Tu Kongkong

After the Elder left, the crowd of children stared at Xu Xian incessantly.

Many of them shrank back into the group, somewhat afraid—not because Xu Xian looked frightening, but simply because that scary-looking old man from before seemed to be afraid of this young man as well.

Preconceptions took hold; they decided this young man must be even more formidable than the old one, and thus, they were wary.

Within the crowd, Xia Chu Yi stared straight at Xu Xian, her eyes fixed on him.

Tu Kongkong whispered, "Chu Yi, what are you looking at?"

Xia Chu Yi replied softly, "He looks familiar. I feel like I've seen him somewhere before."

Tu Kongkong was skeptical. "Really? Is it just because he’s handsome that you think he looks familiar?"

It wasn't that Tu Kongkong was precocious; it was just that the very first thing Xia Chu Yi had ever said to her was that she looked beautiful and seemed familiar.

Xia Chu Yi quickly denied it, speaking with the air of a little adult. "No way. He’s not bad-looking, but he’s definitely not as handsome as Uncle Li, and he’s certainly not as handsome as my uncle. My uncle is even more handsome than Uncle Li."

Xu Xian heard this, of course, and his brow furrowed. He didn't like the sound of that at all.

Since when was Li Qingshan more handsome than him?

But on second thought, there was probably some truth to it.

Still, what was the use of being handsome? That man still had to call him Martial Grand-Uncle.

Forget it. She was just a child; he wouldn't lower himself to her level. Standing before the crowd, Xu Xian looked back at the Longevity Bridge. Adopting an air of transcendent grace, he spoke in a measured tone:

"The towering Longevity Bridge, the path of seeking the Dao and cultivation."

"Cross this bridge to reach the other shore, and you shall be disciples of our Wendao Sword Sect."

"Please, proceed!"

Having received the immortal's permission, the children—who had long been unable to contain themselves—showed not a shred of restraint. They shouted and cheered as they rushed onto the bridgehead in a chaotic swarm.

"Little ones, follow me! Charge!"

"Wendao Sword Sect, Niu Batian has arrived!"

"I'm going to be first!"

"Wait for me..."

Mist swirled around the long bridge, and gusts of cool wind blew through the deep gorge, accompanied by the incessant patter of footsteps. Xu Xian stood at the bridgehead, motionless as a mountain, watching the children struggle across the bridge.

The outgoing Xia Chu Yi pulled the reserved Tu Kongkong along as they set off. As they passed by Xu Xian, Xia Chu Yi didn't forget to glance sideways and stare at him again.

Xu Xian met her gaze calmly, a playful smile playing at the corners of his mouth, leaving Xia Chu Yi completely bewildered.

However, just as the two of them stepped past him, the young man's slightly languid voice rang out.

"Tu Kongkong!"

Hearing their names, the two slowed down almost simultaneously and looked back.

Their eyes were filled with confusion.

Tu Kongkong stopped and asked tentatively, "Are you... calling me?"

Xu Xian narrowed his eyes slightly and said softly, "Stay behind for a moment."

Tu Kongkong was instantly at a loss, looking back at Xia Chu Yi with eyes full of a plea for help.

Xia Chu Yi squeezed Tu Kongkong's hand firmly and turned back, shielding her friend. She looked at Xu Xian warily and asked, "What do you want?"

Xu Xian smiled but said nothing.

Tu Kongkong shrank further behind Xia Chu Yi, her eyes darting away, yet she couldn't help but peek out from behind her friend's shoulder.

Xia Chu Yi declared her background as a threat. "I'm telling you, my uncle is an immortal too. You can't bully us!"

Xu Xian was speechless. He sighed and said, "I just want to have a few words with her. There's no need to be nervous."

"Really?"

"Naturally."

After some consideration, Xia Chu Yi decided that the person before her looked decent enough and probably wasn't a bad person. She comforted Tu Kongkong, saying, "Kongkong, don't be afraid. He just wants to talk to you. It'll be fine."

Tu Kongkong looked deeply at Xia Chu Yi and gave a small nod.

"I'll wait for you up ahead."

"Okay!"

Xia Chu Yi let go of Tu Kongkong's hand and walked away, looking back every few steps to steal a glance at Xu Xian until she reached the far end of the bridgehead and stopped to wait.

Watching this scene, Xu Xian’s eyes filled with tenderness. 'She really is like Sister,' he thought.

Sister was just like that. Gentle. Kind. Even when she was weak, she would shield him behind her.

After Xia Chu Yi left, Tu Kongkong became even more nervous. Her small hands twisted the hem of her clothes tightly, her head bowed low, her toes occasionally scuffing the ground.

Every so often, she would steal a glance at Xu Xian. Through her somewhat messy, yellowish short hair, the faint mark of a flame on her forehead was visible.

Xu Xian watched her without speaking.

She peeked at him, looking like she wanted to say something but didn't quite dare.

After a long while, the tomboyish girl finally gathered her courage and said in a trembling voice, "Please... go ahead and speak. Chu Yi is waiting for me."

Xu Xian smiled faintly and asked instead, "Don't you have anything you want to say to me?"

Tu Kongkong froze, her clear eyes filled with bewilderment. "I don't understand."

Xu Xian chuckled. "Think about it carefully. There's no rush."

Tu Kongkong was nervous...

Tu Kongkong was anxious...

Tu Kongkong was terrified...

She was on the verge of tears from the pressure.

She lowered her head guiltily, clutching her clothes in fear, tears quietly welling in her eyes. Under Xu Xian's gaze, her shoulders began to shake gently, and tears splashed onto the ground, drop by drop.

She looked exactly like a young beast whimpering silently.

She had been found out after all.

Xu Xian’s brow furrowed. He hadn't even done anything to her yet.

"What are you crying for?"

Tu Kongkong wiped her face vigorously and slowly looked up. Like a tear-stained kitten, she asked with a sob, "Am I... am I going to die?"

"Hmm?"

"You're going to kill me."

Xu Xian tilted his head. "Why would I kill you?"

Tu Kongkong tried hard to hold back her tears, choking out, "Because I'm not human."

Xu Xian arched an eyebrow. "You knew you weren't human, yet you still dared to come?"

"Waaaah!"

"Don't cry!"

"Waaaah!!"

Seeing that Tu Kongkong was about to lose control and wail, Xu Xian glanced at Xia Chu Yi. Fearing she would worry, he pinched his fingers and chanted a mantra, raising a small concealment spell to isolate them from the outside world.

Then, he scolded the little girl before him, "Hold it in."

"Waaaah... I can't hold it in!"

"Waaaah... I'm only eleven, I don't want to die!"

"Waaaah..."

Her sudden wailing was as loud as a bell, and her tears fell like rain. Xu Xian had no choice but to watch her quietly.

He thought to himself, 'Cry, little monster, cry your heart out; to weep is not a sin...'

Wait, why was he singing in his head?

Tu Kongkong cried for a long time. It was unclear if she had cried her fill, run out of tears, or simply stopped because Xu Xian wasn't paying her any attention. She bit her lip, her sobs turning into quiet hiccups.

Her eyes were watery and pitiable.

Xu Xian slowly squatted down, instantly becoming half a head shorter than the little girl. He tilted his chin up slightly, gazed at her tear-streaked face, and asked softly, "Done crying?"

Perhaps out of animal instinct, when Xu Xian squatted down and looked shorter than her, Tu Kongkong suddenly wasn't as afraid. She sobbed, "No."

"Then do you want to continue?"

Tu Kongkong shook her head vigorously while repeatedly wiping her tears.

"No."

Xu Xian teased, "If you're not crying anymore, shall we get back to business?"

Tu Kongkong sobbed, "What... what business?"

"I ask, you answer," Xu Xian said.

Tu Kongkong stole a glance at Xu Xian and tried to bargain. "Then, if I answer everything right, can you... can you not kill me?"