HSBS326: The two flowers
In order to prevent a conflict between the two sides, the arranged lodgings by Turbid Wave Pavilion for Broad Creed Mountain and the Sacred Sun Clan were on two different islands.
Enveloped by a grand formation, if a conflict erupted between the two sides, Turbid Wave Pavilion would also be able to interrupt and bring an end to it in a timely manner.
On the clear, boundless surface of the lake, a small boat drifted, extremely far from any island.
Gazing in all directions from the boat, only an infinite stretch of lake water could be seen.
A girl sat on that small boat, many bottles and tins placed before her, an iron skewer in her hand, pierced neatly through the belly of a bird which had been cleanly defeathered.
Beside the girl, a few other birds similarly pierced through by iron skewers also lay within the boat.
The girl unfurled her fingers, making a grabbing motion towards the air before her, quite a bit of firewood being enveloped by her aura-qi.
She ignited the pile of firewood on the boat, but under the control of her aura-qi, the pile of firewood just hovered within the air, not affecting the small boat.
Neither hurriedly nor slowly, she held the thing within her hands over the fire to roast, also often adding some seasonings to it with a trained hand.
Now, a person approached.
The girl detected this, but the black sabre by her side remained quietly there as she showed no intention of drawing it.
The other party jumped onto her boat and, seeing her, let out a whoop of joy, “Senior apprentice-sister!”
With clear eyes and a friendly face, her features beautiful and attractive, the newcomer was precisely the direct disciple of the Sacred Sun Clan, Meng Wan.
Meanwhile, her hair strewn behind her back, a hint of a smile on her face, her eyes overflowing with valour as it moved, the person on the boat was Feng Yunsheng, having already joined Broad Creed Mountain.
Seeing Meng Wan, Feng Yunsheng laughed, “Little Wan came really fast; I haven’t even finished roasting this first one yet.”
Meng Wan’s usual quietness was nowhere to be seen as she jumped in, squatting before Feng Yunsheng with really no care for her image at all, staring hungrily at the bird Feng Yunsheng was currently roasting, “Senior apprentice-sister, I like ones which taste a bit stronger.”
Feng Yunsheng said, “Your tastes-I would definitely know it.”
Meng Wan smiled as she just looked at Feng Yunsheng, feeling as though she had returned to her younger days when she had just entered the clan.
Looking at Meng Wan, Feng Yunsheng sighed emotionally, “While I have viewed some recorded images, It has already been more than four years since we last met for real. Little Wan has grown up to become a big lady.”
Meng Wan smiled, “Is it growing more mature and womanly with age, having become more and more beautiful?”
Feng Yunsheng could not help but smile, “Of course. I have heard that the young heroes who yearn for you can be lined up from the World Illuminating Peak to the East Sea. In the Lake Domain that we are now, Turbid Wave Pavilion’s Ruan Ping has always been thinking about you.”
Meng Wan’s expression was mild, but she looked to be rather proud of this, resembling a little arrogant peacock, “That is only natural. I am cute, pretty and talented. Beauty cannot be exaggerated; it would only be natural for me to be the ideal lover of their dreams.”
Feng Yunsheng smiled, shaking her head.
It was only her and Meng Wan’s own Master that had the chance to see her like this.
Other than that, before the people of this world, including those of the Sacred Sun Clan from newly joined disciples to Huang Guanglie, she always remained quiet and elegant, humble and polite, perfect and flawless, no faults visible in her whatsoever, always letting people rest their minds, a Heaven’s favoured daughter who would never make a misstep.
Meng Wan outwardly seemed not to mind, but every single line on her face seemed to be silently saying the same thing.
“Quickly praise me, quickly praise me, quickly praise me…”
Feng Yunsheng looked somewhat interestedly at Meng Wan. In certain areas, Meng Wan was somewhat similar to a certain person.
Yan Zhaoge.
While that person appeared proper on the outside, he was actually really also someone who liked to show off and act cool before others, shocking bystanders to the point of being dazed as wooden chickens.
Similarly, as Feng Yunsheng knew, Yan Zhaoge’s appraisal of Meng Wan was also not low.
That year, she had intricately manipulated Yan Zhaoge into finding Feng Yunsheng , helping her out of her dangerous situation and warding off the murderous pursuit of Xiao Shen.
Having helped Feng Yunsheng and also halted Yan Zhaoge’s pursuit of herself, she had also avoided a direct conflict with Xiao Shen, killing three birds with one stone.
It was from that time that Yan Zhaoge had clearly recognised that this harmless looking girl who instead might even greatly stimulate the desire of others to protect her was really not as simple as she seemed.
Meanwhile, having grown up alongside Meng Wan, Feng Yunsheng could not be more familiar with her.
It was only when faced with her and her Master that Meng Wan revealed her true side.
“Right, the lover in countless people’s dreams, of who knows how many men; right, there might even be women who want to push you down…” Feng Yunsheng’s face was composed as she scattered some seasoning on the meat skewer before flipping it over the fire, “…Pushing you down beneath them, followed by some rolling, followed by some variation exercising.”
Meng Wan instantly couldn’t stand it, “Erm…this, it’s better not to be like that.”
As Feng Yunsheng looked smilingly at her, Meng Wan remained a little defiant as she snorted, “Anyway, senior apprentice-sister, do not look down on me; I can now also be considered as having grown up beautifully!”
“Right; what is regretful is that once you start to eat something, all of it will be lost,” Feng Yunsheng spoke in a slow, leisurely tone.
Meng Wan called out in an aggrieved manner, “Senior apprentice-sister ah!”
Feng Yunsheng waved the iron skewer in her hand, “It’s done; so are you eating, or not?”
Meng Wan immediately rushed before her, her appearance even more fawning than Little Meaty and Pan-Pan, “Eating, of course!”
Feng Yunsheng smiled as she handed over the skewer to Meng Wan, who was instantly overjoyed.
This, however, was a fact that only Feng Yunsheng and Meng Wan knew about. Even Meng Wan’s Master didn’t know that her disciple was actually a super foodhound.
And as Feng Yunsheng as said, Meng Wan’s appearance when eating truly destroyed her usual goddess-like image of tranquillity and faint smiles.
It was not rough, but it truly had the feeling of a man eating devouring meat in great mouthfuls and swallowing down flagons of wine.
Feng Yunsheng just smiled like this as she looked at Meng Wan, before taking hold of another iron skewer, beginning to roast the bird on it once more.
She first let Meng Wan eat before eating herself, the two of them conversing happily about some interesting stories that had taken place after they had separated.
They did not mention anything about the upcoming Extreme Yin Bout or the conflict between Broad Creed Mountain and the Sacred Sun Clan at all.
After they had finished eating, they sat beside each other on that small boat, looking at the scenes of the lake in the distance.
Meng Wan rested on Feng Yunsheng’s shoulder, murmuring in a low tone, “If I can always hold on to the Extreme Yin Crown, if I am a Martial Grandmaster and am able to unleash the Extreme Yin Crown to an even greater extent, my words would hold weight even before the ex-Chief. I could help to plead for senior apprentice-sister, helping you to return to our Sacred Sun Clan.”
“Now that Xiao Shen is dead, and Elder Pan is also dead, the ones who harmed you back then are all gone, but all of it is also meaningless now.”
Feng Yunsheng gently held onto Meng Wan, not speaking.
Back then, in the year between the first two Extreme Yin Bouts, the reason for the forces pursuing her having weakened greatly was actually due to Meng Wan having won the Extreme Yin Crown, helping her out back at the Sacred Sun Clan.
Perhaps her personality was similar to Yan Zhaoge’s in some areas, but it was still ultimately different.
Against the silent approval of the clan’s higher echelons and the pressure of the Grand Elder Pan Botai, Meng Wan’s personality decided that she would never stand against it head-on, but would always be attempting to decrease the pressure on Feng Yunsheng.
Resting on Feng Yunsheng’s shoulder, Meng Wan’s gaze was rather blurred.
To her, on one side was Feng Yunsheng, on the other her clan who had groomed and nurtured her, her debt to them as heavy as a mountain.
While Feng Yunsheng was indebted to Broad Creed Mountain for having forged her anew, reborn.
Despite their joy at their long overdue reunion, the fight for the Extreme Yin Crown in the Extreme Yin Bout was something neither of the two would budge on.
Despite having already predicted that there would be a day like this having heard the news of Feng Yunsheng’s full recovery in her Extreme Yin Physique, Meng Wan still felt an inexplicable sense of loss.