Chapter 137: Meeting the Elders
“Okay, Sister Hui.”
“But why are you so persistent? Our Sect Master is now gone into secluded cultivation. It has been a long time since anyone has disturbed her.” He Hui looked at Qin Xiaoxi who was in front of her with a very curious gaze.
“I came from far away just to meet your Sect Master.”
“Then there’s nothing I can do to help you, sister. You can come a few days later. Maybe then you will be able to meet the Sect Master.” He Hui shook her head helplessly.
“This…” For a moment, Qin Xiaoxi was at a loss as to what to do. The traveling expenses her elder sister gave her was running low. If she stayed in an inn, she didn’t know how many days the money could last her.
It seemed that He Hui saw through Qin Xiaoxi’s difficulties.
So she quickly added, “I can bring you to meet the elders first and we’ll see what they say.”
“Okay! Thank you, sister He Hui!” Qin Xiaoxi quickly thanked her.
“You’re welcome.” Sister He Hui stood up. “Come, pack up. We’ll go meet the elders now.”
Qin Xiaoxi nodded excitedly.
Although she hadn’t been able to meet the Sect Master, to be able to meet the elders of the Sakura Sect was not bad either. Perhaps she could stay here and learn cultivation techniques.
Qin Xiaoxi put her bag on her shoulder and followed He Hui into the gate.
Upon entering the gate, she was greeted by the huge front yard. In the middle of the front yard was a huge pool. The water in the pool was so clear that one could see the bottom. Upon closer inspection, there were a few small fish swimming in it, but this was not what surprised Qin Xiaoxi, what really surprised her was the cherry blossom tree in the pool.
The trunk of this cherry blossom tree was thick and strong, as if it had been there for a hundred years. The flowers it bloomed were far more beautiful than the cherry blossoms that Qin Xiaoxi had seen on the mountains. The white color hidden in the bright pink made the blooming flowers even more beautiful. A breeze blew past, and some petals fell with it.
“This cherry blossom tree has been around for at least a hundred years. It has survived for so long only because it absorbed a lot of natural spiritual energy,” He Hui explained to Qin Xiaoxi as she led the way.
“It’s very beautiful… Even more beautiful than all the cherry blossom trees I’ve seen outside,” Qin Xiaoxi exclaimed.
“Yes, after seeing these flowers, one will tend to feel the others are flat and insipid.” He Hui nodded. To her, it was a pleasure to admire this century-old cherry blossom tree every day when she had nothing to do, “The cherry blossoms bloom in such a way which makes me look forward to them more every year.”
Qin Xiaoxi didn’t understand what He Hui meant.
“You don’t understand? Haha.” He Hui just smiled. “When I was young, my parents told me that the cherry blossoms represent a new life and hope.”
“Why is there such a saying?” Qin Xiaoxi, who had always lived in Thunder City, naturally had never admired the cherry blossoms in this way.
“That’s what I think. At least when the cherry blossoms bloom again, they’re telling me that everything in the world has welcomed a revival again. Wherever they are, there will be life.”
Qin Xiaoxi roughly understood what He Hui meant.
But about the cherry blossoms, Qin Xiaoxi knew another saying about it.
“What saying?” He Hui asked when she heard Qin Xiaoxi mention it.
“It is said that these cherry blossoms represent the blood of countless martyrs. The more brilliant the color of the cherry blossoms are, the more souls are buried under the trees…”
He Hui nodded.
She had heard of this lore before.
“I’ve always felt that this lore is a little scary… However, we don’t think that way here. It’s just a saying from a foreign land.”
“What is that place?” Qin Xiaoxi suddenly shifted her gaze to the stone stairs at the side. The stone stairs led to a huge building that looked like a palace.
When He Hui heard Qin Xiaoxi’s question, she also turned around and stopped.
“Oh, this is the Sihe Palace. It’s where the elders and the Sect Master discuss matters,” He Hui introduced the place to Qin Xiaoxi.
Qin Xiaoxi nodded and continued to follow He Hui to the other side.
The many places Qin Xiaoxi passed by were foreign to her eyes.
“We’re here. This is where the two elders are.” He Hui stopped. At this moment, they were in front of a house that was two stories high.
“Wait for me here, Xiaoxi.” He Hui gestured for Qin Xiaoxi to stay where she was and then trotted to the front of the door.
“Master… Elder Xu.” He Hui knocked on the door gently. “It’s me, Xiaohui.”
“Oh… Xiaohui, come in.”
He Hui, who was about to enter the house, glanced at Qin Xiaoxi who had stayed where she was and then walked into the house.
After a long time, the wooden door of the house was finally pushed open.
Two middle-aged women walked out of the house.
They were both wearing black clothes and had their hair in a bun. Although they were in their middle years, Qin Xiaoxi could still feel a heroic spirit from their eyes.
At this time, He Hui also came to Qin Xiaoxi’s side.
“This is Elder Xu Qing and Elder Zhang Xiaoying.”
“Hello, Elder Xu. Hello, Elder Zhang. I’m Qin Xiaoxi.” Qin Xiaoxi cupped her hands and introduced herself.
The two of them looked at Qin Xiaoxi who was in front of them, as if they were thinking about something.
“I have roughly heard about the situation that Xiaohui has mentioned to me. Where are you from? Where do you live?”
“Xiaoxi is from Thunder City.”
“Thunder City of the Northwest Mainland? Your surname is Qin. Could you be from the Qin Family of the Qinyu Island?” Elder Xu seemed to be a little surprised.
“Yes… My grandfather was from the Qinyu Island before he came to Thunder City.” Qin Xiaoxi also couldn’t figure it out. She didn’t expect these two elders to know about her general family environment.
The two elders just nodded.
“Hmm… I heard that you came here to meet Sect Master Lin.”
“Yes, I want to learn from your Sect.”
“Its good for young people to have great aspirations. However, Sect Master Lin has already given a clear order to not recruit any more disciples.”
It was obvious that they wanted Qin Xiaoxi to go back. She had come all the way here only to be denied entry. Qin Xiaoxi was naturally unwilling willing to return dejectedly.
“I have come all the way here just to learn the cultivation techniques of the Sakura Sect. I hope the two elders can make an exception for me and let me meet the Sect Master.”
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