Zhu Xian: They've all been reborn

He hesitated for a moment, then finally stuffed the note into his pocket. To go or not to go? Not going seemed like cowardice. Going, however, he was afraid Tian Ling'er would find out.

He spent the entire afternoon agonizing over it. While chopping bamboo, he missed and nearly cut his own foot. He spilled soup while eating and burned his hand. He got distracted while practicing his martial arts and was whipped by Su Ru with a bamboo stick.

It was almost late afternoon. Jiang Xiaochuan looked at the sky; the sun was setting, and the sky was tinged with orange-red. He gritted his teeth and headed towards the back of the mountain.

As they walked deeper into the bamboo forest, Lu Xueqi was already there. She stood in the same spot as before, her back to him, her moon-white Taoist robe edged with gold in the setting sun. Hearing footsteps, she turned around.

"You've come," she said, a smile curving her lips.

"Hmm." Jiang Xiaochuan walked over and stopped three steps away from her. "Junior Sister Lu, last time... I'm sorry, I couldn't come. My senior sister..."

"I know," Lu Xueqi interrupted him. "She told me."

Jiang Xiaochuan was taken aback. "You...you met?"

"Yes," Lu Xueqi said, looking at him, "we chatted for a bit."

Jiang Xiaochuan looked at her, trying to read something from her face, but he couldn't. Her expression was indifferent and calm, as if nothing had happened.

"Then why did you come to see me today..." Jiang Xiaochuan asked.

"I'll take you somewhere," Lu Xueqi said, flipping her hand to reveal a wooden sword in her palm. It was a very ordinary wooden sword, with a smooth blade and a gleaming hilt.

She raised her hand, and the wooden sword hovered in the air, three feet off the ground. She stepped on it, steadied herself, and then looked at Jiang Xiaochuan. "Come on up."

Jiang Xiaochuan was stunned. "Up...up? Where to?"

"From the sky," Lu Xueqi said, reaching out her hand. "Come here."

Jiang Xiaochuan looked at the wooden sword, then at Lu Xueqi, then at the sky. A thought flashed through his mind: sword control? Lu Xueqi can control a sword? She's only eight years old! Jade Purity Level Four? Impossible!

But he still reached out and grasped Lu Xueqi's hand. Her hand was cool and soft. Lu Xueqi pulled hard, and his feet went light, pulling him onto the wooden sword. The wooden sword wobbled, and he quickly grabbed Lu Xueqi's shoulder.

"Stand firm," Lu Xueqi said, her voice steady.

Jiang Xiaochuan steadied himself, but his hand was still gripping her shoulder. The wooden sword slowly rose, one zhang, two zhang, three zhang off the ground. The bamboo forest shrank beneath his feet, turning into a green sea. The wind blew fiercely, making it hard for him to open his eyes. He could hear the wind whistling in his ears, and he could hear his own heartbeat, thump, thump, quickly.

"Hold me tight," Lu Xueqi said again.

"What?"

"Hold me tight." Lu Xueqi turned her head and glanced at him. "I'm just starting out, so I'm not very steady yet."

Jiang Xiaochuan: "..."

He hesitated for a moment, then released his grip on her shoulders and instead wrapped his arms around her waist. Her waist was slender; he could wrap both arms around it. He held her tightly, pressing his face against her back. He could smell her scent, cool and refreshing, like frost on bamboo leaves.

Lu Xueqi felt the hand on her waist and the warmth on her back. A smile curved her lips, and she activated the wooden sword. The wooden sword transformed into a streak of light, shooting into the sky.

The wind picked up. Jiang Xiaochuan closed his eyes, afraid to look. He felt like he was flying, fast and intense. All he could hear was the sound of the wind and his own heartbeat. He hugged her tighter, his arms digging into Lu Xueqi's soreness, but she didn't say anything, just smiled.

After flying for a while, the speed slowed down. The wind also subsided. Jiang Xiaochuan slowly opened his eyes.

He saw clouds. White clouds, one by one, drifting beneath his feet. He saw mountains. Seven peaks of Qingyun stood tall in the distance, like giants. He saw the sunset. Half the sun hung on the horizon, dyeing the clouds gold, red, and purple. Light leaked through the gaps in the clouds, like swords, piercing the sky.

It was beautiful. More beautiful than anything he had ever seen.

"Is it pretty?" Lu Xueqi asked, her voice slightly distorted by the wind.

"It's beautiful," Jiang Xiaochuan said, his eyes fixed on the sea of ​​clouds.

Lu Xueqi smiled.

She looked at the clouds in front of her, at the mountains in the distance, and at the sunset on the horizon.

But she felt that none of them were as attractive as the person behind her.

Nothing compares to the warmth of his arms when he holds her, nothing compares to the breath he breathes against her back, nothing compares to the light in his eyes when he looks at the scenery.

The wooden sword made a turn in the air and flew towards the depths of the Qingyun Mountains.

Fly over valleys, over waterfalls, over a hillside covered with wildflowers.

The wind carries the fragrance of flowers, moisture, and the scent of fresh grass.

Jiang Xiaochuan slowly relaxed. He no longer held Lu Xueqi so tightly, but his arms were still around her waist.

Looking at the scenery at his feet, the nervousness in his heart slowly turned into excitement and curiosity. He looked around, like a country boy visiting the city for the first time.

After flying for a while, the wooden sword suddenly wobbled. Jiang Xiaochuan was startled and quickly hugged it tighter.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," Lu Xueqi said, her voice tinged with amusement. "My hand slipped."

Jiang Xiaochuan: "..."

He suddenly remembered something.

To master a magical artifact, one must be at least at the fourth level of the Jade Purity Realm.

Lu Xueqi is only eight years old, and has been practicing for less than a year, yet she can already fly on a sword? This talent… A number flashed through his mind: Jade Purity Level 4? Level 5? Or even higher?

He dared not think about it. He felt his brain couldn't keep up.

The wooden sword flew for a while longer before slowly descending and landing on a grassy field.

The grass was green and soft, like a carpet underfoot. Trees surrounded the area, tall and with dense foliage. In the distance, the sound of a waterfall boomed like thunder.

Jiang Xiaochuan jumped off the wooden sword, his legs a little weak. He steadied himself and looked at Lu Xueqi. Lu Xueqi also jumped off, and with a wave of her hand, the wooden sword returned to her grasp.

The two stood on the grass, neither speaking. The setting sun's light filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the ground. A breeze rustled the leaves.

"Junior Sister Lu," Jiang Xiaochuan finally spoke, his voice a little dry.

"Um?"

"What level are you at in the Jade Purity Realm?"

Lu Xueqi looked at him for a few seconds, then said, "Guess."

"I can't guess," Jiang Xiaochuan said honestly, "but you can control a sword, at least up to the fourth level."

Lu Xueqi smiled but didn't say anything.

Jiang Xiaochuan looked at her and smiled, and the shock in his heart slowly turned into doubt and then into curiosity.

He looked at Lu Xueqi, at her exquisitely beautiful face, and at her unfathomable eyes.

He suddenly realized that he didn't know her. No, he did know her, but he knew Lu Xueqi from the book.

The Lu Xueqi in front of me is different from the one described in the book.

"Junior Sister Lu," he said again.

"Um?"

"Why... do you always contact me?" Jiang Xiaochuan asked softly. "Have we... known each other before?"

Lu Xueqi's smile faded slightly. She looked at Jiang Xiaochuan for a long time, then turned to look at the distant waterfall.

"You'll find out later," she said softly, her voice half-heard by the sound of the waterfall.

Jiang Xiaochuan didn't hear clearly. "What?"

"It's nothing." Lu Xueqi turned back to look at him. "I'll take you to Heyang City next time."

"what?"

"I'll go by sword, it'll be quick," Lu Xueqi said, a smile playing on her lips. "I'll treat you to candied hawthorns."

Jiang Xiaochuan stared blankly at her. Lu Xueqi was also looking at him, her eyes crinkling, filled with light, laughter, and something he couldn't understand.

Then she stepped onto the wooden sword and waved at him.

"I'm gone."

The wooden sword rose into the air, transformed into a streak of light, and disappeared beyond the woods.

Jiang Xiaochuan stood there, looking at the sky. It was getting dark, and stars were appearing one by one.

He stood there for a long time, until his legs went numb, before slowly walking back.

My mind is a mess.

Lu Xueqi can wield a sword.

Lu Xueqi invited him to fly around.

Lu Xueqi said she would take him to Heyang City.

The way Lu Xueqi looked at him...

And why didn't you take me back with you?

He shook his head, deciding not to think about it anymore. He couldn't figure it out.

Back inside, Xiaobai was already waiting. It jumped onto the bed and lay down beside his pillow. Jiang Xiaochuan lay down and hugged it. Xiaobai nuzzled against him and then stopped moving.

Jiang Xiaochuan stroked its fur, his mind still filled with Lu Xueqi's face. Her smile, the way she looked at him, the way she said "hug me tight."

Strange. Really strange.

He couldn't figure it out, so he simply stopped thinking about it. He closed his eyes and went to sleep.

Xiao Bai opened her eyes and looked at his sleeping face. She looked for a long time, then snuggled closer to him.

Outside the window, the moon has risen.