24 Then Do You Like It?

"You... are you Little Xixi... of the Gu family?"

Zhou Yan's gaze focused on her while he contemplated for a brief moment. Due to his advanced perception skills, with just a quick thought, he was able to dig out the deepest depths of a once familiar memory. As a result, he was able to precisely recall memories from his childhood.

"Are... are you really brother Zhou Yan?"

There was a clear reflection of joy through her eyes and was unable to hide her feelings. She had an unexpected rush of emotions.

All the despair she felt from the death around her, the pain and sorrow instantly faded away.

"Yes... it's me. I never expected I'd run into you here of all places. Weren't you supposed to be meeting the sage of the Frost Blades? When did you return?"

Zhou Yan was a little curious, while his face literally beamed with joy. He did not expect to run into his long-lost friend in the middle of a barren land under the shroud darkness.

Meeting a long-lost childhood friend at this moment overwhelmed the young lad with joy.

When he was little, due to his father's matters he never spent much time at home. Instead, he spent his days in the Xiao family's home in the City of Heavenly Prophecies.

The Xiao family was extremely close to the Gu family due to the intermarital ties they shared. After generations of close relations, both families had an unbreakable bond.

When they were young, Zhou Yan and the daughters of Xiao Zhan, Xiao Chaner, Xiao Liner, and this little rascal, Gu Xi, always played together every day. They were inseparable. 

Zhou Yan's natural gifts were impeccable and his father started to gain some notoriety. Since the age gap between Zhou Yan and the trio of girls were not that big, the girls became his personal handmaidens as they treated him extremely well. 

Finally, after all those years of not seeing each other, the once weird little rascal was now a powerful figure. Zhou Yan definitely did not foresee that.

Zhou Yan also never expected her raw power alone to be leagues ahead and even more impressive than Zhou Lingyi!

The raw power of hers had far exceeded the realms of what Zhou Yan was able to gauge! 

After this comparison was made, Zhou Yan could not help but feel the declining power and standards of the Zhou family. Even the pupils of a minor family were able to instantly murder scholars within the realms of the Blade's Essence.

"I... Well, I have returned to the family's sect for a month's time already. I had some matters to attend to. Some people in the family were placed in a tough spot by the Yang family, so I had to see to those matters myself.

"I didn't expect people in the family to have been harmed. Even the supposedly loyal guards were deluded as well.

"If I didn't return, I'm afraid that our Gu family and our legacy would be completely destroyed." 

Gu Xi sighed while withdrawing her menacing aura.

When the aura dissipated, Zhou Yan instantly felt relieved.

"From what I recall, the Yang family was a minor family back then. How did their power grow so quickly?"

 Zhou Yan was slightly puzzled.

"Yes, indeed, but it wasn't just our Gu family. The Xiao family was affected too. Since the notoriety of Uncle Zhou Wangcheng's reputation was the only thing keeping them in their place back then, it's only natural for them to make their first move due to Uncle Zhou's current... condition.

"If I fail to master anything this time, I'm afraid the outcome would be unimaginable!" Gu Xi explained after pondering in silence for a brief moment.

Zhou Yan frowned while he spoke, "What about Uncle Gu... of the Gu family and Uncle Xiao Zhan? Did anything awful happen, to... them?"

Gu Xi sighed, then proceeded to respond with a bitter chuckle, "Unfortunately, I was a little too late when I returned, or else... but don't you worry, brother Zhou Yan, they are both fine. They sustained slight internal injuries, and their bodies weren't able to concentrate and condense their Blade's Essence, so they were temporarily unable to recover. However... I already informed all the elders via my blade's messenger. Hopefully, since all of the elders had been informed, they surely would think of a solution for me."

"They were unable to condense and store their blade's essence? I understand. Perhaps, I have a solution."

Zhou Yan proceeded to close his eyes while he willed himself to suppress the boiling fury from his heart.

He still cared deeply for them. The feelings he experienced as a child would be something he held dearly and would never forget! Although it was due to his father's unrivaled reputation, the truth was, those people were kind and compassionate to him ever since he was a child!

Even though he bullied Gu Xi, Xiao Chaner, and Xiao Liner before, they had never once punished or blamed him and would only discipline their own daughters instead.

Those people were prideful, and were known for their firm stand on not bootlicking anyone of higher status. It filled his heart with compassion and warmth to be loved and spoiled by them.

Besides, any child would have the innate ability to tell false pretentious love from genuine love!

Their current condition was almost similar to the condition Feng Lingqing experienced back then!

Could there possibly be any connection to these events?

The methods of attack used to mortally wound someone and rob them of their ability to condense and store their Blade's Essence within their body were without a doubt not common. Hence, Zhou Yan's expression became serious.

"Ah... Brother Zhou Yan, you… what you said, could… could I be correct?"

When Gu Xi spoke, she had a surprised and joyful look on her face.

In her heart, she never thought of Zhou Yan as a useless piece of trash. Instead, he was extremely honorable and capable. He was still the same man she remembered as a child.

"Yes, but I'll have to examine their condition before coming to a definite conclusion. I came across someone who had been mortally wounded the same way they did, and I successfully got her body to retain some Blade's Essence, which resulted in healing her."

While Zhou Yan spoke, he thought about Feng Linqing, then the Lady of the Snow-Jaded Palace, then to Ning'er and his adorable, lovely handmaiden Ping'er. Flames of lust were once again lit his heart.

While he contemplated for a brief moment, he immediately rid his mind of impure thoughts, then proceeded to take out a full jug of ale. He chugged the entire jug down his throat.

"Gulp... gulp…"

The way Zhou Yan drank the ale was uncanny to Zhou Wangchen. He was as elegant as his father, and similarly, his long dark hair fluttered messily in the wind. Gu Xi was completely stunned when she watched his behavior.

She used to think that the old, soft-spoken, and elegant looking Zhou Yan was her perfect Prince Charming. However, looking at how he behaved exactly like Zhou Wangchen, this rebellious yet cool and emotionless silent Zhou Yan looked incredibly attractive as she felt her heart swayed heavily towards him.

By making this comparison, she instantly felt that the pupils in her family's sect, who were shameless and useless could never compare or even reach Zhou Yan's level of elegance and charm.

"Brother Zhou Yan is… is something troubling... you?" Gu Xi questioned anxiously.

When Zhou Yan listened to her nervous question, he snapped out of his feelings of nostalgia, which was an emotion where he missed the women he encountered recently. He proceeded to chuckle. It was as if all his troubles had faded away and instantly recovered to his cheerful, spirit-filled state.

"It's nothing. I was just reflecting on some events in the past. Little Xi, are you now in the third rank in the realm of the Blade's Essence? I can't exactly sense the realm you're currently in," questioned Zhou Yan.

Gu Xi nodded after hearing his question. She replied, "Yes, I've just ascended to this realm, and it was only after I've reached this state that my masters allowed me to return home for an extended time. However, the future of my training would be incredibly difficult now… That reminds me, brother Zhou Yan you are currently in the realm of a Blade's Enforcer, right?"

As Gu Xi spoke, she leaned closer to Zhou Yan. He was able to smell waves of delightful refreshing scents emanating from her body. Half of her body was already leaning on his side. It felt familiar to him.

The close bond they shared as a child never faded away from the progression of time.

Hence, Zhou Yan forced a bitter smile and simply shook his head. He said, "My natural talents were severely repressed in these recent years. It's only recently that I've reawakened my slumbering talents, and now I'm merely in the third rank in the realm of the Blade's Cardinal, so in comparison to Little Xi, the gap of our power level is extremely huge."

Gu Xi's bright spirit filled her stunning eyes and began blinking repeatedly. She said, "Before I recognized you earlier, Brother Zhou Yan, you were exceedingly terrifying, and somehow I can't shake the feeling that the ferocity of your powers are not weaker than mine!"

"Your perception is truly impeccable. My raw strength alone is most likely more powerful than the strongest foe in the third rank of the realm of the Blade's Essence. Perhaps it's not even a competition after all. Remember when I've told you that I've saved a person's life? That person was an unimaginably powerful foe, and after I've saved her life, I've grown stronger. I've managed to kill several powerful foes who were at the highest peaks in the realms of the Blade's Enforcer, and even doing so, I didn't break a sweat."

"Ah... so that's why... then, Brother Zhou Yan, were you also wronged by the Zhou family?"

Although it was hard to believe he would be wronged by the Zhou family, Gu Xi, was no fool and was in fact, quite sharp. Since Zhou Wangchen was no longer in a position of power, then the possibility of Zhou Yan being completely shunned by his family was high. However, she did not bring it up earlier because she noticed the clothes that were dawned on Zhou Yan's body. She could not believe that Zhou Yan was wearing none other than…'The Armor of Absolute Invincibility.'

For someone to be worthy of the armor of such majesty, the family would most likely hold him in absolute high regard….

"This situation, though, well, it's a long story…"

After contemplating, he did not hide any details of the events that transpired within the Zhou family. Hence, he gave her a good summary of everything that occurred.

As the duo continued ahead, Gu Xi hugged his arm while they walked.

The duo flew ahead on their swords while they continued their conversation.

…

"What... this... this is just scummy!"

"They are such b*stards with the audacity they have. I would absolutely kill them with my Blade's Essence of Pure Frost. I'd slaughter them all!"

"Ah... were you injured then, brother Zhou Yan?"

"How wonderful, you've awakened your natural gifts. They shall regret having to ever wrong you!"

Thus, Gu Xi's expressions changed while Zhou Yan described the events that had happened to him.

She may seem like a gentle, soft-spoken, and elegant young girl. However, the instant words escaped the very crevices of her mouth, she was crude and rowdy. This behavior made Zhou Yan smile since she was no longer the naïve young girl she once was.

Zhou Yan absolutely adored and loved this feeling and continued to observe her frustrated expression. He was unable to control himself to keep patting her head.

"Ouch... Dammit, brother Zhou Yan, you're such a meanie!"

Gu Xi responded in a coquettish manner.

During their journey, Zhou Yan told her everything, and how he truly felt about the events that transpired, except him inheriting the will of the Ancient Sage and the encounter with the Lady of the Snow-Jaded Palace. 

Hence, just like that, the emotional barriers they had previously completely faded away.

"Yes, brother truly is a meanie, tell me, do you like it?" Zhou Yan teased with a huge smile.

While he spoke, he gently nudged Gu Xi.