The woman first served tea to Chen Xiu, then drifted gracefully over to Yang Kai's side.
A delicate, captivating fragrance wafted to his nose immediately.
"Senior Brother, please have some tea," the woman said softly, her voice as clear and pleasant as a mountain spring. As she spoke, she stole a quick glance at Yang Kai before lowering her gaze.
"Thank you, Junior Sister." Yang Kai gave a slight nod.
The blush on the woman's cheeks deepened. Clutching the tray with the teacup against her chest, she hurried behind Chen Xiu and stood obediently in place.
Chen Xiu chuckled. "This disciple of mine has been cultivating by my side since she was young. She's never once left the Sect. She's naturally timid by nature and hasn't met many people — forgive the awkwardness, nephew."
Yang Kai considered briefly before replying, "Junior Sister is naturally beautiful and possesses an innocent, unaffected temperament. Such a disposition is truly rare and precious."
The woman standing behind Chen Xiu ducked her head even lower at the compliment, her chin nearly pressing against her chest.
"Where has nephew come from?" Chen Xiu seemed uninterested in dwelling on his disciple and swiftly changed the subject.
Yang Kai smiled wryly. "It's a rather long story. I originally came from the Langya Blessed Land, but encountered some matters along the way and was delayed by several years. Uncle-Master, has Senior Sister Qu emerged from seclusion yet?"
Chen Xiu nodded. "She came out nearly ten years ago and has been waiting for you to keep your appointment ever since. Unfortunately..." He shook his head with an air of great regret.
Yang Kai was startled. "Has something happened to Senior Sister?"
Chen Xiu waved his hand. "No, nothing like that. But after waiting so long without you appearing, Senior Sister Qu entered seclusion again and hasn't shown herself since."
Yang Kai's heart settled back down. Given Chen Xiu's demeanor just now, he'd feared something terrible had happened to Qu Huashang. Now that he knew there had been no incident, there was no need to worry.
"Uncle-Master, where is Master Xu? And Senior Brother Qing Kui and Senior Sister Su Yingxue? Why aren't any of them here?" Yang Kai was quite curious about this. Though he was nominally the son-in-law of Yin Yang Heaven, and Chen Xiu, as a Seventh-Order Open Heaven, was qualified to receive him, this matter ultimately concerned Xu Linggong's lineage. Regardless, Xu Linggong should have been the one to handle it.
Even if Xu Linggong was away from Yin Yang Heaven on business, surely Qing Kui and Su Yingxue couldn't both be occupied as well?
Chen Xiu explained, "Senior Brother Xu's lineage has a mission and has been away from the Sect for nearly a hundred years."
Yang Kai was astounded. "Nearly a hundred years?"
Qu Huashang had been confined for a hundred years, and Xu Linggong had also been away from Yin Yang Heaven for nearly that long? Didn't that mean he'd left not long after the Dao Discussion Assembly?
Calculating the timeline, it should have been after the matter of the Star Boundary's World Tree was settled — after all, Xu Linggong had still been in the Star Boundary at that time, introducing Yang Kai to the various Blessed Land and Cave Heaven powerhouses.
It was also Xu Linggong who had paved the way, giving Yang Kai the opportunity to enter the Qiankun Hall to comprehend the Qiankun Grand Formation.
Yang Kai wanted to ask what mission Xu Linggong had that required him to stay away for a hundred years without returning to the Sect. But as an outsider, it wasn't his place to pry. The mission had to be of the utmost secrecy — otherwise there would be no need for a Seventh-Order Open Heaven like Xu Linggong to personally handle it, let alone bring his own disciples along.
Yang Kai suspected that if Qu Huashang hadn't been in seclusion, she likely would have gone with them as well.
No wonder he hadn't seen a single person from Xu Linggong's lineage on this visit. Yang Kai felt somewhat relieved. He'd been a little anxious before, fearing that he had broken his promise and that Xu Linggong harbored resentment toward him — perhaps even lying in ambush somewhere, ready to bring that great saber crashing down on him.
"Uncle-Master, where is Senior Sister Qu in seclusion right now? I'd like to visit her, if Uncle-Master could point me in the right direction?" Yang Kai asked politely.
With Xu Linggong's entire lineage absent from Yin Yang Heaven, Yang Kai found himself in a difficult position. He didn't know many people here — apart from Xu Linggong's group, there was practically no one.
However, this did allow him to set aside another matter he'd been worrying about.
In theory, as Yin Yang Heaven's son-in-law, he was supposed to marry into the family. But how could Yang Kai ever agree to something like that? If he'd been alone, perhaps he could have overlooked it. But now he had the Void Land and Lingxiao Pavilion behind him — the stakes were far too great. Marrying into Yin Yang Heaven was simply not realistic.
And Qu Huashang was a Core Disciple of Yin Yang Heaven. No matter what, the Sect would never let her leave.
Yang Kai had originally planned to discuss this matter with Xu Linggong on this trip, hoping to find a solution acceptable to both sides.
He had already intended to compensate Yin Yang Heaven over this. His gains from the Chaotic Dead Zone had been enormous — offering up even a small portion might be enough to move the higher-ups of Yin Yang Heaven into letting her go.
But with Xu Linggong absent, he didn't even know who to negotiate with. Putting this off for a while wasn't a major problem.
Open Heaven cultivators enjoyed vast lifespans. His matter with Qu Huashang wasn't urgent.
Still, the top priority was to see Qu Huashang first and hear her own wishes. If she was willing to leave with him, Yang Kai would pay any price. If she wasn't willing, he wouldn't force the issue.
Chen Xiu looked troubled upon hearing the request. "Senior Sister Qu has been out of contact ever since she re-entered seclusion. It won't be easy to see her now. You know as well as I, nephew — when we warriors enter seclusion, outside interference is the greatest taboo. If disturbed at a critical juncture, the mild consequence is Qi Deviation, and the severe one could be fatal!"
Yang Kai nodded. This much he understood perfectly well. Cupping his fists, he said, "I'll trouble Uncle-Master to guide me. I won't disturb Senior Sister's cultivation. I can wait outside — she'll have to emerge eventually."