Chapter 152: A Farewell Letter

Huoying Market.

Ruan Xiuqi walked past the entrance of the market and strolled down its bustling streets, observing the surrounding shops with keen interest. This was his very first time visiting Huoying Market.

"This place is much livelier than Luogu Market, and there are so many people..." Looking at the endless stream of people on the street, he couldn't help feeling a tinge of envy as he thought, "If I were to open a butcher shop here, the spirit stones I earn would probably double..."

Before long, he arrived at the central bazaar. He looked around curiously, observing the various beast meats sold by the rogue cultivators and inquiring about the prices of different cuts.

Although he had business to attend to in Huoying Market, occupational habit still drew him uncontrollably to the bazaar to survey the beast meat market the moment he arrived.

After inspecting the stalls for a full hour and feeling that he had seen enough, he finally headed toward his destination.

Soon, he arrived at the entrance of the "Exquisite Garment Shop."

He stepped inside.

"Fellow Daoist, are you here to purchase a Dao robe?" The moment he crossed the threshold, a young girl of sixteen or seventeen greeted him. She had delicate features and her cultivation was at the second layer of Qi refinement.

Looking at the girl before him, Ruan Xiuqi thought to himself, "So this is the helper Junior Sister Meng hired..."

After a brief glance, Ruan Xiuqi spoke directly, "I am a disciple of the Xuanyang Sect, and I am here to see Meng Li."

"Ah, so you're Senior Sister Meng's fellow sect member! Please wait a moment, I'll go call Senior Sister Meng right away..." The girl said, looking pleasantly surprised.

With that, she hurried toward the back courtyard.

Ruan Xiuqi began to inspect the interior decoration of the shop.

Not long after, the girl and Meng Li walked out from the side door of the back courtyard.

"Senior Brother Ruan?" Seeing who it was, Meng Li looked somewhat surprised. "What brings you to Huoying Market?"

"Junior Sister Meng, long time no see..." Ruan Xiuqi greeted her with a smile, then walked closer. With a flick of his wrist, a letter appeared in his hand. "I came here today to deliver a letter to you."

"Oh?" Meng Li asked curiously, "Is there something important happening in the sect? Did it require Senior Brother Ruan to deliver a letter in person..."

"It's not a matter concerning the sect..." Ruan Xiuqi shook his head, then smiled mysteriously. "It's a letter left for you personally by Big Brother Bai!"

"Senior Brother Bai!" Meng Li's expression lit up with joy, and she hurriedly asked, "Why would Senior Brother Bai suddenly write to me?"

Ruan Xiuqi handed the letter over to Meng Li and chuckled, "You'll know once you read it!"

Meng Li excitedly took the letter, carefully unsealed it, and immediately caught sight of a piece of paper covered in elegant handwriting.

She unfolded it and began to read intently.

"Junior Sister Meng, by the time you read this letter, I will have already left the sect for a few days. I have already explained to the Sect Master that I will be escorting He Zuo and He Li back to Chuzhou..."

Upon reading this, Meng Li raised her head to look at Ruan Xiuqi standing before her and asked anxiously, "Senior Brother Bai has already left the mountain gate?"

Seeing Meng Li's reaction, Ruan Xiuqi smiled faintly and said, "Yes, Big Brother Bai mentioned in the letter that it might take a few years before he returns."

"Years..." Meng Li lowered her head, her mood plunging as she muttered to herself.

She then resumed reading the letter. She bit her pink lips, reading it word for word, terrified that if she read too quickly, it would come to an end.

Unfortunately, the middle portion of the letter was filled with experiences regarding the establishment of a shop, business philosophy, and so on...

This caused Meng Li to furrow her brows, feeling quite annoyed. "I don't want to read about this..."

She continued reading downward until she reached the end: "...Junior Sister, this departure may mean we won't see each other for several years. You must take good care of your health and not overwork yourself. Rest properly when crafting artifacts, and do not neglect your cultivation. When I return, let's go view the Sunlight Waterfall together!"

Seeing the conclusion, a smile graced the corners of Meng Li's mouth, and a shy, charming flush bloomed across her delicate face, captivatingly lovely.

She carefully folded the letter, clutched it tightly in her palm, and felt a surge of joy in her heart. "Senior Brother still remembers that day..."

That was a shared memory between her and Senior Brother, a little secret belonging only to the two of them.

Watching Meng Li, who had initially looked irritated, suddenly turn so shy, Ruan Xiuqi smiled with a mixture of understanding and amusement, and teased, "Junior Sister Meng, what did Big Brother Bai write in the letter to you?"

"N-nothing," Meng Li replied softly, lowering her head.

"Hehe!" Ruan Xiuqi let out a knowing, mischievous chuckle.

***

Ningshui Prefecture.

Immortal Master's Mansion.

Chen Lin slowly concluded his cultivation session, opened his eyes, and a sharp gleam flashed through them.

"This feeling! It's very much like the opportunity for advancement that Senior Brother Bai mentioned!"

He was ecstatic. He had been stuck at the third layer of Qi refinement for over a year, and today, while meditating, he had finally sensed the so-called opportunity for breakthrough!

Before he could study it further, he caught sight of someone standing outside his door out of the corner of his eye.

Judging by the figure, it was none other than the City Lord of Ningshui Prefecture, Liu Jing.

He had instituted a rule that whenever he was in meditation, regardless of the matter, people had to wait outside and not disturb him; they could only enter to report after his cultivation session had concluded.

It seemed Liu Jing had executed this rule quite well...

Chen Lin stretched lazily, paused for a moment, and called out, "Come in."

Hearing the command, Liu Jing pushed open the door, entered, walked slowly up to Chen Lin, and bowed respectfully.

"What is it?" Chen Lin asked indomitably.

"Reporting to the Immortal Master, Immortal Master Bai has sent a letter from the sect."

"Oh?" Chen Lin raised an eyebrow slightly and said, "Bring it here for me to see."

"Yes!" Liu Jing kept his head lowered, holding the letter aloft with both hands as he offered it to Chen Lin.

After taking the letter, Chen Lin did not open it immediately. Instead, he said, "You may withdraw. If there is anything, I will call for you!"

"Yes, this subordinate takes his leave." Liu Jing backed out of the room.

Once Liu Jing had moved far away from the room, Chen Lin finally opened the letter and began to read it slowly.

A moment later.

He put the letter down.

"Senior Brother Bai actually went to Chuzhou." Chen Lin muttered to himself, "Five years... It will take five years for him to return..."

He lowered his gaze to the glowing green jade stone in his hand, then grasped it tightly, his eyes filled with profound determination.

"In these five years, I will definitely make Senior Brother Bai look at me with new eyes!"

***

In the back mountain of the Xuanyang Sect, Zhang Zhiyan stood atop a towering peak. She was currently dressed in a soft white flowing dress, and the biting gale constantly whipped her loose black hair, causing her robes to flap loudly. She gazed into the distance, her eyes filled with tenderness.

Bai Qingzhou had not bid her farewell in person; instead, he had simply left a letter in his courtyard. Today, when Zhang Zhiyan went to look for Bai Qingzhou, she discovered the letter.

Initially, she had felt somewhat resentful, blaming Bai Qingzhou for leaving without saying goodbye. But when she read the words of care and concern Bai Qingzhou had written for her in the letter, the vexation in her heart instantly vanished like smoke.

Zhang Zhiyan put down the letter in her hand and leaped straight off the peak, soaring through the air like a bird.

Before long, she returned to her own courtyard.

She walked slowly into her room, collapsed onto her bed, and closed her eyes. Bai Qingzhou's figure involuntarily surfaced in her mind, and as she thought and thought, the corners of her full lips naturally curved into a delightful arc...