Fang Ling turned to look at her. Ten years had passed, and her appearance had matured, but she still had that shy demeanor.
"Shall we find a place to catch up?" Bai Ying invited.
Fang Ling nodded lightly and followed her to his residence.
"Have you been waiting here for ten years?" Fang Ling asked on the way.
Bai Ying replied, "I was fortunate to gain enlightenment at the Dragon Arena, so I struck while the iron was hot and bought a house in Great Zhou to perfect the methods I comprehended back then."
"I've stayed here for ten years, and I was just about to leave recently."
"But it’s quite a coincidence that I get to see you before I go."
"I see," Fang Ling responded.
Although Bai Ying explained earnestly, her story was full of holes.
She was the saintess of Tianyin Pavilion and, by convention, should not stay long in Great Zhou.
As for perfecting her methods, that was nonsense. He also gained enlightenment at the Dragon Arena and created two supreme techniques.
The methods created from enlightenment were already quite perfect; there was no opportunity to further perfect them after leaving the Dragon Arena.
Even though Bai Ying was lying, he didn't expose her, not wanting to spoil the mood.
After a while, Fang Ling followed Bai Ying to a mansion in the eastern part of the city.
In this large mansion, there wasn't even a single servant; she had been living here alone all these years.
Bai Ying led him to a pavilion and personally brewed tea for him.
She was skilled in playing the zither and took great care of her hands, which were well-maintained and beautiful.
Her slender, jade-like hands were as exquisite as Dou Qin's jade-like feet, rare works of art in the world.
"How are your father and uncle?" Fang Ling asked.
Bai Ying nodded, "They are doing well, but they are no longer in Dragon City."
"Years ago, my Bai family moved to the royal city of Yan Kingdom, which is Tianyin Pavilion's territory."
"But my father always wanted to find another place to settle, saying he wanted the Bai family to live in seclusion."
"Just a few days ago, I received a message from him saying he had taken the family to an isolated place."
"Your father is impressive, not being blinded by the prosperity before him," Fang Ling said.
"Living in seclusion is indeed the best choice, so you won't be constrained."
"Time flies! I can't believe it's been over ten years."
"Yes," Bai Ying agreed. "But I still prefer the days in Dragon City."
"Though they were plain, they were stable, unlike now."
"Aren't you doing well?" Fang Ling smiled.
"At the Dragon Arena Dao Conference, so many geniuses showed you favor. Which woman wouldn't be envious?"
"With Tianyin Pavilion backing you and so many geniuses pursuing you, no one in this world would dare to provoke you."
Bai Ying pouted, "Young Master Fang, don't tease me!"
"Those people are annoying; I wish they would stay away from me."
"And they don't want to get close to me because of who I am."
"They just think I'm useful because I've mastered Tianyin Pavilion's three ancient tunes."
"They only care about the Clear Spirit Tune that enhances cultivation and the Longevity Melody that grants immortality!"
"You see things clearly, but what you have learned is part of you. There's no need to dwell on it," Fang Ling said.
Bai Ying nodded lightly and added, "By the way, there's something I need to remind you, Young Master Fang."
"Don't leave Great Zhou for now."
"The Heavenly Dao Sect has set their sights on you, vowing to kill you."
"And there's a tribe from the Miao Territory, the Chuan Clan, who have experts working with the Heavenly Dao Sect."
"If you leave Great Zhou, they'll attack you."
"The Heavenly Dao Sect's great elder, Wen Mu, and the Chuan Clan's high priest have been waiting outside for ten years."
"Emperor Rong Shan mentioned this to me, but thank you for the reminder," Fang Ling said.
Bai Ying frowned, looking at him with confusion.
"Why don't you seem worried at all?" she asked.
"Never mind the Miao priest, but the Heavenly Dao Sect's great elder Wen Mu is an old and powerful immortal!"
"The saying 'below immortality, all are ants' is no exaggeration."
"You haven't become an immortal; you can't possibly defeat him, let alone with all his helpers."
"I have my ways to escape, Miss Bai Ying, don't worry," Fang Ling reassured.
Bai Ying muttered, "Young Master Fang is still so distant..."
"We're old friends, yet you keep calling me Miss Bai Ying, making it sound so formal."
"Just call me Ying'er."
Fang Ling smiled, "But you always call me Young Master."
"I... I'm just used to it; it's hard to change," Bai Ying said.
"Anyway, since you're confident you can escape, that's for the best."
"I initially contacted my master to mediate this matter."
"But she said you committed a grave offense, and she couldn't intervene, or Tianyin Pavilion would completely break with the Heavenly Dao Sect."
"Though I'm a saintess, I'm still a junior and can't influence such major matters."
"Alas! I couldn't help you."
"You don't need to do so much for me," Fang Ling said.
Bai Ying looked at him seriously, "If it weren't for you removing the poison and saving my life back then, I would have died long ago and wouldn't be here today."
"Besides... it's not about whether it's worth it, but whether I want to or not."
"Ever since I first saw you, it wasn't just because you saved me..."
Her face turned red, and she looked embarrassed.
Fang Ling didn't expect her to be so bold, directly confessing her love.
"But you don't really know me. I'm a ruthless killer."
"Since my debut, I've killed countless people and committed many crimes," he said.
"And I already have two women."
"You are like a pure white flower, and I'm just a puddle of mud."
Bai Ying was stunned at first, then laughed, "Who calls themselves a puddle of mud?"
"And how do you know a flower wouldn't want to fall into the mud?"
Back at the Bai family, Fang Ling had already been attracted to her.
He enjoyed sitting in a rocking chair, closing his eyes, and listening to her play the zither.
Though they didn't spend much time together, he could understand her music, and she could play the tunes he liked.
They didn't say much, but there was a tacit understanding between them.
But back then, he had just come down from the mountain, wasn't strong, and didn't want to drag the Bai family into trouble, so he didn't think much about it.
But now, everything was different.
The lovely woman before him had waited for him for ten years and bravely expressed her love.
Fang Ling couldn't bear to hurt her feelings, so he followed his heart.
"If the flower is willing to fall, the mud is happy," he said.
Bai Ying blushed and lowered her head shyly.
Now that it had worked out, she was a bit at a loss, her heart pounding.
"Shall Ying'er play a few tunes for Young Master Fang?" she asked.
Fang Ling nodded, ready to listen.
She waved her hand, clearing the tea set from the table, and placed an ancient zither.
This zither was one of Tianyin Pavilion's two supreme ancient zithers, named Duyou, a magical treasure with fourteen restrictions!
The most powerful treasure Fang Ling had seen before was the Snow Jade Purity Bottle of Purple Bamboo.
Though the Snow Jade Purity Bottle had only one fewer restriction than the Duyou Zither, the two were worlds apart.
"Does Young Master Fang still remember the tune 'Heaven and Earth Longevity'?"
Bai Ying smiled and plucked the strings.
That tune had once amazed Fang Ling; how could he forget?
He closed his eyes, enjoying the celestial music Bai Ying played.
When the tune ended, Fang Ling found his soul power had increased by about three percent!
Back then, Bai Ying's tune had only a one percent effect, but now it had improved so much.
He looked at Bai Ying, who was now like a rain-soaked pear blossom, drenched in sweat.
Though the tune was mystical, it was a heavy burden for her.
"Your clothes are all wet..."
Fang Ling approached, placing his hand on her clothes.
He saw a red string under her collar and, as if guided by a ghost, pulled out a red bellyband.
Bai Ying's body trembled, and she murmured shyly, "You... you're so bad..."

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