Watching the Mountain

Chapter 215: Chapter 149: What Cannot Be Severed

Xu Ran felt that Qin Yufeng was always full of surprises.

He’d just learned of the man’s existence from Jiang Ling’Er and was still speculating about his motives, wondering if the man would continue to keep an eye on him.

But the very next day, Qin Yufeng contacted him directly. He made no attempt to hide, reaching out in a completely open and straightforward manner.

"I heard that the human Cultivator with the Dog Race was from the Profound Pure Sect. After looking into it a bit, I was surprised to find that she’s actually your student, Fellow Daoist Xu."

"And that reminded me of a dear friend of mine."

"Fellow Daoist Xu, it’s been a long time. I trust you are well?"

Qin Yufeng’s words were like a greeting from a long-lost friend, filled with sentiment and pleasant surprise. Even Xu Ran was shocked by his tone.

’Are we really that close?’

During the inter-sect tournament, they had spent more than a month together, chatting about everything under the sun—from interesting tidbits and secret lore to astronomy, geography, and local customs. They had certainly seemed like good friends.

But that was as far as it went.

After that, their only other interactions—just a couple of times—were when the patriarch of the Flame Sun Sect had targeted him, and Qin Yufeng had sent a warning.

But in Xu Ran’s eyes, it had seemed more like a test than a well-intentioned warning.

However, since Qin Yufeng was being so cordial, he naturally couldn’t respond with harsh words.

"I never imagined that after so long, Elder Qin would still remember a minor figure like myself. I’m truly flattered."

"When I first heard of your ordeal, Elder, my heart was filled with sorrow. I spent many sleepless nights worrying about your safety. Hearing that you are all right, I can finally rest easy."

On this point, Xu Ran wasn’t actually lying. After hearing that Qin Yufeng had defeated Zhang Zhentian and then vanished without a trace before everyone’s eyes, he had indeed been worried for a very long time—wondering when he would finally be caught.

You couldn’t blame him for being heartless, though.

Since coming to this world, he had never encountered any true villains or danger. The only ones who had ever targeted him were Qin Yufeng and the Flame Sun Sect.

The key was that he had no idea what was wrong with this Qin Yufeng fellow. He seemed to have fixated on him, testing him again and again.

As for someone who had him in their sights, he naturally wished they would disappear sooner rather than later. That would completely eliminate his worries, allowing him to cultivate peacefully and comfortably at the Profound Pure Sect.

Hearing Xu Ran’s words, Qin Yufeng just chuckled before changing the subject to Jiang Ling’Er, saying:

"The companion of the Dog Race’s Ninth Elder’s disciple is your student, isn’t she, Fellow Daoist Xu? When I learned of this, I found myself truly envying you."

Xu Ran’s expression shifted slightly. ’What does this guy mean? He can’t have set his sights on that foolish student of mine, can he?’

He said without a change in his expression, "Elder Qin, you are the one who defeated my sect’s Evergreen Sword Saint, yet you envy a minor figure like myself. This truly leaves me feeling apprehensive."

Who knew that Qin Yufeng’s next words would instantly make his heart tighten.

"You must be joking, Fellow Daoist Xu. How can a contemporary Shennong, who developed high-yield Spirit Rice and numerous other creations that have benefited the entire Cultivation Realm, be called a minor figure?"

"Elder Qin, you’re joking. I..."

However, before he could explain, Qin Yufeng cut him off from the other end of the Communication Jade Talisman.

"Fellow Daoist Xu, there’s no need to deny it. I truly consider you a friend. Your constant denials are really starting to hurt my feelings."

"Think about it, Fellow Daoist. If I truly meant you any harm, your identity would have become common knowledge throughout the Cultivation Realm years ago."

"Rest assured, I have no intention of harming you. You don’t need to be so wary of me, Fellow Daoist."

Hearing Qin Yufeng’s words, Xu Ran felt a chill in his heart. ’For whatever reason, this guy has already confirmed my identity.’

After a moment’s hesitation, he decided not to get bogged down in the issue, instead skipping ahead to ask:

"Then why have you contacted me this time, Elder?"

After a moment of silence, Qin Yufeng’s voice came through, laced with a complex mix of emotions.

"This is why I said I envy you, Fellow Daoist. After seeing that student of yours, I was just thinking how incredibly lucky you are to be surrounded by such pure-minded people."

"This...?" Xu Ran murmured, confused. He didn’t quite understand what the man was trying to say.

On the other end, Qin Yufeng let out a laugh tinged with complex emotion and said:

"You’re probably wondering if I have some sort of motive for contacting you this time. I can tell you frankly, I have no motive at all. It’s just been too long since I’ve spoken with anyone, and I wanted to find someone to reminisce with."

"Why me?" Xu Ran asked after a moment’s hesitation.

Hearing this question, Qin Yufeng’s tone turned somewhat self-mocking as he spoke:

"Yes, why you, Fellow Daoist Xu? Actually, I’d like to know that too. We only spent a little over a month together, our relationship isn’t that close, and you’re even quite wary of me, telling your student that I’m not a good person and to stay away from me."

"But even knowing all that, I still contacted you."

"When it comes down to it, the reason is actually very simple. Because the only person I can contact now... is you, Fellow Daoist Xu."

Hearing Qin Yufeng repeat the warning he had given to Jiang Ling’Er just yesterday, Xu Ran didn’t feel particularly embarrassed. It was just as the man said: their relationship had never been that close, and he had indeed always been on guard against him. There was nothing to deny.

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