He crouched down, just like when he was a child, his nose gently nuzzling the back of the immortal's hand, his voice low, "Master... I miss you so much."
Shen Yue didn't speak, but her expression held a hint of indulgence.
The man's Adam's apple slid subtly, his lips brushing against Shen Yue's fingertips, whether intentionally or not.
The disciples, after being questioned, dispersed. Only Jiang Ling, the eldest disciple, remained.
Shen Yue, with Rong Hua, returned to Qingxin Hall. Her footsteps paused behind her, and Shen Yue turned her head in confusion.
Rong Hua lowered his head, looking at the fingers clutching his sleeve. The shadowed lines of his brows softened, and his large hand enclosed the girl's fingers.
He said softly to Shen Yue, "Master, this is Yin Jing. Without her, I might not have returned safely."
The immortal, with white cloth covering her eyes, pursed her thin lips. Yin Jing cautiously raised her eyes. She hadn't dared to look up until now. Although her personality was lively, her thick skin in following them to Qingyun Sect had already taken immense courage. She didn't dare to look around randomly.
But she still couldn't help but feel curious about Shen Yue. She had never heard Rong Hua mention his master. It was only by chance from other disciples that she had heard them speak of this immortal with excited and reverent tones.
The white-robed immortal's eyes were covered with white cloth. Her face was like jade, her brows and eyes clear, cold, and noble. As if sensing her gaze, her face turned towards her.
Yin Jing's breath hitched.
"Yin Jing is homeless and has nowhere to go. I want to settle her in Qingxin Hall. Master, is that alright?" the man asked cautiously, as if afraid she would refuse.
Shen Yue lowered her eyebrows, showing no particular expression. "As you wish."
In truth, Shen Yue didn't particularly like strangers entering her domain, but Rong Hua seemed to care a lot about her. Shen Yue let them be. After all, this child was too gloomy, and having someone to accompany him was good.
Rong Hua knew his master preferred tranquility. He had only said it superficially. Who would have thought his master would agree? An unspeakable anger surged within him.
How could Master agree? Wasn't Master the most principled and cold-blooded person?
The man's dark gaze fixed on the girl's flushed face, her fingers at her side slowly clenching.
Shen Yue sent disciples to escort Yin Jing to her quarters. She led Rong Hua to the main hall.
The white-clad immortal stood with her back to him, her posture like a pine tree. Just her back view made her seem unapproachable.
Rong Hua watched her quietly, lost in thought.
His head was lightly tapped twice. Rong Hua froze, looking blankly at Shen Yue.
"You've grown taller."
Shen Yue said with some emotion. She was actually quite tall herself, but Rong Hua seemed to be half a head taller and was still growing.
Just as she was about to withdraw her hand, a burning warmth attached itself to her wrist, holding her tightly.
The man nuzzled her palm dependently, like a child begging for candy.
"Master... touch me more."
Shen Yue was charmed by his soft voice, but she maintained her indifferent demeanor, allowing him to do as he pleased.
Rong Hua finally felt a sense of belonging. His restless heart finally settled.
He let out a satisfied sigh, "Master..."
Shen Yue said softly, "Let me see what progress you've made this time."
She pointed a finger at his forehead and peered into his mind. Her brows furrowed slightly but then smoothed out quickly.
Shen Yue organized her thoughts. "Overall... you are still good."
"Good" was already Shen Yue's highest evaluation. His spiritual energy was only a thin layer, scattered and meager, truly pathetic. One could say he had made no progress at all.
There were two possibilities.
Either his innate talent was too poor, and he was simply not suited for cultivation. With such a constitution, no amount of effort would be useful, and there would be no progress.
Another possibility was that his meridians were blocked. He was naturally a cripple. If he were to cultivate forcibly, it was very likely he would suffer a backlash.
Regardless of which possibility, the situation was not optimistic.
Shen Yue's heart sank. She subtly felt Rong Hua's pulse.
Rong Hua merely raised an eyebrow. He knew his own abilities very well.
He was a useless person.
The smile on Rong Hua's face faded. He lowered his eyes, his emotions hidden.
"Master, I know what I am."
Shen Yue was taken aback. She wanted to say something but ended up saying nothing, merely patting the man's shoulder gently.
After a long silence, a cool voice disturbed Rong Hua's thoughts.
"You have Master here."
Since his return, Rong Hua had been sticking close to Shen Yue, like a little shadow, as if trying to make up for lost time.
The places his master frequented were only the sleeping quarters and the study hall.
Snowflakes drifted down. The tall, slender man was practicing swordplay. Snowflakes landed on his dark hair, and the cold wind stirred the corners of his plain white robes.
His movements were casual yet sharp. His white figure seemed to blend with the falling snow.
"A Hua."
Rong Hua stopped his movements and looked at the girl who had been standing beside him for a long time with confusion.
Yin Jing had some snowflakes on her, but her face still held a faint smile. "A Hua, you've been practicing almost all day. Rest a bit."
Rong Hua just shook his head and continued his movements.
It wasn't until it was completely dark that Rong Hua stopped. Sweat beaded on his smooth forehead.
He sheathed his sword and turned, finding Yin Jing still standing in the same spot. His brows furrowed slightly. "Why are you still standing here? Can't you see it's still snowing? What if you catch a cold? Your body is not very strong to begin with."
With that, he walked over to Yin Jing and adjusted her hair, which had been ruffled by the wind.
A faint fragrance wafted into his nose. Rong Hua hadn't even reacted before someone gently wiped his forehead.
Yin Jing carefully wiped the sweat from his forehead. Seeing him still looking dazed, she found it amusing.
"I just saw how hard you were working and wanted to keep you company. Besides, I was bored too," the girl said softly. Coupled with her clear, bright eyes, she gave off a warm, clean impression.
Rong Hua looked at her, his stern face warming slightly. He stroked her hair and asked, "Are you hungry?"
Yin Jing intimately hugged Rong Hua's arm, tilting her head and smiling, "I've been hungry for a while. I was just waiting for you to ask!"
"You can tell me."
"No, I want to eat with you."
...
Jiang Ling was well-liked within the sect, not only because of his good aptitude and his position as the eldest disciple but also because of his cheerful and gentle disposition. After this trial, he had become even more reserved and unfathomably deep.
After they finished eating, Rong Hua did not leave. Instead, he asked Yin Jing to go first, and he went to the kitchen alone.
He personally selected the ingredients and began to make soup. He hadn't done it in a long time, and his technique was still rusty.
He tried making it several times, but the taste was unsatisfactory. It wasn't until the sky began to darken that he made a bowl of soup he was most pleased with.