Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
The door of the Thatched Cottage swung wide open, and a young woman dressed as a Village Girl walked in.
Her clothing was quite Strange, featuring a brightly dyed, patchwork short shirt made of coarse cloth. Her slim waist was cinched tightly with a palm-width strip of fabric, and she wore indigo shorts rolled up high, revealing her elegantly shaped, snow-white calves. On her feet were Grass Shoes, clearly displaying ten rosy toenails. A large homemade cloth headscarf wrapped around her head made it look as if she was balancing a big basket on top. Large silver earrings swayed beside her neck, and a jingling silver necklace hung from her chest, accompanied by numerous silver bells adorning her wrists and ankles. She appeared to be an unmistakable Southern Barbarian woman.
However, she was clearly a cultivator, already at the mid-stage of Refining the Heart, with considerable strength and not far from achieving Golden Core. Although her face was intentionally darkened with some Tree Sap, her skin remained smooth, with a delicate Qiong Nose and eyebrows that arched gracefully. Her eyes sparkled like autumn waters, black and white distinctly separated; when she smiled, deep dimples appeared on her cheeks, revealing her beauty.
Li Hong was taken aback and recognized her immediately. "It's you! Yan Luo from Qixia Palace!"
Yan Luo's dimples deepened as she giggled charmingly. "You finally remember me! It was worth my life risking it to save you from the Demon Sect."
Li Hong scratched his head, feeling somewhat awkward. He had been unconscious for some time and had no idea what had happened; he had experienced a Strange long dream. Upon waking up, he found his hands and feet restored—indeed, it was Yan Luo who saved him. However, this girl had a rather Strange personality that didn't quite match his own.
Li Hong's eyes darted around as he clasped his hands and bowed deeply to the ground. "I cannot express my gratitude enough. If I ever return to Nine Li Sect..." He stopped abruptly upon remembering he had escaped from Nine Li Sect, feeling embarrassed and unable to continue.
Yan Luo observed his expression and smiled sweetly. "It's been over three months now; didn't you know? You have been expelled from Nine Li Sect and labeled a traitor. The new leader Ling Jizi declared that anyone who shelters you would be opposing Nine Li Sect. Hehe, only I am bold enough not to believe in such nonsense. Aren't you going to thank me properly?" With that, Yan Luo casually grabbed a stool and sat down confidently in front of Li Hong, blocking his way while extending her fair hand in a gesture demanding thanks.
Listening to her words ignited anger in Li Hong's heart; Ling Jizi was being too unreasonable! But after reflecting on it, he gradually calmed down. Did he really think he could deceive the world's heroes? That was just foolishness. Here stood someone who didn’t believe his lies at all.
Looking at Yan Luo's darkened face contrasted against her snow-white neck and delicate hands, along with her fair calves and feet, Li Hong couldn't help but laugh.
"What are you laughing at? Hurry up and give me something good! I know you have plenty of nice things; don’t try to hide them! I spent three months hiding by the Great Lake under the watchful eyes of the Demon Sect just to rescue you; you have no idea how hard it was..."
Li Hong felt quite pleased, his smile growing deeper in his eyes. "Even if you want to pretend to be a Village Girl, could you at least do it convincingly? Your face is painted black while your hands and feet are so white—and you're so beautiful that even a fool can tell you're disguised!" He laughed heartily again but suddenly felt a pang in his heart—had he just complimented her beauty upon meeting? This girl had grown up among cunning people; would she think he was being frivolous? With that thought in mind, Li Hong quickly returned to a serious demeanor.
Yan Luo didn’t seem to notice Li Hong’s awkwardness at all; hearing him praise her beauty made her eyes crescent-shaped with delight. She raised her delicate hand to brush back her hair but then remembered she was wrapped in cloth at that moment; this action failed to display any of her charm.
Yan Luo casually moved her hand to her chest, stroking the silver collar there, and curiously asked, “Aren't you angry with Ling Jizi for treating you that way?”
“Why should I be angry? Everyone has their own scale of justice; fairness resides in people's hearts. Take you for example, you don't believe Ling Jizi's nonsense at all. So, I have gained people's trust while he has earned a notorious reputation. So tell me, why should I be angry?” Li Hong replied calmly.
Looking at the righteous expression on Li Hong's face, Yan Luo felt her heart race. She couldn't hide her feelings any longer but wondered where to start. Blushing and flustered, she pointed to her face and said, “This dark oil is sunscreen. I learned it from those Southern Barbarians girls; they use it in the mountains. It’s said to be good for the skin and can also repel mosquitoes. It's not like I'm trying to dress up like them.”
After saying this, she regained her composure and put her worries aside, cheerfully recounting the events leading to her rescuing Li Hong in great detail.
This girl was naturally sociable and not shy at all, unlike the Han People of the Central Plains; she truly had a bit of the charm of Southern Barbarians. From her rambling narrative, Li Hong learned a lot.
Since the Demon Sect breached the Nine Li Sect, they had been unusually active everywhere. Now everyone in the Immortal Sect was on edge; many cultivation families and smaller sects with deep ties to the Nine Major Sects of the Immortal Sect had either moved away or hidden themselves deeply. Initially, when rumors spread that Li Hong was a traitor colluding with the Demon Sect, it caused quite a stir, but as the Demon Sect continued to appear everywhere, people quickly stopped mentioning it. Thus, Ling Jizi’s unilateral declaration that all members of the Immortal Sect must kill Li Hong became a joke.
Yan Luo had been paying close attention; she had “happened” to see Li Hong fall into the Great Lake after battling with Yandao and the Azure Guardians. At that time, she didn’t dare approach and stayed far away until she confirmed that the Demon Sect Monster had left. She quietly returned near the lake and kept watch for three months until one night at midnight when she saw Li Hong emerge from the water. She pulled him out and ran all the way to this remote village inhabited by the Southern Barbarians, where she hid him and helped him heal.
After hearing this, Li Hong felt quite touched but then chuckled to himself.
Although he was chatting with Yan Luo, he was continuously operating his mental techniques and gradually realized that his injuries were beyond what Yan Luo could heal. Although he didn’t know what that Blacklight Cocoon was, it was truly his savior. Yan Luo merely pulled him from the lake. Of course, he was grateful that she brought him away from there; after all, that place was often visited by Demon Sect Monsters. If she hadn’t rescued him in time, he might have been caught again. In that sense, Yan Luo was indeed his benefactor.
Thinking this way, Li Hong chose not to expose Yan Luo's little lie and sincerely thanked her.
Only then did Yan Luo feel satisfied and cheerfully say, “Alright then, now you can tell me what adventures you had in the Southern Wilderness. Don’t lie to your savior.”
Li Hong had no intention of telling her the truth and brushed her off with a few vague statements.
Listening to Li Hong’s excuses, Yan Luo smiled brightly, her eyes sparkling as if deep in thought.
Her expression was clearly in sync with his, indicating that she also knew certain things but chose not to expose him on the spot. Li Hong understood this perfectly.
Without needing to say anything, both of them refrained from revealing each other's secrets.
As night fell, smoke rose from the gorge across the way, where the Southern Barbarians were preparing dinner. Neither of them needed to eat, leaving them with nothing to do.
Li Hong did not have much fondness for Yan Luo. Firstly, her insistence that he should express gratitude and offer a gift for saving his life was something he found deeply unpleasant. He stood up to stretch his limbs, realizing that his injuries had indeed healed. He cupped his hands and said to Yan Luo, "I still have matters to attend to. Your kindness need not be mentioned; I am currently without possessions, but I will definitely present you with a proper gift another day. For now, let us part ways."
With that, he swiftly slipped out of the small room.
Yan Luo grew anxious and called out, "Where are you going?"
Li Hong almost blurted out "Southern Wilderness," but at the last moment, he cleverly swallowed his words and replied, "I'm going south to find an old friend."
"You're not allowed to go!" Yan Luo fluttered in front of Li Hong like a butterfly, blocking his path. She exclaimed, "Are you trying to get yourself killed? The Demon Sect Monster has sealed off all routes to the Southern Wilderness. I've heard that many rogue cultivators from the Immortal Sect heading south have died under mysterious circumstances. Do you still dare to go there?"
"Oh?" Li Hong realized the seriousness of the situation and thought of Chuxiong and Black Abyss. His heart raced; could they be in trouble?
Yan Luo frowned and glanced at Li Hong with a knowing look. "Don't worry; your brother who escaped with you hasn't fallen into the hands of the Demon Sect. I know this for sure. But if you go there, you might end up in their grasp, and then your brother would have a hard time saving you. Hmph, he’s hiding in a pretty safe place; do I look like I don’t know that?" The last two sentences were spoken softly, as if she were dismissively talking to herself.
Li Hong felt slightly reassured and thought carefully about what Yan Luo said. Black Abyss and Cloud Path would arrive soon; once they reached the Great Lake Ruins and submerged themselves in the water, they would be met by the Spirit of the Hall from Temple City. Once inside, there would be no safer place in the world.
However, what about those last two sentences from Yan Luo? Li Hong's heart suddenly raced. How did she know?
Staring at her increasingly shadowy delicate face in the dimly lit room, Li Hong understood. She had been keeping an eye on him since he first entered the Southern Wilderness. No wonder she had chased after him right after leaving Temple City, babbling nonsensically. She was clearly focused on something within the temple; she must have known certain things.
She did save herself, but her purpose was definitely for the temple!
Li Hong understood this and instead of rushing to the Southern Wilderness, he sat down at the table and changed the subject, saying, "What are we having for dinner?"
Yan Luo smiled charmingly and said, "Have you come to a realization? That's great! I'm not in a hurry; I have plenty of time. Plus, I can assure you that this place is very safe. I've bribed all the Southern Barbarians nearby, so no one will gossip. This is the safest place. If you trust me, just stay here quietly. Once those people from the Demon Sect leave, you can head south. By then, it will be easy for you to visit friends or find your brother."
She laughed like a silver bell, squinting her eyes in a pretentious manner while covering her mouth with her hand, clearly believing that this pose was beautiful and charming.
Li Hong felt a wave of disgust inside. This girl wasn't necessarily malicious, but she was shrewd, calculating, and expected gratitude for any favors. She also loved to pose and preen, completely different from the celestial beings he had encountered in his cultivation journey. No wonder he always felt an indescribable awkwardness around her.
Trying hard to mask his impatience and distaste, Li Hong said lightly, "Let's find something to eat; otherwise, the Mountain Dweller might notice something's off."
"That's true. Just wait a moment," Yan Luo replied as she got up and walked out.
Next to the room was a simple hut that served as a kitchen. Yan Luo went there to prepare something. Li Hong sat quietly in the darkness, and the clear face of Chu Xi floated before his eyes. It was only then that he realized how much he missed her.
Chu Xi was the true celestial being—carefree and ethereal.
Comment 0 Comment Count