Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Chu Yang was frowning, musing on that sense of moodiness and yearning in his heart when suddenly Mo Qingwu came into his mind.
He actually went into a mild state of absent-mindedness after calling out his bid of 40,000 Purple Crystals.
It felt like a shadowy crimson figure was singing and dancing in front of him, transient and ephemeral…
An acute sense of bitter longing arose in his heart.
He was still in a trance when he suddenly heard someone shout, “Big Brother Chu Yang!”
Chu Yang’s head whipped up and he saw a small crimson shadow flying toward him, leaving behind her a beautiful arc of prism.
One after another crimson afterimage dancing gracefully in the air trailed behind her.
A stunned Chu Yang could not tell at this moment whether this was reality or a dream! A murmur escaped his lips, “Xiaowu? Qingwu?”
The next instant, a small and delicate body fell into his arms.
He felt something soft and supple in his arms and a wave of sweet fragrance tickling his senses. At last, he returned the embrace, exclaiming in surprise, “Xiaowu? Is it really you?”
Mo Qingwu’s face was already overrun with tear stains. Choking on her sobs, she buried her head into his chest, her head thumping Chu Yang’s chest loudly as she nodded continuously.
The yearning and emotions that she had been constraining for a long time ran free at this moment!
Her hands wrapping tightly around Chu Yang, Mo Qingwu felt like the most blissful person ever!
She took in Chu Yang’s scent greedily, laughing and crying at the same time, entirely unconcerned by how others were looking at her.
A long while later, after releasing this wave of emotion, the young girl finally slid off Chu Yang. Embarrassed, she pouted a little as she rubbed her eyes. Her face subsequently turned red, shy one moment and doubled over in laughter the next. She stamped her feet, wanting to say something yet the words escaped her mind the next instant…
She stamped her feet in vexation and bit her lip, her big round eyes blinking, before she suddenly realized what she had been doing and quickly turned away, covering her face with her hands.
Chu Yang felt as if a huge weight was finally lifted off his shoulders and he chuckled while holding the girl’s shoulders. “So it’s really Xiaowu, hahaha. Come here and let Big Brother Chu Yang take a look at you and see how much you’ve grown?”
Mo Qingwu turned back to face him but still hid her face with her hands, refusing to let him take a proper look at her. She mumbled non-stop, wanting to cry and laugh simultaneously, a little embarrassed and emanating a vague kind of raw sentiment unique to an adolescent girl…
After the initial rush of emotions, Mo Qingwu suddenly found herself unexpectedly nervous.
Her heart was pumping fast.
Chu Yang laughed aloud, his heart free of worry, unbelievably overjoyed and delighted!
They had only been separated for over a year, and the young girl had already changed so much. Not only had she grown taller, but the curves of an adolescent girl were also starting to show. Back when they were in Middle Three Heavens, Chu Yang was still a little awkward when Mo Qingwu flew into his arms like that, but there was only a soft kind of bliss this time.
The young girl was still a little thin, but her sloping shoulders, slim waist and full hip were already starting to show. Her chest was also starting to gently swell, like shy flower buds starting to blossom and tender leaves beginning to bud.
Her hair was silky and her figure tall and slender.
With a grin on his face, Chu Yang chuckled and gently pried Mo Qingwu’s hands away from her face. He said, “Let me see, let me see.”
Mo Qingwu refused to let go. “Only if you promise not to laugh!”
Chu Yang made a solemn promise. “I won’t.”
Mo Qingwu secretly revealed a crack between her fingers and the sight of Chu Yang, who looked pleased as punch, entered her vision. She couldn’t help but pout as she whined, “Liar!”
And hid her face again.
Chu Yang burst into laughter.
He held her hand and pulled Mo Qingwu into his chamber.
The venue had remained silent after Chu Yang had called out his bid for the Nine-Colored Lotus, so it naturally went to Chu Yang.
Now that the elixirs they needed to cure his younger sister, Chu Le’er, were complete, adding on Mo Qingwu’s coincidental return today and his temporary relief from the precarious situation of being suspected to be the Nine Tribulations Sword Master, this was certainly three joyous occasions all at once!
Bu Liuqing was already chasing after them anxiously. “Hey hey, hey, the Chu fellow, don’t you abduct my disciple!”
Chu Yang looked back at him and smiled joyously while he said, “Elder Bu, you’re here too. Hehe, please come in and take a seat too.”
Bu Liuqing couldn’t even wait to be on guard against him, why would he go in? He pulled Mo Qingwu aside and said, “It’s too risky to be around you. My disciple still needs to cultivate, and it is her golden period to break through right now, how can we waste time here?”
Mo Qingwu only managed to see Chu Yang after so much difficulty and her heart had not even recovered fully yet. She felt like her head was still in the clouds, as if this was as unreal as a dream. With her heart still overflowing with agitation and joy, how would she be willing to return with Bu Liuqing at this time?
She shrank to the back and pouted angrily as she said, “Teacher, why do I still have to cultivate when I’ve found Big Brother Chu Yang? I want to talk to Big Brother Chu Yang.”
Bu Liuqing fumed as he replied, “Why do you need such a long time just to talk? Xiaowu, you don’t understand. You’re a girl, so you have to be on guard. There are a lot of people who are wolves in sheep’s clothing in this world. You cannot tell their true nature just from the surface alone.”
Mo Qingwu pouted as she answered, “My Big Brother Chu Yang is not like that kind of person! Teacher, is that why you have been trying so hard to stop me from looking for Big Brother Chu Yang? You’re so petty, Teacher.”
Bu Liuqing sighed, glaring at Chu Yang with murderous eyes.
Chu Yang was a little puzzled; the last time he met Bu Liuqing in Middle Three Heavens, he didn’t seem this uncourteous. Why did he seem to be totally on guard against him this time around?
He looked like an old hen trying desperately to prevent her little chick from going near a fox…
As he thought about it, he immediately understood why, and couldn’t help but laugh somewhat resignedly.
Looks like the Dharma Supreme’s words from the other night have influenced Elder Bu quite a fair bit. This guy is now convinced that all the Nine Tribulations Sword Masters are cold and heartless, so he’s terrified that his disciple would suffer if she comes near me…
Chu Yang smiled. “Elder Bu, what are you saying? We have just reunited after such a long time apart, shouldn’t we catch up properly? Besides, there are quite a few familiar faces inside.”
What his words meant was —”It’s not like I’ll be alone with your disciple. I’ll still be under your watchful eyes, what are you afraid of?” Bu Liuqing glared at him. “Not even if there are many familiar faces inside!”
At this moment, a terrifying aura drifted out from the chamber. A dispassionate voice could be heard, “Is that the number one expert in the Nine Heavens Bu Liuqing?”
Bu Liuqing’s expression turned serious as he responded, “I am not worthy of the title of number one in the Nine Heavens. May I know who you are?”
Zi Xieqing said indifferently, “That is indeed so. However, it is still admissible for you to come in for a chat.”
Bu Liuqing’s ire hiked rapidly and he said impassively, “Since that’s the case, I am much obliged!”
And then he strode into the chamber.
Chu Yang was amused. Zi Xieqing certainly had a way of dealing with people like Bu Liuqing. A mere ‘number one in the Nine Heavens’ stirred his temper up right away.
However, Chu Yang also knew that this same method was dependent on who the one using it was. If he had been the one to say it, Bu Liuqing probably would not even have paid him any heed and just laughed him off.
But Zi Xieqing definitely had the qualification to pass comments on ‘number one in the Nine Heavens’!
That was why the words held extra weight when coming from her.
Mo Qingwu did not notice this at all, much less the fact that her Teacher was already covertly vying with Zi Xieqing inside. Her entire mind was filled with thoughts of Chu Yang. As she leaned on Chu Yang and held his arm, the young girl felt like she was at the pinnacle of bliss, as if she had someone to rely and depend on for the rest of her life.
The two exchanged words softly, with Mo Qingwu looking up at Chu Yang every once in a while. Traces of tears remained in her eyes but the corners of her mouth had already bloomed into a happy and gentle smile.
They slowly walked into the chamber.
This situation turned Chu Yang’s heart sorrowful all of a sudden.
In particular, Mo Qingwu’s gentle smile on her lips which encompassed her heart and soul made him overlap the Mo Qingwu in front of him with the Mo Qingwu from his previous life.
This was a gentleness that he could almost lose himself in.
Qingwu was like that too in his previous life.
She was exactly this gentle and accommodating.
No matter what happened, she would always place him before everything, including… her own life!
She never had any complaints nor regrets. As long as she was with him, no matter how short the time, she would wholeheartedly enjoy it, even if just for a fleeting moment.
She cherished their time together.
If he were a boulder, she would be his vine, entangled with him for eternity.
“Qingwu…” Chu Yang murmured softly in agony under his breath. Before he knew it, he was already gripping Mo Qingwu’s hand tightly, as if afraid that she would disappear and disperse like a wisp of smoke, like how she did in his previous life…
“Big Brother Chu Yang?” Mo Qingwu raised her head, her bright and beautiful eyes gazing upon Chu Yang. In her eyes, there was tenderness, trust, concern and a kind of… indulgence!
“I will never make you cry again.” Chu Yang managed a smile as he grasped her hand. As though making a vow, he said, “Qingwu, you must be happy! I will make you this happy for all of our lives…”
Mo Qingwu stared at him, stunned. Suddenly, her eyes turned red and she sniffled as she replied, “But Big Brother Chu Yang, when you say that, I become so happy that I want to cry…”
The two had already reached the doorway.
They actually took five minutes just to walk a few steps. When Chu Yang wanted to lift the door curtains, Mo Qingwu stilled his hand instead. Looking at Chu Yang in the eyes, Mo Qingwu said softly, “Big Brother Chu Yang, you used to call me Xiaowu all the time previously. But today, the name you called me was Qingwu instead.”
Chu Yang was taken aback for a moment before he replied, “Is there a difference? Xiaowu has grown up, so of course I should call you Qingwu? It feels as if Xiaowu is still a child if I were to keep calling you Xiaowu…”
Mo Qingwu tilted her head as she thought about it. Then she nodded in full agreement and said, “That’s true.”
Seeing her behave in such a childish manner yet use a somewhat mature tone of voice, Chu Yang couldn’t help but smile and laugh involuntarily.
Only to hear Mo Qingwu mutter contemplatively, “My name is Mo Qingwu but since I was young, very few people addressed me as ‘Qingwu’, choosing to call me Xiaowu instead. But when Big Brother Chu Yang called me Qingwu today, why do I find it so familiar? This feeling is really strange…”
Chu Yang’s heart trembled. “Familiar? Strange?”
