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"You... are you that... Little Xixi from the Gu family?"
Zhou Yan's eyes widened, and he involuntarily delved into deep thought for a moment. Given his current ability to think, he quickly grasped that thread of familiar memory and recalled things from when he was very young!
"You... are you really Brother Zhou Yan?"
The girl's eyes revealed an irrepressible joy, emotions of inexplicable excitement seeped through.
Previously, the sorrow of people dying around her, the exhaustion from various trivial matters, seemed to dissipate at this moment.
"Hmm... It's me. I didn't expect to meet you here. Didn't you go to the Cold Ice Sword Sect? Why have you returned at this time?"
Zhou Yan was a bit surprised, and a few more hints of joy appeared on his face. He didn't expect, on a night like this, to encounter an old acquaintance in the wilderness outside Tianji City.
At this moment, meeting a childhood friend who was like a childhood sweetheart, his mood instantly improved a lot.
When he was young, because of his father's situation, he actually didn't spend much time at home but spent it in the Xiao Family in Tianji City.
And the Xiao Family and the Gu family were families joined in marriage, interacting for generations, having a very good relationship.
Back then, Zhou Yan, along with Xiao Zhan's daughters Xiao Chan'er, Xiao Linlin, and the little girl from the Gu family, Gu Xi, were inseparable all day, having a very good relationship indeed.
At that time, Zhou Yan and their age were not much different, but Zhou Yan's comprehension talent was excellent, and his father was very capable, so the three little girls served him like maids, treating him very well.
Now, after many years without seeing each other, the once mischievous little girl from his childhood had grown into such an elegant lady, which Zhou Yan found somewhat unexpected.
What surprised him even more was that this girl's strength was far beyond that of Zhou Lingyi!
This was a level, a Realm, that Zhou Yan couldn't discern nowadays.
Such a comparison made Zhou Yan feel even more that the Zhou Family was genuinely regressing, as even a minor family's descendant's strength was enough to instantly defeat a cultivator in the Sword Qi Realm...
"I... have been back from the Sect for almost a month. This time, I went out to handle some matters... Hmm, some people from the family were being troubled by the Yang Family, so I went there.
No one expected that the family members were still bewitched, even these loyal guards seem to harbor ill intentions now!
If I hadn't returned, I'm afraid the Gu family would have been gone."
Gu Xi sighed lightly, withdrawing that icy aura.
With the coldness gone, Zhou Yan indeed felt much more comfortable.
"The Yang Family was also a small family back then. How come they are making such a scene now?"
Zhou Yan was a little puzzled.
"Yes, indeed, our Gu family and the Xiao Family were able to stand firm back then because of Uncle Zhou Wangchen's prestige. Now that Uncle Zhou's situation... they naturally made their move.
This time, if it weren't for my return with acquired skills, the consequences would be unimaginable!"
Gu Xi remained silent for a moment, then slowly recounted the fundamental reasons for everything.
Zhou Yan frowned and said, "The Gu family... What about Uncle Gu and Uncle Xiao Zhan? Could it be that they too... encountered misfortune?"
Gu Xi sighed and smiled bitterly, "Unfortunately, I returned a step too late, otherwise... But don't worry, Brother Zhou Yan, they aren't facing major obstacles, just that both suffered severe internal injuries and can't accumulate Sword Qi inside. So temporarily, there's no way to cure them. But... I have already sent a Flying Sword message to the Sect, and the senior members will certainly help me find a solution."
"Unable to accumulate Sword Qi? I understand, perhaps I have a way regarding this matter."
Zhou Yan closed his eyes, suppressing the boundless anger in his heart.
These people, he truly cared about them, for in his childhood, that feeling was unforgettable his entire life! Indeed, it was partly due to his father's prestige, but they were truly good to him when he was a child!
Even if he bullied Gu Xi, Xiao Chan'er, and Xiao Linlin, they would never blame him but would only scold their own daughters instead.
They possessed a strong and upright character, not ones to flatter. Such people being fond of him naturally meant a lot to him.
Moreover, children could genuinely sense who genuinely meant well for them!
But now, they were almost entirely in the same situation as that woman, Feng Lingqing, whom he had seen earlier!
Was there perhaps a connection to these events as well?
To injure someone severely and render them unable to store Sword Qi inside was not a typical means, and so Zhou Yan's expression grew a bit grave.
"Oh... Brother Zhou Yan, are... are you serious about what you said?"
As Gu Xi spoke, her face couldn't help but show a few hints of delight and surprise.
In her heart, Zhou Yan was no fool, but a stalwart, omnipotent man, utterly consistent with her childhood impression.
"Hmm, let's take a look first. Previously, I encountered someone with a similar injury. In the end, I successfully left Sword Qi within her, allowing her to recover on her own."
As Zhou Yan spoke, he thought of Feng Lingqing and then thought of the Palace Master of Bixue Palace, thought of Ning'er, and his cute little maid Ping'er, a sense of melancholy arose spontaneously in his heart.
He remained silent for a moment, dispelled these chaotic thoughts, and then reflexively took out a jar of wine, drinking deeply.
"Gulp—gulp—"
The action was akin to that of Zhou Wangchen, equally free and unrestrained, with his black hair flying. At this moment, Zhou Yan captivated Gu Xi entirely.
She initially believed that the high-spirited Brother Zhou Yan was the perfect prince in her heart. But seeing him now, reckless and uninhibited like Zhou Wangchen, with a touch of depth and weariness, her heart was significantly touched.
This comparison suddenly made her feel that those feminine fellow apprentices in the Sect couldn't compare to her Brother Zhou Yan's allure.
"Brother Zhou Yan, have you... are you... unhappy?"
Gu Xi asked anxiously.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan emerged from that inexplicable sense of nostalgia, let out a carefree smile, seemingly dispelling everything that happened earlier, and quickly regained that spirit.
"It's nothing, just reminiscing about the past a little. By the way, Little Xi, have you now reached the Sword Energy Three Realms? I can no longer sense your Realm."
Zhou Yan inquired.
Hearing this, Gu Xi nodded and said, "Hmm, I just reached this Realm, and the Sect allowed me to return home for some time. However, the subsequent cultivation is even more challenging... By the way, Brother Zhou Yan, have you now reached the Sword Origin Realm?"
As she spoke, Gu Xi, very familiarly, approached Zhou Yan's side. Zhou Yan clearly felt a breeze of fragrance, as this incredibly beautiful girl had already leaned half of her body over, seemingly naturally.
The intimacy of childhood hadn't faded much with time.
Zhou Yan smiled wryly and shook his head, "Over the past few years, my talent was buried, and it only awakened recently. Now I've only reached the Triple Sword Beginning Realm, far behind Little Xixi."
Gu Xi's spiritual and beautiful eyes twinkled, "Brother Zhou Yan, but before I recognized you, I felt you were terrifying. Perhaps your combat power isn't lower than mine!"
"Your intuition is spot on. My combat capability might compare with Second Level of Sword Qi experts, but when faced with those of the Three Realms, there's genuinely no comparison. But didn't I tell you, I saved someone before? That person was a strong cultivator, and after saving her, I've had a little edge, so killing a few Sword Origin Realm experts presents no difficulty."
"Oh... so that's how it is... Then... Brother Zhou Yan, have you... been wronged in the Zhou Family?"
Although it was hard to believe Zhou Yan would suffer grievances in the Zhou Family, Gu Xi, being a smart girl, considered it likely due to Zhou Wangchen's decline, which could lead to Zhou Yan being marginalized. However, she initially refrained from asking because Zhou Yan wore something she dared not even imagine—a Wind Barrier Armor.
Being able to wear such attire, the family should treasure him immensely...
"This matter has a long story..."
Thinking it over, Zhou Yan didn't hide what happened in the Zhou Family and recounted the events in brief.
The two progressed together, with Gu Xi almost holding onto Zhou Yan's arm as they walked.
Zhou Yan walked and talked with Gu Xi, flying forward using Sword Qi.
...
"What... this is... outrageous!"
"Scoundrels, so arrogant, I'd want to use a stroke of Cold Ice Sword Qi to slaughter them all!"
"Oh... Brother Zhou Yan, you weren't injured, were you?"
"That's great, Brother Zhou Yan, with your awakened talents, these people will regret it!"
"Brother Zhou Yan, one month from now, you must obtain that spot, not letting them enter the Great Zhou Family; otherwise, Uncle Zhou would surely be refined into a Sword Spirit, I can guarantee that. My Master once told me about a similar incident..."
Gu Xi's emotions shifted continuously as Zhou Yan narrated.
Though she appeared like an icy lady from a snowy mountain, her speech brimmed with childlike innocence, which even made Zhou Yan chuckle. In his presence, she was still the naive little girl!
Zhou Yan cherished this feeling, watching her huff in anger, and couldn't help but mess up her hair playfully.
"Aw—Brother Zhou Yan, you're really naughty."
Gu Xi pouted delightedly.
As they confided in each other, except for withholding the Grandmaster inheritance and matters of Bixue Palace and Feng Lingqing, Zhou Yan spoke openly about everything.
It was thus that the lingering traces of the unfamiliarity between them entirely vanished.
"Hmm, a brother treating you mischievously, do you like that?" Zhou Yan said with a smile.
As he spoke, his arm intentionally brushed against Gu Xi.
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