章 58: Li Qingchan

Julong - after asking Yao Yao if she wanted to join him in the reservoir, had come to the conclusion that maybe taking her was a little inappropriate. Her face had flushed slightly thanks to his negligence of such a standard.

"No... y-you can go by yourself. I'll spend some time here, I have to tend to the gardens."

Her usual cool and almost icy self had broken down a little. She was even using higher quantities of expressive words than usual. Her excuse was also a little out of nowhere.

"Haha... okay. My bad for asking."

With that, he turned his head and retreated from the embarrassed Yao Yao, slightly awkward after the question he had asked. To be honest, he probably should have put more thought into whether he should have asked in the first place.

He walked toward the spatial passage in the Pavilion which took the form of one of the Cave Dwellings. Walking into it, everything went dark momentarily. He could soon see light and was greeted with a slightly steaming reservoir of water. It was dark out, and there was mist all around the area which was Genesis Qi in one of its purest forms.

Around the reservoir was its own form of Pavilion, almost as if carrying on from the original Pavilion on the mountain Peak. Small gold specks of glowing Genesis Qi hovered in the mist providing an atmospheric and dazzling light.

Julong smiled. Now he regretted not making Yao Yao come, she would have enjoyed the view at least.

He stepped over to the rocks that sat on the edge of the water. He took off one of his shoes, placing it gently to the side before he slipped his toes into the water, slowly lowering the rest of his foot until completely submerged.

It was bliss. The water felt like he had submerged into some sort of cloud. It was warm and very light on the skin, yet at the same time dense. He couldn't find the words to describe what it felt like, only that it simply felt euphoric.

Taking his foot out of the water, savouring the feeling, he began to undress. He draped his robes over a dry rock to the side, his garments and clothes sitting just below that.

He once again carefully stepped into the water, slowly submerging his whole body this time. As he did, a satisfied sigh erupted from his innards. He had been feeling rather frail thanks to creating the Heaven Devouring Vitality Rune that was now on his back like a tattoo. Unfortunately, it would remain that way until he had fully completed it.

Falling into an even deeper state of relaxation, his body seemed to move and slowly fuse with the rocks, his hair becoming a dishevelled mess all over them. It didn't matter for now though. He would fix it up later.

He looked up into the sky, looking through the thin layer of mist into the starry sky, amidst the golden specks of Genesis Qi. It was nothing more than picturesque.

He had not felt like this since the Golden Pools in the Saint Remains Domain, and he didn't even take his chance to properly relax inside of them. Of course, to fix up such an error, he resigned to sitting there and admiring the view for what felt like hours.

...

"Oh?"

The small gasp of surprise came from behind him, a feminine sounding undertone present even through the gasp. Julong who had nearly dozed off in the reservoir hurriedly moved his head, looking in the direction of the noise. His theory was proven correct. The dim light softly reflected off her snow-white skin and dark brown silky hair. Her deep lavender eyes matched her robes as she gave him a confused smile with her red lips.

She was beautiful, even comparable to Yao Yao in his eyes. Such beauty was such an indescribable rarity.

Her figure moved closer as if to get a closer look at whoever was sitting in the reservoir, still unaware of what he looked like thanks to his position.

If Julong was correct this person could only be his Senior Sister, the Chosen Li Qingchan. After all, only Chosen were allowed in the reservoir outside of events, and she was the only female among them.

He lifted his upper body out of the water as to properly gaze upon each other. She seemed to freeze at the sight of him. The unearthly, and raw divine beauty his body held tended to do such things to people.

"Senior Sister, Li Qingchan?"

She seemed to snap out of her stupor. A small shake of her head in its wake.

"I'm sorry, I lost myself for a small moment there."

She had been warned by the Peak Masters, due to her liking of the territory in the Genesis Reservoir, that two new individuals might be around. They revealed nothing else to her though, but if she was correct, he was probably the new Purple Sash Disciple which had caused so much controversy. Even so, she never expected him to take her breath away with sheer looks.

Despite her reaction, she couldn't also help but think it was rather laughable - the Gold Disciples reactions. Despite their outrage, no one would challenge him thanks to having to change Peaks or Masters if they won, which would undoubtedly cause distaste among the Elders and the Disciple who changed Peaks. Perhaps that's why Sect Master Qing Yang issued the challenge in the first place.

"You are the new Junior Brother... Wan Julong was your name?"

Julong nodded his head.

"It is an honour that someone such as yourself has taken the effort to remember my name. Especially when it's my first official day as a Disciple of the Sect."

"It is difficult not to know your name thanks to the controversy of your ranking. Even Peak Master Liu Lianyi has told me of you and your companion, that is why I do not expel you from here as we speak."

"I see."

Julong turned away from her slowly rising out from the water.

"I am not sure exactly why it is that you are here Senior Sister, but I imagine that it is to bathe in my territory of the reservoir. I have spent enough time here already. Please feel free."

Li Qingchan watched as his figure rose until he was standing, to which she realised he was completely naked. She flusteredly turned her head away, though not before taking notice of the Rune on his back.

"Y-You practice the Ancestral Tianyuan Body?"

She felt that she needed to keep the conversation going as if to not make the atmosphere awkward.

"Not quite. I am merely learning the Heaven Devouring Vitality Rune for the Ancient Dragon Body. That way when I do get my hands on the Ancestral Tianyuan Body Technique, I hopefully should be able to practice it."

"Either way, it is quite impressive that you are even able to create the Rune."

"Haha... Thanks. It is quite strenuous, however, thanks to only being a Second-Layer in the Alpha-Origin Realm."

Qingchan paused for a moment, registering his words. How had she only just realised he was a Second-Layer?

"You are... only at the Second-Layer? But I heard that the one who challenged you today was a Fifth-Layer; defeated in a single blow..."

"News really does spread fast in this Sect doesn't it?"

She was filled with surprise, while beating a Fifth-Layer wasn't impossible, doing so in one punch was another story.

"You can look now."

Qingchan quickly moved her head back to in front of her, where she was met with Julong half-dressed in his robes. He had shabbily put them on, but not tied them, and was currently tying back his hair, putting his ornaments in.

Once again, Qingchan couldn't help but pause, gazing upon his dishevelled handsomeness.

"Would you like some help?"

"How could I deny someone like yourself?"

She smiled and walked over to him, standing behind his back, gently taking his locks in her hand. Julong moved to tie his robes as she quite gently ran her hand through his hair, tying it through his Guan.

Julong was a little saddened that what he had said did not have any effect on Qingchan. He had of course eluded to calling her beautiful, but he should have expected the reaction he received, she probably received such a compliment a lot. Being known as the most beautiful in the Cangxuan Sect would probably have that effect. He would have to find another way to tease her should they meet again.

Once she had finished doing his hair, Julong moved to face her, giving her a hand seal and bow.

"Many thanks, Senior Sister Qingchan."

She remained composed, giving him a small smile.

"It is no problem, Wan Julong. Though next time I come here, I'll be more careful as to not disturb you."

Julong laughed a little.

"Do not worry, it was quite pleasant. Though I'm afraid that I do not have the qualifications to say that I'd like to see you some more after I leave."

"If Junior Brother wishes to see me, all he must do is say the word. You have gained my interest."

"Then, if my fears have been settled, I shall leave you to enjoy yourself."

With a small nod of her head, she bid him farewell.

"Thank you, Junior Brother."

With that Julong walked through the same cave that he had originally arrived through. As he did, a certain rosy heat came to his fair cheeks. How he managed to stay so calm throughout the encounter remained a mystery to him. She had basically seen him naked for crying out loud!

Qingchan was not doing much better either. As she herself soaked in the reservoir, she couldn't help but hold her face in her hands.

"He called me beautiful while half-naked... How improper-!"