Chapter 211 The Spark "How's that power?" "Not bad."...

Lin Feiran stared at the red thread in silence for a moment.

A pale color drifted from the fingertips, wrapping around the calluses at the base of the fingers, like a wisp of smoke about to dissipate.

She lowered her eyes, then suddenly clenched her fists, and the wisps of smoke dissipated.

She was always facing her fate, whether or not she was destined to die.

Her slender forearms were bound with straps, yet her hands were still strong enough to extinguish the worrying wisp of smoke with a single grip. She looked up at the illusory figure beside her.

"I have never believed in matters of fate, but I do agree with the saying 'Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.' Venerable One, why don't you tell me about your so-called opponent?"

I have indeed never heard of the Nine Swords of Fengtian.”

Lin Feiran stood in front of everyone and spoke in a strange tone. It was not a casual remark, but it contained a sense of composure and certainty.

If you have enough faith in the sword in your hand and in your own strength, you will not care about the unknown fate.

Only a powerful eagle with strong wings dares to soar through the sky.

If her honesty and kindness, stemming from her youth and politeness, had previously displeased some of those present, at this moment, all doubts and inquiries were withdrawn.

The remaining phantoms slowly surrounded Lin Feiran and stood beside him.

The waist-high girl exclaimed "Good!" and then with a flick of her fingers, the first wet patch on the ground suddenly spun and separated, turning into a rising mist.

The misty shadows shifted and changed, eventually coalescing into a sufficiently detailed face.

"The Nine Swords of Fengtian were originally recruited by the Holy Maiden. Before the formation of the Secret Sect, they were working for the Dao Lord. But strangely, their cultivation levels were not all unfathomable."

The little girl spoke, her clear, childlike voice echoing in the secret room.

“For example, this one, our group is subordinate to him, his name is Fuyin, and others also call him the Twin Swords. He is currently only at the Advanced Realm.”

Lin Feiran's gaze shifted slightly as she looked at the familiar face. This person was none other than the Taoist boy she had encountered many times before.

Thinking back on her several encounters with Fuyin, she suddenly asked, "Why are they called Twin Swords?"

The girl moved her hand, and the face formed by the mist split in two, revealing another, rounder face.

"Because there is another person inside him, his sister, Fu Xia."

"We know some things about Fuyin, but not all of them."

There is a rumor within the esoteric sect that when the Fuyin clan suffered a devastating calamity, only he and his sister survived. However, he was severely injured, and his sister was on the verge of death. At that time, he saw the Dao Lord and the Holy Maiden.

The two rescued him, and he then asked the Dao Lord to extract his sister's soul and nurture it within his body.

From then on, the brother and sister lived together.

Lin Feiran frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said, "To be honest, seniors, I fought with Fu Yin before. At that time, he was clearly pierced through the brow and could not possibly survive. But I met him again later. Could it be related to this?"

"That's right, that's what I wanted to tell you."

The girl snapped her fingers.

"Although they are only at the Advanced Realm, their cultivation methods are strange and unpredictable. While this prevents their bodies from growing any larger, it also connects their destinies. The only way to truly eliminate them is to kill them both at the same time!"

Lin Feiran paused slightly: "But how can one body simultaneously possess two divine souls?"

"That's why, even though their cultivation level isn't top-tier, they are highly valued."

At this point, the girl turned to look at Lin Feiran.

"As for what you said, it was the day you first entered the demon realm, right? This matter has already spread throughout our sect. The reason why the Secret Sect took notice of you is also related to this, but I don't know why they took notice of you for this reason."

The girl paused for a moment, then said as if recalling something, "But there is one point of doubt that I still can't figure out."

I hadn't expected such a twist, and I was quite interested. I stepped forward and asked, "What's the suspicious point? I haven't heard you mention it before?"

The girl turned around, leaped onto the chessboard, and looked at everyone at eye level: "Lin Feiran arrived in the demon realm at the end of spring. On that same day, Fuyin appeared at Xingzhi Palace in the demon capital to help the young master of the wolf clan seize the throne, angering the peacock and being pierced through the forehead, which led to her death."

But by the time he rushed back to the esoteric sect to report the news, more than a month had already passed since late spring.

Lin Feiran's gaze was filled with surprise and uncertainty, but Li Changfeng beside him said, "Perhaps something else has delayed us?"

“Absolutely impossible!” the girl immediately denied. “We’ve both seen the peacock’s strength. One shot was enough to cause Fu Yin’s soul to be shaken and damaged. Fu Xia will definitely have to rush back to the Secret Sect for treatment. No matter how big the matter is, she won’t stop.”

The little girl picked up a chess piece from the clay plate, her gaze falling on Lin Feiran's face, and said to her.

"It is quite a coincidence that the day before Fuyin returned to the Secret Sect, news spread that the Pilgrimage Valley would open in October. At that time, all the members of the Nine Swords had returned to the Secret Sect. Now that I think about it, they must have been plotting a trip to the Pilgrimage Valley."

It was precisely because of this that your matter was temporarily put on hold, giving you several months of respite in the demon realm.

Otherwise, judging from Fu Yin's attitude, you wouldn't have been able to stay in the demon realm for so long.

Lin Feiran suddenly realized why Fu Yin had been silent after being killed; she had initially thought he was dead, but it turned out there was another reason behind it.

The girl sat down, rested her chin on her hand, and pondered: "There are two things I still can't understand."

One reason is to explain what has caused Fuyin and the other person to be entangled, leaving you some breathing room.

Secondly, the esoteric sect's attitude towards you was quite ambiguous. Before they learned you had obtained the spiritual vein, they seemed to value you, yet they didn't quite. Why then did Fuyin target you?

What she couldn't understand was exactly what Lin Feiran couldn't figure out either.

But now was not the time to ponder the key points. She looked at the water stains on the ground and asked, "Besides Fuyin, who are the other eight people?"

The girl stood up, no longer dwelling on the matter. She formed a hand seal, and streaks of water transformed into wisps of mist that rose up and hung in mid-air in the secret room, making it clear to everyone.

"The Nine Swords have always been kept secret in the esoteric sects. Only the incense master or the altar master can see them, but there are also those whose true forms have never been revealed."

She pointed to the first figure, which was just an outline, with long hair, a longbow in hand, and an indistinct face.

"The first one is the Holy Maiden. Her appearance is unknown. She doesn't usually show herself, as she is devoted to cultivation."

“I know who he is.” Li Changfeng glanced at him calmly, then drew his fingers and a sharp sword aura cleaved away the elusive mist.

The girl glanced at him, pondered for a moment, shook her head slightly, and then created a third face.

“We, the leaders of the incense guild, all know the third person. She always acts in a high-profile manner. Her name is Aoxue. She always travels by heavenly horse and is accompanied by maids scattering flowers. However, she often resides in the secret sect and has close ties with the Holy Maiden. Her Nirvana Fire technique is superb, and her cultivation is not shallow.”

"The fourth person, whose name is unknown, was seen once from afar. He was a silent but very burly male cultivator wearing a straw raincoat and straw sandals. His followers called him the Mountain-Moving Master."

"The fifth person, not to mention his true appearance, has never even appeared in the esoteric sect. If his followers want to contact him, they can only tell him about the puppet in his room. Almost only the Holy Maiden can control him."

As for the titles, they are even stranger.

It's called 'Seven Meetings', I've heard it means the seventh meeting, but I still don't understand it.

After all, in my opinion, none of these nine people are very bright.

“The sixth person is Fuyin, the seventh person…” At this point, the girl paused, and her voice became strange.

"The seventh person is even more peculiar. He often travels between the sect and the outside world, wearing a bone mask painted with cinnabar. He has a very good relationship with the other swordsmen, and even the loner fifth person left him a messenger bird."

He was extremely kind to his subordinates, but rarely took action; I was unable to ascertain his martial arts techniques or cultivation level.

"You should know the eighth person; it is none other than Red Fang."

As soon as he finished speaking, the others all looked at Lin Feiran. They were obviously aware of Chi Ya's ambush.

The girl leaped off the chessboard, her hands moving, and the crimson fangs that the mist had conjured twisted for a moment: "This is the third thing I want to ask you today. When you fought him, how did you kill him?"

Lin Feiran's eyes flickered as he thought about the special features of the undulating sound, fearing that Chi Ya might also have some unusual characteristics. After recalling for a moment, he said.

"That day, I used the Sixfold Divine Palace Sword Technique to nail him to the flagpole, and then pierced his left back with a sword, straight into his heart..."

However, on that day, King Qingping led his men to attack the city, and time was of the essence. After sheathing my sword, I hurriedly returned to the Demon Capital with my companions. Before leaving, I saw members of the Secret Sect arrive; I wonder if they were able to rescue him.

Upon hearing this, the little girl gasped and paced back and forth in front of the crowd like a tiny bean, muttering something strange.

"This is even stranger. Among the nine swords, Chi Ya is the most sick of all. He is a pain lover and not afraid of death. Once he starts fighting, he will not distinguish between friend and foe and only seeks pleasure. The others rarely associate with him."

But the reason he was so bold was because he was a sea creature with a special body, three hearts, and three divine altars, which could be considered as immortality.

He does have one heart in his left chest, but the other two could be anywhere else.

The Divine Skill Six Cuts consists of six swords. Even with your final stab to his left heart, which hit at least one of them, he should not have died.

But on that very day, when he was carried back, he was practically a pile of minced meat.

None of the people present were dull-witted; in fact, they could be considered among the best of the cultivators. Upon hearing this, a conjecture arose in their minds simultaneously.

Lin Feiran's hands clenched slightly, his gaze sharpening: "Senior, do you mean that someone in the esoteric sect is helping me?"

The girl's twin buns swayed as she nodded, but remained cautious: "I do have this speculation, but nothing is certain. It's also possible that you were extremely lucky, and that all seven swords struck his three hearts by chance."

But the chances are really only one in ten thousand.

Adding to the fact that Fu Yin came home late before, I can't help but think things through.

Zhang Si clicked his tongue, holding the teapot in his hand, and circled Lin Feiran three times: "I really couldn't tell. Think quickly, who could help you? And with such blatant means, that's taking a considerable risk."

Lin Feiran subconsciously declined the teapot he offered, completely bewildered. She didn't know many people, so how could she possibly know someone like this?

But perhaps her mother knows her.

My mother has some connection with Tantric Buddhism, but she doesn't know the details. Perhaps, like Bai Lu, someone is secretly helping her.

After thinking for a long time without any clue, she had no choice but to put it out of her mind for the time being: "I really don't know who this person is, senior. And who is the last person?"

"You don't need to worry about the last one."

From the previously silent phantom, a person emerged. Judging from the general outline, she should be a female cultivator, but she deliberately changed her voice, making it sound somewhat androgynous and unfamiliar. However, Lin Feiran felt that she was somewhat familiar with her.

The man continued, "The last one was named Yun Wuyai. He was killed by us a few months ago. Now, only eight of the Nine Swords remain."

Lin Feiran couldn't help but be a little surprised.

Zhang Si tapped her head with his finger: "Why are you so surprised? We've been investigating for so long and only got this much information. The Nine Swords have only killed one person. If word gets out, we'll all be ashamed!"

“Your Excellency need not be so distressed,” the female cultivator who had arrived with her divine sense said, her voice gentle and melodious.

"Apart from Ah Sheng, who is currently undercover and hasn't been discovered yet, their attitudes seem to indicate that they know the rest of us very well..."

They acted as if they had everything under control, even though we hadn't revealed our true identities to each other.

The enemy was in the dark while we were in the light, and the whereabouts of those people were a mystery, so it was normal for us to suffer some losses.

That's precisely why we called Lin Feiran here today.

After speaking, she turned to face Lin Feiran, raised her hand and waved, and several faces appeared between the two of them.

Among the nine swords, those that manifested their appearances were lifelike, but the few whose identities were unknown were only faint outlines, without any real faces.

Lin Feiran carefully read through the notes, noting them down one by one. Finally, he focused his gaze on the seven people in front of him, waiting for them to reveal their true purpose for the day.

The female cultivator raised her hand, her fingertips twirling slightly, and the lights in the secret room went out abruptly, leaving only her figure, formed from her divine consciousness, emitting a faint glow.

Without the dazzling pearls and lights, and with the distance between them, Lin Feiran realized that the female cultivator was quite tall.

She herself was already quite tall, but standing next to this female cultivator, she was only shoulder-high.

In the darkness, with the faint light emanating from her figure, Lin Feiran couldn't help but observe her closely again.

Her gaze quickly fell on the female cultivator's wrist, where there were two hazy ring-shaped lights. The true body should be wearing two round bracelets, with a special shape, unlike ordinary objects.

The female cultivator did not notice her gaze. She simply put her wrists together and quickly made hand seals. When she saw one of the movements, Lin Feiran's eyes flickered and she looked surprised.

Fortunately, she was focused and didn't miss anything.

This hand seal was very special; she had seen it before, but couldn't recall its origin for the time being.

As she was recalling the event, the female cultivator completed her hand seals. With a flick of her slender fingers in the air, a palm-sized box appeared between her fingers.

Everyone present was speechless.

This female cultivator was merely a projected divine consciousness, yet she was able to conjure real objects, demonstrating the exceptional level of her cultivation.

With a flick of her wrist, the female cultivator pushed the box toward Lin Feiran, but did not urge her to raise her hand to take it.

Lin Feiran stared intently at the box. It was square and sapphire blue, with a fish holding a pearl in its mouth at each of the four corners, which served as hidden clasps to secure the box tightly.

"Except for a spark."

Lin Feiran looked up and asked, "Fire Seed?"

"Yes."

The female cultivator moved her wrist again, and a vermilion pearl appeared in her palm. Strange fire patterns appeared on the pearl, burning outwards in circles, radiating light.

Unlike the treasure box, this bead was just an illusion. The female cultivator flicked her wrist and sent the illusion into the air, silently glowing with flame color.

"The reason I summoned you here today is that I hope you can go to the main hall of the esoteric sect and steal back this 'insignificant' spark."

Lin Feiran looked up and saw the crimson color burning in those deep, calm eyes, shining brightly.

Taking advantage of the darkness, Zhang Siwo handed Lin Feiran another cup of tea and sighed, "It's not that we're trying to make things difficult for you, it's just that we've all tried before, but they know us too well, as if they've divined our fate. We took turns trying, and one by one we fell into the trap."

To escape from such a trap was already a great feat; to try and steal it again would be virtually impossible.

He turned to look at Lin Feiran, his eyes gleaming with a sharp light in the darkness: "But you are different from Li Changfeng. When he surrounded the ninth person, he seemed to have not expected Li Changfeng's appearance and was caught off guard. The same was true during the trip to Luoyang."

"You've only just joined, and they don't know anything about it yet, so the two of you going together to steal the fire has the best chance of success."

Li Changfeng stood in the shadows, silent, with only a few gurgling sounds of drinking coming from him. But his presence here today clearly indicated that he had already agreed.

Lin Feiran did not refuse, but instead asked first, "What is the fire seed used for?"

In the darkness, a male cultivator spoke up to explain: "You should have heard that the disciples of the Secret Sect have set up camps in the northern plains of the human realm to guard the area, and do not allow others to pass through easily."

The voice was so familiar that Lin Feiran was startled and immediately looked up.

The male cultivator paused, seemingly realizing he had revealed something, and immediately switched to another voice, continuing unhurriedly, "Actually, this is my true voice."

Lin Feiran: "..."

She hesitated, not expecting this person to be one of them. After a few breaths, she decided not to expose him, so she nodded and pretended to understand: "I see, senior is amazing."

The other person calmly replied, "Not at all."

While the others remained silent, Lin Feiran turned the page, recalling the incident in Beiyuan.

During her previous trip to the human realm, Murong Qiudi returned to the city because of the Secret Sect's forced closure of the road and requested reinforcements from the Human Emperor, which sparked a controversy surrounding the Secret Sect.

So she said, "If it is only esoteric Buddhist disciples guarding the place, with the abilities of you seniors, it should not be difficult to get past them. What does it have to do with the fire?"

The familiar male cultivator continued to explain.

"If it were really that simple, it wouldn't have dragged on until now. You probably don't know that deep within the Northern Plains, there is an ominous sign that cannot be ignored. The people of the Northern Plains call it a divine punishment, and the rift in the sky originates from it. It must be broken."

To break through, one must venture deep into the heart of the Northern Plains.

The esoteric Buddhist disciples guarding the area were not important; what mattered was the thick fog that enveloped the surroundings.

"Anyone who enters it experiences a significant reduction in spiritual power, becoming almost indistinguishable from an ordinary person. We've tried to cross it before, but it's truly impossible."

After saying such a long thing, he seemed tired, so he sighed, sat down on the spot, and stopped talking.

Lin Feiran: "..."

Still so capricious and eccentric.

As expected of you, thank you for looking at the flowers.

Zhang Si clicked his tongue in amazement, then continued, "We racked our brains and searched through ancient books to find out what kind of fog it was. The only way to break through it was to burn it to ashes with an inextinguishable flame."

We searched for a long time, but unfortunately discovered that this spark of life was actually found within the esoteric Buddhist community.

Lin Feiran finally understood what they meant, but still had doubts in her heart.

"Why me?"

If you're looking for a trustworthy newcomer, there are people like Li Changfeng who are of high moral character and have integrity. So why her?

The female cultivator twitched her fingertips slightly, and the illusory flame that had been lit was extinguished, leaving only the faint blue light emanating from the treasure box, which gently illuminated Lin Feiran's face.

She spoke softly, "Can you sense the flow of energy? Everyone is different; some are as vast as oceans, some as winding as streams, only you..."

Lin Feiran naturally picked up the conversation: "I know, only mine is as thin as wisps of smoke, and it can be easily extinguished if you're not careful."

The female cultivator paused: "Who told you that?"

Lin Feiran didn't hide anything: "When I went to Sword Mountain to choose a sword, not a single one was drawn for me. The sword spirits told me that it was because my energy was shallow that no sword spirit was willing to follow a sword master who was about to die."

The female cultivator chuckled softly, her tall figure standing out among the crowd: "Yes, but not quite."

“Your vital energy is not even as strong as the green smoke, it is almost only a hair’s breadth. This is usually a sign of certain death, but there is something different about it, because even a dying person would never be so ethereal.”

When one's aura differs from that of others, that is called a variable.

The Grandmaster must have anticipated this difference when he chose to leave the Iron Khitan Scripture to you. Therefore, there are bound to be unforeseen circumstances if you want to obtain this spark.

No one but you will be able to get it.

"Moreover, we speculate that the rampant cold disease may be related to this divine punishment."

Lin Feiran's eyes flickered slightly as he looked up and asked in a clear voice, "Where is the main hall of the Esoteric Buddhism?"

In the darkness, the female cultivator's voice was light and melodious: "Southern Ping Continent of the Human Realm, Jinling Ferry."

Lin Feiran was startled and looked up.

...

How could the main temple of the Esoteric Buddhism be located at Jinling Ferry? Who helped her? What is the object of divine punishment? Where exactly did she see that talisman?

Lin Feiran received too much information tonight, and her mind kept racing, trying to unravel the clues and find some trace. However, the clues were too complicated, and after working on them for a long time, she felt a little tired.

It's not physical fatigue, but mental exhaustion. My mind is working too hard, and sleep is useless. I can only relax by doing repetitive, mindless things.

"How's that force?"

She looked at the person in charge and asked a question.

Ru Xian lay sprawled on the bed, his head buried in the soft pillow. He wore only a loose, dark satin robe, a color he rarely wore, and his snow-white hair was spread out on it, making him particularly striking.

Under Lin Feiran's almost relentless kneading, although there were no wrinkles on the clothes, they were still a little twisted, revealing a small part of her fair back.

He responded with a drawn-out sound, clearly a sound that escaped from his extreme comfort.

This massage technique was taught to Lin Feiran by him, mainly to unblock his meridians and relieve his pain. Now, it has become her way of relaxing.

"Not bad."

Lin Feiran knelt beside him, her always warm palms pressed against his lower back, kneading it with a serious and unambiguous touch.

People who practice long weapons regularly will have a more slender and powerful waist than the average person, but they will also be more flexible.

As soon as you press down, your finger sinks into the flesh, but then you feel a strong resistance, as if it wants to bounce back. The two forces working against each other create a strange sensation.

Lin Feiran somewhat liked the feel of it, but was also very careful.

Just like now, he would click his tongue softly, but he wouldn't move away. His waist muscles would subconsciously twitch, like a silver snake winding across her palm with a slight undulation, but it would quickly subside.

"I'm sorry," Lin Feiran said.

He didn't care if Ru Xian casually responded, after all, it was just a subconscious reaction. Even if Lin Feiran really kneaded his waist like dough, he wouldn't feel the slightest bit angry. On the contrary, he would feel that she finally understood some fun.

"What did you talk about with Zhang Si for so long tonight?"

It was just a casual question, but Lin Feiran didn't answer immediately. She went behind his back, then pulled his arm and started massaging it. She didn't say a word, but you could hear a barely perceptible breathing sound.

Like hail buried between soft pillows, he couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing the sound. Then he turned his head to the pillow, revealing half of his face, and moved his gaze toward her. His voice was much clearer now.

"What, you promised him you wouldn't tell anyone?"

Lin Feiran then responded.

Ru Xian didn't press further: "I will keep my promise and I won't force you, but if I need you to go somewhere, you must tell me in advance."

After thinking for a moment, Lin Feiran felt that this was a possibility, so he said, "I might have to go to Jinling Ferry in a few days."

“Jinling Ferry? Your mother seems to be from Jinling Ferry.” Ru Xian nodded. “Perfect timing. Xun Feifei is still there taking care of his adoptive mother these days. If you have nowhere to go, you can go find him. His mansion is at least more comfortable than an inn.”

Lin Feiran nodded, massaged for a while, and then asked, "When are you going to look for that secret treasure?"

Ru Xian gave her the same answer, smiling and saying, "In a few days."

After speaking, he pressed her hand, turned her over, and a pair of emerald eyes were hidden under her slightly messy hair, like fine snow covering grass. His fingertips caressed Lin Feiran's wrist, but his words were not romantic.

"I will not leave until I remove the curse from you one last time."

Lin Feiran frowned slightly: "Every time you removed the curse for me before, you had to rest for a long time. The treasure hunt may be dangerous, so let's talk about removing the curse later."

The answer is uncertain, as is the case with sleet.

The two have different temperaments, but they are quite alike in some ways. For example, in the matter just now, they would not argue to a conclusion, and it would be difficult for either of them to compromise.

"We'll talk about that later. It's almost midnight, time to sleep."

His fingertips moved up her hand and down to her forearm. After massaging for so long, she didn't feel tired or tense at all; on the contrary, she looked much more energetic.

Lin Feiran nodded, stood up, and prepared to leave.

When she returned to her room from Zhang Siwo's blacksmith shop, she found that Ruxian had already left and was meditating in his residence. It seemed that her bed was too hard, so she had moved back.

However, she rarely saw Ru Xian practicing.

Lin Feiran couldn't stand up and leave. Ru Xian raised her hand and wrapped it around her arm, then pointed to her side with her other hand and said in a cool tone.

"On a cold winter day, how can one sleep soundly without a fireplace by their side?"

Perhaps because of that strange illness, Ru Xian's body was almost unlike that of a cultivator. Regardless of spring, autumn, winter or summer, he always carried a cold, jade-like chill.

Such temperatures are somewhat refreshing in summer, but unbearable in winter.

However, that was for others. Lin Feiran didn't have such worries. She was always energetic and hot-blooded, and not only did she not feel cold, she could even bring some warmth to Ru Xian.

When stopped, Lin Feiran didn't move. Instead, she sat down with her knees drawn up to the side, looking like she wanted to say something but couldn't.

Ru Xian slowly rose, her eyes smiling. Just as she leaned over, she heard her say.

"I've been struggling with whether or not I should tell you something."

Ru Hai stopped halfway and raised his eyebrows, saying, "Of course I'll say what I want to say. What's there to hesitate about? Do you think I'd get angry with you?"

Lin Feiran scratched her head, unsure how to begin. She had been sitting with her knees drawn up to her sides, but now she knelt down. After a long pause, she carefully asked, "Do you know if Zhang Siwo has ever brewed a special kind of tea?"

Ru Xian looked at it with a puzzled expression, feeling that the name sounded somewhat familiar.

The fact that a human like Zhang Siwo could live in the Demon Capital for so long suggests that the two of them had some connection. For example, the leg rings and gold ornaments on his body that could be made by Zhang Siwo were all made by him.

He naturally had some memory of this special tea.

After a moment, Ru Xian seemed to remember something, lowered her eyes to look at Lin Feiran, her lips parted slightly before she finally asked, "...You drank it?"

Lin Feiran coughed lightly: "I've had a few bites."

It wasn't just one bite, but several bites. Later, when the topic of Tantric Buddhism came up, Zhang Siwo took the opportunity to offer it to her. She couldn't refuse, so she tasted some more. Putting aside its strange origin, the taste was indeed quite good.

After hearing her explanation, Ru Xian leaned against the bed railing and stared at her for a long time.

Lin Feiran immediately stood up and said in a loud voice, "I'm leaving here right now!"

"No need."

Ru Xian grabbed Lin Feiran by the back of her collar, pressed her to the spot, stood up, tied her satin robe, and led her into the courtyard in the cold winter night, handing her several bottles of lightly fragrant dew.

"Rinse your mouth, then go back to your room."

Lin Feiran had no choice but to obediently do as he was told.

Ru Xian sat on the stone table beside her, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at her. Suddenly, she asked, "You've had several sips. Do you like that taste?"

Lin Feiran squatted on the ground, and when she heard this, she looked up. Her lips were covered with dew, which added a touch of brightness, and her eyes were equally bright.

She said somewhat shyly, "You may not have tried it. It has a perfect balance of sweet and sour, a lingering fragrance, and a hint of cinnamon sweetness. Putting aside worldly prejudices, it's actually quite delicious."

Like a light chuckle.

The winter wind was biting, but when it blew between the two of them, it inexplicably seemed somewhat tender and gentle.

The branches and leaves rustled in the courtyard, and fallen petals swirled at their feet, lifting the hem of their robes like hailstones and brushing against the stray hairs on Lin Feiran's head. The night was silent.

"I'll just try it, next time..."

"Next time you try it, remember to ask me for some Qinglu to rinse your mouth."

"……ah?"

"Um?"

"Oh, okay..."

Author's Note: Like Scattered Snow: Eat if you want, kissing is still necessary, but rinsing your mouth is the bottom line, no more backing down.

Lin Feiran: Someone has already given in too much... but this isn't so delicious that I absolutely have to eat it!

P.S.: How could I possibly let Lin Feiran sleep next door? Even if I sent some idiot to eat all of Zhang Si's cinnamon, I still wouldn't let Lin Feiran sleep next door. I love her so much, it's not just talk (X).