Lu Xueqi, Who's a Little Socially Anxious?

Compared to the fervor of the other Small Bamboo Peak female disciples, Lu Xueqi appeared much calmer, but even so...

Her heart was still stirred.

After all, the scene before her was simply too breathtaking.

"Shua—"

As she gazed into the distance, a solitary plume of smoke rose straight across the vast desert, and the setting sun hung round over the long river.

A twilight sea of clouds drifted with the wind, and a dazzling sword-light split it cleanly in two, as if the entire cloud sea had been severed. Only a single dying sun hung at the edge of the sky and sea, casting the last afterglow of dusk...

The aloof maiden stood frozen in place.

Was this what moved her most?

No!

Because—

the 'scene' could never stir the heart as deeply as the 'person.'

"Shua!"

One glance, and there stood a youth in blue robes atop the nine heavens.

His figure was tall and slender, black hair draped over his shoulders, azure robes fluttering endlessly in the wind. A slender hand gripped the Wang Quan sword as he stood above the twilight sea of clouds.

The youth's gaze fixed on the sword scar before him. His eyes had been utterly calm, but now a hint of untamed pride surfaced—

This, after all, was his true nature.

We Sword Cultivators, how could we spend a lifetime in mediocrity?

We must use the sword in our hand to cut through every shackle and blaze with the most brilliant radiance in this era.

Once, Wang Quan Yan had said, he would make this era change its name!

He would make this era be called—Wang Quan!

In that moment, Lu Xueqi's heart trembled slightly.

She stared blankly at the azure-robed youth above the heavens, feeling an inexplicable, violent stir within her. At the same time...

another thought surfaced in her heart.

A youth so dazzling—

could she

truly be his match?

The aloof maiden bit her lip gently. Her gaze was already filled with the youth's silhouette, and at this moment, it seemed to dim a little?

She was not the only one.

All the surrounding Small Bamboo Peak female disciples had their eyes fixed on Wang Quan Yan. It seemed there was no room left in their gazes for anyone else?

Perhaps.

After all, in this era, which peer could outshine Wang Quan Yan?

Shui Yue's heart trembled incessantly.

A flush crept onto her cold, beautiful face. Her gaze stirred, lost in longing, and the figure in her mind kept overlapping with the youth...

So alike.

Truly alike.

Su Ru stared blankly at everything before her.

Her heart, too, was deeply shaken, though she had not yet shown it.

"Shua!"

The youth sheathed his sword.

His azure robes billowed as he descended slowly, landing before the crowd.

"Master's wife, Master's junior sister."

Wang Quan Yan gave a slight bow with his hands clasped.

He noticed that Shui Yue's complexion seemed a bit off—why was her face so flushed?

"Hm?"

Su Ru snapped back to her senses.

She smiled at Wang Quan Yan and said, "Xiao Yan, it seems you really have mastered Ghost Slaying God."

Su Ru seemed to have overlooked one issue.

Hadn't Wang Quan Yan gone to Tongtian Peak today? Whether he learned from someone else or studied the manual himself, the fact remained...

He had mastered Ghost Slaying God in just one day?

What kind of monstrous talent was this?

Next.

The group left the Moon Gazing Platform.

Wang Quan Yan and his party followed Shui Yue back to Jingzhu Xuan.

Along the way.

Wang Quan Yan noticed that Shui Yue, this 'aloof martial aunt,' seemed to keep glancing back at him?

Could it be...

Wang Quan Yan raised an eyebrow slightly.

In the end, he said nothing.

Inside Jingzhu Xuan.

The sky was gradually growing dark.

Shui Yue spoke up to invite Su Ru to stay for dinner on Small Bamboo Peak.

Hearing this.

Su Ru did not refuse.

Naturally, Wang Quan Yan stayed as well.

Before long.

A female disciple from Small Bamboo Peak carried dishes into Jingzhu Xuan. Under Shui Yue's arrangements, Wang Quan Yan also took a seat to prepare for the meal. The seating arrangement, however, was somewhat surprising...

Lu Xueqi was now the youngest female disciple of Small Bamboo Peak.

Her seat was off to the side.

And Wang Quan Yan's seat happened to be right next to hers, with less than half a meter between them. Even if he didn't turn his head, the corner of his eye could still catch the maiden's fair face...

So.

Wang Quan Yan stopped pretending.

He kept staring at the maiden, sneaking glances every now and then.

After all, he had already been straightforward before.

It wasn't like Lu Xueqi didn't know he liked her?

Since he liked her, what was wrong with looking?

"Shua—"

The aloof maiden noticed Wang Quan Yan's gaze. A flush of red suddenly climbed onto her face. She shrank her neck and took small, quiet bites of her rice, like a bullied little thing, not daring to say a word...

What could she say, anyway?

There were people all around.

She couldn't exactly tell Wang Quan Yan to stop looking at her, could she?

Lu Xueqi had thought that after a few glances, Wang Quan Yan would stop. But who knew...

Her constant yielding only made Wang Quan Yan bolder.

"Stare~"

After Wang Quan Yan finished eating.

He simply set down his chopsticks and watched Lu Xueqi eat.

He didn't even bother pretending anymore.

At that moment.

Lu Xueqi finally couldn't take it anymore.

She lifted her eyes slightly, revealing a flushed face, the red even creeping up her fair neck. She couldn't help but glare fiercely at Wang Quan Yan.

"What are you looking at?"

The aloof maiden couldn't help murmuring under her breath.

But—

Had she forgotten?

Everyone present was a cultivator.

No matter how soft her voice was, there was no way the others couldn't hear it—after all, everyone was eating in complete silence...

"Shwish!"

A flurry of gazes turned her way.

Shui Yue and the others had all heard exactly what Lu Xueqi just said.

In that moment.

The aloof maiden's delicate frame stiffened slightly.

Feeling the stares fixed on her from all sides, she froze on the spot, clearly at a loss for what to do.

For a time, she could only lift her head and look toward Wang Quan Yan.

A hint of pleading surfaced in her eyes~

Seeing this, Wang Quan Yan found it rather amusing.

Who would have thought that the cold and stubborn Lu Xueqi was also socially anxious?

He shook his head helplessly.

Then he stepped forward on his own initiative, cupping his hands toward Shui Yue and saying, "Shishu, this disciple has finished eating. May I go outside for a stroll?"

Hearing this, Shui Yue gladly agreed.

And just like that, a small awkwardness was smoothed over.

Lu Xueqi shrank to the side, taking small bites of her rice, her gaze fixed on Wang Quan Yan's retreating back. For some reason, a flutter of unease stirred in her heart...

She still felt like someone was staring at her.

So, she hurriedly finished her meal and promptly reported to Shui Yue as well: "Shifu, this disciple has also finished eating. I'd like to go outside for a walk."

The moment those words left her mouth, everyone looked up at Lu Xueqi.

Wang Quan Yan had only just stepped out.

And now you want to go out too?

Could it be...

Lu Xueqi stiffened again.

She, too, realized that what she'd said seemed a bit problematic, but by now it was too late to take it back. She could only stand there dumbly...

Shui Yue smiled inwardly.

She waved her hand and said, "Go on."

Hearing this, Lu Xueqi was stunned for a moment.

Then she fled from Jingzhu Xuan as if escaping.

Stepping out of Jingzhu Xuan, moonlight spilled down.

The maiden's pretty face was already flushed crimson. She lowered her head, clutching the Heavenly Azure Divine Sword, and trudged forward in silence.

But just then, "Thump—"

It seemed she had bumped into something?