Chapter 6

Su Zhen was stunned.

Why was he here again?

And he remained the same, as if seeing her was the greatest stroke of good fortune imaginable.

Su Zhen hesitated for a moment. "Senior, do you have business with my master again? At this hour, he is likely still... oh, wait. Since it is you, there is no need to worry about whether it is convenient for him."

"Why would I be looking for him?"

The young man with black hair and blue eyes sighed helplessly. "You can just call me by my name."

His tone was incredibly relaxed, carrying a genuine, unmasked joy, and he held no air of superiority whatsoever.

Su Zhen found herself inexplicably infected by his mood.

She had never been fond of rigid etiquette, and seeing that he was happy to interact as an equal, she asked jokingly, "So, is that your real name?"

"It is!"

Xiao Yu knitted his brows, looking slightly aggrieved. "Why would I give you a fake name?"

Su Zhen: "..."

She had already confirmed with her master that at least the surname was real, but even if it were fake, what of it?

Su Zhen sighed as well. "It wouldn't be strange for a senior to use a pseudonym. We were complete strangers until last night; there was no need to be truthful about your identity."

"I didn't utter a single lie yesterday."

Xiao Yu listened attentively, and when she finished, he couldn't help but explain, "As for the rest, I simply didn't know how to bring it up. Besides, if I had truly told you who I was, you probably wouldn't have believed me, would you?"

Su Zhen thought to herself that she certainly wouldn't have, as she would have only assumed he had ascended.

Xiao Yu continued, "Also, does this mean we are now acquaintances?"

Su Zhen couldn't say no. "If you don't mind—"

Xiao Yu immediately interrupted, "I don't mind at all."

Su Zhen glared at him. "I wasn't finished!"

"I'm wrong, I apologize." Xiao Yu offered an apology with great promptness. "Please, continue."

Su Zhen: "..."

What else was there to say? He had already said he didn't mind.

The polite pleasantries that had risen to her lips were swallowed back down.

Furthermore, she had just glared at him. If it were between peers, it might have been acceptable, but given their respective statuses, this could be considered overstepping.

Although her arguments with her master were far more intense than this, it still felt different.

If it were any other Immortal Venerable, she would never have been so brazen.

However, no other Immortal Venerable would speak to her in such a familiar and casual tone.

Even the Sect Leader, who appeared easygoing in conversation, actually possessed an overwhelming sense of authority that made it impossible to let one's guard down.

This man, however, had led her off-balance, making it difficult for her to maintain a sense of reverence.

Su Zhen felt a headache coming on. "Senior... please forgive my rudeness?"

Xiao Yu arched an eyebrow. "Why? Because you didn't do as I asked?"

Su Zhen was taken aback. "Huh?"

Xiao Yu smiled. "I told you just now that you could call me by my name, yet you kept calling me 'Senior'."

Su Zhen hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back. "...Perhaps we aren't that close yet; calling you by your name feels awkward. Even with friends, I rarely use their full names."

Xiao Yu nodded. "As you wish. I only meant that you have permission to do so. But we are now 'less-than-strangers' who are not quite close, wouldn't you agree?"

Su Zhen wondered why he was so fixated on this, but she had no choice but to agree.

"So," Xiao Yu hesitated, "as 'less-than-strangers,' may I ask what you were originally planning to do? Have I delayed your schedule?"

Su Zhen answered truthfully, "I was planning to go back and cultivate, but..."

"Oh."

Xiao Yu turned his head, as if forcibly pulling his gaze away from her. "Then you should head back."

Su Zhen paused, contemplating his strange behavior, and tentatively asked, "But Senior... since you aren't looking for my master, is there something you need from me?"

"Yes."

Xiao Yu shook his head, then nodded. "But if you want to go cultivate, then go ahead."

Su Zhen was left stunned.

Even if they were not yet close, she could see in his eyes that he likely had a great deal he wanted to say to her.

He had come to Weiyun Peak specifically for this, no doubt.

Yet, in the end, all he could bring himself to say was to tell her to go cultivate.

Was it simply because she had mentioned she was going to cultivate?

Su Zhen hesitated. "Senior, if you asked me that at any time, nine times out of ten, I would say I want to cultivate. I couldn't possibly say that I had planned to go on a stroll with you to discuss important matters, could I? I didn't know you would be coming here."

Upon hearing the phrase "go on a stroll," Xiao Yu’s eyes widened slightly. His expression went blank for a moment before he finally collected himself.

"That wasn't it. I just wanted to wait until you were free."

He smiled, his eyes twinkling. "And there is nothing urgent. We can talk whenever you are in the mood. Hmm, you said nine out of ten times you are cultivating—what about the other one?"

Su Zhen crossed her arms. "Going out to play."

Xiao Yu understood immediately. "You mean fighting, don't you?"

Su Zhen was somewhat surprised.

When ordinary cultivators spoke of going out to play, they usually meant eating and drinking in mortal towns, shopping in immortal cities, or perhaps indulging in wine or minor gambling.

How could he have jumped straight to fighting?

And yet, that was exactly what she had meant. How had he guessed it correctly?

Su Zhen thought for a moment. "Oh, right, after all, Senior is also one of our own."

Xiao Yu gave a noncommittal response. "Actually... well, it’s a long story. If you are interested later, I can tell you in detail."

Su Zhen tilted her head. "Then may I ask you something?"

Xiao Yu froze inexplicably, then lowered his head slightly and raised a hand to cover his mouth, as if suppressing something.

Su Zhen was bewildered.

"My apologies."

Xiao Yu forced his expression back into a serious one. "It's just that when you tilted your head just now, I thought it was particularly cu—cough. Go ahead, ask whatever you like."

Su Zhen eyed him with suspicion. "...Did you not like my master back in the day?"

"What?"

Xiao Yu seemed a bit nervous. "Which story did he tell you?"

Su Zhen: "?"

*Which* story? Were there many?

Xiao Yu: "...Well, I wasn't very popular in this sect. First, I have a bit of social anxiety, and second, like you, I was cultivating all day long. So don't misunderstand; it is true that I didn't like him very much."

Su Zhen stared at him, speechless. "What does 'social anxiety' mean?"

"Everyone is different, but for me, it mostly means I don't want to interact with others. In certain environments, being around many people makes me uncomfortable."

Xiao Yu waved a hand. "I mean, there are many people I don't like; he’s just one of them."

Su Zhen was intrigued. "Why?"

In her previous life, she might have been offended by such a comment, but now, she only found it amusing.

Xiao Yu’s gaze landed on her face, then quickly shifted away, as if looking for too long would cause trouble. "...Perhaps it was envy, jealousy, and hatred."

"?"

Su Zhen was confused again.

It was true that Jade Dust Immortal Venerable’s talent and comprehension were first-rate, but there were others whose strength and aptitude were greater—the Sect Leader, for instance, or even the person standing before her. So what was there to be envious or jealous of?

Su Zhen: "...The Sect Leader has better aptitude than my master and will likely ascend soon. Everyone says she might be the youngest to ascend among all the past Immortal Venerables of the Tianyuan Sect. Why aren't you envious or jealous of her?"

Xiao Yu shrugged. "Because it’s not about that. I’m not in a rush to ascend."

He continued before she could speak, "I’m joking. It wasn't really envy or jealousy; it was more... how should I put it? It was complicated."

Su Zhen looked at him, unable to comprehend.

"My apologies."

Xiao Yu raised a hand to his forehead. "I haven't talked to anyone properly for many years. Even when I was an apprentice training in the mountains, I might not have spoken a word to anyone for decades at a time."

Su Zhen nodded. "I see. I understand."

Many cultivators with superior talent and diligence spent eight or nine-tenths of their lives in seclusion. Only when they hit a bottleneck at a certain realm did they need to go out to seek opportunities for advancement.

This might involve one or many bloody battles, or perhaps an epiphany triggered by worldly experiences.

Of course, there were those who enjoyed fighting and went out to train whenever they could; that was just a personal habit.

But seeing him, she found it somewhat comical. "Didn't you seem to be chatting quite happily with the Sect Leader and my master earlier?"

Xiao Yu looked at her in disbelief. "Where was it 'happy'? Later on, I heard people saying that I looked as if they owed me several million spirit stones."

Su Zhen couldn't help but chuckle.

Xiao Yu’s gaze returned to her face, lingered for a second, then moved away. "Why do you think I looked happy in your eyes? Your Sect Leader, that old fox—"

Su Zhen laughed out loud. "You have the nerve to call her old? She’s even younger than you!"

"That is an objective statement, independent of my own age and setting."

Xiao Yu said with righteous indignation, "Besides, I spend all my time either in seclusion or fighting. She was groomed by my eldest martial brother to be his successor, just as my master groomed him. She has been out in the world much longer than I have."

Su Zhen arched an eyebrow. "So your brother and master are also old foxes?"

"Of course. They both appear low-key, but they are actually very good at navigating matters. When my master was in the position of Sect Leader, she also appeared all-harmonious, but in reality, there was no one who didn't fear her..."

Xiao Yu shook his head. "I am far behind them."

Su Zhen had seen many people practice false humility, but hearing him say this, it sounded quite sincere. It was clear he truly felt that way.

Su Zhen found it increasingly strange. "...Senior, do you perhaps think no one fears you?"

Xiao Yu tilted his head. "I think that’s not the same thing?"

Su Zhen nodded. "I think it is exactly the same thing."

After all, he certainly didn't act this way in front of others.

The two stood in silence.

Xiao Yu waved a hand dismissively. "Fine, I don't really care what they think. Oh, right, why don't you go back and cultivate? I need to go get something."

Su Zhen realized she had been chatting with him for a long time. "I shall take my leave then; I wouldn't want to delay you, Senior."

"No, no!"

Xiao Yu said quickly, "I have something I want to give you, but I need to prepare it a little. I had thought..."

Su Zhen didn't know what he wanted to give her, but they had only exchanged a few words; they were hardly close.

Among the cultivators of the Tianyuan Sect, many had exchanged names and spoken more with her than he had, yet none had ever given her anything.

She was about to decline.

Xiao Yu interrupted her directly. "It’s not expensive. Take a look first, and if you don't want it then, you can give it back to me."

"I have only known you for two days, Senior."

Su Zhen said, feeling lost. "I wanted to ask earlier, why do you treat me..."

*Specially?*

*Different from others?*

Su Zhen didn't know how to phrase it.

Xiao Yu pondered for a moment. "If I say that I feel our temperaments are compatible, or that your personality really strikes a chord with me, would you believe me?"

Su Zhen thought the phrasing was truly bizarre. "My personality isn't particularly pleasing."

Xiao Yu gave a noncommittal response. "If someone says that, it only means they don't like your kind of personality; it’s not your problem."

"So," Su Zhen asked almost instinctively, "you like people like me?"

Xiao Yu replied without a second thought, "That’s not 'like,' it’s a particularly..."

The words trailed off.

Su Zhen stared at him, her eyes wide.

Xiao Yu coughed twice. "I particularly enjoy people with personalities and settings similar to yours."

Su Zhen: "..."

Was that even human language?

It sounded awkward no matter how she heard it.