30. Cycle Of Misunderstandings!
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At Sunrise, most of the disciples on the Hunt mission had already gathered, and they milled around, waiting for the rest, their light blue robes gleaming in the brilliant morning light.
As they waited, they generally discussed cultivation matters, a few maybe randomly discussed the weather, but it wasn't long before someone mentioned Zhang Cheng's recent 'defeat' at the arena!
"Heh! That Zhang Luoyin really surprised us! Sent Disciple Zhang flying for the outhouse!" One of the clan disciples, Xu Lin said, and light laughter erupted around him.
Xu Lin was well-known for his cheerful and mischievous nature. He was the same disciple who had spoken out after the duel, and now a few older disciples shook their heads at him.
"Do you think he will show his face?" Another disciple asked "I saw his name on the mission board!"
"Heh, can he?" Xu Lin smirked. "We can't stop for too many bathroom breaks!"
A few female disciples had been making flower crowns and playfully placing it on each other's heads, but one suddenly threw down her crown.
"5th Disciple Xu, why not say these things directly to Disciple Zhang's face?!"
"Yes!" She was instantly backed by another lady. "Why be a coward and make jokes here?!"
"And who does Zhang Luoyin think he is?" Another lady interjected. "Can he take responsibility if anything happens to Disciple Zhang?!"
"Exactly! He's already useless as a cultivator... Is he trying to drag his brother down with him?!"
"Ladies, calm down!" One disciple rushed to placate them. "We're sorry for laughing at your 'Disciple Zhang'!"
"Tch! Waste of time!" Xu Lin scoffed, folding his arms. "It's not like any of you can lay claim to Zhang Cheng! Even if *Sister Weiyan is out of the picture, he belongs to Sister Linhua!"
(*Everyone in the Xu Clan is related, so he's technically Weiyan and Linhua's cousin)
"You-!" Several of the ladies shot him deadly glares, but Xu Lin had already shifted his focus.
"Yo, isn't that the root of the matter?" Xu Lin nodded towards an approaching figure.
It was Luoyin with his face covered as usual.
But his appearance was even better than the duel, and he now wore a set of prime quality light blue robes to match theirs, a pair of white boots, and a dark blue belt.
They might have been impressed if they didn't already know who he was!
Still, curious stares followed as he quietly sat a short distance from them, not bothering to acknowledge anyone.
"Yo, Zhang Luoyin, I couldn't believe it when I saw your name!" Xu Lin began, addressing him directly. "Are you accompanying us as an example of 'who not to be'?"
A few disciples snickered.
"Xu Lin, you're too much! He's your senior! And weren't you just praising him?!"
Xu Lin shook his head. "I don't take sides, and respect is earned! Zhang Luoyin might have gotten the better of Disciple Zhang in that duel, but there's no denying that Zhang Luoyin himself is supreme Trash! He doesn't deserve Sister Weiy- ! Ow!"
A small pebble suddenly hit Xu Lin's head, and he looked left and right.
"Who dared hit me!" He demanded, then side-stepped, narrowly dodging another pebble.
"Oh? You can dodge it?" A voice said to his left, and he turned to see another disciple leaning against a tree.
"Xu Wen! How dare you?!" Xu Wen was his cousin, a year younger.
Unlike Xu Lin, Xu Wen was well known as a taciturn fellow with a constant blank expression, which only changed to a genuine smile for his twin sister, Xu Lien, or for Weiyan, whom he had always admired.
Though he was younger, his cultivation was a bit higher than Xu Lin's. Also Xu Lin mostly stayed in their house, so Xu Wen knew how unruly he could be, and he mostly only spoke to seek Xu Lin's trouble!
"You were making a lot of noise." Xu Wen shrugged.
"You-!"
"Both of you shut it!"
Everyone turned to see Xu Min approaching. Xu Min was considered mild-mannered, but that flew out the window when dealing with Xu Lin. Xu Lin was his direct younger brother...
"Older brother! It's Xu Wen that started it!" Xu Lin complained, pointing at Xu Wen. "He threw pebbles at me!"
Xu Wen, "Older brother, it's because Brother Lin's mouth has no doors or windows."
Luoyin applauded. "Hao! You have some talent!" He praised Xu Wen, nodding his approval.
"You-!!" Xu Lin pointed at Luoyin, but then rounded on Xu Wen. "How are my affairs your business?! I can speak whenever I want to! And besides, I'm your senior!!!"
Xu Wen, "Oh? Didn't you say 'Respect is earned'? Such a senior, you are. Nineteen and with no standards. It's unbecoming."
Xu Lin, "You-! No one asked yo-!!"
"Silence, both of you!" Xu Min thundered. "Be thankful we're going out on a mission, or I'll place you both on laundry duty for two weeks!
"I don't want to hear another word, understand?!"
"Understood, Older Brother!" They both chorused with a bow, but glared at each other.
Then their glares turned surprised as Xu Min walked over to Zhang Luoyin and boldly sat beside him.
"Zhang Yin." He said by way of greeting.
"Xu Min." Luoyin replied with a nod.
'Zhang Yin?!! Xu Min?!!!' The disciples all had the same thought.
Their greeting was too familiar! When had these two become friends?!
A sudden ripple stirred the crowd.
"It's 3rd Disciple Xu!" Someone called out, and heads swivelled to see Xu Weiyan and Xu Haoyuan approaching.
Luoyin felt a bit sorry for Xu Haoyuan... Beside Weiyan, he might as well be invisible, and the disciples crowded over to see Weiyan, pushing Xu Haoyuan aside!
The disciples were all wishing Weiyan the best, and a few lamented not being in her hunt group.
Meanwhile, the unbidden thought that Xu Weiyan looked lovelier than the dawn, suddenly crossed Luoyin's mind, filling him with warmth, and he hastily looked away.
'Zhang Luoyin's emotions won't be the death of me!'
But then he froze in sudden realization.
'Wait, wait, wait! Did they say 'G- Group'?!'
Apart from receiving Sect Leader Xu's note, Luoyin knew nothing about the hunt mission.
It was bad enough that Xu Weiyan was present, but...
'What if I'm in her group?!' It was one thing to associate with Xu Weiyan within Yue City.
It was another thing out in the wild, on her own turf.
Disciples would not let them hear the end of it, and these male disciples might even trouble him to 'defend her honour'.
Also, Xu Weiyan was one of the strongest younger disciples, while he was considered 'trash'... Wouldn't he be a constant embarrassment to her? What if she got fed up with him and refused to marry?!
How then would he complete 'Luoyin's' grievance??!!
As if she could read his mind, Xu Weiyan suddenly turned to him with an expressionless look, and her face promptly turned a bright red.
'Oh no! She's already angry!' Luoyin concluded, and turned away, acknowledging he hadn't thought this mission through!
Meanwhile, Weiyan had looked at Luoyin and simply thought: 'He's my fiance again!'
But her innocent flush was making someone sweat with unease!
And that was how Luoyin's first mission began with a cycle of misunderstandings.
It started when he sighed in relief to learn he was in Xu Haoyuan's group...
"Phew! Thank heavens I'm not in her group!"
But this led the disciples to conclude that Xu Weiyan was bullying or threatening him in some way...
"I mean, the power difference is just too great!"
"Maybe she regrets accepting the marriage now!"
"Poor Zhang Luoyin! Won't she kill him on this mission?!"
And that led Xu Haoyuan to openly assure Luoyin of his safety...
"Zhang Luo-... Oh, I should call you 2nd disciple Zhang now." Xu Haoyuan patted his back. "Don't worry. Even if you're useless and can't do anything, as the Head Disciple, I won't let anything happen to you!"
And that led Xu Weiyan to indeed glare in their direction. 'He just insulted him!'
But her glare only reinforced Luoyin's belief that his fiance was indeed furious with him!
'Aiya! What a dangerous first mission!!!!'
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