Chapter 229: Just Like the First Time |
The group walked for a while and finally stopped before a magnificent floating palace.
An entire mountain peak, suspended in mid-air by some unknown power, with a single staircase leading up to the palace at its summit. It looked like a scene from a fairy tale.
Chen Yin stared up at the palace in awe.
“Impressive, isn’t it?” Si Qing said proudly, her head held high. “Not just any cultivator can achieve such a feat.”
“It’s amazing,” Chen Yin nodded in agreement. “Is this where your Big Sister lives?”
Although he didn’t know who this “Big Sister” was, anyone who could live in such a place must be a powerful cultivator.
“Of course not,”
Si Qing said seriously, “we live next door.”
Next door?
“…”
If you live in a place like that, don’t act so proud.
“It’s not really our home,” she explained. “Our families are very strict. We have to meet in secret, in inconspicuous places. Since everyone is here for the Tianxuan Gathering, we can meet here without being discovered.”
She led him into the hut.
Despite its small size, the interior was surprisingly spacious, like a large hall. A dozen or so teenagers were chatting and laughing, some even sparring playfully.
Chen Yin was taken aback by the lively scene.
“Qingqing is back!”
A young woman, barely twenty, with a mature and alluring figure and a gentle demeanor, approached them, her eyes widening slightly as she saw Chen Yin.
“Aw, what a cute little boy!”
“We found him in the street. He seems to be lost.” Si Qing explained. “He’s still young, so I brought him back. Big Sister will know what to do.”
“Sister Hua, where’s Big Sister?”
“She’s still at the gathering,” the woman, Sister Hua, said, her gaze fixed on Chen Yin.
“What’s your name, little one?”
Although he wasn’t used to being called “little one,” Chen Yin had to maintain his current persona.
He lowered his head shyly and mumbled, “M-my name is Chen Yin.”
The moment he spoke, Sister Hua’s eyes lit up.
“Aw!”
“So cute! Let me hug you!”
Before Chen Yin could react, he was enveloped in a warm embrace, his face pressed against her ample bosom.
…Whoa. They’re big.
“Sister Hua!”
Si Qing, startled by her affectionate gesture, blushed and tried to pull them apart. “He’s still young! Don’t scare him!”
“It’s alright,”
“My name is Hua Yulian. You can call me Sister Hua~” She nuzzled his forehead affectionately.
Chen Yin blinked, his voice soft and childish.
“S-Sister Hua…”
“So cute!”
Another hug.
Chen Yin was starting to think that being a child wasn’t so bad after all.
Finally, Si Qing managed to separate them, Hua Yulian still looking at him with a wistful expression.
“Let me hug him again! He’s so soft and cuddly!”
“Sister Hua, have some self-respect!” Si Qing stomped her foot, her face flushed.
“But he’s so small and soft! Don’t you want to try it, Qingqing?”
Si Qing just blushed and turned away, but her occasional glances at Chen Yin betrayed her curiosity.
Suddenly, a commotion erupted from the other side of the room.
“Big Sister is back!”
The teenagers stopped what they were doing and rushed towards the entrance, their faces filled with excitement.
Chen Yin, curious, stood on his tiptoes, trying to see who this “Big Sister” was.
“Big Sister, you’re back!”
“How was the Tianxuan Gathering? Did they give you any trouble?”
“Heh, they wouldn’t dare.” A clear, bright voice rang out, as refreshing as a mountain spring.
But Chen Yin’s expression slowly changed.
“Big Sister, did they say if we can go to the Immortal Venerable’s ruins?”
“Do you think I’d let you down?”
A young girl, barely sixteen, with rosy lips and bright eyes, dressed in a beautiful, flowing dress, emerged from the crowd.
Her profile was delicate and beautiful, like a water lily, her features radiating a gentle charm.
But her demeanor and tone were completely different from her appearance.
She had one foot propped up on a table, her posture casual and unrestrained, her voice loud and boisterous, like a bandit leader.
“Don’t worry, I promised you all a share of the treasures. Those old geezers might not like it, but none of them dared to challenge me. They had to agree in the end.”
The teenagers cheered.
“Yay! Big Sister is the best!”
“Big Sister is invincible!”
The girl, pleased by their adulation, smiled and nodded, then noticed Chen Yin standing alone in the corner.
“Hmm?” She frowned.
“Who’s this little brat? I’ve never seen him before.”
“Big Sister, his name is Chen Yin. We found him in the street,” Si Qing quickly explained.
“He seemed lost, so I brought him back.”
The girl walked towards Chen Yin, her eyes appraising.
Chen Yin looked at her, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions.
“He’s quite handsome. Probably the son of some cultivator.”
“Hey,” she asked, her voice loud and clear, “what’s your name?”
Chen Yin didn’t answer.
“Are you deaf? I asked for your name.”
“…Chen Yin,” he finally said softly, as if waking from a dream.
“Chen Yin…” The girl stroked her chin thoughtfully. “Who are your parents? Which sect are you from?”
“Don’t you recognize me?”
“Huh? Why would I know you?”
She frowned. “Look around, there are plenty of brats here. I can’t possibly know them all.”
Chen Yin lowered his head, then suddenly smiled.
“It’s okay if you don’t recognize me.”
“…It’s enough that I recognize you.” He said softly, his eyes half-closed, a faint smile on his lips.
The girl’s heart skipped a beat at his pure and innocent smile.
But it was just a fleeting moment. She quickly coughed awkwardly and put her hands on her hips, trying to regain her composure.
“Of course. Everyone knows the name of the great Immortal Yu Ling. Do you even understand what it means to reach the Grand Clarity Realm and comprehend the Dao at sixteen?”
Chen Yin didn’t listen to her bragging.
He just stared at her, his eyes tracing her curves, her budding figure, the small swell of her breasts beneath her dress, her bright, captivating eyes, her full, red lips.
Everything seemed so familiar,
Yet so different.
…This was Master, in her youth.
Although she looked a few years older than the loli granny he knew, her eyes lacked the depth and serenity, the unfathomable wisdom that came with age and experience.
They were filled with a youthful exuberance, a bright and cheerful light that warmed his heart.
It was a side of her he had never seen before.
She was like the rising sun, radiant and full of life, her presence drawing everyone’s attention.
Standing among the teenagers, she was the center of their world, her easy confidence and natural charm captivating them all.
Chen Yin loved this version of her.
“You haven’t answered my question yet.”
Chen Yin snapped out of his trance. He thought for a moment, then shook his head.
“My parents are reclusive cultivators. They never let me leave the mountains. I snuck out. This is my first time in the mortal world. I don’t know anything.”
“I see.”
Yu Ling looked at him intently, then waved her hand dismissively.
“Just like these little brats.”
“In that case, you can join us.”
“Don’t worry, as long as you call me Big Sister, I’ll take care of you. No one will dare bully you.”
Si Qing and Hua Yulian looked at him expectantly.
“Little Brother Chen Yin, Little Ling’er wasn’t bragging. She’s really nice to us. You won’t regret joining us.”
“Yeah, Big Sister is the best! You’ll be happy here!”
The other teenagers chimed in, their faces filled with youthful enthusiasm.
Chen Yin looked at them, then his gaze settled on Yu Ling.
“Alright.”
“I’ll join you, Big Sister.”