Qiao Mu discreetly observed the two seniors in question.
It appeared as though they carried an emotional tale with Senior Xuanji, one brimming with sorrow and melancholy.
As the rumors swirled among their peers, everyone's imagination ran wild, conjuring a heartfelt yet melodramatic four-sided love story. All eyes converged on the two seniors, their gazes filled with inquisitiveness.
Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, Little Fatty, known as the king of gossip, ventured forth and asked, "Could the two seniors kindly share with us the story of what transpired between you and Senior Xuanji?"
"Wuwuwu," Chen Qi began to sob as he recounted, "Junior Sister Xuanji and I have known each other since we were ten, growing up together amidst the clouds."
Lu Zheng swiftly interjected, "And me!"
"Since childhood, Junior Sister has always been intelligent, vivacious, and naturally beautiful," Chen Qi continued, wiping away his tears. "It was impossible not to develop feelings for her."
Little Fatty's eyes sparkled with the intrigue of juicy gossip. "So both of you fell in love with Senior Xuanji at the same time. But who could have predicted that an old rascal of a senior would emerge as we grew older? He was astonishingly talented, unrestrained, and seemed otherworldly. In the end, he captured Senior Xuanji's attention, ultimately leading to his abduction."
"How did you know?" Chen Qi appeared taken aback.
Little Fatty pursed his lips. "These two seniors may underestimate my intelligence, but it's not very difficult to deduce from the hints you dropped earlier."
Indeed, he had already pieced together the story from their earlier conversation.
"That's correct, that old rascal abducted our Junior Sister," Chen Qi exclaimed, his heartache evident. "Fetch me a jug of wine!"
Qiao Mu silently produced a wine jug adorned with plum blossom engravings and placed it before them.
In no time, everyone reached into their inner worlds to retrieve wine cups and hastily poured themselves a meager portion of liquor.
Each person raised their cup, and in a matter of moments, the wine jug stood emptied.
Chen Qi and Lu Zheng indulged in a sip of wine, followed by a heartfelt sigh. As they savored the drink, their eyes brightened.
"This liquor is quite exceptional," Lu Zheng remarked with enthusiasm. "It carries a mellowness imbued with the fragrance of plum blossoms. Upon tasting it, one can sense a delicate, almost ethereal energy flowing gracefully through the body."
They took another sip, and this time, Lu Zheng found himself overe with emotion. "What have we truly been pursuing all these decades?"
Chen Qi, too, was swept up in emotion, and together, these two elder gentlemen, who had seen several centuries pass, found themselves shedding tears before the younger generation.
Qiao Mu cast an exasperated glance at Qi Xuanxuan.
Qi Xuanxuan and their acplice swiftly retrieved two pieces of cloth from their pockets and handed them to the seniors. passionately, Qi Xuanxuan said, "Don't cry, Seniors. Wipe away your tears."
Chen Qi and Lu Zheng accepted the cloth, using it to dry their tears and clear their noses. They spoke with a sense of melancholy, "After all these years, we finally receive some news about Junior Sister Xuanji. Our hearts are torn between joy and sorrow."
"Second Headmaster, you need not keep it from us any longer," Chen Qi continued. "In truth, we came to know a century ago that Junior Sister Xuanji had already passed away."
"Her life tablet shattered long ago, and her life lantern faded away," Lu Zheng added.
"That apparition you encountered in the Xuanji secret realm must have been the last vestige of her consciousness lingering in this world."
The two seniors heaved a profound sigh and raised their wine cups for another drink.
"We trained alongside Junior Sister day and night for several centuries," Chen Qi reminisced. "But it was during that practical training down the mountain that she crossed paths with that old rascal, and everything changed."
Lu Zheng chimed in with disdain, "Honestly, what's so special about that scoundrel? He may seem virtuous, but he's actually a heartless scoundrel."
"That's correct," Chen Qi lamented. "Junior Sister's affections were tragically misplaced, and her sincerity was misused."
The curiosity finally got the better of Qiao Mu, and she inquired, "Who exactly is this old scoundrel you're referring to?"
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