Chapter 583: Reporting to Xu Xiaolan
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
An Lin looked up at the sky and estimated that it was about time cla.s.ses ended.
Xu Xiaolan’s usual routine consisted of returning to her dorm to rest and drink some tea before cultivating in some Vermilion Bird Sect cultivation methods.
An Lin stood in front of her door before knocking in a slightly fidgety manner.
Knock knock knock…
The sound of the door knocks echoed the thumping of his heart.
After being separated without warning for a whole month, then returning after experiencing so much hards.h.i.+p, he felt like he had already been separated for a long time from Xu Xiaolan, and his heart was filled with anxiety as well as a burning desire to see her again.
Tina and Xue Zhantian hovered by An Lin’s side with curiosity and antic.i.p.ation on their faces.
Xiao Ze forced a gentle and natural smile on his face before adjusting his hair and flicking specks of non-existent lint off his clothes in fear of doing something wrong and making a bad first impression.
The door opened.
The person that An Lin thought about night and day finally appeared before him while the faint, aromatic scent of musk wafted into his nostrils.
Xu Xiaolan wore her gorgeous Jade Barley Ink Garment as usual, and her smooth, flowing hair draped over her shoulders. A hint of red peeked through her porcelain-like features and perhaps it was because he hadn’t seen her for a long time, but she appeared especially beautiful to An Lin.
Her mouth gaped open slightly, and a thin layer of moisture appeared in her eyes before she bit down on her lower lip with a slight smile. “Who are you looking for?”
An Lin almost fell over upon hearing this, but he soon realized that she was joking, and a smile appeared on his face to mirror hers. “I’m looking for An Lin’s Dao partner.”
“Sorry, An Lin’s Dao partner doesn’t live here.” Xu Xiaolan tried to scrutinize An Lin with a serious expression, but the persistent smile on the corners of her lips betrayed her true emotions.
“Then… then I’m here to present an adorable pet to the beautiful Celestial Maiden Xiaolan!” An Lin changed tact as he grabbed onto the round and furry Xue Zhantian before pus.h.i.+ng him toward Xu Xiaolan.
Xu Xiaolan didn’t expect an answer like this from An Lin, and her expression faltered slightly.
However, a joyful expression resurfaced on her face as her attention turned to the soft, furry ball in her arms.
“This… is this a snow soul beast?!”
A wide grin appeared on Xu Xiaolan’s face as she stroked Xue Zhantian almost uncontrollably, from his cute, intricate wings to his soft, pink nose to all over his round, fluffy body.
Xue Zhantian was about to let loose a torrent of abuse at being touched like this, but he instantly shut his mouth upon seeing the menacing glare that An Lin gave him.
“Celestial Maiden Xiaolan, what do you think of my present?” An Lin asked with antic.i.p.ation in his eyes.
Xu Xiaolan’s brows lifted slightly as she hugged Xue Zhantian in her arms and harrumphed lightly. “I’ll let you off for now, seeing as you’ve got a bit of sincerity.”
An Lin immediately walked in with excitement etched all over his face.
Xu Xiaolan put down Xue Zhantian before preparing some tea for An Lin and the others, but her eyes continued to linger on An Lin’s face. “How was your trip to the Ancient Tai Chu Realm? You’re not missing any arms or legs or anything?”
A buoyant grin appeared on An Lin’s face as he sensed the concern in Xu Xiaolan’s voice. “I’m fine. And I reaped a lot of rewards. Let me tell you all about it.”
“Oh, right, these are my beast pets, Tina and Xue Zhantian. And this is my disciple, Xiao Ze,” An Lin said as he introduced his team to Xu Xiaolan.
“Celestial Maiden Xiaolan, you’re so beautiful,” Tina said as she waved at Xu Xiaolan with a warm and enthusiastic grin.
“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance!” Xiao Ze bowed deeply to Xu Xiaolan in a display of the utmost respect.
He could feel that there was an extremely pure dragon bloodline in her body, and the aura emanating from that bloodline made him instantly develop a sense of intimacy and closeness. Aside from that, he could also detect an extremely fearsome bloodline within her body. The aura was unfathomably vast and powerful, and he was full of awe and reverence toward Master’s Dao partner.
Xue Zhantian waved his wings around with a fawning expression. “Female Master, you truly are the epitome of beauty and perfection!”
Xu Xiaolan’s face convulsed as her indifferent facade crumbled off completely.
Two beast pets and a disciple? What had An Lin been up in this past month?!
“Hi there. Thank you all for taking care of An Lin in the ruins.”
She calmed her emotions before extending a greeting to everyone with a warm smile on her face. She then presented cups of hot tea to everyone in a gentle and thoughtful display.
Xiao Ze and Tina accepted the tea, and they were slightly overwhelmed by Xu Xiaolan’s hospitality as they waved their hands in reply, saying that it was An Lin who had been looking after them the whole time.
After making some more small talk, An Lin sent Tina, Xue Zhantian, and Xiao Ze away to play somewhere else.
He needed a bit of alone time with Xu Xiaolan.
After that, An Lin began to eagerly recount his experiences in the past month. He was not going to hide anything from Xu Xiaolan as he told her his story.
Xu Xiaolan supported her chin in her hands as she listened to An Lin with a transfixed expression. Her brows would furrow with concern as An Lin recounted the dangers he encountered, and she would heave a sigh of relief upon hearing about how An Lin escaped his ordeals.
The story slowly unfurled, and after hearing about how An Lin had taken three Blood Tribe mighty figures under his wing as slaves, her mouth gaped open in shock. Then, after hearing about how An Lin had ended up with Xiao Ze as his disciple, she began to chuckle uncontrollably.
An Lin was thoroughly enjoying this feeling. It was the feeling of satisfaction and joy at seeing the woman he loved expressed her concern for him, or be happy for him, or even scold him for taking too many risks and being too rash.
An Lin also told Xu Xiaolan about the illusionary realm he had encountered in Qi Lou City.
That experience was an extremely thought-provoking one, and Xu Xiaolan fell into a daze as she tried to envision the world described to her by An Lin.
“Xiaolan, what would you do if I were to become another version of myself with different memories?” An Lin thought back to the Xu Xiaolan in the illusionary realm Qi Lou City, thereby prompting him to ask this question.
Xu Xiaolan looked deeply into An Lin’s eyes with furrowed brows.
A hint of determination appeared in her eyes as she gave an indirect, yet sincere reply, “I think that as long as you’re still yourself, I would still fall in love with you again even if our shared memories were to disappear…”
After giving this reply, she seemed to realize that the atmosphere wasn’t quite right, and a light blush appeared on her delicate features as she averted her gaze. Her intricate ear peeked out from her luscious hair in the process, and An Lin could see that there was a hint of a blush on its tip.
An Lin’s body trembled upon hearing her reply, and he felt like he had been completely dipped in honey.
Did this count as Xu Xiaolan confessing to him? What was he supposed to do now? Was he supposed to kiss her?
But she had her head turned in another direction, wouldn’t a kiss be a little forced here?
Just as An Lin was being led astray by his thoughts, Xu Xiaolan said, “Didn’t you say that you had something you wanted to confess to me about? Something after meeting the Heavenly Void Beast? What is it?”
“Huh?” An Lin’s heart thumped heavily upon hearing this.
Was it already time for this? Was he going to get the c.r.a.p beaten out of him by Xu Xiaolan?
An Lin suppressed the uneasiness in his heart as he feigned a nonchalant expression. “Ahem… Xiaolan… If I say that I developed a certain connection with a little whale through some coincidental circ.u.mstances, and it insisted on calling me Dad… What, what would you think?”
Xu Xiaolan faltered slightly upon hearing this. Her eyes widened as she took a sharp intake of breath in incredulity. “What did you just say?”