Chapter 105: Keep Me Company

　　Huan Zhong heard Ling Hui’s reminder and turned to look at Kong Hou, hs eyes shrouded beautifully in mysterious mist.

　　“Ling Hui Shijie, Huan Zhong is my good friend; we do not care about such courtesies.” Kong Hou pulled Huan Zhong into a corner and whispered, “How come you are not with Song He Shishu and the others?”

　　“Shishu and they have to socialize with other sects,” Huan Zhong said to Kong Hou. “You know I don’t like talking to other people.”

　　The “you know” showed all the closeness and trust between them. Kong Hou did not bear to criticize him. The two found a place with a good view and finished watching Cheng Yi’s entire ceremony.

　　When Cheng Yi thanked the guests, he said a few more words to Huan Zhong, and didn’t mention how Huan Zhong had concealed his identity.

　　After the ceremony there was a rich and elegant banquet. In terms of other things, Splendid Cloud Sect could not rival other sects, but in terms of banquets, the other nine sects together could not win over Splendid Cloud Sect.

　　Kong Hou took Huan Zhong, Tan Feng, Wu Chuan, Ling Hui and the other apprentices to sit together. The biggest trait of Splendid Cloud Sect was to watch spectacles. Their ability to accept new things was high. So after a while, they could face Huan Zhong normally.

　　Out of them, Tan Feng was the most shocked. Tan Feng’s original dream was to become an exceptionally talented sword cultivator. The one who inspired such an idea was Huan Zhong. Yet his talent with the sword was limited. While he still managed to call himself a sword cultivator, he was actually an energy cultivator. No matter what he did, he already had Core Formation fifth level cultivation while not yet two centuries old. He was a person favored by the heavens, and had no fear.

　　Huan Zhong thought the disciples of Splendid Cloud Sect would have many questions for him regarding cultivation and swordsmanship, but since he had sat down, no one mentioned a thing. But when they discussed the delicious food of each place, each of them had smiles on their faces and endless cheerful talk.

　　“The older disciples are all friendly and casual. They are not as reliable as your sect,” Kong Hou said in a whisper to Huan Zhong, “However, they are all well-intentioned people.”

　　Huan Zhong nodded with a smile. “Yes.”

　　The him of a hundred years ago would have felt that these cultivators of Splendid Cloud Sect were not attending to their duties and were unambitious. But the present him only felt that the disciples of Splendid Cloud Sect were sincere and lived honestly.

　　Maybe when people’s minds were different, their way of looking at things would also change enormously.

　　“Master, why is Shidi sitting among the apprentices of Splendid Cloud Sect?” Cang Hai pretended to take a sip of tea and whispered to Song He. “The members of Nine Phoenix Sect have been looking over there several times.”

　　“Let them do it.” Song He looked towards Huan Zhong’s table. His shizhi who used to say less than a dozen words in a decade was talking with Miss Kong Hou of Splendid Cloud Sect. The young girl was full of smiles, and he did not look like a stoic person.

　　So there was no one who wasn’t talkative—they just hadn’t encountered the person to make him talk. But thinking about how no one in the last few generations of Splendid Cloud Sect had married, Song He had a headache. Shizhi finally managed to find a girl to fall in love with. If the girl had no thoughts, what could Shizhi do?

　　As a sword cultivator, one would not easily fall in love. Once they did, they would never give up. He feared that his shizhi could not overcome this. Who, when seeing lovers together, wanted them to separate?

　　“Brother Song He, here, taste this bird bone soup, a Splendid Cloud Sect speciality.” Wang Tong called for Song He to eat, his smile undisguised. Today was Cheng Yi’s Mind Manifestation ceremony. Wang Tong, as Cheng Yi’s master, was flushed with success.

　　“Thank you, Brother Wang Tong.” Song He raised the soup bowl and took a sip. He felt relaxed all over. Splendid Cloud Sect knew how to enjoy themselves. They could make such delicious food. It was a miracle.

　　As the main person of the ceremony, Cheng Yi sat next to Wang Tong and was surrounded by compliments from all sides. Some even said he rivalled Zhong Xi. Nine Phoenix Sect had not spread that Huan Zhong was Spirit Master Zhong Xi and neither had Splendid Cloud Sect. So many people did not know that Spirit Master Huan Zhong, who had become famous recently, was the cultivation genius Zhong Xi.

　　Praising Cheng Yi in comparison to Zhong Xi was a compliment to Cheng Yi and also a type of respect to Zhong Xi. But when Zhong Xi was present, it was slightly awkward.

　　Kong Hou and the others at the table peeked at Huan Zhong. Huan Zhong pretended not to hear the words and took out a plate of spirit fruits to place on the table. “Everyone, after eating, use these spirit fruits to clean your palate.”

　　Those spirit fruits were valuable and very good. The common saying was after eating another’s food, the tongue would soften. The disciples of Splendid Cloud Sect looked at Huan Zhong even more warmly. It was all the fault of outsiders who said Spirit Master Zhong Xi was emotionless that made them have such great misunderstandings toward him. Now it appeared that Spirit Master Zhong Xi was an elegant and friendly man. He did not have the aloofness and coldness they imagined. He was just a man of few words.

　　When the banquet finished, Kong Hou was going with the other disciples to see the guests back to their own residences. She stood and said to Huan Zhong, “Huan Zhong, I have something to discuss with you later. Wait in your residence for me to return.”

　　Huan Zhong thought that Kong Hou might stay at Splendid Cloud Mountain. His heart sank slightly and he nodded minutely at her.

　　“You are so amazing to have Spirit Master Zhong Xi wait in the residence for you.” Ling Hui whispered by Kong Hou’s ear when they crossed the door. “If I didn’t know better, I would think this is a husband ordering his wife.”

　　Kong Hou reached to pinch Ling Hui’s waist and she nimbly dodged. Kong Hou could only walk in front of the members of Cool Breeze Sect. “Miss Ye, long time no see.”

　　“Greetings, Celestial Kong Hou.” Seeing Kong Hou, Ye Fei gave a smile. “I heard that Celestial has reached Mind Activation Stage recently—congratulations.”

　　“Thank you.” Kong Hou led the way. “Thank you for coming to Shixiong‘s Mind Manifestation Ceremony.”

　　“You are too polite. Transcendent Cheng Yi reaching Mind Manifestation Stage is something to celebrate for the entire cultivation world.”

　　Cool Breeze Sect had recently grown closer to Splendid Cloud Sect and their gifts were unexpectedly rich. Ye Fei had even heard from the sect master their sect had intentions of joining Splendid Cloud Sect. However, Splendid Cloud Sect was not a traditional sword cultivation sect, and the sect master could not decide.

　　“The jewel on your sword is beautiful.” Kong Hou noticed Ye Fei’s sword that had a precious stone giving off bright red color like fire, beautiful and not gaudy.

　　“Really?” Ye Fei said happily, “I spent almost a century of savings on this stone, but it is so beautiful I had to buy it.”

　　“If you miss on something beautiful, you will not get it again. It is worth buying,” Kong Hou said. “It’s better than missing out and having it end up in another’s hands.”

　　“Yes.” Ye Fei nodded. “Better than having it end up in another’s hands.”

　　After seeing the disciples of Cool Breeze Sect to their residence, Kong Hou slowly walked on the limestone paths of the sect, and thought a lot of Ye Fei’s words.

　　If one passed on something good, it would become someone else’s?

　　For some reason, the words lingered in her mind. She felt she had a matter bewildering her that couldn’t be set aside, and she felt disturbed.

　　On the road, she encountered the sect master of Primary Luck Sect, Spirit Master Shuang Qing. Kong Hou exchanged greetings with him. While the other’s attitude was like usual, Kong Hou could see he was not in a good mood. Seeing no other disciples around him, Kong Hou called a male disciple to see Spirit Master Shuang Qing back to his residence.

　　After walking a short distance, a disciple dressed in light blue robes ran over and almost collided with Kong Hou. Kong Hou dodged to the side and saw this was a handsome youth.

　　“Your are… Gui Ling Shidi?” Kong Hou saw his hair was slightly messed up and his clothing wrinkled as though he had been bullied. Her expression immediately turned serious. Fighting between disciples in Splendid Cloud Sect was forbidden. “What happened?”

　　Gui Ling hadn’t thought an apprentice would walk this path. He shook his head and said, “Greetings, Kong Hou Shijie. I am fine. I need to go to class at Learning Hall this afternoon. I forgot the time when meditating and was in a hurry, so I fell on the way.”

　　“The class is important, but so is your body.” Kong Hou saw his pitiful state with a scrape on his white face, and searched in her storage ring. She found a bottle of medicinal paste for him. “Take this and put some on. If you still feel uncomfortable tomorrow, go to the disciples of Daybreak Cloud Peak and have them examine you.”

　　“Thank you, Shijie.” Gui Ling gripped the medicine bottle and peeked up at Kong Hou. “Shijie… you…”

　　“Hm?” Kong Hou saw his nervousness and made her smile look more friendly. “What is it?”

　　“You and…” Gui Ling turned slightly and saw the man walking on the path in the distance. He shook his head and said, “Nothing important, but I have eaten many of the food that Shijie sent back. I and the other disciples are very grateful towards you.”

　　“Nothing to be grateful about.” Kong Hou laughed. “As disciples of the same sect, it distances us to be polite about these things. It is late, go to your class. Tell the steward about your fall; he will not blame you.”

　　“Thank you, Shijie.” Gui Ling bowed to Kong Hou and jogged off.

　　When running past the white-robed man, he paused slightly, bowed, and then ran faster.

　　“Huan Zhong, how did you come here?” Kong Hou saw Huan Zhong and walked to him.

　　“You didn’t return, so I looked around.” Huan Zhong turned to look at Gui Ling who was already far. “That young person just now is a member of your sect?”

　　“Yes, a new disciple accepted last year; he has good talent.” Seeing Huan Zhong, the restlessness Kong Hou felt disappeared. She looked slightly embarrassedly at Huan Zhong. “I was thinking of some matters and forgot the time. Don’t be angry.”

　　“I will not be angry at you.” Huan Zhong looked down at her, his eyes growing more gentle. “I just came out to walk around; I didn’t expect to encounter you.”

　　Kong Hou felt slightly reassured. “Huan Zhong, what do you think about Splendid Cloud Sect?”

　　Huan Zhong nodded. “A good place which makes people… feel at peace.”

　　“Then… then… can you stay here with me for half a year?”

　　“Half a year?”

　　Looking at Huan Zhong’s raised eyebrows, Kong Hou felt that she really demanding too much of him.

　　Translator Ramblings: Oh Kong Hou, he would stay forever.