Chapter 2: Returning Back and A Fairy
Xiao Tian Long was looking at a city which is considered very small compared to the places he saw in his 6 years travelling journey.
Slowly his attention wandered to Late Sky Profound cultivator above city.
With 'Space Shrinker' Xiao Tian Long appeared behind this cultivator, and with a swift movement, his sword was on this cultivators neck.
Quickly he realised that its a woman with waist-length black hair and dressed in white light blue robes, with icy like spirits dancing around her.
"What does a Sky Profound cultivator of prestigious sect doing here?" The woman instantly froze like a statue, it was not obvious as she was meditating before, but the ice spirits around her froze...
"Tell me your purpose here, or you will be missing ahead, especially since my brother wedding is tomorrow, I don't want some unexpected interference... " Xiao Tian Long said as his sword was still on her neck.
"I promise, I won't be interfering in Xiao Clan wedding..." Her voice was emotionless and chilly, but she wasn't able to hide fear from him.
"That's maybe so, but I want to know what member of one of the four strongest Sects of Blue Wind is doing in this small city?" Xiao Tian Long sheeted his sword and floated to face this woman.
When she saw who had her at sword point, her eyes widened to massive proportions
~~~~~~Chu Yueli~~~~~~
'Why do heavens hate me? of all people to face it had to be the Sword Sovereign himself!' Chu Yueli was started to get really uncomfortable facing the strongest cultivator in the whole Sky Profound Continent!
She quickly gathered her wits and tried to calm herself...
"My student is in this city..." Chu Yueli said trying to sound calm as possible.
"Ho... and her name is Xia Qingyue by any chance?" His question nearly made her forget how to fly...
"How... someone like you know about the girl who barely at Spirit Profound!" Chu Yueli said with some panic, only for him to snort at that.
"She is my childhood friend... and she was quite the talent even then, it's no surprise that she join one big sect, but never expected to join one with such rigid rules like yours..." The fairy from Immortal palace stared at Sword Sovereign with eyes full of realisation.
'So many things now make sense! Like her obsession with him, at first I thought she wanted to be like him, someone with no substantial background reached the very peak of Sky Profound Continent, but in truth, she just wants to stand next to him as equal... or maybe... ' Chu Yueli thought another possible situation, but then why she is marrying a waste???
"I didn't expect that many expressions from someone who shouldn't have them in the first place..." she snapped out from his teasing words.
"My apologies Sword Sovereign!" He raised an eyebrow at her.
"Sword Sovereign? Is that my new title?" She had a weird look for a second.
"You... don't know?" She asked in turn.
"I don't wander around big cities after that Fiasco in Phoenix capital, well I still visit Xue'er and making sure she is fine, but that about it..." The Sword Sovereign casual mentioning about his accomplishments in Divine Phoenix Empire Capital made her shiver, single-handily taking out most of Tyrants and Sovereigns, and then with one strike taking out Nine of Sovereign Profound and having the fate of biggest empire at his fingertips... and yet he calls it simply a 'fiasco' is an eye-opener for her...
"I see ... its the title given to you by Sacred Grounds" he hummed at that.
"I see, I suppose I will accept it, but I am still just a Throne... " That made Chu Yueli look at him even more closely and she noticed his cultivation is that of Third of Emperor Profound!
'Truly monstrous! I wonder if he truly is a childhood friend with Qingyue maybe we can benefit from this someway?' She thought off handily.
"Well then since you know me what is your name Immortal Palace Fairy?" she was quickly brought out from her thoughts, she was somewhat embarrassed that she didn't introduce herself to strongest being of Sky Profound Continent.
"I am Chu Yueli, Sword Sovereign!" He nodded at that and then he had a realisation.
"Ah yes, Fairy of Frozen Grass, ranked fifth, most impressive. " Chu Yueli actually blushed hearing that, she always is compared to her sister when they hear her name, which she already used to, but now Sword Sovereign himself actually knows her for herself, which is for some reason makes her have extreme weird feeling in her stomach...
"T-Thank you," she said with a very small voice, there was an obvious blush on her pale face.
"No need for that Fairy Chu, Would you like to join me in one of the available Tea Houses here in the city? It has been 6 years since I was in this city, and having company when sightseeing is much better than going alone..." Her eyes widened, in normal situation, she would decline, but how can she say no to strongest cultivator of Sky Profound continent?
Besides, he maybe would give some hints on how to increase her own cultivation!
"It would be honour Sword Sovereign!" He rolled his eyes.
"Call me Tian Long, And Fairy Chu may I call you by name as well? I not good with titles..." her eyes widened she blushed again but she didn't know herself why...
"...I don't see why not, It indeed get tiresome when all men I meet continuously calls me 'Fairy Chu', sometimes its hard to know if they calling me or my sister..." She observed his expression when she mentioned her sister, but there was no change of expression on his face, for some reason she felt relieved.
"I can see it actually happening, Yueli, Most Cultivators I met, are easily swayed by beauty, it's amusing how they blunder around pretty face..." Xiao Tian Long said with an amused smile
"Oh? You saw it in person?" Chu Yueli was interested to learn where such a thing happened to him.
"In the Divine Phoenix Empire, my fiancé is the snow Princess, I usually take her to explore the world, and people we meet become absolute idiots around her... " Chu Yueli ignored the rest of conversations once she heard that he is engaged to Snow Princess of Divine Phoenix Empire, she felt like someone stabbed her with very cold dagger right in the heart.
Then... she saw his face very close to her, she jumped back from sheer instinct.
"You were spacing out and you were not responding..." She blushed again.
"I apologise... " he nodded and they descended right in city centre everyone looked at them like gods just descended from heavens.
"Is that... oh Heavens! Xiao Tian Long came back! " everyone started to chat, the city centre turned into some cheap marketplace.
"Sword Sovereign! You have to stop tomorrow madness!" one of Citizens said loudly.
"You can't allow our city number one beauty marry that waste!" another one shouted.
"Ahh!" very next moment the citizens shoulder had deep cut...
"Are you calling my brother waste?" everyone instantly turned quiet.
"Xia Qingyue had full choice in this matter, if she wished to cancel this she had full power to do so..." Xiao Tian Long eyes wandered to every citizen, they all had to face Sword Sovereign gaze, which weaker-minded already passed out
"So I suggest hold your tongues, its Qingyue's choice and if I know her she will change her mind, she is that hard-headed" Chu Yueli looked at Xiao Tian Long who had nostalgic look on his face.
'As I thought, Qingyue has feeling for him, he is her childhood sweetheart, the way he looks when he remembers his childhood, is similar when Qingyue talked about her own, but its usually followed by longing and hard determination...'
Moments later when Xiao Tian Long finished speaking he looked at quivering masses.
"I suggest you forget this, you can't change her choice, neither will I do or her master." He gave a short look to Chu Yueli " So just enjoy free food..." He motioned to Chu Yueli, to follow him, as they started to walk towards Tea House
"You really respect your brother? " He rolled his eyes.
"Well obviously, do you respect your sister? " Fairy of Frozen Grass nodded quickly.
"I do, she is my role model, and I want to stand equal with her..." she said with resolve.
"I see, while my brother is not my role model, he is still family and I obviously will protect him... " She nodded agreeing with him.
"Sibling should protect each other..." Chu Yueli comment which he agreed.
"Well said Yueli, now then..." They entered Tea House, all people stiffed seeing an Immortal Palace Fairy as she was truly stunning, but what really attracted attention was Sword Sovereign
'This is the first time that fame has beaten beauty... I will remember this for some time...' Chu Yueli thought for herself as she saw with a little bit of amusement that eyes were not on her, instead of on the male cultivator.
"By heavens..." an older customer, took off his hat.
"Is that..." another one said with disbelieve.
"Young master is back!" one female screamed with glee.
"You been here before? " Chu Yueli said with interest, she can hardly believe someone like Sword Sovereign is drinking tea in tea house...
But instead of answering her question, he asked one himself.
"Did you ever did a tea-drinking ceremony? " he asked her with a raised eyebrow.
"Not to my knowledge..." she said plainly, she barely ever drank tea, a ceremony for one? She didn't even heard of one before!
"Well that has to be fixed, you see you cultivate better if you have some side activity like Painting or playing with zither, or even gardening, it helps to clear one's mind, it's necessary for higher level of cultivation..." Chu Yueli looked at him with utter shock.
'He is already helping me with cultivation?!?'
"Why are you helping me with cultivation already?" she said with an unreadable expression, for a second she thought that Tian Long is using her to get to her sister, but she destroyed that thought very quickly.
"Why not? You understood very quickly that I don't like honorifics, and you don't treat me like some god, I already see you something akin to a friend..." Her cheeks exploded again with crimson and she tried to look away from him
Xiao Tian Long walked inside and went to spot where he used to drink tea in his childhood days with Qingyue.
"Old man! I want the regular set for two! " The shop owner quickly got over the shock that the strongest man in the continent is the same kid who used to drink tea with his childhood friend
"Right, Two Grey tea set coming up! " she old man said with a smile.
Chu Yueli quickly walked over and took a seat opposite to him, she is not used to going to such public places, as Immortal Palace Fairies attract allot of attention for one of the reason, another one being that men do crazy things to get their attention, but today, Chu Yueli for once didn't care...
"So, tell me more about this ceremony..."
~~~~~~Xiao Tian Long~~~~~~
He never expected his luck will be this great on his first day back in Floating Cloud City he has found Chu Yueli, he always thought that she is an underdeveloped character, so he decided to know her better, and if she meets his criteria when he will make her his.
And as time progressed in Tea House he was amazed that girl is almost as sheltered as his Xue'er, while Xue'er is almost ignorant of everything related to the outside world, Chu Yueli is ignorant in things related to normal life, she is like pure cultivation machine, as he already noticed that she has feelings for him already, with minimal shown of kindness and few praises and his high reputations, that's all it took...
"Right so this is how you perform it..." Xiao Tian Long showed how to drink Tea in a ceremonial way, while it's just simple thing in his past life, it has incredible effects in the cultivation world, to achieve a state of zen much easier later on, once you get a hang of it.
"I felt like I just meditated..." she said with some awe in her voice.
"Indeed, that's why I regularly visit such establishments, another one is simple nature observation, some places have a great effect on one's comprehension towards their cultivation arts, in your case you should visit Navy Tide Nation, there are quite a few places which will give you some hints to improve your Frozen Cloud Arts..." Tian Long said with as he took a sip of tea.
She quickly nodded, Xiao Tian Long can see that she was excited about the prospect of a breakthrough.
"May I ask how you reached your realm so fast?" Chu Yueli eyes widened as she just blurted it out like some teenage girl.
"Why? are you interest?" she quickly nodded, as she was anticipating for his answer.
"Well that's quite easy you see, I am alchemist as well, that's my hobby when I don't use my sword I make pills..." She blinked a few times
"That's it? How can this allow you to achieve the level of a throne?" She asked somewhat plainly, he smiled instead and showed his hand to her.
"Check my veins then..." he continued with his mysterious smile, Chu Yueli obviously indulged his request and checked his veins.
"H-how !?" she asked with little bit force in her voice as well as shock.
"Told you so? Didn't I? I am alchemist as well and I have few pills to help me in my quest" she dumbly nodded, not knowing how to respond to that...
For next hour Xiao Tian Long and Chu Yueli enjoyed their tea and talked about everything from adventures to sibling things, Yueli even asked about his battle against Xuanyuan Wentian she was extremely interested as Sacred Ground is a mythical place to her...
So he did, from his own perspective, Chu Yueli was somewhat shocked how plainly without any fanfare he told his side of their story of almost total destruction.
After telling his story, Xiao Tian Long paid for tea and left Tea House with Fairy of Immortal Palace.
"You have my thanks for wasting your time with me, Fairy Chu Yueli, but I should go back to Xiao Clan..." he said with disappointing voice, he doesn't want to leave such Fairy alone, but she is not a small girl...
He turned around and was about to walk, but Chu Yueli grabbed the sleeve of his robe to stop him...
"Wait...I have to thank you for spending your time with me, and enlightening me in Way of Cultivation..." she said in a shy voice, it was the first time she spoke with a man like this, it was very embarrassing.
"So, I wish to thank you in a way I know..." She leaned forward and had to stand on her toes to reach his lips and kissed him in a very chaste way...
Xiao Tian Long eyes widened as he tasted Immortal Palace Fairies lips, it only lasted few second but it was one shocking kiss.
"Wow, that's a first..." he said as if to himself, after all, he may be engaged to Feng Xue'er but there are only hugs and kisses to cheeks and foreheads nothing more, after all, she is only 13...
Chu Yueli blushed bashfully hearing that, she was actually squealing inside or at least that how it looked from Xiao Tian Long perspective as she was fiddling with her robes.
Xiao Tian Long looked at her, she was still not looking back at him, instead she found gravel more interesting.
"That was one great award... " he went closer to her and hugged the smaller girl
"Do you want to continue?" Even someone sheltered as she knows what is coming next if she agrees...
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone