The senior and junior disciples were still talking when they spotted Yang Kai striding out from inside.
"Brother Chen, Sister Shu, it's been a while." Yang Kai wore a broad smile, as though he hadn't been this happy in a very long time.
Chen Xueshu and Shu Xiaoyu had just been speculating whether the Yang Kai they knew was really the one from the Yang Family of Zhongdu. Now that they actually saw him in person, they both went blank, completely forgetting to respond, just standing there staring.
In that instant, for reasons neither could explain, their hearts skipped a beat. It seemed neither had imagined they would ever have the good fortune to befriend someone of such stature. In the blink of an eye, their faces flushed red with excitement.
"Is there a flower on my face?" Noticing their stiffness, Yang Kai teased.
Hearing the warmth in his tone, the two disciples finally snapped back to their usual selves.
Chen Xueshu greeted him openly. "Junior Brother Yang, it's been too long."
Shu Xiaoyu pouted and looked Yang Kai up and down, huffing, "You! So you really are from the Yang Family of Zhongdu, and we had no idea at all. That's so annoying!"
"Sister!" Chen Xueshu tugged at her sleeve and shot her a look. "The Yang Family has rules. When their members go out to train, they're not allowed to reveal their identity. Junior Brother Yang wasn't deliberately trying to deceive you."
"I know, I know." Shu Xiaoyu brightened into a smile. "I was just a bit surprised, that's all."
"No harm in finding out now. Come inside first," Yang Kai said warmly, ushering them in.
As they walked, Shu Xiaoyu chattered away like a little sparrow, firing off question after question. She was only from a second-rate sect. Even though she was considered a rising talent in the Moon-Reflection Gate, her status was still modest. She could hardly ever meet the young masters and ladies of first-rate powers, so encountering someone from a supreme faction left her overflowing with curiosity.
What made it even more special was that she had already known him beforehand, and they had gone through hardship together.
Shu Xiaoyu's questions came in a jumbled flood, like a country girl who had stumbled into a great city, a barrage of queries raining down without pause.
Yang Kai led them inside while answering her offhandedly. Chen Xueshu could only smile ruefully and shake his head over and over.
"Is the Yang Family really that big? I heard they occupy a tenth of all Zhongdu — that it takes three days and nights of nonstop riding just to circle the grounds. Is that true?" The more Shu Xiaoyu asked, the more excited she got.
Before Yang Kai could answer, a sneering laugh suddenly rang out.
The sound reached their ears, and Shu Xiaoyu froze. She looked around and only then realized that while they'd been talking, Yang Kai had already led them to a side hall — one already filled with quite a few people.
Those young men and women were dressed in luxurious robes, clearly born into distinguished families. Most had powerful guardians at their sides, and the jewelry and accessories they wore shimmered with spiritual glow — obviously quality artifacts.
In contrast, she and Chen Xueshu, though they also had artifacts and were dressed properly, looked utterly outclassed compared to those people — like heaven and earth.
The laugh had come from a young master sitting confidently in a chair. He was staring over at them with the kind of look one might give a country bumpkin.
Shu Xiaoyu's face turned crimson instantly. She wished she could find a hole in the ground to crawl into and never come back out.
Yang Kai furrowed his brow slightly and said with a smile, "Don't listen to the nonsense people spread outside. The Yang Family's grounds are large, but not nearly that exaggerated."
"Oh." Shu Xiaoyu's lashes fluttered. Even with Yang Kai smoothing things over, she was still mortified. Chen Xueshu subtly squeezed her palm, passing along his comfort. That made Shu Xiaoyu feel a bit better.
She truly hadn't expected there to be so many other people waiting here. If she had known, she never would have asked so many questions that now sounded foolish.
She really hadn't seen much of the world, but she did know what was appropriate to say and do in public. It was just that Yang Kai had been so easygoing, showing not the slightest bit of condescension toward her and Chen Xueshu because of his background. In her excitement, she'd let herself ask a few too many questions, never imagining others might overhear.
"Let me introduce you." Yang Kai smoothly brushed past the awkward moment and said cheerfully, "These two are friends of mine. We went through hardship together during training in a foreign land — Chen Xueshu and Shu Xiaoyu of the Moon-Reflection Gate."
In that foreign land, Yang Kai had received quite a bit of guidance from Chen Xueshu. Later, the two senior and junior disciples had wanted to travel alongside Yang Kai, looking out for one another.
Back then, they had been at the third level of the Zhenyuan Realm, while Yang Kai was only at the third level of the Separation-Union Realm. Chen Xueshu and Shu Xiaoyu had clearly intended to look after him.
Because of that, Yang Kai held them in genuine regard.
Chen Xueshu smiled and shook his head. "Junior Brother Yang is too kind. It was Junior Brother Yang who saved our lives. If not for him, my junior sister and I would likely be nothing but bones by now. The debt of gratitude is etched into our hearts."
"If he's Yang Kai's friend, then he's Dong Qinghan's friend too." The plump Dong rose to his feet with a genial smile and cupped his fists courteously. Dong understood that the friends Yang Kai had made during his years away were genuine bonds — friendships built on heart, completely free of self-interest and transactional motives.
Those were the kinds of people Yang Kai valued most. Most young masters from prestigious families had one common failing: when someone tried to befriend them, their first instinct was to suspect the other party was after some advantage.
That was why Dong Qinghan treated the matter with such sincerity.
"So it's Young Master Dong!" Chen Xueshu had clearly heard the name Dong Qinghan before. His eyes lit up, and he hastily returned the salute.
"Ziwei Valley — Fan Hong!"