Everyone was confused and puzzled. Huashang"s stroke so powerful, yet how was it possible that three simple strokes of the zither were able to nullify it?
Just when everyone was still perplexed, a sword radiance shafted down from the sky and an old man, his robes cyan-colored, emerged. Huashang"s hard and furious stare immediately softened, replaced by a melancholic gaze upon the newcomer with reticent silence.
It was Qingfeng who had arrived. He sighed wearily. "It has been so long, Junior Sister," he said, "The matter still bothers you?"
Every acolyte and disciple of the Heartless Palace were equally surprised to hear this. Xiao Chen breathed in relief. He had barely survived a close call; so close that his hair still stood.
But Huashang"s eyes immediately turned into a seething glare. "Are you here also to antagonize me, Senior Brother?" she asked bitterly.
Qingfeng merely shook his head. There was another sad sigh, before he walked towards her. "How have you been all these years?" he asked softly.
Huashang"s stern and angry crumbled. Qingfeng"s soft voice brought back reminiscences of her past, a time where the Jade Qing Seven enjoyed tremendous prestige and pride, a time where all seven of them were so close to each other. Winters had pa.s.sed since the height of their prominence waned and all their friendships had withered. Yet, only Qingfeng remained, with no less affection and concern than before. Tenderness seeped into her, dissolving what anger and hatred she has left.
But suddenly, she screamed, her voice filled with hurt and pain, "No! Not well at all! I"ve been so terrible that even a youngling now dares to come, seeking to bully me!"
Xiao Chen sighed lightly. Senior Qingfeng must have been the one who doted very much on her during the splendor of their youth. Before her Senior Brother Qingfeng, Huashang was no more than a spoilt and pampered little girl. It must have been a painful experience with romance which had rendered her into who she was now.
"My apologies, Senior. As a junior, I should have been more respectful in my speech," Xiao Chen bowed and said politely.
"Hmph!" Huashang glared at him and jerked her head away with disgust, like a seething little girl. But immediately, she barked at two of her attendants. "My Senior Brother is here! Do you not know any manners?"
The two acolytes immediately stepped forward and greeted Qingfeng courteously, "This way please, Uncle Master Qingfeng. Let us make you some tea."
They led everyone into an adjunct chamber where the acolytes prepared tea for everyone before Huashang commanded them to wait outside. When everyone else had left, she asked Qingfeng, "So, Senior Brother. What brings you here?" Out of decorum and respect, Huashang chose to ask again the purpose of Qingfeng"s visit.
Unlike Xiao Chen who was less straightforward, Qingfeng admitted frankly, "Peril is upon the entire Eastern Continent, Junior Sister. I"m here today to implore for your help to set up the Seven-stars Soul-transfer Formation. It has been so many years, Junior Sister, do you not want to meet everyone?"
"I have no longing to return there," Huashang scoffed, "And yet this boy," she regarded Xiao Chen coldly, "He demands me to return, yet he fails to acquiesce to my requests! Why should I listen to you!"
Seeing she was still feeling offended by Xiao Chen"s earlier remarks, Qingfeng emitted a weary breath. This was the reason he was here. He understood full well of his junior sister"s temperament and Xiao Chen"s blunt ways of dealing with delicate matters, expecting Xiao Chen to get on Huashang"s wrong side.
Xiao Chen immediately got up, "My apologies, Senior. I have been disrespectful towards you earlier. Please forgive my ignorance."
"I wouldn"t dare!" Huashang hissed coldly, "I know full well that my powers are not as remarkable as yours!" But her eyes glinted suddenly, "I know you are not the disciples of any of my Seniors! Speak! From whose tutelage did you learn your skills?"
"Urm... I..." Xiao Chen hesitated, before he answered, "I am willing to oblige, but I do not think you"d believe me."
"Hmph! So be it! There will come one such day where you"ll be groveling at my feet!" Huachang spat.
Qingfeng could only look on with distress. He could not risk venturing far and long from the stronghold of the Jade Qing Sect lest Patriarch Guanshan launched a sudden invasion. "Would you not come with me now, Junior Sister?" He pressed again.
Huashang could see that Qingfeng was getting jittery with anxiety. Of all people she would offend, she would never want to make things difficult for him. "I"ll go. But only for you, not the others, and definitely not for the good of everyone," she muttered quietly, then she shouted loudly towards outside, "Lingjiao!"
Chu Lingjiao had already been waiting outside. Hearing her name being called, she quickly came in and bowed to her mentor, "Your instructions, Teacher?"
"I will be away for some time. You will see to everything in my absence. Lead some of the acolytes and disciples to the rear mountain and activate the magical formation I have prepared there."
"Understood, Teacher!"
Huashang nodded faintly in approval before sending her off. "Please wait a while, Senior Brother," she said to Qingfeng and beckoned Xiao Chen to follow her into the inner chambers.
Huashang"s eyes immediately turned frosty once they left Qingfeng"s presence. She cast a magical barrier, keeping out any eavesdroppers, "You will divulge to no one, especially my Senior Brother Qingfeng, about the Heartless Curse, or I"ll never help you break the curse," she hissed.
"So this is why you called me here alone?" Xiao Chen revealed a thin smile, "Rest at ease, Senior. I will tell no one about it."
"If only you were this obedient earlier. You would not have to endure such hardships," Huashang revealed a wry smile of her own.
Xiao Chen said nothing else. He was confident that he would be able to break the curse on his own once reaching the Core Forming Realm.
They went back to the hall and Li Muxue hurried to Xiao Chen"s side. "Did she agree to help you with the curse?" She asked with concern. Xiao Chen smiled at here, saying nothing.
The four immediately left the valley and head back to the stronghold of the Jade Qing Sect. They arrived at dusk, to find a host of acolytes waiting to receive them on Perfected Immortal Qing Chen"s orders. The thronging congregation of the Jade Qing Sect saw Qingfeng returning and could easily guess the ident.i.ty of the woman with him, although no one could believe that she looked as youthful as Master Mo Xuan. Together as one everybody exclaimed, "Welcome back, Seniors Qingfeng and Huashang!"
Huashang stopped and gazed up the white jade-gilded steps stretching up to the main hall with memories and recollections flowing through her mind like a kaleidoscope. It has been long since she had returned; so long that she had forgotten which year was it she had left. Quietly and melancholic, she climbed up the stairs slowly.
They reached a wide plaza and two acolytes led the four into the Coalesced Colors Hall where Perfected Immortal Qing Chen was expecting them. He beheld the sight of Huashang and wearily uttered, "You"ve come, Junior Sister."
"What?" Huashang shot him a scathing look and growled, "You wish for me to leave, do you not?"
A cheerful peal of laughter came from the corridors leading to the inner cloisters. "Long have we all waited for your return, Junior Sister! We would never think of driving you away!" "Yet I have never received word that he ever came to visit me," Huashang scoffed with disdain.
Moxuan Zi appeared from behind. Beside him was another woman, whose hair flowed white with weathered features of a relatively-aged woman, although her face was devoid of any wrinkles. Huashang stared intently at her suddenly before a note of recognition registered. "What has befallen you, Sister, that you become thus?" She laughed.
Is this Yanluo, Xiao Chen wondered. Despite her seasoned appearance, she looked hardly older than everyone present. But she was shocked to find Li Muxue here too, saying gently to her, "Muxue..."
Thrice Yanluo called her name, but Li Muxue gave no answer. She was stunned beyond words as her eyes remained on Yanluo.