At Last, They Met

Ling Tian raced toward Qingdie Peak. The disciples' words had long since vanished from his mind; all he could think about now was Hua Min'er.

Qingdie Peak lay in the western part of Qingyun Mountain, its slopes blanketed with strange flowers and plants. They bloomed in every season, releasing a constant stream of delicate fragrance. Their scent drew butterflies of all shapes and sizes, which was how the peak got its name. Butterflies held a special place here and were strictly protected; no one was allowed to harm them. They danced among the flowers, graceful and nimble, making Qingdie Peak a breathtaking sight, like a scene from a poem or painting.

I wonder where Min'er is? Ling Tian's heart pounded like a startled deer. The closer he got to seeing Hua Min'er, the more nervous he became.

There were so many disciples on Qingdie Peak. How was he supposed to find Min'er? Ling Tian tried to steady his racing heart as he pondered the biggest problem before him.

"Hey, silly little brother, what are you doing?" Suddenly, a clear voice rang beside Ling Tian's ear, sweet as an oriole's song.

"When did you—when did you get beside me?" Ling Tian jolted and hurriedly asked. He'd been so absorbed in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed a pretty young woman come almost right up to him.

"Judging by that dazed look, you're just like all the other disciples from the various peaks—you came to Qingdie Peak to gawk at pretty girls, didn't you? But I've never seen clothes like yours before. Which peak are you from?" The woman looked at him with a hint of disdain. After studying his unfamiliar attire for a moment, she couldn't help asking. Each peak of Qingyun Mountain had its own standard uniform and insignia.

"I-I'm looking for someone." This was the first time a girl had stared at Ling Tian like this. His face reddened, and he stammered, answering a different question from the one she'd asked.

"Oho, you're a little different from the other disciples. Quite the innocent, aren't you? So, little brother, who are you looking for?" Seeing Ling Tian blush, the woman felt like teasing him.

"I'm looking for Hua Min'er. Could Senior Sister take me to her?" The woman looked older than he was, and since he was asking her for help, he sweetened his tone and called her Senior Sister.

"Hmph, another one looking for Junior Sister Min'er. I thought you were different from the rest, but you're just another lecher." The woman's expression instantly darkened, and she scolded him with contempt.

"I know Hua Min'er. We met on Qingyun Peak. We're—we're friends." Ling Tian wasn't sure what sort of relationship he had with Hua Min'er, so he could only call them friends.

"That's a pretty pathetic lie. Ever since Junior Sister Min'er joined Qingdie Peak, she's been with our Peak Master the whole time. She hasn't set foot outside the peak. How could you possibly know her?" The woman's disdain deepened.

"Um, I really do know Hua Min'er." Ling Tian could only smile bitterly as he hurried to explain. He hadn't expected that just getting to see Hua Min'er would be so difficult.

"Hmph, stop fooling around. You're young, so I'll let you off without punishment. Now leave." The woman gave a soft snort and began dismissing him.

"Before Hua Min'er joined Qingdie Peak, we met on Qingyun Peak. I even gave her a piece of clothing." A thought flashed through Ling Tian's mind. He suddenly remembered how he could prove that he knew Hua Min'er.

"Clothing? Describe it." The girl was beginning to believe him, but she still asked for details.

"It was a white robe, embroidered with a bashful red flower whose name I didn't know." Ling Tian described it without a moment's hesitation.

"Could you be... could you be Ling Tian, that 'genius good-for-nothing'?" The girl blurted out, then seemed to realize how awkward it was to say that to Ling Tian's face.

"Uh, yes. That's me." Ling Tian didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"So you're the one Junior Sister Min'er talks about all the time. You're quite the handsome young man, hehe." Once she was sure he was Ling Tian, the girl felt even more embarrassed about calling him a good-for-nothing. She hurriedly changed the subject.

Hearing the woman say that Hua Min'er often talked about him, Ling Tian's heart leaped with joy. In his excitement, he grabbed her by the arm. "Senior Sister, could you take me to see her?"

"Ow, you're hurting me! Let go, right now!" The woman cried out and tried to pull free, but no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't break his grip.

"Um, sorry, Senior Sister. I got too excited." Ling Tian quickly let go of her arm, apologizing as he scratched his head, looking sheepish.

"Hmph, I'll forgive you this time for Junior Sister Min'er's sake." The girl gave a slight snort.

"Thank you, Senior Sister. Then could I see..." Ling Tian looked full of anticipation, but trailed off before finishing his question.

"Junior Sister Min'er isn't cultivating right now, so I can take you to see her." The girl spoke slowly, deliberately keeping Ling Tian waiting, as if getting back at him for hurting her arm.

"Thank you, Senior Sister! Let's go." Ling Tian could hardly wait.

"Hehe, you're in such a hurry. Come on, and try to keep up." The girl smiled brightly, then turned and headed toward the summit of Qingdie Peak.

Lingyun followed close behind. His heart beat faster and faster, but his anticipation grew with every step.

Qingdie Peak was a beautiful place, with clear streams, lush hills, flowers vying in color, and butterflies fluttering through the air. But Ling Tian had no time to admire the picture-perfect scenery. His heart was firmly set on Hua Min'er.

After about fifteen minutes, the two of them reached a side hall on Qingdie Peak.

"Junior Sister Min'er is resting inside. Wait here while I go call her." The woman stopped and spoke to Ling Tian. The side hall was where the female disciples of Qingdie Peak rested, so it wouldn't do to take Ling Tian inside.

"Mm, sorry to trouble you, Senior Sister." Though Ling Tian wanted to see Hua Min'er right away, he knew what sort of place this was and wouldn't act rashly.

At Ling Tian's reply, the girl smiled and turned, slipping into the side hall.

"Brother Ling Tian, you finally came to see me! Hehe." A moment later, a sweet voice rang by Ling Tian's ear, full of uncontainable delight.

Hearing the voice he'd dreamed of, Ling Tian spun around and looked closely. The lovely figure standing before him could only be Hua Min'er.

"Min'er, I... something held me up. I'm sorry I couldn't come see you until today. Please don't be mad at me, okay?" Ling Tian composed himself and gazed at the lovely figure before him, his heart filled with remorse.

"Brother Ling Tian, don't say you're sorry. I'm already so happy that you came to see me. How could I be mad at you?" Hua Min'er's voice was full of joy. There wasn't the slightest trace of blame in it.

"I'm glad you're not upset. Hehe. Min'er, how are you doing on Qingdie Peak?" Seeing that Hua Min'er wasn't angry, Ling Tian was overjoyed. Then he thought of how she'd been living on Qingdie Peak for a month or two and wondered whether she'd gotten used to it, so he quickly asked.

"Mm, I'm doing well. My Master treats me wonderfully and has taught me all kinds of powerful Dao arts. The Senior Sisters are good to me, too. They take great care of me." Thinking about all the things her Master and Senior Sisters had taught her, Hua Min'er couldn't hide her delight.

"Oh? Have you been crying, then? Hehe." When Hua Min'er mentioned the Dao arts, Ling Tian's expression dimmed slightly, but the sadness vanished in an instant. He began teasing her, then gently pinched the tip of her nose.

Hua Min'er blushed faintly, her delicate nose scrunching up in a shy expression. But she didn't pull away, letting Ling Tian pinch it. Ling Tian's brief flash of sadness had lasted only an instant, but she'd still noticed it. She remembered the rumors about him on Qingdie Peak, and a dull ache stirred in her heart. Still, she didn't bring it up. Pouting, she said, "I haven't been crying, hmph. Brother Ling Tian, you're making fun of me."

Hua Min'er's lips puckered in mock annoyance. A hint of shyness colored her face, enough to shame the countless vibrant flowers on Qingdie Peak and make the thousands of fluttering butterflies among them envious.

"Hehe, when did I ever? I wonder who it was crying on Qingyun Peak that day." Hua Min'er looked so adorable that Ling Tian was swept up in delight, his mind momentarily thrown into confusion. He quickly recovered and teased her to hide his own embarrassment.

"Brother Ling Tian, you..." Hua Min'er's expression darkened, as if she'd been reminded of her sorrow.

Seeing Hua Min'er's sorrowful face, Ling Tian silently cursed himself a thousand times over. He'd known that was her most painful memory, yet he'd brought it up anyway. A sharp pang stabbed his heart, and he hurriedly said, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Min'er. I shouldn't have brought that up. Please don't be sad, okay?"

"It's all right, Brother Ling Tian. Now that I've begun cultivating, sooner or later I'll get my revenge." Hua Min'er's expression turned cold, her voice brimming with hatred, a murderous aura rolling off her.

"Min'er, don't be like this. You..." Ling Tian didn't know what to say. He gently opened his arms and drew Hua Min'er into an embrace, his heart aching for her.

Hua Min'er didn't struggle, letting Ling Tian hold her. The chill in her eyes gradually melted away, and her cheeks turned faintly pink. She tucked her hatred deep inside, if only for the moment.

"Brother Ling Tian, everything's fine for me on Qingdie Peak. I just miss you so much." Hua Min'er blushed even more, her voice growing softer until it was barely more than a whisper. If they hadn't been embracing, Ling Tian might not have heard her at all.

"Min'er, I miss you too. I dream about you all the time." Ling Tian held her even tighter, as though he feared she might suddenly disappear.