Chapter 151: The Past is Gone

"Junior Sister Luyi?" An ethereal voice drifted down from above.

Luyi instinctively looked up and saw a young maiden in a white dress, lounging lazily against a thick bough of a towering acacia tree.

Her jade-like cheeks were half-hidden behind charming acacia blossoms, making her seem even more lovely than the flowers themselves, almost dazzling Luyi's eyes.

*Senior Sister Wuhuan seems even more beautiful now!* A thought flashed through Luyi's mind.

"Senior Sister Wuhuan, there is someone claiming to be Little Eleven who says she wants to see you..."

Before Luyi could finish her sentence, she saw a white figure descend from the sky.

"What did you just say?"

Gu Weihuan landed lightly in front of Luyi with a graceful spin, her long skirt swirling down as she fluttered to the ground like a fairy.

Luyi was mesmerized at the sight. Seeing Senior Sister Wuhuan up close made it even harder to look away!

The Senior Sister Wuhuan she had known in the past possessed a pristine beauty untouched by mortal dust, hailed by the disciples of the Acacia Sect as the "Cold Jade Fairy."

Today, however, Senior Sister Wuhuan seemed to carry a touch of mortal warmth, and her habitually expressionless face showed clear signs of emotion.

"Luyi?" Seeing that she did not reply, Gu Weihuan furrowed her brows in displeasure and asked again.

"Oh—" Luyi snapped out of her daze and continued, "Senior Sister Wuhuan, three Foundation Establishment cultivators newly arrived in Yun County today, and I happened to run into them. One of them, who calls herself Little Eleven, wants to see you."

"Little Eleven, is it really you?" Gu Weihuan murmured softly to herself.

Luyi stood to the side, but Senior Sister Wuhuan's voice was too soft for her to catch every word.

"Senior Sister Wuhuan, what did you say?" she couldn't help asking.

Gu Weihuan turned around, her profile filled with desolation. "Tomorrow at the Hour of Chen, meet me in the Acacia Valley."

A strange look flickered in Luyi's eyes. Was Senior Sister Wuhuan actually going to meet that girl with the surname Gu?

On second thought, she realized Senior Sister Wuhuan's reaction was quite reasonable.

That girl surnamed Gu must be an old acquaintance of hers, right?

A gentle, graceful breeze swept past. Luyi looked up and saw that Gu Weihuan's figure had already vanished behind the acacia trees in the distance.

Luyi gazed up at the sky. Rosy clouds filled the western horizon, and the brilliant glow painted the Acacia Valley with a layer of rouge.

She let out a breath, summoned her flying sword, and departed from Qianji Peak by riding the sword.

After leaving the Acacia Valley, Luyi headed straight back to Yun County. Remembering that Senior Sister Wuhuan had agreed to the meeting, she went directly to the Immortal Guest Inn.

When the inn attendant caught sight of Luyi, his eyes lit up—this was an inner disciple of the Acacia Sect!

"This fairy—" the attendant stepped forward with a beaming smile to greet her.

"Young man, among those who came to stay yesterday, was there anyone surnamed Gu..." Before Luyi finished her sentence, a voice rang out from upstairs.

"Sister Luyi, you're here?" Immediately afterward, a maiden in green fluttered down to her side.

Luyi turned her head—it was Gu Weiyu!

Gu Weiyu's divine sense had been monitoring the entrance of the Immortal Guest Inn the entire time. The moment Luyi appeared, she could not wait to reveal herself.

"It's not very convenient to talk here..." Luyi glanced around the ground floor with a meaningful look.

Gu Weiyu affectionately linked her arm and pulled her upstairs. "Sister Luyi, let's go talk in a room upstairs!"

The guest rooms of the Immortal Guest Inn were equipped with soundproofing arrays and various restriction talismans, making them quite safe and private.

Luyi had no objections and accompanied Gu Weiyu to the guest quarters shared by her and her fourth sister, Gu Weilan.

The room was very spacious. Aside from the bedroom for resting, it also featured a quiet chamber necessary for cultivation and a small parlor for receiving guests.

Gu Weiyu and Luyi sat down on the rattan chairs in the parlor. Hearing the commotion in the room, Gu Weilan emerged from the quiet chamber and joined them in the parlor.

"Sister Luyi, how did it go?" Gu Weiyu looked at Luyi with anticipation in her eyes.

Luyi curved the corners of her lips into a faint smile. "Senior Sister Wuhuan agreed. Tomorrow at six quarters past the Hour of Mao, I will come to the Immortal Guest Inn."

At this, she paused and added, "However, I can only bring one person with me."

Although the Acacia Valley was mostly populated by outer disciples of the Acacia Sect, as an inner disciple, bringing one or two people in wouldn't be a problem; but too many people would inevitably invite gossip and criticism.

"Okay!" Gu Weiyu agreed immediately upon hearing this.

Luyi stood up from the rattan chair to take her leave. "I've been out for a long time; it's time for me to go back."

Gu Weiyu stood up as well and personally escorted her downstairs. "Sister Luyi, we'll see you tomorrow at the Hour of Mao!"

Luyi gave a faint nod and turned to leave the Immortal Guest Inn.

Gu Weiyu returned to the room, closed the door, and walked over to Gu Weilan. "Fourth Sister, should I go tomorrow?"

Gu Weilan nodded and said, "You are closer with Little Nine, so it is naturally more appropriate for you to go tomorrow."

With the matter settled between the two of them, Chu Liuxing walked over and knocked on the door. "Feather Brother, I heard that the night market in Yun County is very lively. Shall we go out for a stroll?"

Gu Weiyu was in high spirits upon learning that she would see her ninth sister tomorrow, and she felt quite tempted upon hearing his words. "Fourth Sister, are you going?"

Gu Weilan hesitated for a moment on her face before nodding in agreement.

Since they had made the rare trip to Yun County, going out for a stroll wouldn't be bad.

"You guys wait here, I'll go call Brother Xu right now!"

Seeing that Gu Weiyu and Gu Weilan had agreed, Chu Liuxing eagerly scampered off to the neighboring room.

As dusk descended, candlelight began to flicker along the streets and alleys of Yun County. On the streets especially, amidst the orange candlelight, clever merchants had already raised their voices in cheerful hawking.

The crowd on the streets gradually grew larger, consisting of both mortals and cultivators strolling together in a bustling mix.

In such evening scenery, people seemed to forget the distinction between mortals and cultivators altogether.

The four of Gu Weiyu threaded through the flowing crowd, watching the increasingly lively marketplace while harboring their own thoughts.

As she walked, Gu Weiyu paused in her steps and stared blankly at a lantern shop not far away.

In a trance, she seemed to recall that Lantern Festival many years ago, when their tenth aunt and sixteenth uncle had taken a group of the younger ones out at night to view the lanterns.

"Young lady, are you buying this lantern?"

The young shop assistant at the lantern shop noticed Gu Weiyu staring intently at a small rabbit lantern, her expression a mix of joy and sorrow, and could not help stepping forward enthusiastically to ask.

Gu Weiyu snapped back to her senses, only to realize that without knowing it, she had walked right up to the lantern shop.

"I'll buy it!"

Gu Weiyu casually pulled out a coin of silver and handed it over.

"This—young lady, please wait a moment, I'll go get your change." The attendant took the silver, weighed it in his hand, and said with a cheerful grin.

Gu Weiyu's gaze fell upon the small white rabbit lantern emitting a warm orange glow, her expression softening.

Her ninth sister loved rabbit lanterns the most. Tomorrow, when she met her ninth sister, she could just present her with this lantern as a gift!

Chu Liuxing walked over, glanced at the rabbit lantern, and asked with a puzzled expression, "Isn't it just a lantern made by mortals? What's so rare about it?"

This lantern was far too ordinary—neither magnificent nor sturdy, merely a mortal artifact. Having grown up surrounded by spiritual tools and magical treasures, how could Chu Liuxing possibly think much of it?

"You don't understand!" Gu Weiyu carefully tucked the rabbit lantern away into her storage ring.

Chu Liuxing: "..."

*What the heck, why does big brother feel like his intelligence has been looked down upon?*

Gu Weilan glanced at Gu Weiyu, a different expression crossing her face as her brows instantly softened.