Happiness, Only Because We Are Together

Ling Tian didn't have to wait long. Hua Min'er arrived before him, hopping and skipping with joy. She moved like a swallow in flight, graceful as a butterfly among flowers.

"Brother Ling Tian, are your injuries healed?" Hua Min'er asked, looking at Ling Tian with concern.

"Mm, they're fine now," Ling Tian replied softly, his heart warming. He waved his arm to show Hua Min'er that he was indeed alright.

"Pfft," Hua Min'er let out a light laugh, then continued, "Look at you, so silly. What are you even doing?"

"Heh heh," Ling Tian chuckled sheepishly. He then glanced at the onlookers, feeling even more awkward and scratching his head.

"Alright, silly brother, I'll take you somewhere. So many people are watching, it's embarrassing," Hua Min'er said, her face flushing slightly. She grabbed Ling Tian's hand and pulled him along, and Ling Tian let her lead him.

Not long after, the two arrived at the back peak of Qingdie Peak. It was a broken cliff face, majestic and imposing. Not far below the summit was a protruding, open area, a rather secluded spot. The cliff walls were covered in dense, ancient vines that grew lush and verdant, like coiled dragons clinging to the rock face. They bore some small, unknown fruits. The open area was surrounded by many strange flowers and grasses, and numerous butterflies danced among them. A small waterfall cascaded down, its water murmuring, creating a scene of pure paradise.

Hua Min'er said nothing upon arriving. She released Ling Tian's hand and, with a few leaps, climbed down the vines to the open ground. Her movements were nimble, as light as a flying butterfly. She then looked at Ling Tian with a grin, her meaning clear.

Ling Tian chuckled softly. He tapped his feet and shot forward like a soaring eagle, diving straight down. As he neared the ground, he grabbed a vine with his right hand, spiraling down with fluid, phantom-like movements. He looked incredibly dashing and at ease. Hua Min'er watched, mesmerized.

"Brother Ling Tian, your movement technique is so elegant and free-spirited, much better than mine," Hua Min'er said, looking at Ling Tian with a hint of admiration. She had thought her own agile and cute movements were impressive and wanted to show off, but Ling Tian's technique was far superior.

"Heh heh, Min'er, do you like it?" Ling Tian smiled proudly, feeling that all the hardships he endured while cultivating this technique were worth it.

"Mm, I like it," Hua Min'er said, not hiding her feelings.

"Then I'll teach you."

"Okay."

Their exchange was simple and natural, as if rehearsed.

Without delay, Ling Tian began teaching Hua Min'er the movement technique. He first demonstrated it himself, then stood before her to explain its characteristics, requirements, and some of his own insights.

Hua Min'er was sharp and intelligent. She quickly grasped everything Ling Tian said and soon integrated it all. Feeling inspired, she began practicing the technique in the open space. For a time, the small area was filled with her leaping and bounding figures, eventually creating multiple afterimages. She moved like a butterfly and a swallow, impressing Ling Tian, who nodded in satisfaction.

"Whew, Brother Ling Tian, this is such a magical movement technique! I can actually create afterimages too, hehe," Hua Min'er exclaimed with delight.

After practicing for half an hour, Hua Min'er was a little tired. She let out a sigh and approached Ling Tian, saying joyfully, "Look at you, all sweaty." She hadn't noticed she was drenched in sweat herself.

"Look at you, all sweaty. You don't even notice," Ling Tian said, looking at Hua Min'er with a hint of reproach. As he spoke, he wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"Hehe, this movement technique is so beautiful. I just got carried away, didn't I?" Hua Min'er giggled, not dodging his touch. Her face, already flushed from practicing, turned even redder as Ling Tian wiped her sweat.

"You, you..." Ling Tian gazed at the shy Hua Min'er, momentarily lost in her charm.

"Brother Ling Tian, am I useless? Last time you were injured, I could only watch helplessly, unable to do anything," Hua Min'er suddenly said, her expression changing to one of sadness.

"How could you say that?" Ling Tian felt a slight pang in his heart. He looked at Hua Min'er gently and comforted her, "You've only just started cultivating. It's already very good that you've reached this level. Besides, Huang Se is very strong. It's normal that you couldn't defeat her. I couldn't defeat her either, could I?"

"Brother Ling Tian, you're just comforting me. I know. But I will cultivate diligently. I'll definitely be able to help you then," Hua Min'er said, her voice firm. Being intelligent, she knew Ling Tian was trying to console her, but she wasn't discouraged.

"Mm, I believe you," Ling Tian said, looking at the determined Hua Min'er.

"Brother Ling Tian, what's the name of that movement technique you just used? It feels more suited for girls to practice," Hua Min'er asked, a little puzzled. The technique was agile and versatile, and it seemed even more mystical when performed by a girl.

"Heh heh, it's the Illusory God Phantom Shadow Movement Technique. My mother taught it to me. You won't laugh at me for learning a girl's movement technique, will you?" Ling Tian asked teasingly.

"Of course not. When you perform it, it's very elegant and free-spirited, without any feminine softness. I suppose you've already modified it and mastered it completely," Hua Min'er mused to herself. She was puzzled, though, as she had never heard of Ling Tian having a mother. Ling Yun was only his adoptive father. However, she didn't voice her doubts.

"As long as you like it, Min'er," Ling Tian smiled faintly. He looked around and was suddenly captivated by two butterflies dancing and circling each other. "What beautiful butterflies!" he exclaimed.

"Oh, those are Flying Wing Butterflies. They're a pair from birth and stay together until death," Hua Min'er said, following Ling Tian's gaze. She looked at the butterflies with a hint of envy, then gazed at Ling Tian.

"Flying Wing Butterflies... could it be inspired by 'wings that fly together without colorful phoenixes'?" Ling Tian murmured, looking at Hua Min'er with a similar expression. A deep affection welled up in his heart.

"Mm, yes. It means flying wing to wing," Hua Min'er said softly.

Neither of them uttered the rest of the line: "A tacit understanding between hearts."

They both knew, with a shared intuition, that some things were more beautiful left unsaid.

"Min'er, you said you wanted to cultivate diligently. I've recently mastered a formation that can increase cultivation speed. Do you want to learn it?" Ling Tian changed the subject, then looked at Hua Min'er teasingly.

"Hmph, Brother Ling Tian, you're bullying me! You know I'll learn it, why ask?" Hua Min'er pouted, feigning anger. Her charmingly vexed expression held a unique allure.

"Heh heh, am I?" Ling Tian chuckled sheepishly and then began teaching Hua Min'er the Spirit Gathering Formation.

That day, they learned formations and movement techniques together. During this time, Ling Tian treated Hua Min'er to candied hawthorns. Hua Min'er, eating the sweet and sour treat, was overjoyed. She asked Ling Tian for several more skewers, still wanting more. Ling Tian happily told her the origin of candied hawthorns. Hua Min'er declared she would buy hundreds of them to store when she had time. Both of them laughed heartily. Laughter and joy filled the back peak of Qingdie Peak all day long. Later, they designated this place their exclusive "secret base."

They chatted until the night deepened before reluctantly parting ways, agreeing to meet again. Then, with countless backward glances, they finally went their separate ways.

Beautiful times always seem to pass quickly. Ling Tian understood this deeply.

And so, they spent a year playing and laughing together. Ling Tian often visited Qingdie Peak, and eventually, he became familiar with almost every female disciple there. When he arrived, the disciples knew why he was there and would bring Hua Min'er to see him, much to the amused exasperation of both Hua Min'er and Ling Tian.

Throughout that year, they dated, parted, and cultivated. Except for sleeping at night, they were almost always together. Their relationship grew even more intimate through their prolonged contact. They eventually reached a point where they could talk about anything and often engaged in small, affectionate gestures, though they never crossed any boundaries.

Ling Tian shared amusing stories of how his adoptive father trained him since childhood, making Hua Min'er giggle constantly. She found Senior Ling Yun to be quite cunning. However, she was very interested in Ling Yun's training methods and sometimes asked Ling Tian to teach her them. Ling Tian generously shared everything he knew.

Ling Tian had also asked Hua Min'er why she came to Qingyun Mountain. Hua Min'er only said that her family had been killed by monsters, and she didn't elaborate further. Whenever Ling Tian inadvertently inquired about the specifics, Hua Min'er's expression would dim, causing Ling Tian to hastily change the subject. Eventually, he couldn't bear to ask anymore.

Hua Min'er also often took Ling Tian to other peaks to learn their respective skills. Ling Tian never refused and eagerly followed her to visit and learn from each peak. The peak lords treated them very kindly, teaching them everything they knew without reservation, no matter what Hua Min'er desired. Ling Tian learned a great deal by following along, especially benefiting from his discussions on formations with Peak Lord Yuan Ming on Qingming Peak.

Ling Tian understood the principles of formations but had little practical experience in setting them up. Yuan Ming, with his extensive experience, was the perfect counterpart for him to verify his knowledge. Initially, Yuan Ming patiently tutored Hua Min'er, but he soon became captivated by Ling Tian. They began to exchange ideas about formations. Ling Tian, under Ling Yun's tutelage, had unique insights into formations, and his knowledge often excited Yuan Ming, who exclaimed that Ling Yun was truly a genius. They felt they had met too late and became like friends despite their age difference. When they discussed formations, they would sometimes get so engrossed that they would forget Hua Min'er, leaving her pouting with annoyance. Later, Ling Tian took her to Qingyun Town for a few days of fun to appease her.

In Qingyun Town, Hua Min'er and Ling Tian astonished many people. Hua Min'er wanted everything she saw. Once, she saw someone selling candied hawthorns and bought all of them, not stopping there. She even paid a deposit for the vendor to make more overnight. The Qingdie Peak disciples assigned to protect them could only smile wryly, lamenting their childlike nature. After a few days of playing, they reluctantly left under the persuasion of the Qingdie Peak disciples, but only after the disciples promised they would visit Qingyun Town again soon.

During this time, Ye Feidie passed the Qing Ling Sword Canon to Hua Min'er. Her cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds. In just one year, she went from the twenty-fourth level of Qi Refining to the thirty-sixth level of Qi Condensation, on the verge of breaking through to the Qi Solidification Stage. Her master, Ye Feidie, now indulged her to the point where the other Qingdie Peak disciples envied and even felt jealous. She never restricted Hua Min'er's actions and tried her best to fulfill her requests, even encouraging her relationship with Ling Tian. Now, the pair of Hua Min'er and Ling Tian were well-known on Qingdie Peak, envied by many.

This year was Ling Tian's happiest.

Happiness, simply because they were together.