Song Changsheng gave her a strange look. ’Is she afraid I’ll say something I shouldn’t? Is there some hidden story here?’

It was indeed strange, now that he thought about it. Both of them were from Luoxia City. Back then, the moment Niu Dazhuang learned his surname was Song, his attitude had changed instantly, and he even looked ready to fight.

It had been the same when he first met Zhuang Yuechan. After learning his surname was Song, although she hadn’t been as hostile as Niu Dazhuang, her attitude had become very cold. It only changed after they fought side-by-side.

Because of this, he had suspected his family might have some deep-seated feud with Luoxia City. But whether it was Wang Wanzhou or his own mother, they all acted as if it were a great taboo, and Song Xianming was also unwilling to bring it up.

At the time, he had been convinced that the relationship between his family and Luoxia City was extremely hostile.

But from the moment he received the invitation, he knew things weren’t as he’d imagined.

And after arriving in Luoxia City, he found this to be true. Grand Steward Qian Duoyu had been very cordial to both him and Twelfth Uncle. He had also agreed readily to reopening the trade routes, without making things difficult for them at all.

He hadn’t known the intricacies of the invitation before, only learning from his conversation with Qian Duoyu that the one he held was the most special of all. It allowed him to ascend the mountain a month early—later than the Purple Mansion Cultivators, but earlier than all the other Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

After arriving, he was even assigned a private residence. He had gone to see where the others were staying and found that his accommodations were top-tier, on par with those of the Purple Mansion Cultivators.

This made him completely discard his previous theory. If his family and Luoxia City were truly enemies, how could they possibly afford him such courteous treatment?

He’d be lucky not to be humiliated.

After meeting Xiao Qingwan, he had a new theory: it was all caused by the complicated history between her and his grandfather. But judging by her attitude toward him, that didn’t seem right either.

Therefore, there had to be a hidden story, perhaps even a misunderstanding. And Zhuang Yuechan and Niu Dazhuang undoubtedly knew the truth.

Given Niu Dazhuang’s attitude, Song Changsheng couldn’t hope to learn anything from him. Ruling him out, the target was obvious.

At this thought, Song Changsheng stood up, solemnly cupped his fists toward Zhuang Yuechan, and said, "Fellow Daoist Zhuang, if you know the inside story, I beg you to tell me. I would be endlessly grateful."

Seeing this, Zhuang Yuechan quickly moved aside to avoid the gesture. She gave a bitter smile. "Fellow Daoist Song, there’s no need for this. So many years have passed. What’s the point of knowing now?"

"But the truth shouldn’t remain buried," Song Changsheng insisted.

"Fellow Daoist Song, you saved my life. By all rights, I shouldn’t refuse you. But please, believe me when I say that revealing this so-called ’truth’ would do no one any good." Zhuang Yuechan’s tone was more serious than ever before.

Song Changsheng fell silent. With things said so plainly, he knew Zhuang Yuechan wouldn’t tell him. He had no choice but to settle for the next best thing. "That Elder Xiao... is she from your Luoxia City?"

Zhuang Yuechan nodded. That much was already obvious; there was no point in hiding it.

"Fellow Daoist Zhuang, I still remember the scene of our first meeting. Back then, your attitude became very cold after you learned my surname was Song. I want to know why."

Song Changsheng stared quite rudely into Zhuang Yuechan’s eyes, making her a little flustered.

The two stared at each other for a while before Zhuang Yuechan finally relented. She sighed and said, "Let me tell you a story."

Song Changsheng watched her quietly, waiting for her to continue.

"Once upon a time, there was a young girl. She was innocent and carefree, bright and clever, the apple of her elders’ eyes, and cherished by her brothers and sisters. Her talent was exceptional, and so her cultivation progressed at a divine speed."

"In her early twenties, she broke through to the Foundation Establishment Stage, and her elders finally agreed to let her descend the mountain to gain experience."

"She was a flower that had been meticulously cared for, never having weathered any storms, so she suffered many setbacks at the beginning. But fortunately, her strength was extraordinary, and she made it through her journey with scares but no real danger."

"Until one day, she fell for a treacherous plot by an Evil Cultivator and was trapped in a vicious Array. She knew nothing about Arrays and could only rely on a treasure given to her by her elders to resist."

"It was then that she met the person who would change her life forever."

"He was a young man, just over twenty, with a dignified and heroic bearing. It was also his first time descending the mountain to gain experience. After discovering the trapped girl, he decisively took action, not only killing the Evil Cultivator but also breaking the Array."

"After doing all this, the young man departed gracefully without even leaving his name, but the memory of his face and voice was etched into the young girl’s mind."

"That was their first encounter."

"Their second encounter was decades later. By then, one had become an Array Master famous far and wide, and the other a highly sought-after Alchemy Master."

"They hit it off as if they were old friends, sitting and discussing the Dao for dozens of days."

"From then on, the two often went out to train together. After going through life and death, their feelings for each other grew deeper. Until one day, the woman realized she had fallen in love with the man, sinking deeper and deeper, unable to extricate herself."

"As it happened, the man also had deep-rooted feelings for her. It was only natural that they got together, and before long, they reached the point of discussing marriage." 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"The woman’s elders were open-minded and respected her decision. However, the faction she belonged to, while powerful, was a Neutral Power that never involved itself in the disputes of other powers."

"The woman was being groomed as the future Sect Leader, so she too had to remain absolutely neutral. Therefore, if the man wanted to marry her, the primary condition was that he had to leave his own family. His family was at the center of a storm, and if the woman married into it, it would be tantamount to declaring to the world that their two powers had become allies."