Chapter 520 516: First Meeting

The six Purple-eyed Emperor Ancestors locked in combat suddenly felt a stifling sensation in their chests. With their immensely powerful Divine Sense and astonishing Spiritual Sense, these Emperor Ancestors had naturally noticed the commotion from the Ice and Snow Sect. Although they knew the cheering had nothing to do with them, they couldn't shake the feeling of being part of a monkey show—and they weren't the performers, but the monkeys...

Two cold beams of light shot from Mo Li's Purple Eyes. "Qu Zhi," he said coldly, "let's take this fight elsewhere!"

"My thoughts exactly!" Qu Zhi replied. With a single beat of his wings, he soared toward the upper reaches of the Great Ice Glacier.

The other Purple-eyed Emperor Ancestors also ceased their attacks for the moment and flew upward. A true battle between Martial Artists of their realm wouldn't end quickly. It was better to find a new location than to be gawked at by a crowd here.

"Mother, why did they all leave so suddenly?" Ji Ruyue asked, looking confused. Neither she nor Watermelon had ever seen Martial Artists of the Thunder Tribulation Realm fight before. It was such a rare opportunity that they naturally didn't want to miss it. But just as they arrived, the fighters packed up and left. One could only imagine their frustration.

Ji Yuyan gave a wry smile, but before she could speak, Watermelon, who was standing beside her, said, "What's so strange about it? They were obviously annoyed by us. That's why they left."

Ji Rubing, standing nearby, looked at Watermelon and retorted indignantly, "Why would we have annoyed them?"

"They were in a life-or-death battle over there while you all were over here chattering away, cheering and shouting like you were watching a show. Why would they stick around?" Watermelon said nonchalantly.

"We weren't cheering for them..." Ji Rubing mumbled, but then she forgot all about it and asked Ji Yuyan excitedly, "Mother, when are we holding their wedding?"

From the crowd of male disciples, someone muttered, "It's their wedding. Why are you so worked up about it?"

Ji Rubing's cultivation was quite high, and she just so happened to overhear the comment. She sneered, "Who said that? Get your ass out here! I can be as excited as I want. Is it any of your damn business?"

The crowd of male disciples instantly fell silent. Very few dared to provoke the wild girl, Ji Rubing.

Ji Rubing flashed a triumphant smile, then ran over to Watermelon. She stared at him for a long time, her eyes carefully scanning him from head to toe. Just as Ji Ruyue was starting to feel a little jealous, Ji Rubing finally furrowed her delicate brow and said, "Watermelon, no matter how I look at you, you don't seem like the type to die young. I believe you'll get better!"

Watermelon looked at Ji Rubing, completely speechless. "When did you learn face reading?" he asked, his expression blank.

"Just now, just now, hehe," Ji Rubing said with a giggle. She ducked behind Ji Yuyan. This girl feared nothing and ran wild in the Ice and Snow Sect, but whenever she faced Watermelon, she always ended up on the losing end, never once gaining the upper hand.

Ji Yuyan looked lovingly at Watermelon and Ji Ruyue, then said to Watermelon, "Watermelon, you don't blame me for revealing your condition, do you?"

Watermelon shook his head. "Master, you are like a mother to me. How could I ever blame you? If it weren't for you, I would have died long ago."

"Hmph, at least you have some conscience!" Ji Rubing jeered, making a face at Watermelon from behind Ji Yuyan.

"Stop being mischievous," Ji Yuyan gently chided Ji Rubing, then turned to Watermelon. "Now, take me to see this 'Young Master' of yours."

Watermelon was slightly taken aback, but he knew that something like this couldn't be hidden from his master. Here in the Ice and Snow Sect, Ji Yuyan was practically a god.

Over the years, some of his senior brothers and sisters would occasionally return from all over to visit Ji Yuyan. They were all incredibly powerful, and all were orphans Ji Yuyan had adopted in her early years. Watermelon didn't know where they all were now, but he was certain that if their master was ever in trouble, they would all come rushing back to help the moment they heard, no matter where they were.

"Alright." Watermelon agreed. He knew very well what kind of person his Young Master was, and after all these years, he also knew what kind of person his master was. A thought he didn't quite dare to dwell on suddenly popped into his head: 'Could Master actually fall for Young Master?'

Of course, he would never dare say that thought aloud. Ruyue would be the first to make him pay if he did.

The other disciples of the Ice and Snow Sect watched Watermelon and Ji Yuyan with confusion. 'Who is Watermelon's "Young Master"?' they wondered. 'Could he be the one those Purple-eyed Emperors were chasing just now?'

But Ji Yuyan offered no explanation. With a wave of her hand, she said, "All of you, return to your Blessed Lands! I will summon you again if needed!"

The Ice and Snow Sect rarely had outsiders or exciting events, so what happened today was more than enough to serve as gossip for a long time. After Ji Yuyan spoke, the disciples scattered like birds and beasts.

"Mother, I want to come with you..." Ji Rubing said, tugging at the corners of her clothes and putting on a pitiful expression as she looked at Ji Yuyan.

"Not this time. Go back first. This matter is extraordinary; you can't come along." Ji Yuyan rarely refused anyone, so even though Ji Rubing was reluctant, she knew she wasn't suited to be involved. She pouted and left, looking a little unhappy.

Ji Ruyue opened her mouth slightly as if to say something, but in the end, she kept silent. She and Ji Rubing had grown up together and were as close as sisters. Although they often bickered and squabbled, it was only because life in this land of ice and snow was so dull. Their bond was actually very strong.

She had met Qin Li and thought he was an easygoing person—a good person, just like her mother! 'So,' she thought, 'it wouldn't be a big deal even if Rubing came along.'

Watermelon said nothing and simply flitted quickly toward his Blessed Land.

After a period of rest, Qin Li had mostly recovered. Suddenly, his brow twitched. He sensed an unfathomably deep fluctuation moving toward him, accompanied by two other, much weaker ones.

'Watermelon's master is here?' That was Qin Li's first reaction. In a place like this, besides the legendary master of Watermelon, there didn't seem to be anyone else who could produce such a powerful fluctuation.

With that thought, Qin Li stood up and went out to greet them.

The moment she saw Qin Li, a faint ripple spread through Ji Yuyan's heart. There was no reason for it, and even she herself was surprised, not understanding why it was happening.

'After all,' she thought, 'how could a Super Martial Artist like her, who had reached the Thunder Tribulation Realm, be so easily moved?'

Ji Yuyan tried to find a reason for it. 'Perhaps it's because he's so young. To possess such strength at his age... isn't that surprising enough?'

Deep down, Ji Yuyan didn't want to show any sign of her stirred emotions in front of her disciples, though she herself didn't know what she was afraid of.

As for Qin Li, he was stunned for a moment by the woman's aura. Yes, it was her aura.

It wasn't Ji Yuyan's beauty, which was enough to rival even Shangguan Shiyu's, but the pure, untainted air about her, like the fragrance of a Snow Lotus that blooms only once in a billion years! She was like a lone orchid in a deserted valley, quietly revealing its beauty and spreading its fragrance, with no sharp edges and no desire to compete for attention. Her presence was exceptionally comforting.

Qin Li had to admit, this was a woman who... truly moved his heart.

The kind of woman you find yourself liking at first sight.

It wasn't a "like" born from a desire to possess her, but the kind of "like" that simply made you happy just by looking at her.

"Qin Li, at your service, Sect Leader Ji," Qin Li said with a smile, clasping his fist in salute to Ji Yuyan.

Ji Yuyan maintained a calm expression and returned the gesture with a smile. "A pleasure to meet you, Young Master Qin."

Nearby, Watermelon and Ji Ruyue exchanged a glance. They both had the strange illusion that their master and Qin Li looked so well-matched, so harmonious standing together.

As if they were a match made in heaven.

Ji Ruyue's eyebrows rose. "Watermelon, let's go prepare some food."

Watermelon was also quick on the uptake. "Right! I was just saying I wanted to get some of the Land of Ice and Snow's special game for Young Master. Let's go!"

Without even saying goodbye to Ji Yuyan, Watermelon grabbed Ji Ruyue's hand and headed out of the small wooden cabin. Only after they had walked a good distance away did Watermelon ask, "So? What do you think?"

"I think there's definitely something there!" Ji Ruyue said, then added with a troubled look, "But what if... what would I call him then?"

Watermelon couldn't help but shake his head and laugh. Nothing had even happened yet, and she was already worrying about what to call him. 'Women...' he thought, 'they're really something else!' Then, another question suddenly occurred to him, and he couldn't resist asking, "Ruyue, by the way... how old is Master, exactly?"

Ji Ruyue shot Watermelon a wary glare. "Watermelon, what are you trying to say? Are you implying that Master is too old? That she doesn't deserve to find love? Hmph, I'm very old too. Are you trying to get rid of me?"

"Er..." Watermelon looked at Ji Ruyue, completely speechless, and stammered, "I... I didn't mean that."

Ji Ruyue's face broke into a smile as beautiful as a flower. "I'm just teasing you!"

"So, about Master..."

"I'm not telling!"

...

Qin Li and Ji Yuyan sat facing each other. After a long moment of silence, they both looked up at the same time and said in unison, "You first."

"No, you first!"

They both smiled, then spoke in unison a second time: "Thank you!"

A faint blush appeared on Ji Yuyan's cheeks. "You must have just treated Watermelon," she said softly. "I can tell he'll be fine for the next few years."

"That method only buys him some time. To cure him completely, we'll still need to find another way."

Neither of them asked why the other had said thank you; such was the advantage of a conversation between intelligent people. Still, they both felt an unspoken chemistry between them.

Although it was their first time meeting, it felt as if they were old friends who had known each other for many years. A single glance was enough to understand what the other was thinking.

'Is this what they call being on the same wavelength?' Qin Li wondered.