Lin Buyu turned his head to glance at Ziyang upon hearing her words, then turned back, shaking his head expressionlessly.
The crowd was slightly embarrassed by this.
"It's been three years, so it's normal not to remember."
Ziyang smiled and tried to ease the tension.
"That's true. It's been three years, so it's normal not to remember. Look, Buyu is now as tall as I am."
Zhao Linglong smiled and gestured.
If it weren't for the fact that Xu Taiping was the first disciple she led down the mountain, and if it weren't for the similar circumstances she and Xu Taiping experienced in their childhood, she might have forgotten about that young boy as well.
Although Zhao Linglong's father was the master of the Seven Peaks, she was born to a secular woman and grew up in the secular world until she was seven years old. Her mother made a living by washing clothes for others. When her mother fell ill, the young Zhao Linglong, at the age of six or seven, learned to wash clothes, cook, and prepare medicine and soup.
If her mother hadn't passed away and she hadn't been found by the master of the Seven Peaks, she might have also died in that winter with her mother.
"By the way, Sister Ziyang, did you come today to watch the Longmen Assembly?"
Zhao Linglong immediately changed the subject, curious about Xu Ziyang's intentions.
"Yesterday, when I received a letter from Qingxiao, I learned that you had borrowed the Mountain Patrol Mirror. I thought it would be good to bring Buyu along to take a look. Although it's a competition among outer disciples, it only happens once every three years, and if you miss it, you have to wait another three years."
"That's perfect. This year, Xu Taiping, who entered the mountain with Buyu, will also be participating. You can get to know each other again."
Zhao Linglong teased Lin Buyu with a smile.
To Zhao Linglong and Ziyang's surprise, this time Lin Buyu neither ignored them nor contradicted them.
In front of a stone table in a bamboo grove.
"Alright, what is now shown in the bronze mirror is the martial arts arena in front of the Longmen Hall. Today's competition will take place on the four platforms in the center of the arena."
After Qingxiao used his magic to activate the bronze mirror, he placed it back on the stone table.
Zhao Linglong leaned over the table, and indeed, as Qingxiao had said, the bronze mirror displayed the martial arts arena in front of the Longmen Hall.
In the image, the four square platforms in the center of the arena were the most prominent, and the crowd was concentrated around these platforms.
"Second Senior Brother, do you know which platform Taiping is on?"
Zhao Linglong suddenly looked up at Qingxiao.
"Sister Linglong, the Longmen Assembly involves drawing lots on the spot, so no one knows which platform they will be on until today."
Before Qingxiao could speak, Ziyang explained with a smile.
"Is that so? Then we'll have to search slowly."
She had never paid attention to the selection process of the Seven Peaks, so she was unaware of this detail.
Qingxiao channeled a bit of spiritual energy to his fingertips and drew a rune on the surface of the bronze mirror, causing the image to gradually zoom in.
"Let's start with the eastern platform. You can also keep an eye out."
As he spoke, he moved his finger in the air, and the image in the bronze mirror began to zoom in on the eastern platform.
The perspective of the bronze mirror was like that of a bird soaring overhead, sweeping over the heads of the cultivators in the arena.
"No, no, the eastern platform is full of old men. Taiping isn't there."
Zhao Linglong glanced and waved her hand, asking Qingxiao to check another platform.
Since she didn't know what Xu Taiping looked like now, she could only use age as a reference. Fortunately, most of the outer disciples capable of participating in the Longmen Assembly were older and mostly martial artists, so the search wasn't particularly difficult.
"Wait, there's a young one here."
Zhao Linglong suddenly called out to Qingxiao.
"This person is not Xu Taiping."
Ziyang, who had been closely watching the image in the bronze mirror, shook her head.
As the image quickly zoomed in, the young man's face became visible in the bronze mirror.
Although he was young, his appearance was clearly not Xu Taiping's, with significant differences in facial structure and features.
"How do you know this isn't Xu Taiping, Senior Sister Ziyang?"
After confirming that the person was not Xu Taiping, Zhao Linglong looked up at Ziyang curiously.
"This person is named Lu Yuan. He came to Yunlu Mountain seven years ago. Although he has a white spirit bone, he has excellent martial arts talent and is particularly skilled with a saber. He has long been under the observation of the various peaks."
"Master also asked me to pay attention to this person."
Qingxiao nodded in agreement.
"There are such capable outer disciples. I hope Taiping doesn't encounter him."
While Zhao Linglong continued to search for Xu Taiping in the bronze mirror, she muttered worriedly.
"Any outer disciple who can make it to the Longmen Hall is no ordinary person. Even if he doesn't encounter Lu Yuan, he will encounter someone else."
Qingxiao contradicted Zhao Linglong.
"Can't you say something nice..."
Before Zhao Linglong could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by Lin Buyu, who had been silent.
All three of them looked at Lin Buyu.
"That person, he looks a bit like him."
Lin Buyu pointed at the bronze mirror.
The three of them looked down and saw that the young man Lin Buyu pointed to indeed had a resemblance to the Xu Taiping they remembered.
"Second Senior Brother, zoom in more, quickly, quickly, quickly!"
Zhao Linglong urged repeatedly.
Qingxiao glared at Zhao Linglong, then gently moved his fingers, causing the image in the bronze mirror to continuously zoom in until only the young man's figure remained.
However, because the perspective of the bronze mirror was downward, and the young man was constantly writing something, the three of them couldn't see his face clearly.
Just as Zhao Linglong was getting anxious and wanted Qingxiao to think of another way, the young man suddenly stopped writing and looked up, as if sensing something.
Thus, his face became clearly visible in the bronze mirror.
It was a slightly childish face, but one that had already begun to show its contours. Especially the eyes under the slightly furrowed brows, which had a firmness and sharpness not typical of a young person, as well as a hint of stubbornness.
"It's him, he's Little Taiping!"
After a moment of shock, Zhao Linglong suddenly shouted happily.
"Although he has grown taller and become more robust, his features haven't changed. It's him."
What Zhao Linglong remembered most about Xu Taiping was the cautious and slightly stubborn look in his eyes when they first met.
"It should be him. Look at the sign on the table in front of him."
Qingxiao pointed to the table in front of Xu Taiping in the bronze mirror.
The three of them looked closely and saw that the sign clearly read "Qingzhu Residence Xu Taiping."
"Qingzhu Residence, that's right, it's Qingzhu Residence. I personally led him there initially."
Zhao Linglong said with a nostalgic expression.
She suddenly thought of something, turned to Lin Buyu, and asked curiously, "Sister Buyu, didn't you say you didn't remember Taiping? How did you recognize him at first glance?"
Lin Buyu met Zhao Linglong's gaze expressionlessly, then turned her head and said indifferently: