"Don't move..."
"Sit still..."
On a mountain peak outside the Wendao Sect, Lu Yuan sat upright, motionless. Xu Xian held his heavy sword, carefully trimming and clipping.
Severed hair did not fall to the ground; instead, it drifted away with the wind.
"Are you done yet?" Lu Yuan asked.
"Almost," Xu Xian replied.
"Still not done?"
"Just a second."
"Exactly how much longer is this going to take?"
"Don't be impatient. This style doesn't suit your temperament; I'm giving you a different look."
"Is that enough?"
"Keep rushing me, and don't blame me if I mess it up..."
"...."
Time ticked away, minute by minute. Lu Yuan wore a miserable expression, his limbs stiff and his back aching slightly. Xu Xian worked in fits and starts, his face twisted in a focused frown, always feeling like something was just a little off...
The sun slowly migrated from the zenith toward the west.
Lu Yuan only felt his head getting colder and colder.
He thought to himself that it must be because the sun was setting and the temperature was dropping.
Two hours later...
Xu Xian walked a full circle around Lu Yuan, his eyes filled with admiration and his face beaming with pride.
It was as if he weren't looking at a person, but rather appreciating a masterpiece of art.
"Tsk, tsk. Not bad. Perfect."
Lu Yuan let out a long sigh of relief, secretly glad it was finally over.
Xu Xian put away his heavy sword and patted Lu Yuan on the shoulder. "No need to thank me!"
With that, he sauntered away.
Lu Yuan cursed him in his heart. 'Thank you? If I don't curse your ancestors for eight generations, it’s only because of my own benevolence.'
After Xu Xian left, Lu Yuan stretched his limbs. He felt a draft on his head. He reached up to touch it—empty. He felt a bit lower—still empty.
Sensing something was wrong, he traced a half-circle in the air with his finger. An ice mirror condensed out of nowhere, and he leaned in to look.
Lu Yuan was utterly stunned, his mind going blank.
He stared at the stranger in the mirror—a youth with a buzz cut.
His cheeks twitched uncontrollably, and blue veins pulsed on his forehead.
The words were practically squeezed through his gritted teeth.
"Xu Xian, to hell with your ancestors!"
Unfortunately, Xu Xian was already far away and couldn't hear him.
He could have endured a short haircut; it was just a physical shell, after all, and he didn't care much for appearances. But this buzz cut could have been done in a single stroke. Why the hell did he spend two hours on it?
The more Lu Yuan thought about it, the angrier he got.
Finally, he threw a punch, shattering the ice mirror into pieces.
...
At nightfall, Xu Xian returned as if nothing had happened. He told Lu Yuan that it would be a few days before he could bring him into the sect.
He told him to endure the discomfort for a few more days.
He said his house was incredibly large.
He even promised to make it up to him later.
Lu Yuan treated everything he said as nonsense and closed his eyes to cultivate.
Seeing that Lu Yuan was ignoring him, Xu Xian didn't push his luck and began making his own plans.
Over the next few days, Xu Xian frequently traveled between the sect and the mountain peak. It wasn't that he was afraid Lu Yuan would run away; he was simply worried someone might try to snatch him.
During this time, the small mountain peak welcomed several guests.
Naturally, they all came for Lu Yuan, wanting to get a head start on seeing the Blood Deer's true form.
The first to arrive was Yao Xiaoxiao.
She greeted Lu Yuan enthusiastically, but he ignored her.
She was a bit displeased, calling him a mute and gossiping about how ugly his hair was, labeling it the ugliest hairstyle in the Wendao Sect.
Lu Yuan remained expressionless.
The second to arrive was Lin Qianqian, followed by Zhang Yang...
In truth, the two had arrived together, one right after the other. It was only because Lin Qianqian's left foot touched the ground before Zhang Yang's right foot that she was considered second.
Compared to Yao Xiaoxiao, the two of them were much more reserved.
They didn't dare get close, watching him cautiously from a distance.
No matter how one looked at it, the Lu Yuan before them was a genuine peak beast king stage powerhouse. By the standards of human cultivators, he was a peak soul transformation stage existence.
Lin Qianqian and Zhang Yang were only at the core formation stage.
There were two entire major realms between them.
Naturally, they were on guard.
Zhang Yang remarked, "I didn't expect this auspicious beast to be a head of a person."
Lin Qianqian snapped, "If you can't talk properly, then don't talk at all. What do you mean 'a head of a person'? He's clearly a person. So uncultured, it's terrifying."
Xu Xian was speechless and rolled his eyes. "Is it possible that he just transformed into a human form?"
The two had a sudden realization and said in unison, "So that's it!"
Xu Xian massaged his temples.
He could excuse Zhang Yang, but even Lin Qianqian was like this now. It seemed that cultivation really did make people stupid.
His reasoning: because they were powerful and could solve most problems with brute force, they stopped thinking, thus becoming duller. It was a sound theory.
That day, the three of them had a small gathering. Xu Xian treated them to a swan... leg.
It wasn't that Xu Xian was stingy; it was just that the leg belonged to a beast sovereign stage black swan. They couldn't even finish a single leg.
As the meat entered their bellies and the wine went down their throats, Zhang Yang sighed with emotion. "I remember when we first joined the sect, we also ate a swan together."
Xu Xian said wistfully, "Yes, it's been so long. A decade of shadows under the moon and flowers; ten years of footprints, ten years of the same heart."
Lin Qianqian rested her head on her knees, gazing at the autumn moon. She whispered with a sigh, "Ten years since we left the mortal world behind... Yangyang and I are mere core formation, yet you are already at soul transformation, wreaking havoc in the Demon Suppression Abyss, invincible against anyone below the eighth stage. After only ten years, the gap is truly vast."
Xu Xian teased, "What, are you jealous?"
Lin Qianqian pouted. "I'm not. I'm just afraid I can't keep up with you and will be left behind. In the mountains, my seniors always call me a genius, but when I compare myself to you, I feel like a little piece of trash."
Zhang Yang said bluntly, "Sister Qianqian, look at it this way—who isn't trash compared to Brother Xian?"
Lin Qianqian found herself agreeing for once. "True."
Xu Xian offered words of comfort. "Don't be so discouraged. The path of cultivation is long and difficult; there's plenty of time ahead. Hard work will always be rewarded."
After a pause, he added jokingly, "Besides, if you can't keep up, why don't you two just run?"
Lin Qianqian gave him a white eye.
Zhang Yang laughed. "Then we'd have to be crabs, running sideways with eight legs to catch up."
"Haha! You idiot!"
Laughter and chatter filled the night, a mix of joy, sorrow, and worry.
The joy came from a long-awaited reunion and seeing old friends safe.
As for the sorrow...
Only the girl felt it.
The girl was sorrowful because the boy was too exceptional.
The girl was worried because the boy was too dazzling.
Unable to catch up, unable to keep pace, unable to be worthy...
Xu Xian understood. He understood it all.
But he pretended not to.
He knew he couldn't help them much. In the Wendao Sect, the techniques and teachers were already top-tier; the rest depended on them. He thought to himself that he would just run a bit faster and protect them as they ran slowly.
However, he did what he could to support them.
For instance, he had been sending them dao jades and beast meat. And tonight, before they parted, he gave them a few more things.
Spirit tools. Dharma treasures. Protective gear. Talismans.
These were all items he had scavenged from the dead in the Demon Suppression Abyss. Since he had no use for them, he gave them to his friends.
After the night's gathering, they each returned to their respective peaks.
To cultivate. To be busy.
Hao Ren visited.
Nangong Ning visited.
The former came to reminisce and share a jar of wine, while the latter came to say goodbye, saying she was going on another long journey.
"Leaving again?"
Nangong Ning nodded obediently and said softly, "Yes. I applied for a transfer from the Supervision Hall to the Demon-Slaying Army. I've been placed in the first batch, departing tomorrow morning."
Xu Xian drank and remarked, "You really don't give yourself a moment's rest."
Nangong Ning tucked a stray hair behind her ear and smiled. "I'm just a brick of the sect; move me wherever I'm needed."
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