Chapter 554: Return And Warm Welcome! [2]
"Welcome back to the sect, Aunty Xin Yan, Noah." Ruo'er landed on the ground gracefully as she stored away her flying sword. Even though her expression remained neutral, Noah could sense warmth in her voice.
"Thank you for coming to welcome us, dear~" Xin Yan appeared beside the sun-kissed girl and pulled her into a deep hug, showering her with affection. Ruo'er was surprised by the sudden changes in Xin Yan and stood rooted in her place, wondering if the woman had been replaced by someone else.
She could see deep affection in Xin Yan's voice and eyes as the woman ran her hand softly through her hair. Ruo'er was startled by the sudden unknown feeling that was budding in her heart, feeling that motherly affection.
Xin Yan may not have noticed her changes, but Noah, on the other hand, smiled, seeing this sudden change. He knew that because of the burden on her heart, Xin Yan had been living just for the sake of surviving and revenge.
Noah's arrival in her life, ending the chapter of her life with Long Xiang, gave her a new ray of hope.
'Right now, at this moment, this is the real Xin Yan, the woman who had been buried deep under the burdens of previous betrayal, the responsibilities and torment of the Long family, and lastly, the death of her son.' Noah's eyes grew tender as he looked at her with a deep gaze filled with love and affection.
Before Ruo'er could enjoy more of this newfound feeling, several other figures arrived and stopped behind the girl, snapping her out of her daze.
"Sister Ruo'er, you ran away so soon, leaving us all behind! We also wanted to greet the two elders." Noah turned his attention to the group of six that arrived before him. The one who spoke was none other than Ma Li.
Behind her stood Jiang Shi and Chen Xueyan, followed by Yuan Ming and Tian Heng. The two girls stayed quiet, but there was a smile on their faces; it was clear that they had gotten close in such a short time.
On the other hand, Yuan Ming and Tian Heng maintained their distance from the girls. There was a subtle sense of fear around them. This made Noah wonder what the girls had done to scare them so much.
As if feeling Noah's gaze, Ma Li turned her head toward him, meeting his gaze. As their eyes met, she was a little startled and lowered her head, and there was a subtle blush on her face. Noah did not like that he could somehow guess what she was thinking. 'She must have done something that made her embarrassed enough to avoid my gaze.'
Noah pretended that he did not see her and turned towards the other area where he felt two different presences. In the distance stood Ming Ye along with Shisan, watching them from afar. Noah nodded at them from where he stood as a form of greeting.
"How was your journey outside, Elder Xin Yan?" Jiang Shi broke the silence as she asked with a polite smile. Xin Yan felt a little sad seeing Ruo'er escaping her hug, but sensing her shyness, she did not chase after the girl and looked at the girl who spoke with a smile on her face.
"It was one of the best trips of my life, if not the best~" Xin Yan replied while glancing at Noah. The look on her face shocked the three girls, while the two boys in the back were too stunned by her smile to even think of something else.
Noah smiled back at Xin Yan, ignoring the jealous gazes he felt from three sides.
Squeakk!!
Just as the atmosphere was getting too mushy for the bachelors, their savior arrived in the form of a hare.
"Hei Guina!" Hearing the familiar voice, Yuan Ming was surprised to see the hare rushing with a speed that even made him see a blur. He hadn't seen his pet/partner in a very long time. He knew that she had gone to the wilderness to grow strong, but still, he would occasionally miss her. Just when he thought the blur would tackle him in a hug, the little hare moved with a swift motion, somersaulted above him, before jumping into Noah's arms.
"This little shit! Here I was worrying about it, and the first thing she did was ignore me and jump into other people's arms." Yuan Ming snorted, seeing the hare nuzzling in Noah's embrace, showing her affection. But he sighed in defeat. He harbored no ill intent towards Noah; he even admired him from the day he saw what he did for Xin Yan.
It was not just him; everyone admired Noah for his actions. Some even held slightly deeper feelings towards him.
"Long time no see, little one." Noah chuckled as he ran his fingers through the soft hairs of the little hare. Noah had to say he was surprised to see that the little beast managed to break through Rank 4, which was equivalent to human core formation realm cultivators.
This alone spoke volumes of her talent, even then, her foundation seemed very deep and solid.
Sqeee~
The hare let out a sound of satisfaction and glee, feeling the warmth of his hands. Discover more content at My Virtual Library Empire
"Let's not stand here and move inside." Xin Yan chuckled, her voice carrying a lighthearted tone that matched the warmth of the scene.
Everyone nodded in agreement, and the group began to walk toward the inner parts of the sect. The atmosphere was filled with a mix of light chatter and the occasional playful tease, especially from the girls who had grown close over time. The serene beauty of the Benevolent Guardian Sect, with its lush gardens and tranquil courtyards, provided the perfect backdrop for their return.
While the atmosphere in the Benevolent Guardian Sect was merry and joyous, the situation at the temporary base of the Red Dawn Cult, governed by one of the six generals, General Amon, was very dark and gloomy.
The reason for the state was none other than the information the stronghold received about Wei Rui.