Time Travel: I'm a Flower Thief

Looking out over the rivers and lakes, I stand atop the Star Gazing Tower.

Xie Daoyun had somehow found himself standing by the window with his hands behind his back, looking up at the sky. His usually relaxed expression was now slightly furrowed.

Seeing this, Situ Rui slowly walked to his side and followed his master's gaze.

The sky was clear and unobstructed for miles around, showing no signs of anything unusual.

"Master...is something wrong?"

Xie Daoyun narrowed his eyes slightly, as if gazing at the secrets of heaven unseen by mortals:

"Just a moment ago, from the direction of Xikunlun, it seemed as if a surge of energy representing the four symbols of dragon, phoenix, tortoise, and unicorn rose up, and then returned to the true form of the ancestral dragon."

Situ Rui's heart skipped a beat: "The four symbols are gathered, and it even contains the aura of the ancestral dragon? Could this extraordinary phenomenon be...?"

"Thank you, Mo. Thank you, Xiao Yi." Xie Daoyun smiled faintly, his tone neither praising nor expressing emotion.

Situ Rui was slightly surprised: "Xi Kunlun... could it be that he went to challenge Cui Juqing?"

Xie Daoyun stroked his beard and chuckled:

"Young Xie will either disappear for three years, or he will cross that insurmountable barrier and enter the Earth Immortal Dao Inquiry Realm as soon as he reappears."

Situ Rui muttered to himself, "Does Master mean he broke through to a higher realm, or is it because of his victory in the battle against Cui Juqing?"

Xie Daoyun lightly twirled his fingers, as if rapidly calculating something.

"He was born with a destiny that defies the heavens; his previous cultivation was simply insufficient and his energy was not strong enough."

Now, it's not surprising that some people are using Kunlun Mountain as a springboard for a sword duel, risking their lives to break through their limits and enter the realm of Earth Immortals.

......

In a small town at the foot of Kunlun Mountain.

An unassuming little tavern sits on the side of the street, its wooden windows half-open, wafting a faint aroma of fruit wine and cooked food.

Xie Xiaoyi bought a new outfit at a nearby clothing store and changed out. He then went into the hotel with Lu Fang and Hu Si, and chose a corner table by the window to sit down.

He called out, "Shopkeeper, bring me fruit wine!"

The waiter quickly set out a rough earthenware bowl and brought over a jar of plum wine, the sweet aroma of which instantly filled the air.

Xie Xiaoyi raised his hand to fill their glasses: "The aroma of this street-side fruit wine is acceptable, at least it smells good."

As he spoke, he looked up at Lu Fang and Hu Si, a casual smile playing on his lips:

"Speaking of which, it's been a while since the three of us brothers got together for a proper drink. The last time was when we were looking towards the Jianghu."

Lu Fang picked up his wine bowl and gently clinked it against his, his tone tinged with curiosity:

"How dare you bring that up? My fourth brother and I have been searching for you everywhere these past few years, worried that you might have suffered some kind of loss outside."

Tiger Rhino held the wine bowl, downed half of it in one gulp, and echoed in a muffled voice:

"Third Brother, my eldest brother and I have secretly gotten together for drinks a few times over the years, but it's still the three of us drinking together that's most comfortable!"

Xie Xiaoyi felt a warmth in his heart, picked up the wine jar and filled it for the three of them, while also clinking it with Lu Fang and Hu Si.

"My bad, my bad, I have been defeated by Wang Shaobo twice in a row, which has tarnished my martial arts spirit. So I secretly went into seclusion. I'm sorry to have worried you."

The three of them reminisced about the past while enjoying braised dishes and drinks, one glass of sweet fruit wine after another, chatting happily.

Xie Xiaoyi recounted the leisurely and interesting things on Forget-Worry Island, while Lu Fang and Hu Si also told him about their experiences in the martial arts world over the years.

The three men drank and chatted, finding themselves getting along very well, the table filled with the warm feeling of brotherhood.

They parted reluctantly as the wine intensified and the night deepened.

Lu Fang and Hu Si were thinking about their two hundred or so fellow disciples who were resting at the Kunlun Heavenly Sword Sect.

The two then bid farewell and returned together to the Kunlun Heavenly Sword Sect.

Xie Xiaoyi got up to see them off, but only after the two figures disappeared did he find a nearby inn to stay in.

......

A dim oil lamp was lit inside the inn.

Xie Xiaoyi had just untied his outer robe and was about to take off his clothes to rest when there was a sudden knock on the door.

"Tap, tap, tap."

Xie Xiaoyi paused, then asked, "Who?"

There was no answer from outside the door, only another soft knock.

Xie Xiaoyi had a slight doubt in his heart. He didn't know anyone at the foot of Kunlun Mountain. Lu Fang and Hu Si had already returned to the Heavenly Sword Sect, so why would someone come looking for them in the middle of the night?

He put down his clothes for a moment, walked to the door, and pulled open the wooden door.

As soon as the door opened, a dazzling red dress came into view.

Xue Xiaoqi stood outside the door, her fiery red dress making her skin appear as white as snow. The night breeze ruffled the stray hairs at her temples, adding to her charming appearance.

Xie Xiaoyi was taken aback: "Grandma Xiaoqi?"

"Xie Mo..."

"Grandma Xiaoqi, what brings you here?"

"I... it's been a long time. I've come to see you... Won't you invite me inside?"

Xie Xiaoyi then came to his senses and invited her into the house.

She might have sneaked out, and if Yue Xiaoshen misunderstood her, she might actually cause a huge disturbance in Kunlun. That would be a huge problem for them.

So he asked, "Grandma Xiaoqi, why are you out in the middle of the night, Senior Yue...?"

Xue Xiaoqi's eyes were bright and moist, and she smiled sweetly after sitting down:

"My mother knows I didn't run away secretly; I came here specifically to see you!"

Xie Xiaoyi felt a surge of warmth in his heart and couldn't help but reach out to touch her face.

Xue Xiaoqi instinctively flinched slightly: "You...you shouldn't take liberties with me."

Xie Xiaoyi's lips curled slightly. "Coming to my place in the middle of the night, are you afraid of being bullied by me?"

He didn't mind, and casually moved the wooden stool next to the table and placed it next to where she was sitting.

Xue Xiaoqi blushed and gently turned her body to the side, facing away from him.

Xie Xiaoyi sat down, without deliberately getting close, and turned around, gently pressing his back against hers.

Through their clothes, they could feel each other's warm touch.

Xue Xiaoqi's body trembled slightly, but instead of dodging, she slowly relaxed her back and leaned back steadily.

The two leaned back to back, comfortably embracing each other, and chatted casually, quickly catching up on their respective lives over the past three years.

After a moment of silence, Xue Xiaoqi spoke softly, her voice carrying a hint of gentle doubt:

"You haven't set foot in the martial arts world for three years, why are you suddenly back?"

Xie Xiaoyi leaned against her warm back, his voice softening as he spoke earnestly:

"I once bought supplies for the island in a small town in the East China Sea. I heard about your conflict with the Kunlun Heavenly Sword Sect. I was worried that something might have happened to you, so I came here to check on you."

So he did it all for me?

Hearing these words, Xue Xiaoqi felt a surge of warmth welling up in her heart, which she could no longer suppress.

She turned around, looked up at Xie Xiaoyi, and said, "Xie Mo, thank you."

Xie Xiaoyi's gaze fell on her face, and he felt that the girl in front of him had curved eyebrows and eyes full of tenderness, and even the light pink on the tips of her ears was incredibly beautiful.

If I don't make a move now, I'll be doing a disservice to my lustful nature.

Before she could react, Xie Xiaoyi had already grabbed the back of her neck and pulled Xue Xiaoqi closer.

"Xie Mo..." Xue Xiaoqi's heart suddenly raced, her cheeks flushed instantly, and she forgot to dodge as she looked at his approaching face.

The next second, Xie Xiaoyi lowered his head and gently kissed him.