Chapter 70 070 Opening Screen

The number one among countless friends.

The only person I truly connect with.

Duan Lansheng's heart clenched under his sternum.

It was as if a hand descended from the void, grasping this organ. The resulting shockwave, like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashing down upon him. In that fleeting moment, yet stretching like an eternity, he saw Zhang Gonggong's lips moving, muttering something, but nothing reached his ears. Only a faint voice emerged from the depths of his ears, repeating itself again and again, growing clearer and clearer, as if interrogating his true heart.

……is that so?

Is that how it is?

Why do I still feel like I'm only scratching the surface, even though she's officially recognized as my best friend? Why do I always want to bring her something nice when I'm out and about, and feel happy when I see her smile? Why do I hate it when someone covets her, as if my territorial instinct has been awakened? All the untimely desires, the happiness in ordinary days, the awkwardness, resentment, and insincerity hidden behind the mask... it turns out they all stem from this.

It turns out, he didn't want to be the number one among her group of friends; he wanted to be her only one.

As the chaos dissipated and the sun shone through, his understanding was overturned. His blood suddenly rushed, and his face flushed. A strange dizziness and disorientation enveloped his entire body.

Duan Lansheng raised his right hand and clutched his chest in a daze, as if his heart would jump out of his throat if he didn't.

"...Not to mention it's getting late, you should...Master, Master? Are you alright? Is your chest uncomfortable?" Eunuch Zhang was trying to persuade him when he suddenly paused, looking at him with some doubt.

Duan Lansheng's body trembled slightly, and he lowered his hand. The rustling of autumn leaves in the wind, the rippling of the pond, the footsteps of palace servants on night patrol... the noise that had been blocked out by his violent heartbeat suddenly rushed back into his ears.

Eunuch Zhang: "?"

Zhang Gonggong was completely bewildered, unaware that while he had been talking until his throat was dry, the person in front of him had been daydreaming, letting the words go in one ear and out the other, not taking in a single word of his long-winded discourse.

At this moment, Duan Lansheng suddenly looked towards the palace behind him. Eunuch Zhang also noticed the change in light and turned around to look.

The lights inside the palace dimmed slightly, indicating that the people inside were preparing to rest. In the dark corridor, Lu Yuanyuan and Yue Hong seemed to have finished their conversation. She straightened her clothes and casually turned her head to look over.

Zhang Gonggong felt somewhat helpless, thinking to himself that he had been trying to stop them for so long, but it was all in vain.

To everyone's surprise, the person who had been so aloof and determined to go in suddenly became breathless and took a step back instead of moving forward. Whether he was distracted or something else, he actually stepped onto the edge of the step and stumbled.

Zhang Gonggong was even more astonished.

He watched helplessly as the other person disappeared into the darkness, seemingly fleeing in panic.

.

That night.

Duan Lansheng curled up on the bed, the curtains drawn in the darkness. His skin, draped only in a nightgown after his bath, felt cool, and his breath filled the tent with a sense of peace.

The still air was humid and hot, just like his steadily rising body temperature.

He was not sleepy at all.

He had never had any friends before; Lu Yuanyuan was his first. She taught him everything about friendship. Under her guidance, he never considered anything else. Now, his mind was filled with that thought, like a thunderbolt, that overturned his past understanding and sent shivers down his spine.

How does Lu Yuanyuan view him? Does she see him purely as a friend, or is she like him...?

If she knew what he was thinking right now, what would she think?

Before drifting into a light sleep, his mind in turmoil, Duan Lansheng swore that all he was thinking about were these kinds of questions. And only these kinds of questions.

But after entering the dream, some things began to slip out of his control.

What you think about during the day, you dream about at night. In his dream, he saw the person he had been thinking about before falling asleep. In the dream, everything was a vibrant golden autumn, and they returned to that tree. The dense foliage concealed them; everything was blurry and distant except for the fact that they were physically tangible to each other.

The exact same things happened in the dream, like the spider that fell down. But some details were different from before. She was afraid of spiders, so in the dream he kindly helped her catch them. But even after searching everywhere, even taking off her socks to check carefully, she was on the verge of tears, limp and boneless, leaning against him, and the wicked spider still wouldn't show itself.

The sun was warm, and the air was filled with the fragrance of grass and trees. He was lost in thought for a moment, recalling a cold winter before he joined the Shu Mountain sect.

As soon as the steamer by the roadside was opened, moist steam wafted in the wind, revealing soft and fluffy pieces of sugar cake. The young boy had no money to eat, so he stood alone by the roadside, watching passersby accept the steaming food. To prevent the winter wind from drying them out, people held the paper wrappings tightly in their palms, unwilling to let go even though they were hot.

At that time, he imagined with envy that those freshly steamed sugar cakes must be like a ball of fire that hadn't cooled down.

But it turned out that it wasn't as hot as he had imagined, hot enough to burn his fingers; instead, it was warm and soft.

The dream's scenes jumped around chaotically, and in the end, because they couldn't find the spider, Lu Yuanyuan seemed angry and even kicked him. It was as if she had kicked his face in his consciousness. But he wasn't angry at all; he even hugged her and coaxed her for a few moments.

Everything came to an abrupt end here.

When he woke up, everything was gone. He was covered in sweat when he woke up in bed. He turned his head and saw a neatly folded handkerchief on his pillow. He stared at it for a while, then, as if bewitched, he suddenly pulled it over.

This was the handkerchief Lu Yuanyuan used to bandage him. He washed it clean and planned to return it to her sometime.

It was not his intention to soil it again.

The crumpled handkerchief fell from between her fingers to the ground.

Duan Lansheng's eyes were slightly red and moist. He looked up, staring blankly at the ceiling. After a long while, he moved his lips in the empty darkness: "I can."

His voice was so soft it was as if he were talking to himself, and no one knew whose question he was answering.

.

Amidst great anticipation, the Luoshui sacrificial ceremony and the coronation ceremony of Consort Xie, which the Yong Kingdom had been preparing for for a long time, finally arrived two days later on a clear autumn day.

The Luo River is the longest river in the Yong Kingdom, originating from the perpetually snow-capped mountains and nourishing dozens of cities, large and small, including the royal capital. A splendid civilization blossomed along its banks, its stories scattered across the scrolls of history. Because the river's shape resembles a coiled dragon, it has always been regarded as the dragon vein of the kingdom. Therefore, the Yong Kingdom's imperial tombs and ancestral temples were all built not far from the Luo River. Large-scale sacrificial ceremonies held outside the palace were also traditionally located along its banks.

Since it was a waterside ceremony, the process was naturally related to water. The Yong Kingdom's ceremony lasted for seven days, emphasizing the concept of "sending off." Royal craftsmen would build many small boats, their cabins filled with sacrificial items such as mugwort, silk, and fruits. The mugwort would be lit to the sound of drums, and the offerings would float down the river to the center and sink to the bottom, symbolizing that the ancestors had received the offerings, misfortune had been eliminated, and the kingdom would enjoy a long life. The process was both elaborate and extravagant.

This was Lu Yuanyuan's first time participating in such an event. Sure enough, in addition to the emperor and Consort Xie, all the imperial concubines, princes and princesses, and ministers of note from the court had come. The shore was packed with people, like dumplings being dropped into a pot.

Yue Qi, dressed in a python-patterned robe—the Crown Prince's special attire—stood on the platform one step below the Emperor's. His handsome bearing and elegant demeanor gave him a certain air of authority befitting a crown prince. But Xiao Ruo was nowhere to be seen.

Lu Yuanyuan glanced at it and then looked away.

Now, the other disciples of Mount Shu are scattered throughout the crowd, keeping watch. She and Huang Ying continue to disguise themselves as Consort Xie's attendants, dressed as maids, standing behind Consort Xie. From this angle, Yue Qi can't see them at all. This brother probably wouldn't guess that his fiancée, whom he thought had been dead for eight hundred centuries, is standing properly less than ten meters away from him.

Yue Hong, the Second Prince, and the princesses and princes stood a little further away.

Just then, Huang Ying suddenly lowered her voice and said excitedly, "Look, the sacrificial ceremony has begun."

On the wide Luo River, rhythmic drumbeats resounded, thrilling and shaking the heart, while waves splashed high. Ships sailed away with the wind, countless colorful sails carrying flames, like enormous fiery clouds—truly a magnificent sight. Many young ministers participating in the festival for the first time, as well as Huang Ying, who rarely experienced the mortal realm, showed expressions of awe.

The boat drifted to the middle of the river, burned out, and slowly sank. The water swallowed the flames, leaving only whirlpools and white smoke on the river. Seeing how smoothly the process went, the Emperor and Consort Xie exchanged a glance and smiled.

Lu Yuanyuan: "..."

Modern people and ancient people do think differently. At this moment, she had a somewhat jarring thought: fortunately, such sacrifices are not held often, otherwise the pollution to the environment would be too serious.

The sacrificial ceremony was merely a prelude to the coronation ceremony, so for the next seven days, Consort Xie only needed to appear at the lighting ceremony each day. However, her ornaments and headdress weighed nearly twenty pounds, and cervical spondylosis seemed to be lurking in her wake. The wind was strong and damp, and wearing many layers of clothing was of no use; she also had to maintain a smile and stand for an entire morning—truly a difficult task for a pregnant woman.

Lu Yuanyuan steadied herself, cleared her mind of distractions, and tried not to let herself be distracted.

The first morning of the Luo River ritual passed smoothly without any incidents. This was exactly as everyone had predicted. The first day is usually when everyone is at their most alert and vigilant. Since the monster is intelligent and capable of thought, it certainly wouldn't come looking for trouble on the very first day. If it had to choose, it would definitely choose the later days when everyone's guard is gradually lowered.

Lu Yuanyuan helped Consort Xie back to her resting palace, and together with Cui'er, they helped remove the jingling ornaments from Consort Xie's body. These ornaments were quite intricate; while removing a hairpin, Cui'er accidentally pulled Consort Xie's hair and quickly apologized, her face pale.

Consort Xie waved her hand, not bothering to argue. Once the heaviest headdress was removed, her neck felt much lighter.

Because the Luo River is some distance from the capital, and sacrificial rites are held daily, it's impossible for Consort Xie, being pregnant, to travel back and forth every day just to stay in the palace. Therefore, Consort Xie will stay at the temporary palace for the next seven days, and the disciples of Mount Shu will stay there with her.

Consort Xie touched her forehead, revealing a hint of weariness. Just then, a palace servant knocked on the door, bringing in a meal.

Lu Yuanyuan took the food and waited for the palace maid to leave before carrying it to the inner room. Huang Ying made an excuse to call Cui'er away, and after they had all left, Lu Yuanyuan used a small bowl to take out some food and prepared to lower her head to taste it.

But before her lips could touch the chopsticks, they were stopped.

Consort Xie sat up, her beautiful eyes looking at her with concern: "I'm really worried. Why don't we try something else?"

Lu Yuanyuan felt a warmth in her heart, smiled, and reassured her, "Your Highness, it's alright. We've been on guard for so long, we can't afford to fail now. It's better to be cautious. If there's something wrong with the food, I can tell by the taste, I won't actually swallow it."

The idea of ​​tasting the food was something she suggested to Consort Xie privately. If the demon wanted to get rid of Consort Xie without her noticing, tampering with the food was one way. Here, only Huang Ying and she could stay with Consort Xie continuously. Huang Ying was a sword cultivator, and her tongue wasn't as sensitive as hers. If someone had added a trace of poison to the food, Huang Ying might not be able to taste it, but she could.

At her insistence, Consort Xie stopped obstructing her, sighed, and looked at her with a complex and grateful gaze.

Lu Yuanyuan tasted each dish to make sure it was okay before letting Consort Xie eat. When Huang Ying and Cui'er returned to relieve her, she could finally rest. She planned to go to the backyard to bask in the sun and pick up her cultivation that she had neglected for several days.

The courtyard was empty. Lu Yuanyuan walked to a sycamore tree, swept away the fallen leaves on the stone bench, and suddenly heard footsteps coming from behind.

She turned around and paused for a moment.

Duan Lansheng, whom she hadn't seen for two days, appeared before her.

It wasn't surprising that Duan Lansheng was here. However, he seemed a little different from usual today. Lu Yuanyuan's gaze wandered around in confusion before she finally found the odd thing—this guy wasn't using a black hairband today, but instead was using a white jade hairpin to tie his hair up.