Chapter 76: The Depths of Chen An's Complexity - I Forged Them in Darkness, and They Buried Me in It

Chapter 76: The Depths of Chen An's Complexity "Check... body?" Hearing these words, a hint of suspicion crossed Lin Jing Qiu's face. She nodded subtly without revealing her thoughts. "So, how is Chen An's health? Is there anything wrong?" Luo Cong An was momentarily taken aback before responding, "Uh... he's in excellent shape?" Chen An, unable to listen any longer, cleared his throat and stood up. "You guys chat. I'll head back now," he said. With that, he wasted no time and walked straight towards the door. As he passed by Lin Jing Qiu, she instinctively reached out and grasped his hand. "Hey, what's going on? I just got here, and you're already leaving..." It was an unconscious gesture to hold him back. The warm sensation of reality in her hand struck her, causing a slight blush to rise on her cheeks. Chen An showed no particular reaction and did not resist, merely glancing at her with mild curiosity. Luo Cong An, silently observing all of this, had a complex expression in her eyes. Had it been any other boy, she wouldn't have given it much thought. After all, a little mutual affection at this age was perfectly normal. And Luo Cong An wasn't one to scold her disciple over such matters. But the key issue was that Lin Jing Qiu's affections were directed towards Chen An... While Luo Cong An had always asserted to Chen An that she was independent and wouldn’t be influenced by those memories, was that truly the case? Emotions are the most complicated of things; they are rarely black and white but instead full of contradictions. Helping Chen An regain his memory meant Luo Cong An relived those experiences as well. She too felt sadness. Yet her primary concern remained Lin Jing Qiu's well-being. Chen An was just too mysterious, with a past shrouded in secrecy, while Lin Jing Qiu was clearly an innocent young girl. They couldn't possibly be a suitable match, could they? With Chen An's current indifference, the one likely to get hurt would be the girl. Simply put, Luo Cong An felt that Chen An was too deep, and she feared her naive disciple would end up compromised, with nothing left. Sighing deeply, Luo Cong An couldn't help but reflect on the complicated web of relationships among them. By the time her thoughts had circled back, Lin Jing Qiu had collected herself. She averted her gaze, let go of his hand, and clung to her mentor's arm, mumbling, "What are you staring at? So what if I held your hand, you're such a stingy person!" Chen An chuckled, "I didn't even say a thing." Lin Jing Qiu ignored him, maintaining a bravado to hide her embarrassment. "You did. Your eyes were full of disdain." Chen An didn't argue with her and continued walking. This time, no one stopped him. Lin Jing Qiu couldn't come up with a reason to hold him back. Watching his departing figure, she remembered the fleeting warmth of their touch, inexplicably feeling a slight heat rise to her cheeks. So, the young girl fanned her face with her hand. Luo Cong An, who watched everything unfold, felt even more uneasy. ... Chen An stepped out of the courtyard just as a mountain breeze blew through, making his trousers rustle. The night air on the mountain was even colder. He looked up to see the bright moon hanging high, its gentle light illuminating the path. There were no streetlights along the path—perhaps there wasn't seen as any need. After all, even a first-tier Qi practitioner could see clearly at night. Chen An walked with the wind, passed through the array, and returned to Courtyard No. B4. He took out his token to unlock the door and entered the courtyard. Inside, the lights were bright, and shadows played on the walls. The people here were also around seventeen or eighteen, full of youthful energy, and naturally, none were asleep. Chen An opened the door to find his three roommates gathered around a long table. Seeing Chen An return, Sun Zhen Jiang and Xie Wen Qing merely nodded in a subdued greeting, a contrast to their initial warmth. Only Shao Ren maintained his hearty demeanor, cheerfully beckoning Chen An to join them. "Chen An, perfect timing! Xie Wen Qing is sharing some introductory cultivation knowledge. Come join us and learn. Getting ahead early means staying ahead!" Shao Ren's animated gestures showed his enthusiasm. Yet Chen An wasn't interested in such matters. He declined, excused himself to wash up outside, and then returned to lie down on his bed. This scene prompted Shao Ren to retract his invitation without further comment. Meanwhile, Xie Wen Qing snorted coldly. "What an act." He hadn't bothered to lower his voice, so everyone in the room heard him clearly. In Xie Wen Qing’s view, he was doing them a favor by sharing what was, to a newcomer, precious information—like the various systems and levels in cultivation. So Chen An's indifference, which appeared to dismiss this goodwill, was nothing short of pretentious. Sun Zhen Jiang furrowed his brows, adding with a laugh, "He probably thinks being a lone wolf is cooler. Even refused to eat with us." Though they had just moved in, tension was already brewing in the small dorm. While Shao Ren shared some misgivings, he still defended Chen An, saying, "Since Chen An came with Master Luo, he might already know these basics and that's why he's not interested..." Sun Zhen Jiang interrupted, his irritation growing more apparent. "Don’t give him excuses. If he really knew, why didn't he share when we were asking in the afternoon?" His tone carried a chill. "So either he's hoarding knowledge, unwilling to share, or he's clueless and just pretending." Sun Zhen Jiang's words were blunt. Youthful impulsiveness often led them not to think things through, clinging to their own ideas. For instance, once he thought Chen An was withholding information, it was hard to treat him with an open mind. Unlike sly old foxes who wear a friendly face while scheming behind the scenes. But this approach has its downsides—his outburst plummeted the room's atmosphere into awkwardness. Yet, despite Sun Zhen Jiang's scathing remarks, the boy on the bed remained unmoved, not twitching a single muscle. Seeing this, Xie Wen Qing couldn't help but sneer, "Fine, let's ignore him. He thinks because he's associated with Master Luo, we all have to suck up to him. Not me." Just then, Shao Ren seemed to notice something. He cautiously moved closer to Chen An's bed, and his expression turned peculiar. He glanced back at Xie Wen Qing and Sun Zhen Jiang, saying, "He's already asleep..." (Chapter End)