"Then what should Xiao Hua call Brother Yuan?" she asked him.
"Tian... Yu Tian, that is my real name," Yuan said to her.
"Xiao Hua understands, Brother Tian," she nodded her head.
"Thank you, Xiao Hua."
Yuan and Xiao Hua continued to approach the city’s entrance.
Many minutes later, they arrived at the city gate, and to their surprise, there was a small crowd gathered there and looking like they were surrounding something, and they were all young men.
"Fairy lady, what is your name? I am Bai Chen from the Heavenly Tiger Academy..."
"Forget about him, young fairy. My father is an Elder at the prestigious Nine Crane Sect!"
"Why are you standing here by yourself, young lady? Are you waiting for someone? Why don’t you come with me instead—"
A clear and delightful-sounding voice suddenly interrupted these young men, "I am sorry, but I have no interest in accompanying any of you, and I already have a schedule with someone else."
"Are you saying this person you are waiting for is more important than me, Yin Zhou, Inner Disciple of the mighty Jade Fist Mountain!?" An arrogant voice resounded afterward.
"That’s right." The feminine voice responded, sounding as calm as a still pond, "This person is more important to me than anything else in the world."
"This voice belongs to..." Yuan could instantly recognize this beautiful voice even if she mumbled a single word with a thousand people talking loudly around her.
"The audacity! I don’t care if you have a pretty face, but how dare you slap my face before my fellow disciples—"
"Yu Rou!" Yuan shouted her name as he approached the crowd.
"Brother...?" Yu Rou’s eyes flickered brightly after hearing his voice. Although it sounded clearer and more energetic than usual, she would never mistake his voice for another’s.
"Who the hell are you?" The crowd around Yu Rou immediately turned their attention to Yuan with frowns, who wore a calm on his face.
"Oh? Are you perhaps the person she’s waiting for— the person that’s more important than me? Then you have exactly three seconds to turn around and leave before I—"
Before the man could even finish his sentence, Yuan took a step forward and swung his sword at a speed that could not be followed with one’s eyes, stopping directly before the man’s neck.
"I don’t care who you are— You have three seconds to leave her alone before I send you to hell," Yuan spoke in a cold and demanding voice, his gaze filled with a dreadful feeling that threatened to destroy anything that dares to disobey his command.
Feeling the cold blade pressing against his neck, the man named Yin Zhou didn’t even dare to swallow.
’This young man is in the fifth level Spirit Warrior realm! He’s definitely a genius disciple from a renowned sect! I cannot mess with him!’ Yin Zhou cried inwardly after sensing the powerful aura emitting from Yuan’s body.
"T-There must have been a misunderstanding, Young Master... I will immediately leave..."
Once the disciples from the Jade Fist Mountain left, the others also left in silence, not daring to offend this mysterious expert that came out of nowhere.
’Brother Yuan...’ Xiao Hua was dumbfounded by the fierceness shown by Yuan just now, as this is her first time seeing him emit killing intent towards another human being. In fact, she didn’t even know he could be this domineering.
When the path between the siblings was cleared and Yu Rou could finally see the tall and handsome young man that stood not too far away from her, she covered her mouth from shock, and her eyes flickered with many emotions simultaneously, causing it to become teary.
"You are taller than I’d anticipated, Yu Rou..." Yuan spoke with a warm smile on his face, his gaze at the beautiful young lady before him.
"Brother Tian... You... I..." Yu Rou was speechless. Even though she’d prepared in advance what she wanted to say to him, after seeing her brother who had been crippled for nearly his entire life standing and looking completely healthy, she was simply at a loss for words.
"What’s wrong, Yu Rou? Why aren’t you saying anything? Cat’s got your tongue?" Yuan said to her after waiting long enough.
"Brother Tian! Waaaa!"
In response to his words, Yu Rou lunged herself at him with her arms wide open while crying out loud, "I cannot believe it... you... you look even better than I’d imagined you would if you were healthy!"
Yuan immediately opened his arms to catch her in his embrace before hugging her tightly, something he has been wanting to do for many years but was not physically capable of. However, with Cultivation Online’s 100% immersive system, it finally allowed Yuan to feel Yu Rou’s warmth, and it allowed Yu Rou’s dream to witness Yuan being healthy again to come true.
And albeit they were only inside a game and not in the real world, it still meant a great deal to them.
"Yes... you also look a lot different than I’d imagined," Yuan said to her.
A few minutes later, once Yu Rou cried enough and calmed down, Yuan said to her, "Let me introduce you to my little friend who has been with me since the beginning and helped me a great deal since then. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that if not for her, I wouldn’t be here right now. I have said this before but she’s like another little sister to me now."
"..."
Yu Rou turned to look at the pretty young girl standing behind Yuan.
’What a pretty girl! She looks just like a doll!’ Yu Rou was surprised by Xiao Hua’s doll-like appearance. There’s no doubt that Xiao Hua would grow up to be a very beautiful woman.
"Nice to meet you, Brother Tian’s sister. Xiao Hua is Xiao Hua," she introduced herself a moment later.
"She’s an NPC, right? Why is she talking in third-person?" Yu Rou asked Yuan.
"Is that weird? I find it very cute," Yuan said.
"Cute..." Yu Rou looked at him with slightly narrowed eyes.
"Anyways, I am called Yu Rou. Since Brother Tian treats you like a little sister, let’s try to get along, okay?" Yu Rou extended her hands towards Xiao Hua for a handshake.
Xiao Hua nodded and shook her hands, yet there was this fierce atmosphere between the two of them, almost like they were standing on an invisible battlefield.