“You are the one I’ve been waiting for,” the Noble Attendant said with a smile.

Long Di apathetically looked back at her before responding with, “I’m eleven.”

****

The Noble Attendant was a bit taken aback by Long Di’s reply. What did he mean by he’s eleven?

Was he trying to showcase his impeccable talents by telling her his age?

Thinking this was the case, she felt a little disappointed in Long Di. It seemed that this fated one was another arrogant young mast-

“So with that being said, I am not looking for a relationship at the moment. That’s for when I’m older and even then, Shen Ling’s got a better chance with me since I don’t even know you.”

“…”

The Noble Attendant’s brain short-circuited for a good half a day before she recovered.

“E-Excuse me?” The Noble Attendant wanted to make sure she didn’t mishear him.

Even the Sacred Celestics that were keeping up a pace behind them were flabbergasted by Long Di’s comment before it was quickly replaced by anger.

Did this boy not know who this person was? Did he not know the identity of the existence she served!?

How dare he think that she has designs on him!? That was the greatest insult! Then, to make it worse… he rejected her!

“Oh dear, she’s in denial.” Long Di shook his head. “Yaomu Shou, are you experienced in rejections? How did others get you to understand that you weren’t wante-”

“Screw you! I’ve never been rejected!” Yaomu Shou shrieked.

“Is it because you’ve never been given the chance to be rejected?” he calmly asked.

Yaomu Shou’s eyes went wide as her jaw dug a ditch in the ground as she dragged Long Di along. “Y-You… I-I… ”

“It’s simply because of the ashy skin. Once you and lotion find a counsellor to overcome your long-distance relationship, you’ll be getting rejections by the boatload, I’m sure of it,” Long Di told her with a thumbs up as if he gave her the world’s best pep talk.

She lost five IQ points this day and thus calmly turned to the Noble Attendant and nodded to her, “Hello Ci Heliu.”

She desperately yearned for a normal conversation and prayed she could find solace in the Noble Attendant’s company.

“H-Hi Lady Yaomu Shou,” The Noble Attendant, known as Ci Heliu by those qualified to know her true name, was still trying to regain her bearings, which were all kinds of messed up.

Suffice it to say, she had never engaged in such conversations before. Being out of her element was quite new to her since many people would speak to her in a flattering way so as to gain her favour.

This boy Long Di was truly an enigma, and her curiosity about him grew.

“May I ask why Ci Heliu is looking for Long Di?” Yaomu Shou asked. She didn’t want to be rude or anything, but current circumstances made it clear that time was not on their side and that they needed to get moving.

She didn’t dare to let Long Di ask this question and hoped Ci Heliu would just answer it straight away. Heaven knows the boy is incapable of bringing a conversation from point A to point B. He would probably detour to Q, take a rest stop at 76, backtrack from Z and then just say B to tie it all up in a nice bow.

Seeing Yaomu Shou’s gaze, Ci Heliu didn’t know why, but she felt that if she entertained anything apart from Yaomu Shou’s question, she would fall down a rabbit hole from which there was no return.

She knew not how right she was.

“Y-Yes… I wanted to congratulate Sir Long Di on surviving an otherwise non-survivable situation.”

“About that.” Long Di landed his gaze squarely on her. An action which caused her to put her guard up. This boy was a verbal savant who went wherever the wind took him conversation-wise.

She figured this out within the first few minutes of meeting him. Careful, she needed to be careful with him.

Surprisingly, however, Long Di cupped his fist towards her, saying, “Thank you for your advice. It saved my life. I will remember this favour.”

His tone was neither servile nor overbearing. Well, it wasn’t anything for that matter, but Ci Heliu saw none of the boundless adoration that others held for her, yet he easily showed his gratitude without asking for more. She quickly picked up that there were layers to this human.

Interesting.

“You’re welcome,” she responded with a smile that was several degrees warmer than normal.

One of the male Sacred Celestics travelling behind them felt a bit sour when he saw how much interest the Noble Attendant placed in Long Di.

Of course, Ci Heliu didn’t notice this and instead took out an amethyst scroll from her storage ring.

It glistened with multitudinous shades of purple like a divine gem. If one listened closely, one could even hear the faint twinkle of wind chimes echoing out in the rhythm of each glimmer and sparkle.

“So pretty…” both Zi Yu and Yaomu Baiyin commented absentmindedly before a blush covered both their faces, forcing them to look down.

Both girls and Lu Pei were being brought along with Long Di courtesy of his spiritual force.

It was weakened due to the battle earlier against the Imperial Divine Edict, but to carry a few people was an expenditure that even when weakened could be afforded.

The two girls before this, said nothing earlier, due to the status of the Noble Attendant and Lady Yaomu.

The two of them speaking like this made this a conversation that no one else could interject in. Well, no one else apart from Long Di, but the boy was an oddity among the colours of the rainbow, so using him was cheating.

She then handed over the scroll to Long Di with that same smile.

“What is this?” Long Di grabbed the scroll, looking it up and down.

“Lady Noble Attendant!” The male Sacred Celestic couldn’t help but speak up when he saw what the Noble Attendant gave to Long Di.

“How can you give him the S-”

“Aoman Baise, can you stop talking?” Ci Heliu looked back at him with a smile.

A chill crept up Aoman Baise’s spine when he saw this. Despite her polite demeanour, he felt as if he was dropped in an ice cellar. The smile was present, yes, but somehow it contained none of the warmth extended to Long Di.

He didn’t dare finish what he wanted to say and instead backed down with his head hung low. As far as he was concerned this was all Long Di’s fault.

The Noble Attendant then turned back to Long Di with that same smile before explaining what she had given him.

“There will be a dao convention taking place within the next half a year from today in Tranquil Heavens Immortal City. It will be among the younger generation and you can only attend with an invitation. This can act as your invitation."

“That’s quite the high-level invitation you’re handing out,” Yaomu Shou said, eyeing the amethyst scroll suspiciously.

Ci Heliu didn’t react to Yaomu Shou’s reaction, focusing only on Long Di, “Keep the invitation safe and… whenever you have the chance we’d love to entertain you at our capital city.”

“Oh really, now?” Long Di held the scroll in a questioning way as he looked at her.

Ci Heliu’s expression faltered a bit when he said this and quickly moved to correct herself.

“WE would love to entertain you, not me.” She made sure to greatly stress the word ‘we’ so he didn’t hit her with the ‘I’m only eleven’ phrase. She couldn’t take any more of those.

Long Di put away the scroll in his storage ring and cupped his fist once more. “I’ll attend the convention… mainly to give you face though,” he said, talking like a true cultivator (he had his moments).

“This humble one looks forward to it,” the Noble Attendant cupped her fist for the first time.

“I just realised something, but… where’s Mina?” Long Di asked.

He just realised that the goddess was nowhere to be found. She wasn’t with them as one of the captives and there hasn’t been any news of her.

“Oh, sorry!” Zi Yu apologised for the lack of an explanation. “It’s been so crazy lately, I never got the chance to explain. She had taken off just before we were captured, saying that there was something she needed to do and that she would be back soon.”

“Oh,” Long Di nodded. “I’m sure we’ll bump into her, eventually.”

“Well, it’s about time I leave, I guess. Seeing as how it seems you have no need for further distractions,” The Noble Attendant said as she directed her gaze upwards to see more than thirty percent of the cracks already healed.

These cracks could also be counted as the laws in this place in a sense. Even though it wasn’t exactly the same, they could at least be used to tell when the true laws were fully restored and time was running out.

“Thank you,” Long Di told her once again.

Ci Heliu giggled as if she had been seen through. “You’re welcome once again. Goodbye Sir Long Di. I hope to see you again soon.”

Saying this, she took her team away and rocketed off into the horizon.

Shu!

Suddenly, an arrow cut through the air and was mere inches from the back of Long Di’s head!

Clang!

A dark blue fan blocked the arrow, causing sparks to fly everywhere in an explosion of light.

Zi Yu retracted the fan in a cool manner before she used it to lightly fan herself with a cold expression. Her gaze was wholly directed at what was behind them, hounding them, biting on their heels.

“It would seem that our moment of reprieve is over. Something wicked this way comes.”

An arrogant voice bellowed from behind.

“Long Di! Hand over the spiritual vein root! If you do, I will pause my pursuit and allow you to leave!”