Chapter 67 Between the Two: "What, you want to lock me up here?"...

Lin Feiran stepped in, and Murong Qiudi, Xie Kanhua, and Hanshan Jun all turned to look at her at the same time. Upon seeing her, their expressions softened in unison.

Han Shan Jun looked thoughtful, Xie Kan Hua's tense shoulders relaxed a little, and Murong Qiu Di paused slightly, then knew her purpose.

"There are many cubicles here, just pick one at random..."

Before she could finish speaking, Xie Kanhua gasped, his face expressionless: "Lord Murong, perhaps there is some misunderstanding. She is definitely not someone who kills indiscriminately!"

Murong Qiudi turned around and looked at him, a hint of helplessness flashing across her cold face: "Guardian, if you have any questions, you should ask them after you understand them. I know in my heart whether she has killed indiscriminately since she descended from the Heavenly Pillar."

She turned to look at Lin Feiran, glancing at Wei Changzai who was trailing behind her like a shadow, and said only, "Find any place. After the matter in Chuncheng is settled, I will have Madam Lu come to pick you up."

Hanshan Jun straightened his sleeves and said meaningfully, "No wonder the master suddenly said that he wanted to set aside a room to house the cultivators who died on this trip. It turns out that he was inspired by her."

He spoke to Murong Qiudi, but his eyes were fixed on Lin Feiran.

Lin Feiran ignored them, only nodding to thank Murong Qiudi. She then chose a room and settled the two of them in. Just as she stood up, she suddenly felt a thorn in her back. She stood up and looked back, and saw that the person sitting opposite her was staring at her intently.

He crossed his arms, his eyes hidden in the shadows, undetectable, yet she had a feeling he was watching her.

So she made a gesture and walked out. Ru Xian was taken aback when she saw this, and she also looked away and looked elsewhere.

She said: Wait for me.

Lin Feiran did not intend to take action. She stepped forward and was about to ask the three about Ru Xian when she saw three ragged, twisted corpses lying in front of them.

Their outermost layer was an inconspicuous ordinary shirt, now torn and falling apart, revealing underneath a proper light blue Taoist robe, embroidered with auspicious clouds in moon-white silk thread.

The winding clouds rose from the hem of the robe, climbed upwards, and then gradually converged and surrounded the center of the spine, swirling into a barely noticeable vortex that, at first glance, resembled a half-open eye.

The deaths of these cultivators were also quite peculiar. They were emaciated, with sunken cheeks and cracks in all the exposed muscles on their faces and arms, like porcelain about to shatter. Blood seeped from the cracks, staining their robes.

Yet, a blissful smile graced their lips, welcoming death as if ascending to paradise.

"What is this?" Lin Feiran suddenly asked, his gaze turning to Murong Qiudi.

Just as Han Shan Jun was about to speak, Murong Qiu Di raised her hand to stop him. Her slightly gray eyes swept over the other cultivators who were silently peeking in the cubicle, then looked at Lin Fei Ran, gave him a deep look, and then spoke.

"These are the first group of cultivators to harm others during this Flying Flower Gathering."

The sage said, "If you encounter those who kill each other, you must capture them and bring them to the tower. Then test them with the Apricot Blossom Token to find out their motives for killing. If they did it intentionally, for the pleasure of killing, then imprison them in the tower until the Apricot Blossom Token is used up. If... like them, they stubbornly resist and refuse to use the Apricot Blossom Token, then kill them on the spot."

As soon as the words were spoken, the cultivators inside the tower looked at each other in confusion. Although they did not understand what was going on, they understood the phrase "imprisoned in the tower until the flying flowers end."

Xie Kanhua looked at the three of them, his brows finally furrowing: "However, before we could even make a move, they chanted a spell, and their bodies were covered in these cracks as they passed away with smiles on their faces."

Lin Feiran bent down to look at it and said, "I have never seen this kind of Taoist robe in any sect."

“I have never heard of it either.” Murong Qiudi straightened up, casually took out a piece of brocade cloth, and covered the three corpses, leaving only a few undulating body lines.

Wei Changzai continued to stare at the three people, his expression unchanged, but he was secretly puzzled, as if he had seen this cloud before.

“The murderer will find that the jade token hanging on the list of beauties will show unusual activity. This matter is strange, but it has nothing to do with you. We will continue to investigate. The matter of the Lu family is over, so there is no need to waste any more time here.”

After Murong Qiudi finished speaking, she waved to the two of them, signaling them to leave.

Upon hearing this, Wei Changzai nodded and turned around, but when he looked back and saw Lin Feiran still standing in the same spot, he turned back and stood silently behind her.

Murong Qiudi raised an eyebrow: "Anything else?"

Xie Kanhua spoke up at the opportune moment: "It's for her contracted demon, isn't it?"

"A demon with a contract?" Murong Qiudi looked at her and couldn't help but sigh, "I never thought that in this day and age, there would still be demons willing to form contracts with humans."

Wei Changzai also looked over, his eyes flashing slightly.

Lin Feiran did not deny it. She walked to one of the cubicles on the right and pointed inside, saying, "He is my contracted demon, and he is definitely not a person who kills indiscriminately. I think there must be a reason for him killing cultivators."

The crowd looked in that direction and saw a person sitting cross-legged against the wall in a small cubicle about ten feet square. The light from the corridor lamps shone on the person's face, making it half-lit and half-dark, revealing only a smooth chin and pale pink lips.

Wei Changzai's eyes finally showed a slight change. Even though he couldn't see the face clearly at this moment, he was very certain that this was the person Lin Feiran had pulled into the city.

Is he the one she's looking for?

Murong Qiudi glanced at it and said, "He has not yet received the Apricot Blossom Token. We need to use the Apricot Blossom Token to investigate his motives for the murder before making a decision."

When no one objected, Ru Xian suddenly spoke up: "I will not accept the Apricot Blossom Order."

Before him, several people had already been subjected to the so-called Apricot Blossom Order, which refers to the pink and white spring apricot tree in the Book of Flowers. When he used it, he was reminiscing about the past, but if others used it, it would be considered prying.

His past must never be seen by anyone.

The atmosphere suddenly froze. Xie Kanhua quietly swallowed, and Hanshan Jun touched the red mark on his cheek, remaining silent for a moment. Only Murong Qiudi stepped forward slowly and said, word by word.

"That was what I was saying to you all: anyone who refuses to use the Apricot Blossom Order will be intercepted and killed on the spot. I'll ask you again, will you use it or not? You should know that you don't actually have a choice."

Ru Xian chuckled, then pushed himself up and walked closer step by step. As soon as he got near, a beam of light flashed across the formation, blocking his steps but also illuminating his face.

He was not short, so he liked to look down at people. When the two faced each other, Xie Kanhua immediately spoke up: "We are not petty people who wantonly spy. We will only see what you did in the Heavenly Pillar. We will not touch any other memories."

If you are not at ease with us, you can have Wenran check on her behalf. After that, we will have reviewed her memories.

Ru Xian's aura suddenly subsided. He knew all too well how he looked when he killed someone; it wouldn't look good. Did he want Lin Feiran to see it clearly?

Hanshan Jun interjected, "If you are unwilling, we will have to ask your sworn master to stay here and guard the place until the flying flowers end."

After speaking, he coughed a few times, then grabbed Xie Kanhua and made him stand in front of him as a target, his expression unchanged and without any remorse.

Ru Xian glanced at him but did not make a move. Just as she was pondering with her eyes down, Murong Qiudi suddenly launched an attack. She drew her sword horizontally, and like a shooting star, she went straight for Ru Xian.

But he didn't move, not even blink, just stared at her. Just as the blade was about to slice across her neck, a cold light came in its place, blocking her sword with a sharp clang!

She turned her head and happened to look into a pair of peaceful eyes.

Lin Feiran simply said, "He doesn't seem to be 'reluctant to submit' yet, so it's a bit too hasty for you to act now, sir."

Murong Qiudi examined Ru Xian closely, then sheathed her sword: "When those three cultivators were suddenly attacked, they subconsciously uttered the phrase 'Boundless Dao Venerable.' I was merely using this to test your contracted demon."

"Since you are the contracting party, you must be decisive and issue him a contract decree, making him accept it and settling things as soon as possible."

Before Lin Feiran could speak, Ru Xian interrupted, "Lord Murong, are you teaching her how to train her contracted demon?"

When he was locked up, he seemed calm and indifferent, even somewhat nonchalant, but only now did he reveal some displeasure.

Murong Qiudi did not deny it. She gripped her sword and replied solemnly, "So what if it is?"

Ru Xian's lips curled up, but there was no smile in her eyes: "Even if someone is to teach her, it should be me who teaches her how to discipline her. Who do you think you are?"

Just as tensions were about to rise, Lin Feiran suddenly stretched out his hands, first pressing down on the hailstones, then placing them on Murong Qiudi's wrists: "Senior Xie is right. Why don't I take the first look? I will not pry into the slightest bit more."

He trusted no one else, but undeniably, if Lin Feiran were to investigate, he wouldn't suspect anything and would be the safest person, but...

He wouldn't participate in this Flying Flower Gathering, but Lin Feiran couldn't; she should have one of the spiritual swords on Sword Mountain.

His gaze shifted repeatedly, but after weighing the options, he finally agreed.

The array in the compartment broke, and he walked out. Lin Feiran took the apricot blossom branch that had been prepared beforehand, first merged it into the chart, and then took it out from it.

When taken out, the original flower stems were reduced to scattered petals, just a few, dispelling the loneliness.

She slowly recited the poem, and then a gust of wind rose, guiding her hand to touch her forehead, which was covered in snowflakes. Suddenly, a floral breeze arose, and countless apricot blossoms were blown from the branches, sweeping towards the two of them.

Ru Xian stared intently at her face, not missing the slightest abnormality. If she showed even the slightest displeasure at the sight of him killing, he would...

He couldn't think of a solution for the time being.

Entering someone else's memories is an extremely strange feeling, like being swept through a colorful torrent, with all sorts of people rushing past, or like two warm currents converging, with a slight sense of intrusion and discomfort, but it quickly subsides.

At this moment, Ru Xian was reminiscing about her trip to Chuncheng. Lin Feiran did not explore her freely, but simply followed her down the path. As she looked around, she suddenly felt a sense of emotion.

Most of his memories were of himself, suggesting that the trip to Chuncheng had indeed brought the two of them closer.

For some reason, her eyebrows relaxed, and a faint smile appeared on her face.

She once encountered a cat that had wandered onto the snowy peak when she was in Sanqing Mountain. It was freezing to death from the swirling snow, but it still had the strength to bare its teeth and claws at her. After she took it back and fed it a few times, they became familiar with each other and the cat would occasionally lick her.

Lin Feiran felt the same way at that moment, surprised yet somewhat gratified.

Then, Lin Feiran saw the scene inside the Octagonal Prison, or more precisely, the scene seen through the eyes of the hailstones.

Everything was trembling and upside down. A crowd surrounded him, and sharp swords tentatively attacked him. He fought back and forth, and she could almost feel an indescribable heat and excitement in his suppressed breathing.

She wasn't actually a belligerent person, but when she saw him and Chang Qing being pushed out in one fell swoop, she couldn't help but feel a sense of shared grief and anger.

...

Having seen everything, Lin Feiran opened her eyes. There was no fear on her face as Xian had expected, nor any stiffness to hide it. She just looked at him quietly and then smiled gently.

Like gentle ripples under the moon, she washed away all his emotions; even if he angrily threw pebbles into the water, she would bear it all.

Lin Feiran is just that kind of person; she treats everyone the same way.

The displeasure at being looked down upon by the likes of Hanshan Jun, the annoyance of sitting here waiting, and the anxiety of perhaps having one's past spied on, all melted away in this deep, quiet gaze.

Suddenly, she blinked, withdrew her hand from his forehead, and apricot blossoms fell to the ground. The calluses on her fingers and the petals inadvertently brushed against his eyelids, tickling and warm.

So slow.

He couldn't help but wonder why everything in his eyes had slowed down.

He watched as Lin Feiran turned and walked towards Xie Kanhua and the others, who used the Apricot Blossom Token to investigate. With her eyes slightly closed, he could actually see a hint of tranquility in her.

Before the late emperor unified the five continents, Murong Qiudi had also been on the battlefield and had seen no less crimson than she had in her memories, so she was not afraid.

Of the four priests, she was in charge of judgment and naturally knew that the demons' actions were not intentional. If he had not been skilled, he might have already been killed by wolves. Just because he was unharmed, the faults of those others should not be absolved. However, she did not approve of his extreme actions.

"This matter is not your fault, so we will not pursue it. However, this is only the first time. If it happens again, you and your master will stay here until the Flying Flower Festival ends."

Lin Feiran didn't hear a reply. He turned his head and saw Ru Xian looking at him. Her expression was slightly relaxed, and she seemed to be soaking in a hot spring, her whole body limp. She didn't even react to such threatening words and seemed to be thinking about something.

He remained silent, so Lin Feiran had to answer on his behalf: "Of course, I will vouch for him."

Murong Qiudi then calmed down, dispelled the formation, let Ru Xian out, and asked, "Is there anything else?"

Lin Feiran shook his head and said to Ru Xian, "Let's go."

Ru Xian followed without saying a word. When the three of them came out of the tower together, he came back to his senses from the strange feeling he had just experienced, and then he noticed that there was a dark figure following Lin Feiran.

"Who is this?" Ru Xian stopped and looked directly at Wei Changzai.

This was the cultivator who had almost trampled Lin Feiran when he entered the city earlier, but he had only thought he was a passerby and hadn't looked at him closely. Now, as he looked at this person, he suddenly felt that he looked familiar.

He must have met him before.

Wei Changzai also looked at him without any politeness. Just as he had thought, he also felt that Ru Xian's demeanor was familiar.

For some reason, the two suddenly remembered the person who wanted to take Lin Feiran away when they were in the mirror world together.

Limited by the formation, they could only see a vague figure at the time, but now, they seemed to have a vague certainty in their hearts.

So, without prior arrangement, the two stopped and looked at Lin Feiran in the middle.

Lin Feiran had no time for such complicated thoughts; she was preoccupied with pondering the three cultivators whose deaths were so bizarre.

When she first saw them, she noticed a detail: besides the strange cracks on their bodies, the three people also had what appeared to be twisted hands.

With both hands broken on either side, the left and right hand gestures are not the same. They seem to be done randomly, but if you look at them together, they are the incantation for the gods in the mudra. The left hand bows to the ground, and the right hand communicates with people, waiting to combine and invite the gods.

Before nightfall in Chuncheng, she was gazing out from the bell tower when she happened to encounter the Taoist boy who had tried to eliminate her. At that time, she gave directions to the two of them, and the boy thanked her and bowed, using the same hand seal.

That young Taoist priest is quite powerful. What is his purpose in entering Spring City this time? Could it also be to seek sainthood? Is he related to these three cultivators?

She glanced at the apricot blossoms stained the hem of her robe, and couldn't help but think that perhaps she could use this to find out why he had killed her in the first place...

Coming back to my senses, I saw only moonlight covering the ground before me, and the night wind blowing past my side; there was no one there.

"Hmm?"

Lin Feiran stopped in her tracks, asked in a low voice, looked around, and then suddenly turned around.

Ru Xian and Wei Changzai stood still, a few meters away from her, their two pairs of eyes, each with a different kind of coldness, staring straight at her, and that inexplicable chill rolled down her spine again.

She coughed lightly, straightened her back slightly, and realizing that she had been too focused on the two people and had neglected them, she immediately turned around and left, feeling guilty.

Seeing that she finally realized something was wrong, Ru Xian smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist, please excuse her. That's just how she is; once she gets serious..."

“When he gets serious, he becomes completely focused and unconsciously neglects those around him. I know that.” Wei Changzai didn’t even look at him, his tone familiar and seemingly calm.

A cold smile remained on his lips as he looked only at Lin Feiran who was walking towards him. At this point, what else was unclear to him? Lin Feiran had been recognized by this person.

No wonder so many pedestrians on the bridge stopped only beside her.

Thinking of this, he tapped his fingers lightly, lowering his eyelashes: "She's just a stranger, how dare she speak so arrogantly. Besides, does she even know you?"

"..."

Wei Changzai slowly closed his five fingers, clenching the shimmering liquid in his hand, but his face remained aloof as he waited for Lin Feiran to approach.

Lin Feiran walked very slowly, as if something heavy was blocking her way, but she still went against the current and stood in front of the two.

"Sorry, I was a little distracted and walked a bit too fast. Oh, by the way, this fellow Daoist saved me just now and I was injured, so I still owe him some medicine..."

Ru Shan's brows suddenly relaxed, and her peach blossom eyes curved into a smile: "So that's why. It turns out you're here to get medicine for this fellow Daoist's injury."

He took out medicine from his bag, handed it to her, and then walked straight ahead.

Lin Feiran was completely confused. She turned to look at him, then placed the medicine in Wei Changzai's hand and said, "This medicine is extremely effective. You will see improvement after just one application. Please accept it."

Wei Changzai silently accepted it. Before she turned to leave, he reached out and grabbed her sleeve. With a calm expression and without any shame, he asked her the next question while she looked at him with a questioning look.

"If we don't have enough medicine, how can we find you?"

Caught off guard by the question, Lin Feiran choked for a moment. She withdrew her arm and pondered for a moment: "This bottle of wound medicine is not small, it should be enough."

"What if?" Ru Mo's eyes were fixed on her, and he took another half step forward.

"The golden threads of the camellia instantly swept across, cutting several wounds on my body. With each pain, I counted them. There were forty-six in total. Is this bottle enough? If you think it's enough, then it is."

Lin Feiran looked back and saw that Ru Xian had already walked several meters away. She suddenly felt a headache coming on and hurriedly said, "Then let's seal the token. If anything happens, just send me a message."

By forming a seal, even if one cannot use spiritual power, one can still send messages to each other.

Wei Changzai lowered his eyes, took out a messenger bird from his mustard seed bag, and after sealing the seal with her, the color in his eyes finally softened a little. He gently held the object in his palm, and just as he raised his eyelashes, he saw Lin Feiran turn around and chase after the man. All he could see was half a piece of the hem of her clothes embroidered with silver patterns.

"..."

He pursed his thin lips, staring intently at her figure, remaining rooted to the spot.

*

Lin Feiran had no idea that Ru Xian could walk so fast. It took her a long time to catch up with him, but she didn't dare to speak for some reason and just walked alongside him.

The alley was deserted, and the once bustling streets were now completely dark, but a few shops were lit up again.

There were also ever-burning lamps hanging under the eaves. As the two passed by, Lin Feiran looked at each one and saw that there was a person sitting in each of the lit rooms. There were people of all ages. Judging from their clothes and appearance, they were no different from Uncle Wang from before. They were all ordinary people, and there was a kind smile on their lips.

Several more cultivators suddenly leaped from the rooftop to his front. Lin Feiran reached out and grabbed Ru Xian to avoid a collision. The cultivators gave an apologetic laugh and then excitedly walked into the room with the lamp burning.

Lin Feiran thought to himself that these people must have become flower farmers like Uncle Wang. If they wanted to find the flower token, they would have to go there. He just didn't know how to find it.

Ru Xian suddenly turned and headed towards the lit room, but Lin Feiran stopped him in time and asked, "What are you doing?"

He glanced at him sideways, crossed his arms, and replied in a cool voice, "Can't you see? There are flowers over there. Why don't you go and look for them?"

Lin Feiran shook his head: "I feel that this Flying Flower Gathering is a bit strange, and we should not be rash. So I want to observe it for one night first. Moreover, there is something more important before that."

Lin Feiran couldn't stand the way she was addressed and immediately interrupted, "It's for you. Your lips have faded from the red they were before you entered the city to the pink they are now. Your situation is probably worse than his."

Ru Xian pursed her lips, and from somewhere pulled out a bronze mirror, examining it closely in the moonlight.

The lip color was indeed much lighter, but it wasn't pale; instead, it had a hint of vibrant pink. Although it wasn't as good as the original, it still had its own unique charm.

“Even if she’s faded a little, she’s still more beautiful than him. What’s wrong with her? Or do you find that cold and boring look more pleasing to the eye?” Lin Feiran said, and then he added, “If that’s the case, then I can only say that you have no taste.”

Lin Feiran: "..."

She didn't say anything yet.

Lin Feiran changed the subject: "Spring City is shrouded in darkness, which is probably why your lips are pale. Perhaps we should head back first."

Ru Xian stared at her for a long time, then suddenly asked, "How can we slow it down?"

Lin Feiran smiled, her eyes crinkling, and held his hand without pulling it away: "Come with me."

The two leaped onto the rooftop and headed towards the inn where they had stayed. As soon as they entered the room, they opened the wardrobe standing to the side of the room.

"Go inside."

Ru Xian raised an eyebrow slightly: "What, you want to lock me up here?"

Despite saying that, he still stepped inside. The wardrobe was empty, but since he was quite tall, he had to bend over and sit down, filling the left half of the space.

"Then what?"

Then Lin Feiran followed her in, knelt on the right, and closed the cabinet door behind her. In an instant, the place seemed even more cramped, leaving only the two of them.

As if startled, she unfolded a catalog of flowers and picked out a sprig of golden osmanthus from the catalog. The sweet fragrance of osmanthus instantly filled the cabinet.

He calmed down and watched her recite the poem. Delicate osmanthus blossoms fell like starlight, and in the mist, golden osmanthus flowers gathered on the top of the cabinet, shining a warm and gentle sunlight that bathed him. He finally felt that familiar warmth.

"How is it?" she asked.

So his gaze shifted from the sunlight and slowly fell on Lin Feiran.