When the White Moonlight Holds the Script - Chapter 46

“Yes, we passed the trial,” Luan Wu said.

Zhu Zhihan inadvertently looked up and noticed a faint smile curling at the corner of Luan Wu’s lips.

Though half of her face was obscured by a mask and her features were disguised, Zhu Zhihan thought her master looked truly beautiful when she smiled.

“Is something wrong?” Luan Wu touched her own face. “Is my mask crooked?”

Realizing she had been staring for too long, Zhu Zhihan lowered her head. “No. I… I was just thinking about how quickly it ended. How did you manage it, Master? What happened in between?”

Luan Wu didn’t suspect anything and turned her little disciple’s shoulder. “The next group is about to start. Look.”

The next group happened to be the blue-robed girl who had seemed familiar to Zhu Zhihan.

Zhu Zhihan’s attention was drawn to her.

“It’s her…” Zhu Zhihan murmured.

On the high platform, the blue-robed girl removed her mask. Her eyes were covered with a black cloth, revealing half of her jade-like cheeks. She bit her lower lip lightly, her elegant fingers twisting together.

She seemed somewhat uneasy.

This matched what had been said earlier, the blue-robed girl’s relationship with her partner wasn’t good, or at least, not very harmonious.

Luan Wu asked, “Do you know her?”

“We exchanged a few words earlier. Don’t you think she…” Zhu Zhihan paused. “Never mind.”

Luan Wu tilted her head to look at her, a slight frown creasing her brow.

Over on the platform, the host, Yueyue, cleared her throat. “Are you ready? On my mark get set, jump!”

In the next moment,

The water-blue skirt traced an arc in the air, like a broken butterfly’s wing beautiful yet fragile.

Other participants who had already completed the trial were watching from the sidelines.

At the sight, some of the more sensitive girls gasped aloud.

“She jumped!”

“How beautiful! Where did she buy that dress?”

“Tch, do you think she’s pretty just because of the dress?”

“Her partner is flying over on his sword! I can’t watch, I can’t watch!”

Zhu Zhihan was also watching.

The partner flew over on his sword, so fast he almost left an afterimage. But suddenly, a large patch of falling ice appeared mid-air, and slippery vines emerged from the ground, obstructing the path of his flight.

In that brief moment, the twists and turns of the situation made Zhu Zhihan’s eyelids twitch.

The Joyful Union Sect was certainly putting in the effort.

In the end, after an extremely perilous rescue, the blue-robed girl was saved by her partner, though both looked utterly disheveled, with traces of vine residue on their clothes.

It was a nightmare for anyone with a cleanliness obsession.

Zhu Zhihan recalled her own experience of descending blindfolded, it had been steady, almost impervious to the external chaos.

Luan Wu had always been composed and effortless, far surpassing the others.

Though it felt a bit unfair to compare Luan Wu to these cultivators, in this moment, Zhu Zhihan couldn’t help but feel a small surge of pride in her chest.

Look, this is her master!

Unbeknownst to Zhu Zhihan, while she was watching the pair and pondering these thoughts, Luan Wu was watching her.

Her little disciple gazed at the others, her eyes sparkling with some unknown thought.

Luan Wu felt a twinge of frustration: In the past, her little disciple had always looked at her with that kind of expression.

Over more than a decade of companionship, not only had Zhu Zhihan become deeply familiar with Luan Wu, but Luan Wu had also come to understand Zhu Zhihan well.

Luan Wu knew her little disciple though she was kind-hearted, that kindness was reserved for those within the Blade Sect.

Most of the time, Zhu Zhihan appeared aloof and distant toward anyone outside the Blade Sect. This was the first time she had shown concern for someone she had only met once or twice.

As a result, Luan Wu also paid a bit more attention to this girl in blue.

Luan Wu scrutinized her with a critical eye.

Appearance. Well, with her face covered, it was hard to tell. It was unclear if she was wearing a disguise, so she’d give her a six out of ten for now.

Temperament. Timid and hesitant, not at all resolute or upright.

There didn’t seem to be anything particularly noteworthy about her that warranted attention.

Yet, this realization didn’t put Luan Wu at ease. Instead, it stirred an inexplicable restlessness within her.

Just then, the girl in blue removed the black cloth covering her eyes and suddenly hurried over in small steps.

The girl in blue said to Zhu Zhihan, “I… I’m so scared.”

Luan Wu: “…”

Zhu Zhihan: “Huh?”

Without the black cloth or a mask to obscure her face, Zhu Zhihan could now see the girl’s full appearance.

Her features were ordinary, at best delicate and refined. The moment the black cloth was removed, Zhu Zhihan faintly heard sighs of disappointment from those around them.

But the girl’s trembling, red-rimmed eyes evoked a strong urge to protect her.

Zhu Zhihan blinked, feeling somewhat out of place.

Wait, if you’re scared, your partner is right there. Why not go to him? We’ve only exchanged a few words, haven’t we?

Zhu Zhihan glanced at the so-called partner and noticed him hanging his head, trembling as if he was afraid of something?

Why did he seem even more frightened than the girl in blue?

Before she could ponder further, the girl in blue took another step forward. Seemingly overwhelmed by fear, she reached out as if to grasp Zhu Zhihan’s hand for comfort.

At that moment, Zhu Zhihan felt a shadow fall over her. Someone stepped in front of her, blocking the way.

It was… Luan Wu?

Zhu Zhihan instinctively began to speak: “Shi—”

Suddenly remembering they were currently posing as a couple, not master and disciple, she abruptly pressed her lips together.

The atmosphere between Luan Wu and the girl in blue grew inexplicably tense.

The girl in blue lowered her eyes. “I’m sorry, I was just too scared.”

Luan Wu stood there without saying a word.

The girl’s watery eyes trembled. “I overstepped. I’ll keep my distance from your partner.”

She looked inexplicably pitiful.

Someone nearby chimed in, “Hey, between young ladies, no need to be so sensitive. She has a partner too.”

“Exactly, you two are a pair, but others might not be.”

“Someone’s jealousy is showing.”

Luan Wu’s expression remained unchanged, and she still didn’t speak. Having held a position of authority for so long, she exuded an imposing presence even when simply looking at someone.

The girl in blue shrank back timidly.

Hearing the increasingly inappropriate comments from the crowd, Zhu Zhihan frowned.

What nonsense, Luan Wu had no such feelings for her, how could she be jealous? She had stepped in front of her likely out of caution toward this unfamiliar person.

The way these people were talking made it seem as though Luan Wu were narrow-minded.

Moreover, having spent a long time with her, Zhu Zhihan knew that Luan Wu disliked crowds and being the center of attention. Being surrounded by so many noisy people must be incredibly uncomfortable for her.

Thinking this, Zhu Zhihan couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy.

She tugged lightly at Luan Wu’s sleeve.

Luan Wu didn’t move.

Zhu Zhihan thought to herself, Master’s stubbornness is acting up again.

She moved her lips, wanting to call out to Luan Wu, but at the last moment, she realized that addressing her as “Shizun” while in disguise was clearly inappropriate.

What should she call her instead? How do people usually refer to their dao companions?

Calling her “dao companion” directly seemed too stiff.

After a moment of hesitation, she lowered her head, her fingers tightening their grip on the hem of Luan Wu’s robe. Her cheeks flushed red as she squeezed out a barely audible whisper: “Sister!”

She could feel Luan Wu’s body stiffen the moment the word left her lips.

Zhu Zhihan’s face grew even redder.

Fortunately, Luan Wu finally reacted this time.

Luan Wu turned her head and glanced at Zhu Zhihan, her expression as calm and indifferent as ever, but for some reason, her gaze seemed slightly unfocused.

Thankfully, Luan Wu took half a step back in response to her pull, and the two stood side by side.

It was a concession, allowing Zhu Zhihan to continue.

Zhu Zhihan cleared her throat, trying to appear less flustered, and offered an apologetic smile to the blue-clad girl. “My sister didn’t mean anything by it. She’s just worried I might be deceived.”

Then she turned to the host, Yue Yue. “The last participant has completed the challenge. Should we?”

Yue Yue had been subtly observing the situation, waiting to see how things would unfold.

Hearing this, she paused for a moment, then playfully tapped her own head and stuck out her tongue. “Sorry, sorry~ Well then, it’s time for the results! Everyone, please line up according to the order you drew!”

“Let’s see how everyone performed in the first round.”

“Congratulations to Contestants 2, 6, and 7 for earning two points right off the bat! Contestants 1 and 5 have earned one point! Those without points, don’t give up~”

The crowd quickly became absorbed in their own scores: “Oh no, I didn’t get any points!”

“Whose fault is that, hmph?”

Some were frustrated, others delighted, and no one paid any further attention to the earlier incident.

Amid the noise, Zhu Zhihan stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Luan Wu.

Quietly, she released her grip on Luan Wu’s sleeve and looked up at the sky, wishing she could wring the foolishness out of her own mind, why had she resorted to such an intimate address in her panic?

Beside her, Luan Wu remained silent for some reason.

Under normal circumstances, Zhu Zhihan would have noticed Luan Wu’s unusual behavior, but at that moment, she was too preoccupied with her own embarrassment.

Yue Yue announced, “Now, let’s move on to the second round! Yue Yue will explain the rules again~”

“This round is simple, it’s a game popular in the mortal realm called ‘Three-Legged Race’!”

“…”

With Yue Yue explaining the rules, Zhu Zhihan breathed a sigh of relief and, for some reason, felt a bit more confident after all, she was only pretending to be dao companions to save someone! It wasn’t her fault!

What did it matter if she used an affectionate term?

Pretending nothing had happened, she whispered to Luan Wu, “Shizun, we’re changing locations. Shall we go?”

“…Mm.”

Neither looked at the other, and as they walked, they maintained a distance of about a foot, clearly demarcated.

But once the competition began, they had no choice.

As the name “Three-Legged Race” implied, one leg from each person was tied together, and the first pair to reach the finish line would win.

A Hehuan Sect disciple approached, holding a red silk ribbon. “Shall I assist the two of you, or…?”

Before Zhu Zhihan could respond, Luan Wu’s cool voice cut in. “I’ll do it.”

Luan Wu took the red silk and bent down.

Zhu Zhihan felt a faint sensation around her ankle.

Luan Wu asked her, “Should I tie it tighter? That way it won’t come loose easily.”

Zhu Zhihan snapped back to attention, “Mmmm.”

Yueyue was still repeating the competition rules in the distance, “Everyone, remember no spiritual power allowed! Harmonious competition is everyone’s responsibility!”

With the binding in place, the two were once again pressed close together, body against body.

Zhu Zhihan felt the heat in her ears, which had just subsided, flare up again.

How utterly embarrassing.

She gritted her teeth and muttered under her breath, “Damn it!”

After securing the binding, Luan Wu straightened up, “What?”

As Luan Wu glanced over, Zhu Zhihan quickly changed her expression, smiling gently and innocently, “I said, it’s so nostalgic, haha. I used to watch others play this often when I was little.”

Luan Wu looked puzzled, “Really? Did you say that many words just now?”

Zhu Zhihan: “…”

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