvement if possible.
"...Alright." Xu Changāan, seeing the young manās difficulty, nodded.
However, at that moment, the Jade Pendant at the young manās waist lit up, and after checking it... he was taken aback, then stepped forward apologetically, "Junior Brother Xu, the Young Master is delayed by some matters, he canāt come."
Xu Changāan: "..."
His feelings were quite complicated now.
He had prepared as if for a formidable adversary, intending to meet and discuss a slew of questions, yet... just this?
The young man could see the visible helplessness in Xu Changāanās eyes.
Thereās no helping it; anyone in such a situation would feel the same.
"Sorry, theyāve called me over there." The young man apologized, saying, "Iāve wasted Junior Brotherās time, please accept these."
With that, he placed a palm-sized White Embroidery Bag in front of Xu Changāan, bowed, and then transformed into a streak of light, disappearing down the path.
No chance was given for Xu Changāan to refuse.
āā
The mountain gate.
Sikong Jing faced a group of women with white pear blossoms embroidered on their shoulders, speechless for a moment.
"Junior Brother, where are you rushing off to?" Senior Su sneered at him.
If the junior sister hadnāt seen him, he really wouldāve slipped away unnoticed.
"Senior Su, I... I really donāt mean any harm." Sikong Jing was now at a loss for words.
"I donāt believe that." Senior Su said.
After he proposed to Wen Li, he was completely blacklisted.
Sikong Jing: "..."
"I think you want to gather information and preferences about Senior Sister from Junior Brother Xu..."
"Senior Su, I have other matters, I wonāt disturb you any longer." Sikong Jing turned, attempting to leave.
He couldnāt offend her, but he could hide.
"Come have a cup of tea with me." Senior Su squinted, to prevent him from returning, she deemed it safer before her eyes.
"...".
āā
Not long after Senior Su "captured" Sikong Jing and left, two more people hurried to the mountain gate.
"Sister... let me down." Liu Qingluo, carried bridal-style all the way by Gu Qiancheng, was about to die of shame.
However, shy as she was, there was still a strong hint of worry in her eyes.
"Sister must be worried too." Gu Qiancheng set Liu Qingluo down and looked around.
"Eh... where are they?"
Someone on the Tripod Heart Peak network mentioned seeing someone from the Profound Sword Bureau with Xu Changāan, possibly causing trouble.
Gu Qiancheng saw it too and told Liu Qingluo.
Then, she was prepared to join in the commotion...
"Oh, weāre late."
Gu Qiancheng reconnected with the network and saw Senior Su saying the person had been "captured" and taken back for tea.
"Late?" Liu Qingluoās face turned pale.
"I mean the troubleās resolved." Gu Qiancheng explained.
"Oh... thank goodness." Liu Qingluo sighed in relief, thinking it was good the Young Master was safe, she then looked at Gu Qiancheng: "Sister, should we... head back?"
"Head back?" Gu Qiancheng glanced at the road down the mountain.
"I refuse."
"Hmm?"
"Since weāre here." Gu Qiancheng blinked.
Liu Qingluo worried about Xu Changāan encountering trouble, but Gu Qiancheng wasnāt worried.
Her reason for coming was purely because...
Word was that Yun Qian was also here.
Miss Yun...
Gu Qianchengās eyes flashed with a hint of infatuation... then she quickly took hold of Liu Qingluoās hand again.
"I want to meet Miss Yun, they canāt be far, letās go down and have a look."
"Eh... I... you go yourself..."
āā
Midway up the mountain.
"...What is this?" Xu Changāan stared in the direction the young man left, at a loss whether to laugh or cry.
However, after opening the White Embroidery Bag, he smiled.
A bag of Spirit Stones, not many, but at least twenty Low-grade Spirit Stones. Considering he hadnāt "earned" Spirit Stones from Qinling, his entire savings wouldāve been around twenty.
He quickly put the Spirit Stones away, thinking that was that.
Yet, he got so many Spirit Stones after just a bit of waiting, this was indeed what youād expect from a Major Sect, their generosity was remarkable.
To be stood up and receive a bag of Spirit Stones... whatās there to worry about if it happens more often?
He didnāt think being "played" was a big deal; in fact, this was more normal, as Senior Sikong must be a very busy person, and would come if he had the time, or not if he didnāt.
Going out of his way to arrange time was rather not normal.
Moreover... from the favorable attitude of the other party, he could see there was no malice intended.
Could it be they wanted to set him up as a matchmaker for some senior sister on Muyu Peak?
Shaking his head.
"Sikong Jing..." what a peculiar person.
Clearing his thoughts, Xu Changāan was about to wake the napping Miss Yun when the feeble sound of bells reached his ears suddenly.
Looking up abruptly, he found that the mirage-like glow that seemed far at the foot of the mountain was now near at hand.
Irradiated by a skyful of Buddhist light, Xu Changāan could only set aside matters concerning Sikong Jing.
Being delayed and not leaving in time, he bumped into the people paying homage to the mountain, there was no help for it.
He prepared to quietly wait for the procession to pass.
In no time, the sound of bells and chanting enveloped the surroundings like a light gauze; Xu Changāan saw those paying homage to the mountain.
It was a group of monks, dressed in the simplest of monkās frocks, at first glance, one might think it was the most ordinary monastery outing.
No lavish kasaya, no attendants, merely over a dozen novice monks, tapping wooden fish and chanting as they followed the old monk up the mountain.
Perhaps because they were quite close now, Xu Changāan couldnāt sense the previous mystique, and the novice monksā chanting even sounded somewhat disorganized.
He wondered why no one from within the Sect came to greet such important figures.
Did they not see the all-encompassing glow, the mirage-like something?
Or were they just used to it?
Surely, with so many paying obeisance to the mountain lately, only someone as inexperienced as himself would be astounded.
Xu Changāan didnāt understand these protocols.
Are these... Buddhist Sect Great Powers?
Why did they look so ordinary?
Xu Changāan hesitated about waking Miss Yun, initially wanting her to see the Great Powers of the Cultivation Realm, to broaden her horizons.
"...?"
Wait.
As the procession neared, Xu Changāan observed the tall, thin leading old monk.
Beard white.
Though the old monkās eyes were closed, every step on the stairway was steady.
Hmm?
Why did he seem familiar?
Wait a minute.
Isnāt this the old monk seen in Beisang City?
Xu Changāan was dumbfounded.
When he first arrived in Beisang City, this monk had even read his fortune for him... no, it was a face-reading.