"Ah~"
"Ah~"
"...Ah..."
The lingering notes curled through the air.
Yun Shu emerged from her meditative trance as though she had become a different person.
She felt nothing but peace within; her earlier loneliness and desolation had vanished without a trace.
Deep within her soul, there was actually a trace of the joy of rebirth.
Her heart, which had lain dormant for so long, beat in her chest as though it had come alive again.
A smile appeared on Yun Shu's face, like a silk moth breaking out of its cocoon.
"...S-Senior Brother... you..."
Drenched in sweat and utterly drained of strength, Yun Shu leaned limply against Li Ping'an's shoulder.
The peak heads and elders present all widened their eyes, their gazes filled with complicated emotions.
Tsk, tsk~
Were disciples these days all this bold?
Li Ping'an coughed lightly and gently pushed Yun Shu away, his expression unchanged.
Who would have thought Yun Shu would topple straight toward the ground, limbs splayed in a thoroughly undignified pose?
Fortunately, Daoist Liuyun, Lesser Qiong Peak's master, caught Yun Shu in time.
"M-Master..."
"Say no more."
Daoist Liuyun gave the deputy sect leader a Daoist salute.
Then he glanced at Li Ping'an, his eyes filled with shock.
"Thank you, Martial Nephew Ping'an."
"You're too kind, Martial Uncle."
"Words cannot express my gratitude for this great favor. I shall repay it another day."
With that, Daoist Liuyun supported Yun Shu, who looked as though she had been played with until she broke, and flew away.
Feigning composure, Li Ping'an leisurely drank a cup of wine.
The peak heads and elders had all sensed the change in Yun Shu's aura.
Seeing Liuyun actually thank a junior, they were surprised, but they also had a few guesses.
Their gazes toward Li Ping'an gained a measure of