Painting of the Nine Immortals

Chapter 531: A Familiar Face

Translator: _Tat_ Editor: Rundi

The moon shed down rays of faint brightness that reflected off the tree leaves and created a thin veil.

Before the crowd of trees appeared a beautiful young woman. Her features were delicate, her visage was graceful, and her figure was very alluring. Especially under the moonlight, she looked even more like the descendant of a fairy - her beauty was soul crushing and heart wrenching.

However, there was a look of fluster on her beautiful face and her steps were quick and disorderly. These traits somewhat ruined her perfect image.

Her white dress was decorated with spots of red, representing her current situation. She was most likely being pursued by killers.

"This woman…"

Watching the young woman who was dashing towards his direction in a hurry, Ling Xian frowned. Something about her felt familiar. He felt very confused because of this strange feeling since he was certain that he had never ever met this woman before in his life.

However, in the Taoism community, once one's cultivation reaches a certain level, one's soul begins to keep track of those who interacted with it. In other words, even though Ling Xian had no recollection of this woman, at some point in his life, he should have encountered her before.

"So strange, how come I have no memory of meeting this woman before?"

Ling Xian's brows were tightly locked together as he searched deeply into his memories. He couldn't find any connection between himself and this woman.

However, when the woman saw Ling Xian, who was standing before her, her dim eyes abruptly exploded with light. It was as if she just found the most important person in her life.

Reality was that Ling Xian truly was one of the most important people in her life.

Though nine years had passed, she could not, and would never forget that warm smile and that warm hand.

This warmth of his she said she would remember her entire life.

"Master Ling!"

The woman's smile bloomed like a flower as she hurriedly arrived before Ling Xian. Her beautiful eyes locked onto Ling Xian with a deadly stare and they flickered with pure happiness.

Never in her dream did she think she would end up meeting him here; meeting the person who kept on showing up in her dreams.

"You know me. It seems you have met me somewhere before."

Ling Xian's brows remained in their frowning state. After he searched his brain again and was certain that he had never seen her before in his life, he asked, "Why is it that I have no memory of meeting you?"

Hearing this, the woman's beautiful eyes darkened. He doesn't remember her anymore after all.

In the next second, however, she repressed the disappointment she felt. With a faint smile, she asked, "Master, do you not remember me? Nine years ago, in the City of Yun Xiao of the Zhou Dynasty, you once gave a beggar a storage pouch."

Ling Xian frowned. The Zhou Dynasty… The City of Yun Xiao… beggar… storage pouch… these four keywords awakened his buried memories. Then, inside his brain, the image of a clueless beggar appeared.

That day, he was standing in the middle of a hell-like battleground. Around him were dead bodies and flowing blood.

Nobody dared to get close to him, except for a dirty faced young girl. She walked towards him and asked him to spare her a storage pouch.

A pair of crystal clear eyes that were fearless and intrepid. The footsteps that were slow but determined. A small face that was pale and stubborn. A person whose actions moved Ling Xian and caused a warm smile to subconsciously crawl onto his face.

He still remember the name of that young girl. It was Yu Xun Zhen.

It was a very pretty and very meaningful name.

Recalling the image from back then, a smile crept onto Ling Xian's lips. He asked, "Are you Yu Xun Zhen?"

Seeing that Ling Xian still remembered her name, Yu Xun Zhen was ecstatic and hurriedly answered, "Yes, it's me, Master Ling, you still remember?"

"You are the stubborn young girl from back then. You left a very deep impression on me, how can I forget?"

Looking at the bright young woman before him, Ling Xian's gaze became a little stunned. He smiled, "It's just that you have grown into someone so elegant. I couldn't recall your face right away."

"Yes, it's been nine years already. It's normal that you couldn't remember me." Yu Xun Zhen's face was red as the disappointing feeling she had evaporated without a trace.

After all, back then, she didn't look her best. Though she was a budding beauty, she didn't blossom back then. Today, however, she was graceful, elegant, and extremely beautiful. It was very normal for Ling Xian not to recognize her.

As for him, after nine years, not much of his face changed. Plus, Yu Xun Zhen had imprinted his face onto her heart. Therefore, she recognized him at once.

"Of course. I won't comment much on how you looked before. But comparing the you today to the old you is like comparing the clouds to mud. It's impossible, and not right even to compare."

Ling Xian faintly smiled as he checked out the elegant woman before him. Seeing that her white robe was dyed in blood, he frowned, "What happened to you?"

At the same time, Yu Xun Zhen noticed that Ling Xian was covered in blood as well. She asked in a hurry, "What happened to you, Master Ling?"

The two voices rose at the same time and drifted away at the same second as well. The two of them were a little surprised at this and froze. They checked out each other's fatigued look and exchanged bitter smiles.

"We are not looking like old friends reuniting. Instead, we look like two refugees who just gathered by coincidence."

Losing his composure and smiling lightly, Ling Xian wiped off the smile on his face and said in a low voice, "Someone is chasing after you to kill you?"

"Aye," Yu Xun Zhen sighed a long sigh. Her delicate face could not hide the hopelessness she was feeling.

At this, Ling Xian's brows squeezed together, "What happened?"

Hearing this, Yu Xun Zhen wanted to answer. However, just before she could, a statement full of killer's intent echoed from above.

"I am sorry to interrupt you two old friends catching up. But don't worry, in a bit, I will send you two on your way to hell. Once you get down there, you can continue your chitchat."

Just then, three men dressed in all black jumped down from above. The Qi they exuded were of the foundational level.

The leader of the pack was a middle-aged man. He didn't attempt to hide the disdain he had on his face.

The two subordinates behind him looked similar. They both had arrogant looks on their faces, and the way they stared at Ling Xian and Yu Xun Zhen was the same as they would stare at a dead man.

The moment these three appeared, Yu Xun Zhen's pale face turned even more white. The desperation in her eyes intensified as well.

Seeing this, Ling Xian lifted a brow and said, "These are the people who are trying to kill you?"

"Hehe, trying to kill her? That's not really accurate. She is one of us, we are simply cleaning up our pack." The middle aged man snickered. The way he looked at Yu Xun Zhen was extremely passionate. However, it wasn't a stare that was dirty and greedy.

It was similar to how someone looks at an invaluable spiritual medicine.

Noticing this eerie stare, Ling Xian was getting more and more confused. However, it was not the right time to ask what exactly was going on. Therefore, he impatiently waved around his hand, "Before I decide to kill you, disappear from my eyes at once."

As soon as his voice trailed off, the three of them burst into loud laughter.

"Haha, don't kill me. Look at you, you are about to die yet you dare to talk to me in such a manner?" The middle aged man guffawed loudly. His voice was full of disrespect.

The other two men also carried grins on their faces. Their grins were sarcastic as well.

It was obvious that Ling Xian was soaked in blood and his breathing was strained. Therefore, nobody thought much of him.

"It's true that my condition today is not at its best. However, it's still more than enough to kill all of you." Ling Xian glared at the three of them, feeling far too lazy to waste more time with them.

No matter how badly his state was, killing three foundational leveled cultivators was such an easy task for him.

Therefore, he slowly rose his right hand and punched towards the three men.

Immediately, a terrifying wave of spiritual energy rose to the sky like a giant tidal wave. At once, it hit the middle aged man and a young man in their chests.

In the next second, these two men, before Yu Xun Zhen's astonishing stare, collapsed onto the ground with terrified looks on their faces. They stopped breathing right away.

The entire forest silenced as a result.

The only sound remaining was from the gulping of the other young man.