Xu Junior Sister's First Meeting with Eldest Young Lady Shi

Yuxu Palace, Scripture Hall.

After Ziwei Sect Master finished his lecture, the disciples were about to leave when they heard him say leisurely:

"Qiu Changtian, Xu Yinglian, stay behind."

Under the astonished gazes of their senior brothers and sisters, the two sat upright on their meditation cushions, their expressions calm and silent.

Once everyone had left the Scripture Hall, Ziwei Sect Master kept his eyes closed as if resting and flicked the Fly Whisk in his hand.

"Qiu Changtian."

"This disciple is here." Qiu Changtian replied respectfully.

"Fellow disciples from Kunlun, lending a hand out of righteousness." Ziwei Sect Master spoke slowly. "Well said."

Even Qiu Changtian, whose mastery of showing off was nearly maxed out, couldn't help thinking, What the hell?

Ziwei Sect Master paid no heed to his awkward embarrassment and simply continued:

"Our Kunlun Taiqing Sect and Penglai's Yuqing Temple both descend from the ancient Chan Sect, so we have maintained the custom of paying one another regular visits."

"Tomorrow morning, I will accept an invitation to visit the East Sea and discuss various matters between our two sects."

"By convention, both sides will also arrange for their elite Foundation Establishment Realm disciples to meet, so they can get to know one another and make connections."

"Those who have accompanied me on past visits were all disciples at the peak of the Abode Transformation Stage. But considering that you two often go out to gain experience, this time you will come with me and broaden your horizons as well."

Qiu Changtian: ...

Xu Yinglian: ...

Broaden my horizons? I know Penglai like the back of my hand. What's there to see? Qiu Changtian thought to himself.

Does Master think I usually go out to gain experience with my senior brother? Ahem, actually, I just soak in the Kunlun springs. Xu Yinglian thought to herself.

Of course, neither of them could tell their master the truth right then, so they could only nod and agree.

The next day soon arrived.

Since it was a long journey, they naturally couldn't travel by flying sword.

Everyone gathered in the square before Yuxu Palace. Ziwei Sect Master took a model of a treasure ship from his sleeve and tossed it forward.

The ship grew in the wind—longer and longer—until, in the blink of an eye, it stretched more than a hundred meters.

The True Persons and disciples followed the Sect Master aboard. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian, the two with the lowest cultivation, naturally endured another round of astonished looks.

The journey from Kunlun to Penglai covered more than nine thousand li, yet the flight itself didn't take long.

In this world, ship-shaped Magic Treasures were the fastest means of travel, even faster than flying swords.

It was nearly evening when the treasure ship finally reached Penglai Island. The master of Yuqing Temple and a group of elders came out to welcome them, then led the Kunlun delegation to Yuqing Temple's residence.

Following the line of disciples, Qiu Changtian saw Ziwei Sect Master up ahead chatting warmly with Elder Shi Ding. They clearly went back a long way.

He quietly withdrew his gaze, then heard Junior Sister Xu ask beside him:

"Senior Brother, have you been here before?"

Qiu Changtian smiled faintly.

"What makes you say that?"

"Because Senior Brother seems completely unimpressed." Xu Yinglian pointed around them.

Following her gesture, Qiu Changtian saw the senior brothers and sisters at the Abode Transformation Stage looking around with keen interest, taking in this place and that.

After all, in Kunlun Shangqing Sect, the inner disciples were almost all homebodies, tucked away in their isolated snowy mountain caves. They could cultivate for a hundred years without ever setting foot outside.

It was only natural that their first visit to an island sect would leave them captivated by the vast, unfamiliar sights.

It wasn't just the Kunlun disciples. The Penglai disciples who had come to greet them also regarded these "fellow Chan Sect disciples" from the snowy mountains in the west with curiosity and wonder.

From their clothing, most Kunlun disciples wore white or sky-blue Daoist robes, with wide garments and long sleeves. Flying swords rested on their backs, while their hair was tied up and held in place by tall crowns, giving them an air of solemn dignity.

The Penglai disciples, on the other hand, mostly wore brocade clothes with narrow sleeves and no crowns. All kinds of Magic Treasures hung from their waists—formation flags, talisman pouches, and the like—making them look more like wealthy young masters and young ladies out on a pleasure trip.

The two groups sized one another up. Whatever they thought inwardly, they couldn't afford to be discourteous, so they simply exchanged smiles.

The welcoming banquet was held in Yuqing Temple's main hall, with disciples from both sects seated together so they could get acquainted and make friends.

Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian found seats. The table was laden with all kinds of delicacies, mostly cold dishes: an array of meats and fruits, thinly sliced dishes and thick soups, a dazzling spread.

Though cultivators had already transcended the need for food, surviving on wind and dew, there was no harm in eating a little now and then. They could simply refine the turbid qi in their bellies afterward.

Qiu Changtian picked up a peach from a platter and ate it slowly. It was tender and juicy, with an exceptionally sweet flavor.

It was even more delicious than the sliced fruit Luo Yan usually cadged from Eldest Young Lady Shi.

"This isn't an ordinary peach," a woman's voice said beside him. "The sapling was grown among spirit herbs, where it bathed in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth before bearing fruit. Its flavor is delicious and sweet. It can't prolong one's life, but it can cleanse the body and mind."

Qiu Changtian turned his head toward her and immediately thought, What the hell?

It was Shi Liuli!

This young lady, who had never feared anything in her life, was sitting primly to his left, gazing at him with a strangely admiring, enthusiastic look.

To be precise, it wasn't love at first sight between a man and a woman, nor the feeling of falling in love.

It was more like the inexplicable emotion of a fan seeing their idol.

Qiu Changtian already had a deep, instinctive sense that something was terribly wrong. But to avoid giving himself away, he could only pretend they were strangers who had never met and ask with a smile:

"May I ask who you are, fellow Daoist?"

"Shi Liuli of Yuqing Temple." Shi Liuli smiled slightly, then continued, "Fellow Daoist Qiu, Senior Sister Bilian told me that you were the one who broke the Yi Wood Dragon Binding Formation in that cave-heaven in the Qinling Mountains and rescued our Yuqing Temple disciples. Is that right?"

Her words, combined with what Luo Yan knew about Eldest Young Lady Shi, immediately made things clear to Qiu Changtian.

Bilian must have gone back and raved to Shi Liuli about his heroic deed that day.

Shi Liuli had the typical temperament of a young girl: she admired the strong and despised the mediocre. She was also a die-hard member of the looks association.

Hearing that Qiu Changtian, the leading senior brother of this generation of Kunlun disciples, was handsome, gentle, and capable, how could she not be interested right away?

Time to put my acting skills to the test! Qiu Changtian replied modestly:

"I was just lucky. It's nothing worth mentioning. Seven-tenths of the world's knowledge of formations belongs to Penglai. I, Qiu Changtian, wouldn't dare show off before an expert."

"Fellow Daoist Qiu is too modest." Shi Liuli smiled. "The study of formations is the most abstruse of disciplines. Even at Yuqing Temple, only a few cultivators study the art of Qimen Dunjia."

That was true. Luo Yan had spent a long time at Yuqing Temple and knew that the temple's most-studied disciplines were actually alchemy, followed by talismans.

There were no more than three workshops like the Tiangong Workshop, which specialized in crafting artifacts, throughout Yuqing Temple. As for those who studied formations, there seemed to be only seven or eight households.

"Breaking the Yi Wood Dragon Binding Formation isn't a matter of luck. It requires profound knowledge of formations." Seeing that Qiu Changtian showed no sign of pride, Shi Liuli grew even more interested in him. Smiling brightly, she added, "Even my junior brother, who studies formations and cauldron-making, probably hasn't mastered the method for breaking the Yi Wood Dragon Binding Formation."

No, he's already mastered it...

Qiu Changtian kept his composure and didn't want to continue the topic.

After all, his features were exactly identical to Luo Yan's.

It was only because Luo Yan had squinty eyes, while Qiu Changtian wore his hair tied up beneath a tall crown—and because Mirror Flower Water Moon altered his aura and planted a suggestion in others' minds—that Shi Liuli hadn't immediately noticed what he and Luo Yan had in common.

But what if she kept discussing Luo Yan with him and suddenly spotted the flaw in their appearance?

He had to change the subject, fast!

Qiu Changtian suddenly shifted aside and introduced Junior Sister Xu, who was seated to his right:

"By the way, this is my junior sister, Xu Yinglian."

Xu Yinglian was drinking tea when she heard Shi Liuli say from across the table:

"Oh, the Phoenix Fairy? Hehe, I've heard so much about you."

The faint trace of hostility in her voice immediately roused Xu Yinglian's competitive spirit.

"Shi Liuli?" she asked coldly. "Are you Elder Shi Ding's beloved daughter?"

"I didn't expect the Phoenix Fairy to know of me." Shi Liuli replied with reserved politeness. "I'm truly honored."

"Don't mention it." Xu Yinglian said coolly. "You are Elder Shi Ding's daughter, after all."

After Xu Yinglian had emphasized "Elder Shi Ding's daughter" twice in a row, Shi Liuli immediately caught the mockery in her words: that she was good for nothing besides having a powerful father. Her composure nearly cracked.

Shi Liuli's feelings for Qiu Changtian weren't romantic. She was just an idol fan—don't get that wrong. The author doesn't break up couples. If you don't understand the difference between idol worship and a secret crush, ask your wife, girlfriend, older sister, younger sister, female classmate, or female coworker...