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墨書 Inktalez
This place is not far from the Southern Wilderness, nestled deep within the mountains. However, it has been home to many people known as the Southern Barbarians by those from the Central Plains, referred to as Mountain Dwellers. These Mountain Dwellers have thrived in the mountains through slash-and-burn agriculture, with numerous villages scattered like pearls across the highlands. This is one of them. The village is quite small; calling it a village is a stretch, as only three to five households are scattered in a hollow of the mountains. However, beyond this ridge lies a larger village, and these few households are related to many families in that larger settlement.
Yan Luo chose this secluded spot because she could speak their language. She told many lies to gain the trust of these households, even persuading them to help her build a house and settle down. She falsely claimed that she was unwell and had come here to recuperate. The Southern Barbarians are simple folk and believed her words; aside from occasionally bringing some oil and rice, they did not disturb her.
She rescued Li Hong, but the nearby households were unaware of this. Yan Luo generously introduced Li Hong to each household, and it’s unclear what lies she told, but the Mountain Dwellers greeted Li Hong with smiles and welcoming gestures. Thus, Li Hong temporarily settled down in this small village.
The Demon Sect controls all access to the Southern Wilderness from the sky; unless one can burrow underground, there is no way through. Li Hong was not confident in using the special Forbidden Spirit Talisman known as the Earth Escape Talisman from the Nine Li Sect, and returning to the Central Plains was not a viable option either. After much thought, she decided to hide here for now. At least it was safe.
Realizing this, Li Hong's first task was to find a place for cultivation. She could not afford to be idle at this moment; improving her skills was paramount. Although the Five Elements Spiritual Energy here was not abundant, she still had many Supreme Celestial Stones in her Cosmic Bag, so it was crucial to find a quiet place where she would not be disturbed.
Li Hong began exploring around the mountains and finally chose a low hill about ten miles east of the village. This hill had a cave halfway up its slope; it had a small entrance but a spacious interior, which was dry and well-covered by various vines outside. One would hardly notice this entrance without careful inspection. Moreover, standing at the cave entrance allowed her to clearly see Yan Luo's small Thatched Cottage built on the hillside opposite; thus, any movement there would be visible. Although she felt some aversion towards Yan Luo, who could be considered half a lifesaver, Li Hong still hoped nothing would happen to her.
After cleaning out the cave thoroughly and burning some lemongrass for good measure, everything was ready. After some thought, Li Hong decided not to enter seclusion immediately; instead, she covered up the cave entrance again and took a leisurely stroll through the grass towards the cottage while enjoying the mountain scenery.
It was only when night fell completely that Li Hong arrived at the front of the Thatched Cottage. The door was slightly ajar, and Yan Luo was not inside. Li Hong walked over to sit at the table in darkness, patiently waiting for Yan Luo's return.
In one corner of the room, the grass bed had been slightly rearranged; previously, when Li Hong had not awakened, someone had lain on it alone. Now there was a cloth curtain drawn down the middle of the bed for separation. For several nights now, Li Hong and Yan Luo had each sat on opposite sides of this curtain. Now that it was drawn open, Li Hong noticed a large package on Yan Luo's side.
Li Hong suddenly felt delighted—could it be that Yan Luo had finally decided to return to Qixia Palace? That would be wonderful! The thought made her heart soar even more. This girl was easy to get along with but far too clever; she often hinted at matters concerning the temple or suggested how hard it had been for her to save herself—better give her seventeen or eighteen good treasures and as many Elixirs as possible... If only she would leave, life would be peaceful!
Thinking this way made Li Hong's lips unconsciously curl into a smile.
The sound of rustling clothing reached her ears as light footsteps approached from afar. To avoid drawing attention, both of them tried not to make noise but relied on their feet instead.
The door creaked open, and Yan Luo's darkly smiling face peeked in; in her left hand was a small wild boar while her right held a large bamboo tube. She smiled and raised the wild boar in her hand saying, "I caught this in the mountains! There was another one too; I traded it with Uncle Meng for a tube of his homemade wine down below. Let’s have a nice feast tonight! Want to come help?"
Li Hong rolled up his sleeves without saying a word.
First, he rubbed the wild boar all over with salt and stuffed lemongrass into its belly. Soon, the wild boar was roasting over the charcoal fire. The bright red flames licked at the boar, and the skin gradually turned a deep red, releasing an enticing aroma.
Li Hong carefully brushed oil on it, his expression focused. Nearby, Yan Luo squatted on the ground, resting her chin in her hands as she watched. The side of Li Hong's face, illuminated by the flames, caught her eye, and suddenly Yan Luo's heart raced again, just like many times over the past few days.
"All done!" Li Hong placed the roasted boar on a tray and casually traced a few lines above it with his finger. Yan Luo was still puzzled when she suddenly heard a crisp sound; the golden-brown, fragrant boar was neatly divided into eighteen pieces, cut so evenly and perfectly that it seemed impossible.
A small light flickered like a bean lamp as the two enjoyed their drinks.
The roasted meat in the wooden platter was steaming gently, and the mountain wine poured from the bamboo tube was clear and fragrant. Li Hong raised his bamboo cup and smiled, saying, "Cheers to you! Thank you for saving my life."
"Cheers." Yan Luo drank it all in one go, smiling as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
Seeing her wipe her mouth this way, a hint of surprise flashed in Li Hong's eyes. This Yan Luo, surprisingly not putting on airs?
Yan Luo immediately sensed it; her face turned slightly red as she coughed and said coyly, "I want to drink more. Pour me another cup."
Li Hong felt goosebumps rise all over him.
After three cups, Yan Luo became more natural and no longer pretended to be flirtatious; this version of her was much more pleasing to the eye. At this moment, Li Hong finally dared to say what he had been wanting to say all along. Cautiously, he asked, "Yan Luo, when are you leaving?"
"Leaving? Where to?" Yan Luo replied, confused.
Li Hong pointed to the bundle on the grass couch.
"Oh," Yan Luo said casually, "that's something I organized and set aside." Suddenly, she became alert and looked at Li Hong with suspicion: "What? Do you want me to leave?"
Li Hong thought to himself that yes, but he couldn't bring himself to say it. He stammered, "That's not what I meant. I just saw the package and asked."
"Well, that's good. You men are the most ungrateful. I risked my life to save you, and you can't turn your back on me. I've decided not to return to Qixia Palace for now; I'm going to stick with you. Hmph! If you have any shame, just leave me behind," Yan Luo said, casting a sidelong glance at Li Hong.
This gesture was meant to flirt with Li Hong. However, the flirtation felt forced and unnatural, making Li Hong feel as if he had swallowed a fly—disgusting, yet he couldn't say anything.
This girl was truly a handful!
Li Hong steeled himself and said, "I need to go into seclusion for a while. During this time, you need to be careful and try not to use your powers, so as not to attract the Demon Sect..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Yan Luo slammed her cup down on the table with a loud thud, her eyes wide open: "I knew you disliked me! You just tried to chase me away; now you're going into seclusion? I'm your lifesaver! Why do you hate me so much?" By the end of her sentence, her lips pouted, and tears were already welling up in her eyes.
Li Hong immediately felt overwhelmed. He couldn't stand seeing a woman cry, especially one who had saved him. He had no choice but to comfort her gently.
After saying sweet words until his mouth was dry, Yan Luo finally stopped crying and smiled brightly as she raised her cup: "You can't trick me; drink up! I haven't had enough yet!"
"Alright," Li Hong said reluctantly, feeling like he was risking his life to accompany her. He secretly regretted that if he had known she wouldn't let him go into seclusion, he shouldn't have come back at all! He should have sealed off that cave entrance earlier and ignored her! He really didn't understand why she was so clingy. Then it hit him suddenly—could it be that she has feelings for him? That absolutely cannot happen!
Li Hong decided he needed to have a serious talk with Yan Luo about this issue. Clearing his throat, he said solemnly: "Thank you for everything these past few days. However, there's something I must tell you: I am already married. I hold great gratitude and respect for you, so..." Seeing Yan Luo's expression turn strange, he decided to just say the most crucial part outright: "So please don't have any feelings or thoughts about me; it's absolutely impossible, and I will never accept it!"
Yan Luo stared at Li Hong with her mouth agape, and after a moment, she snapped her jaw shut and suddenly smiled at him. "Your wife? Who is she?"
"Ah?" Li Hong was taken aback.
In all his years, Li Hong had never dealt with a girl as thick-skinned as her. With a cheeky grin and a slippery tongue, she had countless tricks up her sleeve. One moment she could be crying, the next she could change her expression entirely. He truly had no idea what she was thinking.
Li Hong stared blankly at Yan Luo, utterly at a loss.
Yan Luo, with a hint of smugness, mocked him. "In front of everyone from the Immortal Sect and Demon Sect, Chu Xi ascended. You think I don't know about this? It's quite unfortunate for her; her ascension was so rushed that she left you behind, which is why you're in such despair here. Now don’t come telling me about your wife; you haven't even married her yet! Even if you did marry her, no man can be trusted. They all look at other women while eating from their own bowl. The senior sisters have told me that already. You're just afraid of taking responsibility, right? Don’t worry, I have no intention of that right now. I just don’t want you to forget your lifesaver and sneak off to hide somewhere without coming back. You can't hog all the good fortune to yourself; you need to share some of it!"
Yan Luo twirled her fingers, shifting the topic back to the divine temple.
Li Hong had no words left; he truly couldn’t handle Yan Luo.
Trying to reason with her or speak truthfully… none of those usual tactics worked on Yan Luo. Even if he managed to convince her, she still had tears in the form of Celestial Artifact.
Li Hong surrendered. "Auntie, I really need to go into seclusion to cultivate; improving my cultivation is very important. You surely don’t want the Demon Sect Monster to capture me again, right?"
"That’s for sure; I hate them too! But," Yan Luo said with a grin as she extended her hand, "first give me something good for self-defense. Don’t tell me you don’t have anything; I've already heard that you have plenty of good stuff. Mid-Level Spirit Talismans, Elixirs—every time you make a move, you give away so much! What’s wrong? You can’t bear to part with something for your lifesaver?"
"Here!" Li Hong shouted angrily, veins bulging on his forehead. He simply summoned his Cosmic Bag in front of Yan Luo and grumbled, "Is that enough?! There are plenty of Mid-Level Spirit Talismans from the Nine Li Sect in here; you can have as many as ten or eight! Just wait!"
"Wait!" Yan Luo exclaimed cheerfully, her eyes sparkling as she looked at the Cosmic Bag in Li Hong's hand. "Good stuff! It’s actually a treasure that can be used to cultivate Dantian! I've made up my mind; I want it!"
Delicate fingers pointed at the Cosmic Bag in Li Hong's hand.
"No way!" Li Hong finally got angry. "Don't be so greedy. If you have the guts, just go report me to the Demon Sect for hiding this. I won't be blackmailed!"
Yan Luo was not afraid at all and continued to smile. "Look at you, taking a joke seriously! The Demon Sect is our common enemy; why would I report you? Besides, I can't take the treasure that your life depends on. How about this: give me a defensive treasure, something you don't want anymore."
"Dear aunt, I really don't have anything... I don't have a single thing with me..." Li Hong said weakly, stars in her eyes.
"Alright, alright, stingy! Just give me a Spirit Talisman!" Yan Luo stretched out her hand, clearly dissatisfied.
In the following days, Yan Luo stayed close to Li Hong. To enter seclusion, Li Hong had no choice but to give all the Mid-Level Spirit Talismans she had brought from the Nine Li Sect to Yan Luo. Among them were about ten that were personally drawn by Spirit Stone, which were the last remnants of Spirit Stone that Li Hong possessed. Her heart bled when she handed them over to Yan Luo, yet Yan Luo still seemed unsatisfied. Li Hong had no choice but to take out the ten-thousand-year-old Purple Ganoderma she obtained from Temple City.
When Yan Luo received the Purple Ganoderma, her eyes sparkled with excitement. Li Hong lowered her voice and asked, "Are you satisfied? If you are, can you return the Spirit Talismans drawn by my master?"
"Sure." Yan Luo counted out the more than ten Mid-Level Spirit Talismans and walked away with a grin.
Li Hong headed toward the stone cave where she would enter seclusion, gritting her teeth in frustration.
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