Chapter 87: A Reunion with Luo Cong'an - I Forged Them in Darkness, and They Buried Me in It

### Chapter 87: A Reunion with Luo Cong'an Sun Zhenjiang frowned and asked, "How many incidents is this already this month? Why does it feel like they're getting more frequent?" As practitioners acquainted with the other side of the world, they were acutely aware that the causes behind these events were far from simple. Xie Wenqing, on the other hand, dismissed it with a slight purse of his lips, somewhat indifferent. "With the large-scale revival of spiritual energy, it's only a matter of time before the truth can't be hidden anymore. Let's see how long the officials can keep this under wraps." "But something feels off," he continued. "Even if the beasts in the mountains have gained intelligence, they should be focusing on their cultivation rather than attacking people." His question was one that neither Shao Ren nor Sun Zhenjiang could answer. However, their thinking wasn't all that different from Xie Wenqing's. According to the reports, those beasts were merely more agitated and crazed, without any significant increase in combat power. If modern firepower is considered, those beasts wouldn't stand a chance, let alone against hidden practitioners. Chen An, who had been listening quietly, suddenly had a fleeting reaction in his eyes. An idea occurred to him, prompting him to rise from the bamboo chair and make his way toward the door. He was planning to visit Luo Cong'an again. The last time, his questions about the secret realm were interrupted by a blundering young girl. Given the circumstances back then, Chen An couldn't inquire further and had no choice but to leave. Now, with the Dragon Tiger Mountain secret realm about to open, it was the perfect opportunity to visit and ask. The other three in the courtyard heard the commotion and turned to see the boy's retreating figure, momentarily stunned. Sun Zhenjiang was the first to react. He nudged Shao Ren, who was holding a phone, and asked, "What time is it?" Shao Ren snapped out of it, glanced at his phone, and exclaimed in shock, "It's not even time to eat yet..." Upon hearing this, both Sun Zhenjiang and Xie Wenqing were equally astonished. Everyone knew that, given Chen An's routine, he wouldn't leave before mealtime. They had almost come to expect him as a living alarm clock for mealtimes, so this was quite the deviation. Shao Ren quickly called out to Chen An, who was about to walk away. "Chen An, where are you going?" Chen An paused, waved a hand. "I'm going to see Luo Cong'an." True to form, he was honest and didn't bother to conceal his intentions. However, to the three in the courtyard, his words seemed to carry an altered meaning. Shao Ren was taken aback, "Is he really going to find Master Luo?" As soon as Shao Ren spoke, Xie Wenqing burst into a mocking laugh. "You believe that?" "Let's overlook whether he has any connection with Master Luo. Even if he did, the dwellings of the masters are in the back mountain—how could he get in?" Xie Wenqing scoffed, "Do you think someone as half-baked as him, who trains sporadically, would achieve the level of Qi cultivation before He Jinxing and the others?" Sun Zhenjiang, who had been silently listening, added, "It's not 'sporadically trains,' it's 'never trains at all.'" Shao Ren scratched his head awkwardly. "Alright, alright, there's no need to be this harsh. I was just proposing a hypothesis." It was clear that he also didn't think Chen An was truly going to see Master Luo. Even though it had only been a dozen days, Luo Cong'an, relying on her unique charisma and an ounce of modest beauty, had unquestionably won over the young hearts of both boys and girls on the outer mountain. She had become the unspoken object of their admiration. Watching Chen An leave with such casual confidence, as if he could meet her whenever he wanted, added to their irritation as he blatantly referred to her by name. "I'll even make a bolder guess," Shao Ren continued. "Even if he has become a Qi practitioner, he can't just waltz through the array that blocks the path to the back mountain." "You've forgotten whose lecture we attended today, haven't you? That array was personally laid by Master Meng. Without a token or a guiding formation expert, it's nearly impossible to bypass." With Xie Wenqing's final remark, the topic was dropped in the Outer Fourth Courtyard. And once again, Chen An's image in their minds took a further plunge, though it was already considerably low. --- --- The small path leading to the back mountain revealed a youthful figure. As he walked on the path, Chen An had a strange premonition. He felt as though he would often come this way in the future. The first time is always the hardest, but it gets easier after that. This time, Chen An, remembering the path, swiftly arrived at the gate of Luo Cong'an's separate courtyard. As usual, Chen An hadn't notified her ahead of time; he simply came because he wanted to. Whether or not Luo Cong'an was at home, or even available, didn't factor into his considerations. Even the process of his visit remained unchanged. For instance, now was the time to walk up and knock on the door. After two soft knocks, the door opened. A tall figure appeared behind it. The woman was not dressed in her usual Daoist robe but wore a more comfortable and loose-fitting home sleep dress. Her slightly damp hair was piled atop her head, her long, slender eyes displaying an unintended allure. On her feet were fluffy white bunny slippers, with her clean toes peeking out cutely. She noticed Chen An's gaze and became inexplicably self-conscious, wiggling her toes. Her tone got slightly irritable from the embarrassment. "What's there to look at..." Chen An nonchalantly shifted his gaze and entered. "Just surprised you brought such clothing." Luo Cong'an pursed her lips and explained, "Xiao Qiu brought them to me." Chen An nodded, understanding. "I see." He paused suddenly, as if remembering something, and greeted, "Good afternoon." Luo Cong'an glanced at the evening glow in the sky, her voice carrying a hint of irritation, "It's almost dark." After she spoke, she realized her reaction seemed a bit strange—that she was bickering over such a trivial matter with a kid. But it wasn't really bickering; it was more like whenever Chen An appeared in front of her, her emotions inevitably fluctuated. In simple terms, she found it hard to maintain the composed demeanor she showed others in Chen An's presence. This was not a good sign. Luo Cong'an noted this, determined to be more cautious in the future. Though she was reluctant to confront it, she had to admit she was being subtly influenced by another part of herself in her mind. Seeing the young man already lounging in the bamboo chair, Luo Cong'an casually closed the door and approached. "Still the same matter as last time?" She asked. Knowing that he never came without reason, Luo Cong'an could guess why he was here. Chen An turned slightly, avoiding her eyes. Her movements highlighted her pale, gleaming skin, causing an inevitable stir within him. "Yes, I forgot to ask you about when exactly the secret realm opens." Luo Cong'an wasn't surprised, just curious. "For someone like you, showing such interest in this matter?" "What pill are you planning to refine?" (Chapter End)