Tang Ying, the young lady of the Tang family, was a friend Chu Feng had made when he first entered the Hundred Refinements Realm.
Originally, Chu Feng had been the benefactor of the Tang family. However, to curry favor with the Lu Yang Pavilion, the family had betrayed his trust, not only attempting to kill him but also turning Tang Ying into a sacrifice for their gain.
Tang Ying was a tragic figure, yet she held deep gratitude toward Chu Feng. After a series of events, feeling weak and powerless, she had refused to join the Red Butterfly Society, not wanting to become a burden to him. She had left with her handmaiden, Ah Cai.
In the blink of an eye, several years had passed. Chu Feng never imagined he would encounter Tang Ying again.
Yet at this moment, upon seeing Chu Feng, Tang Ying hesitated. She didn't dare to acknowledge him, while deep surprise also swirled in her eyes.
"What's wrong? Don't tell me you don't recognize me anymore?" Chu Feng asked with a smile.
Truthfully, seeing Tang Ying filled him with genuine joy. After all, she was among the very first friends he had made upon arriving in the Hundred Refinements Realm. Back then, their parting was final; he never expected to see her again. Their reunion today was a remarkable twist of fate.
Tang Ying remained silent, her large eyes fixed unwaveringly on Chu Feng.
"Seriously, you don't recognize me?" Chu Feng scratched his head, a little awkwardly.
"Chu Feng... you really still remember me?" Tang Ying finally spoke, but as she did, her eyes grew moist.
"Silly girl, what kind of question is that? How could I forget you?" Chu Feng replied.
"But... you're such a renowned figure now. How could someone like you still remember an insignificant person like me?" Tang Ying said.
Looking at her, Chu Feng finally understood why she had come to this place yet made no move to greet him. He didn't know what weight he truly held in her heart, but he knew she had been thinking of him. She had come only for a glimpse.
She had no intention of meeting him. In her eyes, Chu Feng was now a famous and powerful existence in the Hundred Refinements Realm, while she remained a mere, ordinary nobody. Even if she died, few would remember her—insignificant and weightless.
She feared that if they met, he would have forgotten her, or look down on her and refuse to acknowledge her.
This couldn't be blamed on her. The world of martial cultivators was one where might reigned supreme and self-interest came first. Her own family had sacrificed her for gain, proving just how paramount profit was to cultivators.
She felt she no longer even qualified to call herself Chu Feng's friend, for she was far too humble. Furthermore, though they both now existed within the same Hundred Refinements Realm, they were worlds apart.
*Pat—*
At that moment, Chu Feng's hand gently landed on Tang Ying's shoulder. He smiled. "How could I forget? We're friends."
With those words, he swept his sleeve. A layer of golden, radiant formation power, like a cascade of starlight, poured down and enveloped Tang Ying and Ah Cai before merging into their bodies.
As the power integrated with them, their appearances began to change. They were no longer plain. While not otherworldly beauties, each blossomed into a woman of considerable charm.
This was, however, their original faces. When Tang Ying and Ah Cai had left, they had specifically asked Chu Feng to alter their appearances to be ordinary. She had had enough of the treacherous world and wished to avoid trouble drawn by beauty, desiring only the most unremarkable life.
"Chu Feng, you..."
Sensing that her appearance had reverted, Tang Ying was at a loss for words.
"Be yourself. I promise, no one will hurt you again," Chu Feng said warmly.
His smile was so warm, like a beam of sunlight shining directly into the depths of Tang Ying's heart.
In that moment, all her restraint shattered. The tears in her eyes suddenly fell, wetting her lovely cheeks.
Chu Feng did not tell her to stop crying. Instead, he pulled her directly into his embrace.
If she wanted to cry, then she could cry her heart out.
And nestled in Chu Feng's arms, Tang Ying finally understood. His growing fame and power had not changed him. He was still the same Chu Feng, still just as dependable.