Chapter 43 I'll Give You a Response to Admiration? Who admires you? I...

Inside the training hall, spiritual energy filled the air, and the voice of the elder giving the lecture sounded like a distant, ethereal bell, indistinct and unclear.

Chen Hanzhou sat cross-legged on the futon, his eyes vacant, his gaze fixed on the empty seat beside him that had been sitting there for a long time.

Shi Liuying should have been sitting there.

Since the system's influence gradually weakened, the unwarranted bullying and exclusion have decreased significantly, and life should have become more carefree and comfortable.

But for some reason, Shen Hanzhou felt empty inside.

I haven't seen Shi Liuying for several days. Even Senior Sister Chi Yang has temporarily left the sect, supposedly to deal with a "not very honest" man.

The vast sect made him feel a sense of loneliness he had never felt before.

Bored, he took out a communication jade slip and slid his consciousness into the sect's internal forum, trying to find some interesting things to pass the time.

After scrolling through countless posts for a while, the only one that sparked widespread discussion and piqued his interest was the pinned and featured hot post.

[Headline: Breaking News! A shocking confession scene has appeared on the back mountain of Xuanji Peak! Incredibly extravagant! Suspected to be the work of a big shot!]

[1L: OP, let's start! I just finished a quest and was passing by the mountain behind Xuanji Peak when I was almost blinded by the spiritual energy. From afar, I saw a gigantic… uh, how should I describe it, a pink circle? No, it was a heart. A heart made of countless heavenly treasures! The spiritual energy was so dense it was almost tangible.]

[2L: Adding to the above. It wasn't just dense with spiritual energy! It directly triggered extraordinary celestial phenomena! At that time, countless rays of light shone and auspicious colors appeared. Several terrifying divine senses swept over to investigate, and guess what? Those powerful beings' divine senses, upon touching that heart shape, withdrew as if electrocuted. I personally witnessed one of their divine sense fluctuations; he was utterly speechless, as if he had swallowed a fly, and vanished instantly.]

[3L: On-site witness +1! These aren't just rare treasures; if you look at them up close, every single one is a top-quality magical artifact, a rare and precious gem! They're piled up to form the words 'I love you'! Which senior disciple from the inner sect is so generous? Their status is definitely not low! Are they aiming to win over a Daoist partner in one fell swoop?]

[4L: Just guessing, is it that rich senior sister from Qifeng?]

[5L: No, Senior Sister Qifeng's taste isn't that... straightforward. I think it's more like Senior Brother Danfeng, ruthless and taciturn, giving the most expensive gifts!]

[6L: I bet five spirit stones it's from Sword Peak!]

[7L: Jianfeng is dirt poor, stop fooling around upstairs.]

...

The post was followed by countless speculations and exclamations.

Shen Hanzhou casually glanced around, initially thinking that these people were really gossipy.

His mind stirred when he saw the words "back mountain of Xuanji Peak".

The mountain behind Xuanji Peak?

Isn't that the place where Shi Liuying went into seclusion to break through her cultivation?

She's been inside for almost three months with no news.

Upon seeing the phrase "countless heavenly treasures," Shen Hanzhou's heart skipped a beat.

Who in the sect possesses the most rare and precious treasures? Who can compare to Senior Brother Jun Lintian!

Before going to see Tai Sui last time, my senior brother stuffed all the treasures he had accumulated over the years into Shi Liuying's storage bag. The bag was bulging and quite heavy!

An absurd yet reasonable guess grew wildly in his mind like weeds.

The person who made such a big fuss and put on such a grand display of love to confess their feelings... could it be Shi Liuying?

Given her straightforward, almost stubborn, personality, if she likes someone, she'll express it in the most direct way, displaying her most precious treasures and writing the most straightforward "I love you"... It makes perfect sense!

She's been in seclusion for so long, maybe she's been preparing for this?

The first thing to do after getting out of quarantine is to confess to your sweetheart?

The more Shen Hanzhou thought about it, the more convinced he became, and his heart began to race involuntarily.

Yes, yes, it must be that Liu Ying is going to confess to her senior brother! Her senior brother is so good to her, giving her treasures and secretly taking care of her, it's only natural that Liu Ying would fall for him!

On their way back to the sect last time, the two of them secretly went on a date together.

He was so excited he almost jumped off the cushion, and an excited smile involuntarily appeared on his face, as if he knew a huge secret.

"Sinking Cold Boat!"

A gloomy, low voice sounded from ahead, like a bucket of cold water being poured over one's head.

Shen Hanzhou jolted awake, looking up to meet Elder Chongcang's dull eyes, which seemed to show no interest in anything.

Clearly, he had been too distracted and had been called out.

"Tell me again how the spiritual energy should circulate in the third stage of the 'Concentration and Tranquility Technique' that I just explained."

Elder Chongcang's voice was flat, yet it carried an invisible pressure.

Shen Hanzhou: "..."

He was so busy browsing the forums and imagining things that he didn't hear a single word.

In the past, he might have felt embarrassed or uneasy.

But at this moment, he was completely absorbed by that shocking revelation and showed no sign of panic.

He stood up, showing no intention of answering the question. Instead, he made exaggerated facial expressions at Elder Chongcang, his lips moving silently to convey a message:

'Firefly is going to confess her feelings to Senior Brother!'

'Hurry—come here!'

After completing this series of small actions, he didn't care whether Elder Chongcang understood or not. He bowed to the elder and said in a relaxed tone, "This disciple is dull-witted and has failed to comprehend. I am willing to go to the Discipline Hall to await the elder's instruction."

That means: I'm waiting for you in the office!

After saying that, without waiting for Elder Chongcang's reaction, he walked out of the training hall amidst the astonished gazes of the disciples and headed straight for the quiet room at the back, which was reserved for elders to rest temporarily and handle disciples' affairs.

He knew that Elder Chongcang would definitely come.

Sure enough, not long after, the door to the meditation room was pushed open, and Elder Chongcang appeared in the doorway in his signature black robe, which seemed to have never seen the sun.

His face was more somber than usual, and his sharp eyes were fixed on Shen Hanzhou.

"What nonsense were you spouting just now?" Chong Cang's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible tension.

Shen Hanzhou perked up as soon as he saw him, leaned closer, lowered his voice, and said excitedly, "It's true, the forum is in an uproar! On the back mountain of Xuanji Peak, someone used countless rare and precious treasures to make a giant heart, and wrote 'I love you' on it. It's on the mountain where Liu Ying is in seclusion!"

He spoke very quickly, with the excitement of sharing gossip: "Think about it, who in the sect has so many treasures? Senior Brother! Last time, Senior Brother gave them all to Liu Ying. Liu Ying has been in seclusion for so long, and when she came out, she made such a big fuss. What else could it be but a confession to Senior Brother? With her personality, she's capable of doing it!"

"And you remember, the two of them went on a date last time!"

Upon hearing this, Elder Chongcang's already pale face turned even paler, and even his usually expressionless dead fish eyes showed shock and suppressed pain.

Is Shi Liuying going to confess her feelings to Jun Lintian?

In a daze, he recalled the sunset and Shi Liuying's resolute expression as she watched him intently.

That woman, as tenacious as a weed, with clear and determined eyes, single-mindedly pursuing the path of cultivation, actually... has someone she loves?

Do you like the aimless ruler of Junlintian?

On what grounds?

A mixture of bitterness, resentment, and even a hint of anger coiled around his heart like a poisonous vine.

What Jun Lintian could give her, couldn't Chong Cang give her too?

Are they those rare and precious treasures?

Although he was used to being discreet and disliked showing off, if she wanted to…

The thought had barely crossed his mind when he forcibly suppressed it, leaving only a bitter taste in his mouth.

On what grounds does he give it? And in what capacity does he give it?

Looking at Shen Hanzhou, who was still rambling on about analyzing the "evidence," he felt a tightness in his chest, and the gloom that had lingered in his heart for years seemed to grow even heavier.

He clenched his hand tightly in his sleeve, his nails almost digging into his palm.

-

The back mountain.

After carefully arranging her "surprise" of love, Su Wan did not slack off in her cultivation.

Perhaps it was the excitement of her emotions that stirred her spiritual power, and she even faintly touched the barrier to breakthrough.

She looked at the enormous heart-shaped object that still shone brightly and exuded a powerful aura in the night, and felt somewhat uneasy.

After thinking for a moment, she took out the array plate that her master had given her, which was said to be able to withstand a full-force attack from a Nascent Soul cultivator. She carefully placed it around the heart, set up the protection, and ensured that this masterpiece, which embodied her heart's desire, would not be destroyed by wild beasts or foolish people.

After doing all this, she finally found a secluded place where she wouldn't disturb Shi Liuying and began her secluded cultivation to break through her bottleneck.

Shortly after Su Wan went into seclusion, a faint light flashed at the entrance of a cave not far away, and Shi Liuying slowly walked out.

A faint regret on her face indicated that she had failed to break through, but her aura was more solid and steady than before her seclusion. Clearly, this seclusion was not without its gains, and her foundation had been honed to a more solid level.

She glanced at the sky, just as she was about to stretch her limbs, when a white shadow darted to her feet like lightning and nuzzled affectionately.

It's the blood-stained rabbit left behind by Senior Sister Chi Yang.

The little creature chirped and babbled, and Shi Liuying listened intently, understanding what it meant.

Senior Sister Chi Yang has temporarily left the sect to deal with the "third man," and has instructed her to keep an eye on the communication jade slip and go to provide immediate assistance if she receives a distress signal.

Shi Liuying took out the communication jade slip and looked at it, but there were no new messages.

She turned the notification sound up to the maximum, deciding to stop her seclusion for the time being and be ready to respond to Senior Sister Chi Yang's call at any time.

After dealing with this matter, her gaze was drawn to a huge circular object not far away, shrouded in an array and still radiating a dazzling pink light and rich spiritual energy...

What is that?

A hint of doubt flashed in Shi Liuying's eyes.

Before she went into seclusion, that place was just an ordinary open space.

Judging by its shape, it looks like a... sparkly, pinkish ring? Who put it here? And it's protected by a fairly strong defensive array.

Just as she was about to approach and examine it more closely, ripples suddenly appeared in the space beside her.

A cold, powerful yet indescribably tender aura descended.

Shi Liuying cautiously took a half step back and gripped the hilt of her sword.

The spatial fluctuations subsided, and a figure appeared.

The newcomer had cascading silver hair, part of which was tied up with a simple jade hairpin. His face was so handsome that it seemed otherworldly, his skin was so white it was almost translucent, and his eyes were a rare silver color, as if they contained ice and snow that had never melted for millennia.

He wore a spotless silver robe, and his body exuded a dignified aura similar to that of the Xuanji Daozun, belonging to a high-ranking immortal, yet with an added touch of elusive tenderness and... persistence.

His gaze first fell on the Blood-Sworn Rabbit at Shi Liuying's feet, a knowing glint flashing in his silver-gray eyes.

Immediately, his gaze locked onto Shi Liuying, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions: the relief of regaining what he had lost, and a hint of helpless indulgence.

“Chi Yang’s rabbit…” he murmured to himself, his voice clear and melodious like the clinking of jade stones, yet carrying an undeniable conviction.

"So that's how it is. You've been hiding from me for so long, so this is your new trick? Changing your appearance to conceal your whereabouts?"

Shi Liuying frowned, completely unable to understand what he was saying: "Senior, are you sure you haven't mistaken me for someone else? We don't know each other."

Upon hearing this, the silver-haired immortal's lips curved into a very faint smile.

He looked at him as if he were a sulking child.

"Now that I recognize you, you no longer need to bother to hide it."

His tone was firm, with an air of certainty: "Even if you change your appearance and conceal your aura, these eyes... I will never mistake them."

His gaze shifted to the enormous, dazzling heart-shaped object beside him, protected by an array. A hint of understanding crept into the indulgence in his eyes, and even... a faint trace of shyness that seemed completely out of character with his demeanor.

“I remember you once said that this is a symbol used in your hometown to express… affection.”

He paused, seemingly finding it difficult to speak, but finally said it, his voice a few decibels lower than before, "This is the second time you have expressed your affection for me."

He looked up, his silver-gray eyes fixed intently on Shi Liuying, a complex and unfathomable mix of emotions swirling within them.

Shi Liuying pointed to herself: "???"

Admiration? Who admires you, me?

"I have come to find you this time to give you a response."

Shi Liuying: "???"

What response? A response to me? I don't need any response from a stranger.

She was completely stunned.

The powerful immortal before her was not only talking to himself, but also seemed to... regard her as some kind of pursuer who was obsessed with him and had been harassing him repeatedly?

He even mistook that glittery circle, which she didn't understand at all, for her... confession to him?

What is all this nonsense?!

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Author's note: Red envelope [pat on the head]