Chapter 493 - 171: Old Acquaintance

The streets were lined with vendors, their stalls displaying a dazzling array of trinkets. The rising and falling cries of the hawkers filled the entire town with a lively, down-to-earth atmosphere. It was a stark contrast to the ethereal, fairyland-like scenery within the Xuanzhen Sect on Fushan Island.

Yang Jing and Sun Ningxiang walked along the bluestone path, their gazes sweeping across the shops on both sides of the street. Before long, they were heading towards the center of the town.

The meeting place mentioned in the letter was called Stone Horse, simply because a stone-carved steed, over three men tall, stood there. Its posture was proud and spirited, and it was so lifelike that over time, it became a well-known landmark for everyone in town.

When the two were about a dozen paces from the Stone Horse, Yang Jing’s eyes suddenly lit up. He immediately spotted the two figures standing beside it: Miss Jinlian and Liu Maolin.

Miss Jinlian was still in a long, green dress. Her figure was slender, and she had an air of competence about her.

Liu Maolin, on the other hand, was wearing a set of white martial arts attire. His complexion was ruddy and his posture was upright; it seemed the injuries he had suffered before were now more or less healed.

Yang Jing and Sun Ningxiang looked at each other and smiled, then quickened their pace towards the other two.

At the same time, Miss Jinlian and Liu Maolin, who were standing under the Stone Horse’s hooves, also looked over. Seeing who it was, smiles appeared on both their faces.

Miss Jinlian and Liu Maolin also hurried forward to greet them.

Liu Maolin looked at Yang Jing, his eyes welling up. Before he could speak, he strode forward and pulled Yang Jing into a powerful hug.

A surge of warmth spread through Yang Jing’s chest, and he patted Liu Maolin on the back.

Although they had only been separated for a few months, during this time, whether it was Yang Jing’s arduous training at the Xuanzhen Sect or Liu Maolin’s time recuperating at home, the two had been constantly thinking of each other.

A gentle smile played on Miss Jinlian’s lips as she watched from the side.

After the two men let go, she first greeted Yang Jing, then looked at Sun Ningxiang beside him and said in a soft voice, "You must be Miss Sun. I’ve heard so much about you."

Sun Ningxiang quickly returned the courtesy. Although it was their first time meeting, they had heard of each other before.

After the group chatted for a while, Miss Jinlian waved her hand and said with a smile, "I’ve already booked a private room at the restaurant ahead. Let’s go eat first and talk while we eat."

Yang Jing, Sun Ningxiang, and Liu Maolin all nodded in agreement and followed Miss Jinlian towards a nearby restaurant.

The restaurant was impressively decorated, with a vermilion main door and carved window lattices. The sign hanging by the entrance, "Linjiang Pavilion," gleamed under the setting sun.

Led by a waiter, the four of them went up the stairs to the third floor and entered a private room with a wide, open view.

Inside the private room was a round mahogany table. The window looked out directly onto the shimmering waters of Hidden Dragon Lake, offering a spectacular view.

After they each took a seat, Yang Jing looked at Liu Maolin and asked, "Fourth Senior Brother, how are your injuries recovering? I was worried you might have some lasting complications."

Hearing this, Liu Maolin laughed heartily. He slapped his own arms and legs and replied in a cheerful tone, "Don’t worry, Junior Brother. I’ve recovered very well. There are no major problems now. As soon as I was fully healed, I couldn’t wait to come see you with Miss Jinlian."

A smile appeared on Yang Jing’s face.

Liu Maolin took a sip of tea and continued, rambling on, "The senior and junior brothers at the Martial Arts Hall miss you and Junior Sister Ning Xiang a lot. Master talks about you often too. And that kid Jiang Haoyang, he’s always clamoring to come to the Xuanzhen Sect to find you. I was originally thinking of bringing him along this time, but as it happens, the kid went back to his hometown. When I get back, he’s probably going to throw a fit when he finds out I didn’t bring him to see you."

"I miss everyone a lot too," Yang Jing said with a smiling nod, his mind filling with scenes from Sun’s Martial Arts Hall, a sense of nostalgia washing over him.

As they spoke, the restaurant’s waiters came in carrying platters of food, which soon filled the entire round table.

The spread was extremely lavish: Steamed Profound Water Fish, Braised Thunder Shock Beast Meat, Stir-Fried Golden-winged Sparrow... All of them were high-grade Exotic Beast Meat, and there were even a few dishes of Rare Exotic Beast Meat. A single glance was enough to tell they were incredibly expensive.

Looking at the table full of delicacies, Liu Maolin couldn’t help but exclaim in amazement, "Miss Jinlian, you’re being too polite! This is far too extravagant!"

Miss Jinlian just gave a faint smile and said nothing more.

Seeing this, Liu Maolin turned to continue speaking with Yang Jing, but he inadvertently caught sight of Miss Jinlian staring intently at Yang Jing, her eyes filled with an indescribable, complex emotion.

A thought flashed through Liu Maolin’s mind, and he immediately began to tease with a smile, "Miss Jinlian, I’m going to be blunt. Even though I’m eating your food, I have to warn you. My junior brother here is spoken for by my Junior Sister Ning Xiang. Don’t even think about poaching him!"

As soon as these words were out, the atmosphere in the private room instantly became a little awkward.

Hearing this, Yang Jing couldn’t help but shake his head with a wry smile and say helplessly, "Fourth Senior Brother, don’t talk nonsense."

A blush instantly spread across Sun Ningxiang’s cheeks, and she lowered her head slightly. The tips of Miss Jinlian’s ears also quietly turned red. She gave a light cough, finally breaking the awkwardness.

She took a deep breath, her gaze falling back on Yang Jing. Her tone was tinged with emotion as she asked, "Young Hero Yang, after I returned to the Prefecture City, I heard people talking about you. They say you’re now the undisputed man of the hour in the Xuanzhen Sect. I heard you’ve even broken through to the Qi Eating Realm?"

At this point, the look Miss Jinlian gave Yang Jing was quite complex, a mixture of shock, awe, and a hint of wistfulness.