Time Travel: I'm a Flower Thief

Everyone in the martial arts world wanted to witness the ultimate showdown between the fifth and fourth strongest warriors in the land.

The dust on the official road was scorching hot from the summer sun. Crowds surged, and the sounds of footsteps, clashing weapons, and discussions mingled as they all headed towards Fuyu Mountain.

Xie Xiaoyi quickly caught up with Xue Xiaoqi, and said with a roguish smile, "Grandma Xiaoqi, why did Senior Yue Xiaoshen go to Fuyu Mountain ahead of schedule?"

Xue Xiaoqi paused slightly, turning her head to glance at him: "You've got a handsome face, but you don't even understand this?"

Is this a compliment to my good looks?

Xie Xiaoyi was overjoyed and leaned forward, squinting his eyes: "Then tell me."

He...he was too close!

Xue Xiaoqi's eyelashes trembled, her ear tips turned red, and she quickly turned her head and said in a deep voice: "When masters discuss swordsmanship, they need to be in harmony with the timing of heaven and earth, and concentrate their minds."

Fuyu Mountain is the place for swordsmanship trials. Mother went there ahead of time so that her body and mind could merge with the mountains and sea, and she wouldn't suffer from the disadvantage of the terrain.

Xie Xiaoyi nodded secretly: It sounds very reasonable. There are really a lot of tricks to the top martial arts masters in the martial arts world!

The chatter of the crowd around me drifted over, filled with eager anticipation.

"The fourth-ranked beauty in the land battles the fifth-ranked beauty, who were also the first and second most beautiful women back then. This is a once-in-a-century event!"

"The clash between Donghai Suying and the Great Search God is truly worth watching!"

"Hurry up, hurry up, or there won't be any room left to stand!"

As the group approached, Mount Fuyu stretched out before them, its peaks rising straight into the clouds, connecting the mountains and the sea.

The seaside path at the foot of the mountain is pitifully narrow, with sheer cliffs on one side and tidal flats crashing against the shore on the other.

The space, barely wide enough for three or four people to pass side by side, was now completely blocked by a dense crowd of martial arts practitioners.

Xie Xiaoyi raised an eyebrow, glancing at the throng of people, a roguish smile playing on his lips, and tugged at Xue Xiaoqi's sleeve:

"With so many people, it looks like it'll be hard to get a good spot today."

Xue Xiaoqi stood on tiptoe to look ahead, but her view was completely blocked by the throng of heads. She was a little anxious.

"I should have come with my mom. With this crowded place, when will we ever get to the front?"

Her gaze swept across the narrow path, and her brows furrowed even more.

"If I used my light-footed skill to float over, there would be people everywhere under my feet. I'd have to step on their heads to move forward, which would be outrageous!"

Xie Xiaoyi grasped her gentle little hand in return and said softly, "Grandma Xiaoqi, don't worry, watch me."

Xue Xiaoqi blushed slightly as he held her hand: "What are you doing! There are so many people watching!"

Xie Xiaoyi smiled, narrowing his eyes, and formed a sword incantation with two fingers, letting out a low shout: "Rise!"

The sword, Guanchaohai, emerged from its sheath and floated into the air, drawn by the surrounding energy, its blade gleaming with a cold, sharp light in the sunlight.

Before Xue Xiaoqi could react, Xie Xiaoyi wrapped his long arm around her, grabbed her waist with one hand, and lifted her up steadily in his arms.

Xue Xiaoqi gasped, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his shoulder: "What are you doing?"

"Let me take you flying!"

Having said that, Xie Xiaoyi lightly touched the ground with his toes and leaped onto the suspended Guan Canghai Sword. The green blade carried the two of them and flew straight into the sky above the crowd.

The wind lifted the hem of their clothes, their red skirts and tight-fitting outfits fluttering in the wind. The blue light of the Guan Canghai Sword cut through the noise and flew slowly in mid-air.

Xue Xiaoqi hugged his neck tightly, her cheeks still flushed: "Xie Mo, you... you can fly on a sword now?"

"Grandma Xiaoqi, am I handsome?"

"Okay, he's pretty handsome."

"Between Yan Li and me, who's more handsome?"

"Hmm...it's you, of course!"

Xie Xiaoyi was overjoyed and deliberately swayed the sword under his feet, causing her to gasp and shrink into his arms.

Xue Xiaoqi was both embarrassed and angry. She reached out and punched his chest, burying her face in his shoulder: "You're so bad, I'm not talking to you anymore."

The crowd of martial arts practitioners below erupted in a frenzy of exclamations.

"Flying on a sword! This is actually sword control technique!"

"Hmm, only someone at the Starry Sky Profound Realm could do that. What's this kid's background?"

"To have reached the Upper Fifth Realm at such a young age, this child's future is limitless!"

"To fly over people's heads while holding a girl, that's so cool!"

Amidst the clattering sounds, Xie Xiaoyi, riding his sword, carried the person in his arms towards the open space below the cliff of "Floating Jade Mountain".

At the edge of Fuyu Mountain cliff, Yue Xiaoshen stood atop the rock, her red robes fluttering in the sea breeze.

Her phoenix eyes were fixed on the two people who were flying on swords. She smiled slightly and said loudly:

"To be able to fly on a sword at such a young age is excellent. From now on, you will take care of our little Qi."

Xie Xiaoyi lightly touched the ground with his toes, sheathed his sword, and with a soft hum, it landed behind him. He then clasped his hands in a salute.

"Senior, please focus on your duel. Leave your daughter to me; you can rest assured!"

Xue Xiaoqi blushed bright red at his words and lightly nudged his arm: "I'm ranked fourth on the Hidden Dragon Ranking, and you're only tenth. Do you think I need you to take care of me?"

Xie Xiaoyi shook his head, and said seriously, "Grandma Xiaoqi, have you ever heard of this? I am a stone, and you are a stone."

What kind of talk is that?

Xue Xiaoqi shook her head: "Never heard of it, what does it mean?"

"Times have changed!"

"Pah! You're just making things up and spouting nonsense."

Yue Xiaoshen, standing on the cliff, took in all their little actions, and his smile deepened.

He stopped laughing a moment later, composed himself, and his aura instantly solidified.

He raised his arms and put his hands behind his back, channeled his inner strength, and let out a clear shout that pierced the heavens, the sound reverberating throughout Mount Fuyu:

"Thank you, Lingyun! The Western Sect's Moon Goddess has come to Mount Fuyu, borrowing the waters of the East Sea to wage war against you!"

The roaring sound crashed against the green cliffs, echoing in layers, and the clouds on the mountaintop seemed to tremble slightly.

The martial arts practitioners below the cliff all fell silent, their eyes fixed on the depths of Fuyu Mountain, awaiting Donghai Suying's response.

......

Fuyu Mountain, Wanghai Lodge.

Xie Lingyun gazed at the dragon-scale jade pendant hanging on his chest. The jade pendant, personally given to him by the Heavenly Calculator Xie Daoyun, was faintly shimmering with a cold light on his lapel.

Her fingers tightened, and she gripped the jade pendant tightly against her heart, her eyes narrowing sharply: "Could it be... he's about to appear?"

The cool touch of the jade pendant spread along my palm, unexpectedly evoking memories from eighteen years ago.

......

He had looked at her with an air of suave confidence and said, "Hey! Girl, stop practicing your swordplay and look at me."

Later, with his face covered in blood, he looked at her and said, "Hey! Girl, I'm going to scare you, don't look at me."

Earlier, he had warmed her hands by breathing on them, saying, "Girl, your hands are so cold, let me warm them for you."

Later, she covered his hand and cried, "Xingyao, your hands are so cold, I can't warm them up no matter how hard I try..."

She was eighteen that year, and he was twenty-two.

Later, she was twenty-eight, and he was still twenty-two.

She is thirty-six years old this year. Is he eighteen?

......

Before the memories had faded, the shouts of the Moon God had already reverberated throughout the mountains and seas:

"Thank you, Lingyun! The Western Sect's Moon Goddess has come to Mount Fuyu, borrowing the waters of the East Sea to wage war against you!"

Xie Lingyun put away his memories, gripped his longsword with his backhand, and his white figure burst out of the hut with a chilling sword aura, soaring straight into the sky.

As everyone below held their breath, Xie Lingyun's voice pierced through the clouds and mist, its clear tone resounding across mountains and seas: "Since we are borrowing the waters of the East Sea, then follow me!"