Ten years Retreat?

Immediately it became dawn, my master and I were already out of bed and I told him I'd show up at the gathering with Baozhi's disciple, he didn't complain and thought of it as a good idea himself.

I felt surprisingly energized and when I gazed at myself in the dressing mirror. My face had this natural glow and my skin looked even smoother.

I looked a lot more healthier than when I first showed up here. Pondering on my looks, a hand slipped across my waist pulling me close and my master's face came into view in front of the dressing mirror as his hands were wrapped around my waist and his chin resting on my shoulders.

"Admiring yourself already?"

I gazed at him through the mirror and shook my head.

"I'm just wondering how on earth I look more radiant?" I was still surprised by all of it, not that it made me prettier than the ladies in Mount Xuandu but it was a progress.

"You've always looked radiant in my eyes, nothing has changed." I locked eyes with him through the mirror and a sweet sense of belonging filled me, he always knows the right word to say that'll bring me out of my crazy thinking.

"Are you ready to go?" I asked and he nodded.

"I was waiting for you."

I turned to look at him. "Me?" Did he forget so soon? "But I said…"

"I know what it is you said but I told you, I'm not going to let you walk around, I'll take you there."

I sighed inwardly at his words. "Qui Shan, you do know we're still going to walk to the gathering." I reminded him with folded arms, he doesn't have to be so over protective and my feet were a lot better now.

"Don't argue with me, even if you walk there, at least I've lessened the walk a bit for you."

"But…" without waiting to hear the rest my protest, he held my hand and just like I had imagined, a white dazzling light surrounded us and once it died, I was standing right in front of Baozhi's hall. Well that was quick.

"Where can I get such powers?" I questioned with interest and he flicked my forehead in return.

"Focus more on your training, then you can talk about gaining such powers."

I shot him a playful glare but he glanced around as If making sure no one was passing by before leaning close and placing one last brief tender kiss on my lips.

"See you at the gathering."

My cheeks heated up at such a mischievous act, when did he..??! He vanished while I still stood there in a daze for who knows how many minutes and the groaning sound of the gate finally jolted me back to reality and when I swirled to see who it was.

Baozhi's disciple stood at the gate staring blankly at me, Zhangjie carried Youlan behind his back and she also grinned at the sight of me.

"Senior Shanxia."

I smiled at her before going up to them, Bai QingQing smiled warmly at me. "When did you get here Shanxia and why did you stand out here?"

"Oh uhm I just got here so I was about to come in before you stepped out." I explained while Yang Fe darted a quick glance at me.

"Glad you came on time, let's go."

I nodded and we all strode across the path together, chatting and laughing about unnecessary things while heading to the gathering.

"So I heard everyone is going to be there." I spoke up first, Zhangjie nodded with a smile.

"A rule of the Mount Xuandu."

"What happens in the gathering?"

Youlan was the first to speak. "First they welcome other sects and the celestial sovereign goes out to give a very boring speech." She rolled her eyes at the speech part and I'm glad I wasn't the only one who found it boring.

"It's not boring little Youlan, it's informative and tells us more about how the hunting tournament started."

Zhangjie didn't seem to agree with that. "I doubt, it's just a way to while away time."

"Let your legs be faster than your mouth else we won't get to the gathering on time." Yang Fe walked ahead and the rest of us followed,being a senior disciple must be quite hard judging from how serious Yang Fe is most of the time but it kinda suits his personality.

When we got to the gathering, up ahead were disciples on flying sword as they came to a landing on the ground, their masters were right beside them and their cultivator robe seemed different from ours, while ours was white, theirs was blue in color and not just them, more immortal's where starting to make their presence and each aura was stronger than the previous ones.

I spotted my master who stood quite a mile away from me, master Baozhi by his side as they both engaged themselves in what seemed like a neutral discussion, no one could possibly guess just how close those two were from the way they treated themselves.

Youlan grinned from ear to ear at the sight of her father and her eyes sparkled with great delight.

"Father's here." She tapped Zhangjie's shoulder so he could drop her and once her foot got to the ground, she headed straight towards them.

Zhangjie chuckled lightly seeing her run off like that.

"It's been weeks since she saw him, can't blame the little one for getting too excited."

I gazed at her as she called out excitedly to her father, Baozhi finally heard and his serious expression softened after realizing his daughter was the one calling out to him, he looked even more handsome with such a warm expression on his face and when she finally got to him, he crouched down to hug her tight also picking her from the ground as she embraced him and refused to let go.

My master also stroked the little one's hair while she flashed him a sweet smile.

"Those two won't be able to escape Youlan's clutches today." Yang Fe spoke up and we couldn't agree more, those two were her most favorite people and when they turned their gazes to our direction. We bowed in unison towards them. When I raised my head up, I noticed my master still had his eyes locked on me and my heart quickened I immediately averted my gaze.

"Is it just me or has master Qi actually changed a bit?" Yang Fe was the first to speak while Bai QingQing gazed at him infactuatedly.

"Of course, he looks even more eye-catching with each passing day." She dreamily said, making Zhangjie scoff at her.

"No matter how hard your feelings are for master Qi, you know that fat disciple named Rui, you're gonna end up with guys like him." He joked.

I blinked at them, feelings for Lord Qui? Well it shouldn't be surprising judging from how good looking my master was but still..

"Feelings?" I asked making Bai QingQing to turn her attention towards me.

"Of course, even you can't tell me you feel nothing for him since you're actually staying under the same roof but our bad luck we can't have him."

Her words caught me off guard. "Meaning?"

Zhangjie folded his arms still keeping his gaze locked on lord Qui.

"That master of yours has never shown even a single interest in any of the ladies in Mount Xuandu, he's a tough one to crack. We thought he was the type who was interested in men too but no."

Yang Fe seemed a bit frustrated by our words. "No gossiping, imagine what trouble we'd get into if we're caught." He whispered but Zhangjie wasn't bothered.

"Don't be too alarmed brother, who would want to hear us?"

He turned his attention to me again. "That reminds me, did you know your master left Mount Xuandu ten years ago for some retreat?" He questioned but before I could reply, Yang Fe was dragging him away.

"Brother, what are you doing?"

While I was worried for Zhangjie, Bai QingQing snickered.

"I hope he finally learns to stop talking." She met my worried gaze and smiled. "Don't worry, Yang Fe has no evil intention in mind, Zhangjie is his brother after all, come on let's get ourselves settled."

I nodded absentmindedly but still couldn't shake off Zhangjie's question. My master went on a retreat ten years ago?