"Treasurer Meng! Did you really know my father? Do you know what happened to him—and to my mother?" Nie Yong stepped forward, urgency tightening his voice. His eyes, usually brimming with confidence, now shimmered with unease.
Meng Wu Ya looked at him in silence for a beat, then asked slowly, "What's your father's name, young man?"
"Nie Tao," Nie Yong replied without hesitation.
The moment the name left his lips, Meng Wu Ya dropped to his knees in a full bow.
Nie Yong blinked, startled.
"It's an honor to meet you, young master," Meng Wu Ya said solemnly, his head lowered.
"Y-Young master?" Nie Yong repeated, utterly confused.
Meng Wu Ya raised his head just enough to meet Nie Yong's gaze. "Yes. As your father's disciple, it is only proper that I greet his son with due respect."
Nie Yong took a step back, baffled. "Wait—my father had a disciple?! That drunkard was… your master?!"
Meng Wu Ya nodded seriously. "Yes, young master. That drunkard was my master. The only man I ever bowed to. Even at his most absurd, he was a cultivator of impossible depths."
Nie Yong was still trying to process it. "But he always said dumb things like… 'women are scary' and fell asleep in the middle of dinner!"
Meng Wu Ya's expression twisted into something between nostalgia and disbelief. "He did say that often…" he muttered. "He always avoided women like they were beasts. Which is why… I never thought he could have a son."
Nie Yong's brows drew together. "So you really don't know what happened to him? Or my mother?"
Meng Wu Ya shook his head regretfully. "No… I saw him decades ago last time."
Nie Yong's eyes lowered. "I see…"
The treasury was silent for a moment, filled only with the hum of spiritual energy from the stored treasures.
Meng Wu Ya remained kneeling, but Nie Yong quickly stepped forward. "Treasurer Meng, please raise your head. I'm not worthy of such respect…"
Meng Wu Ya hesitated, then slowly stood. But Nie Yong wasn't really focused on the gesture anymore. His thoughts were swirling.
'What kind of man was my father…? To be the master of a Saint Realm powerhouse like Meng Wu Ya… and to hide his power so well that even his own son never knew?'
"Treasurer Meng... can you please tell me more about my father? I would like to know how strong he was—"
"Master…"
A gentle voice interrupted him. From the backdoor of the treasury, a soft light seemed to follow the figure that stepped in. A woman entered, her robes fluttering lightly with each step, like leaves caught in a spring breeze.
Xia Ning Chang.
Her long black hair cascaded like a waterfall, shimmering with a faint luster under the treasure room's glow. Her skin was as pale as jade, flawless and soft-looking, and her eyes—clear, calm, and filled with curiosity—held a depth that could silence any storm. A faint herbal fragrance clung to her as if she were born from nature itself.
Nie Yong's breath caught.
He had always admired Su Yan's cold and serene beauty. But Xia Ning Chang radiated a softer, more ethereal charm. In that moment, he couldn't decide which beauty tugged at his heart more.
"Chang'er, come here and greet the young master," Meng Wu Ya said warmly.
She obeyed without hesitation, gliding toward Nie Yong with graceful steps. Then, to his surprise, she bowed respectfully.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Xia Ning Chang, of the Dark Hall," she said with a calm voice, polite yet faintly curious.
'Who is he…?' Xia Ning Chang wondered silently. 'Master never even bowed to the Sect Master, but he's acting like a servant to this boy…'
Nie Yong quickly returned the bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you too, sister Xia. I am Nie Yong, a Lower Base Disciple."
'A… Lower Base Disciple?' Xia Ning Chang blinked. 'He's even ranked lower than me… then why—why is master being so respectful?!' Her thoughts raced.
Before the moment could grow awkward, Meng Wu Ya chuckled and said teasingly, "What do you think of my disciple, young master Nie? She's quite the beauty, right?"
Nie Yong scratched the back of his head, flustered. "Well… she is stunning, without a doubt…"
Xia Ning Chang's cheeks immediately flushed pink. She looked down, the tips of her ears turning red as well. That kind of compliment—so direct and sincere—wasn't something she was used to hearing, especially not from strangers.
She fidgeted slightly with her sleeves, avoiding eye contact. "Th-thank you…"
But before either of them could regain composure, Meng Wu Ya suddenly spoke with a grin, "Then why don't you marry her?"
"W-What?!" Nie Yong and Xia Ning Chang blurted out at the same time.
Xia Ning Chang nearly stumbled backward in shock, her face now glowing scarlet. "M-Master, that's…" she stammered. "That's completely inappropriate! Why are you proposing me like… like I'm some kind of treasure?!"
Nie Yong, equally red-faced, waved his hands frantically. "Treasurer Meng! For how much I would like it—" he froze mid-sentence, realizing what he'd just said out loud. "I-I mean! That's a bit too much! Isn't she your dear disciple? Why are you proposing her hand so casually?!"
Meng Wu Ya only chuckled slyly. "So you would like it?"
"Master!"
"Treasurer Meng!"
Both shouted again in perfect unison, then immediately turned to look at each other—and froze.
Their faces were nearly identical shades of red.
Meng Wu Ya burst out laughing, clearly enjoying the chaos. "You two are too easy to tease. But you do look good together, I must say."
Xia Ning Chang tried to glare at her master, but it came out more like a flustered pout. Nie Yong looked like he wanted to disappear.
'Now that I look at him…' Xia Ning Chang found her eyes lingering on Nie Yong's face despite herself. 'He's… kinda handsome!'
The realization made her blush all over again.
To be continued...
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