Watching the Mountain

Hearing him stir, Ye Qingyue jerked her head up and hastily said, "Master, please wait."

Upon hearing her use this title, a gratified smile spread across Xu Ran’s face. In high spirits, he praised her, "That’s a good title. You can call me that from now on."

Just as Xu Ran had said, Ye Qingyue was not one to fuss over formalities. Now that she had made the switch, she simply nodded with composure despite her beet-red face. "This disciple understands."

She took a deep breath, looked at Xu Ran, and said, "Master, please instruct me. How can I clear up Senior Brother Shen’s misunderstanding of me?"

Xu Ran waved his hand dismissively. "Let’s not rush into that. First, tell me what happened between you two. I recall you didn’t seem to have these kinds of feelings for him before, did you? What made you suddenly change your mind?"

Ye Qingyue rose and walked to the window. Tilting her head, she gazed at the scenery outside as a gust of wind lifted her long hair, carrying her thoughts back in time.

Her eyes seemed to shimmer as she softly began to speak:

"Nothing grand really happened. At first, it was just guilt. I felt that what I said to him during the Sect Grand Competition was a bit harsh, and I wanted to apologize."

"But as you know, Master, seeing that awful scowl he wears every day, who could possibly get an apology out? Every time I wanted to say I was sorry, I’d see that look on his face and just couldn’t bring myself to do it. In the end, I always had to let it go."

"What really changed my mind was probably the period right after I joined the Sect. I asked him to help me get familiar with the grounds, and he actually did it."

"Later, I overheard some of our fellow disciples gossiping about us. Someone was trying to persuade him not to waste his time on me, and so on. Master, do you know how he reacted?"

Xu Ran paused, slightly taken aback. ’With Shen Wuchen’s personality,’ he thought, ’his reaction was probably just that usual stony face of his, right?’

Ye Qingyue smoothed a hand through her hair and smiled sweetly. "He got very angry. He told those disciples in a righteous tone, ’Don’t misunderstand. She calls me Senior Brother Shen, so it’s only natural for me to help her. I, Shen Wuchen, live my life only to seek the Dao. Everything else is as fleeting as floating clouds to me.’"

"At the time, I thought, ’This person is so straightforward.’ His actions were exactly as he said, without the slightest ulterior motive. It’s incredible that someone can truly practice what they preach."

"After that, nothing major happened. I just started paying more attention to him. I was especially curious how, even after losing to someone, he could still maintain that proud, aloof expression. A normal person would feel disappointed and resentful, but he seemed completely unfazed..."

"Over time, I found that keeping an eye on everything about him had become a habit..."

She turned back to look at Xu Ran, smiling gently.

"It’s as simple as that. We didn’t go through anything complicated or dramatic. The ordinary days just passed, one after another, and eventually, my feelings changed."

Xu Ran nodded slightly. It was simple, but it was a story full of youthful innocence. Matters of the heart were always this wondrous.

Then, his curiosity piqued, he asked, "So, did anything happen between you during the New Domain Grand Competition?"

Ye Qingyue was momentarily taken aback, then she laughed. "Master, with his personality, what do you think could possibly have happened between us?"

Xu Ran thought about it. ’She has a point.’

"It’s just that we were the only two disciples of our generation from Spirit Stream Peak who participated, so we interacted more than usual," she explained.

"I heard you proposed a bet with him—a race to see who reaches Core Formation first. If you lose, you’ll become his Dao Companion? What happens if *he* loses?"

Ye Qingyue gently stroked her hair, her eyes narrowing into a smile. "Would he lose?"

Xu Ran froze. ’Well, I’ll be,’ he thought. ’It’s just as I suspected. This wasn’t a bet at all; it was just her trying to offer herself to Shen Wuchen. A shame that blockhead actually refused.’

While Xu Ran was still musing, Ye Qingyue spoke up, a hint of impatience in her voice. "Master, I’ve told you everything. Can you tell me now? How do I get that blockhead to change his mind?"

Seeing her reaction, Xu Ran gave her a gentle smile. "Rest assured. Since you’ve called me Master, you can leave this matter to me."

*

*

*

Shen Wuchen was perfectly capable of normal conversation. It was only when he became flustered that he didn’t know how to express himself.

Like right now. When Master Xu told him that woman—er, Junior Sister Qingyue—had actually asked Master Xu to act as a go-between to confess her feelings, his mind was thrown into turmoil.

He then habitually put on a blank, aloof expression, his sharp gaze fixed on Ye Qingyue as he asked:

"Are you... serious?"

Without the slightest hesitation, Ye Qingyue met his gaze and replied calmly, "Of course I am. I like you, and I want to become Dao Companions with you. Are you... willing?"

As a kinswoman of the Little Witch, Ye Qingxue, once Ye Qingyue had confessed her feelings to Xu Ran, she became completely fearless. Her forwardness was even more intense than the Little Witch’s—after all, in front of Ye Shan, the Little Witch was just a demure young lady.

Hearing Ye Qingyue’s shockingly direct confession, Shen Wuchen grew even more flustered, and the expression on his face became even more rigid.

After a long moment, he finally let out a cold snort and began, "I, Shen Wuchen, in this life..."

But before he could finish, Ye Qingyue cut him off.

"I won’t interfere with your pursuit of the Dao, and I certainly won’t affect your Dao Heart. If you want to pursue the Great Dao, then I’ll accompany you. No matter how difficult your path becomes, I’ll walk it with you. I will be a source of support on your journey, so you no longer have to walk it alone."

Faced with Ye Qingyue’s searing gaze, Shen Wuchen’s aloof pride finally crumbled, and he silently took a step back.

But as he retreated one step, Ye Qingyue advanced two. Seeing this, he retreated another step, and she again advanced two, until...

Their faces were nearly touching.

Finally out of options, Shen Wuchen turned his head to the side to look at Xu Ran and cried out, "Master Xu."

Xu Ran waved a hand and said nonchalantly, "I forgot to mention, she calls me Master now. And I’ve accepted."

At this, Ye Qingyue immediately chirped sweetly, "Thank you, Master!"

"Mhm," Xu Ran replied with a chuckle.

"Why does she get to call you that already?" Shen Wuchen was dumbfounded.

Xu Ran replied calmly, "Because I believe you will one day defeat the Evergreen Sword Saint. According to our agreement, you will become my disciple. Since that’s the case, as your Dao Companion, isn’t it only natural for her to start calling me Master ahead of time?"

A flash of joy crossed Shen Wuchen’s face. ’Master Xu believes in me that much?’ The trust moved him, but then his expression froze as he realized the implication. He hastily corrected him.

"Master Xu, she is not my Dao Companion."

"What, you don’t like her? You think she’s not good enough for you? Forget all that talk about the Great Dao. Just tell me plainly, do you like her or not?"

"Well..." Shen Wuchen hesitated. It was just as Xu Ran had thought. He was a man of unwavering focus. After that fateful encounter during the grand competition between sects, no other woman had ever caught his eye.

He had believed Ye Qingyue didn’t like him, and he himself had no interest in any other woman. That was why he’d so resolutely claimed he sought only the Great Dao—in his heart, he had accepted that having a Dao Companion was a fate he would never have in this life.

But he never expected that everything would be turned on its head today. Junior Sister Qingyue actually said she liked him.

"But this disciple still..." His expression was hesitant.

At that moment, Ye Qingyue grabbed his hand. "It’s alright. I can wait for you to reach Core Formation. I can even wait until after you’ve defeated the Evergreen Sword Saint for us to be wed."

Startled by her sudden grip on his hands, Shen Wuchen’s body went rigid, ramrod straight. He stared blankly at Ye Qingyue for a long moment before letting out a cold, expressionless snort. "Hmph. As you wish."

Ye Qingyue didn’t mind his attitude in the least, because she understood him. She was ecstatic, for she had finally gotten her answer.

"Master, he agreed! You heard him, right?"

Shen Wuchen heard this and opened his mouth to explain, but when he saw the sweet smile on her face, he ultimately fell silent.

"I heard. If he dares go back on his word in the future, I, your Master, will see that you get justice."

"Thank you, Master."

After a moment’s hesitation, Shen Wuchen asked, "Master Xu, can this disciple also call you Master now?"

"No."

"Why not? Didn’t you say you believed in me?"

"I do believe in you, but what if you disappoint me? So, you’ll just have to work hard. I’m looking forward to the day you defeat the Evergreen Sword Saint."

Hearing this, Shen Wuchen stared at Xu Ran with a look of utter grievance. ’It’s always like this,’ he thought. ’Master Xu always plays favorites with other people.’

"This disciple will work hard," he said, his gaze still full of reproach.

"I’ll be with you," Ye Qingyue said, giving him a small smile.

His expression stiffened, and then he said blankly, "As you wish."

"Pfft." Seeing his expression, Ye Qingyue’s eyes crinkled as she covered her mouth, unable to hold back a happy laugh.