Chapter 218 Taoist Temple: All I Want Is Sincerity
She was about to ask a question when the gossiping people stopped talking and quickly walked away. No one answered her, as if it were a secret known to everyone but not to her alone.
Shen Lixia couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed. It wasn't just the unpleasant, superficial feeling, but also the inescapable thought of someone. The boy's high ponytail swept over the memories she had deliberately sealed away over the past few months, brushing away the dust once more. She thought of Wu Zhuyue.
Was it her? Was it her who was whipped and vowed never to go back—was it her who, too, resolutely abandoned the past?
This is no atonement; it's escapism.
Zhao Qiguang, who had invited her to buy groceries with him, came over and asked, "What are you spacing out for? Didn't you have breakfast? Are you dizzy?" As he spoke, he stuffed a steamed bun from his arms into Shen Lixia's hands, telling her to have something to eat.
Shen Lixia couldn't refuse, so she reluctantly took it, bit it in her mouth, and mumbled, "I need to go buy some clothes."
Zhao Qiguang raised an eyebrow. "This outfit is perfect. Why change it?"
The cool morning sunlight streamed down, illuminating the young man's fine clothes. The silky blue satin, with its delicate, subtle patterns, danced in the breeze amidst the unchanging green of Tianchi Lake, vibrant and spirited.
Shen Lixia pouted, "I've been the subject of gossip the whole way, it's uncomfortable."
"You're overthinking it," Zhao Qiguang laughed. "There are some things they don't tell you, simply because they don't want you to know how painful it is."
"A person's good intentions are always tinged with a degree of concealment due to pity. If they truly rejected you, why would they speak the language of the Central Plains? Tianchi has its own local dialect."
Shen Lixia raised her eyes, her gaze intense: "I don't want to hide anything, I only want sincerity." She emphasized the word "sincerity," as if she wanted to break the strokes of a character, to sever the word in half. Thinking of the past events in the sect, she couldn't help but be emotional, and her speech became somewhat disjointed.
Seeing her like this, Zhao Qiguang sighed.
She thought that she couldn't possibly be unable to tolerate even a grain of sand in her eyes her whole life.
You'll find out.
The morning mist dissipated in an instant, and the sun was fully set on the horizon. Before the crowds gathered, the two returned inside. Simmons and Su Jiang sat at the table, the former with her legs bent at an awkward angle, whistling intermittently.
Shen Lixia was slightly surprised to see that the door on the left side of the room was closed: "She's still not awake?"
Su Jiang nodded and said softly, "I haven't seen him come out. Is he sick? You should go and see him." She didn't know much about spiritual cultivation, only that according to the practices of the Garan lineage, people could get sick and hungry; they were worldly practitioners. Perhaps Qiao Yanshen was the same, arriving late to a new place and feeling unwell.
“How can spiritual practice cause illness?” Simmons leaned back in her chair. “It’s probably just a dream, a really long one.”
Shen Lixia first set up the fire and prepared the soup base for Zhao Qiguang before pushing open the door. The cooking smoke from the kitchen rolled in, instantly warming the desolate room. She heard the soft sound of frost melting and water dripping outside.
"Junior sister?"
The voice was soft, like a dandelion seed scattered by a gust of wind. The young man lay half-reclined on the bed, a book open on his lap.
The breeze from the opening door turned a page for her, and she couldn't help but laugh: "What's the matter? Why are you in such a hurry?"
The light fell on her hands, illuminating the bluish veins beneath her pale skin. She wore only a thin garment, making her appear as forlorn as a daffodil.
Shen Lixia strode over, suddenly very close to her, their breaths brushing against each other's faces. Qiao Yanshen paused, raising her hand to shield her, a faint blush rising to her cheeks.
“No,” she said, “...I haven’t rinsed my mouth yet.”
“…Senior sister!” Shen Lixia immediately understood the meaning behind her words after being interrupted. “I didn’t want to kiss you, you know that perfectly well.”
A hint of annoyance lingered in her voice, and her brows furrowed. She lightly stroked Qiao Yanshen's hand, and sure enough, a chill seeped in, much colder than she had ever felt before. Shen Lixia stared intently at her, the soft, gentle gold in her eyes transforming into a sharp, piercing blade.
"My hands are so cold..." she whispered. "My health has deteriorated, and my cultivation has regressed not just because of that one time I was exhausted, right?"
Qiao Yanshen's heart was in turmoil. She didn't tell Shen Lixia about her decision to reshape her cultivation path, to use the methods taught by the Luoshui Technique to reabsorb spiritual energy and transform into a form more suitable for Luochuan. Luochuan had already fallen into the land of ten thousand demons, and strictly speaking, what she was doing was also a step towards demonic possession.
However, it doesn't mean being confused or cold-hearted. The chill of the Luo River over millions of years cannot shake a person's rock-solid mind.
—At least, that's the only way she could believe in herself. But lately, waves of repulsion and some other persistent urge were causing her to waver slightly.
Heaven's wrath has beenfallen; after Luo Yang, no one has escaped its punishment. It does not tolerate traitors having intact souls.
The effects of demonic possession are evident to all. Regardless of the degree of their involvement, they are unable to reincarnate. Those who are lucky enough to survive are like walking corpses, and those who are even slightly tainted will be doomed forever.
She really forgot how clever her little bird was... If she told one lie to her junior sister, she would need a thousand to cover it up.
Qiao Yanshen remained calm and composed: "It's nothing. Winter is cold, and you know I always have cold hands and feet because of my cold constitution." She didn't want Shen Lixia to know for the time being.
I'll handle it myself and tell Shen Lixia after things settle down, so as not to make her worry.
Shen Lixia pursed her lips into a thin line and lowered her eyes. The light seemed to be frozen in one place, and the birdsong and human voices outside faded away. The two of them were left here, silently facing each other.
She didn't shed tears, nor did she reach out to warm Shen Lixia's hands with her burning spiritual energy. She suddenly realized that Shen Lixia's reaction this time seemed different from usual.
The divine fire has sensed it...?
The boy spoke.
“You’re lying to me,” she said. “You look so pale, and you got up late today. Your breathing is weak and your spiritual energy is disordered, yet you lied to me that you’re fine. I noticed you coughed up blood before, so you’re afraid I’ll kiss you this time.”
She lowered her voice as she spoke.
"Changing the subject and stammering. You're not only cold-handed, but also cold-hearted." This leaves her perpetually living in fear of loss.
Qiao Yanshen wondered if she really looked like she was on the verge of death, and couldn't help but tease her: "Junior sister was still sleeping in yesterday, but today it's like the magistrate is allowed to set fires while the common people are forbidden to light lamps. One thing at a time, I'm fine, don't worry."
As she finished speaking, just as she was about to say something more, Qiao Yanshen paused, clutching the bedsheet as if her oil had run out and her vision blurred for a moment. When she regained her senses, the boy's face was almost touching hers, their noses almost touching. Her eyes were full of dissatisfaction that was almost reproachful.
Qiao Yanshen put down the book and sighed, "It's hard to solve anything even if I tell you..."
Shen Lixia stepped back a little.
"Then Senior Sister, you should rest first. Just call me if you want anything to eat later, and I'll make another serving. It doesn't taste good cold."
She felt her heart sinking step by step; she was disappointed.
Qiao Yanshen always excluded her from his already decided mind, as if he firmly believed that she would ultimately do as she wished. There was no need for her to ask any further.
Qiao Yanshen stared at her somber figure, slightly stunned, until the door closed with a thud. He then realized he had already raised his hand, but ultimately didn't call out. She rubbed her temples, then relaxed and lay down on the bed with a sigh of relief.
Spiderwebs tangled between the roof beams, and a constant buzzing sound filled the air.
The voices outside faded into the distance, and her body, sometimes light, sometimes heavy, transformed into a ring of water, gently swaying. Her short, shallow breaths gradually became long and even, and the white light dissipated…
She closed her eyes again, completely oblivious to day and night.
A chill ran through her, causing her to tremble in her half-dreaming, half-awake state. After a long while, it seemed as if someone pushed the door open again, found her bluish fingertips from under the covers, and held them tightly.
The warmth flowed into her meridians, rolling endlessly, making her even greedily want to hold on. The generous spiritual energy, once it flowed, met the coldness within her body, merging together seamlessly.
The chill of Luochuan and the scorching heat of the divine fire blended together seamlessly.
The purifying fire that burns away all things is an exception for her. In Qiao Yanshen's hands, it is docile, gentle, and careful. That is the nature of fire.
"Senior sister isn't feeling well, so let's not push her today. Let's go to the Taoist temple first."
Shen Lixia came out of the room and sighed repeatedly after she finished speaking.
Simmons rolled her eyes and clapped her hands. "Don't sigh. Sighing will drive away your good fortune, you know?"
Shen Lixia sneered: "I don't want a lot of money, I want a lot of love."
"You're so unserious!" Simmons poked her forehead. "Ugh, you two are arguing like this. Aren't you tired?"
"The fight isn't over, but we're finished." Shen Lixia's tone suddenly turned cold.
Upon hearing her words, Simmons immediately fell silent, pulling Su Jiang away in a whispered conversation. She wasn't stupid; of course, she knew to keep her distance from the boy who was currently seething with anger.
Zhao Qiguang led them up the mountain to the entrance of the Taoist temple. The temple was small, with about ten rooms connected together. A disciple was sweeping at the front gate. He greeted Zhao Qiguang when he arrived, but did not ask about the origins of the people behind him.
Currently, many students are attending classes at the temple, yet not a single person can be seen coming or going. In the front yard, there is a pond of fish, their colors a mix of gold and red, swimming happily. Shen Lixia broke off some crumbs from a half-eaten piece of dry rations, only to be splashed with water by the unruly fish's tails.
Her face fell even more, as if to say, "Why are fish treating me like this too?"
Zhao Qiguang said, "Let's go directly to the young master."
Shen Lixia wiped the water from her hair and asked, puzzled, "Do you know where she is?"
"It should be the usual place." With that, she quickened her pace. Shen Lixia and the others followed closely behind, winding their way to a large, leafy tree.
It was truly astonishing; despite the chilling frost all around, the tree remained so verdant. Yet, the surroundings were still quite cold, forcing Shen Lixia to dry herself off to avoid sneezing.
As the chill dissipated, she suddenly realized that Emperor Taihui's Four Seasons Barrier was an extraordinary and rare thing. Once she left the sect, there would be no more eternal spring, summer, autumn and winter, and she would no longer be able to witness the rise and fall of the world in a single day.
I wonder how much of the snow on Frostblade Peak has melted by now?
Slow down. Slow down even more.
Don't let her go back and not find the familiar silver-white.
She always felt that as long as she didn't look, everything could go back to the way it was before anything happened. But why did so many people along the way remind her that things had changed? Why was Qiao Yanshen so determined to leave? Couldn't she wait for her? Did she have to wake her up from this dream so quickly?
His thoughts were interrupted by Zhao Qiguang's clear "Young Master".
Such important figures, could they be addressed so casually? While they were indeed of the same generation under Emperor Taihui, here at Tianchi, as local bullies…
There was a rustling sound coming from the tree.
A boy's head slowly peeked out from the branches. She glanced at the group behind Zhao Qiguang, and her lips, which were about to respond readily, suddenly met his. She froze, and in a flurry, tumbled off the branch.
Shen Lixia's heart tightened. A white figure had already darted up faster than her and steadily caught the boy, preventing her from falling hard.
Her snow-white curls floated in the wind, like swirling snowflakes. The young woman looked up to thank him, only to find a pair of sinister purple eyes staring at her. Their gazes met, and she was so startled she couldn't discern the emotions within them. She screamed and struggled to leap out of Su Jiang's arms.
"What the hell?!" The young man was on the verge of tears, turning to Zhao Qiguang in a panic and retreating repeatedly, disregarding his dignity as a young master. "This...this is the Holy Maiden of Garan!"
Zhao Qiguang's eyelids twitched. "I had no idea. She's a nice person, why are you so afraid?"
The girl stammered for a long time. She became incoherent when there were many people around, her gaze darting away, seemingly very uncomfortable communicating with others, let alone making eye contact. That one moment had truly frightened her.
Seeing that Su Jiang was stunned and speechless for a long time, and that this was not the purpose she had thought of, she finally put on the demeanor of a young master and forced herself to remain calm: "What do you gentlemen want with me?"
She glanced at Shen Lixia, clearly recognizing her.
Shen Lixia said seriously, "I want to know what kind of sacred objects you have hidden here."
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Author's note: So busy... I have nothing to say.
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