Chapter 9
Swords sweep through the green mountains and clouds wander among the dark peaks.
In the Clear Heart Hall, over twenty graceful figures stood with swords in hand.
Yu Shuang and Guang Cha entered the hall, nodding to them in greeting.
With steps like a spring butterfly and eyes like autumn waters, Dan Feng walked to Yu Shuang's side. Her vermilion lips parted as she said:
"Senior Sister, why are you so late today?"
Yu Shuang's cherry lips parted slightly. After a few seconds of silence, she said:
"I'm usually the only one waiting in the hall for all of you. Besides, the Sect Master is always so late herself. Why should I arrive early?"
Beside her, Guang Cha thought her Senior Sister had a point. She decided she would be late from now on as well.
A moment later, another figure entered the hall.
Everyone looked over, and many of them immediately turned away with a flick of their sleeves.
The newcomer was naturally not the Sect Master, Immortal Liu Xi.
"Hello, to all Martial Martial Aunts!"
With the jingle of bells, Yang Chun sMartial Auntered in with light steps.
Her gaze swept across the room, suddenly locking onto a graceful, full-figured woman. She scurried over like a little cat and her first words were:
"Hey, Martial Aunt Hong Yun, have you gained a bit of weight?"
She received a sharp glare, but she paid it no mind. A silvery laugh rang out as she moved to another person and said:
"Wow, Martial Aunt Liu Wei, you should really get more rest. Wrinkles are about to appear on your face!"
"Oh, Martial Aunt Feng Yue, long time no see. How come you're still at this cultivation level?"
"Martial Aunt Cai Hua, your hairstyle is so ugly…"
"Oh, isn't this Martial Aunt Wan Jiang…"
"…"
A single stone can stir up a thousand ripples.
Her crisp, clear voice kept echoing continuously, and within the once-tranqil hall, several sword intents faintly stirred.
"Martial Aunt Yu Shuang!"
Finally, she arrived at Yu Shuang's side.
Dan Feng shook her head and turned away. Guang Cha watched her with a cold eye.
"Martial Aunt Guang Cha, why do you look so fierce? Don't tell me it's that time of the month?"
Under Guang Cha's sword-like gaze, Yang Chun sidled up to Yu Shuang, pulling her arm and whispering:
"So many talented young men have invited you. Are you really going to reject all of them?"
Yu Shuang said indifferently, "Don't mention it again."
"Yang Chun."
A calm voice came from the hall entrance. A figure in white, like a gentle breeze brushing past a willow, arrived silently.
"Master!"
Yang Chun let go of Yu Shuang and ran to her.
"We greet the Sect Master—"
Everyone turned and bowed to her.
The newcomer was precisely the Sect Master of the Lingsu Sword Sect, Liu Xi, who was at the mid-Nascent Soul stage.
In the entire Carefree Sea, there were only a few thousand experts at the Nascent Soul stage. The sect masters and grand elders of many small and medium-sized sects were at this level.
Yang Chun threw herself into Liu Xi's arms. Liu Xi stroked her head and said:
"Instead of cultivating, What are you doing here?"
"If all the Martial Aunts can come, why can't I?"
Liu Xi said with a smile:
"Since you call them Martial Aunts, it naturally has nothing to do with you."
Yang Chun said in a small voice, "Then can I just call them martial sisters?"
Liu Xi smiled slightly and flicked her forehead.
"You have probably already guessed the reason for today's gathering."
She walked to the sword beam beneath the hall's ceiling, turned towards the crowd and said:
"The Plum Blossom Immortal Assembly will be held again at the end of the year on Penglai Immortal Island. Our sect can send twenty junior disciples. They will need to travel in groups of three, led and supervised by seniors. Are any of you willing to go?"
"I'll go, I'll go!" Yang Chun jumped, waving her hand.
Liu Xi ignored her and said, "If no one volunteers, I will have to choose."
"Master, Master, just let me go!" Yang Chun pleaded.
Liu Xi gently waved her sleeve. Yang Chun felt only a light breeze brush past her eyes.
The next moment, when she came to her senses, she was already outside the hall.
"Stingy!"
Looking at the tightly closed doors of the Clear Heart Hall, she put her hands on her hips and stuck out her tongue.
"Fine, I won't go then."
Though she grumbled, Yang Chun couldn't help but feel a sense of loss.
The Plum Blossom Immortal Assembly! This was a major event where immortal sects from all four directions and sects from all eight regions gathered, an event that ranked highly across the entire Carefree Sea.
Sigh, now there will be no fun to watch.
She sighed listlessly.
After walking just a few steps, a figure suddenly appeared in her sight.
Beside one of the hall buildings stood a person clad in white robes, with long, unbound hair.
"Hmm?"
Yang Chun couldn't sense even a trace of immortal aura from the person, but how could a mere mortal be here?
She concealed her own aura, circled around, and quietly approached the person. The person's face gradually came into her view.
She saw that the person was gazing at the clouds and mist among the distant peaks. His features were divinely carved, his form divinely sculpted, with bright eyes hiding sorrow and brows veiling melancholy.
What a handsome man!
But how could there be a man in the sect?
"Hey!"
Yang Chun came to his side and patted his shoulder.
"Who are you?"
The man turned to look at her and said calmly, "My name is Fei Xing."
"Fei Xing?" Yang Chun looked at him with interest. "Who are you looking for? Who let you in?"
Fei Xing said honestly, "It was Master Yu Shuang who brought me here."
Hearing this, Yang Chun's eyes widened in surprise.
Martial Aunt Yu Shuang? That Yu Shuang who never got close to anyone actually brought a man here?!
As far as she knew, Yu Shuang had no living relatives in this world. Unlike disciples from great clans who would occasionally maintain contact with their families even after becoming cultivators, helping to shelter or guide talented juniors.
"Really? How do you know Martial Aunt Yu Shuang?"
Fei Xing told Yang Chun how he had woken up to find Yu Shuang, Dan Feng, and Guang Cha, and how Yu Shuang had brought him back to her immortal island to raise and teach him.
Regarding the Demon Flower, Yu Shuang had told him not to mention about it to anyone for now, so he didn't utter a single word about it.
"Master came here for a meeting, so she told me to wait here."
After listening, Yang Chun's eyes grew brighter, and then, along with her lips, they formed three arcs, filled with endless mirth.
She caught the scent of something interesting, and it was related to Yu Shuang that she had always wanted.
Fei Xing, of course, didn't know what she was thinking. He asked kindly, "I still don't know how to address you, Master."
"Me? My name is…"
Yang Chun put her hands behind her back, circled around him once, then stopped in front of him. She took a step forward, pressing close against him, looked up at him, and asked with a smile:
"Guess?"
Their faces were extremely close. Yang Chun could even feel Fei Xing's breath on her face.
Fei Xing began to think. His serious expression was even more handsome. Looking at his face, Yang Chun realized her actions seemed a bit too intimate. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she quickly took a step back.
Fei Xing said:
"Cui Hua?"
"No."
"Chun Juan?"
"No~pe."
"Yan Hong?"
"Wrong—!" Yang Chun frowned, slightly annoyed. "What kind of names are these! Do I look like some village woman to you!?"
"Then Weiwei… Cai Wei?"
"Stop guessing! My name is Yang Chun!"
She pouted, planted her hands on her hips, and snorted like a little calf.
Fei Xing said calmly, "So it's Master Yang Chun."
Seeing him like this, Yang Chun sighed, then smiled again and asked:
"I just saw a hint of sorrow in your eyes. Is something troubling you?"
"This…"
Fei Xing looked troubled. He couldn't tell her about the Demon Flower.
Yang Chun teased, "Don't want to say? Or you can't tell me?"
Fei Xing remained silent.
"If you won't say… then forget it."
Although Yang Chun was curious, she also knew to be discreet. If he was someone close to Martial Aunt Yu Shuang, then it was enough to build a good relationship with him for now.
"By the way, why is your hair all loose and disheveled?"
"Loose?" Fei Xing blinked, remembering the descriptions in books of people with various tied hairstyles and headpieces. All the masters of the Lingsu Sword Sect also wore their hair in buns. Only then did he realize that his own loose hair might not be appropriate.
"Then how should I manage my hair? Like yours, Master?"
"You're a man, how can you wear a hanging bun like mine? Didn't Martial Aunt Yu Shuang even teach you this?"
Yang Chun said with a beaming smile, then her eyes twinkled as an idea formed in her mind. She said:
"Come, I'll teach you. Listen carefully."
As she spoke, she pulled out a large pile of things from who-knows-where, then explained them one by one:
"Here, these are hairpins. Since you're a man, you should use simpler ones."
"See, these are called putou. They're for wrapping the bun. You have to wrap the whole thing, not a single strand can be left out."
"These are called hair crowns. If you want to look more proper, you wear one of these after wrapping the putou."
"And these, hair ribbons, hair ties, and forehead bands. You can use them all as long as you don't mind having too much on your head!"
The things in front of him were a dazzling variety of all shapes and sizes. Before Fei Xing could even recognize them all, Yang Chun had him sit on the steps, ran behind him, and started to braid his hair.
"You have so much hair, and it's so thick and coarse!"
Fei Xing asked, "Is that not good?"
"Of course it's good!"
She took a peachwood comb, combed his hair until it was neat and smooth, and then tightly rolled it on top of his head.
"You migh know, but some of my Martial Aunts have been losing their hair. It seems to have gotten better recently, but I suspect they're using immortal energy to nourish their hair, maybe even some kind of immortal technique!"
She said with a chuckle, twisting the tight, long hair into a bun. Then she picked out a white jade hairpin that suited Fei Xing, inserted it into the bun, and with a flick and a tuck, secured it in place.
"So, have you decided?"
"This… I think it's better to keep it simple. The fewer things I wear, the better."
"Then just use a hair ribbon!"
A glint of mischief flashed in Yang Chun's eyes. She secretly took out a silver-white hair ribbon embroidered with a Qilin from her robe and carefully wrapped it around Fei Xing's bun.
"There! All done. You can get up now."
Fei Xing stood up. Yang Chun came to his front, looked at his current appearance, and her eyes lit up. She seemed quite satisfied with her handiwork.
"Mm, not bad, not bad! With your looks, people would believe you were an immortal."
"Thank you for your trouble, master." Fei Xing thanked her.
"It was no trouble at all."
Looking at the hair ribbon on his head, Yang Chun smiled slightly.
Just then, the doors to the Clear Heart Hall opened, and the people inside began to walk out one after another.
Yu Shuang looked toward where Fei Xing was and immediately spotted Yang Chun beside him. Her eyes narrowed slightly. In a flash her figure appeared next to Fei Xing.
"Come with me."
Having said that, she strode off in a certain direction.
Fei Xing naturally followed.
This scene was witnessed by many, causing quite a bit of surprise, but they all kept it to themselves.
Words couldn't be spoken carelessly. After all, not everyone had the Sect Master backing them like Yang Chun did.
At that moment, Yang Chun walked towards them, and several of them immediately hurried away. But Yang Chun, unlike her usual self, didn't seem to notice them. After glancing into the Clear Heart Hall, she walked away humming a little tune.
Everyone felt even stranger. Clearly, she hadn't been given permission to go to the Plum Blossom Immortal Assembly, so why did she seem to be in such a good mood now?
*****
Read 20+ chapters ahead at:
patreon.com/DayEmperor