64. A Different Worry
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On the other side of the Yan house, a different worry had settled in Weiyan's heart...
This talented Xu disciple, worried not about how well she would perform in the second stage.
She neither worried about what dangers it might hold, nor about whether she was good enough to represent Yueyan at the Baishan Central Tournament.
Far from it.
Xu Weiyan was currently looking into a mirror, scowling at her own reflection.
In her mind, the image of Xu Lian grabbing Luoyin's arm replayed itself, and she subconsciously fisted her hand.
It bothered her...
She didn't want it to, but it did!
Xu Lian was smallish and pretty in an adorable way, and though she was just eighteen, there were already a number of hopeful suitors indicating their interests.
Xu Lian had clear roots, was a talented cultivator with promise, and she was bright, and engaging, with a playful personality which matched Luoyin's.
Of all those qualities, Weiyan was only confident in her own level of cultivation...
She was adopted, and she didn't suppose she could be called adorable, nor could she hope to be as lively as Xu Lian.
And as for her appearance...
She had certainly been called 'beautiful', but had never thought much about it, or considered whether it was true or not. It had never seemed important.
Till now!
And so she scowled at her appearance, trying to understand what men would consider 'beautiful'!
"My Lady, did you find some hidden treasure on your face?" Tong jokingly asked, noting her mistress had been staring.
"A-Tong, be truthful. How do I really look?" Weiyan asked, far more serious than she realized.
"...." Tong stared in her in shock.
Weiyan sighed, then asked in a quick mumble, "Am I considered less beautiful than A-Lian?"
Tong gasped. "M- My Lady! You've never asked such a thing!" She exclaimed.
"Could it be...? My Lady, you're 'worried' about your appearance?!!"
Tong couldn't believe it.
Her 'prettier-than-a-fairy' Lady was worried about her appearance! But most importantly, her usually stoic Lady was 'showing' her worry!
Weiyan raised a brow as a grin split Tong's face. "A-Tong, why do you suddenly seem so joyful?"
"I don't know!" Tong truthfully admitted. "In the past, I always knew whenever you were unhappy, but you always simply accepted your fate and let things be!
"You've been depressed since the wedding, and I suspected why..." She looked away shyly. "I- did not know- you liked the Master, but after seeing his face, no wife would be reassured!
"I assumed you would simply sit still again, but this time you've even expressed your worries to me! That makes me happy for some reason!"
A mild feeling of guilt wound its way into Weiyan's heart as she recalled Xu Furen's words:
"... you learned to hide everything away, living like a petal blown about in the breeze, your fate decided by those around you..."
Weiyan had indeed mastered the art of suppressing her emotions, worries, fears, expectations, and desires.
This was because Xu Haoyuan, and Xu Linhua in particular, made a habit of taking away whatever she liked, while bestowing her with whatever she hated out of sheer spite.
If Weiyan befriended anyone, it wouldn't take Linhua two days to turn them against her, especially if they were pressured, or once they learned of her background, and Weiyan couldn't count the number of times she had been bullied for openly showing her dislike for someone or something.
So she had learned to bury those things, and by the time she befriended those who were different like Luoyin, Tong, and Xu Min, the damage had already been done.
But not anymore...
Weiyan was slowly realizing what her silence might mean to those she held dear, and she took Tong's hand.
"A-Tong, I haven't said it before, have I? I just want you to know I hold you dear in my heart. You're closer to me than any sister."
Tong's eyes instantly widened and filled with tears, which only made Weiyan question her decisions.
'Oh no! I shouldn't have said anything!' She thought, but Tong boldly hugged her.
"My Lady!" She squealed. "I've always known you cared, so I was never bothered, but hearing you say it makes me so happy!!!!"
"Er... Ahem! There, there..." All she could do was Pat Tong's back.
But the small exchange had her thinking...
'How do others think I view them?'
This was followed by countless thoughts, wondering if her father knew how much she loved him, if Xu Furen knew she respected her, if Haoyuan and Linhua knew she did not like them, or if the Xu Elders had ever sensed her hidden displeasure.
But her new found wonder, all on its own, led to an important question!
'How does Zhang Luoyin think I feel.....?!'
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There was a fine mist dusting Yueyan City two mornings after - mist not thick enough to hinder one's sight, but enough to tease the imaginations of scenic poets...
However, at Yueyan City's Jade Arena, most of the mist had surely been inhaled by the massive crowd gathered there, as what filled the air was wave upon wave of excitement.
It was the Second Stage of the Junior Tournament!
In addition to the tournament, there was also quite a bit of buzz surrounding a few of the Guests.
Seated in two of the raised seats, were a few individuals from other Sects, members of prominent families who had come to watch the tournament, which had people curious.
Usually, Sect Tournaments were held only within the Sect, with no outside spectators, and entry into the Arena was only accessed through the Sect's Resident Token, which all residents and Heads of houses were expected to have.
All this was so no surprising talents or elements were made known to rival sects before the Baishan Tournament.
It wasn't that outsiders could not sneak in to spy if they wanted to... But no Sect Leader would openly invite outsiders.
So why were there foreign guests here?!
Meanwhile, Luoyin arrived with Xu Min and Xu Wen, since Xu Wen had sought him out that morning to hassle him again!
"*Shixiong, can't you teach me?" Xu Wen asked as they approached. "A simple formation to lure and trap enemies."
(*Shixiong- Martial older brother)
Luoyin shook his head. "Quickly go and buy one! There are decent ones at the Martial hall!"
"So you won't teach me?"
"Just look at your timing!" Luoyin complained. "How can you learn it this morning?!"
Xu Wen shrugged. "I fail to see the problem."
Luoyin, "The Junior 2nd stage is about to begin! Where have you been since the hunt?!"
Xu Wen, "Cultivating. You can teach me a fast one."
Luoyin, "There's no such thing as a 'fast one'!"
Xu Wen waved away his complaint. "Hao, hao, just give me one you already made for now. I'll come for lessons after the tournament."
"You...!" Luoyin turned to Xu Min, who was laughing quietly. "Isn't this fellow an ancestor?! He's forcefully assigning himself as my student!"
"Ahaha, He's like that with all the Masters!" Xu Min whispered.
"Elder brother! One must always strive to learn..." Xu Wen protested in his own defence.
"Hmph. Tell that to Sect Elder Lie! His hairs turned gray because you cluelessly plagued him any chance you got!" Xu Min finished, then turned to Luoyin.
"But you should be honoured! I've never heard this fellow call any disciple 'Shixiong'!"
"What honour?! I don't want gray hairs before my time!" He had just begun a mortal life with black hair!
His finger toyed with one of the silvery white streaks in his hair. 'Hmmm... Maybe I should dye it to its original black?' He mused. 'Though Laoying insists it's a perfect mix of me and 'Luoyin'!'
But just then, a strange feeling crawled across his skin.
'Hmmm? Bloodlust?'
It was almost as if his eyes turned on their own to one of the raised seats.
There, his gaze fell on two smirking individuals, one a bit older than he was, the other around his father's age, and both dressed in the elegant red and white robes of Huofeng Sect.
'It's them.' He thought. 'Such powerful killing intent... How can I not sense you?' But he turned away, pretending not to notice anything.
He had seen this father and son in Duan Xiu's memories, so he recognised them instantly.
What he did not understand was their raging bloodlust - the desire to kill him in particular.
As he didn't personally know them, he could only assume they were connected to Zhang Furen.
'Hmph... She has begun to move? Then, I should begin as well.'
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