151: Chapter 151 We shouldn't have come, but if we didn't come, our Dao heart would be unstable.

Xu Ruyu looked at Qingyan's departing back and sighed in his heart.

It wasn't that he didn't know of Qingyan's kindness, nor was he ungrateful.

But at this moment, he truly had no mind to deal with such things.

The Three-Month Agreement was imminent, and his life hung in the balance; how could he have the leisure to concern himself with these romantic entanglements?

He shook his head and was about to continue his cultivation when footsteps sounded from outside the bamboo fence again.

This time, there were two figures.

One was tall and burly, wearing a coarse cloth short vest that revealed sturdy arms; it was none other than one of the Sect's Core Disciples, 'Fiery Hand' Zhao Yan.

He carried a massive wine gourd on his shoulder and walked with a powerful stride, shouting in a loud voice before even entering the gate:

“Junior Brother Xu! Senior Brother has come to see you!”

The other figure was tall and slender, dressed in a green robe with a long sword on his back; his face was handsome, and his temperament was calm—this was Ning Caihe.

He followed behind Zhao Yan with steady steps and a peaceful gaze, forming a sharp contrast with Zhao Yan's ruggedness.

Xu Ruyu was stunned once more.

Zhao Yan and Ning Caihe?

These two were among the cream of the crop of the Hehuan Sect's Inner Sect Disciples, both with cultivation at the Golden Core Stage. Usually, they had no interaction with him, so why the sudden visit?

“Senior Brother Zhao, Senior Brother Ning.”

Xu Ruyu opened the bamboo gate and cupped his hands in greeting.

“Aiya, why so formal!” Zhao Yan strode into the courtyard, his palm as large as a cattail leaf fan slapping Xu Ruyu's shoulder with such force that he staggered. “Ever since you damn well beat those bastards from the Meiying Sect and slapped that old slut Liu Rurao's face, we've been brothers. Don't give me that fake politeness!”

As he spoke, he slammed the wine gourd from his shoulder onto the stone table with a dull 'thud'.

“Come, come, come. Senior Brother knows you live alone in these mountains. The mountain wind in this ghost of a place is cold; have a few drinks with Senior Brother to ward off the chill!

This is 'Raging Fire' that I managed to get from the Northern Region with great difficulty. It's got a real kick!”

Xu Ruyu was a bit overwhelmed by his enthusiasm and could only look toward Ning Caihe.

Ning Caihe nodded slightly to him as a greeting and then sat down on a stone stool. His gaze swept over the two food boxes on the table, a flash of understanding appearing in his eyes, though he said nothing.

“Sit, sit, sit!” Zhao Yan pulled Xu Ruyu down to sit, first pulling the plug from the wine gourd and taking a large gulp with his head back. He then wiped his mouth and handed the gourd to Xu Ruyu. “Here, try some!”

Xu Ruyu took the wine gourd, hesitated for a moment, and then took a sip.

The liquid entered his throat like fire, a wave of heat rushing from his throat straight to his Dantian, making his face turn red as he coughed repeatedly.

“Hahaha! Refreshing!” Zhao Yan laughed, took back the gourd, and downed another gulp. “Junior Brother Xu, I like you like this! No hesitation, no pretension!”

Xu Ruyu caught his breath and said with a bitter smile:

“Senior Brother Zhao, you didn't come today... just to find me for a drink, did you?”

“Why else?” Zhao Yan raised an eyebrow. “Oh, right, there is one more thing.”

He put down the wine gourd and looked at Xu Ruyu with rare seriousness:

“Junior Brother Xu, in the duel three days from now, Senior Brother Ning and I will not be participating.”

Xu Ruyu was taken aback.

“As for us,” Zhao Yan pointed to himself and then to Ning Caihe, “we aren't interested in that damn Sect Master's Personal Disciple position.”

He paused, his tone earnest:

“In my life, I, Zhao Yan, only pursue two things—fine wine and fist techniques. Some Sect Master's Personal Disciple title, some Sect authority... in my eyes, they aren't as real as a jar of good wine.”

With that, he looked at Ning Caihe:

“As for Senior Brother Ning, he's a man of few words, but I know he's single-mindedly pursuing the Dao of the Sword and doesn't care about anything else. Right, Senior Brother Ning?”

Ning Caihe nodded, sparing with his words:

“Yes.”

Xu Ruyu looked at the two of them, a complex emotion welling up in his heart.

In a place like the Hehuan Sect, which was a marketplace of fame and fortune, there were actually people so pure.

“So,” Zhao Yan took another gulp of wine, “in the match three days from now, the one you truly need to be wary of is Leng Ningshuang.”

He lowered his voice:

“That woman has always wanted to enter Ningyin Hall and become the Sect Master's Personal Disciple.

The whole Sect knows this. Recently, I don't know what happened, but after you were assigned to Tingzhu Peak by the Sect Master, she was summoned into Ningyin Hall...”

Zhao Yan paused, a flash of something meaningful in his eyes:

“Brother, we don't know the hidden details behind this, nor do we want to pry. Today, Senior Brother Ning and I came to find you just to drink and chat.”

He raised the wine gourd and shook it at Xu Ruyu:

“Consider it... a thank you for venting our Hehuan Sect's frustrations on the Law Execution Platform that day by defeating that Fairy Caidie of the Meiying Sect.

That battle was truly satisfying!”

Xu Ruyu took the wine gourd and had another sip.

This time, he didn't choke.

The strong liquor entered his throat, burning his chest, but it also caused the stagnation in his heart to dissipate slightly.

“Thank you, Senior Brother,” he said softly.

“What's there to thank!” Zhao Yan waved his hand and stood up. “Alright, the wine is finished, and the talk is over. We should be going.”

He patted Xu Ruyu's shoulder, the force still quite heavy:

“In the match three days from now, fight well. Losing isn't shameful, but if you win... Senior Brother will treat you to even better wine!”

After saying that, he slung the wine gourd over his shoulder and left with long strides.

Ning Caihe also stood up, nodded to Xu Ruyu, and turned to leave.

When he reached the bamboo fence, he suddenly stopped, turned his head, and said in a low voice only the two of them could hear:

“Actually, many people say we shouldn't have come to see you at a time like this.

The Sect Master suddenly changing her mind to favor Leng Ningshuang at this time already says a lot.

However, after the battle on the Law Execution Platform that day, both Zhao Yan and I have recognized you as our Junior Brother.

If I didn't come, my Sword Heart would be unstable; if Zhao Yan didn't come, his Fist Heart would be uneasy.

You will naturally come to understand this in the future.

What I want to say is, you must watch out for Leng Ningshuang's left hand.”

Xu Ruyu's heart skipped a beat.

Ning Caihe looked at him, his gaze calm yet carrying a certain profound meaning:

“Her ultimate move isn't the sword in her right hand, but the one hidden in her left—the Hidden Sleeve Sword.”

After speaking, he stayed no longer and turned to leave, his green robe gradually fading into the bamboo shadows.

Silence returned to the courtyard.

Xu Ruyu stood by the stone table, gazing in the direction they had left for a long time without moving.

On the table, the wine gourd still emitted a strong aroma of wine, and the pastries and Spiritual Fruits in the food boxes were still laid out there.

The sun gradually rose higher, dispersing the thin mist and illuminating the entire Tingzhu Peak with bright warmth.

Xu Ruyu slowly sat down, picked up the wine gourd, and took another sip.

The strong liquor burned his throat but warmed his heart.

It turned out that in this seemingly cold and heartless Hehuan Sect, where calculations were everywhere, such kindness was also hidden.

Su Mei's pastries, Qingyan's spiritual talismans, and Hua Xunhuan's secret care.

And also Zhao Yan's strong wine and Ning Caihe's warning.

These people might each have their own purposes and their own stances.

But at least at this moment, the warmth they gave was real.

Xu Ruyu put down the wine gourd and looked toward the direction of Ningyin Hall.

Three days.

Only three days left.

He didn't know what the result of the duel three days from now would be.

But he knew that he could not betray this kindness.

Nor could he betray everything he had learned in the Ancient Hall of Love and Heaven.

And even more so, he could not betray—himself.

Xu Ruyu slowly closed his eyes, and deep within his Qi Sea, the Taixu True Qi of Qi Refining Level 9 began to circulate faster.

Like a surging river, waiting for the moment the dam would break.

And that fate-deciding duel was already close at hand.