The instant Yang Jing recognized that face, his pupils sharply contracted, and his heart gave a sudden jolt.
Inside the pavilion, silvery moonlight bathed a white-robed figure who seemed like frost condensed beneath the moon. This moonlit beauty was none other than his master, Bai Bing, the Lingxi Peak Master.
Almost the moment he froze, Bai Bing swept her gaze toward him. Her clear eyes were like autumn waters, and as she looked over, even the chirping insects around them seemed to quiet a little.
Yang Jing dared not hesitate any longer. He stopped, tightened his grip slightly on the meal box, and hurried toward the stone pavilion higher up in the mountain woods.
He did not know why his master was here, or whether she had come specifically to wait for him. But since he had encountered her, there was no reason to avoid her. He could only approach and pay his respects.
Within a few steps, Yang Jing climbed the pavilion stairs and came before Bai Bing. He bowed respectfully, his voice steady. "Disciple pays his respects to Master."
Bai Bing stood in the center of the pavilion, her sleeves and hem stirring gently in the mountain breeze. She merely nodded, then turned and sat at the stone table. Her cool voice spread through the moonlight. "No need for formalities. Sit down and talk."
Yang Jing straightened, a trace of hesitation in his heart. Only after answering softly, "Yes," did he walk slowly to the stone stool opposite Bai Bing and carefully sit down. He kept his back perfectly straight, not daring to relax in the slightest.
Bai Bing's gaze settled on his face, a faintly appraising look in her clear eyes, as though she meant to take in every detail of his condition over the past half