The sweet scent of flowers and damp earth mingled in the air, creating an atmosphere of tranquility and peace. The buzzing of insects, the small sounds often unheard in the noisy places of the Immortals, echoed in the silence of the wood.

  Qin Zhenzhu walked ahead of Fengyue, whose eyes were darting around. After all, Fengyue reasoned to himself, a forest was a forest, what if a beast attacked his master? He would never allow it; he couldn't even bear the thought of it!

  But his master was calm. Even if one knew the way around the forest, they would never be at ease when placed in unpredictable surroundings.

  Knowing that well enough, Fengyue couldn't help but be curious. "Master, how can you stay calm? What if a beast suddenly appears?"

  "A beast already appeared, and that's you," Qin Zhenzhu said.

  Fengyue frowned, thinking that he must have upset his master. "Master... I..."

  Qin Zhenzhu chuckled upon seeing Fengyue's baffled expression. "Don't worry, I was just joking." Then she answered Fengyue's question. "You're right, this is a forest. But don't worry, Taoyuan Forest spreads across all directions, so few know where the heart of the forest is."

  Fengyue went silent at her answer. The heart of Taoyuan Forest? How come I've never heard of it? According to Master, the heart of the forest... is here?!

  Fengyue was stunned by his realization. He looked at his master and his eyes went to the path they walked before. Or maybe there? He was confused. Never mind, he thought, deciding to ask his master later. Maybe when his master doesn't have much to do...

  "..."

  "..."

  A minute, an hour... How long have they been walking in this forest? He didn't know. While walking, the forest seemed endless and time felt like an eternity.

  As if Qin Zhenzhu sensed his thoughts, she chuckled. "Don't worry too much, we're near."

  True to her words, as they walked on, the trees began to look smaller and farther apart from each other. The path they were walking on was now marked with loose stones and pebbles.

  The gates of Wanghuo City loomed before them. With a glance, Qin Zhenzhu discerned that there were not many guards guarding the area. With that, it took them no time to enter.

  There were booths on each side of the road, each with lanterns to illuminate the night. The air was filled with the smell of wine, sweet apples coated with sugar, raisin cakes, and many other delicious treats.

  The sound of laughter and the voices of people chatting and bargaining could be heard wherever they turned. Some children ran around, playing games and chasing each other, while some adults danced to the music that was being produced somewhere in the crowd.

  "Master, this place is very lively. I wonder what happened?" Fengyue said, his eyes fixed on a tanghulu in a child's hand. Just from smelling the food, he already felt hungry; let alone the various dishes, making him feel starved. Curse it! He really wanted to snatch some food.

  "Well, whatever it is, it must be something worth celebrating," Qin Zhenzhu replied. "For now, let's just go and look around. Perhaps I can find a worthy gift for Father." Just then, she froze and began fidgeting with the sleeve of her robe.

  Fengyue agreed with her decision. But when his master began fidgeting, he became worried. "Master, is something wrong?" Fengyue asked, his tone worried. What in the world caused his master to be this nervous?

  It was only when he looked around that he found out why. People were looking at his master and whispering, some even bowed to her. Heavens... No wonder his master was all nerves. These people...

  In a flash, a blue-robed man took Qin Zhenzhu's hand and disappeared with her.

  "Master!" Fengyue screamed, his eyes turning dark. Spreading his divine sense, he felt his master's presence in a not-so-far, secluded place, and there was also someone with her. He immediately ran in that direction; after all, what if that person posed a threat to his master?

  Behind him, though the voices became fainter as he got farther away, he heard people whisper about. Some became alarmed about what they had seen, while others merely dismissed it as a lovers' quarrel. It was utterly ridiculous!

  Meanwhile, Qin Zhenzhu found herself in an alley. In front of her was the man who had abruptly taken her away--kidnapped her, more likely.

  She took few steps back and warily looked at him. "Who are you? What do you want from me?"

  The man's eyes blinked. "Huh? You don't know who I am?"

  The voice was awfully familiar, but she had to be cautious. So instead she cut in sharply, "I don't, so will you tell me who you are?" It was answers she needed, not tricks.

  "..." Again, he blinked stupidly at her. "Well, I'm..."

  A ball of spiritual power gathered on the palm of her hand, and she threw it. That ball of spiritual power narrowly missed and collided against a wall, causing a loud noise and a large crack to form on the wall.

  Seeing the crack in the wall, Qin Zhenzhu panicked and blurted out, "Oh... It was supposed to be just a dose of spiritual power!" She turned to the blue-robed man and bowed her head. "I-I'm sorry! Are you hurt?"

  He chuckled and softly said, "Young Master hasn't changed at all."

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  Qin Zhenzhu let out a gasp of surprise. That voice... She raised her head and met his eyes. "Lord Si?"

  The man removed the shawl from his face and smiled. "Young Master Zhenzhu."

  "Lord Si! It's you!" Qin Zhenzhu smiled. "How have you---"

  "Master!" Suddenly, Fengyue appeared between her and Si Kongmian. When Fengyue saw Si Kongmian, he glared at him. "What do you want with my master, Lord Si?" His tone was polite, but the glare he was giving did not match his voice.

  Fengyue's glare was returned by a scowl from Si Kongmian. "It's you, again. Why do you always follow the Young Master around? She can handle herself, so you can stop acting like a lost puppy. Oh, I forgot, you are one."

  "You!"

  Had not Qin Zhenzhu intervened and placed herself between them, Fengyue would have thrown this insolent man to the ground and throttled him then and there. "Stop it, you two! Fengyue, behave yourself! And, Lord Si, please, it would not be wise to start a fight."

  "Hmph!" Fengyue huffed. Nevertheless, he took forced himself to take deep breaths and calm down. "Whatever Master says."

  There was annoyance in his voice, but it was definitely directed at Si Kongmian.

  "Young Master is right. I apologize for my behavior, Fengyue," Si Kongmian apologized.

  Qin Zhenzhu sighed. By their voices, it was clear to her that they were still fighting, just keeping their tempers in front of her.

  Fengyue begrudgingly accepted Si Kongmian's apology.

  A light rumble was heard, well, it was more likely someone's stomach.

  "Is Fengyue hungry?" Si Kongmian asked, obviously trying to find a way to annoy Fengyue again.

  "No, no! It was me," Qin Zhenzhu said, smiling awkwardly. "I'm sorry, I haven't had dinner, so..."

  "I see." Si Kongmian suddenly beamed. "If Young Master wants, let this one treat her to a meal. I know a fine restaurant just around here."

  "No, thanks! We don't need you to treat us, let alone come with us," Fengyue mumbled, but he shut his mouth when his master prodded him on his side.

  "Sure," she said to Si Kongmian. "Thank you."

  "Alright. I'll lead the way," Si Kongmian said, his eyes on Fengyue as though he wanted to keep him in check.

  "Let's go already." Then, when someone's stomach rumbled again -- "I'm hungry, let's be quick!" -- she pushed Si Kongmian ahead. "Don't worry about us, we'll just follow."

  With Si Kongmian in front, Fengyue, who was walking beside his master asked her, "Master, why did you tell that man that you were hungry, when it's really me..." His face went red. "I'm sorry, I brought you trouble again."

  Zhenzhu said, "It's fine, I'm also hungry. Besides, I know you'd be embarrassed if your enemy finds out that you were hungry and treat you to a meal."

  She quietly added, "Although I don't know why you see each other as enemies and fight all the time, I'm sure you'd be friends if you know each other better. That said, why do you fight all the time?"

  Fengyue listened to his master talk, but when she asked that question, he only shrugged and said, "It's nothing Master needs to be concerned about, it's between me and him."

  "Huh. Okay." Qin Zhenzhu's interest was entirely piqued, but she knew when to stop pushing for answers.

  Even if Fengyue was her spiritual beast, she knew that there were parts of his life that she didn't know, not even his past...

  She shook her head. When it came to someone's past, she would just wait for them to tell her. Especially if they could handle it themselves.

  There was no need for her to bother herself with someone, that was her point of view when it came to relationships, not unless that person approached her...

  Turning a corner, Si Kongmian's voice reached her ears. "We're here."

  Si Kongmian extended his hand to her. However, she politely shook her head, thanked him, and entered.

  Seeing that, Fengyue smirked. And, before entering, he whispered in Si Kongmian's ear, "Tough luck, buddy."

  Si Kongmian glared at Fengyue's retreating back, but he knew that Fengyue what had said was the truth. Tough luck indeed.

  Qin Zhenzhu's eyes swept across the establishment. The interior was surely unique: paintings of forests and rivers hung from the walls, the windows were open, allowing the night air to enter without hindrance, and... people.

  "Hello, young miss!" a cheerful worker greeted her. "Welcome! Come, come, take a seat, miss."

  "Mn." Zhenzhu nodded.

  She took a seat near a window, where there were less people and less noise.

  Si Kongmian decided to sit beside her, much to Fengyue's annoyance.

  Once they were seated, the waitress asked them for their orders. Si Kongmian ordered wonton, Fengyue went with meat, and Zhenzhu...

  "Master, are you not going to eat?" Fengyue asked.

  "Hm? No, I..."

  "Young Master, you said you were hungry, so I decided to treat you to a meal. Don't tell me you only said that because a certain person..."

  Qin Zhenzhu took a breath. Here they were, in a restaurant, about to eat, surrounded by people, and these two still found time to bicker?

  "I'll take something light, please." If these two don't shut up, she thought, she might as well leave without taking anything.

  "Soup, miss?" the worker suggested, totally ignoring the bickering duo and focusing her attention on the attention-graviating lady in front of her.

  "Yes. Thank you."

  The smile the young lady gave her definitely made it worth being glared at by the two men with her, the worker thought.

  The look on their faces practically said, 'Stay away from her! Back off!'

  If looks could kill, she would've fallen to the floor in an instant!

  Receiving a look from Qin Zhenzhu, the two faked a cough and looked away.

  Man, the worker thought, if people would behave themselves with a glance from her, the lady must be someone prestigious!

  Not wanting to worsen the situation and bother the seemingly troubled lady, who was apologizing to her again and again, she excused herself, telling them that she would be back with their orders, and left.

  With the worker gone, Qin Zhenzhu sighed for the umpteenth time since her day started. It really wasn't the first time this happened. Somehow, everyone in her life was just straight-out... strange. Not that she minded, but it was quite annoying at times, especially when she didn't know the reason why.

  Si Kongmian, feeling slightly wearing from arguing with Fengyue, turned his attention to her and decided to make some small talk.

  "Well," Si Kongmian began, "Young Master, what are you doing here?"

  "Oh.. I'm returning home. Father summoned me. Although I don't know why, so I'm going to find out once I get back."

  "I see. Then, after this, we will go our separate ways again." Si Kongmian seemed thoughtful. "If that's so, then I won't be able to see you for some years."

  "Hm? Why?" she asked. Why would they not see each other again? She didn't want to lose a friend. Especially not when that person was one of her childhood friends.

  "Well," Si Kongmian slowly answered, "I'm going to train and go into seclusion. I'm anticipating another tribulation in two thousand years, and my sister fears that my current cultivation won't be able to endure it."

  "You can't blame Yuyu. After all, you're the only family she has left," Qin Zhenzhu softly said.

  "True enough. Still, she's sometimes too worried and nagging."

  "Mn." Qin Zhenzhu only nodded, but she thought, At least you have a sibling.

  Just then, Zhenzhu felt someone nudge her. It was Fengyue.

  "What is it?"

  "Master, listen. They're talking about you," Fengyue said, pointedly looking at a group of people.

  "Huh." She really didn't see why she should bother to listen to rumors about her, but listening won't hurt, right?

  As though Fengyue could read her mind, he said, "Master, it won't hurt to listen. If they say something about you, I'll beat them." Seeing Zhenzhu frown, he quickly said, "Or we can just let them be and leave."

  "He's right," Si Kongmian said, though he was annoyed with Fengyue for disturbing his conversation with Zhenzhu. "Besides, don't you want to know how people view you?"

  "Mn." Zhenzhu only nodded. But when she heard the words "how people view you", she thought of her father's reputation, and that, as his daughter, she must never taint it.

  So, in the end, they managed to persuade Zhenzhu to listen to what she supposed was a bunch of nonsense.