"How's the preparation for the Summer Hunt going?"
"Ehm, after the last round of inspections, we should be ready to go ahead and make the journey, Martial Aunt Jing Hua."
"Good." Nodding my head, I marked off the final checkmark. Good, it seems like we're going to be on schedule. "And what of the transportation arrays?"
"Grandmaster Luo should be working on that along with the other peak masters. From what this disciple has heard, they're nearly finished."
"Ehm, alright. Thank you."
"Of course, Martial Aunt Jing Hua." Bowing farewell, the disciple left, continuing his work elsewhere.
Ehm, everything is going to plan.
We should be able to meet up with the other participating sects just a few days before the Mystic Treasure Realm opens up.
I wonder how's Master is doing during all of this?
The last time I saw him, he looked to be a panda in the flesh, with his dark eyes and pale complexion.
Hmm, it seems like this event has taken a lot out of him. Perhaps, I should let him take it easy for a bit. Just this once.
"Senior Sister!"
"Z-Zhu Na Ran?" I didn't have time to react before a warm body nearly pummeled me to the ground. Quickly stabilizing myself, I narrowly managed to avoid falling. "W-wait! Be careful!"
"Hehe!" Zhu Na Ran laughed as she hugged me tighter. "It's been so long since I've seen you, Senior Sister!
Did you miss me?
Did you?" Zhu Na Ran's eyes brightened like stars as she awaited my answer.
"W-well, of course." Nudging her off me, I managed to create some distance between the two of us. "There isn't a day when I don't."
"Oh? Really!"
"Ehm." I nodded as my heart palpitated and my face started to prickle in heat.
Zhu Na Ran had grown taller since the last time we'd met as I now needed to tilt my head slightly up to see her eyes.
Her once golden-brown locks now seemed to shine a brighter golden color, and her skin had a healthy tan, which only accentuated her more prominent features.
Her jawline had also become more defined, as her face seemed more mature after her baby fat had disappeared.
Not to mention her body has changed too…
Broad shoulders that stretched through the loose robes and a thin waist with abs that I just want to-
W-wait!
What am I saying?!
"Um… is there something wrong, Senior Sister?
You've been dazing off for a while." Zhu Na Ran suddenly pulled me out of my daze as she stared at me with a bewildered look.
"N-no, no, not at all!" Had I been too obvious?
I felt the prickles of heat travel from my neck up to the tips of my ears. Shallowing, I tried to lubricate my dry throat. "I-I was just shocked to see how much you've grown."
"Oh, yeah, haha!
Senior Sister, did you hear? I can now make a sword float! I can even ride it now!
Now, I don't need to hop onto yours all of the time.
Pretty great, right?"
"R-right." For some reason, I couldn't help but feel a sense of loss. Perhaps, I just wasn't prepared for all of these sudden changes just yet.
"But, I'll probably have to mooch off of you for a bit since Master doesn't trust me to own a weapon." Zhu Na Ran muttered as she stuck her tongue out, annoyed.
"So, Senior Sister, I hope you won't mind this junior's shamelessness for a bit longer, hehe."
"N-no, not at all. I'll be more than glad to assist you in any way I can." I smiled as Zhu Na Ran kicked the invisible rocks on the ground as she cursed Master under her breath.
I'm glad that Zhu Na Ran seemed to be the same at heart, even with these physical changes.
"Anyways, what was I saying again?" Zhu Na Ran mumbled as she tapped her chin. "Oh right!
My letters!
Did you get them?"
"Oh, yes.
Master had given it to me a few days ago.
I'm sorry that I never replied; I just figured since I'd see you again soon, it would be pointless to respond to them."
"Ah… I see." Zhu Na Ran smiled helplessly as her face dropped a little. "Even so, a reply would've been nice…."
Oh well!
It can't be helped since Master decided to give them to so last minute.
Tch, that old man! Subjecting this junior to such torment and didn't even have the decency to follow through with my requests."
"Don't be too hard on Master; I'm sure that he intended to, but life just got in the way."
"Hmph, I'll say." Zhu Na Ran sighed exasperatedly. "Anyways, how have you been, Senior Sister?
Anything interesting happened while this junior was away?" Zhu Na Ran asked eagerly. I could practically see a tail wagging behind her as she waited in anticipation.
"I, um." The words caught in my throat as I tried to tell her about the gift I had made. However, for some reason, be it my pride or embarrassment, I couldn't tell her.
At least, not yet.
"No… nothing much happened that is of much significance.
Well, other than your friend, Miss Bai Yin, paying a visit, of course."
"Oh, really? Ah, she didn't tell me that!
When I stopped by to visit her, she was busy telling me all about her wedding!
Ah, time sure does fly." Zhu Na Ran mused.
"To believe that the nervous girl I met a year ago would grow into such a mature and collected woman.
Although, it appears as though she's been working pretty hard, as when I went to meet her, her face instantly turned red!
Tsk. I should tell Bai Chen not to overwork her so much because even though she's a married woman now, she's still a young maiden.
What if she becomes sick?"
The reason she turned red was because of you.
During one of Bai Yin's visits, she confessed her affections for Zhu Na Ran to me. She spoke of how the two of them met and how she started to fall for her.
Admittingly, it was hard to hear how someone else fell for the one you love, as waves of jealousy edged at the back of my mind. However, I understood why Bai Yin would fall for my junior sister.
Zhu Na Ran had a personality that was hard to dislike.
Even though initially she can come off as brash and reckless, if not a bit naive, Zhu Na Ran has a pure heart. She sincerely puts her heart into almost everything she does and carries through with her oaths and promises.
Most of the time, at least, with the only exception being studying and cultivating.
Although, it seems like she has outgrown her bad habits.
I-in addition, Zhu Na Ran's face was easy on the eyes. She had an odd charm around her. One that made people want to get close to her and know more of her.
"Ahem, well." Trying to clear my mind of such shameless thoughts, I tried to steer the conversation elsewhere. "I'm sure that Bai Yin is well taken care of, and Bai Chen isn't the type of man who'd neglect his wife."
At the wedding, the young man was clearly head over heels for Bai Yin.
"Hmph, I suppose." Zhu Na Ran harrumphed. "Hah, anyways, I nearly forgot!
Master sent me over to get you.
There's something he wants to give us, and we need to be together to receive it."
"Oh? I wonder what it could be?"
"Ehmm, whatever it is, it better be worth more than the torment he put me through.
Even in my dreams, I still can see all of those horrible traps, littering everywhere I step." Zhu Na Ran shuddered.
"Hah, you're never going to let this go, aren't you, Zhu Na Ran."
"Oh yeah."
---
"Senior Sister, when can we expect the Mystic Treasure Realm to open?" Zhu Na Ran asked as she snacked on a giant meat bun. "Does it just pop out of nowhere?"
"Well, according to Master and the texts that I've read, the Mystic Treasure Realm is expected to arrive within the next three days," I answered.
Peeking over at my junior sister, I noticed a large crumb that stuck to the side of Zhu Na Ran's face as she munched on her bun.
"And no." Reaching out, I wiped the crumb off her face. "It doesn't 'pop out of nowhere.'
It should appear right at the gate."
In the camp center, disciples milled around in curiosity and apprehension at the large stone gate that innocently sat in the center.
It wasn't striking in its decoration; in fact, its presence was little to none. The only way anyone could tell of its power is when one got too close to it.
One could feel the otherworldly and strange power that would seep out of the lifeless stone. The way that the gray dragon pillars seemingly twisted and turned around the edges gave off an unsettling and inauspicious aura, naturally making any curious adventurer turn away in fear.
However, in a seemingly ironic twist, when the Mystic Treasure Realm would open, the surrounding area would suddenly be flooded with a densely auspicious aura.
Like an oasis in a desert, it would only be a matter of time before such a rare gift is preyed upon by men and beasts alike.
"Ehm, I see, I see." Zhu Na Ran nodded as she polished off the rest of her snack. "So what do we do in the meantime?"
"Well, preparations for the tournament are underway, so there is still much more work that needs to be done before we can even enter the treasure realm."
"Oh? I wonder what the tournament is going to be about?" Zhu Na Ran wondered.
"No, wait, what are the prizes for winning the tournament!?"
Sigh.
Zhu Na Ran is still the treasure-loving girl that I remember. The same one that has gotten us into trouble numerous times before.
"Silly, the prizes are glory and prestige gained for one's sect. Whatever a contestant finds instantly goes into the sect's inventory.
You'll only be taking home a fraction of what you gained in the treasure realm."
"What?!
That's some bullsh*t! Why do I have to hand over all of my treasures, huh? My poor hard-earned treasures are just going to be stashed away in a dark treasury and not be admired by this auntie!
Hmph! I can't believe this!" Zhu Na Ran huffed. "Are we just some farmers then?
Picking the hard fruits of our labor, only to hand most of it over to some greedy noble?!"
"Sigh." I could already feel an oncoming headache about this. Oddly enough, this was quite reminiscent of when I tried to coax Master into handing over some of his spiritual herbs for the courtyard repair cost.
It seems like Master has rubbed off quite a bit on Zhu Na Ran, if not enhancing her pre-existing treasure-loving ways.
"Junior Sister, naturally, you'll receive equal compensation for your work, but just know that it may not be the form of the treasures that you've collected."
"Hmph, this auntie is unwilling!" Like a child unwilling to share their candy, Zhu Na Ran crossed her arms and pouted, reluctant to yield to any coaxes or demands.
Sigh. This girl.
Perhaps, it would've been better not to tell her this aspect of the tournament. However, given her reaction, had I not told her sooner, I'd probably have to witness a more 'colorful' exchange.
"Nevermind that." Patting Zhu Na Ran's head, I tried to calm her down from her fury. "There will be other treasures and plenty of other rewards to come." Unfortunately, not even that was able to end Zhu Na Ran's tantrum.
Honestly.
"How about this?
If you manage to collect more treasures than me by the end of the competition, I will owe you one favor."
"Hmm?" Zhu Na Ran's ears instantly popped up in attention. "What do you mean, 'one favor?'"
"It is precisely as it sounds.
If by the end of the competition you manage to accumulate more treasures than me, after subtracting the amount due to our sect, this senior will grant you one favor."
"Hmm." Zhu Na Ran hummed as she tapped her chin. "Elaborate exacting on what this junior gets from one favor."
"Well… you can sneak out once, even past curfew, and this senior will turn a blind eye.
You can use it to avoid training with me…
Or you can use it to think of whatever you like."
"Whatever I like, huh?"
"Em. That's correct." I nodded.
"And it can be anything… and Senior Sister can't say no?" Zhu Na Ran asked as a mischievous grin found its way on her lips.
"W-what kind of strange things are you thinking!"
"Hehe… that's a secret~!" Zhu Na Ran giggled.
"Mmkay! This junior agreed to this bet!
If this junior manages to obtain more treasures than Senior Sister by the end of the competition, Senior Sister owes this junior a favor.
One that Senior Sister cannot say no to."
"Ehm." I nodded in approval. "However, just know that if you lose, the same is applied to you.
You must owe me a favor that you can't say no to."
"Alrighty! Sounds good to me, hehe!
There's no way that this junior won't come out on top! Just you wait!"
I smiled as Zhu Na Ran started muttering ways to gather many treasures within a short period.
Don't be too confident of your victory yet, Zhu Na Ran.
I'm also aiming for a special favor of yours.