Just as Yuan Lian thought of this, she instinctively felt as if someone was secretly watching her. However, in reality, even if Cang Hai’s divine sense was indeed observing her, she wouldn’t be able to detect it unless he intentionally wanted her to notice.
Yuan Lian sensed around but didn’t feel her senior brother’s gaze, leaving her uncertain and thinking that perhaps he had already left. After all, they both had their own matters to attend to; Yuan Lian was busy with her secluded cultivation, while Cang Hai, being a God King, had his own responsibilities.
In recent years, the world had been in turmoil, and the barrier between the Divine Realm and the Extraterrestrial Demon Realm was becoming increasingly fragile. While the invasion of heavenly demons might be a minor issue for immortals of their level, the backflow of demonic qi was definitely a significant matter that warranted attention.
Aside from Dao Ji Shenwang, who remained stationed at the Supreme Heavenly Palace and never ventured out, the other three were responsible for repairing the heavenly canopy and reinforcing the barrier. As a result, the time Yuan Lian and Cang Hai spent together was actually quite limited.
Just as Yuan Lian was contemplating whether to return now, Chang Songzhu, who was still lying on the ground, naturally reached out her hand towards her.
Yuan Lian was taken aback, unsure of what she wanted to do, when she heard Chang Songzhu say, “Give me a hand, will you?”
Earlier, she hadn’t thought about it, and being pulled by her was one thing, but this time she couldn’t allow it…
Then, with a thought, Chang Songzhu involuntarily leaned back, her entire body rising stiffly like a zombie.
“Huh?”
Chang Songzhu, having rested, regained her senses and asked curiously, “Benefactor, what exactly is your cultivation level? Void Return? Surely not Integration?”
This time, Wanyi Sect only accepted disciples under a hundred years old. At this age in the Divine Realm, those with good talent were mostly at Qi Condensation Perfection or Nascent Soul stage. But even for these people, walking the Trial of Immortality shouldn’t be so effortless, so she highly suspected Yuan Lian was the legendary prodigy who had broken through to Void Return before a hundred years old.
Yuan Lian shook her head and said seriously, “I’m already an Immortal Venerable…”
She spoke the truth, but before she could finish, she saw Chang Songzhu making a gesture to cover her mouth.
Chang Songzhu, not realizing she was touching a barrier formed by true essence, anxiously said, “You can’t say things like that carelessly. I’ve heard rumors that everything else in Wanyi Sect is normal, except for one thing…” She lowered her voice, almost whispering, “Just mentioning their Immortal Venerable makes them instantly excited, and some even go crazy.”
Hearing her speak such nonsense so earnestly, Yuan Lian couldn’t help but curl her lips into a smile.
Her smile was so evident that even her eyes curved, making her already phoenix-like eyes appear sweet. The eyes, which seemed cold and lifeless due to their color, now flowed with a faint vitality.
Chang Songzhu’s face turned red, almost unable to look directly at such radiance. She awkwardly said, “I’m warning you, why are you still laughing…”
Yuan Lian rarely smiled like this, but she genuinely felt happy and couldn’t help but say, “You’re quite an interesting person… What’s your name?”
She didn’t actually need to ask to know; just a glance would suffice. But she remembered her father and senior brother’s teachings: when interacting with others, always ask for their name first.
This was the first time she applied such common knowledge.
Chang Songzhu, of course, didn’t know what kind of honor she had received, but it didn’t stop her from feeling flattered.
“Chang Songzhu—ordinary ‘Chang,’ pine tree ‘Song,’ bamboo ‘Zhu’…” She quickly finished, then shyly asked, “And you, what’s your name?”
Without hesitation, Yuan Lian replied, “I’m called Xiao Lian.”
“Xiao Lian?” Chang Songzhu was puzzled, “How is it even more ordinary than my name? When I was little, I met at least three or four Xiao Lians…”
She thought that with Yuan Lian’s appearance and cultivation, her name should be something that sounded impressive and unattainable.
Yuan Lian shook her head, “It’s ‘Xiao’ as in ‘dawn’—my father personally chose this name.”
When she mentioned her father, she even used the word “personally,” but Chang Songzhu didn’t notice the difference. She just solemnly said, “Now that we’ve exchanged names, we’re friends. When we enter the sect, don’t look down on me for being lowly. If you ever need my help, I’ll go through fire and water for you.”
Yuan Lian didn’t immediately agree but looked at her for a moment before asking, “That person named Pan Fan, is he also your friend?”
“Uh?” Chang Songzhu was taken aback, “I guess… but not anymore.”
“How many friends do you have?”
Chang Songzhu scratched her head, counting on her fingers, “Hmm… probably over twenty or thirty…”
“Is that so.” Yuan Lian nodded lightly, “Don’t forget to get your seventy spirit pearls.”
“Oh, oh!” Chang Songzhu certainly wouldn’t go back on her word, but she was puzzled as to why Yuan Lian suddenly mentioned it, “I remember, I’ll give them to you after the trial.”
Before she could finish speaking, a sudden burst of treasure light appeared in the sky, and a huge projection appeared on the mountain wall. A Daoist in blue robes appeared within, looking down at this group of fledgling juniors. Using spiritual energy, his voice boomed like spring thunder in their ears, “Time’s up—378 people have passed the Trial of Immortality. Prepare yourselves; you’re about to enter the next stage.”
Before anyone could react, they were dispersed and sent into various small secret realms.
Only Yuan Lian was left in place, surrounded by Wanyi Sect disciples who were undoing the secret techniques of the Trial of Immortality, none of whom could detect her presence.
Yuan Lian pursed her lips, letting out a breath through her nose, and in the next moment, she was already inside Buzhou Immortal Mansion.
She walked silently towards the inner hall, lifting the gauze curtain to sit on the cloud platform.
Then she was caught by Cang Hai.
Yuan Lian’s eyes widened, “Senior Brother?”
Cang Hai smiled at her, “Why, why are you so surprised?”
Yuan Lian blinked slowly before saying, “I thought you had already left…”
“Oh, really,” Cang Hai said, “I thought Xiao Lian had forgotten I was still here.”
They usually addressed each other as senior brother and junior sister, and Yuan Lian had never called him by his name directly. Cang Hai, on the other hand, rarely called her that except when they were cultivating together.
Yuan Lian thought for a moment before cautiously saying, “How could I…”
Cang Hai stared at her for a while until Yuan Lian lowered her head, and then he truly smiled. He hugged his junior sister tightly on his lap, bouncing her up and down playfully, “Little white-eyed wolf, you’ve even learned to lie… I wonder who taught you that.”
Yuan Lian raised her head, listening to him continue, “But maybe it’s not a bad thing. Junior Sister… do you know what you would have said before?”
Yuan Lian wasn’t unaware of her previous demeanor, but she shook her head, “I wouldn’t have said anything.”
“Stubborn,” Cang Hai said, “You would have said: ‘I forgot Senior Brother was still here,’ or ‘Senior Brother, why haven’t you left yet?'”
That was indeed something Yuan Lian could have said.
She couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed and struggled to get down.
Cang Hai stopped her from moving, “Running away after lying?”
“No…”
Cang Hai couldn’t bear to force her, so he placed her on the cloud platform beside him and asked seriously, “Is Master doing well?”
Yuan Lian nodded, “He said I’ve made progress, but like you, he also said such things should not be repeated… I listened and thought it made sense.”
Hearing this, Cang Hai raised an eyebrow and smiled, “I told you that you treat my words as wind in your ears, only Master can persuade this little stubborn mule.”
Yuan Lian felt something was off with his words and glanced at him.
Cang Hai asked, “What?”
“Nothing… I just feel,” Yuan Lian hesitated, “you’re acting strange today…”
Cang Hai was clearly surprised, “That’s rare.”
“What’s rare?”
Cang Hai chuckled, “Our Xiao Lian can actually read people’s expressions now.”
Yuan Lian was momentarily stunned, then pursed her lips and glared at him.
“Don’t be mad,” Cang Hai half-laughed, half-sighed, “Think about why you were unhappy in front of that child, and you’ll know my reason.”
Yuan Lian was slightly puzzled, “I wasn’t unhappy…”
Sensing her senior brother’s gentle gaze on her, Yuan Lian finally said, “I just don’t know why I feel…”
Cang Hai touched her cold cheek and pointed out, “You’re unhappy because you only have her as a friend, but you found out she has many.”
Yuan Lian’s face remained expressionless, “We’re not friends, I haven’t agreed.”
Cang Hai chuckled, “Junior Sister, you’re already friends, it doesn’t need verbal agreement.”
Yuan Lian was silent for a moment, then leaned against his shoulder and asked, “Then are you unhappy because I have other friends?”
Cang Hai paused, patting Yuan Lian’s back gently and softly, “Junior Sister, I’m your senior brother, also your friend… But I also hope I can be the most important person in your heart besides Master…”
Then, he heard Yuan Lian’s cool yet soft voice in his embrace, “Why say ‘hope’? Senior Brother, you already are, always have been…”
Cang Hai closed his eyes, hiding the emotions surging within.
“Then,” Cang Hai’s voice was steady and gentle, “I hope you meet many friends, make many companions, receive much love… Most importantly, I hope you have the fullest and healthiest emotions to perceive all of this…”
Can’t anyone get Senior Brother’s name right? (laugh-cry)
*Thanks to the little angels who voted for me or watered me with nutrient solution between 20220820 07:08:13~20220821 02:31:55~