Only after he put his hand on it did Zong Ci react.
The boy's slender hand overlapped with the man's hand and was wrapped in the latter's broad palm. The warmth from the fingertips instantly spread throughout the body.
Zong Ci recalled the waves of emotion that rose in his heart when Qingxuzi said "Come back with me" in the square, and the surging emotions that he could not control for a while.
At that time, Qian Yuexi also silently reached out her hand, firmly held his hand under her wide sleeves, and interlocked their fingers.
Strangely enough, although Zong Ci was in a rather uneasy mood at the time, he was instantly calmed down by such a trivial action, and his chest was filled with courage.
It's really a bit weird for two grown men to hold hands.
But... ... since Qian Yuexi also said that they are friends, there should be no problem, right
Zong Ci compared in his mind the times when he traveled with Qingxuzi in the past, and when he occasionally taught his junior fellow apprentice how to practice sword skills. His uneasy heart instantly calmed down, and he let himself follow the man's strength and walked out of the quiet room together.
There was a strong snowstorm outside the window. When I looked up, the sky and the earth were covered in white. I couldn't see the end, let alone the way forward.
"Don't be afraid, it's not like that out there."
Noticing the boy's pause, the black-haired man in white turned his head slightly to comfort him, "There are formations around Tianji Gate, so the wind will not disturb here. If there are no obstacles, the snowflakes will fall in along their original traces and spread on the Tianji Gate's palace."
After a pause, Qian Yuexi said softly: "Don't be afraid, I will hold your hand."
"No... I'm not scared."
Zong Ci opened his eyes wide and murmured, and after a long while he replied, "I just think... it's beautiful."
It is indeed beautiful.
I didn’t feel it when I was in the quiet room before, but after I walked out, this shock finally dawned on me.
The quiet room is located at the back of the entire Tianjimen Palace. One even needs to walk up a flight of stairs to reach it. It is like the Zhaixing Tower in the imperial palace of an ancient dynasty. Standing at the door, one can overlook most of the palace.
A maroon-colored palace sits in this pure white land of snow and wind, surrounded by winding corridors that connect to the palace.
The corridor was like a default shelter. No matter how heavy the snow was outside, or how long the icicles and ice flowers were on the eaves of the temple, they could not blow into the corridor. Every few steps, a few lotus lanterns were lit in the middle of the quaint gray corridor, dyeing the nearby fallen snow into a warm color, as if it was dotted with a piece of newly scattered sparks.
Not far away, a shrine built with unknown materials stood on the earth. The sound of heavenly music echoed among the snow-capped mountains, falling along the glacier that seemed like a red ribbon reaching the sky, and fell into the bottomless cold pool below.
People in the world say that Tianji Sect is located on the top of Tianshan Mountain and that those who live there are immortals. Now Zong Ci saw that this was true.
The wheelchair gently pressed over the snow, considerately shielding the boy from the howling wind and snow.
They walked side by side and left the quiet room.
"In the front is the main hall of Tianji Gate, with 3,333 moon lanterns burning inside. Although it looks like a palace, it is actually more like a large machine that is not used on weekdays. Only during the annual routine sacrifices or when the heavens give a sign, will the temple inside be opened to pray for blessings."
As they walked, the leader of Tianji Sect patiently explained to the young man, "The Tianji Sect's glow recorded in the legend is mostly a strange phenomenon caused by the connection between heaven and earth when praying for blessings and performing rituals."
Countless ancient books in the world of cultivation have recorded the strange phenomena of the heaven and earth around Tianshan Mountain. That is an indispensable part of the legend of Tianji Sect in the world of cultivation. The sky is filled with a glow on the top of Tianshan Mountain. The beam of light rises from the top of the mountain, like a startled dragon, rushing towards the clouds, dyeing the entire night sky into the color of daylight.
"But in the past, the disciples rarely approached the main hall because the formations there were strange and the karma was heavy."
Qian Yuexi led Zong Ci and turned around, walking from the side of the main hall to the back, "That's the side hall. In the past, I would occasionally make tea, play the zither, and meditate in it."
As the famous leader of the Tianji Sect, Qian Yuexi's life is actually quite simple.
Cultivators don't need to sleep, and it's normal for him to fast at this level. Moreover, on the Tianshan Mountain, when the snow is strong, there is no difference between day and night. Qian Yuexi either meditates every day, occasionally makes tea and tunes the zither, plays chess with himself, makes incense and lights candles, and rarely even leaves the side hall.
Of course, Qian Yuexi would definitely not introduce his daily life in this way in front of Zong Ci. As the host, it was the first time for him to introduce Tianji Sect to others, so he could not help but carefully choose his words.
"Behind the side hall is a pavilion, built on the edge of the snow-capped mountain. From there you can see the area below."
Passing through the layers of eaves, what comes into view is a path winding down the mountain.
The entire path was paved with bluestone slabs. Even in such an extremely cold environment, it was not frozen at all. Instead, it was extremely clean, with only white snow all around.
"We can go over there and rest for a while."
Because Zong Ci's limbs were still very stiff, Qian Yuexi had been trying to divert the boy's attention so that he would not focus all his attention on his feet.
"good."
Zong Ci nodded.
He walked very slowly, each step required great effort, and he sometimes even staggered.
At this moment, he finally understood why Qian Yuexi held him tightly like a chicken. Although there was no ice and snow along the way, if he fell down, where would he, the Sword Master, put his face? Fortunately, the heavy crane cloak was heavy enough, and there was a large formation on the top of Tianshan Mountain to protect Zong Ci, so he didn't freeze stiff.
Two people, one sick, the other disabled, limped and walked slowly, looking a little miserable from a distance.
After great effort, Qian Yuexi finally brought Zong Ci to the pavilion on the side of Tianshan Mountain.
The children from Tianji Gate had been waiting outside the pavilion early, and before they saw them, they had respectfully laid out soft mats on the ground for them to change their shoes.
Zong Ci took off his shoes and stepped into here barefoot. All the wind and snow seemed to stop instantly, as if they were in a pause.
The pavilion was warm and cozy. There was firewood burning under the pavilion, making the ground extremely warm.
"There is a blanket there. If you are cold, you can put it on."
Qian Yuexi picked up a small hand warmer from the secret compartment, flames shot up from her fingertips, she lit the golden wood inside and closed the lid.
When he turned around, Zong Ci had already wrapped himself in a thick quilt, propping up his head and looking outside the pavilion.
From the perspective of the leader of the Tianji Sect, the young man's profile and the wind and snow behind him blended together, looking both beautiful and quiet.
For a moment, Qian Yuexi was a little dazed.
The incense burner on the table was still burning faintly, and a pot of wine was warming on the incense burner. The smell of wine seeped out from the gaps on the edge of the pot, and a swaying lamp was placed next to it.
Qian Yuexi warmed thousand-year-old wine and lit thousand-year-old lamps in the pavilion of Tianji Gate, and placed a maroon tablet in the main hall. Every year when Tianji Gate held an altar and prayed for blessings, they would never forget to go over that person's birth date in their hearts.
Now, this person who has been studying for so long is sitting here safely.
It seems like a lifetime ago.
Zong Ci was completely unaware of all this.
He held the incense burner in his hand, tilted his head, leaned against the long pillar of the pavilion, and looked out at the wind and snow.
There are no mountains higher than the Tianshan Mountains nearby.
There is an endless snowfield under your feet, and in the distance, you can see the vague dark green fields.
The pavilion stands on the side of the cliff. Not far away is the Xuanquan Waterfall, which washes the ice and snow and falls to the bottom of the mountain like a white silk.
Zong Ci stretched his neck to look, but could only see the snow water splashing up from the tail of the waterfall and some unknown trees on the cliff that were frozen into frost. He could not see the end of the river at all.
He held the small stove in both hands, absorbing the heat from the surface of the stove with his palms, and huddled his head between the quilt and legs.
The wind and snow were howling outside the window, but the pavilion seemed to have been divided into a small world where no one would disturb it. It was so quiet that it seemed like two different worlds.
In his previous life, Zong Ci rarely had such leisure time, and even in this life, it was rare.
Lingyun Sword Master is obsessed with cultivation, and because of his martial arts, he is serious and stern. He also carries the expectations of Taiyan Sect's chief disciple and his master Qingxuzi, so it is difficult for him to stop and rest for a while.
After his rebirth in this life, although he always said that he wanted to stay away from disputes, his identity remained unchanged. Even if he was no longer the first disciple of Taiyan Sect, he was still the disciple of Qingxuzi. Unless he left the sect, this would never change.
Only now, after completely cutting off ties with the past and leaving Taiyan Sect, can I find a moment of peace.
Although I did nothing, I felt extremely peaceful inside.
As he watched, he suddenly smelled a rich aroma of wine.
Zong Ci's eyes lit up and he turned around, "Is it the immortal wine?"
The boy turned around unexpectedly and interrupted the Tianji Sect Master's contemplation. It was only then that the latter remembered that he had been staring at the other person for a long time without blinking.
In order to cover up the embarrassment of the moment, Qian Yuexi bent her fingers, put them to her lips, and coughed twice, "Yes."
The last time Qian Yuexi saw him off at the top of the main peak, Zong Ci had the honor of drinking this fine wine produced exclusively by Tianji Sect.
Xianlao wine is said to be brewed with plums from Tianshan Mountain and buried under ice for many years. The aroma of the wine is cool and rich. Zong Ci was still reluctant to forget it after drinking it once. Now when he mentioned it, his eyes began to flash with excitement, as if starlight fell into his pupils.
Facing those star-like eyes, the Tianji Sect Master was unable to utter the words "You are not fit to drink now". He could only pause in silence for a few seconds and replied in a submissive manner: "Don't drink too much, only half a cup."
"good."
The boy has curved eyebrows and eyes, and is as cunning as a fox.
He doesn't look like the cold and indifferent Lingyun Sword Master who saved all living things. Instead, he looks like a spoiled young master from a wealthy family in the ordinary mortal world, a favored child of heaven who has risen to the top quickly, is the apple of everyone's eye and enjoys treatment that attracts everyone's attention.
—Rather than the person who carries responsibilities, walks alone, and is never understood until his death.
Qian Yuexi poured him a small half glass of wine, then turned around and poured herself half a glass.
Originally, such a person was born to be the center of attention.