Chapter 1636: Moon Elder

"Ling'er, could you please copy these two letters for me, following the notes on them?" Zu An stood up, pulled out a chair, and gestured for her to come over.

Xie Daoyun was a runic expert, and her profession's greatest strength was writing. While it would be difficult for others to imitate handwriting, it was effortless for someone like her.

"Okay!" Xie Daoyun obediently sat down, picked up the letters, and began to read them. The smile on her face gradually froze.

Noticing her unusual expression, Zu An quickly asked, "What's wrong? Is the handwriting difficult to imitate?"

"Not exactly," Xie Daoyun said with hesitation, and after a moment, she quietly added, "Brother Zu, which young lady are you planning to meet for a secret rendezvous at midnight?"

Zu An burst out laughing. "You've misunderstood. It's not for me. It's... it's for a task. If it were for me, why would I need to imitate anyone's handwriting?" He felt it was awkward to mention the senior apprentice-brother and sister from the Palace of Azure, fearing he might scare her or cause an adverse reaction that would prevent her from copying the letters.

"That's right!" Xie Daoyun's eyes lit up, and her face immediately broke into a joyful smile. She slightly rolled up her sleeves, revealing her fair, slender wrists, and began to copy the letters by hand.

"Will it be difficult?" Zu An asked with some concern. Both Wan Tongtian's and Grandmaster Huoling's handwriting had distinct personal styles, which was why he had found it challenging earlier.

"It might be difficult for others, but Brother Zu, don't forget what I do," Xie Daoyun said, her face glowing with confidence.

Soon, both letters were ready. Zu An checked them and found the handwriting to be indistinguishable from Wan Tongtian's and Grandmaster Huoling's. He couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, "I can't believe such delicate hands can produce such strong, vigorous script!"

Xie Daoyun's face flushed slightly. "I'm glad I could help, Brother Zu."

"Get some rest early. I'm going out for a bit." Zu An tucked the letters into his robe and prepared to leave.

"Brother Zu~" Xie Daoyun called out to him. "Will you be back tonight?"

Zu An paused. "I might be back very late." Helping Manman heal would take most of the night. Of course, he couldn't stay overnight, or it would be trouble if the people from the Palace of Azure discovered him.

Hearing he would return, Xie Daoyun quietly breathed a sigh of relief. "I wish you success with your mission, Brother Zu!"

Zu An's expression was odd. He waved to her and disappeared into the night sky.

Meanwhile, at the Palace of Azure's detached courtyard, Grandmaster Huoling and Pei Mianman were chatting about the upcoming competitions in the next few days. Pei Mianman responded absentmindedly, her mind preoccupied with what Ah Zu had meant earlier.

Just then, Grandmaster Huoling's face suddenly turned cold. She flicked her sleeve to the side, and an object that had shot in through the window was instantly swept up by her. In that instant, she had already rushed to the doorway, her sharp gaze sweeping the surroundings. Unfortunately, there was only the sparse chirping of insects; not a single shadow of a person was in sight.

"Master, what's wrong?" Pei Mianman also ran out.

"A master just arrived," Grandmaster Huoling said, her expression grave. "Only a handful of people in Mount Zi could deliver a letter without being detected by me." However, these people wouldn't act so surreptitiously. Could it be that other masters had infiltrated? As she pondered, she picked up the letter and used her divine sense to check for traps inside before opening it.

The handwriting that met her eyes made her heart skip a beat. After she clearly read the content, her face alternated between red and white, a multitude of emotions surging forth, truly a sight to behold.

"Master, what does it say?" Pei Mianman had never seen such an expression on her master's face before. She couldn't help but stand on her tiptoes to peek.

"Nothing, just some boring stuff written by a boring person. Pay no mind," Grandmaster Huoling said, quickly tucking the letter into her robe. "Let's continue our previous conversation."

Pei Mianman simply said, "Oh," and didn't press further. Before, Pei Mianman had been absentminded, but now it was Grandmaster Huoling's turn. She appeared calm and composed, but inside, a storm raged.

*Why would that scoundrel write me such a letter? But if not him, then who? How could I not recognize his handwriting? Who else in the entire courtyard could have delivered the letter so silently, if not him? Could it be that our previous time fighting side-by-side reminded him of our younger days? But now he's married with children, what's the point of writing such things to me? Hmph, who does he think he is, to expect me to meet him just because he says he wants to? And arranging to meet at the most remote and secluded Heavenly Lake Peak, what exactly is he planning?*

After a while, Pei Mianman also noticed that something was off with her master. She cautiously said, "Master, you've been too tired these past few days helping me recover. Why don't you go back and rest?"

"I'm not tired," Grandmaster Huoling instinctively replied, but after a moment of hesitation, she stood up and said, "Alright, you should regulate your own energy well."

After speaking, she returned to her room, her hands trembling slightly as she took out the letter. She read its contents over and over, her expression fluctuating between what looked like crying and laughing. After a long moment, she suddenly stood up and muttered to herself, "Hmph, I'd like to see what you intend to tell me!" She rose to leave but quickly returned to her room.

A look of struggle appeared on her face, but she still pulled out a mirror from her spatial pouch, along with a set of rouge and powder. Looking at the familiar yet strange makeup set, a hint of sadness appeared on her face. This very set had been a gift from Wan Tongtian back in the day. How many years had passed since she last used it? Thirty years, or fifty? Fortunately, keeping it in the storage space meant it wouldn't spoil.

She sat down again at her dressing table. As she applied the powder, it was as if she recalled bygone days; the sternness and severity at the corners of her eyes slowly softened, even gaining a hint of maidenly shyness.

Meanwhile, Pei Mianman was feeling restless in her room when suddenly, the window creaked open. She whirled around and saw a familiar figure.

"Ah Zu!" Pei Mianman was surprised and delighted. She quickly rushed over to help him in. "Why are you here? Master is still next door!"

Zu An jumped in and gave her a big hug. Feeling the familiar pressure against his chest, he said with a grin, "Don't worry, she won't be back anytime soon."

Originally, his plan was only to impersonate Wan Tongtian and write to Grandmaster Huoling, but then he thought that would be too cruel. If Grandmaster Huoling were to wait alone in the cold wind all night, the resentment she harbored would probably be enough to tear Wan Tongtian apart... So, he changed his plan and wrote letters to both of them. He had created the opportunity; whether they seized it was up to their destiny.

"You wrote that letter?" Pei Mianman wasn't slow-witted and quickly realized it.

"Otherwise, how would I have gotten rid of that third wheel?" Zu An said, feeling a little smug and pleased with his cleverness.

"What exactly did you write that could lure my master away?" Pei Mianman's large eyes were filled with curiosity.

"Ahem, well, it's a good thing, anyway," Zu An said, feeling awkward about telling the whole truth. If she knew he had played such a trick on her master, she might get angry.

Seeing she was about to press for more, Zu An quickly changed the subject. "You deliberately left the door open for me, Manman. You truly are in sync with me." In this world, cultivators' residences usually had defensive formations set up around them. It was quite difficult to enter unnoticed without the owner's permission.

Pei Mianman blushed. "Pah, I merely forgot to close the window. It's not like I deliberately left it open for you."

"Come on, let Big Brother check your body and see how your recovery is progressing," Zu An said with a chuckle, playfully reaching out to her.

"Naughty~" Pei Mianman said, but there was no real annoyance in her tone. The two naturally snuggled together, speaking of their longing during separation and the joy of their unexpected reunion.

After a moment, Zu An said, "Your injuries are recovering too slowly. The competitions in the coming days will be dangerous. I'll help you heal with the Primordial Qi."

"No~" Pei Mianman said, her face flushed, as she ran away. Having been together for so long, how could she not know the nature of his healing method?

Zu An was amused. "What do you mean, 'No,' while simultaneously running to the edge of the bed?"

Pei Mianman was greatly embarrassed. She grabbed a pillow nearby and chased him around the room, hitting him. But as they played, they involuntarily tumbled into the covers together.

"You... weren't you supposed to be healing me? Why are you... just kissing me?" Pei Mianman's voice trembled slightly.

Zu An lifted his head from her embrace and said with a sly smile, "This is just preparation for the healing."

"You truly are a lovable rogue who's both annoying and endearing~" Pei Mianman's peach blossom eyes glistened with emotion. Her jade-like arms gently embraced him, and she naturally began to cooperate with him.

Their long-awaited reunion was like dry wood meeting a blazing fire, or accumulated rain clouds finally breaking; with the slightest spark, it erupted completely.

"Mmm~" A sweet, lingering moan escaped her lips, and a captivating flush of peach-pink spread across Pei Mianman's entire skin.

Zu An also didn't forget to activate the Primordial Genesis Sutra to help her recover from her internal injuries. However, this method of healing made the recipient's body infinitely more sensitive than usual. Soon, Pei Mianman was utterly overwhelmed, begging him for mercy, calling him "Good Big Brother" repeatedly. But what she didn't realize was that the more she pleaded, the sweeter it sounded to his ears, like the most rousing bugle call to charge.

Just as their healing session was at its peak, Zu An's expression suddenly changed. "Are you kidding me? Is it always this coincidental?"

"God, are you playing games with me?"

"What's wrong?" Sensing his hesitation, Pei Mianman asked languidly.

But she soon found out. Light footsteps approached from outside, followed by a cool, clear voice saying, "Manman, it's Chu Yan."