The carriage slowly came to a halt. Xia Xi stepped forward and lifted the curtain.
Su Xiaoliu put away her silver hairpin and got off the carriage. As soon as she looked up, she saw Gu Rongxue in a purple robe, talking to the sect leader.
He was still dressed in his magnificent trailing purple robe. His inky hair fell casually over his shoulders. There was a faint smile on his peerless face. Under his high - bridged nose, his fleshy, diamond - shaped lips slightly parted. Under his long eyelashes, his eyes seemed to be veiled in mist. His slender fingers gently held a jade ornament. When he saw Su Xiaoliu, he was slightly startled, then curved his lips.
"Yun Ruo, you're here."
Su Xiaoliu nodded. She wasn't wearing a veil today, so her whole face was exposed.
The moment the sect leader saw her, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes. But this surprise quickly vanished. He looked at Su Xiaoliu and said, "Later, you just follow Mr. Qiongxue. There will be a large and mixed crowd at the conference. Don't get lost."
Su Xiaoliu looked at Gu Rongxue, then at the sect leader. She blinked her almond - shaped eyes and nodded. "I know."
The sect leader hooked his lips into a smile. He said something else to Gu Rongxue, then patted Su Xiaoliu on the head and left.
Su Xiaoliu covered her head and murmured discontentedly, "He always has to pat me a few times. Doesn't he know he has a simian line and it hurts when he pats people?"
Gu Rongxue looked down at her and smiled. He held out the hand that wasn't holding the jade ornament to Su Xiaoliu.
Su Xiaoliu was stunned for a moment. She looked up at him, with a puzzled look in her eyes.
"Come with me. If you hold my hand, you won't get lost," he said with a smile, as beautiful as a budding pear blossom, dazzlingly so.
Su Xiaoliu stared blankly at that slender hand. She slowly reached out her hand and placed it on his. The next second, Gu Rongxue held her hand and led her through the crowd.
A warm feeling spread from their clasped hands. Su Xiaoliu's cheeks unconsciously turned a bit rosy.
The faint fragrance from the person in front lingered around her nose. Su Xiaoliu lowered her head and let him lead her along.
"Miss!" Suddenly, a young man's voice came from the other end of the crowd.
Su Xiaoliu stopped in her tracks. Gu Rongxue looked back at her in confusion and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Someone seems to be calling me," Su Xiaoliu looked up at Gu Rongxue and blinked her almond - shaped eyes.
The voice sounded familiar. She felt as if she had heard it somewhere before.
"Miss!" The voice rang out again. Su Xiaoliu turned to look and saw a handsome young man in simple cloth clothes, his long hair tied up with a white strip, running towards her.
Su Xiaoliu was stunned for a moment and blurted out, "It's you?"
"Do you know him?" Gu Rongxue looked down at Su Xiaoliu and asked softly.
Su Xiaoliu nodded. The handsome young man looked up at Gu Rongxue. For a moment, his eyes widened and he stammered, "G - Mr. Gu?"
Gu Rongxue curved his lips into a smile and nodded. He had never seen this young man before, but it wasn't strange for someone in the martial arts world to recognize him.
The handsome young man didn't care about anything else. He quickly looked at Su Xiaoliu and said, "Miss, have you seen my master?"
His master? The old man with white hair and beard?
Su Xiaoliu thought for a while and shook her head blankly. "I haven't seen him. Weren't you traveling together?" They were fine yesterday.
The handsome young man's face was full of anxiety. He quickly said, "My master disappeared this morning. I just went to get some water for him, and when I came back, I couldn't find him!"
Missing?
Su Xiaoliu frowned slightly. She looked up at Gu Rongxue. Gu Rongxue lowered his head and thought for a while. Then he looked at Su Xiaoliu and said, "I'll take him to see Wen Tong. Let Wen Tong take him around to look for the senior."
Wen Tong. Was he the elegant young man in white brocade clothes and a high hat?
Su Xiaoliu nodded. She looked at the handsome young man and asked, "What's your name?" Then she thought that he probably didn't know Yun Ruo, so she added, "My name is Yun Ruo. You can come to me if you have anything."
The handsome young man looked up at Su Xiaoliu and replied, "My name is Gu Ran." Then he looked at the two of them, bowed and thanked, "Thank you, Miss Yun. Thank you, Mr. Gu!"
Su Xiaoliu smiled. Gu Rongxue shook his head and said with a light smile, "You're welcome." He lowered his head and said to Su Xiaoliu, "I'll take him to find Wen Tong. You wait here. I'll be back soon. Don't wander around."
"Okay." Su Xiaoliu nodded in response and watched as Gu Rongxue led the handsome young man disappear from sight.
After Gu Rongxue left, Su Xiaoliu stood there all the time, looking around. She carefully examined the outfits of the passers - by. She wasn't bored at all.
Suddenly, something tugged at her silk skirt. She heard a tearing sound. Su Xiaoliu quickly looked down.
The hilt of a sword was hooked on a corner of her skirt. The torn piece of brocade was hanging on the hilt of the sword.
Just as Su Xiaoliu looked up, she heard a delicate female voice preemptively say, "Who just stands in the middle of the road looking around! Do you have eyes just to look around randomly?" A dainty hand quickly pulled the torn brocade off the hilt of the sword, as if she was afraid the sword would be damaged.
What came into view was a charming face. The woman was dressed in eye - catching red. Her long hair was coiled up high. Her beautiful face was full of disdain and anger. Beside the red - dressed woman stood a slender - waisted woman in a light purple silk skirt. The slender - waisted woman had very gentle facial features, but there was also a hint of malice in her eyes.
"It's you?" Su Xiaoliu frowned and glanced at the torn skirt. Judging from her tone, one would think it was her own clothes that were torn.
Wasn't this woman Mu Lianyi, the female disciple of the arrogant sect leader Tong? The woman in the light purple silk skirt beside her was also from the same sect. Her name was Chong Xiao.
Mu Lianyi was stunned for a moment and said unkindly, "You know me?"
Su Xiaoliu rearranged the torn skirt. Fortunately, the torn part wasn't very noticeable.
She looked up at Mu Lianyi, gave a light laugh, blinked her eyes and said, "Mu Lianyi, the female disciple of the Nanshan Sect, is well - known for her bad temper. Not only me, but many others also know your name."
Mu Lianyi's face first turned green, then she looked at Su Xiaoliu in surprise. She also glanced at the slender - waisted woman Chong Xiao beside her. Chong Xiao also looked shocked.
They rarely went down the mountain. If people in the martial arts world really thought of them like this, wouldn't it...
"You're lying!" Mu Lianyi raised her hand. "You must have eavesdropped on my master's conversation!"
Think whatever you like. Su Xiaoliu lifted her eyelids. The smile on her lips didn't fade.
"If you want to hit me, go ahead. There are so many people here. They don't know me, but many of them know you, especially your Nanshan Sect." Su Xiaoliu stared at her with her almond - shaped eyes without blinking. She knew that what Mu Lianyi cared about most was her sect.
"Sister..." Chong Xiao looked around, then looked up at Mu Lianyi and softly called out.