Secret Time

Just as Xu Shulou said, in order to allow tourists to enjoy the scenery, the cruise ship did not fly very fast and would occasionally stop in the mortal world. The two flew quickly all the way and caught up with the cruise ship in no time.

The two men flew onto the boat, attracting everyone's attention.

Bai Roushuang raised her eyebrows: "Speaking of which, if someone doesn't pay the spirit stones and boards the ship like we did, what will the monks guarding the ship do?"

"I don't know." Xu Shulou smiled at the rejuvenated junior sister, "You can hide the name card and bracelet and give it a try, but I won't accompany you."

"Let's not do that." Bai Roushuang had no interest in creating conflicts. She smiled and shook her head, then looked at the crowd gathered on the deck. "Hey, what are they playing?"

When they got closer, they found that the ship had set up some stalls here for people to play.

The two stopped in front of one of the stalls and soon understood the rules. There was a jade-carved fish in the large water tank. The monks could use their spiritual power to control it to swim in the water tank, avoiding reefs and other large fish. Once they reached the end, they would get a reward. The faster they arrived, the better the reward.

This test of spiritual power control reached a very delicate level. Seeing another cultivator's regretful demise, the onlookers expressed disappointment.

Xu Shulou glanced at the dazzling array of prizes and said, "Which one do you want? I'll win it for you."

Bai Roushuang thought for a moment and said, "I want to do it myself."

Xu Shulou smiled and gestured for invitation.

Bai Roushuang stepped forward, paid a spirit stone, stretched out two fingers and pointed at the water tank, watched the fish float up tremblingly, and then set off tremblingly.

"Girl, hurry up!" some onlookers cheered.

Xu Shulou gently stopped him: "Don't rush her."

At first, everyone thought Bai Roushuang was too slow and was a little impatient. But after watching for a while, they felt that this girl was playing too seriously and couldn't help but worry for her. But when she narrowly avoided a big fish that suddenly bit her, everyone actually breathed a sigh of relief for her.

When she finally used her spiritual power to control the fish to swim through the coral cave at the end, the onlookers actually applauded.

Bai Roushuang was startled. She was so focused that she didn't even notice that other people were also worried about her.

"It's not easy at all," the waiter who was watching over the stall also gave her a thumbs up, "Come on, come on, girl, you can choose from this row of prizes."

Bai Roushuang picked one that she liked at first sight and handed it to her senior sister: "It's a thank you gift."

This is a fan pendant in the shape of a transparent lantern, filled with stars. When hung on a fan, it will emit beautiful starlight when the folding fan is shaken, and it also has a little added effect to enhance the attack.

Xu Shulou took it in his hand and admired it: "It's very beautiful."

"It's strange, I feel so inflated right now, I feel like I can do anything," Bai Roushuang said with a smile, "Wait... Senior Sister, don't take the sword, it doesn't include being able to defeat you!"

Xu Shulou looked at her helplessly and said, "I'm just wearing a sword pendant."

"Oh," Bai Roushuang smiled awkwardly, "I really want to fight with someone of the same level to see how strong I really am."

Xu Shulou said that he could help his junior sister realize this wish immediately: "Isn't it easy to find a fight?"

After a moment, Bai Roushuang looked at the crowd led by her senior sister blankly: "Are they here to gang up on me, or to fight me in a round-robin battle?"

It turns out that Senior Sister is not that unreliable: "I told them that whoever beats you will be given hundreds of spirit stones, one on one."

A monk who also used a sword stepped forward, and the two men greeted each other and began to fight in front of the crowd.

Xu Shulou still remembers watching his junior sister fight with others at the trial meeting. Her fighting posture was light and graceful, which reminded people of the phrase "the graceful waist is warm and soft". But now there are not so many unnecessary movements, probably because she has less intention to show off, and all sword moves are aimed at defeating the enemy as the first priority.

The cultivator was eventually defeated, but Bai Roushuang was still unsatisfied. She challenged three people in a row before wiping her sweat and looking at Xu Shulou: "Senior Sister, I saved you money."

The other monks who didn't get a chance to play were quite dissatisfied, so Xu Shulou quickly comforted them: "Those who want to challenge can continue tomorrow."

Bai Roushuang came over with a look of seeking praise: "How is it?"

"Your sword has become more determined," Xu Shulou looked at her, not sparing his praise, "I remember the first time we practiced together, you would dodge as soon as I raised my sword, even if I was just feinting. Now you dare to attack instead of defend, and face the enemy head-on with the sword."

"Really?" Bai Roushuang was slightly startled, "I didn't even notice it myself."

At this time, the cruise ship was passing through the sea, flying very low, allowing people to see the sharks in the water at close range, and the people on the deck gathered around the boat.

The sharks smelled the scent of human flesh and began to circle around the boat. Some monks flew onto the water on swords and deliberately lured the sharks to bite them. When the sharks opened their mouths wide and bit towards them, they took the opportunity to grab a handful of the shark's head and quickly slipped away.

The sharks were teased to the point of being irritated. They slapped the water with their tails and tried to jump onto the boat.

Of course they failed to succeed, but instead made the children on the boat laugh.

A mortal smiled and sighed: "The monks have so many tricks."

This voice...Xu Shulou looked in the direction of the sound and saw a familiar face in his memory.

The young man also looked over at this moment, and the expression on his face was immediately replaced by surprise: "Girl, is it you?!"

"Scholar..."

"Who is he?" Bai Roushuang fell silent after seeing his face clearly.

The man had already squeezed over and bowed: "Miss, we finally have the chance to meet after we parted in Wushuang City."

Xu Shulou smiled: "I didn't expect to see you again."

"Actually, I saw you yesterday. You flew over and caught a girl. You looked so graceful," the scholar replied with a bright smile. "But before I could squeeze over, you jumped off the boat. I thought I had missed you."

"How did you get on this ship? I remember it didn't pass near Frostless City."

"I started from the capital."

"The capital? Have you already participated in the imperial examination?" Xu Shulou glanced at the servant behind him and suddenly remembered something. "I heard that there is an official on this ship who is going to take up a post in the territory. Could it be you?"

The scholar nodded: "Once we go around this sea, we will reach my territory, Ruiqu County."

This is really remote. Xu Shulou asked: "What rank did you win?"

"The first place in the imperial examination."

"The number one scholar..." Xu Shulou smiled, "Congratulations, why didn't you stay in the Imperial Academy?"

The scholar looked a little embarrassed: "Rather than waiting for experience in the Imperial Academy, I would rather be sent out to do some practical work."

"I see," Xu Shulou nodded, "but it's strange that you're on this ship. If you don't take the official road and don't stay at the post station, the court won't give you travel expenses."

"I'm really curious about this cruise ship. Besides, it takes more than a month to travel by official route, so I want to take up my post earlier," the scholar said honestly. "I saved the money myself. Before the results were announced, I set up a stall outside Qilin Pavilion in the capital and earned money by writing for people. I can imitate Prime Minister Su's handwriting, which is quite popular."

"Qilin Pavilion? Portraits of famous officials of this dynasty are placed there. Doesn't anyone think that you look particularly similar to..." Prime Minister Su?

Xu Shulou realized halfway through his words that when Prime Minister Su was conferred the title of marquis and appointed as prime minister and entered the Qilin Pavilion, he was already middle-aged. The man in the portrait had wrinkles and a beard. After so many years, who would still remember his youth when he was full of vigor and vitality, dressed in fine clothes and riding a horse?

"girl?"

"Nothing." Xu Shulou smiled. "Why did you think of imitating Prime Minister Su's calligraphy?"

"There's no special reason," the scholar shook his head, "I just think his handwriting is very beautiful. There are many young men and women in Beijing who ask me to copy love poems for them in this handwriting."

Xu Shulou laughed: "Love poem?"

"Yes," the scholar also laughed, "How can Prime Minister Su write love poems?"

"How can you be so sure? Maybe he really will?"

"I have studied all the poems and writings handed down by Prime Minister Su, and there is no love poem among them. Besides, didn't he never marry in his life? So I guess he probably has no interest in love between men and women."

Xu Shulou sighed: "Is that so..."

People only know that he was devoted to the people and dedicated his life to the country, but no one knows that he once fell in love with a girl when he was young.

History books would not record the anecdotes between the powerful officials of the new dynasty and the princesses of the previous dynasty. That past seemed to be sealed in a secret time, and only Xu Shulou remembered it. But now even she doesn't often recall it.

"ah……"

The cruise ship had left the group of sharks behind and passed a group of whales. One of the whales sprayed a towering column of water, which sprayed the faces of the people standing on the edge of the boat.

The scholar wiped the water off his face and smiled at Xu Shulou.

After the water column sprayed, it left a rainbow on the sea surface.

There were several dolphins jumping under the rainbow. The sun gave them a layer of golden light, and at first glance it looked as if they were about to leap over the dragon gate.

This picture is too beautiful.

"What a colorful world! This is the first time I've seen sharks and whales," the scholar said, looking at the sea. "I'm so glad I got on this cruise ship, which allowed me to see such...mysterious and beautiful scenery."

"After seeing these conveniences in the cultivation world, would you want to practice Taoism?" Xu Shulou asked.

The scholar thought about it seriously and shook his head: "The mortals who can cultivate immortality are rare. I don't even know if I have spiritual roots. Besides, although cultivating immortality is good, my ambition is still to be in the human world."

"I see."

After the cruise ship circled the sea, it arrived at the place where the scholar should disembark.

His face flushed slightly as he looked at Xu Shulou: "Excuse me, may I ask your name, young lady?"

"Xu Shulou, my name is Xu Shulou."

The scholar laughed and said, "Miss Xu, the world is vast, I hope we will meet again."

"I hope you can be promoted to a noble position and become a prime minister soon, so that you can realize your ambitions."

Xu Shulou watched him go away, but when he turned around, he saw his junior sister grinning at him: "What are you doing?"

"Zhuangyuanlang, I have seen him in your inner demon realm," Bai Roushuang seemed a little excited, "It is so rare to meet his reincarnation among millions of people."

Xu Shulou understood what Junior Sister meant, and nodded her forehead with a smile: "He is a mortal."

"There's nothing wrong with being a mortal. I've heard that among the powerful female cultivators in the cultivation world, there are also several who have handsome mortals serving them."

Xu Shulou laughed.

Bai thought about it and felt a little disappointed: "But Senior Sister really doesn't look like someone who would do such a thing."

"The past is the past, don't think about it anymore," Xu Shulou smiled and pulled her away, "I just saw the boat boys catching huge crabs and sea urchins at sea. Let's go, we're in for a treat today."

"good!"