The early sun dispelled the chill of the morning dew. Inside a stone pavilion situated halfway up the mountain, a man in black was gazing into the distance with a sword in hand. The cold aura he emitted from time to time served as a warning for strangers not to approach.
It wasn’t until he heard footsteps coming from afar that he made a move. He turned his head abruptly, but upon seeing the newcomers, his face instantly darkened.
“Senior Brother Huo.”
Due to walking hurriedly, the youth’s hair was slightly disheveled, but it did not diminish his beauty in the slightest. At this moment, as he looked at the young man before him, a trace of apology colored his brows.
“My apologies for making you wait so long.”
It was indeed the late-arriving duo, Yu Heng and Jiang Xuning.
“Junior Brother Yu.”
Huo Ling spoke, his gaze shifting between the two. His brow furrowed slightly, especially when his eyes fell upon Jiang Xuning behind Yu Heng.
“I didn’t see you in your bedroom today?”
He said this while his gaze never left Yu Heng for a second, as if he were interrogating him about something.
“Senior Brother Huo!”
Yu Heng interrupted his scrutiny, pursing his lips into a flattering smile. “I heard Master is coming out of seclusion today; I wonder if it’s true?”
He said warmly, “The moment I received Senior Brother’s message butterfly, I rushed over immediately.”
In his mannerisms and movements, he acted exactly like a clever, coaxing cat. And Huo Ling had always been most susceptible to this act.
“It is true.”
The young man stopped pressing whether Yu Heng had been in his room that morning. Even his biting aura softened a few degrees, and a rare tenderness involuntarily overflowed between his brows.
“The reason I sent the message butterfly was precisely for this matter. Master has summoned me and you to go see him together.”
Though his tone remained chilly, it held a bit more gentleness.
Standing to the side, Jiang Xuning hadn’t spoken since the beginning. It wasn’t until he witnessed this scene that the corners of his eyes trembled uncontrollably.
“Since that’s the case, let’s go quickly.”
Yu Heng smiled and agreed, appearing as if he couldn’t wait. His voice even carried a hint of cheerfulness. To an onlooker, it merely seemed like a deep bond between master and disciple.
Immortal Sovereign Chongyi loved tranquility, so he lived year-round at the summit of Wangyue Peak. Additionally, powerful arrays were specifically set up around it, making it difficult for average people to approach; even the disciples under his sect had to use a specific teleportation array to reach it.
And that sole teleportation array was currently located under a thousand-year-old ancient tree beside the stone pavilion.
Once they stood still, Yu Heng urged the others to join him. He didn’t notice that Huo Ling’s face, upon seeing his movements, turned even gloomier and more terrifying than before looking like a mountain storm was about to break.
“You intend to bring him along?”
The tone was unfriendly; it sounded more like a demand than a question.
“Yes.”
Yu Heng met his gaze, still smiling brightly as if he hadn’t detected anything improper. “Is there a problem?”
He asked back.
This further provoked Huo Ling’s anger, but fortunately, he remained somewhat calm and intentionally controlled himself. Suppressing his emotions, he said, “Junior Brother Yu, this is Master’s residence. How can an outsider be allowed to set foot here?”
“Oh—”
Yu Heng acted indifferent. He looked at the young man for a moment before continuing, “I will explain to the Master myself. Senior Brother need not trouble yourself on my behalf.”
He smiled, his eyes full of light and a hint of gratitude.
Huo Ling was momentarily dazed by that gaze, and the anger in his heart subsided slightly for the time being. But even so, he remained dissatisfied, frowning as he said, “But…”
Before he could finish, the previously smiling Yu Heng suddenly spoke. Looking at the young man, he said word by word, “Senior Brother Huo, Xuning Gege is my elder brother.”
The tone was still gentle and mild, yet it carried a few degrees more of a warning than usual.
…
Until the teleportation array was activated, Jiang Xuning still hadn’t quite reacted. Ever since Yu Heng had said those strange words in the morning, he had led him straight out the door. Along the way, he didn’t tell him where they were going or what they were doing, leaving Jiang Xuning completely bewildered. He had just followed along dizzily, and by the time he snapped out of it, he had already seen Huo Ling.
Perhaps due to previous events, Jiang Xuning still felt some fear toward Huo Ling. He instinctively hid behind Yu Heng, listening to them talk about things he didn’t quite understand. It wasn’t until he heard Yu Heng suddenly say he was taking him to see Immortal Sovereign Chongyi that he snapped his head up, his eyes full of shock.
Why take him to see Immortal Sovereign Chongyi? Jiang Xuning couldn’t figure it out. Ignoring Huo Ling’s chilly gaze, he instinctively looked at Yu Heng in front of him, wanting to ask something, but his lips moved and he ultimately didn’t speak.
The array was enhanced by spells. As a mere mortal, Jiang Xuning inevitably suffered some impact. His face turned slightly pale, and once they reached solid ground, his body swayed uncontrollably. He instinctively started to fall backward, but fortunately, Yu Heng was quick to catch him, sparing him the pain of the fall.
“Brother, are you alright?”
Once he had steadied him, Yu Heng asked with some anxiety, his face full of worry. Seeing this, Jiang Xuning quickly shook his head to indicate he was fine. However, his body couldn’t stop trembling twice because he clearly felt a frigid gaze suddenly land on him from behind—cold to the bone. He instinctively tried to release Yu Heng’s hand that was supporting him.
Unexpectedly, this caused Yu Heng’s dissatisfaction. Just as he was about to pull the person back, the sound of approaching footsteps caught his attention. He looked over with a frown, but upon seeing the person’s face, he immediately straightened up and respectfully called out, “Martial Uncle.”
Huo Ling beside him did the same.
At first, Jiang Xuning didn’t recognize this person, but perhaps because the man’s appearance was truly too outstanding, he gradually remembered something.
This person was named Hu Qing. His original form was a red-furred fox. A hundred years ago, Immortal Sovereign Chongyi had saved his life by pure chance, and he had followed the Sovereign’s side ever since.
In the book he had read, it was written that this fox named Hu Qing was exceptionally loyal to Immortal Sovereign Chongyi. For many years, he had worked tirelessly for him, never leaving his side. The Sovereign also particularly valued and trusted him; otherwise, he wouldn’t have rejected so many immortal attendants, leaving only Hu Qing to serve at his side.
Even Huo Ling and Yu Heng respected him immensely, calling him “Martial Uncle” when they met, even though he didn’t technically belong to the Tianyan Sect.
Thinking of this, Jiang Xuning couldn’t help but look at the newcomer twice more. A living demon, this was his first time seeing one.
Simultaneously, Hu Qing was also looking at him. Sensing that there were no spiritual energy fluctuations around him, Hu Qing was slightly surprised, but ultimately said nothing.
Looking at the several people, he spoke flatly: “His Excellency has just come out of seclusion. He has specifically ordered me to lead you over.”