Chapter 251 - 250: Celebration (3)
"Senior Lin," Su spoke, her voice clear but trembling slightly under the sheer magnitude of the entity she was addressing. She executed a flawless, respectful bow. "Lady Bai. Lord Zhao. Forgive my intrusion. I did not wish to group my sect’s sentiments with the... groveling of the Han Clan. I merely wished to step forward and offer my absolute, genuine congratulations. What you accomplished today in the Nine-Tiered Sky... it has elevated the dignity of the entire Lower Division. You have given us a pride we thought was forever lost."
Lin Yuan looked at the young woman, the Saintess of the Pure Cloud Sect. As he expected, he sense the purity of her Dao. She was an orthodox cultivator, untainted by the poison of arrogance or the corruption of worldly desires.
Her respect toward him was genuine. It was not born from fear of his strength or concern over offending him, but from sincere admiration for his cultivation and accomplishments.
Lin Yuan’s expression softened slightly. He offered her a faint, acknowledging nod. "The Pure Cloud Sect has always conducted itself with quiet dignity, Su Yin. Your congratulations are accepted. The Lower Division requires cultivators who focus on the purity of their foundation, not just the width of their territory."
Su beamed, a bright, beautiful flush of pride warming her cheeks at the Lin Yuan’s praise.
"Su Yin!" Bai Chen called out, having finally recovered his boisterous energy after the tense standoff with the Han Patriarch. He marched around the table, a wide, easy grin on his face. He stopped in front of her, crossing his arms and puffing out his chest slightly. "I saw your sect master hyperventilating in the stands when Brother-in-law cleared the ninth floor. Did you win the betting pool in your pavilion?"
Su rolled her eyes, the terrifying, formal atmosphere breaking as she fell into the familiar, comfortable banter she shared with the young Foundation Establishment cultivator. "We did not have a betting pool, Bai Chen. The Pure Cloud Sect does not gamble on the lives of our allies." She paused, a playful smirk touching her lips. "But if we did, I would have bet everything on Senior Lin."
Bai Qingyue watched the two youths from her wheelchair, a soft, incredibly warm smile gracing her flawless features. She saw the way Bai Chen looked at Su Yin—the slight, unconscious shift in his posture, the eager desire to impress her, and the genuine, unguarded comfort he found in her presence. In a world defined by bloody tournaments, severed meridians, and ruthless politics, seeing the innocent, budding camaraderie between her cousin and the Pure Cloud Sect Saintess was a profound, grounding comfort.
"Bai Chen hasn’t changed at all since we last met at the banquet ," Su Yin said, her tone softening as she looked at the young man. She turned her gaze back to Lin Yuan. "He speaks of your teachings constantly, Senior Lin. He says you have shown him that the Great Dao is not about conforming to the Heavens, but about forging a blade sharp enough to cut your own path. It is a philosophy that has shaken the foundation of my own sect’s teachings."
"A philosophy is only as strong as the man who wields it," Lin Yuan replied smoothly. "Chen’er possesses the raw material. He merely needed the fire to forge it."
"I am getting stronger every day!" Bai Chen boasted, entirely missing the subtle depth of the conversation in his eagerness to impress the azure-robed girl. "In fact, Su Yin, I was just telling Cousin that I have completely mastered the second stance of the Cloud-Severing Sword Art! If you have the time, perhaps we could find an empty training courtyard tomorrow? I could show you. You know, strictly for martial peer-review."
Su Yin’s smile widened, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Strictly for martial peer-review, of course. I would be honored to critique your footwork, Young Master Bai. I will find you after the morning meditation."
Su Yin offered one final, deeply respectful bow to the table. "I shall leave you to your family’s celebration. May the Heavens continue to bless your path, Senior Lin."
With a graceful turn, the Pure Cloud Sect Saintess glided out of the grand hall, the heavy amber doors clicking softly shut behind her.
Bai Chen stared at the closed doors for a few seconds longer than necessary, a goofy, entirely smitten grin plastered across his face.
Lord Zhao let out a low, booming chuckle, reaching for the jade teapot. "The boy is fearless when talking to upper division cultivatiors, yet he stammers when a girl in azure robes critiques his footwork. The duality of youth is truly the greatest mystery of the Dao."
"Leave him be, Lord Zhao," Bai Qingyue laughed softly, her eyes shining with amusement. "He is finally finding a piece of the world that does not require him to hold a sword."
Lin Yuan stood up slowly, the fabric of his robes rustling in the quiet hall. The political obligations were fulfilled.
"Lord Zhao, secure the Han treasury and distribute the medicinal herbs to the outer sect guards," Lin Yuan commanded, his tone shifting back to business, though it lacked the lethal edge it carried earlier. "We will need their loyalty solidified if the Upper Division provinces attempts any clandestine maneuvers before the main bracket begins."
"It shall be done immediately, Senior Lin," Lord Zhao nodded, standing up to collect the glowing spatial ring.
Lin Yuan turned his deep purple eyes toward his wife. The sheer devotion he felt for her washed away the residual, heavy tension of the tournament.
"The night is advancing, Qingyue," Lin Yuan said softly, his voice dropping into a register meant only for her. "The air in this hall is thick with politics. Would you care to join me on the balcony? The stars over Sky Jade City are said to be unusually bright after this hour."
Bai Qingyue’s heart fluttered. She looked up at the man who commanded the very path toward the law of reincarnation, seeing only the husband who possessed an infinite gentleness specifically reserved for her.
"I would love nothing more, Yuan," she breathed, her lips curving into a breathtaking smile.