Chapter 120: The unexpected visitor

Chapter 120: The unexpected visitor

The gates creaked softly as Feng Yun pushed them open. The familiar courtyard lanterns swayed in the night breeze, their light gentle against the stone path. Yet tonight, the calm air seemed tinged with something different — a faint ripple of restrained qi, elegant rather than threatening, like a perfume that lingered in the air.

Feng Yun’s senses sharpened immediately. Before he even stepped inside, his ears caught the sound of voices — laughter, soft and feminine, carried through the quiet night.

He walked forward, his steps unhurried.

Inside the guest hall, four figures sat around a low tea table.

Wang Ruo, ever dutiful, was pouring tea with delicate care, her slender hands steady even as her eyes sparkled faintly with curiosity. Beside her sat the Sword Saint’s granddaughter, young and lively, leaning forward eagerly as if listening to a tale. Opposite them was Leng Yuexi. For once, her cool demeanor was softened — her lips curved into a faint smile as she spoke, her tone lighter than usual.

But it was the fourth woman that drew Feng Yun’s attention the moment he stepped inside.

She sat at ease, as though the hall itself bent to her presence. The lamplight traced the outline of her figure — poised, graceful, commanding in its subtlety. Her hand cradled a teacup, steam curling around her fingers like silk threads. When her gaze rose to meet Feng Yun’s, he found himself momentarily still.

Her resemblance to Yuexi was clear — the same snow-like complexion, the same refined air. Yet, while Yuexi’s beauty was youthful and sharp, her mother’s was mature, perfected by the polish of years. Her long, foxlike eyes carried both wisdom and a faint, lingering charm, the kind that could unsettle a man with a glance. Her lips, lightly tinted, curved into a smile that was gracious yet captivating.

Her gown of deep violet embroidered with silver threads clung to her in quiet elegance, accentuating her slender waist and the soft curves of her body. She was a woman who had long surpassed the need to flaunt beauty, for her very presence was its own declaration.

Leng Yuexi rose quickly, her composure a touch more nervous than usual."Feng Yun. This... is my mother."

The woman set down her teacup gracefully, her movements smooth and measured. Her eyes studied him with quiet interest, not sharp or pressing, but carrying the weight of experience.

Feng Yun inclined his head respectfully. "Feng Yun greets senior." His voice was calm, his demeanor unshaken.

The woman smiled faintly, raising her hand lightly. "No need for such formality. Tonight, I came only to thank you. Had you not been there, my Yuexi might have faced danger alone. For that, you have my gratitude."

Yuexi’s lips pressed together, the faintest color touching her cheeks. Her mother’s words carried an intimacy she had not voiced herself.

Feng Yun gave a faint smile. "There’s no need for thanks. Her fate was her own. I only walked beside her for a time."

The woman’s eyes lingered on him, and though her smile remained gentle, something thoughtful flickered in their depths. It was not suspicion, but curiosity — the look of someone who saw a thread she could not yet trace.

Leng Yuexi’s mother sipped her tea again before speaking, her tone lighter. "I had wondered, before meeting you, what kind of person could earn Yuexi’s trust. She is... not one who places her faith easily. Now that I see you, I understand a little more."

Yuexi’s brows furrowed slightly, her lips parting in protest. "Mother—"

But her mother only smiled knowingly, her gaze warm as it flicked between the two. She did not say more, but her silence itself carried weight. She had seen enough to understand her daughter’s feelings, even if Yuexi herself had not voiced them.

The Sword Saint stepped inside quietly then, his presence calm but unmistakable. When her eyes fell upon him, something unreadable passed through them, but her expression did not change.

"So, the famed Sword Saint walks again with his strength restored." Her tone was soft, almost casual, though there was recognition in her words.

The Sword Saint’s face darkened slightly. His eyes narrowed. "And so the mysterious mistress of the Starry Night Inn stands revealed. I did not expect Yuexi’s mother to be you."

The woman’s lips curved in a faint smile, neither denying nor affirming, her poise unbroken. "The world is smaller than it seems."

The tension that flickered between the two elder figures was brief, like a ripple across still water. Then, as if by tacit agreement, it faded.

The atmosphere shifted again toward calmness. The woman turned back to Feng Yun, her expression gentler."I am curious, though. You are not of the major sects, not from the great clans, and yet... your bearing is not ordinary. And to have drawn the Sword Saint himself to your side — that is no small feat."

Her words were not sharp, not pressing, but genuinely curious.

Feng Yun gave a faint smile. "My path is my own. The world may judge by names or clans, but strength is forged by hands, not lineage. I have no great origins to boast of — only determination."

Her eyes lingered on him, and slowly, her smile deepened, carrying a glimmer of approval. "A good answer. Determination can move mountains where heritage cannot."

The conversation after that flowed more easily. She asked about his shop, about how he found life in Black Plain City. Yuexi listened quietly, her gaze occasionally flickering toward Feng Yun, betraying small hints of affection she tried to mask. Wang Ruo, ever attentive, poured tea and kept the flow of the evening smooth.

Time passed gently, lanterns burning lower.

At last, the woman rose. Her gown shifted softly, her presence filling the hall even in silence."I came tonight only to see you with my own eyes, and to offer thanks. I have done so. Feng Yun, I will watch your path with interest, for I suspect it will not be ordinary."

Her eyes lingered on him a moment longer before she turned to Yuexi. "Come, child. It grows late."

Yuexi hesitated, her gaze brushing against Feng Yun’s. "...I will see you tomorrow."

Feng Yun gave a faint smile. "I’ll be waiting."

The two women departed, their figures slipping into the night.

Only when the doors closed did the Sword Saint exhale quietly."That woman... dangerous, in her own way. But tonight was no test. Consider yourself fortunate."

Feng Yun’s lips curved faintly. "Dangerous or not, I only deal with people directly. If she is Yuexi’s mother, then she is my guest. That is enough for now."

The old man glanced at him, then nodded silently.

The lanterns flickered in the quiet hall, their glow warm against the lingering fragrance of tea.