Chapter 297 An Awkward Meeting
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To say nothing of how Ye Fan is stirring up wind and rain in the mortal world, inside the Immortal Spirit Valley, several more days have passed.
At this moment, inside Chen Chang'an's residence, he pointed at the plain-skirted figure standing beside him, trying his best to make his tone sound natural.
By his side stood a woman wearing a plain skirt. The woman had a clear and beautiful face, with picturesque features, and her long hair was loosely tied up with a wooden hairpin.
When her clothes fluttered lightly in the wind, spiritual light faintly flowed around them. But if one looked closely, the expression on her face was somewhat stiff.
"Cough."
Chen Chang'an coughed lightly, his gaze sweeping over the group of disciples in front of him.
"I have gathered you all today because I have important news to announce."
Xiao Chen, Han Yu, and the others stood with their hands hanging down, while Jiang Che, who was usually the most restless, instead had a solemn face.
Spiritual sparrows in the valley chirped as they flew over everyone's heads.
"This is..."
Chen Chang'an pointed at the woman beside him, his fingers curling up imperceptibly within his sleeve.
"She is my junior sister Lin Wan, whom you have long known about, and also your... martial aunt."
Before his words had fully settled, the woman in the plain skirt suddenly broke into a smile.
That smile was like a spring breeze brushing over a cold pool, causing the cold aura around her to come alive.
"Greetings, Martial Aunt!"
Xiao Chen was the first to bow, his black robes remaining unruffled. Han Yu held his sword and bowed, the jade buckle on his sword tassel making a ringing sound.
Jiang Che nervously made a deep bow, nearly knocking into Ji Lingxiu beside him.
The corner of Chen Chang'an's eye twitched.
Just then, a goose-yellow figure rushed into the crowd like a whirlwind.
"Sister Lin—!"
Xiao Ling'er, like a cheerful little sparrow, threw herself straight at the woman in the plain skirt.
As she wrapped her arms around Lin Wan's neck, the silver bells in her hair jingled chaotically, startling away the spiritual butterfly on her shoulder.
Chen Chang'an instantly froze.
The avatar and the true body shared their five senses, so at this moment, he clearly felt the girl's warm, soft body temperature and smelled the faint scent of jasmine in her hair.
Even worse, when Xiao Ling'er rubbed against Lin Wan's cheek, that strand of falling hair was sweeping right across...
"Ling'er!"
Xiao Chen was quick-witted and grabbed the back of his sister's collar.
"This is your martial aunt!"
Xiao Ling'er, dangling in mid-air, widened her eyes: "I know, but this is also Sister Lin."
"Cough, cough!"
Chen Chang'an suddenly coughed violently a few times.
The woman in the plain skirt timely took half a step back; with a light wave of her sleeve, a gentle breeze supported Xiao Ling'er steadily back to the ground.
Xiao Chen glared warningly at Xiao Ling'er, then turned and cupped his hands: "Please forgive me, Martial Aunt; Ling'er she is... innocent and lively, and does not understand the rules."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Ling'er turned her head and glared fiercely at Xiao Chen.
"It is fine."
The woman in the plain skirt laughed lightly, her voice like a clear spring in a mountain stream.
"Three days from now, the Heaven Stele will reopen; this time, I will go with you."
These words finally made everyone's expressions turn solemn.
This was actually the reason why Chen Chang'an was currently risking revealing his avatar.
Three days later would be the grand event of the entire Xuan Ying Continent, the day the Heaven Stele reopens.
This time, the top forces of the entire Xuan Ying Continent would all be present.
Xiao Chen naturally had to take a group of junior brothers and sisters there.
If it were usual times, Chen Chang'an would not be worried, but what Ji Lingxiu said earlier had reminded him that something major might happen at the Heaven Stele this time.
One must be prepared for any eventuality just in case.
Now that his true body could not go out, the best method was naturally to send out his avatar.
As for strength, Central State was millions of miles away from Qing State, so there was no need to worry about the avatar's strength issue.
Subsequently, Chen Chang'an stood with his hands behind his back, sweeping his gaze over the group of disciples, his voice steady.
"Effective immediately, Martial Aunt Lin Wan will formally join the Immortal Spirit Sacred Land, serving in the position of Supreme Elder."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone had different expressions.
A gleam of light flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes, and the corner of his mouth rose unconsciously. Two sages in one sect! This meant that the Immortal Spirit Sacred Land's status on the Xuan Ying Continent would become even more secure.
He subconsciously looked at Han Yu, and their gazes met, seeing excitement in each other's eyes.
The woman in the plain skirt—Lin Wan—smiled faintly; with a light tap of her fingertip, a gentle breeze blew over everyone's heads.
"In the future, I will need you nephews and nieces to look after me."
Just then, a crisp voice came from behind the crowd: "Martial Aunt~"
Chen Xingcai bounced and squeezed her way to the front, looking up with her small face, her eyes sparkling brightly.
"So Martial Aunt's name is Lin Wan; that sounds so nice!"
Chen Chang'an's temples throbbed twice.
What gave him an even bigger headache was that after Chen Xingcai finished saying this, she immediately retreated to the side, put her hands behind her back, and entered "stealthy observation" mode.
This was her signature move when she discovered something interesting. Those lively eyes swept back and forth between Lin Wan and Chen Chang'an, and a faint smile hung on the corner of her mouth.
"Cough..."
Chen Chang'an coughed lightly, striving to maintain his dignity.
"If there is nothing else, let us end today's proceedings here."
Then he said to Xiao Chen: "Depart tomorrow; be careful in all matters."
"I respectfully obey your command."
Xiao Chen answered seriously, then cupped his hands and said: "Then this disciple will take my leave."
Han Yu and Jiang Che also tactfully bowed and withdrew.
Before leaving, Ji Lingxiu looked thoughtfully at Lin Wan, then looked at Chen Chang'an, a flash of understanding crossing her eyes.
Finally, Lin Wan bowed to Chen Chang'an: "In that case, I will take my leave too, Senior Brother."
Chen Chang'an nodded in agreement with a pretense of manner, but in reality, this situation of talking to himself under the watchful eyes of everyone made him so embarrassed that he was practically digging a three-bedroom apartment under his feet.
He no longer dared to imagine the scene if the disciples learned the truth.
When everyone had dispersed, only Chen Chang'an and Chen Xingcai remained in the Immortal Spirit Valley.
The morning mist gradually scattered, the stream babbled, and a few spiritual birds chattered on the branches, as if waiting to watch the excitement.
"Daddy~"
Chen Xingcai suddenly threw herself at him, hugging Chen Chang'an's arm, rubbing her small face back and forth against his sleeve.
"Martial Aunt Lin Wan is so beautiful, why has she never appeared before?"
Chen Chang'an's body stiffened, feeling his temples throbbing again. He coughed lightly, pretending to be calm.
"Your martial aunt she... has been in secluded cultivation for many years and does not like lively places."
"Oh?"
Chen Xingcai raised her small face, her eyes glowing frighteningly bright.
"Then how did Daddy and Martial Aunt meet?"
"This..."
Chen Chang'an's mind spun rapidly as he began to make things up.
"Back then we studied under the same... cough... master; your martial aunt was gifted, and we often discussed the Dao and sparred together..."
As he spoke, he almost believed it himself—discussing the sword under the moon, contemplating mysteries together; he fabricated it vividly, down to the lifelike details.
Chen Xingcai listened with her head tilted, then suddenly narrowed her eyes: "Could it be that nothing really happened between Daddy and Martial Aunt Lin Wan?"
"Happened?"
Chen Chang'an froze.
The girl slyly raised the corner of her eye: "You know what I mean, Daddy~"
Thud!
A knuckle knock landed precisely on Chen Xingcai's forehead.
"I don't understand a thing!"
Chen Chang'an's old face flushed red.
"Don't tell me you are reading those messy storybooks again?"
Chen Xingcai stuck out her tongue and jumped away like a frightened rabbit.
"People are just curious~ if you don't want to say, forget it!"
After saying that, she ran off in a flash and disappeared.
Watching his daughter's receding figure, Chen Chang'an let out a long breath of relief, wiping away non-existent cold sweat.
Luckily, he managed to bluff his way through...
Little did he know, while running, Chen Xingcai clenched her small fist, her small face full of secret delight.
"Good! As long as she isn't an old lover... then Master still has a chance!"
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