Chapter 487 - 170: Dumbfounded

Yang Jing still felt uneasy, so he didn’t leave right away. He wandered over to the willow tree in front of Sun Ningxiang’s courtyard, found a flat stone, and sat down to wait in silence.

From time to time, disciples from Yunxi Peak would pass by on the mountain path. When they saw Yang Jing sitting there, they looked surprised and couldn’t help stealing a few glances at him.

Yang Jing paid them no mind. He leaned against the tree trunk, his gaze fixed on the closed courtyard gate, pondering where Sun Ningxiang might have gone.

The wind rustled through the leaves as time trickled by.

The sky gradually darkened. The lingering glow of the sunset dyed half the sky red, bathing the mountains of Yunxi Peak in a layer of warm gold.

Yang Jing waited for a little over an hour before he finally saw a familiar figure appear at the end of the mountain path.

It was none other than Sun Ningxiang.

Today, she wasn’t wearing her usual loose, flowing dresses. Instead, she had changed into a practical set of cyan training clothes, which made her posture look even more erect and sharp.

She was walking quickly, clearly in a hurry to get back. When she looked up and saw Yang Jing in front of her courtyard gate, she froze for a moment. Then, a flash of undeniable surprise lit up her clear eyes, and her pace quickened.

Sun Ningxiang strode up to Yang Jing. Staring at the familiar figure before her, she felt a prickle in her nose as her eyes began to redden. "Junior Brother, why are you here?"

Yang Jing stood up. As he looked at Sun Ningxiang, a hint of surprise appeared on his face as well.

In his memory, Sun Ningxiang had always favored comfortable, wide-robed dresses. This was the first time he had seen her in such practical training clothes; it gave her a rather dashing air.

He collected himself and said, "Senior Sister, where have you been? I came looking for you and saw the gate was locked. I was worried something had happened."

Hearing this, Sun Ningxiang took out a key and opened the courtyard gate. She stepped aside to let Yang Jing in, saying with a smile, "Let’s go inside and talk."

The two entered the main room, where Sun Ningxiang lit the oil lamp on the table. Its dim, yellow glow dispelled the gloom and stretched their shadows long across the floor.

Yang Jing sat down in a chair by the table, and Sun Ningxiang went to brew a cup of hot tea, which she then placed in front of him.

Once they were both seated, Yang Jing returned to his earlier question.

Sun Ningxiang cradled the warm teacup, her fingertips gently tracing its side. "I went to the Training Room to cultivate," she said softly.

Yang Jing was stunned to hear this. "Senior Sister, you went to cultivate?" he blurted out, unable to hide his surprise.

Yang Jing knew Sun Ningxiang’s disposition. She had never been one for fighting and killing. Compared to the monotony of cultivation, she much preferred to stay in her courtyard, read medical texts, study herbs, and tend to her flowers and plants.

Sun Ningxiang’s innate aptitude was actually quite good. Furthermore, she had been supplied with ample Cultivation Resources since she was young, and her training conditions at the Xuanzhen Sect were excellent.

She had a good chance of breaking through to the Huajin Realm, but because she wasn’t dedicated to her training, she remained stuck at the Peak of Dark Energy.

Sun Ningxiang looked up at Yang Jing, a faint smile playing on her lips. "What, you don’t believe me?"

Yang Jing quickly waved his hands and shook his head. "Of course I believe you, Senior Sister," he said with a smile. "I’m just surprised. I’m impressed that you’ve suddenly become so focused on cultivating."

Sun Ningxiang’s grip on her teacup tightened, and her gaze fell to the ripples spreading across the tea.

After a moment, she looked up, a faint smile on her face. "You’re the one who inspired me," she said softly. "Look at you, advancing by leaps and bounds in your cultivation, shooting all the way up to the Qi Eating Realm. You’re outshining all the veteran senior brothers and sisters from the other branches. Meanwhile, I’m just treading water. If I keep this up, how can I... how can I still have the nerve to call myself your Senior Sister?"

Yang Jing couldn’t help but smile at her words.

He had tried to persuade Sun Ningxiang to focus more on her cultivation a few times before, but his Senior Sister was clearly more interested in her medical texts and herbs.

Now that his Senior Sister had come around on her own and taken the initiative to cultivate, it was the best possible outcome.

He looked at Sun Ningxiang and said, "Senior Sister, we haven’t seen each other in a while. Would you like to go off-island for dinner tonight? Think of it as my way of encouraging you and wishing you an early, successful breakthrough to the Huajin Realm."

A flash of hesitation crossed Sun Ningxiang’s face.

She gazed into Yang Jing’s bright eyes. A part of her really wanted to go; she hadn’t seen him in days and had so much she wanted to tell him.

But then she remembered the cultivation plan she had set for herself. She shook her head gently. "Junior Brother, I’m preparing to attempt my breakthrough to the Huajin Realm in a few days. I need to spend this time getting into the right condition and preparing mentally. Let’s put dinner off for another time."

At her words, the smile on Yang Jing’s face faded, replaced by a serious expression.

He nodded at Sun Ningxiang and advised her earnestly, "A breakthrough is a major event, and you’re right not to allow any distractions. You must be extra careful, Senior Sister. Remember not to rush it, and if you need any help at all, don’t hesitate to ask."

Seeing his earnest expression, a warmth spread through Sun Ningxiang’s heart. She smiled and nodded. "I know, Junior Brother."

They chatted for a little longer about trivial cultivation matters. Then, worried he might be delaying Sun Ningxiang’s preparations for her breakthrough, Yang Jing rose to take his leave. "Well, Senior Sister, I won’t disturb you any longer. Prepare well. I’ll be heading back."

Sun Ningxiang saw Yang Jing to the door. As she watched his tall, straight back, a look of deep reluctance flashed in her eyes.

She had deliberately avoided him for the past few days, but in truth, she missed him terribly. Now that they had finally gotten a chance to meet, their time together had been cut short by her training.