Dan Wulan’s eyes dimd slightly. Did he really dislike that side of ?
Su Bei skillfully combed her white hair, leaving a gentle kiss on her forehead,
"But last night, Wulan, I truly liked you very much. So genuine."
Su Bei gazed into her eyes, speaking earnestly.
A light stir touched Dan Wulan’s heart. She cast her eyes downward and clenched her small fists before playfully hitting Su Bei’s arm, huffing,
"I told you, it wasn’t !"
Indeed, a slight stir in her heart confird that this was the kind of man she liked.
The two dressed neatly and headed towards the door.
The breeze gently blew, and the heavy peach blossoms lay uncleared. However, it wasn’t long before they saw Old Hua and the little beggar, both dressed neatly, in the small courtyard.
"Mr. Su is awake? Old Hua didn’t dare to disturb you."
Su Bei smiled at him, and then, holding Dan Wulan’s small hand, they sat down on the stools.
Old Hua looked at Su Bei with an amused smile. The old woman who had been standing by stepped forward to serve them two bowls of tea,
"Mr. Su is truly a romantic. It seems only soone as free-spirited as you could pen ’The human countenance is unknown to ; peach blossoms still smile in the spring breeze.’
"But I, Old Hua, am grateful to you, Mr. Su. After resolving my heart’s knot, I feel much more at ease now."
Curiosity filled Su Bei’s eyes as he examined the wooden sword laid on the low table.
Seeing this, Hua Yihan reached out, picked up the wooden sword, and gently caressed it with his fingers before handing it to Su Bei with both hands. Under his thick eyebrows shone a pair of bright eyes, sharply defined in black and white.
"Please accept this Peach Wood Sword, Mr. Su." After a pause, he added,
"Although I, Old Hua, am not sure whether this sword suits you, I vaguely rember coming into contact with a mber of the Sword Sect centuries ago. He had more than one sword. To you sword cultivators, the more swords, the better, I suppose."
"Of course, this Peach Wood Sword cannot compare to Mr. Su’s Qingping Sword. However, this peach wood has absorbed Inverted Heaven Essence for hundreds of years and even has a hint of spiritual intelligence. With decades of nourishnt by Spiritual Energy, it should beco a divine weapon.
"Consider this a repaynt for Mr. Su untying the knots in Old Hua’s heart."
Su Bei took the Peach Wood Sword and noticed the sachet deeply embedded in the handle. After hesitating for a mont, he asked,
"When did you, sir, learn my identity?"
Hua Yihan laughed heartily, draining the tea in front of him,
"Who doesn’t know of Sword Sect’s Elder Su, famous throughout the world?"
"I, Old Hua, not only know of your role as Elder Su of the Sword Sect, but I also know this lady by your side is Miss Dan."
Su Bei coughed a little, feeling sowhat embarrassed to be recognized so easily. Fortunately, the man before them didn’t dwell much on their identities. It seed he had indeed road the world for a long ti, not concerning himself with worldly matters except for this peach tree he couldn’t part with, truly living a carefree life.
"But isn’t this sword particularly significant to Mr. Hua?"
"Are you sure about giving such an important nto to ?"
The sword was indeed exquisite. Although it couldn’t compare to the Qingping Sword, its quality wasn’t much different from that of the Missing Departure in the sword box. It only lacked the nourishnt of Spiritual Energy.
Hua Yihan shook his head, glanced at the little beggar by his side sipping tea, and turned back to Su Bei,
"Having already let go, why hold onto one last attachnt?"
"Mr. Su, although Old Hua isn’t clear how you, Nan Ji, and Miss Dan ca to be affected by Evil Qi, it seems that Inverted Heaven Essence has a soothing effect on this Evil Qi. This essence isn’t easy to co by. Since the Peach Wood Sword has been nurtured by it all year round, it has absorbed so of its power and is particularly effective against Evil Qi.
"Take it as a token of Old Hua’s gratitude."
After another glance at the Peach Wood Sword, Hua Yihan took the little beggar’s hand and said cheerfully,
"Haven’t you always wanted to beco a beggar who has seen the world?"
"Starting today, we’re off to South City to show you what the world has to offer."
The little beggar imdiately burst into excited cheers, jumping up high,
"Then I’m going to the Red Pavilion to find a lady!"
"Mm, the ladies of the Red Pavilion are said to be quite pretty..."
Taking the little beggar’s hand, Hua Yihan bowed to Su Bei and Dan Wulan. Then, accompanied by the old woman, the three of them slowly made their way down the mountain.
The breeze carried his voice far away:
"Elder Su, until we et again..."
Su Bei touched the Peach Wood Sword in his hand. It had no na, only the lingering mory of a night she had once cherished, when peach blossoms covered Tao City.
"I should give you a na," he said. "What shall I call it?"
Dan Wulan looked at it and suddenly spoke,
"’The peach blossoms still laugh in the spring breeze...’ How about calling it ’Laughing in the Spring Breeze’?"
Su Bei muttered the na a few tis, his eyebrows curving. He wrapped his arms around Dan Wulan’s waist and smiled,
"Then ’Laughing in the Spring Breeze’ it is!"
"We should be going. Nan Ji and Zi Jun are probably getting anxious," he added.
Dan Wulan fell silent, wordless.
Su Bei coughed lightly and, holding her small hand, said,
"Promise your husband you’ll get along well with her."
Dan Wulan absentmindedly nodded her head.
She lightly flicked her long white hair.
A warm breeze blew, raising a trail of dust as Su Bei and Dan Wulan headed toward Tao City.
Passing through the city gate, down streets and alleys, they stopped in front of a residence, and Su Bei knocked on the door.
He could naturally sense Ji Nanjue’s presence since they were in yin-yang harmony.
In a mont, the door opened.
Ji Nanjue was still dressed in a white gown. Her black hair was tied in a bun on her head, revealing a sowhat androgynous yet stunningly beautiful face and a graceful neck, exuding charm.
As ever, she was calm as still water, and her eyes looking at Dan Wulan no longer held the previous indifference.
Li Zijun followed behind her, breathing a sigh of relief upon seeing Su Bei—her master had finally arrived.
Only she knew that Ji Nanjue’s current deanor was all an act, for even though she tried to appear as tranquil as possible, the tightly clenched hands still betrayed her.
As expected, Ji Nanjue covered her nose with one hand and placed the other on her waist, saying imdiately,
"You still know to co find . I thought you had given up and only wanted to lead an easy and carefree life?"
Su Bei was at a loss for words, sensing a hint of irritation in Ji Nanjue’s tone.
But Dan Wulan stepped forward, blocking Su Bei, and said nonchalantly,
"What, does Su Bei need your approval to enjoy his life?"
"Woman, are you his mother? Why ddle so much?"
Ji Nanjue’s eyebrows twitched. She reflected on her conversation with Li Zijun the previous night: she should be more magnanimous, focus on her place in a man’s heart rather than squabbling with other won and causing needless trouble. Yet, she now realized that so resentnts were indeed hard to swallow.
Her voice rose as she looked at Dan Wulan,
"Oh?"
But Dan Wulan just smiled.
Seeing that conflict might flare up between the two won again, Su Bei chuckled awkwardly,
"Anyway, let’s go inside quickly!"
After separating them and entering the room, Su Bei recounted to Ji Nanjue the reason the peach blossoms had fallen the previous night and also showed her the Peach Wood Sword.
Ji Nanjue quietly observed ’Laughing in the Spring Breeze,’ placing it beside herself. Indeed, the Evil Qi within her began to dissolve, little by little.
"What are your plans next?"
Su Bei glanced at Li Zijun and, after thinking for a mont, replied,
"I’ll head to South City and tell the Confucian Sage about everything that has happened recently."
"Right, and... it seems like the Buckle Immortal Gate is about to open?"
Dan Wulan nodded. As if recalling sothing, her expression turned odd as she said,
"Speaking of which, there is a new disciple at the Sword Sect nad Mo Fan."
"He has agreed upon a battle with Mo Li."
Su Bei looked at her, puzzled, blinking his eyes,
"Mo Fan?"
"Who is he?"
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