As Su Qing wandered around, a sudden pang of nostalgia stirred within him. If only there were a couple of stalls selling griddle-cooked squid and grilled cold noodles by the roadside.
Heh, just like strolling through a night market in my previous life.
At that thought, Su Qing grew somewhat forlorn and lost the desire to keep wandering. He shook his head, found a rock by the roadside, and sat down.
He simply watched the crowds coming and going along the road.
A long while passed like that before a pair of slender, delicate hands reached out from behind Su Qing and covered his eyes. A sweet voice asked, "Guess who?"
Su Qing did not answer. He raised his hands to catch those fair wrists, then leaned back, resting gently against Tang Qian'er.
Tang Qian'er intertwined her fingers with his in turn, wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and softly hummed a lilting tune.
The evening breeze stirred Tang Qian'er's hair, brushing it lightly across Su Qing's cheek. The gentle wind brought a little comfort.
The distant sunset bathed them both in its glow. The atmosphere was like waves of autumn wheat swaying in the breeze, warm and peaceful.
Even the passersby lowered their voices as they went past, unwilling to disturb them.
"Are you tired?"
Tang Qian'er asked softly beside Su Qing's ear.
"Not too bad."
Su Qing mustered a smile.
"Go and do whatever you want to do. I'll support you. Wherever you may be in the future, I'll always be waiting for you to come home."
The corners of Tang Qian'er's lips lifted, and she blew a breath into his ear as she spoke.
Su Qing fell silent for a moment, then said, "I'll come back."
The two fell quiet, releasing their interlaced fingers. Tang Qian'er rested her head on Su Qing's shoulder and wrapped her arms around his waist.
The delicate fragrance drifting from behind him stirred something in Su Qing's heart. Only then did he suddenly realize that the girl from all those years ago had grown up.
After a moment's thought, Su Qing reached over and deftly flicked her forehead.
"Ow!"
Tang Qian'er cried out in pain and lifted her head from him. She thumped him once, pouted, then leaned against him again.
The atmosphere between them returned to what it had been.
But such a lovely atmosphere could not last forever. An ill-timed voice rang out from the middle of the road nearby.
The two looked over with a trace of annoyance and found Mu Chen arguing about something with a tall, burly figure who had blocked his path.
They exchanged helpless looks, then smiled at each other and stood. Holding Tang Qian'er by her fair wrist, Su Qing led her over.
"You're Mu Chen, right?"
The tall, burly figure stared intently at Mu Chen and gave a faint smile.
"I'm Chu Qi. I'd like to ask you for a favor."
Mu Chen stared at Chu Lin's face without a word, his attitude indifferent.
Chu Lin did not care and continued on his own.
"I hope you'll stay away from Luo Li."
As those words reached Mu Chen's ears, the indifference in his eyes vanished, replaced by a glint of aggression.
He stared at the fellow named Chu Lin before him, feeling faintly amused, and asked mockingly, "One of Luo Li's suitors?"
"You came out of the Spirit Road?"
"You've spent time with Luo Li?"
"She saved me once on the Spirit Road. I spent some time with her."
Chu Qi remained silent at the first two questions, neither confirming nor denying them. Only at the third did he answer in a low voice.
"During that so-called time you spent together-she probably never paid you any attention, did she?"
A mocking smile appeared on Mu Chen's face, but his eyes were cold.
When Chu Lin fell silent without answering, Mu Chen's expression turned utterly cold. He spat on the ground and said, "What? You think you have a chance? I killed plenty of people like you on the Spirit Road. Who the hell do you think you are?"
Chu Qi stared at Mu Chen and smiled with a hint of condescension before speaking slowly.
"You certainly made quite a name for yourself on the Spirit Road, but I don't think you've grasped reality."
"This isn't the Spirit Road. And you're no longer Mu Chen, the Blood Calamity. You're merely a student who has only just reached the Divine Soul Realm."
At this point, a touch of fervor entered Chu Lin's voice, and he unconsciously raised it.
"Your level of strength is enough to convince me that you aren't worthy of her. And-"
"And you can go die, too."
Chu Lin's words cut off abruptly. A wave of cold washed over him, like the deadly waters of deepest winter, like an Asura Demon.
Su Qing strode to Mu Chen's side, his lips curled in a savage grin and a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes.
"He's talented, she's beautiful-a match made in heaven. What right does a freak like you have to object?"
Su Qing spoke softly and hoarsely, his tone sending chills down the spine.
You interrupted me cuddling with my girl, and now you're standing there spewing bullshit, mocking my little brother and trying to drive a wedge between him and my sister-in-law.
If this can be tolerated, what can't? Who the hell do you think you are?
"What I hate most in life are people who stick their noses into other people's relationships, and people who imagine their feelings are returned."
"So, could I trouble you to go die?"
Su Qing grinned, revealing his white teeth, but his eyes remained fixed on Chu Lin without blinking.
"Who are you?"
Chu Lin asked in a low voice.
Su Qing ignored him and patted Mu Chen on the shoulder.
"Mu, beat the hell out of him! Show him whether you're worthy!"
"You got it, big brother." Mu Chen rubbed his fists and flexed his hands, a savage grin appearing on his face.
With that, he darted forward and threw a punch.
On a hillside a short distance away, dozens of figures stood watching Chu Lin, helplessness written across their faces.
At the head of the group, a handsome youth shook his head and sighed. "How did they end up fighting anyway?"
"Don't you know what he's like?"
Another person beside him clearly had little fondness for Chu Lin and snorted irritably.
"Is that Mu Chen? The early Divine Soul Realm is pretty impressive, but he should still be a little behind our boss, right?"
A youth who looked rather restless stood behind the handsome youth and asked curiously.
The handsome youth glanced back at the restless youth, then turned his gaze toward the battlefield again and explained in a somewhat complicated tone.
"If he hadn't been expelled because of that blood calamity, his achievements now would be on par with Luo Li, Ji Xuan, and the others."
"But there aren't that many 'ifs' in this world. Right now, Mu Chen is only in the early Divine Soul Realm. At least for now, Chu Lin can still overpower him."
While the group chatted, the battle between Mu Chen and Chu Lin raged fiercely.
They watched for a little longer, and the handsome youth's expression gradually changed.
When Mu Chen summoned a golden hand seal and defeated Chu Lin in a single stroke, the youth finally sighed with a complicated expression.
"As expected of Mu Chen."
But just as they prepared to head down, apologize, and clean up Chu Lin's mess, their expressions suddenly changed drastically.
The restless youth cried out in alarm, "What is Mu Chen trying to do?"
After defeating Chu Lin, Mu Chen did not stop there. Instead, a cold gleam shot from his finger toward the space between Chu Lin's brows.
Though Chu Lin had been defeated, he was not entirely helpless. He raised his hands and barely blocked Mu Chen's attacks, buying time.
As the group rushed over to rescue Chu Lin, a youth in green drew his sword and barred their way, saying softly,
"This road is closed!"