My Surname Is Wang, Given Name Xianren

Zhu Lianqing silently glanced at Xie Lingchuan, who had suddenly spoken up.

This disciple of his generally stayed out of matters like this. His sudden intervention could only mean that he seemed suspicious of her insistence on leaving.

Mainly, Zhu Lianqing had not expected these juniors to ask her to stay. Otherwise, she would have left long ago.

Zhu Lianqing waved a hand. "I'm just an idle wanderer roaming the mountains and rivers. Traveling beneath the stars and moon is nothing unusual for me. Besides, the thought of a whole swarm of moth demons coming to feed on the full moon in a few days scares me."

Beside her, Song Wensheng suddenly perked up at the word "scares." He immediately straightened his chest.

"Scared? You must be joking, Senior. This is precisely the safest place to be." He paused deliberately and looked toward Xie Lingchuan.

Zhu Lianqing immediately had a bad feeling.

Please don't say it!

But the next second, Song Wensheng raised his head like a proud peacock and cupped his hands toward Xie Lingchuan.

"You probably don't know this, but he is the sole direct disciple of our Luoyang Sword Sect's Immortal Master Zhu, Perfected Lord Nanhua, the foremost master of the sword! He's Senior Brother Xie, Xie Lingchuan, whom all the sects once fought to take as their disciple!"

Zhu Lianqing's eyelid twitched and twitched.

She knew. Of course she knew!

It was precisely because she knew this was Xie Lingchuan that she was in such a hurry to flee!

After the introduction, the three young cultivators opposite Zhu Lianqing looked proud and pleased with themselves. Shen Ji was smiling, while Xie Lingchuan remained composed.

Zhu Lianqing knew it was her turn to take the stage.

Life was a play; everything depended on acting skills.

Zhu Lianqing first feigned surprise, covering her mouth in disbelief before pointing at Xie Lingchuan. "Really? You mean he's that... he's that person!"

Opposite her, Song Wensheng nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, yes! That's him!"

"So you can rest easy now, Senior! You placed such a large bet on him. Surely you know Senior Brother Xie has the strength to protect everyone."

At those words, silence fell over the gathering for a full three seconds.

Jiang Tingxue elbowed Song Wensheng hard and lowered her voice. "Why would you bring that up too? Doesn't Senior have her dignity?"

Zhu Lianqing smiled calmly. "Actually, I can hear your whispers too."

The gathering sank into an unprecedented silence once more.

In the end, Shen Ji broke the silence with a dry laugh.

"In that case, please stay here without worry, Senior."

There was no helping it. With things having reached this point, refusing again would only make Zhu Lianqing seem suspicious.

"All right, then. I'll entrust my safety to you all. But so far, I've only learned Young Hero Xie's name. What should I call the rest of you? My surname is Wang, given name Xianren. Xian as in leisurely pursuits, and ren as in benevolence."

At this, they introduced themselves in turn.

"I am Shen Ji, the senior direct disciple of the sixteenth generation under the Luoyu Sword Sect's third sect leader. Senior Xianren, you may simply call me by my name."

"I'm Senior Brother Shen's junior sister, Jiang Tingxue." After introducing herself, Jiang Tingxue did not forget to point at Song Wensheng and Yan Qing. "Those two are both my junior brothers."

"Who's your junior brother? Senior Xianren, don't listen to her nonsense. I'm the second senior brother. My name is Song Wensheng."

"I... my name is Yan Qing."

Once the introductions were over, Zhu Lianqing privately thought that everyone in this sect had such elegant names.

Clouds clearing and rain passing, listening to snow and hearing sounds-truly, those who were not of one family would never enter the same sect.

It was midnight now, time to rest.

But the crucial problem was that Xie Lingchuan and his companions had come here while hunting demons and had no rooms to rest in. The villagers probably did not dare come outside now, so there was no one to arrange lodgings.

After some thought, Zhu Lianqing said, "Everyone, it's late. Whatever there is to discuss can wait until tomorrow. Why don't you all come into this room to meditate and rest? There aren't any beds to sleep in, but at least it offers some shelter from the wind."

"No need, Senior. Cultivators have strong constitutions. Spending a night in the wind outside is nothing. Please go and rest yourself. We're just sorry to trouble you to look after Miss A Man while you're there."

Seeing that they truly had no intention of going inside to rest, Zhu Lianqing could not be bothered to keep insisting. Her body was still a little weak, and a night in the wind really would leave her with a cold.

So Zhu Lianqing turned and entered the room.

She sat at the table and glanced at Miss A Man. There was no movement; she supposed A Man would not wake anytime soon.

Zhu Lianqing propped up her chin and began staring into space.

The more she thought about it, the more she felt this was downright uncanny.

Zhu Lianqing decided that once the moth demons and corpse-eating demon were dealt with, she would head east if these people went west. She absolutely could not get mixed up with them again.

Although the arguing outside was deliberately hushed, Zhu Lianqing could still hear exactly what they were saying.

It was nothing more than those two squabbling brats betting on who could stay awake longer.

Song Wensheng said, "I can go three nights without sleep just fine. Senior Brother, Junior Sister, Junior Brother, rest as much as you like. If anything happens, I'll wake you immediately."

Jiang Tingxue refused to concede. "Who are you looking down on? I can keep watch too. Who was it who's sleepier than a dog at every morning cultivation session, yet still has the nerve to boast here?"

Shen Ji's gentle voice interjected to mediate. "Enough. Sleep if you want to sleep, and keep watch if you want to keep watch. Senior has already gone to rest. Don't disturb her."

The two each gave a disgruntled huff, but obediently stopped arguing.

Zhu Lianqing listened to the whole exchange. From beginning to end, Xie Lingchuan had not said a word.

Two years had passed. This disciple of hers had grown taller, his features had matured, and his swordsmanship had improved. Only this one thing had never changed.

He did not like to chat.

As these thoughts drifted hazily through Zhu Lianqing's mind, her eyelids grew heavy, and she fell asleep over the table.

But the position was uncomfortable, after all, and Zhu Lianqing woke after only a short while.

She raised her head toward the windowsill. Outside, the moon had moved only a few inches across the night sky, and the darkness was still deep.

She had probably slept for only an hour.

Zhu Lianqing rose and walked to the window. Through its somewhat dilapidated frame, she saw figures sprawled every which way on the steps beneath the eaves.

Shen Ji leaned against a pillar, Song Wensheng leaned against Shen Ji, and behind them were Jiang Tingxue and Yan Qing in turn.

Those who had just declared they would not sleep were already huddled together in dreamland.

Soft white moonlight spilled over them, making this sect seem harmonious and lovely.

Zhu Lianqing shifted her gaze left. Xie Lingchuan sat all alone on the other side of the pillar.

The youth's silhouette looked somewhat slight in the darkness. The night breeze occasionally stirred his high ponytail and the loose strands over his forehead, revealing and concealing the clean, sharp lines of his profile.

Leaning by the window as she watched, Zhu Lianqing suddenly frowned.

From her angle, she could see Xie Lingchuan's eyelashes trembling slightly.

Was he blinking?

So he actually hadn't gone to sleep yet?

Zhu Lianqing stood at the window for a while. In the end, she sighed softly, gently pushed the door open, and went outside.

"Can't sleep?"

Zhu Lianqing walked straight over and sat beside Xie Lingchuan.

Xie Lingchuan showed no particular reaction to her arrival. He merely lifted his eyelids slightly in acknowledgment, tacitly accepting her claim that he could not sleep.

Zhu Lianqing looked at him and said earnestly, "Why are you so weighed down with worries at such a young age? When I was your age, I was just like Little Jiang said-sleepier than a dog. Don't keep thinking about this and that in the dead of night. Thinking too much can make you depressed. Do you know what depression is? It's frightening."

"I wasn't thinking about anything. I'm simply treating this as keeping watch."

"The moth woman was injured tonight, and midnight has already passed. There's a hundred percent chance she won't come back. Besides, there's a barrier. If you trust me, get some rest."

Xie Lingchuan finally looked over, but merely nodded. "Mm. Thank you, Senior."

One look told Zhu Lianqing that he had not taken any of it in.

She raised her hands in surrender.

Fine, fine. Let him be emo. I give up trying to talk to him.

Because Zhu Lianqing knew better than anyone just how impervious Xie Lingchuan could be when dealing with people he did not know well.

Right now, for instance, this young disciple of hers had practically engraved "strangers, keep away" into his soul.

Zhu Lianqing stood, patted off her backside, and went back inside.