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In the distance, a brilliant ray of light streaked through the sky above the sect at blinding speed.
It caught the attention of cute female disciples passing below, who hurriedly veered aside, seemingly terrified of being struck by this reckless force and unwittingly sent to another world.
“Who is that? Do they have no public courtesy whatsoever?!”
Faced with the disdainful gazes of his fellow disciples, Lu Ke couldn’t have cared less.
Instead, he sped up, transforming into a blue flash that whipped up a raging gale.
A distance of dozens of kilometers vanished in the blink of an eye.
Seconds later, he landed directly on Bamboo Peak.
“Three, two, one… Whew, made it just in time. If I was late and disrupted Qingzhu’s cultivation, she’d lose her temper again.”
Lu Ke wiped the sweat from his forehead with a grin, stepping toward the elegant and charming bamboo courtyard before him.
“Qingzhu…”
From inside, an elderly yet kind voice echoed faintly.
“Hmm? Who’s that? How dare they address Qingzhu so directly by her name?”
Qingzhu was the head of the Bamboo Branch and a famed cold and aloof fairy within the sect.
For ordinary people, let alone speaking her name, just catching a glimpse of her or exchanging a few words was considered a supreme honor!
Curiosity piqued, Lu Ke instinctively held his breath and slowed his pace.
Inside the courtyard, the voice continued, its tone laced with eager enthusiasm:
“Junior Sister Qingzhu, this Young Master Chongri is the legitimate son of the Sun-Veiling Sect’s Master. Having cultivated for barely a century, he’s already reached the mid-Nascent Soul stage. With high hopes of reaching Soul Formation, his future is boundless…”
Hearing this, Lu Ke’s heart tightened as a bad premonition washed over him.
Why bring up a privileged second-generation immortal from an outside sect out of nowhere? Could it be…
A terrifying possibility sprouted in his mind.
His heart sank, and he shook his head helplessly, trying to banish the panic within.
No, impossible. Qingzhu is a proud, icy fairy, like the moon high in the sky.
She has always been entirely devoted to her cultivation—how could she commit such a vulgar act as selling herself for ambition?
Besides, what outsiders didn’t know was that in private, she was already his fiancée, tied to him by a promise…
Therefore, she would never break faith. Absolutely never!
Inside the room, the persuasive voice continued relentlessly, alluring and persistent:
“Junior Sister Qingzhu, at the last Five-Sect Assembly, Young Master Chongri was captivated by your ethereal grace. It was love at first sight, and he hasn’t stopped thinking about you since. The moment he exited seclusion, he sent word asking for your hand in marriage to forge an eternal bond…”
“Of course, I’m not the kind of person who would sell out her junior sister’s happiness for personal gain,” the voice paused, its warmth remaining but unable to conceal the underlying fervor.
“However, Young Master Chongri truly is a rare talent among the youth and the heir to the Sun-Veiling Sect Master. He is destined to rule the powerful Sun-Veiling Sect. Uniting with him and securing his assistance will not only fulfill your dream of reviving the Bamboo Branch, but it would also be immensely beneficial for the alliance of our two sects!”
By the end, the persuasive tone subtly turned sharp, dropping all pretenses: “Junior Sister Qingzhu, as the head of Bamboo Peak, you’ve benefited greatly from the sect’s nurture throughout your growth. Sharing the sect’s burdens is your fundamental duty. I hope you’ll prioritize the bigger picture…”
“Enough!”
The next moment, a clear, proud, yet cold and melodic voice rang out like rushing spring water, laced with uncontainable rage.
“Wang Ju, I respected you as a senior sister and an elder, which is why I spared my precious cultivation time to host you. I never expected you to lack the backbone of a Flower Sect cultivator, willingly acting as a pimp and broker!”
“What Young Master Chongri? What heir to a Sect Master? A waste built on medicinal pills, a useless fool who couldn’t take three moves from me! How dare he set foot on my peak to propose? Truly shameless! Keep dreaming your daydreams!”
“Even if I, Ning Qingzhu, starve to death, die out in the cold, jump off this peak, or have my path to immortality severed forever, I will never degrade myself into serving others with my body!”
“Now take your filthy betrothal gifts and get out!”
Boom!
A wave of pure white qi surged forth.
A moment later, a hunchbacked old woman rushed out of the courtyard in a panic.
Catching sight of Lu Ke at the entrance, she let out an awkward laugh, her wrinkled face contorting into a strange smile. “Ah, Nephew Lu Ke…”
“Hmph! Where did this stray dog come from, daring to bark on Bamboo Peak?!”
Lu Ke didn’t hold back at all.
Flinging his sleeves, he gave her no face.
“You!”
It was one thing to be berated by Junior Sister Qingzhu—she was a genius, a Nascent Soul powerhouse with formidable combat strength and high status as the Bamboo Branch head. Wang Ju couldn’t beat her and couldn’t afford to cross her.
But what was a mere Chief Disciple like Lu Ke? How dare he act so insolent in front of an Elder of the Chrysanthemum Branch?
Disrespectful to elders—has the world turned upside down?!
“Impudent!”
Wang Ju shrieked, light gathering in her palm as if she were about to strike down this arrogant brat on the spot!
Just then, a surging wave of qi erupted from inside the courtyard, accompanied by an icy, arrogant voice:
“Despicable rodent, since when is my Bamboo Peak a place for you to run wild?!”
“The rain may ask guests to stay, but my sky does not. Get out!”
Boom!
The two mighty currents of qi collided head-on.
In just a single exchange, Wang Ju was left entirely helpless, collapsing in defeat and pain.
With nothing left to say, she cast a resentful glare at the bamboo courtyard, turned, and fled with her tail between her legs.
“Awesome!”
Lu Ke felt as though he had won a glorious victory, humming cheerfully as he strutted into the courtyard.
Inside stood an incomparably beautiful fairy with skin white as snow and an icy, regal aura.
Surrounded by a hazy, elegant glow, she seemed like an immortal standing proud and detached from the mortal realm.
Seeing Lu Ke enter, she withdrew her sharp aura and smoothed her messy hair.
She tried to fix her side bangs, but unable to get them straight, she gave them a few quick, impatient tugs.
Her intimidating presence instantly softened into quiet innocence, reverting to the spoiled, willful young lady of her youth.
The world knew her as the high-and-mighty, cold and aloof Bamboo Fairy who dominated the realm.
Yet no one knew that in private, she could display such naive and innocent charm.
Of course, only in front of him.
Lu Ke smiled knowingly.
As if performing a magic trick, he produced a small comb and a length of red ribbon.
Stepping forward, he gently combed her disheveled hair until it was sleek and smooth, patiently tying it into a high ponytail behind her head.
Much better!
Dressed in a plain white dress trimmed with pink, her high ponytail added a touch of warmth.
The once intimidating, cold fairy no longer seemed like a distant goddess, but rather an endearing, lovable girl-next-door.
Ning Qingzhu allowed him to fuss over her, crossing her arms and turning her face away, seemingly still annoyed by the elder’s despicable scheme.
Her chest heaved with quiet indignation as she remained silent.
Once Lu Ke finished tying her hair, she finally turned her face back.
However, her brows furrowed slightly in the next second, and her demeanor unexpectedly turned cold.
Addressing her nominal top disciple, she chided, “Why are you so late? Little Ke, you’ve been getting slacker lately. Have I been too lenient with you, making you so fearless?”
“Lu Ke, are you feeling proud of yourself?”
“My mistake, my mistake! Miss Ning, I was wrong!”
Faced with her questioning, Lu Ke surrendered instantly.
He presented a bottle of morning dew he had personally gathered from the Southern Edge at dawn, while attentively clearing away the cold tea on the stone table.
For some reason, even though he was scolded without cause once again, he didn’t feel wronged.
Instead, a sweet warmth filled his heart.
Actions spoke louder than words.
Her fierce rejection of the proposal and protection of their bond proved her loyalty and showed that he still held significant weight in her heart.
As the saying goes, affection shows through bickering.
Otherwise, with so many prodigies and young talents in the world, why would the two of them be relying on each other and bound by a marriage vow?
Wasn’t it because he was the childhood friend who knew her best, her most considerate comfort?
Still, remembering what he overheard earlier, curiosity got the better of Lu Ke.
Wiping the table, he asked offhandedly:
“Qingzhu, if even a top-tier prodigy like Young Master Chongri can’t catch your eye, what kind of person in this world could?”
He spoke casually, but his ears were perked up, his heart brimming with quiet expectation.
He was listening, waiting to hear her utter the answer he longed for.
Unexpectedly, Ning Qingzhu’s gentle voice drifted over like a dream, filled with endless longing:
“My ideal partner… he must at least be a Soul Formation powerhouse, a ruler of a domain. Only a man that grand is worthy of a noble woman like me. Together, we would spend the rest of our lives pursuing the Grand Dao and sharing a lifetime of romance…”
“Huh?”
Lu Ke turned around in shock, only to see the cold, ethereal fairy displaying the tender, romantic bashfulness of an innocent young girl.
He paled in utter disbelief.
Not me? It’s not me?
The cold fairy’s true love… isn’t her fiancé?
Had she already forgotten the promise she personally made in the past?
Lu Ke’s heart turned icy cold, and his vision went dark.
All strength drained from his body, making it hard to even stand.
Gathering every ounce of effort, he squeezed out a final, desperate question in a raspy voice:
“Then what about me… What am I to you…”
“You…” The fairy replied offhandedly, like someone talking in her sleep. “Little Ke is, of course, very important family…”
Ah, so it was family all along.
That explains it. That explains everything.
Ning Qingzhu had lost her parents at a young age and grew up bearing the weight of reviving her branch.
To her, “important family” meant feelings that encompassed a master’s dominance over a loyal servant, a sister’s care for a younger brother, or even a daughter’s reliance on a father.
It contained everything except the gentle love of a romantic partner…
To her, he could be an efficient housekeeper, an obedient servant, an emotional outlet, or a trusted confidant… but never a partner to walk hand in hand with, an equal to share a lifetime with.
She was the high-and-mighty young lady of the sect, a genius burdened with high hopes.
Even if her family branch had fallen, she still possessed prestige.
Reaching the Nascent Soul stage at a young age, her future was bright and boundless.
She had her choice of the world’s finest talents and would never lack a suitable husband.
Meanwhile, he was just a little beggar picked up from the roadside, an orphaned wanderer.
Though he possessed a bit of talent, it was far from enough to bridge the massive chasm between them.
Even though the late Peak Master had entrusted them to each other on his deathbed and secured a lifelong promise between them, a mere verbal agreement could never hold a woman’s heart.
Why? Why didn’t he have the invincible protagonist talent from storybooks?
Why was he transported to this alternate world without a system, an old man in a ring, or a cheat panel to grind skills, starting with nothing but a bowl?
She took only ten years to break through to Nascent Soul, gradually securing her position as the head of the Bamboo Branch with a bright future ahead.
Yet in that same timeframe, he remained stuck at the peak of Foundation Establishment, unable to form his Core…
If he couldn’t meet her expectations, how could he ever win her heart?
She liked powerful Soul Formation experts—top powerhouses who could bring her security and accompany her through life.
Meanwhile, he couldn’t even form a Core.
As the gap between them widened, her heart would only drift further away…
But why?
Whether it was cultivation or growing up together, he was the one there first!
He was the one who had stayed by her side from beginning to end!
Yet in the end, she was going to run into another man’s arms…
Who could accept such an outcome?
“…”
Ning Qingzhu snapped back from her daydream.
Seeing Lu Ke’s prolonged silence, she finally noticed her slip of the tongue.
“Hmm?” Without overthinking it, she snorted coldness back into her demeanor, returning to her aloof self.
“Little Ke, what’s wrong with you? Why that look on your face?”
“N-Nothing…”
Lu Ke froze for a moment before forcing a pale smile, putting on a brave face.
Even though his heart was filled with unwilling bitterness, he didn’t want to show it in front of her.
She was a fairy high above, a pure cultivator who shouldn’t be disturbed by trivial emotional baggage.
Ning Qingzhu truly didn’t care about his subtle thoughts.
She tilted her head slightly, her cold eyes scanning Lu Ke with obvious scrutiny: “Why are you asking about this out of nowhere?”
“This isn’t something you should be worrying about. As the Chief Disciple, all you need to do is handle the logistics and resolve any worries behind my cultivation. As the head of a branch, I have far more important things to consider…”
“Ah!”
The next second, as if realizing something late, her cold eyes filled with panic.
“Oh no, oh no! Yesterday, the Sect Master sent a message inviting the heads of the four main branches and four sub-branches to discuss next month’s sect assessment! I almost forgot!”
“Little Ke, why didn’t you remind me?!”
“Ah, well…”
Lu Ke wanted to explain that in order to fetch the Southern Edge Dew from ten thousand miles away, he had set off in a rush at midnight, traveling through the night.
Not wanting to wake her, he had left a thoughtful note right under her breakfast plate…
Perhaps she hadn’t eaten breakfast, so she didn’t see it.
However, before he could speak, Ning Qingzhu waved her hand impatiently, interrupting him.
“Forget it, I don’t have time for this! I’m running out of time, I have to leave immediately…”
“Remember to remind me next time. This is your duty as the Chief Disciple!”
Ning Qingzhu cast a harsh glare of disgust at Lu Ke, as if blaming him for failing at such a minor task.
She then gathered her skirts and transformed into a beam of light, rushing off toward the tallest peak at the center of the sect.
She left Lu Ke standing alone, despondent in the cold courtyard.
Together with his shattered heart, he remained buried under the fond memories of the past.
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