All Things Are Contracts

Chapter 137: Catching Up

Of the three people before him, one was Gong Xiaoyu in a green robe. Though days had passed, she was still as beautiful as ever, her bright and deep eyes inscrutable, hiding her thoughts. The meaningful smile at the corner of her mouth made Zhanyue shiver. “Why is she here too?”

Another was Nangong Weilai, whom Zhanyue had met briefly before. This young woman, also dressed in green, was like a newly blooming daisy, her fair face still showing hints of youth. The girl’s hair was tied in two buns, with the rest of her green-black hair falling to her waist. Her green gauze dress was of extraordinary quality, shimmering with an ethereal glow in the sunlight, making her stand out in the crowd like the moon in the night sky. Most eye-catching was the white flower by her ear, resembling a peony but much smaller. The flower seemed to be alive, its species indistinguishable, but clearly not an artificial decoration.

“Isn’t this the girl who wanted to buy my cat before? She’s here too?” Zhanyue looked at Nangong Weilai with some confusion.

The third person was naturally MuMu Lixi. After several years, the Holy Maiden had shed some of her childishness. Her hair was still like a golden waterfall, soft and smooth, falling to her waist, exuding elegance and nobility. Her face was as fair as white jade, delicate and flawless. Her features were like a painting, her eyes like stars; her nose and mouth were small and exquisite, with slightly upturned corners revealing a sweet smile, as intoxicating as fine wine.

Her figure was graceful and slender, elegant and tall, with curves in all the right places, full of feminine charm. She was like a princess who had stepped out of a fairy tale.

But those eyes, like a bowl of intoxicating wine, made Zhanyue feel a bit guilty.

“Long time no see,” Zhanyue said, naturally addressing MuMu Lixi.

“Yes, it’s been a while,” MuMu Lixi looked at Zhanyue, her gaze intense and unguarded.

Something was off about these two. The three women around them were sharp and immediately sensed something amiss. Gong Xiaoyu couldn’t help but think to herself: “What’s going on with this Zhanyue? Doesn’t he already have Baizhi? When did he get involved with the Holy Maiden? Were the things he told Baizhi all true? So young, yet such rich experiences? That Baizhi girl is in trouble. No, I need to tell her about this soon. This Holy Maiden girl doesn’t seem easy to deal with. His Majesty’s future son-in-law better not be stolen away.”

“I thought I’d never see you again,” MuMu Lixi said with a slight smile. Though she had only spent a few short days with Zhanyue, those memories had already been deeply etched in the young girl’s heart.

“Has your cold poison improved?” Zhanyue didn’t know what else to say, especially with Gong Xiaoyu present. He felt somewhat guilty, like a thief.

“Thanks to you, it’s much better,” MuMu Lixi had been practicing day and night since receiving that god-level cultivation technique. She could now completely suppress the cold poison, though she still couldn’t eliminate it entirely. “Was it you who challenged the tower earlier? I always knew you’d be amazing.” MuMu Lixi’s eyes curved like crescent moons, seeming even happier than if she had successfully challenged the tower herself.

“Alright, don’t just chat between yourselves, there are so many people here,” Mi Hongchen quickly interrupted. Something was off, very off. This girl used to be so aloof, keeping everyone at arm’s length, completely different from when she was younger. How had she melted like this in front of Zhanyue?

“Hello, let me introduce myself properly. I’m Nangong Weilai. We’ll be classmates from now on,” the green-clad girl nearby smiled. Her eyes swept over Zhanyue, giving him a chill that rose from his feet, raising goosebumps all over.

Nangong Weilai said meaningfully: “It hasn’t been that long since we last met, yet you’ve become so much stronger. How did you do it?” Imperceptibly, Nangong Weilai had already used her ability to see through all of Zhanyue’s capabilities. This was what made this woman so formidable, and why Wind Lord wanted her to stay by MuMu Lixi’s side.

“This is Sister Nangong, from the Moon Reflection Pavilion. ‘White Cloud Tower in the sky, Moon Reflection Pavilion on earth.’ You know, right? Don’t be fooled by her young age, she’s already at the second stage of the Star Profound Realm. She has the most terrifying talent among us,” MuMu Lixi introduced.

“This is Sister Gong Xiaoyu from the Thousand Charms Empire. She’s also our teacher, but it seems you already know each other,” MuMu Lixi said, looking at Zhanyue, seemingly very curious about how this came to be.

Gong Xiaoyu smiled and said: “Zhanyue has been to our Thousand Charms Empire. When the Night Lord’s people were causing trouble at our borders, we even fought side by side. So we’ve known each other for a while.” Gong Xiaoyu thought for a moment and decided not to mention Baizhi. Her beautiful eyes looked at Zhanyue, seeming to say: “You’d better thank me. If you had dared to offend me before, I would have spilled all your secrets.”

It was a tangled web. Zhanyue hadn’t expected to encounter so many familiar faces in the Academy Town .

Mi Hongchen smiled slightly and said: “From now on, Zhanyue will be staying in the Second Villa next door. You’ll have plenty of time to talk in the future. But for now, I need to take him to see the principal. He’s been urging me with his divine sense.” The principal Mi Hongchen referred to was naturally Wind Lord Mumu Xingyun.

In the principal’s office, Mi Hongchen knocked on the door, sent Zhanyue in, and then withdrew. The principal seemed to have something to discuss with Zhanyue privately.

“So the ‘Red Dust Attachment’ is in your hands. That girl, really…” Wind Lord was a kindly old man. By ‘old’, it meant he was of Zhanyue’s grandfather’s generation in age, but his appearance was not old at all. Instead, he was quite handsome with an extraordinary bearing. He wore a blue robe and sat in a chair, with a tea table in front of him.

“Sit down.” Wind Lord gestured for Zhanyue to sit. With a wave of his hand, a cup of tea was lifted by a mysterious force and flew to Zhanyue.

“Thank you. What is this ‘Red Dust Attachment’ you mentioned, sir?” Zhanyue asked, puzzled.

Wind Lord pointed at Zhanyue’s hand. “That’s the true name of the storage ring on your hand. It’s one of a pair of rings, one of which is in your possession, and the other is with MuMu Lixi. I originally gave both rings to her, but who would have thought she secretly gave one to you. When I asked her about it before, she wouldn’t say anything, and we had a long period of awkwardness because of it.”

“?” Zhanyue touched the ring on his finger, not realizing it had such a significant background.

“Take good care of that ring. Since it’s in your hands now, I won’t take it back. This pair of rings is said to be the key to a secret realm. I obtained them by chance when I was young and later gave them to MuMu Lixi. You were the one who stepped forward to save my granddaughter in Rising Sun City, right? And you were alone with her for quite a while. In such a short time, you managed to captivate her so thoroughly that she not only gave you the ‘Red Dust Attachment’ but also became listless, moping around all day. You certainly have some skill,” Wind Lord said calmly.

Zhanyue felt a chill down his spine. Wind Lord had come to hold him accountable.

“What’s the story with the cultivation technique MuMu Lixi is practicing?” Wind Lord’s gaze suddenly turned sharp.