Chapter 180: Chapter 179: As If It’s Been Many Years
The evening breeze drifted slowly, soft and gentle.
Wen Qingye sat on a stone chair, gazing at the moonlight before him. He remained motionless, letting time slip by.
’What are Zhang Xiaoyun and Gao Yuerou doing right now? And where is Taiyi Pavilion?’ Staring at the bright, clear moonlight, Wen Qingye’s thoughts began to wander.
At that moment, Zhao Hao, carrying a jar of wine, walked over to Zhao Xia, who had been standing nearby for some time. "Sis, aren’t you going to go say a few words to Brother Wen?"
Zhao Xia gazed at Wen Qingye’s back and said faintly, "He doesn’t want to talk right now. He probably just wants to be left alone."
Zhao Hao raised an eyebrow and sighed, then handed the wine jar to Zhao Xia. "Then go have a few drinks with him. Drown your sorrows in wine, as they say."
Zhao Xia took the wine jar and smiled faintly. "He won’t let himself get drunk right now. He knows what he needs to do. This wine isn’t for drowning sorrows, and he’s not the type to drink it for that."
Zhao Xia’s voice was soft, as if she had known Wen Qingye for many years. She seemed to understand him completely, as well as she understood herself.
"Sometimes, life is just like this. It’s like fluff floating in the sky—it seems free, drifting with the wind, but more often than not, its path is not its own to choose."
"Sis, are you talking about the rumors concerning that girl from the Zhang Family, the one born of a concubine?"
"Yes."
Zhao Hao watched Wen Qingye, who was still sitting there motionless. The only difference was that Wen Qingye now held a cup of clear water, which he sipped slowly as if searching for some hidden flavor.
Zhao Hao frowned slightly. "I just heard that the girl from the Zhang Family was taken in as a disciple by some mysterious Sect. This world is so vast and full of temptation. In the torrent of time, I wonder if she can stay true to herself."
Zhao Xia acted as if she hadn’t heard him, her gaze falling to the wine jar in her hands.
Zhao Hao continued, "Besides, who knows where this Sect is located. It must not be anywhere near the Celestial Profound Sect, or I would’ve heard of it."
"That Sect is in the east," Zhao Xia said quietly.
Zhao Hao said in surprise, "Sis, you know?"
"Yes. I heard some wandering travelers mention it not long ago." Zhao Xia nodded. "This Sect, Taiyi Pavilion, is no simple matter."
Zhao Xia’s words were brief, but they were enough to suggest that Taiyi Pavilion’s origins were formidable.
Zhao Hao didn’t press further, but he was secretly stunned. ’Just how talented is this girl from the Zhang Family,’ he wondered, ’for such a major Sect to come and snatch her away?’
After a moment of hesitation, Zhao Hao asked, "With Brother Wen’s Sword Technique Cultivation and his talent, he should still have a chance, right?"
"Perhaps," Zhao Xia agreed, nodding.
Neither of them spoke again, and a moment of silence passed.
Suddenly, Zhao Hao asked, "Sis?"
"Hm?"
"Do you hope Brother Wen gives up, or..."
Zhao Xia smiled. "If he were to give up, would he still be himself?"
Zhao Hao nodded emphatically. ’That’s right,’ he thought. ’If Wen Qingye gave up, would he still be the same person?’
"That’s what I admire most about him," Zhao Xia said, her smile radiant. "But it’s only admiration."
"Sis, I’m going to head back and cultivate," Zhao Hao said, glancing at the night sky.
Zhao Xia nodded. "Go on."
Zhao Hao slowly backed out of the courtyard. Zhao Xia remained standing not far away, watching Wen Qingye. Strangely, he just kept sitting there, as if completely unaware of her presence.
Zhao Xia looked at the wine jar in her hand and smiled. She slowly unsealed it, then pressed her cherry-red lips to the mouth of the jar. A cool sensation flowed down her throat.
Zhao Xia slowly drank the wine. A blush crept onto her cheeks, and a trace of dazed nostalgia appeared in her beautiful eyes, as if she were recalling many things from the past.
Wen Qingye drained the water in his cup in a single gulp. There were some things he would not—could not—give up on. Meanwhile, under the moon and in the evening breeze, Zhao Xia gave a faint smile, set down the wine jar, and quietly turned to leave.
Wen Qingye’s eyebrow twitched. He glanced in that direction. ’Did I see that wrong?’ he wondered.
...
The next day, the streets of Phoenix City were completely deserted. The entire populace had gathered in the city’s central square, forming a dense, dark sea of people.
It was a veritable sea of people, even more crowded than the day before.
Wen Qingye stood in the center, hands clasped behind his back, sword in hand. His eyes were calm as he stared straight ahead.
A woman walked toward him. She had bright, beautiful eyes, and a clear battle intent shone within them. The aura she exuded was even stronger than Shu Nan’s, not weaker in the slightest.
Wen Qingye looked at the beautiful woman before him and smiled. "What? Is it your turn today?"
This beautiful woman was none other than Cheng Yu. She gave a dazzling smile and said, "If you want to fight Brother Shuang, you’ll have to get past me first."
"You’re no match for me," Wen Qingye said with a laugh, tilting his head back.
After speaking, Wen Qingye glanced over at the crowd from Celestial Academy. Seeing his gaze land on them, they all gritted their teeth in resentment.
"Hmph. We’ll see about that," Cheng Yu retorted, her eyes narrowing as she stared at Wen Qingye. "Don’t get too arrogant, Wen Qingye."
Cheng Yu was the second-strongest expert in Celestial Academy. Her cultivation had already reached the peak of the Refining Spirit Third Layer Heaven. Aside from Nie Shuang, no one in Celestial Academy was her match.
A hint of worry appeared in Nie Shuang’s eyes. ’I wonder if Yu’Er is a match for him.’
"The way I see it, Cheng Yu and Wen Qingye should be evenly matched. Wen Qingye’s strength might not be as great as we imagined," Wu Jing added, sounding uncertain.
The surrounding members of Celestial Academy all had their brows tightly furrowed, their eyes locked on the two figures on the platform.
"I don’t mind. Anyone is fine," Wen Qingye said with a casual nod. "All your Celestial Academy wants is fame, right? Fine. All you have to do is defeat me!"
As he finished speaking, Wen Qingye took a step forward, and a powerful aura erupted from him.
Wen Qingye knew that at this moment, he represented Qig Mountain Academy. The academy had shown him kindness, and he would not forget it.
Today, Wen Qingye could only win!
Seeing Wen Qingye’s proud, solitary stance, Cheng Yu’s shapely brows arched. Anger flashed in her eyes as she bit her lip. "Then let’s begin. I’d like to see where all this confidence comes from."
Wen Qingye inclined his head but did not draw his sword.
Cheng Yu gave a sharp cry, her body flickering in and out of view until, in the blink of an eye, she vanished from sight.
A light breeze stirred across the field, carrying fragmented afterimages with it.
"Could that be Celestial Academy’s Eighth-Grade Martial Arts, the Willow Fluff Following Wind Body Technique?"
"The speed is incredible. That Step Technique requires immense comprehension. Cheng Yu truly lives up to her name as Celestial Academy’s second-strongest expert. Her skills are impressive."
"So fast! Worthy of an Eighth-Grade Martial Arts."
The crowd saw only a flicker, like windblown fluff, and then Cheng Yu had vanished, instantly closing the distance to Wen Qingye.
