Inside the Great Enshrined's hall, Lin Gu had been summoned over. After a string of questions, there stood the undeniable evidence before their eyes: two dazzling red Soul Rings.
Qian Daoliu marveled repeatedly, "Even I don't have a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring. Xiao Xue, Xiao Gu, you actually have one each."
"Especially you, Xiao Gu. Your second Soul Ring has already reached a hundred thousand years. That's simply outrageous. I thought your second Soul Ring would far surpass those of other Soul Masters, ten thousand years at most. I never expected it to be a hundred thousand years outright. Xiao Gu, you truly frighten me."
Qian Daoliu was so excited that he rose to his feet. Looking at the two peerless geniuses, he nodded and said:
"Very good, very good. Take a few days to rest. Xiao Gu, go get some rest first. I have something to discuss with Xiao Xue!"
Lin Gu cupped his hands in farewell. "Yes, Master!" He glanced at Qian Renxue, then withdrew.
He probably wants to pass the Angel Soul Bones down to her. It really wouldn't be appropriate for me to stay for that, he thought, and so he left.
When it was time for bed that night, Lin Gu did nothing else. He planned to rest properly for a few days, go out for a stroll, and do more missions.
Now that I'm already level twenty-nine, there should be some different missions too.
Outside the window, the night was dark, and the stars twinkled beautifully.
Lin Gu had some trouble sleeping. At this time in the past, Xiao Xue would always come over to tease him a little. Why hadn't she come today?
With no desire to sleep, he got up and went outside for a walk. The beautiful night sky looked especially lovely above the Worship Hall.
The full moon hung high overhead. Lin Gu gazed into the distance.
"What a beautiful moon!"
Yet in that instant, he actually spotted a familiar figure at the edge of the full moon, gazing up at it at a forty-five-degree angle. The figure was slender, long hair falling down her back and fluttering in the wind.
Lin Gu froze for a moment. Why did that figure look so much like Qian Renxue?
He walked over, then leaped up and landed behind her.
Qian Renxue was sitting there alone, her eyes on the bright moon. She clearly lacked the joy and cheer she had shown during the day. Behind her gaze were reluctance to part and hesitation.
Lin Gu was a little surprised. Why was Qian Renxue so sorrowful now?
Could Master have said something to her?
Lin Gu coughed once and sat down beside Qian Renxue.
Only then did Qian Renxue come to her senses. Seeing that it was Lin Gu, she managed to force a smile and said slowly:
"Xiao Gu, you're still awake?"
"Aren't you still awake too, Sister Xiao Xue?"
Qian Renxue smiled, looked at Lin Gu, and said:
"The moon is so round tonight, so I wanted to come out and look at it!"
Lin Gu looked over. Although Qian Renxue was talking about the moon, her eyes were not on it. Instead, she was staring at him, who had just arrived.
But when Lin Gu met her gaze, Qian Renxue hurriedly averted her eyes.
Lin Gu smiled faintly and said, "You always used to invite me along when you looked at the moon. Why are you alone today?"
Over the past year, Qian Renxue had always dragged Lin Gu along to look at the moon. Since she lived high above the ground, she had loved looking at the moon since childhood, and had even said that she would definitely go there someday to take a look.
Especially with a full moon like this, Qian Renxue would certainly have dragged Lin Gu along. Yet today, quite unusually, she was here alone, her expression distant.
Hearing this, Qian Renxue pursed her lips and swept her hair back, tucking her pale golden locks behind her ear. The moonlight fell upon them, making them look like glittering gold.
"Ah! Xiao Gu, I'm afraid I won't ever be able to see such a beautiful moon again!"
At those words, Lin Gu blinked and asked:
"Sister Xiao Xue, what do you mean? What did Master say to you?"
Qian Renxue hurriedly shook her head and explained:
"Nothing, nothing. Grandpa just passed the Angel Soul Bones down to me. Now I have a complete set of Soul Bones, and my strength has increased greatly!"
Looking at Qian Renxue's forced smile, Lin Gu naturally knew there was something else she had not said. But since Qian Renxue would not say it, he would not press her either. He merely said:
"That's all? There's nothing else?"
Qian Renxue shook her head. "That's all. What else could there be? The most important thing now is for you to watch the moon with me. Tonight's moon is so round and so big! I really wish I could keep watching it forever."
Lin Gu looked at Qian Renxue's unsettled demeanor. She hardly looked as though she wanted to watch the moon. In the past, she had watched it with genuine happiness, her smile completely unrestrained.
Now, Qian Renxue's smile felt terribly stiff.
So he continued asking, "There's really nothing else? Actually, Sister Xiao Xue, you can tell me. Maybe I can help you!"
Qian Renxue pursed her lips, looked at Lin Gu, and gently touched his nose before saying:
"What could there possibly be!"
But then she shook her head again. "Look at this memory of mine. There really is something else. I almost forgot. Lin Gu, go to Spirit Hall's Pope's Palace tomorrow. My grandpa and Bi-no, the Pope will be waiting for you there."
Hearing this, Lin Gu thought, Bibi Dong and Qian Daoliu both want to see me? He asked:
"What is it about?"
"Well... you'll know tomorrow. I don't actually know either!"
Qian Renxue sat on the eaves with her arms around her legs, gazing at the moon. The moonlight passed through her silhouette, like a landscape painting, delicate and beautiful.
Lin Gu swallowed and nodded, then slowly said:
"What about you, Sister Xiao Xue? Will you go tomorrow?"
"Me? I have something else to do, so I won't be going!"
Qian Renxue still wore that stiff smile. Seeing that she still would not speak, Lin Gu had roughly guessed what was happening. Then I'll settle it tomorrow. He said:
"Sister Xiao Xue, I hope you won't force yourself, whatever it is."
Qian Renxue smiled and patted Lin Gu's head.
"All right, don't worry. Nothing's wrong. But I do have one tiny request!"
Lin Gu looked over and asked, "What request?"
Qian Renxue's cheeks flushed. With moonlight spilling over her, she looked particularly exquisite and beautiful as she said slowly:
"Well, I actually don't really like hearing you call me Sister Xiao Xue. Although I'm older than you, I don't really want to be your older sister. So, could you stop calling me Sister Xiao Xue?"
Lin Gu smiled faintly and deliberately asked:
"If you don't want to be my older sister, what do you want to be to me?"
Qian Renxue froze for a moment, her face even redder than before. She cast a glance at Lin Gu and shook her head slightly, thinking:
Qian Renxue, oh, Qian Renxue, what are you saying? Xiao Gu is only seven!
She steadied her emotions, took a deep breath, and said:
"Nothing. I said too much..."
Before she could finish, Lin Gu interrupted:
"All right, I promise, Xiao Xue!"
This left Qian Renxue frozen in place. She stared blankly at Lin Gu. He clearly looked like nothing more than a seven-year-old child, yet he was so reassuring, making one want to lean on him. She pursed her lips, nodded slightly in agreement, then said:
"Xiao Gu, watch the moon with me!"
Qian Renxue leaned closer to Lin Gu. As uninhibited as ever, she draped an arm around his shoulders and gazed at the bright moon.
Beneath the full moon, the two admired it together, utterly at ease in its light!
And so, the whole night passed~