Chapter 299: Chapter 299

While Li Xun was still turning it over in his head, Shan Zhi laughed. “I owe most of it to you, Junior Brother Xun. You knocked some sense into me more than once. Heh, I just hate that it took me so long to finally wake up!”

This self-deprecating tone only made it clearer that he’d leveled up not just in his cultivation, but in his mindset too. Still, Li Xun couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Right then, Shan Zhi’s gaze flicked past Li Xun’s shoulder, landing on Qi Bi for a moment. The arm locked with Li Xun’s tightened unconsciously.

Of course, Li Xun caught that little shift. But what came next genuinely threw him. Shan Zhi pulled his gaze back, then actually winked at Li Xun, his face glowing with smug triumph.

Li Xun immediately understood. Something had definitely gone wrong here.

Qi Bi was already smiling. “Looks like you two had a pretty good haul today. How many spots did you dig up? Junior Brother Xun, come take a look. When did you make all these masterpieces?”

Li Xun gave Shan Zhi’s shoulder a friendly pat and turned around with a grin. “Hardly masterpieces. Just something for the kids to play around with.”

Off to the side, Ling Ji chuckled. “I remember Junior Brother Xun saying there were thousands of these stone slabs. Now that he’s back, he can find some free time and dig them up himself. No reason to wear the rest of us out over it. That wouldn’t make any sense.”

Shan Zhi jumped in with a grin. “And we got to set a deadline, or what? If he drags it out for ten or twenty years, who are we supposed to complain to?”

Watching them mess around, Li Xun found himself smiling. However clumsy and forced the whole scene was, he felt something rare in that moment: genuine ease.

Amid the laughter, an idea popped into his head. He said, “Tell you what, I’m heading over to pay my respects to the Grandmaster in a bit. If there’s no special orders from that side, tomorrow I’ll take you all up to Zuowang Peak for some fun. You guys have only skimmed the surface, after all. Not like me… I’ve climbed every step of the place and know the lay of the land inside out.”

He glanced at Ying Ning. “Forget the slabs and whatever, what’s really interesting are the caves left behind by the elders of the sect. Some of the restrictions on them are pretty unusual.”

Ling Ji and Shan Zhi slapped their hands in agreement. Qi Bi frowned slightly.

Seeing her expression, Li Xun laughed. “Even if we don’t disturb the elders’ caves, there are plenty of great spots along the way. It’s winter now, so sure, there aren’t any flowers or green leaves. But the peaks covered in snow, waves of white rolling like silver. Honestly, it’s a beautiful sight.”

To everyone else, it just sounded like he was enthusiastically selling the idea. And of course nobody had any reason to refuse. Only Qi Bi felt a flicker of surprise. She hadn’t expected Li Xun to read her so easily just from her subtle reaction to the mention of the elders’ cave residences. That last part had obviously been meant for her.

Since he’d gone that far, there was no way she could turn him down.

By then it was getting late, so they agreed on a time, said their goodbyes to Li Xun, and went off to get ready for the next day’s trip. Only little Ying Ning lingered, staring at Li Xun with those big, helpless eyes.

It took Li Xun a moment to realize what was going on. The girl had been staying in this small building lately, but now that its owner had returned, she had no idea whether she was supposed to leave or stay.

Li Xun felt a headache coming on. Men and women were different. Out of basic caution, there was no way he could let a girl spend the night here. But actually saying it out loud… That felt kind of heartless.

Just as he was racking his brain over it, Qi Bi finally returned the favor with a small smile. “How about this. My master really adores how sweet and well-behaved Ying Ning is. I’ll take her with me. Settling her in for a few nights shouldn’t be a problem.”

Qi Bi’s master, Mingru, was the gentlest of the sect’s second-generation immortal masters. And he had always been the one who looked after the juniors the most. Of course Li Xun was all for the idea.

He didn’t bother asking what Ying Ning wanted. Qi Bi simply took her by the hand and led her out the door. But right as she stepped over the threshold, Ying Ning glanced back. On that adorably fair little face, her expression was strangely complicated. Way too subtle and grown-up for a kid her age.

Li Xun had no idea what was going on in the girl’s head, but that backward glance hit him in a way that startled him a little. Oddly enough, it left him intrigued.

He stood there for a moment, then eventually just shook his head with a laugh and let the matter go.

Heading over to the Undawned Clarity Hall to see Qingming didn’t take long. The sect had just resolved the huge issue surrounding Ming Ji, and aside from next month’s Water Mirror Conference, there really wasn’t anything urgent anymore. Qingming offered Li Xun a few more words of encouragement, and the praise he couldn’t say in front of Li Douliang earlier, he gave freely now.

Qingming also told him that after resting on the mountain for a few days, he’d have to attend the Water Mirror Conference. This time, there might be an extremely grand ceremony for the alliance of many sects. But Qingming wasn’t planning to attend, and neither would any of the first-generation immortal masters. It was the sect’s way of sending a clear message to the Xingji Sword Sect.

So the plan for the Water Mirror Gathering was this. Luo Nanchuan would lead the delegation, Ming Ji would serve as deputy, and they’d pick three to five of the best third-generation disciples to go as well. Since Senior Brother Wenhai had to stay on the mountain to handle sect affairs, it went without saying that among those third-generation disciples, Li Xun would be the leader.

After leaving the Undawned Clarity Hall, Li Xun finally let out a long sigh. Qingming’s expectations for him were written all over his face. If you went by the Underworld Flame Yama’s logic, Qingming was basically grooming him to become the next Zhong Yin.

But how long could days like that last?

He couldn’t help glancing back. Truth be told, unless it was absolutely necessary, he really didn’t want to set foot in this place ever again. Because once he went in, he’d inevitably see the Voidslayer Divine Sword in front of the main hall. Before, it had only made him uncomfortable, but now…

Heh. If that divine sword really had a spirit, it would probably draw itself on the spot and lop off his head.

With a cold little laugh, he strolled back toward his small building. Just as he reached the door, he noticed a strip of light coming from inside. He paused, hand on the door, but didn’t push it open. He already sensed who was waiting in there.

After a moment’s hesitation, it dawned on him. If he could sense the other’s presence, then the other must have sensed him right back.. With a slight, wry smile, he shook his head and pushed the door open.

Down in the small hall, the soft glow from the luminous pearls filled every corner. Off to the side, someone Li Xun knew all too well turned at the sound of the door opening. On that sharp-featured, beautiful face, a small smile appeared. It was Ming Ji, the one who had been searching the Star River for traces of the murderer.

She’d clearly rushed back, still covered in the dust of travel. Was it because she’d actually found something? Li Xun tamped down the unease stirring in his chest. Their eyes met, he gave a slight bow, and only then let a smile show. “Fourth Martial Aunt, what brings you all the way to my little place?”

“What, am I not welcome?” she answered casually, then smiled. “I came to check on the man who saved my life and to thank him while I’m at it.”

Li Xun felt his scalp tingle, and although he quickly realized she wasn’t talking about the incident on the Gathering Stars Platform, his face had already betrayed him. He hurried to cover it with an awkward smile. “Fourth Martial Aunt, come on, quit roasting me. Out there in the Star River? I didn’t help one bit.”

Ming Ji’s face went serious at that. She shook her head. “You’re wrong there. When it comes to the bond between fellow disciples, it’s always about whether you put your heart into it. How could it ever be judged by the outcome? You took such a huge risk for my sake. Me coming here to thank you is the least I can do. It’s just…”

Her gaze sliding up and down Li Xun like she was sizing him up. By the time he was getting uncomfortable, she give a half-smile. “I’ve known you for years, and this is the first time I’ve ever seen you get all hot-headed like that. You’re not Sixth Martial Uncle, what made you think you could just charge into the Star River like it was nothing?

“What’s strange is that you actually managed to figure out a few things in there. Good thing both sides played dumb and let it slide under the rug. Otherwise, if that old fart Tian Yuan lost face like that again, who knows what kind of shit he’d pull.”

Li Xun let out a few dry, awkward laughs and could only mumble. But he’d caught the slight shift in her expression toward the end. And he knew right away that she’d been remined of that dead bastard Yun Xing.

Life’s funny like that, isn’t it? If Yun Xing hadn’t died, he probably wouldn’t have left the slightest mark on Ming Ji’s heart. But now, after he saved her life, then got himself killed chasing down the enemy… it’s going to be damn near impossible for her to forget him, at least for a good long while.

Cursing to himself, Li Xun was just trying to figure out how to steer the conversation somewhere else when he saw Ming Ji pick up a sword from the side table.

One glance and he froze a little. That was his Azure Jade Sword, wasn’t it? He had been so exhausted that he’d forgotten where he left it before going to sleep. It should have been in his bedroom… had Ming Ji gone in there to get it?

Just as he was puzzling over that, the sword let out a clear hum. A hazy cyan sword light flared up, flooding the room and making even the night pearl’s glow look dull in comparison. Li Xun scratched his head, baffled. “Fourth Martial Aunt, what are you planning to do with my sword?”

Ming Ji’s gaze flicked over to him for a second, then slid back to the sword, studying it closely. The uneasiness in Li Xun’s chest grew, and he watched her expression with increasing caution. Her long brows drew together slightly, and she too looked puzzled.

Only after a long moment did she say, “Have you been in a sword fight lately?”

“Uh…” was all Li Xun could manage. He had absolutely no idea what she was getting at. Thinking it over, though, he realized that most of his recent battles had been fought using his Hundred Ghosts identity or Blood-Shadow Demon Body, so he had barely touched the sword at all.