Meeting

Suddenly.

A sharp cry of an eagle came from the distant horizon.

Wang Mengde looked up.

A huge golden raptor swooped down from the clouds, its wingspan reaching several meters.

The bird of prey had golden feathers that shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight, and its eyes were sharp as lightning.

On its back sat a young male cultivator, his face stern and his aura deep.

A man and an eagle flew to the front of the Light Barrier. A spiritual light shone on the male cultivator's body, and then the golden raptor carried him into the Light Barrier.

On the shore of Azure Cliff Island, several young disciples dressed in the outer sect robes of the Evergreen Sect stood gazing up at the viewer with envy on their faces.

Wang Mengde's gaze sharpened slightly.

Golden Feather Eagle.

A mid-grade spirit beast, with the cultivation level of the Eighth-Level Lesser Demon.

His gaze was intense as he stared intently at the golden figure that had vanished into the Light Barrier.

The Golden Feather Eagle looks quite imposing.

When my cultivation level increases in the future, I'll also get a contracted spirit beast.

A contracted spirit beast with better aptitude.

Just then, a white figure floated out from the Light Barrier and flew straight towards Wang Mengde's location.

Wang Mengde's gaze sharpened.

The figure drew closer and closer.

She wore a moon-white robe and long dress, the hem of which fluttered gently in the sea breeze, and a light blue ribbon tied around her waist, outlining her slender and graceful figure.

Her long, black hair was simply tied into a bun, with a few strands hanging down beside her ears, swaying gently in the wind.

Her features gradually became clear.

It was an extremely beautiful face.

Her skin was as white as jade, her eyes were clear and bright, and her nose was straight and elegant.

It was Shen Qingyue.

She has become even more beautiful than she did four years ago.

The girl's naivety has faded somewhat, replaced by a touch of feminine gentleness and charm.

The liveliness in her eyes and brows remained undiminished.

Wang Mengde looked at her, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up.

The white figure landed on the beach, standing lightly in front of him, bringing with it a faint fragrance.

Shen Qingyue raised her head and looked at the person she had been longing for day and night.

He was dressed in a well-fitting Island Patrol Guards, his figure upright and sturdy, even more handsome than four years ago.

The boyish naiveté has faded from his brow, replaced by a sense of composure and determination.

The lines of her face became more defined.

He looks much more energetic than he did four years ago.

He was like a honed blade, his sharpness concealed yet impossible to ignore.

Shen Qingyue blinked, and suddenly felt a lump in her throat.

It's been four and a half years.

It's been four and a half years.

More than 1,600 days and nights.

Countless times, during breaks from her cultivation, she would gaze blankly in the direction of Rosy Cloud Island.

Now, the person I've been longing for day and night is finally standing right in front of me.

A thousand words were stuck in my throat, but I couldn't utter a single one.

Her eyes immediately welled up with tears.

Looking at her reddened eyes, Wang Mengde felt a slight pang in his heart.

The next moment, he stepped forward and pulled the person he had been longing for into a tight embrace.

Shen Qingyue stiffened slightly, then wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, buried her face in his chest, and her shoulders trembled slightly.

"You big bad guy..." Shen Qingyue's voice, trembling with tears, came muffled from his chest. "I miss you so much."

Wang Mengde lowered his head, rested his chin on the top of her head, and gently rubbed it.

"I'm late." His voice was low and slightly hoarse.

Shen Qingyue shook her head and hugged him even tighter.

Wang Mengde could feel the front of his shirt was soaked with tears, and the warmth seeped through the fabric onto his skin.

A long time passed.

Shen Qingyue lifted her head from his embrace, her eyes red-rimmed, tears still clinging to her eyelashes, and the tip of her nose slightly red.

"It's all your fault, you made me cry like this," she said reproachfully, gently punching his chest.

Looking at her tearful yet fierce appearance, Wang Mengde's heart melted completely.

He raised his hand and gently wiped away the tear stains on her cheek with his thumb.

Shen Qingyue let him wipe her face, her eyes fixed on him without blinking.

"You big bad guy, you've lost weight," she said.

"You've gotten fat," Wang Mengde said.

Shen Qingyue glared at him, then lightly punched Wang Mengde again, and said fiercely, "Who are you calling fat?"

Wang Mengde grasped her hand and laughed, "I say you look even more beautiful."

Shen Qingyue blushed, pulled her hand back, and glared at him. "You smooth talker."

Wang Mengde smiled, said nothing, and simply looked at her.

Shen Qingyue's heart raced under his gaze. She lowered her eyes and whispered, "What are you looking at? It's not like I haven't seen this before."

"It's been over four years since we last met," Wang Mengde said, unable to resist pinching her cheek. "I need to see her properly."

"You big bad guy!" Shen Qingyue cursed, pulling away from Wang Mengde's embrace. She quickly wiped away her tears and looked around. "You big bad guy, it wouldn't be good if my sister saw us together."

Seeing her nervous expression, Wang Mengde said softly, "Your sister and I divorced a long time ago, it's okay."

Shen Qingyue shook her head, her expression becoming more serious. "I know, it's just that my sister... she's almost gone mad, and I'm afraid she might harm you."

Shen Qingyue continued, "You big bad guy, come with me to the island, I'll take you to my little courtyard."

"Hmm." Wang Mengde nodded.

Shen Qingyue pulled him toward the Light Barrier, saying as they walked, "You need to register to enter the island. I'll take you there to register."

The two arrived at the edge of the Light Barrier, and Shen Qingyue led Wang Mengde to an inconspicuous corner, familiar with the area.

There was a small stone pavilion there, and inside sat an old man in a gray robe, resting with his eyes closed.

Shen Qingyue stepped forward and politely bowed. "Grandpa Zhang, I'm bringing a friend to the island. Could you please register them?"

The gray-robed old man opened his eyes, glanced at Wang Mengde, and lazily asked, "Name, cultivation level, reason for coming to the island."

"Wang Mengde, Fifth-Level Qi Refinement, visiting a friend," Wang Mengde said.

The old man nodded, took out a Jade Slip from his robes, and handed it to Wang Mengde: "Input a wisp of spiritual energy."

Wang Mengde accepted it as instructed and infused a wisp of spiritual energy into the Jade Slip.

The Jade Slip glowed faintly, then returned to normal.

The old man retrieved the Jade Slip, then took out a pale blue Talisman and handed it to Wang Mengde: "Temporary pass talisman, valid for a ten-day stay on the island."

"Thank you, senior." Wang Mengde accepted the Talisman and solemnly put it into his pocket.

Shen Qingyue smiled and waved to the old man, "Grandpa Zhang, we're off then."

The old man nodded slightly and closed his eyes again.

Shen Qingyue pulled Wang Mengde along and quickly walked towards the Light Barrier.

As she approached the Light Barrier, a burst of spiritual light shone from her body, and she instantly disappeared into it.

The temporary pass in Wang Mengde's arms also heated up slightly, emitting a faint blue light that enveloped him.

The next instant, the two passed through the Light Barrier.

A rich Spiritual Qi wafted over, even more so than the Spiritual Qi in Wang Mengde's meditation room on Rosy Cloud Island.

It should be noted that Wang Mengde's meditation room contained a low-level Spirit Gathering Formation.

Wang Mengde took a deep breath and felt every pore on his body relax and feel indescribably comfortable.

Seeing his slightly surprised expression, Shen Qingyue smiled and explained, "There is a second-tier Spirit Vein beneath Azure Cliff Island."

Furthermore, the entire island was also equipped with a large Spirit Gathering Formation.

In my meditation room, there's another Spirit Gathering Formation, where the concentration of spiritual energy is much higher than here.

Wang Mengde clicked his tongue in amazement. No wonder Qingyue had said that the speed of cultivation here was half that of directly refining Spirit Sand.

No wonder so many cultivators dream of joining the Evergreen Sect.

However, the minimum requirement for the Evergreen Sect to recruit disciples is that they possess the aptitude of Four-Element Spirit Root.