Tao Mian didn't know what the scene was like when Du Hong first met Rong Zheng. Perhaps it was a sky full of blossoms, or maybe frost and snow were biting.

But in Rong Zheng's memory, the first time she met Du Hong, she gave the future pavilion Shi Fu a good beating.

The beginning of this incident was actually quite ordinary.

The old Shi Fu of the Floating Pavilion didn't want his heir to rely on the protection of the Twelve Shadow Guards and thus neglect their cultivation.

So, the legitimate successor, Du Yi, would regularly train with the Shadow Guards, and Rong Zheng's Shi Fu, the head of the Shadow Guards at the time, was also his teacher.

Later, when Du Hong was brought back to the pavilion, the old Shi Fu didn't want outsiders to say he was biased. Even though anyone with eyes could see that Du Yi was his most favored young Shi Fu, and Du Hong had no real qualifications, he still had to put on a show and let both children attend the same classes.

Thus, Du Yi followed Rong Zheng's Shi Fu, and Du Hong would learn on the side.

The Shadow Guards' lessons were straightforward: fighting to gain experience through real combat.

A group of teenagers, not knowing their own strength, would often go too far. Du Yi, with experience, could handle it, but Du Hong was quite unlucky.

His bad luck was compounded when, in his first sparring match, he faced Rong Zheng, who had no sense of restraint.

Rong Zheng never sparred with Du Yi, claiming she was afraid of injuring the young Shi Fu. Her Shi Fu indulged her and never arranged it.

This time, with Du Hong present, Rong Zheng wasn't particularly interested, but she couldn't refuse her Shi Fu's request again, so she agreed to spar with him.

Her Shi Fu had warned her in advance that Du Hong had a weak foundation and to go easy on him.

Rong Zheng initially agreed sincerely, but in the end, Du Hong was beaten badly.

No matter how incompetent Du Hong was, he was still the old Shi Fu's son.

This situation was akin to a subordinate taking food from the leader's plate or getting into the leader's car without permission.

It might have been even worse, as it's rare to see a subordinate beat up the leader's child.

Even Rong Zheng's Shi Fu couldn't find a way to cover for her this time.

The Shi Fu was puzzled. Although her first disciple was a bit reckless, she wouldn't normally be so harsh.

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Unless there was a special reason.

The Shi Fu first comforted Du Hong, called the pavilion's doctor to treat his injuries, and took him back to his own courtyard.

Only then did she return to ask Rong Zheng why she had been so ruthless.

Children's squabbles usually boil down to a few reasons.

Mocking appearances, looking down on status... or perhaps, for Rong Zheng, insulting her deceased parents.

Rong Zheng was punished by her Shi Fu and stood in the corner, with a familiar expression of defiance, just like when she was a child.

Her mouth was pouting, she wouldn't look people in the eye, and her cheeks were puffed up in anger.

Her Shi Fu stood in front of her and asked what the reason was.

She didn't speak.

The Shi Fu didn't scold her but thought for a moment and asked differently.

"What did the second young Shi Fu say to upset you?"

This worked. Rong Zheng immediately turned her head, her grape-like eyes flashing with anger.

"I said the loquat blossoms in the courtyard were beautiful, and he said what's so beautiful about them, they look like the tree has a runny nose. What right does he have to judge how the tree blooms? It should bloom however it wants!"

"…"

The Shi Fu truly hadn't expected that children nowadays could argue over whether flowers looked like a runny nose.

She almost wanted to laugh, but if she laughed now, with Rong Zheng's stubborn temper, she would definitely ignore her for three days.

"Alright, you're right. How a tree blooms is given by nature, who are we to judge?"

Rong Zheng, who had been fuming, was surprised and comforted to hear her Shi Fu siding with her this time.

"Exactly! Controlling the sky and the earth, and now he wants to control how a tree blooms! If he keeps talking, I'll hang him on the tree to bloom! It's infuriating."

Rong Zheng was like a little pufferfish, round and puffed up.

The usually stern Shi Fu couldn't help but chuckle, but she quickly regained her composure.

"Little Zheng, you are a servant, and the second young Shi Fu is the Shi Fu. We listen to what the Shi Fu says.

You not only talked back but also hurt someone. How can you be a good Shadow Guard in the future if you don't understand the rules?"

"Shi Fu, I—"

"Still arguing." The Shi Fu glared at her, and seeing that she was truly angry, Rong Zheng mumbled something and lowered her head in grievance.

She was almost in tears. Through her blurred vision, a hand suddenly appeared.

In the open palm was a cluster of loquat flowers, like snow, or grains of rice.

"But to appreciate flowers, you must choose the right person. I think these flowers are beautiful too."

The Shi Fu tucked the flowers behind her little disciple's ear, gazing at her softly for a moment.

"Loquat flowers aren't rare; people mostly care about the fruit. But you find the flowers beautiful. Little Zheng, you always see what others can't. One day, you'll see the paths we cannot."

"…Shi Fu?"

Rong Zheng tilted her head, bewildered, the "snowflakes" by her ear trembling with her movement.

Unfortunately, her Shi Fu's emotions only briefly surfaced, and she quickly returned to being the stern head of the Shadow Guards.

"The second young Shi Fu is seriously injured. After your punishment, you must go apologize to him."

With that, the Shi Fu didn't linger and went back to her duties.

Rong Zheng was left there, feeling both sad and angry, with a hint of confusion.

She stood from high noon until the sun set, and midway through, familiar black boots appeared in her line of sight.

"Little Tao!"

Rong Zheng was delighted and wanted to shout, but she suddenly remembered something and lowered her voice.

Fortunately, her Shi Fu and fellow disciples were used to her outbursts, and no one paid attention to her in the corner.

Tao Mian also found it quite strange. Just now, he had been talking to Little Rong Zheng from a few years ago, and suddenly, a mist rose, making everything blurry.

He followed his intuition, moving in the direction his heart guided him, parting the clouds with one hand.

Before long, he returned to the familiar courtyard, where Rong Zheng was still being punished.

If not for her height surpassing the small tree beside her, Tao Mian might not have realized the passage of time in the dream.

Rong Zheng, having known him for a long time, was excited to see him.

"Quick, help me out!"

She pleaded with Tao Mian.

The Immortal waved his hand, creating an identical illusion, freeing her true self.

Rong Zheng, having been punished for nearly two hours, could still bounce over to him, clearly full of energy.

She stretched her wrists, bent her legs, and after loosening her muscles, she spoke to Tao Mian with a smile.

"Little Tao, you're here again! What delicious food did you bring this time?"

Knowing she was always hungry, Tao Mian would always take some food from his storage pouch for her.

"Don't rush, I'll get it for you, take your time eating."

"Oh, I have to hurry, I want to go somewhere later!"

"Where to?"

...

Soon, Rong Zheng led Tao Mian to the study of the Floating Pavilion.

The study was in a secluded spot, with a lush loquat tree in the courtyard. Under its shade, a young man was having a lesson with his teacher.

This young man was none other than the young Shi Fu, Du Yi.