The words caused Wan Yunting's expression to freeze. The chopstick in his right hand paused for a few seconds above a plate of Fuqi Feipian. A smile appeared on his face as he said, "Yes, Senior Sister Zhou and I have a good relationship. Back then, when we went to Kunlun Mountain to find medicinal herbs to treat our Sect Master, Abbess Yunbai specifically kept Senior Sister Zhou and Junior Sister Jiang to accompany us into Kunlun Mountain to search for herbs. We went through life and death together, and can be considered as friends who have shared life and death."
Liu Bing, Shi Yizhen, Tan Song, and others nodded. They had all heard some of what had happened at the Wuliang Daoist Temple. Tan Song chuckled, "To have such experiences, that is a true friend!"
"Indeed..."
The sect leader of Tai Chi Sect, Dong Dahai, and his wife echoed his sentiments.
However, Abbess Junxuan squinted her old eyes, continuously watching Wan Yunting. She smiled and said, "But how do I hear that Sect Master Wan's relationship with our future sect leader, Ruoxi, is beyond that of ordinary friends?"
These words caused Elder Zhang Qing, Sect Leader Shi Yizhen, and others to freeze. Looking at Abbess Junxuan and Wan Yunting, everyone else present immediately felt that the atmosphere was not quite right!
Wan Yunting smiled and said, "Abbess Junxuan, you've heard hearsay; it's nothing."
"Oh."
Abbess Junxuan nodded with a smile and said, "Then I am relieved. Come, Sect Master Wan, I will toast you."
Wan Yunting picked up his wine cup, clinked it against her tea cup, and drank it down in one gulp...
Next, he engaged in pleasantries with the sect leaders of the various sects present, chatting about inconsequential topics. However, Wan Yunting kept steering the conversation towards Abbess Junxuan, as she was the main protagonist of this event.
Abbess Junxuan presented herself as kind and amiable, enthusiastically greeting Wan Yunting and Sect Leader Shi Yizhen. They discussed the future of the martial arts world, with her offering her opinions, exuding an aura of wanting to lead the Chinese martial arts world to global prominence, which made Wan Yunting and Lu Xiaodie find it amusing.
By nine o'clock in the evening, the banquet dispersed. Abbess Junxuan personally led Wan Yunting, Liu Bing, and other sect leaders to the guest room courtyard that the Emei Sect specifically used to entertain guests. There were three-story buildings one after another.
Sect Leader Liu of the Qingcheng Sect, to save face, had brought over twenty people, so they had to be arranged to stay in an entire building.
As for Wan Yunting, Lu Xiaodie, and Zheng Rong, due to Wan Yunting's status, Abbess Junxuan made special arrangements, assigning them to a secluded courtyard on the east side with a very pleasant view. This courtyard had two rooms, which was just right for the three of them.
"Abbess Junxuan is very thoughtful. Thank you," Wan Yunting said with a cupped fist and a polite smile.
Abbess Junxuan smiled and said, "It's getting late, Sect Master Wan. Please get some rest. Tomorrow, you can stroll around the vicinity of our Emei Sect. If you need anything, just send someone to find me, and I will personally make arrangements for you."
"Alright, thank you."
Wan Yunting smiled and nodded, personally seeing Abbess Junxuan and her disciples off at the courtyard gate. Lu Xiaodie narrowed her eyes and said, "This Abbess Junxuan is not simple!"
Wan Yunting smiled and said, "One face in front, another behind. They're all shrewd people!"
Lu Xiaodie nodded, then tilted her head to look at him with a smile and asked, "So, what will you do next?"
Wan Yunting turned and entered the reception hall of the courtyard, lit a cigarette, and said, "First, I'll wait for Junior Sister Jiang to arrive. Then, I'll find a way to see Senior Sister Zhou."
As Abbess Junxuan was returning, she glanced back at the courtyard where Wan Yunting and his group were staying. A cunning glint appeared in her half-closed old eyes. She said to the disciple following her, Zhang Xincai, "Quietly spread the news of Wan Yunting trying to steal the bride!"
"Also, have everyone watching Zhou Ruoxi withdrawn!"
Zhang Xincai nodded but asked with confusion, "Withdrawn? Master, do you mean to let Wan Yunting meet Zhou Ruoxi?"
Abbess Junxuan nodded and smiled, "I've spent so much effort precisely because I want Wan Yunting to steal the bride!"
At ten o'clock in the evening, Wan Yunting sat alone in a chair in the reception hall of the courtyard. Several cigarette butts had been stubbed out in the ashtray on the table, and his brow was furrowed as he pondered matters.
Seeing this, Lu Xiaodie naturally did not disturb him...
Shortly after, Jiang Tingxia walked in quickly. Upon seeing her, Wan Yunting immediately stood up and asked, "How is it?"
"Yes, I'll take you to see Senior Sister now!" Jiang Tingxia said.
Wan Yunting asked doubtfully, "How?"
Jiang Tingxia raised an eyebrow and said, "It's strange to say, but the senior brothers who were guarding my Senior Sister's residence have all left just now!"
"Oh?"
Wan Yunting was puzzled.
Earlier, Jiang Tingxia had mentioned that Abbess Junxuan had sent people to watch Zhou Ruoxi, so why had they all been withdrawn now?
This action was somewhat unusual!
"Oh well, never mind that for now. You go see Senior Sister first and try to persuade her."
Jiang Tingxia grabbed Wan Yunting's arm and pulled him out. He didn't think too much about the problem. The most important thing now was to persuade Zhou Ruoxi not to marry the disciple from Dragon Tiger Mountain...
"Sister Lu, Senior Sister Zheng, you two rest. I'm going out."
Seeing Lu Xiaodie and Zheng Rong come out, Wan Yunting said. Lu Xiaodie nodded, "Yes, be careful. If anything happens, call us."
"Understood."
Wan Yunting nodded and followed Jiang Tingxia out of the courtyard. She led the way towards Zhou Ruoxi's residence...
Zhou Ruoxi lived in a very secluded courtyard in the back mountain of the Emei Sect. There was only one path leading to it. Originally, Abbess Junxuan had sent several disciples to guard it, refusing anyone to visit Zhou Ruoxi unless she personally permitted it.
This was a form of house arrest for Zhou Ruoxi!
But now, with no guards, Jiang Tingxia led Wan Yunting smoothly to the courtyard where she and her Senior Sister lived. They pushed open the courtyard gate and entered, only to find Wan Yunting suddenly stop and turn to look at the dark, hazy mountain forest to the south, his brow slightly raised!
"What's wrong?"
Seeing this, Jiang Tingxia also turned to look at the dark mountain forest, but she couldn't see anything.
"There's someone in the woods over there!"
However, Wan Yunting's pupils flickered with a green light. In his eyes, the night was like day. He saw two disciples wearing Emei Sect attire in the distant woods opposite them!
One of them was holding binoculars, and another was even holding a remote control. In the hazy night sky, if one listened carefully, they could hear a small surveillance drone, clearly monitoring everything!
Jiang Tingxia, hearing this, found it hard to believe. After all, the southern woods were over a hundred meters away, and it was late at night. Could one see things opposite with the naked eye?
"Let's go in."
To avoid the other party discovering that he had found them, Wan Yunting stepped into the courtyard gate. Jiang Tingxia quickly closed the door.
But at this moment, Wan Yunting's brow furrowed, sensing that there was something more to this matter!
"Senior Sister, I'm back."
Jiang Tingxia didn't think much of it and led Wan Yunting around the reception hall to the door of a room in the back. Seeing that the lights inside were still on, she knew that her Senior Sister Zhou Ruoxi was not yet asleep. "Can I come in?"
"Yes, come in."
A calm and tired voice came from inside the room. Wan Yunting felt a pang of heartache just hearing her voice.
Jiang Tingxia asked Wan Yunting to wait at the door, and she entered first to see Zhou Ruoxi. After a while, Zhou Ruoxi's angry voice was heard: "Tingxia, how could you act on your own and call him here? Didn't I tell you not to call him here?"
"Senior Sister, since the person is already here, you can decide what to do!"
"I won't see him. Tell him to leave!"
Zhou Ruoxi shouted angrily.
"Senior Sister, I listened to you before, but I can't listen to you this time."
Jiang Tingxia, who was also angry inside, turned and said to Wan Yunting at the door, "You go in."
Wan Yunting's brow twitched. Just hearing Zhou Ruoxi's angry tone from inside, he knew she didn't want to see him at all.
Seeing his hesitation, Jiang Tingxia snorted, "Don't let me look down on you!"
Wan Yunting waved his hand at her, "You go out first."
Jiang Tingxia snorted and left directly...
After all, the person had been brought here. Whether Zhou Ruoxi could be persuaded to change her mind depended on Wan Yunting's ability!
Watching Jiang Tingxia leave, Wan Yunting took a deep breath before stepping over the threshold and slowly closing the door. He turned back to look at Zhou Ruoxi's boudoir, with its light blue decorative curtains, a small round table adorned with a set of elegant white porcelain tea utensils, and a row of bookshelves on the west wall filled with various books. In a corner of the bookshelf, there was a pot of orchid, but it was not in bloom this season.
Entering the bed area, there was a bed with a simple wooden structure and blue bedding. Zhou Ruoxi, dressed in a light gauze dress with her black hair cascading smoothly over her shoulders and chest, was clearly preparing for bed with this attire.
But at this moment, her autumn eyes were shining with light. She looked at Wan Yunting, who walked in with an awkward expression. Zhou Ruoxi's haggardly pretty face was gloomy and filled with anger. She said coldly, "What are you doing coming in here? Didn't I tell you I didn't want to see you? Get out, do you hear me!"
"Ruoxi, calm down first. Let me finish speaking, and then it won't be too late for you to tell me to get out, alright?"
Wan Yunting raised his hand to stop her and said calmly.
Zhou Ruoxi turned her head away and snorted, "What can you say? Isn't it just that Tingxia found you to stop me from rejecting this marriage?"
Looking at the haggard but determined Zhou Ruoxi, Wan Yunting's brow twitched. He felt a great deal of heartache. He could imagine that Zhou Ruoxi had gone through great ups and downs during this period, making her no longer appear as weak and gentle as she did the first time they met.
Now, her autumn eyes were firm, and she was no longer the naive woman who knew nothing.
"So, do you really intend to go through with this marriage?"
Wan Yunting gazed at her, asking solemnly.
Zhou Ruoxi turned her head, her autumn eyes looking at him stubbornly. They made eye contact for more than ten seconds before she said with great determination, "Yes!"
Wan Yunting's brow raised. His eyes met Zhou Ruoxi's steadfast autumn eyes, and for a long time, neither of them spoke...