บท 609: Side Story: Ask Her
Chen Wentian eventually wandered back down the valley and into the main courtyard of the manor. His mind was still a mess, Peng Lingxi's words still ringing around and around. He wasn't used to someone liking him, especially not a woman like her, especially not so suddenly.
Was it possible for someone to love another without even knowing them? He surely wasn't capable of such a feat. He had admired many princesses and goddesses from afar in the past but he never loved them. He wasn't even sure if he really liked them. It was probably just sexual attraction and the desires of an immature mind.
"Master?"
A voice drew his gaze away from his feet. Zhou Ziyun was standing in the middle of the shaded walkway, blocking his path.
"What are you doing?" She asked, "Didn't you go with Sister Peng? Does she want to look at the designs for the pavilion?"
He waved her questions away and caught her arm with his. She was exactly the person he wanted to see. She was always so smart about everything, even areas he lacked which were many.
He pulled her with him until they came to a secluded alcove with a bench. They sat down and he described what he had just gone through in great detail. He even repeated the exact words Peng Lingxi had said to him.
When he finished, Zhou Ziyun stared at him with a curious expression but didn't say anything.
"Well?" He asked.
"Well what?" She shot back.
"What do you think? Do you think she's telling the truth?"
Realizing he was being serious, she sighed and patted his arm, "Master, think about it this way, what reason does she have for lying about her feelings for you?"
"I don't know... is it even possible for her, we don't even know each other. Her situation is similar to Long Yifei's but even now, I still don't know if Yifei actually likes me or not. Yet Lingxi already said all those things like she loves me."
She snorted and patted his arm some more, "I'm sure Sister Peng's feelings are genuine and I'm sure Sister Long likes you too. You are an impressive man, a man worthy of our love and admiration. Don't be intimidated by a pretty face. You are the immortal, not them."
He scratched his head and nodded steadily. She always had a way with words that hit the point straight on. He still carried with him the insecurities of the past but he was an immortal now. For heaven's sake, he was already a Spirit King!
"And if you are still worried," She said with a tone of finality, "Can't you just ask her? Ask her until she gives you a satisfactory answer."
He laughed and hugged her, "Alright."
---
It was a few days later when Chen Wentian and Peng Lingxi once again stood side by side. They were standing on the highest balcony of the tallest tower that overlooked the Tower of Swords. The sect occupied an entire mountain peak and was home to tens of thousands of sword cultivators. Even without their sect master, they still retained an air of might and profound spirit.
"Are you sure? Your mother wants to stay here?" He asked.
They had come to the Tower of Swords to today handle various administrative matters. At Zhou Ziyun's urging, he established a line of communication between the current ruling hierarchy of elders of the sect and the Zhou Clan to facilitate future cooperation including trade and martial arts exchanges. Actually, he wasn't interested in these things. He was interested in the only family Peng Lingxi had which was her mother.
She breathed out a sigh, "She has lived her all her life. Her friends, neighbors, the people she knows are all here. She said it was too late for her to move."
"Are you okay with that?" He asked.
She didn't answer for a while, instead glancing down at the various cultivation platforms where scores of disciples in grey robes were diligently practicing. Her expression was serene but she was hiding her feelings.
"I was never a good daughter. I think she has long since accepted that. She never cared too much about my cultivation. She just wanted me to get married and start a family. But I always left the house early and came back late. I would even sneak out in the middle of the night to practice. I think she would be even more miserable by herself if I took her away from here."
"Alright, then she stays. I've instructed those elders to take care of her. If anyone tries to bully her or anything, I will make them pay." He said.
"Thanks." She said simply, still peering at the scenes below.
"So..." He said with some level of uncertainty, "What are you going to do about the Tower of Swords in the future?"
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"What if they ask you for help? Since your mother is still here, what if the sect falls under attack? Or... if and when you reach the Spirit Lord Realm, would you want to come back here and be the sect master? I mean... I would understand if you wanted to."
Peng Lingxi shook her head, "No."
"No." She said it with more emphasis, "That part of my life is over. The Tower of Swords can handle themselves, they are no longer my responsibility."
After a pause, she continued, "They accepted me for my talent but never for who I was. Pretending to be a man just to satisfy some old sect rule, pretending to be someone I wasn't, I'm completely over it. I only want to stay by your side and go where you go."
The two of them were looking at each other now. It was reminiscent of their moment a few days ago. Their eyes peered into each other's souls. They were only a step away from each other.
"What makes you so sure?" He asked finally, "Am I worth it?"
There was still doubt between them so she had to sweep it all away. She had never felt so sure about anything in her life so she simply told him. "Master, you are absolutely worth it, worth my whole life and more. It might be hard for you to believe but I have loved you ever since that day inside Dugu's Cavern. I have loved you for five years already. I have thought about you every day for five years. My feelings will never change or else may heaven strike me down. I am willing to do anything if only I can prove it to you."
Chen Wentian knew she was telling the truth. Even he could tell. She was so straightforward with her words, so sincere that she was able to slash apart the clouds of uncertainty in his mind. She was unlike any other and he would cherish her forever.
He slowly lifted a hand to her chin and tilted her towards him. He smiled and said softly, barely audible over the gusting wind, "In that case, how can I refuse you?"
He leaned down towards her, his eyes tracing her lips which were slightly parted. She was so beautiful and irresistible.
He closed the last bit of distance and kissed her.
---
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