553: Chapter 396 553: Chapter 396 Sometimes, when Cai Xiangxiang asked about Jiang Tang, she would wonder where this junior brother was now.
They would occasionally exchange messages through communication devices, and knowing Jiang Tang’s exceptional abilities, the Immortal Sect could no longer hold him.
He was like a bird that had grown up and was flying towards higher skies, with grander dreams and aspirations.
Weiwei understood that Cai Xiangxiang, who always stayed in the courtyard without daring to show her face outside, was lonely, and her company in the courtyard was equally solitary.
She also knew of Cai Xiangxiang’s subtle fondness for junior brother Jiang Tang.
Weiwei neither supported nor rejected Cai Xiangxiang’s liking for her junior brother.
The last time she saw Jiang Tang, she utterly realized that he was surrounded by many women, and ordinary women simply didn’t catch his eye, just as the very beautiful ones didn’t either.
Cai Xiangxiang’s hidden affection might only be an unrequited love, without hope for reciprocation.
Weiwei didn’t think too much about it; although she had never confessed to her senior brother, the affection they shared was profound and real.
She also knew that someone from such a prominent family might not even notice her.
Perhaps she and Cai Xiangxiang were similarly fated, possibly doomed in love like moths to a flame.
But what did that matter?
As long as one has loved, such love is not merely gratitude, nor is it solely attracted to the other’s appearance and talent; it is the mutual attraction between a man and a woman, entwined by fate.
Weiwei received a message from Jiang Tang while she was in the midst of artifact refining.
Hearing the message from her storage bag, she left behind half of the items she was refining, and without a word to the senior brothers around her, she ran off.
“Hey, junior sister, where are you going?
Your refining is about to liquefy.”
Weiwei only managed to say to the senior brothers behind her, “Senior brothers, I have to go out for a bit; please tell master for me.”
Not every senior brother has the privilege of entering the refining room to forge artifacts.
With too many people on the mountain and too few tools in the refining room, they took turns.
Each person refining allocated some time for their own cultivation technique, and there were no rules designating particular rooms to anyone.
Only the eldest senior brother was an exception, having a dedicated room for artifact refining, which used to be the master’s refining room.
Now that the eldest senior brother was gone, and the master was too lazy to refine artifacts, the room was vacated, allowing them to teach the junior sister together.
It seemed junior sister had something urgent, judging by her frantic and somewhat excited expression.
Could it be that she was going to meet senior brother?
These senior brothers felt a sense of loss, but they could not just let the junior sister run off alone.
Worried for her safety, they disregarded whether the master would approve of so many of them leaving the sect and followed junior sister’s steps, running out to the Immortal Sect’s main streets.
While running, Weiwei didn’t forget to call for Cai Xiangxiang, but she didn’t return to the courtyard, eager to meet her beloved, senior brother Ye Tian, junior brother Jiang Tang.
Cai Xiangxiang would practice her own techniques in the courtyard while Weiwei went to refine artifacts.
During her last meeting with Jiang Tang, he had given her a cultivation technique that had greatly improved her abilities, though not as rapidly as Weiwei’s.
She had now reached Foundation Establishment Great Perfection, a level in the sect where one could either be an Outer Sect disciple or an Inner Sect disciple, and she was stronger than some of the Inner Sect disciples.
Even after improving her cultivation, she had not considered leaving, knowing she could increase her status and undertake other tasks to survive on her own strength.
Cai Xiangxiang didn’t take that path because she understood why; becoming an Inner Sect disciple might elevate her status, but she wouldn’t have a private courtyard to herself and could not possibly live with other female cultivators in one courtyard.
Could those women be trusted?
Cai Xiangxiang understood that Weiwei and another senior brother had helped her escape from demon’s clutches.
Weiwei had done so much for her, and as a woman, she too had a heart full of gratitude.
Being at this woman’s side, she had gained too many benefits.
Had it not been for Weiwei, Jiang Tang might never have given her anything.
Without Weiwei, she could imagine what her fate would be.
By this woman’s side, she found a safe haven, with a feeling of kinship that wasn’t blood-related.
Cai Xiangxiang didn’t have to cook three meals daily; sometimes, even the food she prepared wouldn’t be eaten by Weiwei right away.
It would just be kept in the storage bag to be warmed up whenever she came out to eat or returned.
Weiwei had gone to practice artifact refining today, probably not returning until evening.
With so much free time to herself, a cultivation practitioner finds solitude bearable, simply yearning to increase their skills quickly and reach higher levels.
Then, there’s no need for others’ protection, and one can take control of their own life.
Cai Xiangxiang had left home at a young age and didn’t know how her parents were doing.
Perhaps they were hoping she’d come home to visit, but previously her despicable master wouldn’t allow it.
Now with a bit more capability and no one to restrain her, she still didn’t dare to recklessly go about, let alone visit relatives.
As long as she was safe, her family would be comforted.
Towards the opposite sex, Cai Xiangxiang felt nothing for other men except for an initial guilt toward Jiang Tang, which eventually turned to admiration upon learning that he hadn’t died and had grown so strong.
Knowing that this man wouldn’t be average, that he had many outstanding women by his side, she could tell that he had no feelings for her in his eyes.
Still, Cai Xiangxiang harbored a secret affection for Jiang Tang, longing for him in her idle moments.
Upon receiving a message from Weiwei, Cai Xiangxiang’s face broke into a surprised smile, no longer concerned about encountering high-level cultivators on the street who might reveal her unique constitution.
Weiwei had asked Brother Ye Tian to craft a jade pendant that could only conceal her identity and constitution from those below the Nascent Soul Stage.
She had also heard that it was possible to create even more advanced magical treasure pendants.
However, since Ye Tian himself was at the Nascent Soul Stage with exceptional abilities, he couldn’t exceed his own skill level in crafting; if someone was above the Nascent Soul Stage, they could recognize her constitution.
But what did it matter when it came to seeing Jiang Tang?
Weiwei had hurried out and might not return for a while.
She had to follow and see Jiang Tang too.
She knew Jiang Tang’s capabilities; if Weiwei went along, then she could protect her.
Cai Xiangxiang didn’t want to hide in the North City Immortal Sect for the rest of her life.
Having not been outside for many months, she longed for a chance to return to her hometown.
Cai Xiangxiang hurriedly appeared on the paths of the Immortal Sect, where many people had never seen her before, a beautiful sister both senior and junior.
She indeed attracted a lot of attention, turning many heads.
“Hey, junior sister, where are you going?”
Some male practitioners couldn’t help but call out to her.
Another male practitioner whistled, “Senior sister, what a beautiful face!
Where do you study?”
Cai Xiangxiang’s jade pendant concealed her constitution, and it also hid her cultivation level.
Others thought she was in the Qi Refinement Realm or at the Foundation Establishment Stage, judging by the servant disciple’s clothes she wore.
They felt they might initiate a conversation, perhaps finding such a beautiful woman to be their partner.
Arriving in the Immortal Sect to practice cultivation, many people were there for various purposes.
As they grew older, their thoughts about women developed.
However, in the vast Immortal Sect, male disciples outnumbered female disciples, so the ratios were disproportionate, making the girls all the more precious.
Especially the beautiful ones, who were favored even more by the men.
Cai Xiangxiang could hardly care about these people.
Previously, she had always hidden in her courtyard and would only occasionally go out to find food, avoiding the men from Refining Artifacts Peak.
The men there seemed rough and tough, much safer than the ones who were now hitting on her.
Cai Xiangxiang hurried on her way.
How could those who caught sight of a beautiful woman so easily let her go?
They had tried to hit on Sister Weiwei when they saw her run out earlier, but with so many burly senior brothers following for comparison in physique and cultivation, their interests were stirred but not moved.
But this woman passing by was different; she didn’t seem to have very high cultivation, so they decided to follow and see where she was going.
Noticing someone was tailing her, Cai Xiangxiang felt a bit scared and could only run faster, hoping to see Jiang Tang and the others soon, so there was nothing to fear from these people.