“Saintess Linglong?!”
Qian Feixu’s body trembled, and she nearly collapsed.
The idol she had only seen in paintings had suddenly appeared before her, alive and real.
The shock it brought her was too immense, too immense.
‘Could this be a dream? Was I still lying in my bedroom at Red Flower Building, and all of this was a conspiracy from Wanhuagu?’
Qian Feixu’s mind raced with wild thoughts, but her body honestly began to move toward Linglong, step by step, as slow as a snail.
Then, she heard Linglong’s voice.
“I heard from Miss Feixue that she has a younger sister who admires me. Is this that younger sister?”
‘The Saintess Daren knows me!’
Qian Feixu’s breath stopped. ‘Sister Feixue, you are my real sister! I love you to death!’
She nodded frantically and began to stammer an introduction: “I, I am Qian Feixu. You can call me Little Feixu, Saintess. I like you so, so much…”
While she was excitedly introducing herself, Qian Feixue had already signaled to the others in the tower to temporarily withdraw.
What was to come next was not suitable for others to know.
Facing the enthusiastic little fan, Linglong’s face was full of a perfunctory smile, but her gaze kept drifting toward Hua Jian, who seemed to be concentrating on playing with the cat.
Finally, after Qian Feixu finished her introduction, Linglong looked openly at Hua Jian.
“This younger sister looks quite familiar.”
“Oh my, do I have to introduce myself too? You’ve already recognized me, haven’t you?”
Hua Jian held the little spiritual civet in front of her face and tilted half of it out from behind the cat, smiling at Linglong.
“Since you sincerely ask, then I’ll graciously tell you. For the sake of maintaining world peace and justice…”
Before Hua Jian could finish her line, Linglong flicked her wrist and interrupted Hua Jian’s performance with a hidden weapon.
Shua!
Peng!
The hidden weapon was intercepted midair by Hua Jian’s vines.
“It seems you haven’t forgotten your training these past few years.”
“Of course. Otherwise, when we met again, wouldn’t I just be bullied by you?”
Hua Jian caught the hidden weapon Linglong had thrown and examined it carefully.
The familiar texture brought back memories of the past.
“This feel… Did you only shed this this year?”
What Linglong threw was no ordinary hidden weapon. In fact, it wasn’t a hidden weapon at all—it was a scale that looked like jade.
Exactly like the scale she had given Hua Jian before.
“I can’t sense the ones I gave you.”
“Don’t mention it. Not only did I lose what you gave me, but everything else is gone too. Fortunately, I gave you most of my assets before entering the secret realm, or I’d be heartbroken.”
Hua Jian spread her small hands, indicating she had left with nothing.
When she woke up in Wanhuagu, she didn’t have a single personal belonging.
But now it was fine. Linglong’s dragon scale had been returned.
Since that was the case, she might as well reciprocate and give Linglong something.
“Here, take this.”
Light flashed in Hua Jian’s hand, and a small petal-shaped badge appeared in her palm.
She walked lightly to Linglong, took Linglong’s hand, and placed the petal into it.
Linglong’s eyes flickered. Even with her vast experience, she couldn’t tell what material Hua Jian’s badge was made of.
That meant the gift Hua Jian gave her was absolutely priceless!
“Don’t get greedy and eat it. If your teeth itch, chew on this instead.”
After stuffing the badge, Hua Jian took out a transparent little stick about two fingers long and told Linglong that both were made of the same material, but this one she could try nibbling on.
“I’m not that greedy.”
“It’s not about being greedy. I want to see if this can break your teeth.”
“After so long apart, this is all you want to say to me?”
Linglong shot Hua Jian a resentful glare.
She had imagined what their reunion would be like.
In her mind, it would be passionate— Hua Jian would throw herself into her arms, and they would hold each other tightly, weeping together as they recalled the hardships of the past four years.
But Hua Jian acted as if nothing had happened, completely lacking the joy of a reunion after such a long separation.
“Hmm? Then should we go back to Red Flower Building and start a game right now?” Hua Jian tilted her head.
“How dare you, a sorceress, speak to the Saintess like that!”
Before Linglong could respond, Qian Feixu jumped out and harshly criticized Hua Jian’s words.
Although she had noticed that there seemed to be a strange relationship between Linglong and Hua Jian, starting a game was too much!
Even Linglong’s eyes widened slightly, utterly shocked by Hua Jian’s invitation.
The Hua Jian of four years ago wasn’t like this. Back then, she had the desire but not the courage.
She was terrified at the slightest trouble, afraid of being taken advantage of.
But now, Hua Jian could say something like that without even flinching…
Could it be that Hua Jian had lived a life of debauchery and excess in Wanhuagu?
“Hua Jian, did Wanhuagu corrupt you?” Linglong grabbed Hua Jian’s shoulder, her gaze burning.
“I was in prison for four years and only got out last month. How could I be corrupted? You don’t trust me. Break up!” Hua Jian snorted lightly.
Linglong easily judged that Hua Jian wasn’t lying. Realizing she had misunderstood, she quickly began to make amends.
As Qian Feixu’s expression gradually crumbled, Linglong circled around Hua Jian like a clumsy youth, finally making Hua Jian forgive her through relentless, shameless persistence.
If not for the outsider present, Linglong would have directly bitten Hua Jian’s lips.
‘Oh no, Hua Jian didn’t lie to me! I lost that bet!’
“Alright, alright. Your little fan is still watching.” Hua Jian, wrapped in Linglong’s tail around her waist and held tight, let out a few chuckles, then reminded Linglong to mind her image.
“Right now, we are two Saintesses with different stances. We can’t do this.”
“It doesn’t matter. You are not the Wanhua Saintess now.” Linglong buried her head in the back of Hua Jian’s neck, speaking in a muffled voice.
“I wouldn’t mistake the clothes of the Wanhua Saintess. You’re not wearing that outfit, so you are not the Wanhua Saintess—just my longtime close friend.”
‘Wow, that’s some impressive ability to call a stag a horse. It seems Linglong hasn’t been standing still these past four years. Look at her silver tongue now—it’s leagues better than four years ago.’
‘But judging identity by clothes is a bit far-fetched. Is the Wanhua Saintess not a specific person, but that shameless outfit?’
Hua Jian was still in the dark for now.
“Stop being lovesick, you two. I brought the Saintess down to tour the various areas of the city. Don’t raise suspicion.”
Qian Feixue gave a light cough, signaling them not to actually spend the whole day being lovey-dovey.
Linglong’s outing this time was under the spotlight. Everyone was watching her.
She had brought Linglong to the city wall using the excuse of letting her little sister meet her idol.
Now that the meeting was over, Linglong needed to leave.
“It hasn’t even been a quarter of an hour!” Hua Jian’s eyes widened, thinking the time could be extended a bit.
“The Saintess is busy with countless affairs and cannot stay here too long. However, you can join us as we tour Frozen Winter City.”
Qian Feixue pointed at Qian Feixu and continued, “This is my little sister, and also a fan of Saintess Linglong. Her reason for following me is solid.”
Hua Jian understood immediately. She quickly slipped out of Linglong’s embrace, sidled up to Qian Feixu, and threw an arm around her shoulder.
“Then I am Little Feixu’s closest friend and a loyal devotee of Saintess Linglong. I’ll follow Little Feixu to broaden my horizons.”
Qian Feixu looked at Hua Jian, then at Qian Feixue. She suddenly felt that in Qian Feixue’s eyes, she wasn’t a sister but a very useful tool.
Her purpose was to be a stand, giving Hua Jian a solid reason to stay with Linglong.
‘I am supposed to be Saintess Linglong’s fan! Why do I have to be this tool, watching helplessly as the person I hate most stays with the person I like most!’
Qian Feixu refused!
The meeting of her Saintess in her imagination shouldn’t be like this!
‘You two should be at odds! After meeting, you should trade barbs, with a few secret tests of skill in between, and finally part with fake smiles.’
Not like this, as if you were close friends or family who hadn’t seen each other in ages.
But this wasn’t just close friendship—it was like a secret lovers’ tryst under the noses of their parents!
And she, Qian Feixu, was the excuse used to dispel others’ suspicion.
How could she accept that scenario? That the person she liked most and the person she hated most were actually a couple!
“I refuse!”
“Does Little Feixu not want to accompany Saintess Linglong around the city all day? Would you rather go back and be punished?” Hua Jian poked Qian Feixu’s cheek.
Qian Feixu puffed out her cheeks and replied with an extremely resolute expression: “I do!”
But she still couldn’t accept the relationship between Hua Jian and Linglong!
“So petty. Can’t you just think of her and me as a pair of star-crossed lovers who were forcibly separated, only to meet secretly here after many years?”
“Star-crossed lovers?” Qian Feixu took a deep breath.
But in her mind, Saintess Linglong shouldn’t have mortal emotions like love, hate, joy, or sorrow.
The Saintess should be lofty, aloof, and emotionless.
Not like just now… like an ordinary person!
“This is completely different from what I imagined!”
“What you like is the Linglong you imagined. What you hate is the me you imagined. Dreams always end. Get to know her better, and you might like her more.”
Hua Jian gently patted the back of Qian Feixu’s head. “Let’s go. Your sister Feixue is getting anxious.”
Qian Feixu still couldn’t get out of her own head, but her body obediently walked toward Qian Feixue.
Her idol’s image had been slightly dented, but being able to tag along behind her was still a temptation she couldn’t resist.
That little rebellion earlier had just been lip service—she wasn’t about to turn down a gift from heaven.