Jiang Yun didn't waste time and took out the piece of paper from his pocket, handing it to Qu Buping. He said, "Look, this is a love letter someone wrote to you."
Qu Buping looked at the paper handed to him in bewilderment, taking it and focusing his gaze on it. As he read, his heart stirred with significant emotions.
From Jiang Yun's observation of Qu Buping's slightly trembling hands, it was evident that this letter had a profound impact on him. From the moment he received the letter, Qu Buping shed the lazy impression he had left on Jiang Yun earlier.
His eyes became sharp, and his whole demeanor transformed from listless to ethereal. Jiang Yun suddenly realized that Qu Buping's features were actually quite neat. If he shaved his beard and tidied up his attire, Qu Buping would certainly not be unattractive.
With an ordinary face, combined with the refined demeanor that Qu Buping had emanated just now, he would be a charismatic man.
Unfortunately, the pleasant change didn't last long. Soon, Qu Buping's gaze dimmed gradually, the refined aura fading away, and he reverted to the lazy old man he had appeared to be. He glanced at Jiang Yun and grumbled, "What are you looking at?"
Jiang Yun had spent three months with Qu Buping and had come to understand his temperament. Apart from his laziness, Qu Buping was generally amiable. So, Jiang Yun wasn't afraid of provoking his anger. He smiled and asked, "Old man, you're lost in thought. Does that mean you have a story to tell? How about sharing it with me? Don't worry, I can keep a secret. I won't tell anyone."
Jiang Yun's words plunged Qu Buping into contemplation. After a long while, Qu Buping emerged from his reverie, his expression tinged with some regret, and he said, "You want to hear a story?"
Jiang Yun nodded.
"Alright, go prepare the food first. When it's ready, we'll eat while I talk."
Qu Buping gazed toward the distant bookshelves, but his focus seemed elsewhere, as if he had plunged deep into his own memories.
Jiang Yun's curiosity was piqued by Qu Buping's words. He immediately headed back to the kitchen to cook. Soon enough, he finished preparing the meal and brought it out. However, Qu Buping still seemed lost in his thoughts.
"Old man, come on, let's eat."
Jiang Yun interrupted Qu Buping's reminiscing, arranged the dishes on the table, and then guided Qu Buping to sit down. Qu Buping, though, didn't touch his chopsticks. Instead, he rested his chin on his hands and stared at Qu Buping, clearly eager for his story.
Qu Buping's face remained rather placid. He picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of food before speaking slowly, "You've read this letter, right?"
"Yeah, so who's the woman in the letter? An old flame of yours?"
This letter was a love letter written to Qu Buping, something Jiang Yun had seen before. However, it was from a young girl who lacked the courage to confess her feelings face-to-face. She poured all her girlish emotions into the letter and tucked it into a book.
Unfortunately, when Qu Buping saw this letter again, it was already sixty years later.
"Long, long ago..."
Stories often began this way, and Jiang Yun quickly found himself drawn into Qu Buping's recollections by his tone.
They say there's no story in the world that can't be told in three sentences, typically starting with... then... and ending with...
Long, long ago, Qu Buping was a core disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect, and he had the highest natural talent for swordsmanship among his generation of disciples.
At the age of around twenty, he had already comprehended sword intent. This achievement undoubtedly evoked envy and admiration from many, including his junior sister—the very person who wrote this letter.
In fact, not long after his junior sister wrote the letter, she confessed her feelings to Qu Buping. However, at that time, Qu Buping had rejected her affections.
In Qu Buping's eyes back then, romantic entanglements between men and women would undoubtedly hinder his cultivation of sword intent. Firmly, he declined his junior sister's confession of love and gradually distanced himself from her.
However, his junior sister was not someone who would easily give up. Despite Qu Buping's growing indifference towards her, she still found ways to get closer to him.
Qu Buping and his junior sister had known each other since childhood. Truth be told, he was somewhat moved by her confession, but he was at a critical juncture in his cultivation of sword intent. He didn't want to let romantic feelings interfere with his practice, so he cruelly turned down her confession.
Due to his junior sister's persistent pursuit, Qu Buping's initial steadfastness began to waver. In order to prevent her from continuing to affect his cultivation, he decided to leave the sect to gain experiences in the outside world. This was also an attempt to escape his junior sister's pursuit and possibly find opportunities to break through in his sword intent cultivation.
After obtaining permission from his master, Qu Buping left the sect. However, what he didn't expect was that after his junior sister learned of his departure, she somehow managed to slip away from the sect as well.
About a month after Qu Buping left the sect, his junior sister found him again. At that time, he was accompanied by another person he had met at the foot of the mountain. This person was a martial artist with a similar level of strength and a compatible temperament. The two of them had formed a partnership and were journeying across the continent together.
When his junior sister found him, Qu Buping was engaged in a lively conversation with this companion. Her sudden appearance startled Qu Buping. Although he didn't show much enthusiasm on the surface, he was pleasantly surprised inside. After all, he did have feelings for his junior sister.
However, his original intention for leaving the sect was to escape her persistent pursuit and avoid letting her affect his cultivation. Therefore, he didn't display any emotions at the moment. But he also couldn't outright chase her away. He was concerned for her safety.
Helplessly, Qu Buping had no choice but to temporarily let his junior sister stay by his side. Thus, the traveling trio became three instead of two.
As they journeyed across the continent, his junior sister continued to express strong affection towards Qu Buping. However, he remained unresponsive to her advances.
Compared to Qu Buping's aloofness, the person he had met below the mountain was much warmer in his attitude towards his junior sister. Whenever she was rebuffed by Qu Buping, this person would go and comfort her.
Because of Qu Buping's attitude towards his junior sister, the person he had met below the mountain had a big argument with him. However, Qu Buping remained indifferent, and his attitude towards his junior sister did not change.
In reality, when Qu Buping faced his junior sister, he was on the verge of surrendering. However, his junior sister, worn down by his prolonged cold treatment, had lost her initial enthusiasm for him.
Furthermore, due to a certain event at that time, Qu Buping entered a secluded cave on his own, cutting off contact with his junior sister and the other person.
Qu Buping remained in the cave for half a year until he broke through in strength and managed to escape.
Upon emerging, Qu Buping coincidentally learned that his junior sister had ended up with the person he had met below the mountain. Upon hearing this news, Qu Buping felt as if he had knocked over a bottle of mixed feelings, unsure of what emotions he was experiencing.