Painting of the Nine Immortals
chapter-439

"Mistress Gong, long time no see."

A faint laughter rose slowly. It was the sound of greeting between two old friends and the sound of reunion after a long time.

Gong Suo Xin's eyes widened as she checked out the handsome young man before her. His brows were pointy and his complexion was jade-like. His entire temperament was more like an immortal than a mortal. He was extraordinary and out of the world.

Slowly, the image of this man and the image of a handsome youth from eight years began to merge in her head. It formed into the shape of the person who had always been on her mind.

Eight years. An entire eight years. She had never stopped waiting, waiting for the appearance of the person who made her a promise. Especially during her most helpless times, she had always thought of Ling Xian. Yet all her anticipations turned into disappointment.

Finally, Ling Xian showed up before her. As excited as she was, she was also in disbelief.

"You… you are Ling Xian?"

Gong Suo Xin's beautiful eyes became damp as she asked with uncertainty.

"It is me. Even though it has been eight years, I haven't changed much." Ling Xian grinned, "Mistress Gong on the other hand, is looking more sophisticated than before."

"Ling Xian… it really is you…"

Gong Suo Xin mumbled as her movements turned slow. In the next second however, she cooled down entirely. Just like a thousand year old snow mountain, her coldness stopped everyone from approaching.

"A man who couldn't fulfill his promise dare to show up before me?"

Dizzy from anger, Gong Suo Xin overlooked Ling Xian's capabilities and slapped towards him!

"Aye…"

Looking at the infuriated Gong Sou Xin, Ling Xian sighed out of guilt. Thus, against the powerful attack, he didn't dodge nor defend. Instead, he marched forward.

Bang!

The delicate hand landed, emitting heavenly lights that slammed into Ling Xian's chest.

Sadly, his physique was too strong and Gong Suo Xin was merely in the intermediate stage of the foundational level. Even though he didn't defend, she couldn't hurt his physical body. Thus, this slap didn't hurt Ling Xian at all. He didn't even shake.

This scene made both of them speechless.

"Dammit!"

Gong Suo Xin gritted her teeth. She didn't think that after eight years, Ling Xian would have progressed far enough for her to not be able to hurt him. As shocked as she was, her anger grew as well.

"I see how it is. You no longer take my attacks seriously because you are strong now."

"Eh…"

Ling Xian was speechless as he stared at the shaking Gong Suo Xin. "It is not that I am taking you lightly, I simply want you to relieve your anger."

"Relieve my anger?"

Gong Suo Xin's chest rose up and down heavily due to anger and she screamed, "Who lets others relieve anger like this? I can't even f*cking hit you!"

"Eh…"

Ling Xian was speechless, thinking that [I didn't even defend against you. You are too weak to hurt me and you are blaming me?] However, he didn't speak this out loud. If he did, Gong Suo Xin would be scratching him out of rage.

"Um… look, since you can't hurt me, then sit down and calm down." Ling Xian smiled, a little bit embarrassed.

Even though he couldn't fulfill his promise due to reasons out of his control, he was still the one in the wrong. Also, his mistake caused Gong Suo Xin's sad situation today. How could he not feel guilty?

"Calm down? Ling Xian, you sure had a few luxurious years. But what about me? I lived in fear and I lived in humiliation. I am worried every day that I would wake up the next day like a corpse, or become a plaything for some powerful figure!"

Gong Suo Xin gritted her teeth and stared down at Ling Xian, "I waited for eight years and anticipated you for eight years. Yet every day, I tasted disappointment. This is an unbearable torture that has been eating up my soul. I have been hopeless for a long time."

"Yet, just as I stopped having hope. You appeared. Why did you decide to appear? What the f*ck were you doing all these years?" Gong Suo Xin's hands formed into fists as she screamed out all her accumulated emotions from the past few years.

Just as she ranted on, two streams of tears rolled down her cheeks and dropped to the ground.

"Why, why, why didn't you come earlier? Why didn't you come later? Why did you choose now…"

Mumbling, Gong Suo Xin seemed to have lost all her strength and lost all the courage to even stand. She stumbled her way to the corner of the room and collapsed to the ground.

At this moment, all the pain she felt in the past eight years exploded. She seemed to have fallen into an endless hole where the lights could not reach. She buried her head into her knees and hugged herself tight, looking helpless and sorrowful.

Ling Xian's heart shook. Looking at the curled-up Gong Suo Xin, he sighed a long sigh.

He had always felt guilty towards Gong Suo Xin. However, it was at this very moment did he realize how much harm he caused this pitiful woman. Though it wasn't his intention, he didn't fulfill his promise.

As a man, he must be reliable for his responsibilities.

"Mistress Gong, I am sorry."

Ling Xian walked before Gong Suo Xin and apologized sincerely, "Do not worry. I will be accountable for this. I will not escape."

"Accountable?"

Gong Suo Xin rose her head with a cold sneer on her lips, "Because of you, I ranked last in that year's test. The Qi Zhen Pavilion no longer saw me as a person of value. Then, I was defeated by the alliance the other candidates formed. The pitiful state I am in now is not something you can shoulder."

Ling Xian frowned slightly, realizing the severity of the problem. However, he wasn't about to back out, "I may not be able to shoulder it, but I will. I owe you that much."

Sensing Ling Xian's seriousness and determination, Gong Suo Xin was startled. Remembering the rumor from seven years ago and how he was willing to bear her slap, the hatred she felt lightened. The way she looked at him also softened somewhat.

The reason why she lost control was because she had to handle way too much hardships. She chose to suppress all her emotions all these years and never let her guard down. Seeing Ling Xian today naturally made her lose self-control.

Now she had let it all out, she slowly walked out of her sadness and helplessly. Returning to her normal self, she exclaimed, "Aye… it is not all your fault. I know you had your hardships."

Gong Suo Xin sighed and waved her hand with fatigue, "Leave. I do not want to see you again."

"How can I leave you at a time like this?" Ling Xian slowly but sternly shook his head. A warm smile was on his face, "Do not worry. I am no longer the young cultivator from eight years ago. The person I am today can help you."

"I believe that. Even though I do not know how grown up you are, from the way you attacked Wang Peng, I can tell you have strengthened a lot from eight years ago." Gong Suo Xin sighed again. She placed no hope on Ling Xian, "But the Qi Zhen Pavilion is not your playground."

"How will you know until you try?" Ling Xian warmly grinned, "Even if I fail, it is something I must do."

Just then, an angry shout rose from outside and echoed throughout the entire street.

"Whoever hurt my nephew, show your face right now!"

Instantly, Gong Suo Xin's expression changed and hurriedly ordered, "Dammit, that's the voice of Wang Teng Fei. Ling Xian, leave, quick. Before it's too late."

"It's already too late." Ling Xian smiled, not really caring about all this."

"You… do you even know how serious this is! That is Wang Teng Fei. He is a famous completion levelled powerhouse in the city. You may have grown, but you are no opponent of his!" Gong Suo Xin was very worried. She jumped up and continued, "Ling Xian, I can drag out the time for you a bit. Use this chance and leave."

Then, she marched forward to protect Ling Xian.

However, the moment she took a step, a slender hand grabbed onto her arm. Then a warm and confident statement was made.

"I am a man. Why would I let you deal with trouble for me?"

Ling Xian had a faint smile. Like usual, he was confident and nonchalant.

This confident smile made Gong Suo Xin's heart thump. But very quickly, she ruthlessly cursed, "You dumbass! It's not a time for you to be a hero. That is Wang Teng Fei. He is insanely capable. Even if there are 100 of you, it's not enough to kill him!"

"100 of me isn't enough?"

Ling Xian shook his head. Under Gong Suo Xin's fearful gaze, he leapt out of the window and landed on the street. All he left behind was a confident statement that swayed around the air and her mind.

"Watch. It's not that 100 of me isn't enough. It's that 100 of him isn't enough."

....

On the Chang Street, guards wearing helmets and holding long spears circled the Qi Zhen Pavilion. Conservatively estimating, there were hundreds of them.

Before the door of the Qi Zhen pavilion, a middle-aged man wearing a blue robe had a dark expression on his face. Terrifying Qi and unforgiving killer's intent roared out of him, sending shudders down everyone's spine.

His name was Wang Teng Fei. He was a famous powerhouse here in the Emperor's Millennium Capital.

Beside him, Wang Peng had an angry expression. Imaging the cruel attacks Ling Xian was about to face, he couldn't help it but to reveal a hint of triumph.

To him, no matter how strong Ling Xian was, he was no opponent against his third uncle. Thus, he was certain that Ling Xian was dead meat.

It wasn't just him. Wang Teng Fei, those guards, and the crowd, all thought Ling Xian was about to die. Some people had already begun to exclaim. Exclaiming about the Wang Clan's overbearing ways and exclaiming about Ling Xian's soon to be lost life.

Just as everyone was certain Ling Xian will die, a black silhouette leapt down from the third floor of the Qi Zhen Pavilion.

At the same time, a rush of dominating spiritual energy rolled out in all directions. As if the world was coming to an end, the energy suppressed the entire area. Everyone within 3,000 miles shuddered!

Then, an unbelievable scene happened.

Other than the completion levelled powerhouse, Wang Teng Fei, everyone else couldn't hold themselves against this spiritual energy and kneeled to the ground!

Just like the officials kneeling before the emperor – no matter how much they didn't want to, they had no choice but to kneel!