First meeting with Yuan Suiyun

"Ah! Fresh air!"

Fang Yunhua was in a wonderful mood.

After all, however comfortable life outside might be, it could never compare to the sense of ease that came with returning home.

Shangguan Cangxing had already headed back to the An Prince's Mansion. He was brimming with enthusiasm about their next move against Stone Guanyin, so eager to take the initiative that Fang Yunhua would not need to say a word before he started urging Steward Lin to come over and discuss it.

As for the possibility of anyone refusing, that simply did not exist.

He believed that if Fang Yunhua had this plan in mind, he would certainly be able to persuade the other party. Besides, the operation he had called a welcoming gift had allowed the An Prince's Mansion to reap considerable benefits with very little effort.

From a private standpoint, swallowing up some of the Beggar Gang's businesses had fattened their coffers nicely, and they had also taken the opportunity to repay an old favor owed to Southern Shaolin.

From the Imperial Court's standpoint, the gains were even greater.

They had weakened the world's greatest gang, thwarted Japan's schemes against the martial world before they could unfold, bolstered public trust in the authorities, and reaffirmed that binding Mount Hua and the An Prince's Mansion together in this fashion was absolutely the right approach...

As for the possibility that this might also strengthen Mount Hua...

The Imperial Court was not worried in the slightest. Mount Hua's foundations were simply too weak. Now that its influence had expanded across Shaanxi, Henan, and Shanxi, it would take at least a dozen years to digest those gains.

It might even require several decades of patient cultivation just to maintain that prestige.

Stone Guanyin's previous assault on Mount Hua had simply cut it back too brutally. Though its core consisted of elites, the structure Mount Hua had now built still could not avoid having too many offshoots. If that imbalance was not addressed promptly, it would also become a serious threat.

And compared with the Beggar Gang at its peak, with businesses in every corner of the land and influence reaching every city and town, it was still leagues behind.

Although Nangong Ling was dead, he could hardly be called completely useless. Yet his grip on the gang had been so weak after he became its leader that the only explanation was that its operations had spread too far, with too many people nursing private agendas. That had ultimately left it surrounded and having chunks of flesh carved away.

So, as for fattening Mount Hua up, they could let this sickly little bag of bones have a few more meals first.

In high spirits, Fang Yunhua warmly greeted the disciples passing by. He was just that sort of friendly, approachable senior brother. Hua Zhenzhen, who had received word of his return, also rushed over at once.

Their relationship had only just taken a step forward, after all, but before they could enjoy more than a few days of tenderness, he had been forced to leave for Capital City to plan important affairs for Mount Hua.

Distance had made her longing all the sweeter and richer. This time, Hua Zhenzhen, who was usually so shy, threw her arms tightly around Fang Yunhua right in front of everyone.

"Thank you for all your hard work."

Stroking her long, silky hair, Fang Yunhua realized how much he had missed this little senior sister of his, with her air of innocent allure.

After enjoying a brief moment of tenderness, however, Fang Yunhua noticed clearly that his little senior sister's cheeks had flushed red all the way to her ears, like a ripe red apple.

"Junior brother..." Nestled in Fang Yunhua's arms, she whispered, "Did anyone see...?"

"Lots of people." Fang Yunhua promptly gave an answer that made Hua Zhenzhen wish all the more that she could find a crack in the ground and crawl inside. "Let me count. Nearly all the elders are here, along with over a hundred junior brothers and sisters from the inner and outer sects. There are some unfamiliar faces, too. Looks like a few dozen of those altogether."

"They're all from forces that used to be on good terms with Mount Hua."

Shy though she was, Hua Zhenzhen still answered Fang Yunhua's question promptly.

But now Fang Yunhua's attention had been completely captured by one person. Even with Hua Zhenzhen in his arms, soft as a cloud and too lovely to let go, he could not tear his gaze away from that man.

"Senior sister, who's that man in white with the exceptional bearing, whose looks are second only to mine?"

"He's Yuan Suiyun, the young master of Wuzheng Manor."

At that moment, those words streaked through Fang Yunhua's mind like a meteor, then exploded!

Ever since his memories had awakened, Fang Yunhua had regarded him as a hypothetical enemy. Although his wariness was no longer as intense as it had been at first, the man still hung like a thorn above his heart.

And just then, as Fang Yunhua looked toward Yuan Suiyun from afar, Yuan Suiyun's eyes, filled with an indescribable emptiness, loneliness, and desolation, also turned toward him and Hua Zhenzhen.

People said that a blind person's other senses were sharper than those of ordinary people. Yuan Suiyun seemed to have already sensed Fang Yunhua watching him. He smiled faintly and gave a gentle nod of acknowledgment, his elegant bearing drawing repeated glances from some of the less worldly outer-sect junior sisters.

After all, when they had seen their senior sister suddenly throw herself at their young sect leader, their hearts had nearly shattered into crumbs!

Now they seemed to have come back to life. Or perhaps the sweet atmosphere around them had influenced them, for the looks they directed at Yuan Suiyun resembled those of hungry wolves spotting a docile little lamb.

Fang Yunhua distinctly noticed Yuan Suiyun's body give an involuntary shudder.

"Junior brother, junior brother." His little senior sister, her face still crimson, gently patted Fang Yunhua's chest. "Have they left yet?"

"No, they're all having a wonderful time watching. Oh, Elder Bai just pulled out a handful of roasted chestnuts and started munching away cheerfully. They should be from Heji. They can't taste bad."

Fang Yunhua sniffed, quite pleased with the all-around improvements he had gained after switching to the Mingyu Skill.

"Junior brother, what do we do now?" Hua Zhenzhen was clearly panicking.

She had never been so bold before, and the very first time she mustered such courage, everyone had gathered around to watch. Seeing that she was about to turn into a steaming maiden and might faint from embarrassment if this went on for another two or three minutes...

Fang Yunhua stopped paying attention to Yuan Suiyun and swept his gaze around, precisely locating his other senior sister.

Gao Yanan, whom he had endlessly mocked in private!

Perhaps the scene had stirred her feelings. Though her gaze appeared to rest on him and Hua Zhenzhen, her eyes had long since gone distant. At last, they focused again, and she noticed Fang Yunhua repeatedly signaling to her with his eyebrows.

She understood.

Aside from her much-criticized pursuit of Hu Tiehua, this lousy senior sister was, on the whole, a good senior sister who knew how to read the room.

She promptly shouldered her responsibility as the eldest senior sister and decisively began dispersing the spectators. Once Hua Zhenzhen sensed that far fewer eyes were lingering on her, she unleashed the Soaring Swan Step at full power and vanished from everyone's sight with a whoosh.

Fang Yunhua, still holding his arms in an embrace, was momentarily stunned.

Though they both practiced this movement technique, he was not Hua Zhenzhen's equal in that regard. Her lightness skill was also top-tier, good enough to rival the unparalleled Fragrant Marshal Chu for a short time.

Just as Fang Yunhua was pondering whether he should devote more time to training his lightness skill, Gao Yanan's voice sounded beside his ear.