Half a month later, the Great Immortal Alliance Conference commenced as scheduled. Various sects and factions arrived at Lingyun Mountain in the early morning.
Disciples were stationed at the mountain gate to inspect each group for anything unusual; if no anomalies were found, they were permitted entry.
Jiang Xu had risen early that day. His original intention was to find his Master, but he couldn’t locate him. Halfway there, he ran into Peak Master Feng Chaoxian, whom he had met once before. He was initially surprised to see him, but quickly realized that as the host of today’s conference, it was only natural for the leaders of Lingyun Mountain to attend.
Peak Master Feng was quite familiar with people. Having met Jiang Xu only once, he acted like an old friend reunited after years, showing no hierarchy at all. He draped an arm intimately over Jiang Xu’s shoulder.
“What a coincidence!” Feng Chaoxian was handsome and exceptionally silver-tongued—a man who could talk a ghost into believing it was human. “Since our last meeting, quite some time has passed. I actually found myself missing you a bit.”
Jiang Xu gave a dry laugh. “The Peak Master must be joking.”
No matter how easygoing Jiang Xu was, he knew the man before him was a Peak Master. Despite the friendly exterior, one never knows a person’s true heart. If Jiang Xu acted too brazenly, he might leave a bad impression that would come back to haunt him.
Feng Chaoxian smiled brightly, his phoenix eyes narrowing. “Xuxu-disciple, were you just looking for your Master?”
Xuxu… disciple??
Jiang Xu’s eyes widened. He instinctively tried to shake off Feng Chaoxian’s arm, but the hold, while appearing loose, was surprisingly firm. Instead of escaping, he was pulled tighter. He made a pained face and gave a forced chuckle. “The Peak Master shouldn’t call me that… it’s inappropriate.”
Feng Chaoxian continued to smile. “Then what should I call you? This is how I always interact with the disciples under my seat.”
“The Peak Master should at least understand the difference between ‘the disciple under his seat’ and ‘someone else’s disciple.'”
A cold voice rang out from behind. Jiang Xu froze, then turned around, his eyes instantly lighting up. “Master!”
Wen Hexue was dressed in white again today—it seemed to be the same robe he wore at the apprenticeship ceremony. His expression was aloof. As his gaze swept over Feng Chaoxian, the hand gripping Jiang Xu’s shoulder immediately let go. Feeling the weight lift, Jiang Xu gave Feng Chaoxian a polite smile before quickly scurrying to hide behind Wen Hexue.
Feng Chaoxian raised both hands. “Aiye, Hexue, don’t misunderstand. I just wanted to be a little more friendly with the disciple. Don’t go lecturing me again!”
Wen Hexue glanced back at Jiang Xu, ignored Feng Chaoxian’s explanation, and asked, “Did you come looking for me last night?”
Feng Chaoxian let out an “Aiyoh.” “…Could you at least turn around and give me a polite reply first?”
It seemed their relationship was quite good. Jiang Xu thought for a moment and nodded. “Yes, but Master wasn’t there.”
Wen Hexue gave a slight nod, then looked at Feng Chaoxian. “Does the Peak Master have further business?”
“We’ve been friends for twenty years; can’t we just chat even if there’s no business?” Feng Chaoxian finally dropped the friendly mask and grumbled. “Besides,” he pointed at Jiang Xu, “I was talking to him. I was looking for him, not you.”
Before Wen Hexue could respond, Jiang Xu asked in confusion, “So why exactly was the Peak Master looking for me?”
“…” Feng Chaoxian shot him a look. “Forget it. Staying by your Master’s side for too long has made you quite unlikable. I must be going. The attendees should all be here by now; I shouldn’t dally any longer.”
Jiang Xu watched him saunter away, then stepped out from behind Wen Hexue. “Master, are you going too?”
Wen Hexue nodded and glanced at him. “Let us go.”
Jiang Xu let out an “Oh” and quickly followed.
The Liulan Terrace was currently crowded. The lotuses on both sides seemed to be blooming more vibrantly than usual. Following behind Wen Hexue, Jiang Xu curiously eyed the sudden influx of new faces, his mouth never stopping. “Master, who are all these people?”
He noticed many gazes fixed on them. Looking around, he couldn’t help but add, “Master, they all seem to be staring at you.”
Wen Hexue paused slightly to let him catch up, then moved toward a more secluded spot and gestured for him to follow. Seeing Jiang Xu trot over eagerly, a faint smile appeared on his face. “Do you care about that very much?”
Jiang Xu stopped in front of him and blinked. “Of course I care! With so many people watching, don’t you feel uncomfortable, Master?” He had never been the center of attention like this, and being stared at made his skin crawl.
Wen Hexue reached out and tapped the tip of Jiang Xu’s nose. His fingertip was cool. Jiang Xu covered his nose. “Master, why do you keep doing that?”
He realized that whenever they were alone, Wen Hexue enjoyed these little gestures. They were completely out of character for his supposed “persona” and felt almost… indulgent.
“It is nothing,” Wen Hexue slowly retracted his hand, withdrawing the faint smile into his cold eyes, though his voice remained gentle. “I simply feel that sometimes your expression is quite blank, reminding me of a cat.”
“…Who looks blank?” Jiang Xu looked at him in disbelief. “Master, are you insulting me in a roundabout way?”
Wen Hexue’s lips curved. “Why do you only focus on the first half of the sentence?”
Jiang Xu paused. “The second half isn’t a compliment either! A cat? Is that supposed to mean I’m cute?”
As they spoke, a sudden flute melody echoed through the Liulan Terrace, deep and melodious. It drew everyone’s attention toward the steps below. Hearing the sound, Jiang Xu stood on his tiptoes to see. Many people had arrived in this short span of time. Without looking back, he asked, “Master, don’t you need to go greet the guests?”
“No.”
A palanquin ascended the stone steps, decorated with extraordinary luxury. Fine gauze draped down from all four sides. The porters were dressed in ink-wash patterned robes that looked like ethereal mountain landscapes. They were handsome, yet their faces remained entirely expressionless.
“Who owns that? What a display,” Jiang Xu muttered. “They actually need to be carried up.”
“They are from the Wind and Snow Tower,” Wen Hexue informed him. “The Tower Master has always been like this.”
Jiang Xu turned and ran back to his side. “Master knows him?”
As he ran over, several disciples looked his way. Seeing him so close to Wen Hexue, they huddled together and whispered. Jiang Xu ignored them, focusing solely on Wen Hexue. He had recently discovered that Master seemed to know everything; he had to pick his brain.
Wen Hexue watched the figure slowly descending from the palanquin, his snow-clear eyes narrowing slightly. “The Heavenly Mystery Pavilion knows the intricate; the Wind and Snow Tower knows all affairs.”
“So is he from the Pavilion or the Tower?” Jiang Xu nodded and looked at the person. The palanquin had been removed, and the man stepped out. He wore deep ink-colored robes. His face was coldly beautiful and elegant, with narrow, upward-slanting eyes like a fox. A cinnabar mole between his brows added a touch of the bewitching.
“He’s certainly good-looking.”
Wen Hexue shot him a sidelong glance.
Jiang Xu smacked his lips and continued his critique, “But he doesn’t look like a good person.”
Wen Hexue’s expression softened slightly. His thin lips parted. “The Master of the Wind and Snow Tower, Helian Mo. He knows the affairs of the world,” he paused, then added, “and has a fondness for the world’s beauties.”
“Ah??” Jiang Xu’s eyes widened. “Then isn’t he just a wandering playboy!”
He watched Helian Mo take a seat with several attendants, noting that the attendants were all very handsome. He couldn’t help but complain, “Is he just a sucker for a pretty face?”
“Hey Master, why are you pulling me?” Jiang Xu raised an eyebrow in confusion as Wen Hexue grabbed his wrist.
Wen Hexue gave a light tug, pulling him behind his back. “Stay behind me.”
Jiang Xu stood there dazed, then poked his head out to look up at Wen Hexue. “So what’s this about?”
Wen Hexue reached back and pushed his head back behind him. In the next moment, Helian Mo, who had just sat down, was walking toward them, followed by an attendant carrying an exquisite wooden box.
Helian Mo wore a smile. He was naturally beautiful, and despite his reputation as a flirt, many were still defenseless against his charms. Now that they had a chance to see him up close, they stretched their necks to get a better look.
Jiang Xu was not one to stay hidden. Bursting with curiosity, he poked his head out again. He locked eyes with the approaching Helian Mo and froze.
Helian Mo’s eyes were indeed like a fox’s. Jiang Xu wasn’t sure if it was an illusion, but he felt as though their gazes had just met. He quickly pulled his head back, hiding obediently behind his fragrant Master.
Helian Mo stopped beside Wen Hexue and flicked his sleeve. The attendant stepped forward with the wooden box and bowed respectfully.
Helian Mo’s fox-like eyes lingered on Wen Hexue’s face before he let out a light laugh. “It has been a long time. A-Xue is as beautiful as ever.”
The attendant then opened the box, revealing a pair of translucent, blood-red earrings. He presented them forward.
The surrounding crowd gasped. Behind Wen Hexue, Jiang Xu’s brows knitted tightly. He thought this man was incredibly shameless—Master clearly wasn’t close to him, yet he started flirting immediately.
Nearby disciples whispered and sighed, “The Master of the Wind and Snow Tower is pestering our Master again.”
“Yeah, ever since he met our Master once, hasn’t this happened constantly?”
“I see,” Jiang Xu whispered to himself. “So they’ve only met once.”
But why did Master block me?
He stared at Helian Mo. Though the man was handsome, he looked more and more punchable the longer Jiang Xu looked. Looking down, Jiang Xu picked up a small stone from by his feet.
Wen Hexue didn’t even glance at the earrings. With a slight wave of his hand, the box snapped shut. He looked up at Helian Mo, using a bit of spiritual energy to push the attendant and the box back behind Helian Mo. “The conference is about to begin. Tower Master Helian should not let his mind wander elsewhere.”
Helian Mo wasn’t annoyed by the rejection; instead, his laugh became more arrogant. “A-Xue’s personality is still…”
Before he could finish, a stone flew toward him. He tilted his head to dodge it, then looked behind Wen Hexue and smiled. “A-Xue, what kind of good thing are you hiding back there?”
As Helian Mo stepped closer, a shard of ice blocked his path. The smile on his face faded slightly. “It seems it is a ‘treasure’ that I am not permitted to see.”
Wen Hexue said nothing, but a cold, crystalline blue spiritual breath swirled around his fingertips. Helian Mo stared at him for a long moment, flicked his sleeves, and suddenly laughed loudly. “It seems today is not the time.” He glanced back at the attendant and curled his lips. “Let’s go.”
The attendant’s hand trembled slightly as he followed.