I alone am the Honoured One!-Chapter 743: A small reunion

"Shenyi…"

The name left Yan Zijin's lips in a breath, as if she couldn't believe it herself.

Xia Shenyi trembled and her lips parted, but no words came out.

Yan Zijin Master took a step forward. Then another.

And before Xia Shenyi could react, Yan Zijin closed the distance between them and pulled her into an embrace.

The world blurred.

Xia Shenyi felt her arms tighten around her as if afraid she would vanish again.

"You've returned," she whispered in relief.

"My foolish disciple… you've finally come home."

A choked sob escaped Xia Shenyi's lips as she buried her face into her Master's shoulder. "Master…"

Her voice cracked, and before she knew it, tears spilled down her cheeks "I—I'm back… I'm really back…"

Yan Zijin exhaled softly and her hand gently stroked Xia Shenyi's hair as she held her close. "I always knew you weren't dead," she murmured.

"No matter what others said, I refused to believe it. I searched for you, Shenyi. I looked everywhere, but there was no trace, no sign."

Xia Shenyi clenched her fists and her entire body trembled "I was trapped… inside the artifact. For years, I couldn't escape, couldn't reach out to anyone."

"I thought I'd never see you again."

Yan Zijin's grip on her tightened slightly before she finally pulled back, cupping Xia Shenyi's face in her hands.

She looked at her face with a relieved smile on her lips "This is the disciple I raised."

The warmth in those words made Xia Shenyi's heart ache.

Yan Zijin gently wiped the tear tracks from her face before sighing softly "Come," she said, guiding Xia Shenyi toward the center of the chamber.

"Tell me everything."

Xia Shenyi took a deep breath to steady herself and nodded her head.

"Hmm..."

...

Sitting on her couch, Yan Zijin's gaze squinted in thought "I see... you should have endured all these years."

Xia Shenyi just smiled and Yan Zijin raised her hand to cup her cheek "Honestly, I am still in shock that you are back..."

With a chuckle, Xia Shenyi placed her hand over hers "Mhm..."

"By the way, where is little sister Lian?"

Yan Zijin's gaze softened as she replied "She is quite busy helping with Sect reconstruction; she will return later."

Hearing this, Xia Shenyi's eyes narrowed "Master... what happened to the Sect?"

...

The flickering flames beneath the cauldron cast a golden glow upon their faces as the heat from the brewing concoction created a faint shimmer in the air.

The scent of medicinal herbs, intertwined with the crisp fragrance of astral energy as Qi Xue and Qi Nue focused on their refinement process.

But their attention was swiftly drawn away when Zhao Tian stepped into the room.

Both Qi Xue and Qi Nue turned their heads in unison.

"Little brother…?" Qi Xue's brows lifted in surprise.

Zhao Tian simply nodded, moving to sit beside them in front of the cauldron.

Qi Nue gently patted his shoulder "What happened, little brother?" she asked, her voice carrying a note of concern.

For a moment, Zhao Tian said nothing.

His fingers curled slightly against his knee as he gazed into the cauldron, watching the swirling mixture inside.

His mind drifted to the past... to her.

To the woman who once sat before this very fire, refining pills with a radiant smile, her laughter echoing through the chamber.

Finally, he exhaled softly and turned to Qi Nue "I just thought… that I need to concentrate on alchemy for a while."

"I want to become a great alchemist… and I need my two senior sisters' help."

Qi Xue and Qi Nue exchanged a glance and a sweet smile bloomed on their lips.

"So you've finally decided to follow this path?"

Qi Nue chuckled and reached over to ruffle his hair."Hah… we always knew you had the potential, but you were too busy being reckless to focus on it."

The flames beneath the cauldron crackled softly, their light dancing in the eyes of the two women as they looked at Zhao Tian.

Qi Nue withdrew her hand and rested her elbow on her knee, gazing at him with fondness "Still… you're serious about this, aren't you?"

"Yeah..."

"Then let's do alchemy together."

"Like the old days... hahaha."

...

Next day-

Huh?

Standing inside Yan Zijin's quarters, Ji Shuang was dumbfounded and stood there frozen. "Shenyi?"

Xia Shenyi let out a chuckle and nodded her head "Yes, it's Shenyi.. Sect master Ji."

Rui Lian, who was also beside Xia Shenyi smiled excitedly "The same Senior Sister who went missing years ago has finally returned."

"You…" Ji Shuang's voice wavered slightly as she looked at Xia Shenyi's face.

"Where have you been? What happened to you all these years?"

Xia Shenyi smiled gently "I… was trapped," she muttered softly as her fingers lightly brushed the edge of her sleeves.

"Inside an artifact. A powerful one. And only now was I finally able to leave it."

Ji Shuang's gaze narrowed slightly.

"An artifact? What kind of artifact could seal you for so long?"

Xia Shenyi's expression remained calm as she shook her head "I don't know much about it. The space within it was vast, like an entirely different world… and time passed differently inside."

Her words were careful... a half-truth, yet not a lie.

After all, she couldn't reveal the true connection she shared with Zhao Tian.

Ji Shuang exhaled sharply as she processed the information.

An artifact that could trap a disciple of their sect for so many years? That was no ordinary treasure.

But... Xia Shenyi is here now.

And that was all that mattered.

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Ji Shuang's gaze softened as she stepped forward and pulled Xia Shenyi into a firm embrace.

"You foolish girl…" she muttered gently.

"Do you know how much trouble you caused? How many nights I spent wondering if you were dead or alive?"

Xia Shenyi blinked in surprise before smiling softly, returning the hug "I'm sorry, Sect Master Ji… I didn't mean to worry you."

Ji Shuang sighed before finally letting go "You're stronger than before," she noted, her eyes narrowing.

"Your cultivation has… advanced."

Xia Shenyi let out a chuckle "Being trapped for years with nothing but time… it does that to you."

Ji Shuang looked at her for a long moment before sighing again.

"Regardless, I am glad you are back. You were always one of the Celestial Star Wing's most talented disciples… your return is a blessing."

Hearing this, Rui Lian beamed and clapped her hands together excitedly "Yes."

Ji Shuang nodded her head and turned to look at Yan Zijin who was sitting on the couch with a rare smile on her lips.

"Zijin, I want to talk about Tian."

As she sat beside yan Zujun, she raised an eyebrow "What about him?"

With a nod, Ji Shuang spoke "Don't disturb him for some months, or don't call him for training."

"It seems like he is going to concentrate on Alchemy for a while."

...

Fei Lingxi walked through the corridor with a tea cup in her hand.

Reaching a door, she pushed it open and entered in to see Zhao Tian engrossed in a book, sitting on the study table.

Walking to him, she smiled and placed the tea cup beside him "Husband, take some rest..."

With a shake of his head, he replied "No, I will take a rest after completing this..."

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