On the official road, choked with swirling yellow dust—
A white horse stood quietly by the roadside.
On its saddle sat a golden-haired figure, her beauty so unearthly it seemed she had stepped out of a dream.
She did not advance, as if waiting for someone.
Seeing this, Li Zhexian suddenly remembered what Xue Qinghe had said yesterday.
"Tomorrow I'll be caught up in state affairs. I probably won't be able to see you off."
His sword-like eyebrows raised slightly. A guess surfaced in his mind, but he couldn't be certain.
The Windchaser's hooves thundered over the ground.
Just as Li Zhexian was about to ride past the golden-haired girl—
Her slender jade wrist flicked the reins, and the white horse beneath her sidestepped with graceful precision, blocking his path exactly.
"Whoa—!"
The Windchaser neighed sharply, forehooves pawing the air, forced to halt abruptly in a cloud of dust.
That deliberate move confirmed the guess in Li Zhexian's heart.
Looking at that slender, flawless back, he raised his voice:
"Why does this lady block my path?"
Qian Renxue was still facing away from Li Zhexian, her palms already sweaty from gripping the reins. Her heart was pounding like a drum, a sound she could clearly hear.
Whether as the Saintess of Spirit Hall or as Crown Prince of Heaven Dou, she had faced countless grand occasions—but never had she felt such tension.
Last night, she had tossed and turned, rehearsing her lines countless times in her mind, and now she silently ran through them again.
Qian Renxue took a deep breath—
And finally gave the reins a light shake, slowly turning her horse to face him.
Seeing the white-clad youth again in her true form made her heart tremble fiercely.
What she did not know was—
The instant her face entered Li Zhexian's sight,
it struck him with equal force.
Even someone like Li Zhexian, whose heart was filled mostly with sword and wine,
couldn't help but lose focus for a moment upon seeing such a face without warning.
A gown of white and gold lace flowed gracefully down her figure.
Her long golden hair cascaded like a waterfall to her waist, setting off that dreamlike jade visage with even greater sanctity.
Her blue eyes were as clear as a high mountain lake, and beneath her skirts, faintly visible, were long alabaster legs glistening with a warm luster in the sunlight.
On this lonely stretch of road—
To suddenly encounter such a person was truly like seeing an angel descend to earth.
Being looked at that way by Li Zhexian made Qian Renxue's heart flutter even more, her body taut with tension.
She could only try her best to keep her voice steady:
"You are Li Zhexian? Do you know Xue Qinghe?"
Li Zhexian was stunned.
He already knew that the golden-haired beauty before him was Xue Qinghe's true self—Qian Renxue.
He had expected her to reveal the truth outright.
But hearing her question… perhaps not?
He followed along with her words:
"I am Li Zhexian."
"Xue Qinghe is a good brother of mine. What do you mean by this, Miss?"
Suppressing the ripples in her heart, Qian Renxue replied:
"My name… is Qian Renxue."
"Xue Qinghe was worried your journey to the Wind Sword Sect would be long and dangerous, and since he couldn't spare the time himself—"
"He entrusted me to accompany you."
This explanation was the result of much inner debate.
Why not tell him the truth?
She had too many concerns.
First—she feared that if Li Zhexian suddenly learned the brother he'd spent so much time with was actually a woman, he might not take it well.
If that caused their relationship to grow distant, it would be a disaster.
This matter would have to be revealed slowly.
Second—she still needed to maintain the Crown Prince identity of Xue Qinghe.
If she exposed herself now, how would they interact later?
Her slender fingers unconsciously twisted the reins.
Call me greedy if you will…
Whether as Xue Qinghe or as Qian Renxue… I want to travel with you.
Li Zhexian almost wanted to laugh at her words.
What sort of logic was this?
Amusing indeed.
But he kept his expression calm.
Taking the wine gourd from his saddle, he tipped back a deep drink, wiped the corner of his mouth, and asked:
"And why should I believe you?"
"How do I know you didn't just hear of my destination from elsewhere and deliberately approach me with some other motive?"
Qian Renxue was silent for a moment.
The golden bracelet on her left wrist glimmered faintly—
And a smooth jade token appeared in her palm, which she tossed lightly to him.
"This is the Crown Prince's token. That should be proof enough."
Li Zhexian caught the token and gave it a cursory glance.
"I believe you."
Then, with a shift in tone, he added:
"But I'm used to traveling alone."
"I dislike having company. What should we do about that?"
"…"
Qian Renxue's chest rose and fell slightly,
the curves beneath the delicate lace trembling with the motion.
Why had she never noticed before that Li Zhexian could be this difficult?
"Xue Qinghe is acting out of concern. If you turn away his goodwill, how will you explain yourself when you return to Heaven Dou City?"
Feigning thought, Li Zhexian eventually sighed.
"Fine, fine. You can follow."
With that—
He gave the reins a flick, the Windchaser letting out a long neigh as it surged forward.
Qian Renxue looked at the white-clad figure galloping ahead,
and her lips finally curved upward, unable to suppress the softest, warmest smile.
For these ten days—
She would not be Xue Qinghe.
She would be Qian Renxue.
"Finally…"
"I can travel with you in my true self…"
...
The Wind Sword Sect lay far from Heaven Dou City—
Deep within the Wind Gathering Mountain Range in the eastern part of the Star Luo Empire.
Even with the Windchaser's speed of 500 kilometers per day, the two of them had to change mounts and ride without rest for two full days before barely crossing into Star Luo territory.
"Let's rest a bit. We're almost there."
By a crystal-clear lakeshore, Li Zhexian dismounted.
Two days of hard riding had darkened his fair face slightly,
a few loose strands of hair clinging to his cheek.
That faintly weary look, matched with his dust-stained white robes and the wine gourd at his waist, only added to his unrestrained, wandering air.
Qian Renxue reined in her horse beside him.
A stunning beauty always seemed to have her own grace—
Even after two days of rushing, she showed not a hint of disarray.
Her red lips remained vivid, her blue eyes bright, her white-and-gold gown pristine, her noble, holy aura wholly intact.
"After two days of dry rations, my mouth's gone bland as a bird's."
Li Zhexian cheerfully pulled fishing gear from his treasure pouch.
"Qian Renxue, know how to fish?"
Qian Renxue hesitated for a moment.
"No."
Facing away from her, Li Zhexian's lips curved in a smile.
She was playing the part well.
Hadn't they already fished together at Lotus Lake no fewer than eighty or ninety times? He taught her how to bait the hook and cast the line.
They enjoyed a meal of fresh lake fish, then mounted up again.
After another half day's ride, the scenery before them shifted dramatically.
Mountains rose on all sides, forming a natural fortress.
Three sheer cliffs enclosed a vast wind-gathering hollow.
Before they even entered, the howling of wind through the mountain gaps filled their ears.
As they drew nearer, powerful gusts slammed into them,
snapping at Li Zhexian's white robes and sending Qian Renxue's golden hair streaming.
"What a desolate wind eye…"
In this place, the wind was everywhere, penetrating every crevice. Li Zhexian could clearly feel his Qinglian Sword excitedly trembling in response.
"We've come to the right place."
Suppressing the surge in his heart, his gaze pierced through the roaring gales—
Landing on the ancient sect plaque, half-hidden in dense forest at the base of the valley.
A clear, resonant shout cut through the wind, echoing through the mountains—
"Li Zhexian has come to pay his respects!"