Expressing Her Feelings

The day the Qingling Sect came to apologize turned out to be a godsend.

That morning, she had just finished feeding Yuetuan his second dose of medicine when an administrative disciple knocked on her courtyard gate, delivering a message that the Sect Master of the Qingling Sect had personally brought his disciples to the main hall, and the Palace Master wanted her to head over.

Lin Zhiyue placed Yuetuan back in his nest, changed into a clean set of casual robes, and headed to the main hall. Only when she arrived at the entrance did she realize what a grand spectacle it was. The hall was packed with people. Xiao Sheng sat at the head of the room, while Qi Yan sat in the first chair on the left, his expression calm and unreadable.

Leading the group from the Qingling Sect was a lean, refined-looking middle-aged cultivator. He wore a teal robe adorned with cloud patterns, and his aura was deep and restrained. This was likely the Sect Master of the Qingling Sect himself.

Behind him stood Song Mu, with Cui Yu'er standing next to him. Tang Yiran shrunk back at the very end of the line, her head lowered so far that her face was barely visible.

As Lin Zhiyue walked through the door, several gazes in the hall fell upon her simultaneously. Looking straight ahead, she walked over to stand slightly behind and to the side of Qi Yan, bowing to both Xiao Sheng and the Qingling Sect's Sect Master.

The Sect Master of the Qingling Sect got straight to the point, his attitude polite and sincere. He explained that his disciple, Tang Yiran, had behaved improperly in the Northern Realm Secret Realm, and he had personally brought her here today to apologize in person.

Having said that, he cast a glance back at Tang Yiran.

Tang Yiran stepped out of the queue and stood in the center of the hall. Her face was flushed bright red, and her fingers twisted the cuffs of her sleeves. Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz. “Senior... Senior Sister Lin, it was my fault. I shouldn't have dragged you into trouble after provoking the Mirror Demon. I'm sorry.”

Looking at her posture—as if she wished she could bury her head in the ground—Lin Zhiyue did not say much, simply nodding and replying, “I understand.”

Qi Yan sat nearby without uttering a word, seemingly too lazy to respond on her behalf. Xiao Sheng, however, smiled and offered a few polite remarks, saying things like, “It is fine as long as the youth correct their mistakes,” and “Be more mindful of your boundaries in the future.”

The Sect Master of the Qingling Sect then turned back to Lin Zhiyue, his tone becoming a fraction more formal. “I heard that Martial Niece Lin also gifted Yu'er an Ice Marrow Jade Pendant, helping her break through her bottleneck. Yu'er's cultivation has progressed much more smoothly since returning. The Qingling Sect will remember this favor.”

Lin Zhiyue remained unfazed, replying calmly, “It was just an ordinary item. It happened to suit Senior Sister Cui, so I gave it to her. There is no need for Senior to keep it on your mind.”

The hall fell silent for a brief moment.

The Sect Master of the Qingling Sect let his gaze linger on her face a moment longer. Song Mu's eyes also shifted slightly, and even the accompanying elders from the Qingling Sect exchanged looks.

The words “ordinary item” sounded incredibly casual, but everyone present knew the grade of the Ice Marrow Jade Pendant. Someone who could give it away so easily and call it an “ordinary item” was either so wealthy that they did not care about such spiritual artifacts, or their background was so profound that they simply did not mind losing them.

Whichever it was, it made Lin Zhiyue's true depth even more mysterious in their eyes.

While the elders continued their polite small talk, Lin Zhiyue noticed Cen Xi'er standing at the side of the hall, shooting her a meaningful look.

Following that gaze, she glanced at Song Mu standing in the Qingling Sect's ranks and understood immediately.

Stepping forward two paces, she offered a faint smile to Song Mu and Cui Yu'er. “Senior Brother Song, Senior Sister Cui... and Senior Sister Tang, it is rare for you to visit Tiance Palace. Why don't Second Senior Sister and I show the three of you around? Tiance Palace has quite a few scenic spots.”

Song Mu glanced at the Sect Master of the Qingling Sect. With the Sect Master's slight nod, he agreed.

Cui Yu'er agreed as well.

The five of them left the main hall and walked down the stone steps toward the side peak. Lin Zhiyue walked slightly ahead, while Cen Xi'er led the way at an unhurried pace.

Inside the main hall, the elders' small talk continued. Sitting at the head of the room, Qi Yan withdrew his gaze from the entrance, his eyes lingering for a split second on his fingers holding the teacup.

When he saw Lin Zhiyue and Cen Xi'er exchange looks earlier, both of his disciples' gazes had simultaneously shifted toward Song Mu.

He took a sip of his tea, thinking to himself that his youngest disciple must have plotted something with Cen Xi'er before leaving her courtyard today.

Out on the stone steps, Lin Zhiyue was leading the group along the mountain path toward the peach blossom grove on the eastern side of the main peak.

Song Mu walked beside her, while Cui Yu'er followed behind, chatting idly with Cen Xi'er. Tang Yiran brought up the rear, walking so quietly she barely made a sound.

Lin Zhiyue felt that whether this matter would succeed or not depended entirely on today.

Lin Zhiyue led Song Mu's group around a dense bamboo grove on the mountain path, stopping next to a secluded stone pavilion on the eastern side of the side peak.

At this hour, most of the disciples were either at the martial arts field or the lecture halls. The mountain path was virtually deserted, with only the faint, distant cries of spiritual cranes echoing through the air.

Lin Zhiyue turned back to face Song Mu, her tone calm but solemn. “Senior Brother Song, there is something I would like to speak with you about in private.”

Cui Yu'er and Tang Yiran were tactful enough to immediately walk away. They headed to a small pavilion halfway up the mountain, sat down, and lowered their heads to fiddle with the flowers and plants around them.

Once they had stopped, Song Mu turned his head to look at Lin Zhiyue, his tone gentle. “Junior Sister Lin, what is it that you wish to discuss in private?”

Before Lin Zhiyue could speak, half of a figure peeked out from around the corner of the wall.

Liu Fengyao had specially changed into a light red dress today and restyled her hair. However, she was currently hiding behind the corner of the wall not far away, exposing half her shoulder and a face flushed with anxiety. Her fingers gripped the brick crevices of the wall, looking as though she were ready to bolt at any moment yet forced herself to stay rooted to the spot.

Following Lin Zhiyue's gaze, Song Mu froze slightly when he saw Liu Fengyao. He clearly had not expected to see her here—the female Tiance Palace disciple he had run into twice in the Northern Realm Secret Realm. He remembered her.

Lin Zhiyue took two steps back, leaving the open space in front of the stone pavilion empty.

She and Cen Xi'er both turned their backs and stood several paces away on either side. This setup ensured that a man and a woman being alone would not damage Liu Fengyao's reputation, while still giving them enough space to talk.

Lin Zhiyue casually blocked her sense of hearing, and Cen Xi'er did the same.

With their backs to the stone pavilion, one looked down at the cracks between the stones beneath her feet, while the other looked up at the distant mountains.

Gazing at the silhouettes of the distant mountains, Lin Zhiyue calculated the time in her head—the time it took for a stick of incense to burn should be about enough.

Just as she was about to unblock her hearing to check, a notification suddenly popped up on the system screen:

[Task Completed: Help Liu Fengyao and Song Mu express their feelings. Reward: Premium Draw Ticket x2. Note: Intentions are clear; one's own gain and loss are understood.]

Lin Zhiyue was stunned. It was completed so quickly? Just as she unblocked her hearing, she heard Liu Fengyao ask in a trembling voice, “...Are you serious?”

Song Mu's voice remained silent for a moment before ringing out.

His voice carried a trace of earnestness that even he had not expected. “Really. I, too... am fond of you...”

Lin Zhiyue's eyes suddenly widened. Wait, what kind of development is this?

Liu Fengyao's voice was also trembling as she choked back a sob. “Then... why did you agree to the political marriage? You already like someone, yet you still agreed to—”

Song Mu fell silent for a moment. When he spoke, there was a helpless honesty in his tone. “Because at the time, I felt it was impossible for you to like me. You didn't even know who I was, only that you had been saved in passing by a random disciple of the Qingling Sect. I couldn't exactly run over to Tiance Palace and tell you—”