บท 30: Mo Suyin(2)*

Mo Suyin's journey uphill the mountain was quite effortless as she rode the flying sword of Jianyu's subordinate, the wind brushing past her face as she soared through the skies. However, it left her with a tinge of melancholy.

'How nice...Will I ever be able to fly through the sky like this?' She wondered. Although utilizing a flying sword was a skill that every foundation establishment realm disciple possessed, to Mo Suyin, it felt like an elusive dream she might never realize.

'Sigh... let's not think about this anymore, I must escape this tiger's den before anything.' Pushing aside these thoughts, she clenched her small fists in determination.

Moments later, her mysterious guide abruptly halted.

"You must go on your own from here. Please proceed straight ahead; you will soon reach your destination," the guide instructed before vanishing into thin air.

Mo Suyin was left flabbergasted. "What the...?"

After a moment's pause, she sighed deeply. "Sigh, let's just get this over with."

With newfound resolve, she stepped forward, her path winding through a landscape of bluish silver-leaved weeping willows. Mo Suyin couldn't help but admire the beauty surrounding her.

"Well, at least this view makes this situation a bit better," she murmured, a faint smile appearing on her lips.

Finally, after a few moments, she reached a clearing that took her breath away.

"Wow..."

The entire garden was adorned with an array of cold-hued flowers, their beauty reminiscent of a moonlit night, this ethereal atmosphere captivated Mo Suyin.

"It seems like you are enjoying the view."

"Eek!" Mo Suyin let out a startled gasp as a voice suddenly emerged from the other side. She turned to find a black-haired boy, appearing to be around 12 or 13 years old, sitting in a gazebo, pouring tea. His eyes shone like amethysts, and the entire scene felt like a painting by a master artist.

"Hm? Is something the matter?" the boy asked, tilting his head curiously.

Mo Suyin blushed furiously and flustered, waving her hands in embarrassment. "Ah! No-Nothing's an issue."

The boy chuckled warmly. "Haha, please come and have a seat," He gestured to one of the chairs opposite him.

Awkwardly, Mo Suyin took a seat at the table, her eyes occasionally darting toward the boy.

"Umm... do I have something on my face?" the boy asked, noticing her gaze and giving her a stiff but friendly smile.

"Ah! I-I am sorry, it's nothing at all!" Mo Suyin stammered.

'Snap out of it, Suyin! Don't act like a fool! That's right, this person must have some kind of ulterior motive for his actions.'

The boy seemed to sense her unease. "Is that so?... Anyways, please have some tea."

Mo Suyin hesitated but eventually accepted, "Many thanks..."

She picked up the teacup, lightly blew over it, and took a sip. The taste of the tea was a sweet symphony on her taste buds, and its fragrance lingered in her nostrils. If anyone else at her level, the first stage of the Qi condensation realm had sipped this tea, they might have easily broken through to the next realm. Unfortunately, Mo Suyin could only appreciate its deliciousness.

The boy smiled, his eyes sparkling mysteriously. "Is the tea to your taste?"

Mo Suyin, finally returning to her senses, looked at him. "Yes... It's quite delicious."

The melancholic look on her face didn't go unnoticed by the boy, who pondered her reactions.

...

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...

Meanwhile, Jianyu couldn't help but wonder about Mo Suyin's perplexing behavior, 'What's the deal with this girl?'

At first, her face shifted from bewilderment to admiration, and then hostility, every few seconds. However, the most unexpected reaction had been when he offered her his hand-brewed tea, expecting to make a favorable impression, only to have her burst into tears.

His concern grew as he watched her, and he finally couldn't hold back from asking, "...Is something the matter?" He regarded her with a genuine and concerned expression.

Mo Suyin, with her voice trembling, began to open up, "I... My mother used to make tea for me when I was young... even though, my memories of her have grown blurry..."

She paused, her voice cracking slightly, and tears welled up in her eyes. "...Drinking... th-this tea... heuk... reminded me of her... *sniff..."

Jianyu, empathetic to her emotions, reached out and gently patted her head. His expression showed genuine remorse for unintentionally causing her distress. "There there, I am sorry if I caused you to remember something unpleasant..."

Mo Suyin, touched by Jianyu's sincere response and his caring tone, felt an unexpected connection with him. Her sobs continued to escape, and she struggled to control them, her words coming out between sniffles. " Heuk... I-I am s-sorry... Th-they just... won't s-stop..."

For some inexplicable reason, Mo Suyin felt a deep sense of comfort and security in Jianyu's presence, allowing her to release the pent-up emotions she had been holding back for so long.

'Sigh... It's truly a wonder how different the ways different people deal with their sorrows...' Jianyu mused silently as he continued to wipe away her tears with his sleeves.

'Sigh... kids these days... hehe,' he thought with a hint of amusement, realizing the stark contrast between his apparent age and his thoughts.

...

A few minutes later...

...

"...Umm... I-I'm really sorry..."

Mo Suyin's embarrassment was palpable as she apologized profusely for her emotional outburst, her face flushed with embarrassment.

'H-he must think I am a weird person!' she couldn't help but worry.

But Jianyu, showing a level of understanding and empathy that she hadn't expected, reassured her, "It's completely fine, please don't mind it."

She continued to bow deeply, her head almost touching the table, and kept apologizing, "I don't know what came over me, I just couldn't control my emotions... I am truly sorry!!"

Jianyu, who was attempting to ease the situation, stood up abruptly, surprising Mo Suyin. She looked at him with a puzzled expression as he checked the tea leaves in a panic.

'The tea! It's that tea!' Jianyu's realization had struck him like a bolt of lightning.

'Ah shit, I used nine nether nirvana tea leaves, instead of the dull jade tea leaves, sigh... these two really look too similar I need to be more careful about this from now on... but rather than that...'

Jianyu's gaze slowly turned towards Mo Suyin, who was watching him curiously, her eyes filled with questions, like a small animal observing a curious phenomenon.

'How the hell is she still conscious!'

As Jianyu had always considered himself an expert in the art of brewing tea, he easily forgot the limitations of his own cultivation and made an oopsie. The tea he had brewed for her contained the highly potent nine nether nirvana tea leaves. These leaves were renowned for their strong sedative properties and were typically consumed by cultivators far more advanced than Mo Suyin, specifically those beyond the Shedding Mortality Realm.

'Usually, only the quasi-immortal realm is able to brew this tea properly... however, with my skills in the dao of brewing, the strength of the tea must be similar to that of a quasi-immortal's or a unity realm expert's tea...'

He even checked the tea he had brewed for himself, and just a whiff of it was enough to make him feel somewhat wobbly.

'At least I have confirmed that she has a special physique...' he thought, weighing the pros and cons of revealing the truth to Mo Suyin. If he didn't clear this matter today, with the vibrant imagination of a young cultivator... 'This matter might turn troublesome.'

Now, if Jianyu didn't tell her about this, she might rely on him even more, making it easier for him to turn her into a subordinate. However, if she found out the truth later on, it could damage their trust.

On the other hand, if Jianyu explained his actions now, he could earn her trust and create a stable foundation for their future relationship.

'Sigh, it's always like walking on eggshells when dealing with matters related to the heavens...'

"Umm... Miss Suyin... I am sorry!" Jianyu finally spoke, executing a 75-degree bow with remarkable form.

Mo Suyin, still bewildered by the situation, tried her best to make Jianyu raise his head, exclaiming, "Ah! What are you doing? Please stop this."

Jianyu, having gathered his thoughts, finally met Mo Suyin's eyes and began to explain everything to her in a clear and sincere manner.

...

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...

"Ah... so that's what happened..."

"I am truly sorry for my carelessness..."

Mo Suyin shook her head, and her demeanor shifted. She gave a beautiful, genuine smile that felt as refreshing as blooming flowers. However, Jianyu couldn't help but be a bit annoyed.

'Everyone makes mistakes? Is she picking a fight with me?' His prideful self felt a bit offended at her completely non-offensive remark.

"Anyways, we haven't done proper introductions, have we? I will go first, I am Xin Jianyu."

"My name is Mo Suyin."