Before the Meeting

"Cheng Lixue, don't leave! Come here first."

Xu Yanwu's voice made Fu Hua, whose face had already been twisted in a frown, glare at him even more fiercely.

Fu Hua had not wanted Cheng Lixue to see a scene like this in the first place, yet Xu Yanwu had actually called Cheng Lixue over?

What was Xu Yanwu thinking right now?

As Fu Hua thought that, Xu Yanwu quietly spoke beside her ear.

"Didn't you ask what I was doing during that previous hour?"

"You... just wait a moment. Look at your disciple's body, and you'll understand."

"I want you to do the same thing."

"???"

Xu Yanwu's words filled Fu Hua with confusion.

"What did you do to Li Xue?"

Fu Hua broke free from Xu Yanwu's hand in one motion. Not even caring about what she was wearing, she turned and rushed toward Cheng Lixue.

Cheng Lixue had originally been slowly walking toward Xu Yanwu and Fu Hua because of Xu Yanwu's call, but Fu Hua's sudden movement gave her quite a fright.

Once the shock passed, Fu Hua was already standing before Cheng Lixue, holding her hand.

"Master?"

Cheng Lixue had just wanted to say something, but Fu Hua was looking at her with concern.

Both of Fu Hua's hands held Cheng Lixue's hand, giving Cheng Lixue a strange feeling.

When she was little... these were the hands that had led her to become Fu Hua's disciple.

Those hands, so much larger than hers in her memories, were now... this small?

"Li Xue... how is your body... feeling now?"

Fu Hua held Cheng Lixue's hand, placing her fingers on Cheng Lixue's wrist as she began to sense her current condition.

Yet no matter how Fu Hua examined her, she could only sense that Cheng Lixue's body had