Chapter 2717 — The Agreement to Meet

"I'm afraid that's the only way..." The Supreme Elder spread his hands and said helplessly.

"Then... couldn't we at least see her from a distance?" Xiaofen was somewhat unwilling to give up. Her illness had only just been cured, and Tang Zhi had left soon after, so she had never had a proper chance to spend time with her.

"Do you think that, with Tang Zhi's current cultivation, she wouldn't notice you?" the Supreme Elder countered.

"That..." Xiaofen was taken aback, though she understood. Yes—Tang Zhi was no longer the Tang Zhi of old, but a formidable cultivator!

"Ah, how about this: if you wish to see Tang Zhi, it is not out of the question, but you must do exactly as I say. Otherwise, if something happens to Tang Zhi, neither you nor I will be pleased!" the Supreme Elder said.

"Fine, Supreme Elder, tell us!" Kang Xiaofeng nodded and agreed at once.

"You are Tang Zhi's friends, so naturally you know her well, and she will certainly listen to what you say. Therefore, I hope you will say more to Tang Zhi about giving up on Wei Zhao. Only then can she cultivate in peace." The Supreme Elder continued, "Only when she has given up hope can she cultivate with a tranquil heart, and only then will she avoid going mad from qi deviation."

"That..." Upon hearing the Supreme Elder's words, Kang Xiaofeng immediately hesitated.

"You aren't entertaining the delusion that Tang Zhi might one day return and be reunited with Wei Zhao, are you? That is impossible!" the Supreme Elder pressed her advantage. "Never mind that Wei Zhao has already forgotten Tang Zhi—Tang Zhi herself has cultivated the Heartless Art. Once she masters it, she will have no feelings left at all. In doing this, you are helping Tang Zhi, helping her cast off her inner demons as soon as possible and step onto the heavenly path."

"All right. But we can only speak the truth—we won't make things up." Kang Xiaofeng hesitated a moment, then nodded in agreement. After all, in his view, everything the Supreme Elder said was true, and she was certainly acting for Tang Zhi's own good; he could not do her harm.

As for the matter of Wei Zhao and Tang Zhi, the Supreme Elder had already said it was impossible, so Kang Xiaofeng did not need to worry too much about it.

"I only want you to speak the truth; there is no need to fabricate anything. You need only make Tang Zhi give up hope. How you say it is up to you—I don't need to teach you, and besides, I am not especially clear on the details of your affairs," the Supreme Elder said.

"Understood." The Supreme Elder's words left Kang Xiaofeng with no doubts. In truth, she had not really deceived him much; everything she said was fact, merely a little exaggerated—and at bottom, it was all for Tang Zhi's good.

"In that case, follow me." The Supreme Elder said faintly, "I hope that, for Tang Zhi's sake, you will not say anything inappropriate."

"Rest assured, we are not people without sense." Kang Xiaofeng had not come here to find a way to make Tang Zhi return; he had only come to visit her. Even Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu had no intention of bringing Tang Zhi back—otherwise they would not have kept it from Wei Zhao.

This matter had to be kept secret; otherwise it would only bring harm to Wei Zhao. His current strength was utterly insufficient to contend with Snow Valley.

Tang Zhi's cultivation had grown more and more difficult of late. She wanted to cultivate in peace, yet she could not forget Wei Zhao no matter how she tried. In her heart, she resisted the very idea of forgetting him; she wanted to remember Wei Zhao forever—to remember that afternoon beneath the shade of the trees, to remember the countless stars over West Star Mountain at night. These were the most beautiful and precious memories of her life. Even if she could never see Wei Zhao again, she would hold on to these past sweetnesses—sweetnesses that belonged to her alone, because the other person would forget them forever...

The Supreme Elder had also tried to persuade Tang Zhi to take the potion brewed from the herb of forgetfulness, but Tang Zhi had refused. That was precisely why the Supreme Elder had asked Kang Xiaofeng and the others to persuade her.

At that moment Tang Zhi was resting when a Snow Valley maid who attended her came over and knocked on the door. "Elder Tang, the Supreme Elder says that several of your old friends have come to visit."

"Oh? My old friends?" Tang Zhi was slightly startled. Could it be Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu? At the thought, Tang Zhi grew excited at once. If they had come, might Wei Zhao come too?

"Yes, one man and two women. They are waiting in the guest rooms, and the Supreme Elder asks you to go over," the maid said.

"Ah... good, I'll be right there!" Tang Zhi said excitedly. One man and two women—then it must surely be Wei Zhao, Gu Mengyao, and Shen Yushu!

Tang Zhi hurried out of her room without waiting for the maid and rushed toward the guest rooms, much to the maid's surprise. In Snow Valley, Tang Zhi's days were spent cultivating; she was taciturn and disinclined to talk, a very quiet person. Why was she so excited today?

Still, that was Tang Zhi's own affair, and as a maid she could hardly ask. She could only follow silently behind.

Tang Zhi quickly arrived at the guest rooms, where the Supreme Elder and Elder Zhang were already waiting at the door. Seeing Tang Zhi approach, the Supreme Elder said faintly, "Elder Tang, your old friends are inside. I will not intrude."

With that, she left the guest rooms together with Elder Zhang, much to Tang Zhi's surprise. Wei Zhao had come—would she really leave Tang Zhi alone with him so at ease?

Yet when Tang Zhi stepped into the guest room full of doubt, her question was instantly answered—for the visitors were not Wei Zhao and the other two, but Kang Xiaofeng, Xiaofen, and Liu Xinlan!

Tang Zhi was instantly relieved. No wonder the Supreme Elder had been so at ease. If it really had been Wei Zhao who came, would she have agreed to let Tang Zhi meet him?

At that thought, Tang Zhi could not help patting her forehead and smiling wryly. She really had let her worries cloud her judgment. Besides, with Gu Mengyao and Shen Yushu at his side, how could Wei Zhao possibly think of her?

"Kang Xiaofeng, Xiaofen, Xinwen—so it's you!" Yet seeing them, Tang Zhi was delighted. She had been stifled to death lately. Here, apart from conversing with her foster parents and her birth mother, Tang Zhi was unwilling to talk to anyone else, and there was no common ground anyway—nothing beyond asking after the Xue Li matter, and no other conversation at all.

"Yunyun, are you all right?" Xiaofen was overjoyed to see Tang Zhi. She ran over and, together with Liu Xinlan, took Tang Zhi's hands, one on each side.

"Xiaofen, Xinwen, I'm fine. Why have you come?" Tang Zhi was rather surprised. Why would the three of them come here?