Under the night curtain.
The sly moonlight spilled down.
Like a hazy veil draped over the world.
Dreamlike mist curled through the mountain forest.
The maiden lowered her eyes slightly.
Head bowed and sword in hand, she hurried through the forest, her heart pounding wildly, her clear and flawless face already burning red...
Ahead.
When Lu Xueqi came to her senses.
She froze on the spot. Overwhelming embarrassment crashed over her like a tide, and the teasing looks from the many senior sisters around her nearly made her flee in panic...
Oh.
She had already fled in panic.
Honestly.
Lu Xueqi did not know what was wrong with her.
Did she dislike Wang Quan Yan? Not really. It was just that some of Wang Quan Yan's actions truly made her feel embarrassed and annoyed.
Like this morning.
Her master had said she would arrange a match for him, yet he had immediately looked straight at her.
And then.
During the meal earlier.
It was bad enough that he had not eaten properly; he had just kept staring at her...
He was absolutely unbearable.
Lu Xueqi pouted.
Actually, she understood everything.
Wang Quan Yan's series of straightforward advances conveyed only one thing—he liked her.
But.
Lu Xueqi was avoiding it.
She had not developed any disgust toward him? Then there was only one possibility—she felt things were moving too fast.
As for that.
Wang Quan Yan naturally understood as well.
When pursuing a girl, one could not move too quickly.
It had to be done step by step, slowly.
So.
He planned to stop here for today.
In any case, he had already left an extremely deep impression in Lu Xueqi's heart. All he needed to do next was wait for the Seven Meridians Martial Arts Tournament and deepen that impression further.
Then everything would be accomplished.
Was pursuing a girl difficult?
Actually, it was not.
At least, Wang Quan Yan thought so.
At this moment.
He was strolling leisurely outside Jingzhu Xuan, waiting only for his martial aunt Su Ru to come out before he could leave Small Bamboo Peak and return to Grand Bamboo Peak.
But—
The first person he saw was not his martial aunt.
Instead, it was an aloof maiden he had never expected to see.
Wang Quan Yan stood where he was.
He stared in astonishment as the aloof maiden rushed out of Jingzhu Xuan, sword in hand, head lowered, her face full of shy embarrassment.
Lu Xueqi?
Why had she come out?
Wang Quan Yan was somewhat surprised.
He did not go over to disturb her, because he felt it was no longer appropriate to continue interacting with Lu Xueqi today. But who would have thought—
He did not seek out Lu Xueqi.
Lu Xueqi charged right toward him instead.
"Tap tap tap~"
Sword in hand, the aloof maiden kept her head down. Her flawless face was flushed crimson as she rushed forward without even looking at the path, and then...
Then, unsurprisingly, she crashed into Wang Quan Yan's arms.
"Eh?!"
Lu Xueqi blanked out for a moment.
She only felt herself collide with an incredibly warm embrace. Then she raised her head dumbly and immediately saw a very familiar face.
The youth was half a head taller than her.
She had to tilt her head back to see him.
The moment she looked up.
Hazy moonlight spilled from behind the youth's head, making him seem somewhat mysterious and exceptionally aloof.
But—
Lu Xueqi understood in her heart.
Aloof? That had never been synonymous with Wang Quan Yan!
He was just a...
The aloof maiden mumbled to herself for quite a while.
She did not know how to describe Wang Quan Yan either.
"So—"
"How much longer do you plan to stay in my arms?"
The youth's slightly teasing voice rang out.
"Eh?"
The aloof maiden came back to her senses blankly.
She immediately realized what had happened and hurriedly stumbled several steps back. A blush abruptly spread across her pretty face, and even her crystalline earlobes turned red.
"Y-you-you..."
"Why are you here?"
Lu Xueqi was even stammering.
She did not know what was wrong with her today. Was she not usually cold and proud? Why was she blushing at the slightest thing today?
Mm—
It had to be because Wang Quan Yan was too detestable!
Yes!
That was right!
Why was he standing in the middle of the road for no reason?
With that thought.
Lu Xueqi seemed to have found her old self again.
She put on a cold expression and looked at Wang Quan Yan indifferently, but...
Honestly.
It was really hard to take her seriously right now!
Could you imagine it?
An aloof maiden half a head shorter than you, her face red, looking up at you with a pair of icy eyes...
Ahhh!
How was anyone supposed to stay serious!?
It only increased the critical hit rate!
Wang Quan Yan had to admit it.
The moment he saw Lu Xueqi like this, his heart skipped a beat.
At that moment.
There was no Tian Ling'er in his mind.
There was only the aloof maiden before him.
"You still haven't answered me."
"Why were you standing in the middle of the road?"
The aloof maiden spoke icily.
For no reason, it made one feel a sense of distance from her.
Only—
That was if one ignored her increasingly red face.
Wang Quan Yan smiled softly. "Senior Sister Lu, I was waiting for you."
It was the first time he had called her senior sister.
It was also the first time he had made a straightforward advance toward Lu Xueqi through actual conversation.
Waiting for her?
Why was he waiting for her?
Lu Xueqi froze.
Her face, already covered in blush, could no longer maintain its coldness. She stood rooted to the spot.
"You..."
The aloof maiden's heart pounded wildly.
She seemed to want to speak, but she did not know what to say.
Yes.
What could she say now?
Respond to Wang Quan Yan's confession?
Obviously impossible.
So.
She could only remain silent.
After all, she truly did not know what to say.
"Senior Sister Lu..."
Wang Quan Yan called softly.
Lu Xueqi said nothing.
She did not respond either.
Only.
She secretly raised her head and glanced at Wang Quan Yan.
"The Seven Meridians Martial Arts Tournament is three months away. Have you set any goals?"
The youth began changing the subject.
He could not say he understood Lu Xueqi extremely well.
But he did know a little about what this girl was thinking.
She was very stubborn.
She was determined to claim first place in the Seven Meridians Martial Arts Tournament.
To repay her master for the grace of raising her.
So.
Wang Quan Yan planned to start from that angle.
Hearing this.
Lu Xueqi fell silent for a moment.
This time, she did not choose to avoid the question, because she had an answer in her heart, and it was an exceptionally clear one.
"Goals?"
"I want to claim first place in the Seven Meridians Martial Arts Tournament!"
The aloof maiden's voice was exceptionally resolute.
After saying that.
She seemed to think of something and looked up at Wang Quan Yan. "What about you?"
"Me?"
The youth grinned. "I want to claim first place in the Seven Meridians Martial Arts Tournament too!"
As soon as those words fell.
The scene sank into silence.
Lu Xueqi's expression turned cold.
The blush on her face gradually faded.
Because she knew that she and Wang Quan Yan had become rivals. Their goals were the same, and she could not yield even half a step.
"Then we'll settle it with our swords!"
The aloof maiden said as much.
At this point.
Wang Quan Yan had once again left a deep impression on her heart. He was both a pursuer and a competitor.
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