Chapter 73: Intentional?

At first, Sky Killer felt a twinge of resentment, but he was soon drawn to Tianlinger, who was beside Beiqingsi. So Beiqingsi went to greet Tianlinger. No wonder! It made sense, right? How could Beiqingsi possibly be interested in that stinking bug?

Quickly adjusting his mindset, Sky Killer ignored Zhongshan and focused on Beiqingsi. But deep down, he harbored a deep sense of wariness towards Zhongshan.

While Zhongshan waited for Englan, Beiqingsi and Tianlinger waited for Zhongshan, so their pace wasn't fast. However, it didn't take long for them to reach the peak where Sky Killer was.

Sky Killer had been watching this group of people. Englan was wrapped in a black robe, but her speed clearly didn't even reach the Innate realm. Whoever she was, there was no need to pay much attention to her. But why was Tianlinger here?

"Senior Brother," Tianlinger exclaimed with a slight joy on her face.

Perhaps due to the pillar of faith in her heart, even as Sky Killer's brilliance faded in Tianlinger's heart, as long as there was a little bit left, she still admired Sky Killer. Though it had diminished a lot now, seeing Sky Killer still stirred some excitement in her heart.

Sky Killer glanced at Beiqingsi, then at Tianlinger, and asked, "Tianlinger, how did you find your way here?"

"I... I heard that someone died in Kaiyang Sect, so I was worried and asked Zhongshan to bring me here," Tianlinger said, seeming a bit shy. Considering the terror of encountering the Immortal before, everything now seemed worth it.

"Tianlinger was worried about Senior Brother," Yunqian teased from the side.

Yunqian was joking, but Tianlinger didn't feel annoyed. Her face turned bright red, clearly showing her shyness.

Beiqingsi glanced at Tianlinger, then at Sky Killer, with a look of enlightenment on her face.

Seeing Beiqingsi's expression, Sky Killer immediately became annoyed, furrowing his brow as he scolded Yunqian, "What nonsense are you talking about? People have died over there, and you're not going to search for their treasures?"

"Alright, with this Master's storage bracelet and the Wishful Stone, we'll definitely get a lot more. Let's go," Yunqian called out to the other disciples of Kaiyang Sect.

The members of Kaiyang Sect quickly headed towards the corpses.

Meanwhile, Zhongshan glanced at Tianlinger's slightly blushing face, thought for a moment, then interjected, "Tianlinger heard that someone in Kaiyang Sect had died and was extremely worried about you, Master Uncle. Anyone could see that Tianlinger is concerned about you. I hope Master Uncle will cherish her affection and not disappoint Tianlinger's sincerity."

Hearing Zhongshan's words, Tianlinger's heart tightened. Was Zhongshan confessing to Sky Killer on her behalf?

What Zhongshan said was exactly what Tianlinger had wanted to express for a long time, but due to her reserve, she hadn't been able to say it herself. Now that Zhongshan had spoken up, Tianlinger found herself strangely resistant to the idea of Zhongshan speaking on her behalf. Anyone else could have done it, but not Zhongshan. She didn't even want Zhongshan to know that she cared about Sky Killer.

Tianlinger felt a tightness in her chest but still kept her eyes on Sky Killer. Her faith in him was deeply ingrained.

Many times, Tianlinger had imagined confessing her feelings to Sky Killer and eagerly awaited his nod of approval. But now that the moment had arrived, Tianlinger didn't feel the excitement she had imagined. She hoped Sky Killer would nod, yet at the same time, she had a vague feeling that he might shake his head.

Sky Killer felt extremely frustrated at this moment. He glanced at Zhongshan with some resentment. Hadn't he noticed Tianlinger's admiration for him? He had his own plans and goals, and Beiqingsi was his target. In a different setting, Sky Killer could have gently persuaded Tianlinger to let go of her childish affection, but at this moment...

"Well, Tianlinger's feelings are well known throughout Kaiyang Sect," Beiqingsi said, nodding along with Zhongshan as if she had played a part in fostering this potential relationship.

Sky Killer already felt a sense of internal conflict, and Beiqingsi's words only added insult to injury.

Shaking his head, Sky Killer immediately said, "Beiqingsi, how could you think like that? Tianlinger has grown up under our care. How could I have any feelings for her? Tianlinger is still young and her mind is not mature enough. When she grows up, she will surely find a partner who is a hundred times better than me."

Killer made his statement, which was expected by Beiqingsi, so she nodded in agreement and didn't say much more.

However, for Tianlinger, Sky Killer's words felt like a sharp knife stabbing into her heart. The pillar of her faith collapsed, leaving her in infinite despair. Tears streamed down her face, and her once flushed cheeks turned deathly pale. The towering image of Sky Killer in her mind suddenly transformed into a monstrous demon devouring her heart.

Just as despair overwhelmed her, Tianlinger suddenly felt a tight grip on her right hand. A hot, comforting hand held hers tightly, flooding her body with an infinite strength that dispelled the coldness within her.

With this surge of "power," Tianlinger's dizziness subsided, and the darkness around her slowly dissipated. When she turned her head, she saw that Zhongshan had somehow appeared beside her, his face filled with concern as he held her hand tightly.

Seeing Zhongshan, Tianlinger couldn't help but feel a warm sensation in her heart. The despair she had felt moments ago vanished as if it had never existed. The sun was still shining brightly, and the world remained intact. Everything was fine. Even without Sky Killer, she was still herself. She still had Zhongshan, her father, and Little Nanzi.

Zhongshan had sensed that something was wrong when he heard Sky Killer's response to Beiqingsi. He knew Tianlinger wouldn't be able to bear it. True to his instincts, tears welled up in Tianlinger's eyes, and she almost stumbled. Zhongshan immediately rushed to her side, grabbed her hand, and held her tightly, as if imparting strength to her. Tianlinger's condition improved significantly. Her pale face regained its luster, and her eyes, which had seemed empty before, quickly regained their focus. Though tears still flowed, everything seemed to be moving in a positive direction. As Zhongshan continued to hold her hand tightly, unknowingly, this invisible strength became deeply etched in Tianlinger's heart forever.

After speaking to Beiqingsi, Sky Killer regretfully witnessed Tianlinger's tears. Though he felt a pang of remorse, he steeled himself to maintain his stance. It wasn't that Sky Killer had no feelings for Tianlinger; it was just that he had larger ambitions that couldn't be compromised in the moment. He felt sorry for Tianlinger, but there was little he could do about it now.

As Tianlinger seemed to lose her composure, Sky Killer began to question his actions. However, before he could dwell on it further, Zhongshan stepped forward and grabbed Tianlinger's hand. This simple gesture seemed to bring Tianlinger back to her senses, and she began to slowly recover.

Watching Zhongshan console Tianlinger, Sky Killer felt a sudden pang of irritation. He couldn't quite place the feeling, but it seemed as if something that should have been his was slipping away irretrievably.

"Ling'er," Sky Killer said, his expression filled with concern as he looked at Tianlinger. Fllw ew stories at n/v(e)lb/in(.)com

Tianlinger had already been comforted by Zhongshan and was feeling much better. Her tears had stopped flowing, and with a little infusion of true energy, they dried up completely.

Through the recent ordeal, Tianlinger seemed to have undergone a profound transformation, as if she had experienced a life-changing event. When she looked at Sky Killer again, her eyes were devoid of the previous excitement and despair. It was as if she had suddenly gained enlightenment and accepted everything as it was. Before her stood only her father's senior disciple, Sky Killer.

"I'm fine, Senior Brother. Thank you," Tianlinger suddenly flashed a brilliant smile.

"Thank you?" Sky Killer frowned as he looked at Tianlinger, puzzled by her sudden change. In just a moment, it seemed like Tianlinger had become a completely different person.

On the other hand, Zhongshan let out a long breath, realizing that Tianlinger wasn't pretending to be strong but had genuinely let go.

With a smile on his face, Zhongshan gently released Tianlinger's right hand. However, as soon as Zhongshan let go, Tianlinger felt a sudden tightness in her chest, as if something was being ripped away from her. Without hesitation, she grabbed Zhongshan's hand, refusing to let go.

Feeling Tianlinger's grip, Zhongshan paused momentarily, and Tianlinger also froze. When she realized she was holding Zhongshan's hand, her face turned red. She quickly let go, feeling self-conscious under the scrutiny of countless eyes around them.

Sky Killer observed Tianlinger's actions, noticing her grab Zhongshan's hand. He raised an eyebrow, surprised to find himself looking at Zhongshan again.

In that moment, Sky Killer felt a strange sense of defeat at the hands of Zhongshan. How could this be? Shaking his head to clear the strange thoughts from his mind, Sky Killer dismissed the feeling.

As Zhongshan stepped back after releasing Tianlinger's hand, nearby, cloaked figure Yinglan suddenly reached out and grabbed Zhongshan's left hand.zhongshan looked at Englan in confusion.

Suddenly, Englan's fingers began to write on the palm of his hand, deepening his suspicions. What was going on with Englan? Peering through the brim of her black hood, he tried to see her face, but all he could discern was an expression of surprise and admiration under the shadow of her hood.

"Is it deliberate?" Englan wrote these four words on the palm of his hand.

Chapter end