XIAO SHUXIANG'S

432 - Distance

The current Xiao Shuxiang had been in the surroundings of the Sky Pagoda Sect, he walked with Ling Qing Zhu who continued to give him cold gazes.

Since then Ling Qing Zhu did not stop looking at him and seemed to want to swallow him alive. Xiao Shuxiang's feeling was a little uncomfortable, yet on the other hand he also felt this was a bit funny.

Ling Qing Zhu wanted his immortal sword, which Xiao Shuxiang had yet to return. The beautiful girl would stop at nothing to urge her Guardian Guardians to return what should be hers.

"Shuxiangsu.. You sassy young man. How long are you gonna hold my sword?"

Ling Qing Zhu could still calm down and did not directly attack the young man beside him. He was still willing to give his Guardian the chance to return the sword properly.

"White cat, go get some rest and I will definitely give you your sword,"

"But when?"

Actually Ling Qing Zhu did not know that he wanted to be flanked by Xiao Shuxiang. This young man in all-black uniform also had a great sword, it could not even compare to his heirloom. Then why was this young man so interested in his weapon? His sword was no more special than Yinng xiong.

"Shuxiang's.." Ling Qing Zhu grabbed onto his Guardian Arm and held it tightly. He would really have made up his mind to fight with this young man if he was still ignored.

Xiao Shuxiang held onto Ling Qing Zhu's hand and released the girl's grip on her arm with great gentleness. He smiled and said he would give his White Cat heirloom sword back, but not for now.

Honestly speaking, Xiao Shuxiang actually did not want to tell Ling Qing Zhu that he was going to refine the sword. His White Cat heirloom sword was indeed great, but he felt that the sword was not too special.

".. I'll give it to you tomorrow, don't worry too much and trust me. I want to see Lan Zhi first, so see you later."

!

Ling Qing Zhu was just about to speak, but Xiao Shuxiang had already walked away. If it was about Lan Guan Zhi, his Guardian would definitely not delay the time.

He exhaled slowly and was forced to wait until the young man himself came to see him. His immortal sword must have been returned, his Guardian has promised.

Ling Qing Zhu decided to go see his father and mother, as well as doing his daily routine.

Wedding preparations are still not finished, this is not something that can be completed in three or five days. Many things need to be prepared, especially if it is related to the security and smoothness of the wedding later.

The Grand Elder of the Sky Pagoda Sect, Ling Chu Zhen, did not want any more help than before. He knew very well that his daughter did not marry carelessly, which is why the safety of this place should be very awake.

Xiao Shuxiang knew the disciples in this sect were working very hard. Previously, the attacks from the Blood Scarlet members had dealt them a violent blow. They were trapped in the protective seal of their own sect and it was difficult to ask for help, this time - the same things should not be repeated at the wedding later.

Deep in Xiao Shuxiang's heart, he was also worried about an enemy who might take his chance at his wedding. There had been so many bloody marriages that he had witnessed in the past, and several times himself had been involved.

!

Xiao Shuxiang suddenly stopped his steps as he remembered something, "I guess seven times.. I once skinned a couple alive right in front of a lot of people and then burned them all. That time.. What's the reason I did it..?"

Xiao Shuxiang rubbed his chin and walked back. He only remembered the actions he had done, but had no regrets at all let alone fear that the same incident might happen to him.

?!

Xiao Shuxiang's eyes were fixed on a young man in a white uniform who was walking.

It was undeniable that the figure was able to spread coolness at every graceful step. Xiao Shuxiang even immediately felt a sense of calmness whenever he saw his good friend.

"Lan Zhi's..!"

?!

Lan Guan Zhi turned his head when he heard a familiar voice in his ears. He saw Xiao Shuxiang walking towards him and appeared to be smiling kindly. The good friend of the destroyer name does have a charming smile that is difficult to compete with.

"Where have you been?" Lan Guan Zhi asked as her good friend was already nearby.

After last night Xiao Shuxiang left his room, this young man did not come again. Though Xiao Shuxiang usually sleeps in his room on the grounds that his sleep pillow is more soft.

"Lan'Er, do you miss me?" xiao Shuxiang's voice was clear, his smile and the look in his eyes looked slightly different from the usual ones. He was obviously teasing his best friend.

"Lan'Eer.. You look sleep-deprived, don't tell me you waited all night.." Xiao Shuxiang gently nudged Lan Guan Zhi's arm to make her friend stare at her.

"No way." Lan Guan Zhi was indeed sleep-deprived, but not because of waiting for Xiao Shuxiang, "You're too confident,"

"Mh.. You don't want to be honest.. Alright. I was with the White Cat last night and just got back today. It was the first time I spent enough time with him, huh.. Even though our date didn't go well.."

Xiao Shuxiang told how she was invited on a date at a cemetery by Ling Qing Zhu, it was the strangest date ever and quite stressful.

".. You know Lan Zhi, the more I'm with the White Cat.. He looks-!!" Xiao Shuxiang flinched as his good friend suddenly walked quickly as if unwilling to hear his words.

"Lan Zhi's..! Why are your paths so rushed.. Wait..!"

Xiao Shuxiang caught up with the forehead-clad young man, he was very astonished because it was unusual for Lan Guan Zhi to ignore him like this. His forehead shriveled because he did not know what was really going on.

"Lan Zhi's.. Did I just say something bad?" xiao Shuxiang's face looked solemn, he tapped his friend's shoulder gently with his right index finger.

"…"

Lan Guan Zhi did not say anything, he simply shook his head slowly in response to Xiao Shuxiang's question. He liked when his friend was close to Ling Qing Zhu, but it was not the right time to listen to his good friend's story now, there was still work he had to do.

Judging from his facial expression, Lan Guan Zhi still looked calm and as usual. But Xiao Shuxiang could realize that his friend was in a bad mood from the slightly shaking eyelashes.

"I know clearly Lan Zhi never got angry, so what provoked him to this extent..? Is he jealous? Don't tell me he likes White Cats.." Xiao Shuxiang blinked, then asked what he had thought to his best friend.

Lan Guan Zhi again stopped walking, he looked at the young man in an all-black uniform beside him.. Xiao Shuxiang's question was very unfounded, he was not angry at all. However, lately his mood sometimes changes.

"Lan Zhi's.."

"I'm fine,"

"You seem to think of something? What's up?" Xiao Shuxiang knew there was something strange about his good friend, he obviously could not be lied to.

"It's okay. You go and rest," Lan Guan Zhi walked back, she avoided Xiao Shuxiang's gaze.

Ever since his body was reshaped by the three celestial heirlooms, Lan Guan Zhi often felt strange. He had to quickly return home to the Sky Sword Sect and deal with his circumstances while helping with the wedding preparations of his good friend.

?!

Lan Guan Zhi gasped as his left hand was suddenly held by someone who was none other than Xiao Shuxiang. The expression on his friend's face was very serious.

"You're not okay Lan Zhi, do you want to keep something from your friend now..?"

"…"

"I won't ask much less urge you if you really mind saying it. But don't let that affect your closeness to me,"

Xiao Shuxiang knew everyone had a secret and something that was not worth saying to anyone, including his good friend. That was why he did not force Lan Guan Zhi and would listen if his friend really wanted to talk.

Lan Guan Zhi exhaled and gently patted Xiao Shuxiang's arm, his eyes softening as his clear voice began to sound.

"I won't do it again,"

Lan Guan Zhi actually wanted to apologize for making her best friend worried and the atmosphere became this awkward. But the word 'sorry' should not exist in his friendship with Xiao Shuxiang, it could be a boundary between their relationship and his good friend would definitely not like, he did too.

Xiao Shuxiang still showed his serious face, "You really aren't jealous of me with the White Cat, are you? If you like him, I.."

"Absolutely not. I'm just thinking about home,"

"…" Xiao Shuxiang fell silent before finally nodding softly, "Alright.. If that's all, then I'll take you home,"

"Young Master Lan..!"

?!

Just now Xiao Shuxiang wanted to take out his Moving Mirror, but suddenly a girl voice called out to his good friend.

Xiao Shuxiang and Lan Guan Zhi turned their heads, both of them could see a girl in a white uniform with a red wisteria flower pattern.

The girl has smooth skin, looks beautiful with white hair on her back. He dashed towards Lan Guan Zhi and only stopped right in front of the two charming youths.

"Miss Qi?"

?

"Young Master Lan, sorry to block your path. I.." The girl's eyes only turned to Xiao Shuxiang, she became a little nervous.

Ling Qin Qi was a cousin of Ling Qing Zhu. Just like the others, he was also busy taking care of many things other than training to be able to get stronger in order to become a help if there would be a commotion in this sect.

During the process of building his sect due to the attack from the Blood Scarlet, Ling Qin Qi was not ceaselessly training. However when compared to Ling Qing Zhu, his abilities were only limited to ordinary disciples in this sect.

Morning and evening were her times of practice, but on some occasions - she had once accidentally met Lan Guan Zhi and instead ended up getting direction from this young man. Somehow, he also began to dare to ask some more directions.

"Pardon me Young Master Lan, it seems I am disturbing.." Ling Qin Qi was so unwell, he had already gathered a lot of courage to chase after Lan Guan Zhi and now he was sure this young man would never speak to him again.

"Not at all, so what about the sword moves that Miss practiced lately?"

!!

It was truly history that when Lan Guan Zhi took the initiative to start the conversation first, Xiao Shuxiang could say nothing but put on an extremely shocked facial expression.

"Looky! Is he really Lan Zhi? Lan Guan Zhi's? LanLanku?! How could he be like this..? And who is this girl? What's their relationship?"

Many questions in Xiao Shuxiang's mind, his curious soul thrashed out wanting to know the relationship between his good friend and the girl whose hair color was similar to his White Cat.

On the other hand, Ling Qin Qi was also shocked. Usually Young Master Lan simply said, 'watch' and then practiced a sword movement to correct her mistake.

This forehead-clad youth acted more than he spoke, so it was indeed very rare for him to be able to hear the words of more than three words a figure of Lan Guan Zhi.

"I.. I practiced the 'Nine Steps of Lightning' movement'.. That I think fits.. But there are obstacles in some parts.." Ling Qin Qi tried to calm down and explained to Lan Guan Zhi slowly, even though his heart seemed to be jumping out of his ear.

Ling Qin Qi was really nervous. Different from her cousin, she has a more expressive face even if it is only shown to someone she admires.

Lan Guan Zhi calmly listened to the explanation of the beautiful girl before him, he sometimes slightly glanced at his good friend who seemed to put on a curious face towards this white haired girl.

Xiao Shuxiang was breathing slowly, the longer he felt these two people in front of him were in a foreign sphere to him. It felt like he was an insect repellent amongst them.

"Young Master Lan, I'm sorry I talked so much.." Ling Qin Qi felt bad, since earlier only he had spoken - even the Guardian Protector of his cousin, who was very chatty in his rumors, was silent and only noticed himself.

"No problem. It has to be like that if you want to get advice. Can Miss show?"

"Of course, you can!" Ling Qin Qi was so excited, he then took Lan Guan Zhi to a wider place. In her heart she wanted to grab her hair hard, she should have been able to control herself more.

Xiao Shuxiang was walking next to Lan Guan Zhi, Ling Qin Qi was walking not far in front of him. He noticed the beautiful girl's back and began asking her about her identity to his best friend.

"Hair color is similar to White Cat, is she also from the 'Ling' family'?"

"Mrs,"

"What's his name?"

"Miss Ling Qin Qi,"

"When are you friends?"

"Not sure,"

Lan Guan Zhi did not know when exactly he met Ling Qin Qi and spoke to the girl, all just happening.

It should have been the way Lan Guan Zhi answered Xiao Shuxiang's last question, not the short answer that made his best friend feel claustrophobic to the point of thinking that there was some estrangement in their relationship.

"…"

"…"

No one spoke to each other, the atmosphere between Xiao Shuxiang and Lan Guan Zhi really felt awkward. The two just kept walking side by side and followed Ling Qin Qi without saying a word.

Xiao Shuxiang's eyes slightly bowed, he was thinking of something. The wind around him did not give him the slightest coolness, nor did Lan Guan Zhi.

The young man in white uniform was always frugal to talk and never started a conversation first. The silence of his chatty good friend made his feelings uncomfortable, Xiao Shuxiang was not as usual.

Ling Qin Qi passed by a tree, followed by the two youths behind him. He has been stirring up with his own mind since.

Lan Guan Zhi did not say much and was silent as it was a natural thing, but if the same condition was experienced by Xiao Shuxiang-then this was questionable.

His cousin Ling Qing Zhu always said Xiao Shuxiang was a shameless, chatty young man. But why does it feel different from what his cousin said.

The moment Xiao Shuxiang and Lan Guan Zhi passed by in one of the trees, either they knew or pretended not to care.. But there was indeed a young man who was sleeping on one of the branches of the tree.

The figure dressed in black mixed in red, he leaned back while hugging a bamboo stick. His face was full of excess makeup that was clearly not at all beautiful, even it looked like a hanging ghost.

That young man was none other than the Mad Beggar Boy. He had just finished soaking his staff in the lotus lake belonging to the Sky Pagoda Sect and was resting.

The wand that Xiao Shuxiang had broken before, and despite having a substitute-but it was just ordinary bamboo. He needed some time to turn an ordinary piece of bamboo into his soulmate's wand. While resting, he saw Xiao Shuxiang and Lan Guan Zhi.

Curiosity had clearly arisen, he was the one who was most sensitive to the relationship of the two young men - as far as his experience was concerned, just a glance.. Xiao Shuxiang and Lan Guan Zhi were indeed involved in an inner matter.

The Mad Beggar Boy jumped from one branch to another, he followed the two friends from behind and was completely sure that Xiao Shuxiang with Lan Guan Zhi was not getting along as usual.

"What's wrong with them..?" The Crazy Beggar boy frowned, yet the next second he smiled meaningfully.

From the behavior of these two young men he was watching, he was able to draw conclusions. Of course based on the viewpoint of a person who has experience in a forbidden relationship.

"The two of them never want to be honest.." The Crazy Beggar Boy shook his head.

Since the time Xiao Shuxiang's marriage to Ling Qing Zhu was determined, her Lan'Er Gege was no longer as usual. The young man became more reserved and sometimes immediately waltzed away as he and his friends discussed Xiao Shuxiang or Ling Qing Zhu.

And now, the same thing was also seen on Xiao Shuxiang. The Alchemist Chef appeared to be in a bad mood when he knew Lan Guan Zhi was being close to a girl.

This was actually just a distorted thought from the Crazy Beggar Boy. He did not know that Xiao Shuxiang and Lan Guan Zhi were behaving like that for any other reason, not because they had distorted feelings with each other.

The legs of the Mad Beggar Boy began to stop at a tree branch, he peered at the crack of the leaves and saw how Ling Qin Qi was displaying some sword movements while being witnessed by Lan Guan Zhi and Xiao Shuxiang.

The Mad Beggar Boy had no interest in paying attention to the girl, he preferred to read the facial features and gestures of his two friends while looking for awkwardness towards the attitude of the two.

Xiao Shuxiang himself watched his good friend from bottom to top, he began to cross his arms in front of his chest and set his attention on the girl who was demonstrating the Nine Steps Lightning technique.

"The girl had a flexible body, but there were still quite a number of gaps in her steps. Definitely not perfect,"

"Mn, Miss Qi has just learned it."

"Lan Zhi, don't you stay away from me because of that girl?"

Xiao Shuxiang glanced towards Lan Guan Zhi. The eyes of both of them met the view and like a deep dive into each other's truth.

"…"

Lan Guan Zhi did not say anything in answering his good friend's question. He only stared at Xiao Shuxiang for a long while before turning his gaze the other way.

"Lan Zhi, your silence should not make me feel like you're really avoiding me because of that missus.."

"Mn, it's possible."

!!

Lan Guan Zhi's voice was cold, she made her good friend startled by her words just now. He began to walk away regardless of Xiao Shuxiang looking at him.

Xiao Shuxiang himself was clearly very surprised. I don't know what's wrong with Lan Guan Zhi being able to behave like that. He never did anything, never did anything that made his best friend angry, but Lan Guan Zhi instead avoided him.

"Before he said he wouldn't do it again, but why did Lan Zhi's attitude suddenly change? Something's wrong with the kid.. He was unlike the usual Lan Guan Zhi,"

Xiao Shuxiang watched his good friend from afar, Lan Guan Zhi was seen teaching Ling Qin Qi and giving some pointers to the girl. Someone suddenly landed right beside him which turned out to be the Crazy Beggar Boy.

***