Jiang Nannan and Ye Guyi's First Meeting

The setting sun sank low, and twilight washed over all of Bright Capital.

The bustling, clamorous streets gradually took on a gentle orange-red hue.

The evening breeze drifted softly by, dispersing the heat of the day.

Soul-tool streetlights along both sides of the road lit up one after another, their scattered gleams making the entire capital feel both tranquil and lively.

After straightening her clothes and gently telling her mother to wait at home, Jiang Nannan pushed open the gate and left the residence alone.

Her brows and eyes were gentle, her figure slender, and her simple, elegant long dress highlighted her clean, graceful bearing.

Her heart was brimming with gratitude. She only wanted to find Li Changsheng as soon as possible and personally offer him her sincere thanks.

She followed the familiar streets at an unhurried pace, originally thinking she would only be able to find him at the academy.

But as she reached a crossroads lined with trees, where the evening breeze was strongest, her steps suddenly paused.

Not far ahead, by the roadside, stood two particularly eye-catching figures.

The young man wore an elegant black robe, his posture straight and upright. Standing amid the evening breeze and twilight, his handsome features were calm and composed, and he carried an effortless air of one who looked down upon worldly affairs. It was Li Changsheng, the person she had been seeking.

At his side stood a stunning figure in a golden dress.

Her golden hair fluttered lightly in the wind, her unspread angelic wings hidden beneath her clothes. Her skin was luminous and fair, her face sacred and cool. She was Ye Guyi.

The two stood side by side, bathed in the interwoven glow of the setting sun and warm yellow lamplight.

One was deep and calculating, the other sacred and pure. The image was tranquil and harmonious, somehow carrying a tacit understanding that no outsider could intrude upon.

In that instant, Jiang Nannan felt a faint sting in her chest.

An indescribable discomfort quietly welled up within her.

She knew that Li Changsheng possessed peerless talent and vast ambitions. The people around him were destined to be extraordinary.

But deep in her heart, the Changsheng she called little brother—the one who had helped her escape suffering, rewritten her fate, and treated her gently—had always been a salvation that belonged to her alone.

Now, seeing him standing beside another woman whose looks, talent, and bearing were all exceptional, the two of them so strikingly well-matched, she could not help but feel a faint trace of bitterness and loss.

Yet that emotion was faint and deeply concealed, and she immediately pressed it down into her heart.

Years of endurance and sensibility had long taught her to hide her thoughts. She would never reveal even the slightest hint of selfish desire.

The gentle smile on her face remained unchanged, without the slightest sign of anything amiss. Jiang Nannan composed herself and walked forward calmly.

"Changsheng."

She spoke softly, her voice gentle and sweet, poised and natural.

Hearing her, Li Changsheng turned his head toward the graceful girl approaching at a leisurely pace. A trace of warmth passed through his eyes. "Nannan."

Ye Guyi also glanced over, looking at the woman before her with her gentle temperament and soft features, her eyes carrying a touch of kindness and unfamiliarity.

Jiang Nannan's gaze briefly swept over Ye Guyi before returning to Li Changsheng. She softly explained why she had come.

"My mother returned to Bright Capital today and has settled into our new home. She has always been grateful for your kindness, so she specifically asked me to find you and invite you over tonight to try some home-cooked dishes she made herself, as a small token of thanks."

After saying that, she turned politely toward Ye Guyi at her side. A proper, gentle smile rose on her lips as she extended an invitation, respectfully addressing her according to her age and bearing.

"If you do not mind, Sister, would you like to come over and sit with us as well?"

That single "Sister" was gentle and humble, perfectly measured.

Ye Guyi was slightly stunned upon hearing it, clearly not expecting the other woman to invite her too.

Her nature was pure and reserved to begin with. She was not good at socializing, usually cool and quiet, and unaccustomed to taking part in other people's family dinners or private affairs.

Moreover, she and Jiang Nannan had never met before. It would be far too abrupt to attend a banquet upon their first meeting.

On top of that, after seven days of continuous slaughter, she also wished to quietly consolidate her cultivation and stabilize the foundation of her newly strengthened martial soul.

A faint blush rose on Ye Guyi's cheeks. With a touch of shy embarrassment in her eyes, she gently shook her head, her voice soft and clear.

"Thank you for your kindness, little sister, but I will not be going."

"You two should just enjoy yourselves."

Her disposition was cool, and she was not fond of lively gatherings. Her refusal was gentle and courteous, carrying not the slightest arrogance or aloofness. She simply was not good at mingling with others.

Seeing that Ye Guyi was humble yet firm, Jiang Nannan did not press her. She maintained her gentle smile and lightly nodded.

"Alright, then I will invite you again when there is another opportunity for us to get together, Sister."

She did not look at anyone else again. Her gaze returned to Li Changsheng, gentle and sincere as she quietly waited for his answer.

The evening breeze passed slowly by, stirring the hair of all three. Twilight was gentle, and the lights in the streets and alleys grew brighter.

The subtle bitterness quietly faded away, leaving only wholehearted, sincere anticipation.

Seeing the genuine, gentle hope in Jiang Nannan's eyes, Li Changsheng nodded lightly without hesitation.

"There is no need to thank me, but I can still come for a meal."

To him, Jiang Nannan was someone he had chosen early on, someone he had personally pulled out of the mire and whose fate he had completely rewritten.

Her nature was clean and perceptive. She knew gratitude and righteousness, possessed a resolute heart, and had never harbored the slightest greed or improper thought. Someone so pure was worth nurturing.

Upon hearing his agreement, a soft smile instantly rippled through Jiang Nannan's eyes. Her curved brows and eyes made her look graceful and lovely, and the faint bitterness she had felt upon first seeing him that evening vanished completely.

Seeing this, Ye Guyi also spoke at the right moment and took the initiative to say goodbye.

"Then you two should go."

"I will head back to my residence and consolidate my cultivation from the past few days, so I will not disturb you."

She was naturally cool and tranquil, unaccustomed to lively social affairs, and unwilling to involve herself in others' private matters.

With Seven-Day Evil-Slaying Dao-Nourishment, the light soul power within her had surged far too greatly. She truly needed to meditate and regulate her breathing, stabilizing her foundation so that her cultivation would not become superficial.

Li Changsheng nodded slightly. "Alright, go back and rest up on your own."

"Remember, there is no need to rush. Steady consolidation is what matters most."

"Mm."

Ye Guyi obediently responded, her golden hair drifting softly in the evening breeze.

She gave the two of them a slight nod, then turned and slowly walked away along the roadside path.

The twilight fell upon her sacred silhouette, making her appear even more cool and otherworldly, like a maiden of light dwelling alone beyond the mortal world.

Watching Ye Guyi depart into the distance, Jiang Nannan quietly suppressed the last imperceptible trace of concern in her heart. She turned slightly and spoke gently.

"Changsheng, then let us go. My mother is still waiting at home."

"Alright."

Li Changsheng responded and walked calmly beside Jiang Nannan, natural and easygoing.

The two walked side by side along the streets whose lights had just begun to shine, slowly heading toward the residential district.

Bright Capital in the evening had shed the daytime clamor and heat. The crowds moved more slowly, and the evening breeze was gentle.

The soul-tool streetlights on both sides of the road lit up one after another, warm yellow light spreading over the clean pavement and stretching out the shadows of the two walking side by side.

The journey was quiet and gentle, without the awkwardness of forcing conversation, only a faint sense of calm comfort.

Jiang Nannan secretly glanced sideways at the young man beside her.

Though he was several years younger than she was, no matter when or where, he was always so steady and composed, so certain of everything.

All the light in her life, all her rebirth, all her peace and stability, had come entirely from the person before her.