Tradition

Inside the main hall of Tianyan Peak.

Xie Lingyu did not have to wait long. In fact, she hadn't even finished reading a few intelligence reports from the Western Niuhe Continent when she saw Chu Xingchen walking out from the rear hall.

Yanyun also looked over with a strange expression. How long had he been down there? However, she quickly dismissed the thought.

Chu Xingchen was still under the effects of an illusion technique; even if he wanted to sense anything, he couldn't. Thinking about it now, he probably just took a glance and came back.

It wasn't anything strange.

Xie Lingyu stood up, looked at him, and raised her hand to write in the air:

[How did it go?]

"Nothing much." Chu Xingchen shook his head gently, then turned his gaze to Yanyun and said, "Can I take these urgent orders from the Western Niuhe Continent with me to read?"

Yanyun nodded and said:

"I've already reviewed the information from over there, so naturally you can take them. However, it is best not to let them leak out."

Xie Lingyu raised her hand and swept all the jade tokens on the table into her spatial ring.

"We will take our leave then. If there are any urgent matters, you can come find me."

Chu Xingchen cupped his hands in farewell.

Yanyun nodded gently again but said nothing.

She simply watched the retreating figures of the two.

The Peak of One Big Happy Family.

Xie Lingyu didn't ask much, nor did she ask how Chu Xingchen's observation went.

The two sat back in their original chairs with tacit understanding. Xie Lingyu took a jade token from her spatial ring, checked the message inside, and after confirming it was correct, she would reach out and write the contents in the air in front of Chu Xingchen.

One token, two tokens, three tokens.

Chu Xingchen would occasionally ask Xie Lingyu for her opinion.

Xie Lingyu would also gently write down her insights.

As another jade token was retrieved by Xie Lingyu, she did not write its contents for Chu Xingchen.

Undoubtedly, this was the jade token Daoist Yuyang had written to talk about Chu Xingchen.

Seizing this opening, Chu Xingchen suddenly asked:

"Lingyu, I heard Senior Bai say she taught you a little tune."

Xie Lingyu paused, stunned, but didn't reply. She just held onto the jade token she had just taken out.

Chu Xingchen gazed at Xie Lingyu, observing her somewhat flustered expression, and asked softly:

"Can you sing it for me?"

Pinching the jade token in her hand, Xie Lingyu raised her hand and wrote:

[You can't hear anyway.]

Chu Xingchen looked at Xie Lingyu with delight:

"If I could hear, would you sing it for me then?"

Xie Lingyu looked a bit flushed, but quickly raised her hand to write:

[I certainly would not.]

Seeing this, Chu Xingchen looked slightly dejected:

"Since that's the case, why not sing it to me while I can't hear?"

Xie Lingyu wrote with sharp strokes:

[No!]

"Are you shy? Is it a song about a lover?"

[Of course not, why would Master teach me that kind of tune?]

"Good Lingyu, can't you really sing it?"

[No.]

"Why not?"

[No means no.]

Seeing Xie Lingyu's resolute attitude, Chu Xingchen sighed softly and changed the subject:

"Then continue reading the news from the Western Niuhe Continent. Speaking of which, why hasn't there been any news from Daoist Yuyang?"

Holding the jade token, Xie Lingyu looked at the slight disappointment in Chu Xingchen's eyes and wrote gently:

[Perhaps we just haven't reached Daoist Yuyang's messages yet.]

After writing this sentence, Xie Lingyu continued to transcribe the information from the jade token.

It seemed as if she had glossed over Chu Xingchen's proposal.

Chu Xingchen didn't press further, but watched Xie Lingyu with a calm expression tinged with a hint of disappointment.

Xie Lingyu tapped her fingertips lightly, continuing to write.

But suddenly, she began to speak in a soft voice:

"It must be the warm spring breeze..."

"How many times for human sentiments..."

Xie Lingyu lowered her head and sang softly, while simultaneously handwriting the intelligence from the jade token.

"Like fallen flowers catching the rain..."

"How can one remain silent at parting..."

The tune wasn't long; Xie Lingyu finished singing it before she even finished writing the message from the jade token.

After singing with her head down, Xie Lingyu slowly looked up, only to find Chu Xingchen staring intently at her.

Chu Xingchen laughed softly: "That was beautiful."

Xie Lingyu looked slightly shocked, then immediately raised her hand to write:

[What sounds beautiful?]

Chu Xingchen smiled and said: "Naturally, what I just heard."

[You're dea...]

Xie Lingyu wrote halfway before finally realizing what was happening. She looked up at Chu Xingchen and said, word for word:

"You're cured?"

"Just recently." Chu Xingchen raised his eyebrows slightly. "How about that? Isn't my luck good?"

Xie Lingyu gripped the jade token tightly, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Seeing this, Chu Xingchen hurriedly raised his hands:

"It's all my fault, I shouldn't have..."

"You have to sing it for me too!"

Xie Lingyu interrupted Chu Xingchen, her tone extremely serious:

"You have to sing it for me too!"

Chu Xingchen was stunned, looking at Xie Lingyu's earnest face.

He thought she would be angry... or perhaps dismantle him right there.

But Xie Lingyu did not do so.

Chu Xingchen lowered his hands and chuckled:

"But I don't know how to sing it."

"I will teach you."

"I'm quite stupid. You'll have to sing it many times before I might learn it."

"Then I'll sing it many times, but you must sing it for me."

Chu Xingchen nodded gently, gazing softly at Xie Lingyu:

"Alright then. You teach me, and I'll sing it for you too."

Xie Lingyu placed the jade token back into Chu Xingchen's hand. No longer as coy as before, she continued to softly sing the tune.

Chu Xingchen held the jade token, listening to Xie Lingyu's softened tone...

As expected of... the omnipotent Lord Lingyu.

She really knew how to make one fall for her.

It really makes one...

Xie Lingyu finished singing it softly once more.

The wind was warm and light, and the scent of flowers drifted by, faint and elusive.

Xie Lingyu didn't immediately ask if Chu Xingchen had learned it yet. Instead, she spoke softly:

"Master said this tune was taught to her by her master, my Grandmaster."

"Master said that our lineage has always valued affinity. There are so many people in the world, but very few truly share an affinity with one's eyes and heart."

"That is why there have never been many people in our Zhuji Peak lineage."

"This tune seems to be a folk song from Grandmaster's hometown. It isn't profound, nor does it have any special meaning."

"It seems to be singing about a lover, yet also seems to be singing about one's own life."

"However, the tradition of Zhuji Peak is that this tune is only sung to the person one feels the most affinity with."

"It can be sung many times, but only to one person."

"Master only sang it to me, so she won't sing it to anyone else."

"I sang it myself, so I can't blame you."

"But I'm not that generous, so you must sing it to me as well."

Chu Xingchen's eyes were gentle as he asked softly:

"Then what if I learn it and sing it to someone else?"

Xie Lingyu glanced sideways at Chunhua nearby:

"I wouldn't do anything about it. Many things depend on mutual willingness; I am not one to force things."

Chu Xingchen asked softly:

"Then after I sing it to you, won't this song end with just you and me? It won't be passed down anymore? Wouldn't the tradition disappear?"

Hearing this, Xie Lingyu smiled:

"Then this tune belongs only to us; it is unique to you and me. As for the tradition, we will simply choose another song."

"After all, it is not the tune itself that is precious."

The smile on Chu Xingchen's face grew even gentler:

"Lingyu."

"Hmm?"

"My omnipotent Lord Lingyu."

"Hmm?"

"I like you."

"Mhm."