246: Just friends who want to discuss the Dao?

At the edge of Questioning Dao Sect Cliff, the morning light was dim, and the sea of clouds was gilded.

Li Shengyuan and Luo Qingwan stood side by side. Today, his aura was even more refined and introverted. The aura flowing around him, while still majestic, had an added harmony of both strength and gentleness. Clearly, the discussions and exchanges of the past few days had benefited him greatly.

He looked at the boundless sea of clouds before him and slowly spoke, his voice clear: "Sect Leader Luo, these past few days of discussions have greatly enriched Shengyuan. Many cultivation barriers have suddenly become clear. There is no banquet that does not end, and it is time for me to continue my journey south."

Luo Qingwan heard him and turned her head to look at him.

The faint morning light cast a soft halo on her exquisitely beautiful profile. Her lips curved slightly, and the usual coolness seemed to have been quietly melted by the harmony of these past few days, transforming into a faint but genuine warmth.

"Fellow Daoist Li possesses extraordinary talent and exceptional comprehension. Discussing the Dao with you, Qingwan has also benefited immensely, clarifying many confusions regarding the Way of Water."

Her voice was still calm, but it held a subtle softness that was not present when they first met. "Questioning Dao Sect always welcomes Fellow Daoist Li. If you have leisure, please come often to visit, and we can continue to exchange cultivation insights."

She did not try too hard to make him stay. At their level, she knew that the path of cultivation focused on oneself, and gatherings and partings were fated.

Even if there was a slight stirring of the heart, after the second rank and with her cultivation methods, she had long since grown indifferent to certain things and could no longer immerse herself in them; everything was left to fate… But this phrase, “come often to visit,” clearly expressed her recognition and expectation of this Daoist.

Li Shengyuan smiled and nodded: "Certainly. I will bother Sect Leader's pure cultivation again then, I just hope Sect Leader won't find me annoying."

"Fellow Daoist Li is joking." Luo Qingwan gently shook her head, a deeper smile in her eyes. "Discussing the Dao with you is Questioning Dao Sect's good fortune."

The two exchanged a smile, everything understood without words.

The surrounding Dao rhyme flowed naturally, the sea of clouds churned, and the rosy light bathed them both, like a harmonious painting.

Without more elaborate farewell rituals, Li Shengyuan cupped his hands in a salute, and his figure transformed into a streak of clear light, like a sharp sword cutting through the sea of clouds, yet also carrying the gentle essence of flowing water, instantly disappearing into the horizon.

Luo Qingwan stood alone at the cliff's edge, watching him depart, the faint smile on her lips lingering for a long time.

The breeze stirred her sleeves and hair, making her appear exceptionally serene and ethereal.

Luo Yuzhu, standing somewhere in Questioning Dao Sect, also gazed blankly at Li Shengyuan's departing back... Outside the range of Questioning Dao Sect, aboard the sky abyss.

Shen Xinrong, who had been waiting on the flying boat and had actually overheard some of the rumors within the sect, was the first to let out a light laugh. Her beautiful eyes swirled, looking at Li Shengyuan with a hint of teasing:

"Shengyuan, your 'short stay' at Questioning Dao Sect this time, I'm afraid your gains are not limited to just improvements in Daoist techniques, are they? I see that Sect Leader Luo seems to have a special fondness for you. She's usually so cool and distant, but these past few days, I've seen her being so pleasant and even... smiling and laughing with you quite a lot!"

Princess Pingyang, Mu Shiling, also came over, her pretty face full of curiosity and teasing:

"Exactly, exactly! Brother Shengyuan, you and Sect Leader Luo discussing the Dao daily, boating on the lake, and enjoying the moon, have become a 'beautiful sight' known to everyone in Questioning Dao Sect. Even the disciples are secretly discussing that the two of you standing together are like a perfect pair, so well-matched!"

Even the seemingly cool Yue Xiyan's lips curved into a meaningful arc as she softly added:

"Daoist Luo is indeed no ordinary woman. Her Dao Heart is clear, and her cultivation is profound. That she could be so compatible with Shengyuan is indeed a beautiful story."

Li Shengyuan was teased by his confidantes, one after another, and a helpless yet awkward smile appeared on his face.

He naturally knew what they were implying, and he also understood that his interactions with Luo Qingwan within Questioning Dao Sect might indeed seem overly close to outsiders.

He shook his head, his tone frank and calm: "Don't make wild guesses."

"Sect Leader Luo and I are truly like-minded Daoist companions who regret not meeting sooner. Our discussions are all about the Great Dao of cultivation, mutually verifying and benefiting each other. Her insights into the laws of water and the tempering of the Dao Heart have been of immense help to me."

Shen Xinrong, however, was persistent, blinking her eyes: "Oh? Only discussing the Great Dao, truly? Then why did I hear that Sect Leader Luo smiled the most when playing chess with you, and her expression was the softest when watching the sunrise with you? Shengyuan, don't underestimate your own charm, and don't underestimate the warmth beneath that Sect Leader Luo's icy exterior, either?"

Princess Pingyang also chimed in: "That's right, that's right! Brother Shengyuan, you are a peerless genius who has undergone ten heavenly tribulations, and you are also... so handsome. It's perfectly normal for Sect Leader Luo to look at you differently!"

Li Shengyuan was somewhat overwhelmed by their words and could only smile wryly: "Stop talking nonsense and slandering Sect Leader Luo's reputation. On the path of the Great Dao, to have a confidante to mutually encourage each other is already a blessing."

Although he said this, his mind involuntarily conjured Luo Qingwan's slightly curved bright eyes when she gently covered her lips and smiled, as well as that uncharacteristic softness at their farewell.

His heart stirred slightly, then was quickly suppressed by calmness.

Perhaps, they were indeed a bit more compatible than ordinary Daoist companions… He no longer paid attention to the women's teasing and turned his gaze southward, towards the direction of the misty Jiangnan. A new journey had already begun.

However, the few days' stay at Questioning Dao Sect, and the figure of that cool Sect Leader, seemed to have left a unique mark in his heart.

The flying boat passed through the clouds, carrying a hint of lingering smiles and teasing, and also carrying an inexpressible ripple in someone's heart, speeding all the way!