Chapter 41 041 Don't look at them, look at me more.
At the end of the Xu hour, the group, having eaten and drunk their fill, walked out of the Moon Spring, still feeling somewhat unsatisfied.
Under the cover of night, the lights of Chunshan City shone like rain, and the crowds were as thick as fire.
Zhou Que enthusiastically suggested, "There's still plenty of time. Why don't we skip going back to the sect and go to Martial God Mountain to admire the autumn leaves? November is a great time to see the fall foliage."
The Martial God Mountain that Zhou Que mentioned was originally just an ordinary green mountain outside Chunshan City. Legend has it that after the battle to defeat the Ghost Emperor, a cultivator ascended to heaven there. To commemorate this event, a Martial God Temple was built at the site of his ascension, where offerings are made daily.
The people believed that worshipping the God of War would bring their children the favor of the immortal sects, allowing them to achieve great success and increase their chances of ascending to immortality.
In reality, whether a person has a predestined affinity for immortality and can ascend to heaven is purely a matter of fate. Praying to gods and Buddhas is like praying to the god of exams before a major test; it can only have a positive psychological effect. After all, the end of science is metaphysics, and the end of metaphysics is psychology.
Over time, as more people made offerings, the place where the temple was built was also called Wushen Mountain.
On that mountain, within the Temple of the God of War, lies a lush, magnificent, and vibrant maple forest. The temple is always brightly lit, and visiting late at night offers a unique and delightful way to admire the autumn foliage.
Upon hearing this, everyone agreed to add this leg of the journey.
The Temple of Martial God stands atop the mountain, accessible only by navigating a long stone staircase of several hundred steps, interspersed with several suspension bridges, to reach the highest point, a renowned spot for viewing autumn foliage. The night sky was sparsely populated with stars, but the path up the mountain was teeming with people, shoulder to shoulder, as noisy as if dumplings were being boiled in a pot. On both sides of the stone steps, vendors carrying loads of flowers and food lined the path.
Cen Fei craned his neck, staring blankly at the top of the stone steps: "It's so late, why are there still so many people?"
Fu Xinguang said, "Perhaps it's because today is the winter solstice."
Caught up in the lively atmosphere, everyone chatted and laughed as they walked up the mountain.
The path was long, steep, winding, and very narrow. The group of nine gradually separated as they walked. Fortunately, they had agreed to meet at the top, so it didn't matter if they got separated.
Duan Lansheng's pace was consistently much faster than Lu Yuanyuan's. Perhaps because he wasn't very familiar with the others, he stayed close to her throughout the night, even walking behind her as they went up the stairs.
Fortunately, the offerings to the God of War were fruits and fresh flowers. After all, only ghosts would eat incense and candles. So, although the road was crowded, there was no murky smoke.
About half an hour later, an iron chain bridge leading to the opposite mountain wall appeared in front of Lu Yuanyuan.
This suspension bridge is built in a very natural way, with lights only at both ends. Because of the many people walking on it, it sways up and down constantly. Below the bridge are dense branches and leaves. Through them, you can see the winding stone steps and the heads of tourists climbing the mountain.
Looking up, one can already see the fiery red maple forests on the mountain and the rooftops of the Temple of Martial God. Victory is in sight!
Lu Yuanyuan grabbed the iron chain and walked onto the bridge. As she looked up at the temple, she suddenly stumbled, as if something had bitten her toe. Fortunately, Duan Lansheng caught her quickly: "Are you alright?"
Lu Yuanyuan steadied herself, shook her head, and lifted her skirt to take a look. Tonight she was wearing soft-soled embroidered shoes with tassels on the toes. The wooden planks of the iron suspension bridge swayed up and down as people walked, the gaps opening and closing, just in time to catch the tassels.
"It's okay, it's out now." Lu Yuanyuan grabbed Duan Lansheng with her backhand, hooked the shoe, and lifted her leg with all her might. Unexpectedly, as the shoe was pulled out, the suspension bridge swayed violently, and the two watched helplessly as a parabola flew out.
Lu Yuanyuan: "..."
Duan Lansheng: "..."
With a rustling sound from the treetops, the shoes disappeared into the darkness without a trace.
Lu Yuanyuan bit her lip, feeling embarrassed and a little annoyed, especially since it was in such an awkward situation. She should have squatted down to pull it out earlier. The suspension bridge was swaying, and she couldn't stand steadily on one leg. Her toes curled up, so she grabbed Duan Lansheng's arm, looked back, and said, "Duan Lansheng, could you please help me back to where I came up on the bridge? I'll sit over there and wait for you to come down."
Duan Lansheng didn't move, only looking at her: "We're already here, aren't you going to look at the maple trees?"
"I can't exactly hop up on one foot, can I?"
"I'll carry you on my back."
Lu Yuanyuan was startled and looked up.
Duan Lansheng released his grip on her arm, letting her grab the iron chain beside her. Only after she had regained her balance did he squat down in front of her.
After waiting for a while, seeing that she was still standing there and hadn't come up, Duan Lansheng lowered his eyes, a hint of coldness in them, and said, "There are too many people, come up."
The iron chains were cold against her palms. Lu Yuanyuan glanced at the stone steps she had climbed over the bridge, feeling a pang of reluctance to give up at the last moment. After a moment's hesitation, she finally climbed onto his back.
Duan Lansheng carried her on his back and walked forward.
On the bridge, people who had finished admiring the night maple leaves walked towards them and saw a young Taoist priest with a cool and aloof demeanor carrying a girl on his back, and they all turned their heads to look.
Lu Yuanyuan wrapped her arms around his shoulders, but didn't hug him tightly. However, since she was always lying on his back, there was no way to avoid it, and her face was very close to Duan Lansheng's.
After eating hot pot, everyone's clothes and hair smelled of it. Why did Duan Lansheng's hair and body still smell so good? He had just come out of the sword-testing arena before leaving Mount Shu, yet he didn't have a trace of sour or sweaty odor.
Lu Yuanyuan raised her sleeve and secretly smelled her own, and also smelled the aroma of Sichuan peppercorns and star anise.
That's so unfair.
Just as she was lost in thought, Duan Lansheng had already led her across the suspension bridge and up a few steps when a familiar voice suddenly called out from behind: "Junior Sister Lu—"
It was Fu Xinguang's voice.
Duan Lansheng's brows furrowed slightly involuntarily, then relaxed. He didn't stop, as if he hadn't heard.
Lu Yuanyuan heard this, turned her head and saw Fu Xinguang push through the crowd, grab a lock of hair from Duan Lansheng's chest, and tug at it to signal him to stop. Fu Xinguang, panting, rushed up to them, holding a tasseled embroidered shoe in his hand.
It looked especially exquisite in the boy's large palm.
Upon seeing them, Lu Yuanyuan blurted out, "Aren't these my shoes?"
Fu Xinguang's eyes lit up slightly: "It really is your shoe, Junior Sister Lu! I was walking down there when it suddenly fell from the sky and hit my shoulder. It looked familiar, and then I remembered that you were wearing the same shoes tonight, Junior Sister Lu, so I picked them up."
Lu Yuanyuan was stunned. What a coincidence!
Fu Xinguang handed her the shoes, smiling shyly, "So, aren't we... quite destined for each other?"
Lu Yuanyuan nodded vigorously and smiled, "Of course it counts, thank you, Senior Brother Fu."
It's good that the shoe was retrieved; then Duan Lansheng won't need to carry her anymore. Lu Yuanyuan took the soft embroidered shoe she had lost and found again, and at the same time nudged Duan Lansheng with her elbow, signaling him to put her down.
Duan Lansheng, who had been observing the conversation between the two with a cold eye, suddenly spoke up: "It's not good to come down the stairs, let's go up and talk."
After saying that, he nodded slightly to Fu Xinguang and continued walking upstairs. Lu Yuanyuan was stunned and looked back. Actually, they had only gone up a few steps; they could have easily gone back to the ground first.
Sometimes, Duan Lansheng's mind just can't keep up.
Forget it, since he's going to carry her, why should she be polite? It saves her the trouble of walking herself.
Fu Xinguang was taken aback for a moment, then followed them. Perhaps because climbing the stairs was more strenuous, Duan Lansheng walked slower than usual. The atmosphere among the three of them was rather dull and strange. Lu Yuanyuan turned her head and noticed that Fu Xinguang was clearly slowing down to match their pace. She smiled somewhat embarrassedly, "Senior Brother Fu, you don't need to wait for me. Go up first. We'll be up in a bit."
Duan Lansheng's fingers twitched.
Fu Xinguang exclaimed "Ah!" and scratched his head shyly. He couldn't resist her and went upstairs first.
As soon as he left, the air around him seemed to become a little more lively. Duan Lansheng continued walking slowly for the rest of the way. Yet he didn't seem tired; his steps and breathing were steady.
Upon reaching the top, a magnificent and brightly lit temple appeared before them. The open space shimmered in the sunlight, and behind the temple lay a maple forest, its treetops resembling an endless, blazing red cloud. Inside the temple, people were making offerings, while other tourists, like them, admired the autumn leaves outside.
Duan Lansheng carried her to the back of the temple, where there was a stone bench under a maple tree, and no one was around. Lu Yuanyuan was finally able to sit down and put on her shoes: "Okay, let's go find them."
Duan Lansheng suddenly spoke up: "Wait a minute."
"What's wrong?"
Duan Lansheng remained silent and sat down beside her. The shadows of maple leaves fell upon him. He took a box from his sleeve and handed it to her.
"What is this? Is it for me?" Lu Yuanyuan was stunned for a moment, then took it, opened the box and saw a pair of bracelets inside. They were about an inch wide, with a unique texture, as clear as white jade, but lighter than jade. When tapped with a fingernail, they produced a dull, muffled sound, and a crystal-clear spirit stone was embedded in the front.
What is this?
Seeing her confusion, Duan Lansheng looked at her and said, "This was made from the bell bone of the Thunderfire Beast."
The Thunderfire Beast, as its name suggests, is a type of monster capable of creating attacks comparable to lightning within a small area. If struck by lightning, it can cause anything from muscle paralysis and skin burns to being reduced to a charred corpse.
It can do this entirely thanks to the resonant friction of the bony protuberance on its forehead.
Lu Yuanyuan currently lacks a Golden Core, rendering her unable to use any immortal artifacts. That day, after her first encounter with the Thunderfire Beast and their return to the White Crane Boat, he suddenly realized that this artifact might be of use to her. Therefore, before leaving the Spirit Treasure Secret Realm, despite his back injury not yet healed, he went to find the Thunderfire Beast once more.
Having learned from his previous experience, he won this time.
Duan Lansheng said earnestly, "This object can release lightning and fire after being rubbed three times. I melted it into a pair of bracelets and embedded them with spirit stones. Because it is not a man-made immortal artifact, it does not need to be driven by the spiritual power of a Golden Core cultivator. You can use it to protect yourself."
Lu Yuanyuan's expression changed slightly as she listened to his explanation of its usage.
To meet the needs of Shushan disciples in forging weapons and magical artifacts, Shushan has a dedicated material-forging room for their use. And this stuff can be considered top-grade material. It's excellent for making swords and blades. She never expected Duan Lansheng to give her the result.
Is this evidence that she has become a friend recognized by Duan Lansheng?
Or is it his way of making amends for abandoning her?
Lu Yuanyuan looked away from the bracelet and at him: "You've been missing all this time, have you been working on this?"
Duan Lansheng paused for a moment, then said, "Yes."
Actually, these bracelets weren't the effect he most wanted to achieve. Because the bone bracelets were plain white, he originally wanted to add some patterns to them, which is why he carried them with him, intending to give them to Lu Yuanyuan only after they were completely finished.
However, today, he couldn't sit still and, almost as if possessed, took it out ahead of schedule.
He didn't realize that he was like a child who couldn't express himself. In order to keep his important friend by his side, he couldn't wait to take out his best toy and give it to the other person, as if he wanted to tell the other person not to make new friends, not to look at them, but to look at him more.
I'm better than them; I'm your best friend.
This was indeed the most protective thing for her before she formed her golden core. Lu Yuanyuan's heart stirred. She hugged the box and confirmed with him one last time: "This is something you went through so much trouble to get. Are you really going to give it to me?"
After receiving Duan Lansheng's affirmation, Lu Yuanyuan immediately put the box into her bosom without any hesitation, revealed a sweet smile, and went straight for the point: "Thank you, Duan Lansheng, you are such a good person, you are my best friend."
Kind words don't cost money. If he could let her get a few more props for free, she wouldn't mind saying a hundred nice things to him.
Duan Lansheng: "..."
He didn't say a word, his hand on his knee curled up, the fiery red maple leaves reflecting the temple lamps and settling in his eyes, melting away some of the ice and snow.
Lu Yuanyuan looked into the distance and said, "Hey, I can't let you give me these things for nothing. Let me treat you to something to reciprocate."
Outside the Temple of the God of War, there were some food stalls. Lu Yuanyuan bought two bowls of glutinous rice balls, one for herself and one for him, and then returned to the small stone bench to eat.
The glutinous rice balls at this stall were quite delicious, the broth was sweet, but they were cooked a bit too long, the skin was thin and mushy, and they broke easily with just a little bit of effort, the sesame seeds spilling out. Unexpectedly, they burned her lips and tongue. The spoon clinked against the rim of the bowl, and she hissed.
Duan Lansheng was taken aback and frowned: "Did you get burned?"
Lu Yuanyuan's tongue felt numb, and her mouth was still a little sore. She wanted to touch it but didn't dare, so she turned her face to the side and pointed to the corner of her mouth: "Can you help me see if there are any blisters here?"
The light was too dim, and her face was tilted to one side. Hearing her gasping for breath, Duan Lansheng instinctively reached out and turned her face back to him. After looking closely in the light, he breathed a sigh of relief: "No, it's just red from the burn."
"Really? It still hurts a bit." Lu Yuanyuan licked the painful spot with her tongue, but unexpectedly, Duan Lansheng's finger moved at that moment.
In that instant, she seemed to lick his finger.
Duan Lansheng's fingers stiffened slightly, then he abruptly withdrew them, lowered his head, picked up the bowl, and continued eating the glutinous rice balls.
Seeing that he didn't mention the accident, Lu Yuanyuan quickly pretended that nothing had happened.
After eating glutinous rice balls, the two rejoined the main group. The group enjoyed the night-blooming maple leaves and bought some local specialties.
It was nearly midnight when they returned to Danqing Peak. Lu Yuanyuan carried a small object and tiptoed into the residence. She assumed Yin Xiaozhu was already resting, but upon entering the garden, she saw a lamp lit in the courtyard. Yin Xiaozhu sat there alone, propping her head up, seemingly asleep.
The winter solstice is a day for family reunion, but her figure looked somewhat lonely.
Lu Yuanyuan didn't think she had made much of a commotion, but at that moment, the other person suddenly opened their eyes and glanced back at her.
Their eyes met, and Lu Yuanyuan hesitated for a moment before walking over: "Yuanjun, why are you sitting outside? Why aren't you sleeping?"
Before Yin Xiaozhu could answer, she sniffed and first smelled a strange odor.
It tastes like alcohol.
Startled, Yin Xiaozhu suddenly reached out and pulled her onto his lap.
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