Chapter 25 Sweet (Second Update) It seems like he's drunk.

(25)

Why are you making that face?

Gu Ye gripped the reins, a blade of grass he'd picked from who-knows-where dangling from his mouth. "It's a good thing that Master has found a way to survive. Aren't you happy?"

Hearing this, Yan Xinbai, who was sitting next to him, looked even more disgusted. "What do you know? The Soul Cleansing Spring of the Cangshan Sect is said to be used to cleanse demonic energy, but it is actually used to exorcise demons."

No demonic cultivator could emerge alive from the Soul Cleansing Spring; most perished, their souls scattered. The few who survived went mad and their cultivation was completely destroyed.

Gu Ye spat out the blade of grass in his mouth and said disdainfully, "That's because they're useless."

Hearing his words, Yan Xinbai felt even more annoyed, so he simply lifted the carriage curtain and sat back inside.

Seeing him leave, Gu Ye scoffed, pulled hard on the reins, and the horse sped up, galloping swiftly along the country path.

He and Yan Xinbai couldn't see eye to eye.

Since our master only has six months left to live anyway, why not fight to the death? He would have made the same choice if he were in our shoes.

Inside the car, Chu Li, holding the baby, was drowsy, her head occasionally bumping against Shang Xinglan's shoulder. The two of them had lost their initial excitement of leaving the mountain and were belatedly becoming sleepy.

The carriage would have to travel a long way, and even with the demonic energy propelling it, it would take more than half a day to reach Tianhe City, where the Cangshan Sect was located.

After that head bumped against him countless times, Shang Xinglan turned his head to look at that dazed, half-asleep face.

I remember when we first got married, Chu Li would often wake up in the middle of the night for no reason. She always had a hard time falling asleep, as if she was still on guard while sleeping.

Even though Shang Xinglan burned calming incense in the room, she would still wake up from time to time.

This situation continued until they eloped to Xiaofushan, where Chu Li finally began to fall asleep peacefully on that remote, deserted mountaintop.

He looks so well-behaved when he's asleep; you'd never guess he's the type to hold a knife and stab someone.

The carriage swayed and rocked, and the little boy couldn't sleep well. When he opened his eyes, he saw Shang Xinglan quietly staring at Chu Li.

He opened his mouth, but before he could speak, the other person made a shushing gesture.

Shang Xinglan gently turned her face and placed it on his shoulder.

The little boy rubbed his eyes, looking confused as he leaned against Chu Li's chest.

The Demon Lord is such a strange person. He clearly likes his mother's closeness, but he never shows it in front of her.

That won't do. If you like someone but don't let them know, they will be hurt for no reason.

After thinking for a moment, the little one was overcome by sleepiness and fell into a deep sleep in Chu Li's warm embrace.

As dusk settled, the carriage entered the city, where wine flags fluttered in the breeze, and the clamor of vendors woke Chu Li.

Her knees ached from being pressed down, so she took the baby off her and rubbed her legs. She looked sleepily at the person beside her and asked, "Are we almost there?"

With a sudden emptiness on his shoulder, Shang Xinglan opened his eyes.

He actually fell asleep briefly.

A commotion erupted outside the carriage window. He reached out and pulled back the curtain, and the next moment, Chu Li and the little boy eagerly crowded into his arms.

"Is Tianhe City any different from Jixiang Village?" Although Chu Li had traveled all over the country, she had never been to Tianhe City before.

Looking out, one sees a wide river, seemingly without end, reflecting the moon, which is as smooth as a white jade plate, its surface shimmering brilliantly.

The little boy was also a bit disappointed, and whispered, "I thought there would be a lot of people in the city."

Shang Xinglan was squeezed into a corner by them, and the faint scent of gardenias wafted from Chu Li's body. He turned his face slightly to the side and half-embraced her loosely, saying, "We're not there yet, what's the rush?"

Yan Xinbai glanced at him, got up and walked out of the carriage. "Gu Ye, is it time to change boats?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Ye leaped off his horse. "Why don't you let this horse fly across the river? If it can fly across, that's fine too, but the sword immortals of the Cangshan Sect will probably come and kill you right away."

Rebuked by his retort, Yan Xinbai pressed his temples, deciding not to argue with him. "If we're going to change ships, let's change ships. Stop talking nonsense."

Hearing their voices, Chu Li's eyes lit up. "We're going to take a boat, Yin Yin, let's go."

She had never been on a boat before, and it was too dangerous for her to travel alone before. More importantly, she didn't have any money on her, so she couldn't afford to take a boat ride.

The little boy was even more excited than her. He carefully climbed down from the carriage and reached out to take Chu Li's hand, saying, "Mother, let me help you."

With his little hand supporting her, Chu Li stepped out of the carriage.

With her arms empty, Shang Xinglan sat quietly for a moment, a barely perceptible hint of disappointment flashing in her eyes.

As the group stood by the river and gazed into the distance, Chu Li actually saw a golden light shimmering at the end of the river, almost brightening the deep blue sky.

Gu Ye found a ferryman on the shore and bought two small boats.

Chu Li took the cub and boarded the small boat, sitting at the bow, while Shang Xinglan sat at the stern.

Seeing him sitting alone in a faraway place, Chu Li reached out and pulled him to her side.

"What are you being so stubborn about? I didn't stop you this time, and I even came with you, didn't I?"

She said she didn't try to stop them, she just couldn't stop them anymore.

Shang Xinglan didn't expose her, but she also didn't sit back down at the stern. She just whispered, "Yinyin, are you cold?"

The night breeze was slightly chilly, and the little boy belatedly felt a bit cold. He nodded.

Shang Xinglan took out a slightly thicker coat from her storage ring and handed it to him.

“I’m cold too.” Chu Li looked at him expectantly.

Shang Xinglan paused for a moment, then took off her coat and threw it in her face.

With his head covered by the coat, it felt as if he were being hugged by the man. Chu Li took the coat, which still carried his body heat, off his head and happily put it on.

It's so warm.

She knew Shang Xinglan was soft-hearted, and she liked soft-hearted men.

The small boat glided through the river, leisurely sailing into the mirror-like moonlight reflected on the water.

The boatman rowed the oar, smiling, and said, "I just saw you use a storage ring, young master. You must be cultivators, heading to the Cangshan Sect?"

Storage rings are not items that ordinary people can afford.

Shang Xinglan's gaze fell on the distant river, and she answered him absentmindedly, "Yes."

Wouldn't you stay closer to him if he's cold?

She doesn't even check the weather before going out. It's almost autumn and she's still wearing so little. She just can't take care of herself.

Seeing Chu Li and the little boy's excited expressions, the boatman chuckled and asked, "Is this your first time here?"

Chu Li remained silent; she didn't like talking to strangers.

The little one nodded.

"Then you've come to the right place. Tianhe City is a must-visit city for cultivators. Even if you don't cultivate, you will benefit greatly from coming here. Do you know what Tianhe means?"

No one paid him any attention, except for the little kid who was going on his first long trip and was listening with great interest.

The boatman scratched his face somewhat awkwardly and said to the only boy who was being supportive, "This Heavenly River, according to legend, was once the place where the wine immortal Shang Liuyu ascended to heaven. He was feasting here, and when he got drunk, he poured out his fine wine, which turned into this lake."

Upon hearing this, Chu Li finally couldn't help but speak up, "Shang Liuyu?"

Is your surname Shang?

"You don't know Shang Liuyu? He's one of the true immortals who ascended to heaven in the Shang family. But it's understandable. He's a low-key person. He and his wife had been living in seclusion in Tianhe City for a long time. One day, he suddenly ascended to heaven. The spiritual energy in this place exploded, and gradually many people came to live here. That's how Tianhe City and Cangshan Sect came to be."

He's definitely a businessman.

Chu Li looked at Shang Xinglan beside her, who was still looking at the distant lake, seemingly not listening at all.

She nudged him carefully with her boot and said in a low voice, "What are you talking about, your ancestors?"

Shang Xinglan: "..."

He turned to look at Chu Li and said calmly, "I have no ancestors."

Forgot?

He had long severed ties with the merchant and vowed never to recognize him again in this life. He even dug up his immortal bones and returned them.

Chu Li pursed her lips and said in a low voice, "If that's what you're saying, then I'm not. We've been ancestors since our generation."

She really knows how to think.

Shang Xinglan chuckled softly, but when she caught Chu Li staring at her out of the corner of her eye, she suppressed her smile and turned her face away.

Chu Li chuckled softly, gradually relaxing. "And then, why don't people who don't cultivate immortality also benefit greatly from coming here?"

Seeing her interest, the boatman immediately launched into a long explanation, "This all started with the wine immortal Shang Liuyu. He loved wine more than anything and brewed a kind of wine called Bodhisattva Dew with water from the Milky Way. A sip of it would make mortals feel stronger and more energetic, but one couldn't drink too much. Bodhisattva Dew is the strongest wine in the world; even a sip will make someone who can't hold their liquor..."

Chu Li quickly lost interest, thinking there was some valuable treasure here, but it turned out to be just wine.

The boatman wanted to talk to her more about the Bodhisattva Dew, but suddenly stopped, saying with great regret,

"Hey, we've arrived at Tianhe City!"

Chu Li turned around and a picture scroll woven only in legends suddenly came into view.

The first thing that catches the eye is not the city, but the Milky Way that supports the entire city.

It was unlike any water in the human world, shimmering under the various lights like a magnificent sunset rising from the water. Upon closer inspection, the lake water was a warm and translucent turquoise, and as the water rippled, what rose were not waves, but tiny, shimmering sparkles like stardust.

Thousands of pavilions and towers are built along the water and depend on the water for their existence.

The continuous mountain peaks partially embrace the river, and several palaces nestled among the pines can be faintly seen atop the mountains.

Here, boats are the only means of transportation.

Chu Li stared at the flower boats and wooden boats that glided through the surrounding area, their light waves flowing, and her breath caught in her throat for a moment.

No wonder she had never been here before; it was a city built on water.

The small boat docked, and Shang Xinglan carried the cub ashore. After a pause, she reached out her hand to Chu Li.

Chu Li held his hand as they reached the shore, and then refused to let go.

The air is thick with the smell of alcohol. The most common shops here are liquor stores, each with several bottles of wine displayed in front of it. The smell of alcohol can make your legs feel weak after a while.

"Husband, I think I'm drunk." She leaned against Shang Xinglan, looking like she couldn't hold her liquor.

Shang Xinglan pushed her head away and said in a low voice, "What's so drunk about you? You can drink a whole pot of Guanghan Guang wine."

Chu Li straightened up, looking embarrassed. "You still remember? You still remember something from so long ago so clearly?"

Previously, Shang Xinglan always refused to share a room with her, so Chu Li didn't initially intend to drug him. She also used some gentler methods, such as getting him drunk.

As a result, Shang Xinglan fell asleep after drinking a few cups, while Chu Li, frustrated, couldn't sleep even after drinking a whole pot.

Just then, Gu Ye and Yan Xinbai's small boat also docked. Chu Li could no longer be intimate with Shang Xinglan, and whispered, "Let's go try it. That Bodhisattva Dew sounds pretty good."

She didn't stop him, but told him to finish his meal before going. She wanted to delay as long as possible.

Shang Xinglan refused without hesitation, "I have important business to attend to."

"Just one drink, it won't interfere with your business." Chu Li tugged at his sleeve and said softly, "Besides, Yin Yin and I haven't eaten yet, we're hungry."

After a long while, he took a deep breath in resignation.

"Master, the Cangshan Sect's formation lies just ahead. How do we get in..."

Before Gu Ye could finish speaking, Shang Xinglan led Chu Li toward the restaurant.

"Let's eat first."

Shang Xinglan picked up the baby and touched his little belly, which was indeed flat. "The baby is hungry."

Gu Ye: "..."

Since his master got married, he has become a more and more competent father, almost indistinguishable from an ordinary person.

They had no choice but to go into the restaurant and ask for a good private room on the second floor.

Chu Li happily took a seat and called over the waiter, "Bring me the best dish of everything, and a pot of Bodhisattva Dew!"

She finally had a place to spend the money she had saved up. It was the first time she had brought her little one to the city, so she had to eat the best of everything.

After ordering, Shang Xinglan rested his chin on his hand and looked at her, his excitement quite unusual.

Having a drink with her should be fine.

Before long, the food was served one after another.

Before we even started eating, we suddenly heard a commotion downstairs.

"What's wrong with the merchants? This is the Cangshan Sect's headquarters!"

"So what if it's the Cangshan Sect? Without us Shang people, where would your Cangshan Sect be?"

Shang Xinglan frowned and said in a low voice, "Close the door, it's noisy."

Gu Ye responded and closed the door.

Chu Li felt a chill run down her spine upon hearing this, and ate two mouthfuls of rice.

She almost subconsciously felt afraid whenever she heard the name "Shang family." She was afraid that they would find out that she had killed Shang Xinglan, and she was always worried that these people would come to settle accounts with her. Although they had long since severed ties, the Shang family's protectiveness was not just empty talk.

Unfortunately, merchants are scattered throughout the north and south, with hundreds of branches of disciples whose numbers are countless. They can be found in any slightly larger city, making it impossible to avoid them.

She took two more bites, still feeling uneasy, and looked at Shang Xinglan, who was alive and well beside her, which gave her a little more confidence.

She did kill, but failed to die, so retribution won't reach her. There's nothing to be afraid of.

With a soft creak, the waiter pushed open the door to deliver the wine, and the sounds from downstairs reached their ears again.

"Your brother is Xie Liyi? Xie Liyi is nothing! There are plenty of people like him everywhere! If you weren't a woman, I would have slapped you already!"

With a thud, Chu Li looked up at Shang Xinglan, "Did you hear that?"

Shang Xinglan calmly replied, "I didn't hear it."

Chu Li pursed her lips and said in a low voice, "It seems to be Xie Liyi's younger sister. She's been bullied. She's so pitiful."

As soon as she finished speaking, everyone present looked at her.

There's no other reason; these words just sounded strange coming from Chu Li's mouth.

Shang Xinglan narrowed his eyes, fully aware that she was deliberately creating trouble for him to delay time, simply because she didn't want him to go up the mountain.

He won't care, he can't possibly care. He'll go up the mountain immediately after finishing his meal to cleanse himself of the demonic energy.

“I know your situation makes it inconvenient, so I’ll go help you.” Chu Li wiped away non-existent tears from the corners of her eyes. “I understand this feeling of being isolated and helpless, without family by your side, having to bear everything alone…”

She made a move to get up, but Shang Xinglan grabbed her wrist.

"Sit down and eat."

Chu Li stared at him, slowly prying his hands away. "I'm going to help, it's a good deed, why are you stopping me? You don't want to go yourself, but you won't let me go either? Have you no conscience?"

Shang Xinglan: ...

You can get ten retorts for every one thing you say to her.

Chu Li then looked at the little boy and said righteously, "Yinyin, shouldn't you help others when they are in trouble?"

“Yes.” The little boy also looked at Shang Xinglan. “Mother is right.”

After a long while, Shang Xinglan took a deep breath and had no choice but to reach out his hand to her.

"Storage ring".

Chu Li, puzzled, handed him the storage ring in his hand, and then saw Shang Xinglan take out a piece of jade from the storage ring.

"Take it."

That storage ring was originally Shang Xinglan's "relics," and the things inside were all things he took with him when he left the Shang family.

Chu Li stroked the jade, on which was written the character "商" (Shang) in cloud seal script. She immediately understood his meaning and said with a smile, "Wait for me. You are not allowed to go anywhere until I come back."

She got up and left, closing the door tightly behind her as if afraid he would take the opportunity to escape.

After she left, everyone in the room looked at Shang Xinglan.

"Master, aren't you being a little too weak in front of her?"

Gu Ye spoke bluntly, shaking his head as he spoke.

"You can't give in after just a few words. If you do that, she'll have you wrapped around her little finger."

Yan Xinbai picked up his chopsticks, took a bite of food, and said calmly, "You think you're still alive?"

Hearing their words, Shang Xinglan unscrewed the jar of Bodhisattva Dew and drank a cup in one gulp.

As the strong liquor went down his throat, he ran his fingertips along the rim of the glass, his eyes shimmering with the wine and candlelight, and said softly, "You'll understand after you get married. There are many things we can't control."

Gu Ye and Yan Xinbai exchanged a glance and tacitly looked away.

You won't understand.

It's not that pathetic.

The little boy quietly moved his stool to sit next to Shang Xinglan and whispered, "It is a gentleman's duty to help those in need. Let's go and help Mother mediate the fight."

Shang Xinglan chuckled and rubbed his head. "Don't worry, she'll be fine."

That was a direct descendant of the family, someone who had carried it with him since birth. Any merchant who saw it would treat it as if they were seeing the head of the family. If nothing unexpected happened, Chu Li would return in a quarter of an hour.

Unless... she didn't go at all.

With a slight pause in her smile, Shang Xinglan extended her divine sense and, as expected, discovered someone sitting at the corner of the stairs watching the show.

She didn't try to mediate the fight!

On the stairs, Chu Li bought half a watermelon from a passing waiter and ate it while watching the play with great interest.

She was just trying to stall for time; she didn't really intend to meddle.

The watermelon is so sweet. If we keep arguing, why don't we start fighting?

She took a bite of the melon, and suddenly a shadow fell over her head.

Chu Li paused, then looked up.

Shang Xinglan stared intently at her. The strong liquor he had just drunk seemed to have taken effect at this moment, making his whole body hot and his heart burning with an inextinguishable flame.

"Is this how you help?"

Chu Li swallowed the watermelon guiltily, and before she could explain, her clothes were grabbed and her lip was bitten hard.

"I told you, there's no use stopping me."

Shang Xinglan pinched her face in retaliation, staring intently at her lying lips, "You'd better face reality now. Either obediently come with me to the Cangshan Sect, or get back home immediately."

Chu Li stared at him blankly for a long time before licking her lips.

"Give me another kiss."

This was the first time Shang Xinglan had taken the initiative to kiss her.

He stared in astonishment at the person in front of him, a hint of anger gradually rising in his eyes. "Chu Li, did you even hear what I said...?"

"Give him another kiss." Chu Li wrapped her arms around his neck and urged him softly, "Hurry up, while no one's around."

After a moment of silence, Shang Xinglan pressed her against the wall and kissed her.

His fingertips dangled into her long, silky black hair, and he deepened the kiss slowly and deliberately, letting himself be immersed in her scent.

Sweet.

like.