Ancient Strengthening Technique (Portraits of Beauty)

AST 832 – What Should Qing Shui Do?

“Sister Yun Duan, you shouldn’t sacrifice your future for the sake of the Cloud Adventurer Guild. Even if you sacrifice your future, as what you have just seen, the outcome might not change.” Long Lingyun walked in front of Yun Duan and said.

Qing Shui had initially thought that Long Lingyun was cool-headed but she paled in comparison with Yun Duan. She lacked a lot more in her temperament and the aura she exuded.

“Future? Hehe, I have been destined to not have that kind of thing since long ago.” Yun Duan slowly said. She only looked at Long Lingyun after she was done talking.

“How can that be? That young man from the Heavenly Beast City, isn’t he in love with you sister? Don’t tell me you don’t fancy any one of them?” Long Lingyun was extremely against the idea of Yun Duan being married to that old geezer from the Mighty Tiger Adventurer Guild.

“La.s.s Yun. Look, both of them actually died.” An elderly man dressed in a silvery gray robe said in amazement after he saw the two middle-aged men that was killed by Qing Shui.

Yun Duan saw both of them were actually naked, so she didn’t look again after a single glance. But now, she had to force herself to look again. Although she had already expected it, she was still extremely surprised.

“Cai Yong and Xie Shuang were the powerful cultivators from the Mighty Tiger Adventurer Guild and they could be considered as prominent persons. But these two were extremely lecherous and did things without appropriate measure. However, they were still considered as powerful cultivators. I wonder who killed them.”

“Fifth Elder, they were killed by this uncle. He is also the one who have helped us out this time.” Long Lingyun hurriedly introduced Qing Shui when she heard the elderly man’s words.

Qing Shui had been standing at the back. He knew that he’d definitely have to face this woman next. It would be a lie to say that his emotions weren’t stirred up after seeing her again but right now, he didn’t know how to face her.

It was probably fair to say that their fates were deeply entwined for them to be able to meet again here!

“Qing Shui! Is that you?”

An attractive voice that was slightly raspy, yet very pleasant-sounding, travelled to Qing Shui’s ears. And that voice was just right in front of him. A slightly joyful and beautiful face came into his view when he raised his head.
He had been pierced by her sword once before and at that moment, Qing Shui felt that there was really nothing else between them anymore. Even if they meet again, they’d just be strangers to each other. Besides, the chance of meeting each other again was almost next to nothing.

He didn’t know when she had left the Heavenly Palace. It had been so many years and she could still recognize him.

Yun Duan’s heart was extremely chaotic. She had gone to the Greencloud Continent to gather experience before and was rescued by the Feng Clan when she was in danger. Just like this, she became the elder of the Feng Clan. After that, she didn’t want to marry Feng Wuji so she could only make the most helpless choice, thus crossing paths with Qing Shui.

She wasn’t a perfect woman and on top of that, her background was quite a mystery. The Feng Clan was not worth to risk for, so he no longer had any intention towards her anymore.

However, that familiar silhouette and that wonderful scene emerged frequently in her mind. She couldn’t control replaying the memories in her mind but she knew they would have no chance of meeting ever again in their entire life because he was at the Greencloud Continent and she was at the Central Continent.

Little did she not expect to meet him this way. He had matured quite a lot since then and he also looked a lot more gentle now. Although that face had already lost the childishness that it had before, she still managed to recognize him at the first glance.

“Sister Yun Duan, you know him?” It was Long Lingyun’s turn to be surprised.

“He is a friend that I got to know when I was at the Greencloud Continent. Uncles, Hu Yuanqing cannot stay.” Yun Duan frowned then said to the two elderly men.

“Don’t worry, this old man here is going to clean this up.” The Fifth Elder chuckled and walked towards Hu Yuanqing whose face had already gone pale.

“h.e.l.lo, Miss Yun Duan.” Qing Shui greeted with a smile.

He already moved on from the past and had stopped dwelling on it. Some events couldn’t be controlled. He had to readjust his att.i.tude and work hard towards achieving the realm of ‘observing honor and humiliation as flowers that bloomed and withered in the courtyard and disregarding the ever-changing clouds in the skies’.

Yun Duan was startled by Qing Shui’s words but she recovered very quickly and smiled back. “h.e.l.lo, Qing Shui.”

Long Lingyun seemed to have thought of something after seeing both of them together. She retreated quietly with a smile.

“Are you still well?” Qing Shui didn’t really know what to say and only felt that his question was a little inappropriate after he had asked.

“Yes, I am. What about you? It’s been so many years. Are you still at the Heavenly Palace?” A look of desolation flashed across Yun Duan’s face but she still replied with a smile.

Qing Shui caught a glimpse of it. Naturally, he didn’t have to see personally to know that she hadn’t been well. After all, he knew everything about the Cloud Adventurer Guild, at least for the most part. The person who could suppress the situations in the Cloud Adventurer Guild was no longer here. She had to unite with the Mighty Tiger Adventurer Guild by marriage but even doing so didn’t seem to be able to turn the situation around.

When he met her for the first time back then, he was only a disciple from the Heavenly Palace’s Starmoon Hall with a little reputation. She left the Heavenly Palace, so naturally she wouldn’t know the current situation there.

“Yes, I’m still at the Heavenly Palace and have been fine. I really didn’t expect you to be from the Central Continent.” Qing Shui brushed it off with a smile.

“I went out that time to gather experience and came to the Greencloud Continent. But then I got into danger and was rescued by someone. I wanted to leave but I didn’t want to owe anyone favors. I left after that and came back. What about you? What are you here at the Central Continent for? Can I help you with anything?” Yun Duan looked at Qing Shui earnestly.

He had thought that they’d be strangers and never see each other again. But meeting again after all these years, they could still act like very good friends to each other. On top of that, Qing Shui felt her sincerity.

That sword pierce from back then was still vivid in his mind. Although the wound was not deep at that time, his heart ached very much. Qing Shui’s heart was hard but he wasn’t ruthless enough. He couldn’t be indifferent. He had a one night stand with Yun Duan back then. Even if they had become strangers after that, his heart still ached after being pierced by her sword.
This was also why he couldn’t ever ‘fool around with the beautiful ladies’. He simply couldn’t bring himself to be a heartless person.

“I’m here to find a type of medicinal herb while taking the opportunity to relax. They are from the Mighty Tiger Adventurer Guild. Are you in some kind of troubles?” Qing Shui pointed at the spot that had been cleanly taken care of.

“I’m fine. The day after tomorrow will be my wedding with the chief of the Mighty Tiger Adventurer Guild. Come have a cup of wine if you are free.” Yun Duan shook her head and chuckled.

He knew that she was only inclined towards doing that because of the Cloud Adventurer Guild. He didn’t know how to evaluate those who would sacrifice themselves for their clan because he felt that he was the same type of person.

And because he was also the same type of person, he thought that this kind of people was very foolish. He couldn’t help but to think that people like this didn’t know how to chase after their own happiness because they were being chained down too much and unable to break free.

But everyone was after different things. People like this took their family matters very seriously. They were willing to sacrifice themselves rather than to let their loved ones and family be harmed.

“You’re not happy.” Qing Shui stated dully.

Both of them knew it clearly in their hearts, the incident that had happened before was just a mistake. But it had already happened and they were also the same kind of people. If the two of them didn’t miraculously meet here, they’d probably never look for each other in their entire lives.

This meeting seemed to make both of them understood something but some words were still difficult to say.

People like them had extremely high self-respect. But Qing Shui knew that Yun Duan was prideful while he was humble.

“No, I am very happy.” Yun Duan insisted stubbornly. But there was a layer of mist in her beautiful eyes.

No one knew the pain in her heart. For the sake of her father and her clan, she had no other choice but to do this. She had to do this for hope. She didn’t even have anyone to pour her heart out to. Many of her relatives didn’t understand either and even congratulated her.

She didn’t know why she felt such grievance in her heart when she saw him today. She didn’t know why he had to rip the mask she had tried so hard to create and didn’t allow her to even keep her last bit of persistence.
“Everyone have it tough. You aren’t in the toughest spot because you can actually choose another path to walk on.” Qing Shui said with a smile. He had been watching this stubborn yet beautiful woman.

He wasn’t saying that she had done the correct or wrong thing. On the contrary, Qing Shui felt that she did a great thing. People should do what was appropriate and discard what was inappropriate. His heart ached a little at her persistence and effort to endure, but he thought she was a little adorable at the same time.

“That’s enough. I am already out of options. Let me have a last bit of hope.” Two drops of tears slid down her face but she immediately wiped it as she forced herself to smile and chuckle.

It would have been fine if she was marrying someone else normally. Although she had been intimate with two people before, that was not love. Besides, it was normal for her to marry someone.

But now that he knew that she was being forced into marriage, he should help her even if it was for only the fate of a single night back then because he now had the ability to do so.

“Regardless of everything, we’re acquaintances. It’s been so long since we saw each other, let’s consider it as my gift for you. Why don’t you let me help you in this? You don’t have to marry him.” Qing Shui offered with a smile.

“Thank you, Qing Shui. But stop joking.” Yun Duan shook her head and laughed.

Qing Shui knew that she wouldn’t believe him. She wasn’t going to joke about the lives of her clan and the Cloud Adventurer Guild.

“Do you think that the Mighty Tiger Adventurer Guild will not know about what happened today? Are they going to just let this slide? You should know how the Mighty Tiger Adventurer Guild takes care of things right?” Qing Shui didn’t say much. He already had a well thought plan for this.

Yun Duan understood Qing Shui’s words very well, but she still hold onto her hope. Now that Qing Shui had said it out loud, she felt that her hope was really dim right at this moment.

“Sigh, I can only wait and see.” The raspy yet attractive voice had a deep helplessness in it.

By now, everything had already been cleaned up. Seeing that Qing Shui and Yun Duan were talking, no one came over. After Yun Duan saw it, he smiled at Qing Shui. “Let’s return. I’m treating you to some wine.”

“Sure.” Qing Shui smiled.

…………

The few flying beasts flew towards the Heavenly Beast City.

“Uncle, how did you know Sister Yun Duan?” Long Lingyun stood beside Qing Shui and asked with a smile.

On their return journey, Qing Shui rode on Long Lingyun’s mount. Qian Mo was as silent as usual.

To be called ‘uncle’ by a lady with such personality made him felt a little awkward. But this was nothing when he remembered being called as ‘the Patriarch’ at the Heavenly Palace.

“I don’t really remember.” Qing Shui laughed.

“Hmph, my Sister Yun Duan is so beautiful. How can you not remember? Then tell me, what’s your relations.h.i.+p with my Sister Yun Duan? She has never been this close with a man before.” Long Lingyun continued to ask.

Qing Shui thought that this woman really couldn’t be underestimated. Judging from her appearance, this lady definitely didn’t seem like someone who like to interrogate. But obviously, he was mistaken.

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