If Life Were Only as It Was at First Sight

"Rustle, rustle—"

Under the cover of night, Xiao Yan stepped out of the training room to get some fresh air.

He lay on the grass in the back mountain, a blade of grass clenched between his lips.

Who knew how much time had passed when he suddenly heard rustling from the bushes.

"...Xun Er?"

Xiao Yan did not raise his head, merely calling out in question.

But the newcomer did not answer.

"Xun Er?"

"...What? Did I come at the wrong time, or did I find the wrong person?"

Xiao Yan froze slightly. That was definitely not Xun Er's voice. Though soft and melodious, it belonged to someone he had never encountered before.

He instinctively raised his lowered gaze and saw only a figure whose appearance was completely concealed.

"You are...?"

A stranger, but she did not seem hostile.

Xiao Yan instinctively propped himself up, hesitating to speak.

"Me? Just think of me as a passerby. There's no need to mind me."

Yao Wan curiously studied the inexperienced black-haired youth before her as she spoke.

"A passerby? Passersby don't just casually walk into someone else's home."

After his initial shock, Xiao Yan came to his senses. "No one in Wutan City would dare sneak into the Xiao Family without permission... Are you from out of town?"

"...Heh. You may have no cultivation, but your mind is quite sharp."

Yao Wan praised him.

"Then who are you?"

"I already said, I'm just a passerby."

"I had no intention of coming to a boring little place like this... But I heard that the Xiao Family produced a genius two years ago. He sounded rather interesting."

At those words, Xiao Yan fell silent.

"It seems I came at the wrong time. The flower I wanted to see has already withered."

Xiao Yan paused. He could no longer remain composed and merely asked, "You came all this way just to see a useless cripple?"

"No, I came to mock you—"

Yao Wan said without the slightest concealment, only to abruptly change her tone at the end. "Would you feel better if I said that?"

"...No, not at all."

Xiao Yan clenched his fists, his eyes bloodshot.

Seeing Xiao Yan's reaction, Yao Wan could not help shaking her head.

"Not convincing at all. Looks like you haven't had a proper night's sleep in days, have you?"

As she spoke, she raised a fingertip and lightly tapped the space between Xiao Yan's brows. His body swayed slightly, and then he immediately felt a clear, invigorating force flow through his limbs, bones, and countless meridians, dispelling the exhaustion that had built up over the past few days.

"Heh..."

Xiao Yan froze, then took a deep breath.

Yao Wan continued, "Doesn't your body feel light and much more comfortable now?"

Xiao Yan nodded somewhat blankly.

"Nonsense. Were you trying to become immortal without resting properly?"

Yao Wan mocked, "The day you feel light without taking medicine, you probably won't be far from death either."

Xiao Yan finally reacted. "Miss... Senior, are you an alchemist?"

Hearing the respect in Xiao Yan's tone, Yao Wan fixated on something rather odd. "Senior?"

Realizing that he had said something inappropriate, Xiao Yan hurriedly corrected himself. "...Miss?"

Yao Wan lightly furrowed her delicate brows. Why did that form of address sound stranger the more she heard it?

But never mind. Miss it was. After all, she was only a year older than him, so she would let him have that much.

"Oh? Just now, it was 'outsider' this and 'outsider' that. Now it's 'Senior' and 'Miss'?"

Yao Wan circled Xiao Yan once, her voice carrying a hint of impolite teasing.

"You jest, Miss. On the Dou Qi Continent, strength is revered. I was offensive earlier."

Xiao Yan responded neither humbly nor arrogantly. It was clear that the setbacks of the past two years had not been entirely bad for him.

"Hmph. If you were just going to be a coward hiding in his shell, I wouldn't have bothered looking at you twice. Still, you've got some courage."

After saying that, she raised her head to look at the youth before her, as though waiting for him to say something.

"Is there nothing you want to say to me?"

"What do you mean, Miss?"

"I can tell that your inability to gather Dou Qi is not a problem with your body."

Yao Wan said, "An alchemist has appeared before you, yet you don't even intend to treat a dead horse as if it were alive? I don't believe that."

Seeing that he could not hide it from her, Xiao Yan could only speak frankly. "Hope is one thing, but reality is another."

"I have nothing that could move an alchemist—no treasures, no reward. As for begging you, Miss, I don't think there is much hope in that either."

"If you don't ask me, how do you know there's no hope?"

"Miss is not the sort of person who enjoys toying with others. Xiao Yan has been in decline for two years; I am not so blind that I cannot judge people anymore."

Xiao Yan shook his head as he spoke.

Yao Wan said nothing, merely watching him quietly. Xiao Yan did not say much either, silently meeting her gaze.

"There's nothing I can do to help you. Whether you believe it or not, your inability to gather Dou Qi is not a bad thing. I cannot resolve this for you."

"Still, you have another year. A whole year. Can you endure it?"

Yao Wan asked.

Xiao Yan shook his head. "To be honest, I do not understand what you mean by another year, Miss. But if I need another year before I can cultivate again, I have already endured two years. Would one more year make any difference?"

Yao Wan was silent for a moment before nodding. "Then I understand. You really are somewhat interesting."

"Miss... are you planning to leave?"

"I had planned to leave, but since you put it that way, I'm in no hurry to go now. I've been traveling for over a year, and the outside world is only so-so. I'll just find a place to rest for now. It doesn't matter when I continue my journey."

Xiao Yan's heart stirred. "Then what you mean is?"

"I think the Xiao Family's surroundings are quite nice. I'll stay here for a few days."

"...What? Is that unsuitable?"

Seeing Xiao Yan fall silent, Yao Wan could not help asking.

"Not at all... I only fear that the Xiao Family is too small, and Miss may not be used to staying here."

"I'll get used to it."

She flicked her sleeve, entirely unconcerned.

"Then may I ask how I should address you, Miss?"

Xiao Yan asked.

"My name is Wan. Just call me Miss Wan."

After some thought, Yao Wan decided it was better not to casually reveal her full name, lest she invite trouble for no reason later.

"I told you my name. What about yours?"

"Xiao Yan. Just call me Xiao Yan."

The still-green and youthful black-haired boy answered.

"Xiao Yan... Fine. I'll remember that name."