Before leaving, Lu Xuan turned and glanced in the direction of Cang Song. From afar, Cang Song seemed to see a meaningful look in Lu Xuan's eyes.
"Alright, you can all go back now. Sect Leader Lu is just taking a stroll; there's nothing to keep an eye on. I'll report back to the Sect Leader when I get back."
Cangsong was always strict with his disciples, and the disciples naturally dared not disobey him.
After an incense stick had burned, Cangsong arrived at the sect leader's hall. Tian Buyi had already arrived there before him.
"Junior Brother Cangsong is here. Tell me, is there anything unusual about Sect Master Lu's words and actions?" Dao Xuan was somewhat uneasy about Lu Xuan. Mainly, he had vaguely noticed that Lu Xuan's cultivation was extremely high, no less than his own. This meant that unless he took action, no one in the entire Qingyun Mountain could subdue Lu Xuan.
"Reporting to the Sect Leader, Sect Leader Lu merely took a casual stroll through the Cloud Sea and Rainbow Bridge scenic spots of Qingyun Sect. Overall, there was nothing out of the ordinary. It was only when he crossed the Rainbow Bridge that he disturbed the Spirit Venerable."
"Spiritual Venerable? What was the Spiritual Venerable's reaction?" Dao Xuan asked somewhat anxiously.
"It's strange, the Spirit Lord doesn't seem to be angry. He even had a conversation with Sect Master Lu."
"He can communicate with the Spirit Lord?" This greatly surprised Dao Xuan.
"That's right, but we don't know what they were talking about?"
At this moment, Tian Buyi, who was standing next to him, spoke up.
"Sect Leader, I do know a little about this. The Hidden Immortal Sect seems to have some kind of beast-taming method. They captured a monkey in the bamboo forest of my Great Bamboo Peak before. It is said to have the bloodline of the Three-Eyed Spirit Monkey. They also said that their sect has a secret method for raising spirit beasts. It should be quite normal for them to be able to communicate with the Spirit Venerable."
“If that’s the case, then it’s understandable. Alright, Junior Brother Cangsong, you’ve taken care of this matter. After tonight, stop spying on Sect Master Lu. The Spirit Venerable is always very perceptive. Since it hasn’t reacted, Sect Master Lu probably doesn’t mean any harm. Don’t let them laugh at our Qingyun Sect and say we’re petty.”
The Qingyun Sect competition continued the next day. Elite disciples from each peak engaged in another fierce battle.
Lu Xuan looked around but didn't see Zhang Xiaofan. After thinking for a moment, he went to Tian Ling'er's competition area. Sure enough, Zhang Xiaofan was staring blankly at Tian Ling'er from behind the crowd.
Tian Ling'er, the young girl, is alright in the original novel, but quite a few people dislike her. The main reason is that during the martial arts tournament, Tian Buyi discovered that someone had secretly taught Zhang Xiaofan the third level of his martial arts technique. He interrogated the person who taught him. Tian Ling'er initially gave a simple answer: even if her master found out, she would only be punished with a few days of confinement. However, when the time came, she dared not admit it.
Zhang Xiaofan was incredibly stubborn; he'd rather be beaten to death than betray Tian Ling'er. Just like later, when he was pressured by the Qingyun and Tianyin sects to reveal how he learned the Tianyin Temple's techniques, he again refused to utter a single word, even at the cost of his life. That's just how stubborn he was. Tian Ling'er was the object of his unrequited love, and at that moment, he even decided to die for her.
This is also why many people later believed that Tian Ling'er was not good enough for Zhang Xiaofan.
Lu Xuan hadn't thought that far ahead. Tian Buyi had a child late in life, so Tian Ling'er was actually a young girl. Not everyone has Zhang Xiaofan's temperament. This is what makes Zhang Xiaofan and Biyao's later relationship so touching. In a sense, the two of them are really alike.
"Is Tian Ling'er pretty?" Just as Zhang Xiaofan was engrossed in looking at her, Lu Xuan's voice suddenly rang in his ears, startling him.
"Master..."
"Don't be nervous, I was just asking casually. At your age, you're at the age where you're starting to experience romantic feelings. It's normal for a lively and pretty young girl to attract you."
"No... Master, I didn't..." Zhang Xiaofan was so nervous he could barely speak.
"It's okay, don't be nervous. Come with me."
By this time, Tian Ling'er's duel had ended. Her victory this time was somewhat narrow; her spiritual energy had been greatly depleted, and Lu Xuan estimated she wouldn't be able to last the next round.
Afterwards, he led Zhang Xiaofan to follow Tian Ling'er from a distance. They saw Tian Ling'er first go to Tian Buyi and his wife, chatting and laughing for a while. Then she ran off on her own.
The two followed at a distance, and then a scene unfolded that tore Zhang Xiaofan apart. Tian Ling'er circled around, but instead of returning to rest, she ran to a secluded grove and threw herself into the arms of a tall, handsome young man.
What's the simplest way to shatter someone's illusions? It's simple: lay the facts in front of them. Simple, clear, and effective in one step. The only problem is that it might be too much of a blow to the person involved. But it doesn't matter to Lu Xuan; Zhang Xiaofan isn't mature enough yet. This kind of immature, childish romance isn't enough to truly hurt him.
"So, do you still like her now?"
“Master… why did you bring me to see this?” Zhang Xiaofan was filled with bitterness and even resentment towards his master for making him witness such a cruel scene.
"Hehe, now it's my turn to ask you. Do you still like her?"
"I...like it!" Zhang Xiaofan hesitated for a moment, then actually said this!
"Oh, really? You saw it with your own eyes, the person she likes isn't you at all."
"I know, it doesn't matter whether she likes me or not, as long as she's happy." Zhang Xiaofan blurted out this sentence, having somehow come across it.
"Hahahaha." Lu Xuan burst out laughing upon hearing this, startling the two people in the woods.
From his past life, Lu Xuan had always found this phrase extremely ridiculous. He just never expected to hear it again in this world.
The two people in the woods didn't dare come out to see who it was, and simply flew away on their magical artifacts. Lu Xuan watched their departing figures and looked down at Zhang Xiaofan, saying...
"I don't know where you got that quote, but I'm wondering if you know what happens when two people are together?"
"Yes, they will become husband and wife."
"Then do you know what couples do when they get married?"
"??????"
Just as Lu Xuan had expected, Zhang Xiaofan, being such a brat, had absolutely no idea what marriage meant. In the original story, it was Zeng Shushu who had given him some basic knowledge. Now, he didn't know Zeng Shushu, and he lacked even that basic understanding.
"You really are..."
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Chapter 415 A real tycoon
Lu Xuan originally wanted to give Zhang Xiaofan a more profound memory, such as showing him what married couples do after they get married.
However, after thinking about it, he realized it was a bit inappropriate for children, so he temporarily abandoned the idea. The child had already suffered enough today. Lu Xuan decided to give him some time to catch his breath before continuing.
The Qingyun Grand Competition continued, but Zhang Xiaofan was no longer there. The entire competition saw almost no major upsets. After all, they were all from the same sect, and their cultivation levels largely determined the difference in strength. Without a powerhouse like Zhang Xiaofan, the competition lost its element of surprise.
As expected, Lu Xueqi won the championship this time, Qi Hao was the runner-up, Zeng Shushu was the third place, and Chang Jian (a disciple of Tongtian Peak) was the fourth place.