Zhang Yuan and Xue Hua returned to the room and saw Ming Yuelin and Hong Shi bickering amongst each other.
"Master!" x2
However, seeing Zhang Yuan both of them calmed down and greeted him.
Zhang Yuan settled on his seat and Ming Yuelin walked to Xue Hua, placing her arm on her shoulder "Junior Sister... are you alright?"
Xue hua gave a faint nod and smiled gently "Yeah.... i am ok."
Hong Shi was quite confused as why did she suddenly left the room, but she didn't linger on it too much and glanced at Zhang Yuan.
"Master.. shall we eat something."
Looking at her, Zhang Yuan nodded his head and soon they called the waiter to order some food.
Within moments, a young man in a pristine uniform appeared at their table, bowing politely. "What would you like to order, esteemed guests?" he asked with a respectful tone, his eyes briefly darting between Zhang Yuan and the others
Zhang Yuan glanced at the menu, but before he could speak, Hong Shi eagerly chimed in, "Let's get something hearty... perhaps Glazed skewers, Chciken stir-fry, Roasted fowl and Shrimp Dumplings."
Soon enough, the waiter returned, carrying trays filled with the mouthwatering dishes they'd ordered.
As they began to eat, the atmosphere continued to soften. Laughter broke out as Hong Shi and Ming Yuelin playfully argued over the food on the table.
While eating, Feng Xinyi's gaze flickered to Zhang Yuan then to Hong Shi "Shi'er, you can only stay here for today.. tomorrow we have to leave to teh Yu Hong Holy land."
Hong Shi raised an eyebrow and shook her head "No.. I am not leaving my Master anymore."
Huh?
Feng Xinyi was dumbfounded and hastily replied "What the hell are you saying? The Yu Hong holy land invested a lot on you.. making you the Holy Maiden, giving you all those resources and now you want to betray them?"
Eating her food, Hong Shi nodded her head "Yeah..."
Eh?
Feng Xinyi was stunned into silence for a moment, her hand instinctively going to her forehead in disbelief "Shi'er.. I know Master Yuan is someone very important to you, but you can't just leave your responsibilities for him."
"And if Yu Hong Holy land came to know about this... they will surely try to kill Master Yuan and abduct you."
Upon hearing this, Hong Shi couldn't help but laugh "Even if all of the worships came here, I wpould still stand with my master."
"The Yu Hong holy land is nothing in front of my Master."
Feng Xinyi was at a loss for words, her frustration growing. She had never imagined that Hong Shi, someone so deeply entrenched in the Yu Hong Holy Land's teachings, would ever consider defying them like this.
Where is she getting this confidence?
Feng Xinyi facepalmed herself and if she didn't bring Hong Shi back to Yu Hong Holy land, they would be in huge trouble.
They already came here with the excuse for Hong Shi to meet an old friend...
With a soft sigh, feng Xinyi spoke "Hong Shi, you already know.. Continental Genius Tournament is coming... so you must return to Yu Hong Holy Land and train."
"It's been a while, master."
With a nod, Zhang Yuan replied "Yeah... been a while, Mei Lian."
Hong Shi let out a soft chuckle and asked "is this the fate you spoke Master? Me reborning into another world?"
Zhang Yuan gave a faint nod "Yeah... this is that fate."
"I see..."
There was a brief pause before Hong Shi spoke again, her steps slowing just a little.
Her voice wavered slightly, as if she was gathering the courage to ask the next question "So, this fate thing was the only think holding you back from accepting your disciple, right Master?"
"N-Not because of my physical appearance or talent?"
Zhang Yuan shook his head and replied with a soft chuckle "No, Mei Lian... the fate was the only thing holding me back."
Hearing this, Hong Shi's heart fluttered "Then... now you can accept me as your disciple, right Master?"
Zhang Yuan smiled warmly at her, his hand reaching out to pat her head in a gesture of affection. "Yeah. I accept you as my disciple."
A beautiful smile flowered on her face as she had been waiting for this day for two lives "Thank you master."
Looking at her smile, Zhang Yuan's eyes softened and they continued their short walk.
Hong Shi was humming a tune under her breath as she happily walked together with him "By the way... Master, have you ever wondered why I am so obsessed to be your disciple?"
Zhang Yuan chuckled lightly, shaking his head as they continued walking. "No, I've never really thought about it."
A soft blush crept onto her cheeks, and she bit her lip as if deciding whether to say what was on her mind.
Then, with a deep breath, she blurted out, "It's because I love you."
Zhang Yuan paused for a second and Hong Shi made her point clear "When I say I love you... I didn't mean it as a disciple, like I love you romantically... I want to kiss you and stuff like that."
Zhang Yuan smiled dryly as Hong Shi was being so bold and honest about her feelings.
Rolling her eyes she continued "You always had your female disciples around you back then, Master. And many of them became your wives. So, I thought... if I became your disciple, I could eventually become one of your wives too."
She suddenly tip-toed as her hands gently cupped his face, and without hesitation she kissed his lips, the soft warmth of her lips brushing against his lips.
Pulling back from the kiss, Hong Shi looked at his surprised face and again kissed his lips, her arms finding their way to his neck.
When she finally pulled away once more, her lips hovered just above his, her breath warm against his skin. "I've loved you for so long, Master,"
"Your gentle smile, your handsome face, and the way you cherish your disciples... I've watched you for so long, admired you from afar, and I always wanted to be part of your life."
Her fingers brushed lightly against his cheek as she continued. "I learned everything about you after following you for years, and all I want is a place in that big heart of yours. So I thought... why not become your disciple first and then later, your woman?"
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I hope you guys liked this chapter!