First Glimpse of Light - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

But since that day, Senior Brother has started acting strange.

This journey down the mountain was originally intended for me to break through from Foundation Establishment and Core Formation, with Senior Brother acting as my protector.

As such, it was inevitable that I would have to battle Demonic Creatures along the way to gain experience and seek a breakthrough.

Normally, Senior Brother would just watch from the sidelines; it was a case of him not stepping in as long as I wasn’t dying.

Often, I would fight three hundred rounds with a demonic creature, ending up drenched in blood.

I’d turn my head only to see Senior Brother standing there, his white robes as pristine as snow, looking as cold and aloof as the bright moon.

Fuming, I would turn back and hack at the demonic creature’s corpse a few more times.

Still, if I wanted a solid foundation for my cultivation, I really had to endure this hardship.

But lately, I don’t know what’s gotten into Senior Brother.

I had barely exchanged two moves with a demonic creature and had just unsheathed my sword.

He then used a single spell to instantly kill it.

Leaving me standing there, sword drawn, looking around in utter bewilderment.

Senior Brother looked away. “This demonic creature’s strength was higher than yours.”

Well, obviously.

If it were weaker than me, what would be the point of training?

But what could I say? I could only say sincerely, “Thank you, Senior Brother.”

Senior Brother’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. “It was nothing.”

However, when this happened for the eighth time…

I looked at my longsword, which hadn’t tasted blood in a long while.

I fell silent.

Senior Brother’s gaze swept over me, and he seemed to have an expectant look on his face.

Senior Brother, what are you expecting?

You don’t actually think I’m going to thank you again, do you?

Senior Brother, wake up.

I’m begging you.

Seeing that Senior Brother’s gaze was still fixed on me, I finally braced myself and spoke. “Senior Brother, back in the Frostsky Secret Realm, did I inadvertently offend you in some way?”

The Frostsky Secret Realm was that Unorthodox Secret Realm.

Senior Brother seemed to recall something. His expression froze for a moment, and a flash of unease suddenly crossed his brow. He shifted his gaze to the empty space beside him. “You… haven’t.”

“Why do you ask?”

I pointed the tip of my sword at the demonic creature’s corpse and tilted my head to look at him. “If you haven’t, then why has Senior Brother been constantly interfering with my cultivation lately?”

Senior Brother pondered for a moment before lowering his eyes. “…It is my fault.”

Wait, Senior Brother, why do you sound a bit aggrieved?

What do you have to be aggrieved about?!

Today was another day of not understanding men.

But Senior Brother’s strangeness didn’t stop there.

Usually, Senior Brother was a man of few words; on our journey, my voice was often the only one to be heard.

Recently, however…

Senior Brother has started occasionally responding to my idle chatter.

But his responses…

They were completely nonsensical.

My previous sentence would be: “The sun is so bright today, even the Demonic Creatures are hiding.”

His next sentence would be: “Yes, spring is very nice.”

It left me speechless.

Senior Brother, could you please look at what’s happening before you speak?

After this happened enough times, my chatterbox tendencies were miraculously cured.

And so, the journey became silent.

Senior Brother found it strange instead and asked me, “Qiao Qiao, why haven’t you been talking lately?”

…Take a guess.

But I still didn’t dare let Senior Brother guess, so I just said, “I was afraid that talking too much would annoy you, Senior Brother.”

To my surprise, a faint smile actually appeared on Senior Brother’s handsome and upright face. “It won’t.”

In that instant, it was as if a green sprout had quietly grown out of the ice and snow formed in winter.

Even the solid ice had to crack to make way.

I didn’t snap out of it for a long time.

But once I did, I was overcome with shock.

Senior Brother actually smiled.

Eerie. This was too eerie.

In the sect, the idea that a dog would smile before Senior Brother ever did was something no one ever questioned.

So, Senior Brother, did you pick up something unclean in the Frostsky Secret Realm?