Chapter 501: Love at First Sight???

Kong Que withdrew her gaze from the surrounding medicinal fields. As she spoke, she turned her head back—and it was precisely then that she saw Zhang Xiaohua standing before her.

At the instant she laid eyes on Zhang Xiaohua, she suddenly felt that everything in the world vanished from existence. Heaven and earth alike disappeared, leaving behind only this man before her—this utterly ordinary man. Her gaze was drawn to him with irresistible force, like a moth rushing toward a flame, every shred of her attention firmly seized by him!!

Thump, thump, thump!

Kong Que’s heart began to pound violently, as though she were facing something she had long yearned for, something she had dreamed of day and night—or even the very thing she was destined to pursue for her entire life.

Without any conscious intent, an inconceivable thought flashed through her mind:

I want to obtain it. I must obtain it.

Immediately afterward, she involuntarily raised her right hand, as though she meant to reach out and seize Zhang Xiaohua himself.

Valley Master Nie, Elder Zhang, and the others all changed expression at this sight. In the past, countless emissaries of the Incense Spreading Sect had all been cold and aloof, scarcely paying any heed even to the Valley Master and elders of Spring Rebirth Valley, much less sparing a single glance for the medicinal apprentices they came to select. Although Zhang Xiaohua was the future son-in-law of the Valley Master of Spring Rebirth Valley, in the end, he was still nothing more than a small medicinal apprentice of the Incense Spreading Sect. Kong Que’s behavior now was simply far too strange.

Meanwhile, upon hearing Kong Que’s words, Steward Yang immediately spoke with utmost respect: “Lady Kong Que is too polite. You are the emissary on this occasion—if we do not heed you, whom else could we heed? Come, come—Ren Xiaoyao, hurry and come forward to kowtow and thank Lady Kong Que for her gracious favor…”

As he spoke, he lowered his head modestly and pulled Zhang Xiaohua forward. Only then did he notice Kong Que’s unusual state, and he too froze for a moment, calling out in reminder: “Lady Kong Que? Lady Kong Que??”

Ever since comprehending the Heavenly Dao, Zhang Xiaohua’s senses had grown extraordinarily keen. The moment Kong Que’s abnormal reaction appeared, he sensed it at once. His divine sense immediately spread outward, passing through that thin veil—

Cough, cough… at a time like this, who still had the leisure to think about propriety and restraint?

Behind the veil was a tender, fair face: apricot eyes and dark brows, cherry-red lips paired with a delicate jade nose. Within her gaze was contained an imposing authority, and the air she carried was incomparably noble and majestic, making others instinctively afraid to draw near.

Zhang Xiaohua was stunned. The Incense Spreading Sect’s emissary actually turned out to be a young woman of about twenty, whose beauty even surpassed Liu Qian and Ou Yan!

At this moment, however, her dark brows were lightly knit, her small mouth slightly parted, and within her eyes flickered an expression of extreme astonishment—and extreme… well, longing.

If that gaze had been a man looking at a beautiful woman, Zhang Xiaohua might not have thought much of it. But that gaze was fixed unblinkingly on him. Zhang Xiaohua’s heart immediately skipped wildly—this was bad. Had she seen through something?

Zhang Xiaohua silently cried out in misery.

And then, Kong Que actually reached out as if to grab him. Zhang Xiaohua hurriedly withdrew his divine sense. With a thought, he circulated the Guiding the Spirit incantation, which he had not yet fully comprehended, to conceal his divine sense and the cultivation of the Immortal Dao permeating his entire body.

At this moment, Kong Que was also jolted awake by Steward Yang’s words. Only then did she realize she had lost her composure. She immediately covered it up, pointed with her hand, glanced at Steward Yang, and asked: “This is the Ren Xiaoyao you spoke of yesterday?”

Steward Yang dared not speculate further and bowed with an ingratiating smile. “That’s him. He’s the dragon-riding son-in-law personally chosen by Valley Master Nie of our Spring Rebirth Valley. Come now, Ren Xiaoyao, hurry and come thank Lady Kong Que.”

Zhang Xiaohua restrained his aura, took a few quick steps forward, and bowed deeply. “I thank Lady Kong Que. I hope that Lady Kong Que will offer me much guidance in the future.”

When Kong Que looked at Zhang Xiaohua again, she discovered that the strange attraction from before was already gone. Puzzled, she thought to herself, Eh? What was that just now? Could it have been an illusion?

Suddenly, a wave of embarrassment rose in her heart. Could it be… could it be that this is the legendary… love at first sight—

But immediately after, her thoughts became tangled in chaos. How could that be? I’ve never met him before, and he’s nothing more than an obscure little medicinal apprentice. What’s even more infuriating is that this Ren Xiaoyao is actually the future son-in-law of Spring Rebirth Valley—this…

And then there was the most infuriating part of all. Although Zhang Xiaohua’s bow had been respectful, his attitude upright and proper, with not the slightest lapse in etiquette, Kong Que could somehow sense that this fellow felt not the slightest bit of reverence toward her in his heart. Yes—none at all…

It had to be said: a woman’s heart truly was a needle at the bottom of the sea. Even a celestial-like woman such as Kong Que was no exception.

For no apparent reason, a trace of displeasure welled up within Kong Que. The hand she had extended did not retract. Instead, it shifted from grasping to pointing as she said: “You are the Ren Xiaoyao who defeated the Sword Young Master of Soaring Dragon Mountain Manor, and who crushed a four-man joint attack on the arena?”

Zhang Xiaohua replied gently: “I would not dare. It is indeed this humble one.”

The words this humble one reached Kong Que’s ears and only deepened her displeasure. Her hand form changed, and she struck out with a palm, shouting: “Let this Lady see just how good your martial arts really are!”

Seeing Lady Kong suddenly launch an attack, Steward Yang and Valley Master Nie were greatly alarmed. Both cried out at the same time: “Milord, please show mercy!”

Yet neither of them dared take even a single step forward, much less offer assistance.

Zhang Xiaohua withdrew his divine sense. He also had not expected Kong Que to suddenly turn hostile. By the time he noticed, that fair, pale palm was already right in front of him. Zhang Xiaohua frowned slightly. Although he could not use divine sense to examine it, merely from the wind whistling as the palm struck, he knew that boundless internal energy was contained within it.

Zhang Xiaohua felt puzzled in his heart: “I haven’t offended this so-called Lady Kong at all. Why is she staring at me the moment we meet? True, I am handsome and dashing, but you’re a woman—surely that’s no reason to strike at me from the shadows? What’s more, you covered your face first and wouldn’t let me see your fair, flower-like features. I didn’t even cast a single lecherous glance. How could you bring yourself to attack?”

However, the present Zhang Xiaohua was no longer who he once was. Even caught off guard, he felt no fear in meeting the enemy. He kept his body still, raised his left arm, set his palm upright, and directly met the incoming strike. But the moment his true qi reached his palm, a thought stirred in his mind: “This Lady Kong only mentioned that I defeated the Sword Young Master of Soaring Dragon Manor. It wouldn’t be good to expose my real cultivation. Ah—could it be that this woman is testing my martial arts? Has she noticed some flaw?”

Thus, he immediately simulated his true qi as inner energy, adjusting its level to just half a notch higher than Young Master Long’s had been that day.

As they spoke, the two palms had already collided.

An incomparably vast surge of inner energy slammed into Zhang Xiaohua’s hand. He dared not mobilize more true qi. He only felt a tremendous force crash into him, and his body was instantly blasted off from where he stood, flying straight backward toward the pill room behind him.

At the moment their palms met, Kong Que sensed that the inner strength in Zhang Xiaohua’s hand was quite ordinary. She also felt the warmth in his palm, and her heart fluttered in confusion. Her palm force immediately slipped out of control, her inner strength pouring forth like giant waves crashing against the shore. Only when Zhang Xiaohua’s figure was sent flying did she snap back to her senses. She hurriedly drew back her inner erngy, and an involuntary cry escaped her lips: “Aiya!”

After that cry, not only did her veil ripple, but even her feet shifted half a step forward—truly another lapse of composure.

But at this moment, everyone’s eyes were fixed on Zhang Xiaohua as he flew backward. No one noticed that the lofty envoy had lost her composure for the second time.

While tumbling through the air, Zhang Xiaohua circulated the true qi through his meridians and immediately stabilized his body. Yet he did not stop at once. Instead, he borrowed the momentum to continue flying backward. Elder Zhang’s pill room door was already half-closed. Zhang Xiaohua thought to himself: “My apologies, Elder Zhang. Tonight, your room is going to be drafty.”

With a sharp pa sound, the fragile bamboo door of the pill room instantly shattered into pieces. Zhang Xiaohua’s momentum did not diminish, and only after a dull peng did he finally come to a stop.

“Young Hero Ren!” Elder Zhang was greatly alarmed and rushed into the pill room at once.

Valley Master Nie also took a step forward. But when he looked at Kong Que standing there quietly, already returned to calm, and then at Steward Yang, who was equally bewildered, he ultimately halted.

“Bad luck—truly bad luck.” Inside the pill room, Zhang Xiaohua felt incomparably depressed:

“I didn’t even go wandering around this morning. I didn’t hear any crows calling in the valley either. How did I end up running into something like this? That Lady Kong looks quite pretty, but she strikes so heavily. With that force in her palm, how is that testing my cultivation? She was practically trying to injure me.”

How could he possibly know that Kong Que’s emotions were in turmoil? He only assumed that she had shown no mercy in her strike. But when the words “injured” crossed his mind, his eyes rolled slightly. He quickly bit the tip of his tongue, and a thread of fresh blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

At this moment, Elder Zhang also rushed into the pill room. Seeing the blood at Zhang Xiaohua’s lips, he cried out in alarm: “Young Hero Ren, you’re injured?”

Zhang Xiaohua put on a weak expression and said: “Alas, Lady Kong’s palm shock damaged my internal organs.”

Elder Zhang could only sigh helplessly. What could he say? He was nothing more than a retired elder of Spring Rebirth Valley. Being able to come over and check on Zhang Xiaohua without authorization was already the limit of what he could do.

Supporting Zhang Xiaohua as they walked out of the pill room, everyone present saw the bloodstain at the corner of his mouth. The people of the Incense Spreading Sect were naturally accustomed to such scenes and offered not the slightest sympathy. Valley Master Nie asked with concern: “Xiaoyao, how are your injuries?”

Zhang Xiaohua shook his head. “It’s nothing. Just some minor internal injuries.”

Seeing Zhang Xiaohua so weak and listless, Kong Que seemed to feel a trace of satisfaction in her heart—but another emotion soon overwhelmed it, and that was… heartache!

Kong Que asked coldly: “Ren Xiaoyao, your inner strength is not bad. What martial art do you cultivate?”

Zhang Xiaohua was startled and blurted out, “Wild Ox Strength!”

“Wild Ox Strength?” Kong Que was likewise taken aback. “What kind of internal art is that?”

Steward Yang immediately explained, “Lord Kong, Wild Ox Strength is a common inner art found in the jianghu. It’s the easiest to pick up and doesn’t lead to qi deviation. Our Incense Spreading Sect doesn’t have such crude internal arts—ah, and Wild Ox Strength can’t even really be considered a proper cultivation manual.”

“Oh, I see.” Kong Que came to a realization. Yet after hearing this explanation, an inexplicable wave of irritation rose in her heart. She waved her hand and said: “Ren Xiaoyao, I was merely curious just now. Knowing that you took first place in the arena matches, I wished to test your martial skills. I acted somewhat rashly and caused you injury. I…”

She paused, thought for a moment, but did not say the words of apology that followed. Instead, she reached out, produced a small jade vial, and tossed it to Zhang Xiaohua. “This is our sect’s healing Jade Restoration Pill. Take it and treat your injuries yourself.”

When Valley Master Nie and Elder Zhang heard this, both their faces changed in shock.