Bright Moon

The Xiao Clan, inside Xiao Bai's small courtyard.

There was a thick Gold Fire Peach Tree in the small courtyard. It was currently the season when the Gold Fire Peach Tree bloomed. When this type of peach tree flowered, the centers of its petals were pink, while the edges were ringed in gold, giving it extremely high ornamental value and making it deeply loved by wealthy households.

Beneath the peach tree was a stone table. At this moment, a pot of clear tea sat on it, its fragrance curling upward, refreshing the heart and mind.

Beside the stone table sat a handsome young man, holding an ancient book and reading it seriously. Golden-red petals occasionally drifted down with the wind, landing on the youth's lapels.

Xiao Bai had not been this relaxed in nearly three months.

Ever since he had successfully refined his first pill, Xiao Bai had stopped throwing all his energy into alchemy day and night like before.

Instead, he refined pills during the day, cultivated Dou Qi and his soul at night, and refined the little Bing Fire Yang Thunder left in his body along the way.

Finally, yesterday, he had completely dealt with it, and his cultivation had also reached Eight Star Dou Shi.

In a few more days, he would be setting off with Yao Lao, so today he planned to relax for a day.

The path of cultivation needed both tension and release. Xiao Bai did not want to turn himself into a puppet that only knew cultivation. Relaxing once in a while was actually more beneficial to cultivation.

The ancient book in his hands had been borrowed from Xun Er. The little girl often held a book whenever she had time, and after Xiao Bai saw it, he borrowed a few from her as well. These were books about common cultivation knowledge.

For him, who had no teacher, these books were also his teachers. They could broaden his horizons and make his own methods, his own path, clearer.

"Knock, knock, knock."

A series of knocks came from outside the courtyard.

"Come in! The door isn't closed."

Xiao Bai said without raising his head. Through his soul perception, he knew who was outside the courtyard.

Sure enough, a graceful figure pushed the door open and came in.

After Xiao Xun Er entered, she saw the poetic, picturesque scene inside the courtyard. For an instant, a trace of infatuation appeared in her eyes. Then she teasingly joked in a playful tone.

"Xiao Bai Gege, you're finally not living on the mountain anymore."

"You little girl, I finally manage to relax for one day, and you come to tease your Xiao Bai Gege."

Xiao Bai put down the ancient book in his hand, raised his head, and looked gently toward the smiling young girl not far away, beckoning to her.

"Hmph, who told Xiao Bai Gege to disappear for almost three months? If I didn't know you were still on the rear mountain, Xun Er would have gone to put up a missing-person notice."

Xiao Xun Er came to sit beside Xiao Bai and gave a delicate little humph.

Ever since she had met Xiao Bai, she had never gone this long without seeing him. She knew Xiao Bai was on the rear mountain.

But she had never gone to look for him, afraid that he had some secret that it would be inconvenient for her to know, so she had endured it the whole time.

Xiao Bai understood why she had not gone looking for him. The girl beside him might be young, but she was indeed worthy of being born from a great clan.

She understood propriety and knew when to advance or retreat. Being with her was very relaxing, like basking in a spring breeze.

"All right, little girl, don't be angry. Xiao Bai Gege will stay with you for these next few days, okay?" Xiao Bai looked at Xun Er, who was pretending to be angry, poured a cup of tea and handed it to her, then chuckled softly.

It was rare to see this girl throw a little temper. Seeing it now, she was actually very cute.

When Xiao Xun Er heard this, the little face she had been holding stiff immediately blossomed into joy. She took the teacup and instantly said:

"You said that yourself, Xiao Bai Gege. Xun Er didn't force you, okay!"

"Heh~" Xiao Bai smiled dotingly and tapped her tall, delicate nose, but did not speak.

"Xiao Bai Gege, are you leaving in a few days?" Xiao Xun Er narrowed her eyes. She had been very happy, but then she suddenly seemed to think of something and spoke softly, a little reluctant.

She felt that over the past year, Xiao Bai Gege had been so busy—so busy that it took a very long time before she could see him once. It was nothing like when they were little, when they could see each other every day and stay together whenever they wanted.

Although she knew this day would come sooner or later, she had thought that it would at least wait until she grew up. But this day had come too quickly, so quickly that she was a little caught off guard.

She had been mature and sensible since childhood, but she was still only fourteen now. When she had first come to the Xiao Clan as a child, she had also been naive and confused. Since becoming sensible, she had never experienced the sorrow and joy of parting and reunion, and for a moment, she felt a faint sadness.

Was this the price of growing up?

For a moment, Xiao Xun Er thought in silence.

Seeing that her mood had suddenly fallen a little, Xiao Bai seemed to know what she was thinking, and his heart also grew somewhat silent.

He could not help sighing softly, then rubbed her little head and said gently:

"I'm only leaving for a while. I'll be back very soon. Let the bright moon be my heart, and the clear wind be my will. If you miss Xiao Bai Gege, then look at the bright moon in the sky and feel the clear wind in the mountains. They can both stand for Xiao Bai Gege, all right?"

Xiao Xun Er could no longer hold back and directly threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly.

A long while later, she nodded in his embrace and answered softly, "Mm!"

Xiao Bai gently held the delicate body in his arms and said nothing more, simply hugging her quietly like that.

"Brother Bai, Brother Bai, you finally came down from the mountain?"

A voice full of energy and with a somewhat roguish air broke the courtyard's quiet.

A black-clothed youth walked straight into the courtyard. When he saw the scene inside, he was first stunned, then his eyes rolled, and a wicked smile appeared at the corner of his mouth as he said loudly:

"Huh, where's my Brother Bai? Why isn't he home? Sigh! Brother Bai is so careless too, leaving the door wide open when he's not home!"

After saying that, he immediately turned and tried to run.

When Xiao Xun Er heard the movement, she got up directly from Xiao Bai's arms, calmly returned to the stone stool beside him and sat down, then lifted her tea and took a gentle sip.

He looked perfectly calm, except for the faint blush on his face.

Xiao Bai rolled his eyes. Seeing that Xiao Yan had already run to the doorway, he snapped, "Get back here!"

Xiao Yan stopped in his tracks, but he did not turn around. Instead, after standing there blankly for a moment, he looked around to his left and right—anywhere but behind him—and said in confusion, "Huh! I could've sworn I heard my dear Bai Ge's voice, but I don't see anyone. It must've been my imagination, mm... my imagination!"

As he spoke, he even nodded firmly to confirm it, then very calmly walked outside one step at a time.

"Take one more step forward and you can wait for death," Xiao Bai said flatly.

Xiao Yan froze on the spot as if someone had cast a binding spell on him. Still without turning around, he raised his hand to the ring on it and said, "Huh? I heard Bai Ge's voice again. Teacher, have I been training too much lately and started hallucinating?"

Yao Lao inside the ring was a little speechless. He had watched Xiao Yan grow up, and they had spent several months together, yet he truly had not known his disciple possessed such talent. He was practically born to act.

"Heh heh~"

Hearing the low, chilly laugh from behind him, Xiao Yan shivered. Knowing that if he kept acting he was going to get beaten, he quickly turned around and laughed exaggeratedly.

"Oh! If it isn't my dear Bai Ge? Sorry, sorry. I've been training too hard lately and got dizzy, my eyes playing tricks on me. I didn't see anything just now!"