Chapter 29 Just Friends
Zhao Zhixin was ordered to lead his fellow disciples on an inspection tour of Hancang Peak.
This is where the Sword Master cultivates. Normally, no one dares to disturb him. Even the patrolling disciples only walk around the peak from a distance and dare not get too close, for fear of disturbing the Sword Master.
It was supposed to be just a routine patrol, but unexpectedly, I actually encountered two people today.
Although he put on a very imposing air in front of Ren Yi and Yan Er, in reality, not to mention his fellow disciples, even Zhao Zhixin was encountering such a situation for the first time and was caught off guard. As a result, not only did he fail to drive them away in time, but he also attracted the attention of the Sword Master himself.
Thinking of this, Zhao Zhixin felt extremely remorseful.
If they had known they would alert the Sword Master, they wouldn't have wasted words with these two and would have directly driven them away.
At this point, regret was futile. Zhao Zhixin bowed deeply, preparing to apologize to the Sword Master, but before he could utter a word, he heard a voice as clear as frost and snow—
"You've finally arrived."
That voice?!
The voice wasn't familiar, but Zhao Zhixin instantly recognized the speaker, and he almost thought he had misheard.
In his astonishment, he momentarily forgot his place in the hierarchy and looked up sharply, only to see a hint of a smile on the Sword Master's face, which was as cold as winter and perpetually covered in frost.
Zhao Zhixin stared blankly at the scene.
The scene before my eyes came into view, but my brain seemed unable to comprehend it and did not react for a moment.
It took Zhao Zhixin a long while to realize, with a belated sense, that the Sword Master was smiling?! The Sword Master was actually smiling?!
But his astonishment today was far from over.
The young man opposite the Sword Master didn't seem to feel that he had received any special treatment. He even frowned slightly and protected the little girl beside him behind him.
Zhao Zhixin understood, yet he couldn't comprehend this action.
The mere presence of the Sword Master, exuding the combined pressure and sword intent of a high-level cultivator, was enough to make the space feel incredibly oppressive. Even Zhao Zhixin felt uncomfortable, let alone others. The young girl with weak cultivation was already pale, and in this situation, it seemed only natural for the young man to protect his younger sister.
But what he didn't understand was that was a Sword Master!
How could he?! How dare he...?!
When Zhao Zhixin joined the sect, the Sword Master was already the Sword Master. He searched his memory but couldn't find anyone who dared to express such direct dissatisfaction with the Sword Master—not even the sect leader would dare to do so.
But soon, Zhao Zhixin witnessed an even more unbelievable scene.
The Sword Master was not angered by this.
This is not surprising. Although the Sword Master is aloof, he is not short-tempered. In fact, many disciples under the Tai Chu Sect have received his guidance.
What Zhao Zhixin couldn't believe his eyes was what happened next.
The Sword Master gently raised his hand, and his long, powerful hand, which was mostly used to hold a sword, was also extremely beautiful when he made hand seals... In just an instant, the surrounding environment changed from the cold winter to spring.
The summit of Hancang Peak is perpetually covered in snow, and even the foot of the mountain is always shrouded in a chill, with sword energy crisscrossing the area, making the surrounding dozens of miles a deathly silence devoid of life. But at this moment, however, grass and trees sprout, bursting with vitality. Zhao Zhixin watched as tender green shoots emerged from the ground, quickly transforming into a lush green carpet, even dotted with tiny flowers... It was a scene Zhao Zhixin had never imagined he would witness on Hancang Peak.
Zhao Zhixin was speechless for a long time. In fact, he was so shocked that his mind was blank at that moment.
The oppressive aura and sword intent had long been properly concealed by the master, but none of the Tai Chu disciples who were still kneeling to welcome the Sword Venerable dared to relax. Most of them even held their breath.
In the deathly silence, Zhao Zhixin almost unconsciously turned his gaze to the young man opposite the Sword Master.
He desperately wanted to know who this person was, who could make the Sword Master do this with just a frown?!
As Zhao Zhixin saw the young man's slightly pale face and delicate, handsome features, he could only simply exclaim once again, "Good-looking." He had already used this description in his mind when he first met the man.
Cultivators absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth during their cultivation, and none of them are ugly or unsightly. However, even so, the appearance of this brother and sister who accidentally entered the forbidden area is extremely outstanding, especially the brother, who makes people wonder if he has received special help from the Heavenly Dao to have such a naturally blessed good appearance.
However, his beautiful and bright appearance did not match the cold wind and frost. He seemed to be injured, and his face, which was much paler than normal, was dotted with a few bloodstains. It was even more unbearable to put him in such a situation, as if only the vibrant spring scenery at present was where he should be.
Zhao Zhixin couldn't help but wonder if it was because he had thought of this that the Sword Master transformed the environment into the scene it was in.
The young man being watched seemed to sense something and turned his head to look over.
Their eyes met, and Zhao Zhixin couldn't help but hold his breath.
Those were exceptionally beautiful eyes; a single, almost imperceptible glance was enough to make one's heart sway. Zhao Zhixin couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't noticed it earlier. He vaguely recalled that from the moment they met until now, the other person had never gazed at him like this before.
He couldn't help but imagine what would have happened if the other person had looked at him like that from the beginning...
That moment of distraction lasted only a split second, and Zhao Zhixin quickly noticed that another gaze had also fallen upon him.
There was nothing particularly meaningful about it; it seemed the owner had only glanced at it casually. But the immense pressure still made Zhao Zhixin's heart tremble, and cold sweat instantly soaked through his clothes. He hurriedly lowered his head, not daring to look at it casually anymore.
Ren Yi?
The disciple had been staring at him the whole time, and he thought the other person had something to say, but when he looked over, the other person didn't say anything more.
He even had his alt account, a senior from the same sect as the other party, encourage him (?), but... it seems to have the opposite effect?
Thinking of this, Ren Yi couldn't help but glance at the smaller one a couple more times.
He thought his expression was quite gentle, not at all like that of a strict parent who hits their child, so how could he have scared him like this?
The news that "Sword Master has an old friend visiting and is temporarily staying at Cold Cang Peak" was reported to the sect leader by Zhao Zhixin and several others.
Although it was a fortunate occasion to meet the Sword Master, the pressure they faced was extraordinary, and the disciples left in a somewhat disheveled state. Furthermore, what they had seen and heard today was something they had never imagined before. Even after leaving Hancang Peak for some distance, silence still lingered among the disciples. If one looked closely, each of them seemed somewhat dazed, as if wondering if they were still dreaming.
After walking for a while, a gasp suddenly came from the group.
As if witnessing something utterly unbelievable, the disciple who made the noise stammered, "Senior Brother Zhao!"
Zhao Zhixin frowned, instinctively about to reprimand him for being so flustered, but when he followed his junior brother's gaze, he himself fell silent.
At the end of that direction stood a towering peak, its summit perpetually covered in snow, a scene of biting winds and pristine white, known as "Han Cang." Anyone who had seen this mountain knew that the "cang" in Han Cang was not the verdant green of the mountains, but rather a vast, desolate expanse, as if the mountain's master's sword intent had shrouded it in utter lifelessness.
But at this very moment, on this steep and desolate mountain peak, the ice and snow are melting, and from the foot upwards, vibrant greenery is gradually spreading. The melting snow transforms into waterfalls that cascade down, creating a misty halo that, under the sunlight, forms a ring-shaped rainbow...
The entire mountain peak seemed to come alive.
The commotion alarmed most of the sect, and Zhao Zhixin vaguely sensed several streams of spiritual energy gathering in this direction. However, due to the prestige of the master of Hancang Peak, even though such a major change had occurred on the mountain, no one dared to use their divine sense or spiritual energy to investigate; they could only hover around the area.
Zhao Zhixin and the others, who witnessed the entire series of changes from beginning to end, were speechless.
In the face of such a shocking and speechless scene, all words seem pale and powerless.
In this absolute silence, the sound of swallowing was exceptionally clear, and Zhao Zhixin couldn't tell for a moment whether it was his own or that of his junior brother beside him.
After a long while, someone murmured in a trembling voice, "...an old...friend?"
This is how the Sword Master introduced the other party's identity.
But would anyone really go to such lengths for an "old friend"? Or what kind of "old friend" could make the Sword Master go to such lengths?
Zhao Zhixin didn't believe that the relationship between the two could be described so casually, but he still gave his junior brother who had spoken a stern look and said solemnly, "Be careful what you say."
Regardless of the relationship between the newcomer and the Sword Master, it is not something these disciples can comment on.
Zhao Zhixin felt relieved again. Fortunately, he hadn't attacked the two people when he saw them in the forbidden area, otherwise, he would have been in a terrible predicament.
On the other side, the junior brother, who had been warned by his senior brother, realized he had spoken out of turn and hurriedly agreed.
On the bright side, with the Sword Master causing such a commotion, they no longer need to go to the main peak to report to the sect leader.
It's likely that most of the sect's elders are on their way to Hancang Peak, and they'll probably run into them along the way.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
