Chapter 143 Spring Breeze Arrives: It's Spring Outside, Xiao Wu.
Was most of his cultivation wasted?
Shen Lixia was unaware of Wu Zhuyue's unstable cultivation level, and couldn't help but stand up abruptly, exclaiming, "This is too much!"
She knew exactly how proud Wu Zhuyue was. The more someone was born into that kind of environment, the more they would try to prove their strength and how different they were after their circumstances changed. It wasn't vanity, but more like an escape from the past. The pride she built up was like the moon's reflection in water; if touched, it might shatter completely, leaving her with a large part of herself torn away.
That's why Wu Zhuyue practices swordsmanship and cultivation so diligently, so that she won't go back to square one and won't be powerless in the face of many things.
Shen Lixia always believed that even carefully protecting her fragile self-esteem was better than shattering it. The latter certainly counts as growth, but who says growth has to be painful? Does it mean that one can't grow up without pain?
One day, Wu Zhuyue will realize that she has already gained so much, and all that she has experienced can never be erased from her life. She will never go back to the past.
Never.
But there are always unexpected events that arrive one step earlier than she expected.
Qiao Yanshen glanced at Shen Lixia, knowing that she could be a bit clumsy and impulsive at times, but once she became stubborn, she possessed a raptor-like sensitivity, capable of sharply dissecting all the pretense and pretense of a person, making her more empathetic and soft-hearted. This wasn't good, but it wasn't bad either; it was precisely because of this that she was bright and clear.
She sighed, placed her hand on the boy's hand, and said gently, "The mistresses left in such a hurry that we haven't finished discussing many matters. Perhaps we should write a letter to explain. Aunt Ruan should still be in the hall. Please ask Senior Sister Tang to inform her that the Azure Dragon Constellation has shattered. Perhaps the decline of spiritual energy in the great domains today is inextricably linked to this."
Tang Huairou was slightly taken aback upon hearing her words, then an expression of disbelief appeared on her face. But Qiao Yanshen was always serious in his speech; how could he possibly be joking?
The young man immediately became serious and said, "I understand." After saying that, he hurriedly got up and went towards Ruan Luoying.
Today is destined to be unjust; another meeting is about to be held on Four Spirits Peak. Qiao Yanshen thought to himself as he gently patted Shen Lixia's hand. Seeing that she had already sat down, he said, "If you're really worried, go and see her. Go ask Aunt Yi on Zhu Ming Peak; she won't stop you."
Shen Lixia hesitated, "It might take a long time. Junior Sister Wu is very stubborn..."
I was supposed to make dessert tonight.
Wu Zhuyue was sometimes just like her, so stubborn that she wouldn't listen to advice. Shen Lixia had seen many kinds of stubborn expressions, like Lin Yuxian's unwillingness, Lu Changqing's gentleness, or Cang Yu's coldness and hatred.
A mild emotional response is a balm for life, but too much can be hurtful. She herself was no exception; her stubborn insistence on using divine fire in the past had unknowingly wounded others. Shen Lixia recalled the cold glint she had seen in Wu Zhuyue's eyes during a past battle, and could no longer be certain that it was similar to her—hurting others and hurting herself. They were so alike, almost like two sides of a mirror, occasionally able to see their own reflection in each other's faces.
A young person's life is like a flame; if it is rich enough, it can burn until dawn.
But if too much self-destruction occurs, it may be extinguished before the dawn.
"Go ahead." Qiao Yanshen read her unspoken words and smiled gently. "I'll pick the peaches properly, and we can eat them tomorrow. But the delay in payment is because you broke your promise, so you'll still be punished. Be prepared."
The second half of her sentence was half-joking; she flipped Shen Lixia's hand over and tapped it twice.
"Maybe it's a slap on the palm, or maybe something else."
Upon hearing this, the boy subconsciously withdrew his hand. "Alright, whatever you say."
Qiao Yanshen hid his displeasure very well, and his words seemed to be a way of taking care of Shen Lixia, so that she wouldn't feel guilty for not being able to keep her promise tonight, or perhaps he was afraid of neglecting his senior sister's feelings. But Shen Lixia still heard it, and a slight sour feeling welled up in her heart for no reason, like damp grains of salt falling down.
She stared at Qiao Yanshen for a long while, then suddenly leaned in and buried herself in his arms. Just as Qiao Yanshen was about to instinctively reach out to embrace her, he heard a soft sound, and felt her hot breath between his fingers. In an instant, she was enveloped in a small, soft, crimson space.
The little bird's wings had grown a bit. That was her first thought, and only then did she realize that they were still in the Human Realm. Her junior sister might have gotten used to it in the Chaos Rift, but the Human Realm could not tolerate such an anomaly.
Qiao Yanshen lowered his head, about to gently remind her, when he met a pair of golden eyes sparkling with moisture. She buried her face in the young man's clothes, hesitant to speak, unable to utter a word for a while, before burying her face back down. Qiao Yanshen couldn't help but slightly raise the corners of his lips, his hand on the boy's back sliding down, then slipping inside his wing and pinching it slightly.
"Senior Sister..."
With a tremor of its broad wings, the feathers rustled. A warm, fluffy warmth spread out, and the unique scent of the little bird enveloped Qiao Yanshen, almost making her feel intoxicated and disoriented.
That's just the kind of person my junior sister is. No matter how long we've known each other, she never takes anything for granted... She takes every word to heart, and she cares about every promise she makes. She's always like that.
So now he's acting cute, asking her to forgive him.
Fool.
Qiao Yanshen found it amusing, so he lowered his head and gently rubbed his chin against her hair, saying, "Those two servings of ice cream... the strawberries and loquats are ripe these days, I want to eat candied hawthorns."
"Senior sister loves sweets!" Shen Lixia looked up, but her next words were not a reproach.
"Like a little kid, so cute."
Qiao Yanshen pinched her cheek and laughed, "You're the one who's a child. Alright, put your wings back, and don't let them out so easily in the future. We've already returned to the human realm."
Shen Lixia hugged the young man's waist and said in a muffled voice, "Alright." Then her wings transformed into flowing flames and returned to her body.
After writing the letter and explaining what they hadn't finished saying, they sent a messenger to deliver it. Outside the Cangling Palace, Shen Lixia saw a mulberry tree not far away and resisted the urge to pick any.
The dark purple fruits hung among the leaves, each one plump and full. I'll have to ask Senior Sister Tang for a jar of jam another day.
Back in the woods, Simmons was indeed sitting at the stone table in the courtyard, waiting for them. The two sat down and slowly began to eat their breakfast.
After finishing the sugar pie, Shen Lixia finally asked, "Are you participating in the competition?"
Simmons lifted her face from her busy work, gave a puzzled "hmm," and exclaimed in surprise, "Me? The Grand Competition? What does your Grand Competition of Immortal Cultivators have to do with me?" As she spoke, she suddenly wiped the corner of her eye, pretending to be on the verge of tears, which made Shen Lixia stare blankly.
"Although we joke around all the time, I, Xi, genuinely care about Fellow Daoist Shen. I never expected you to repay kindness with enmity and try to persuade me to participate in the Grand Competition... I am a person without cultivation. If I am beaten to death, I will haunt Fellow Daoist Shen even as a ghost!"
What are you talking about? Shen Lixia almost spat out her porridge from being choked by her. She wiped her mouth with a trembling heart, then suddenly frowned and smiled, "You will participate."
Simmons warned, "You are not allowed to draw your sword."
Shen Lixia held up one finger, "Ten thousand spirit stones, come with me to set up the Great Dream Array on the field and play with them." The first round of the competition was a team competition, where the teams would be eliminated in the Mirage Realm. As Yan Xueya's disciple, she had to help her fellow disciples advance to the second round, the wheel race.
Among cultivators of the same level, their cultivation techniques might not necessarily be able to defeat the dream array. In addition, since the competition does not distinguish between realms, any method can be used, so it's better to break the thinnest part of the rope.
Simmons pondered for a moment and said, "No, I don't want to get beaten up. I'll add one condition—Fellow Daoist Qiao must protect me." After saying that, she glanced at Qiao Yanshen.
The young man was dipping pan-fried buns into vinegar with chili, the bright red color staining the dough looking rather alarming. Hearing Simmons's words, she paused with her chopsticks and replied, "Okay."
As if thinking of something, Qiao Yanshen smiled slightly again, "I have never truly fought alongside you like this before. Thinking about it, I am really looking forward to it."
After agreeing on the terms, Shen Lixia stayed a little longer, asking some questions away from Qiao Yanshen and Xi Mengsi. The young man stood at the courtyard gate, seeing them whispering, and knew it couldn't be anything peaceful, so he couldn't help but rub his temples.
Well, although my junior sister is mischievous, she has always known her limits. If she goes too far, our master will discipline her, and I, as her senior sister, don't need to worry about her all the time.
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The quiet room was simple, containing only a table, a bed, a water tank, and a bath tub. Meals were delivered by servants. Although Zhu Mingfeng lived in summer, he kept the temperature neither too hot nor too cold in early summer, so he was not irritable, only occasionally hearing the chirping of cicadas.
A young man dressed in white sat at a long table, dipping his brush in ink to write. A stack of washed bowls lay neatly on a chair beside him. A moment later, a knock came at the door.
Without looking up, she simply said, "Please come in." A young man stepped into the room, and when his gaze fell on the clean bowls and chopsticks, he paused slightly.
"Senior Sister Wu..." She looked at Wu Zhuyue and couldn't help but feel uneasy. "Next time, you don't need to wash the dishes. Just leave it to me."
The person at the table looked up, startling the student. In his memory, when Wu Zhuyue was still on the stage, her expression was always aloof, yet it carried the stubbornness and naivety of a young man, like a vine, a green branch stretching upwards with all its might.
But now she seemed like a different person. Her features had softened, and the light in her eyes had become lukewarm. She was meticulously composed, as if she had completely shed her childishness. Once, she was like a snowflake in white, moving and alive. Now, the snow had stopped, leaving only chilling ice. She clearly appeared calm and composed, yet there was an inexplicable air of listlessness and death about her.
Perhaps her cultivation was destroyed, causing temporary physical harm. The young man thought for a moment, then sighed, thinking to himself how strict True Monarch Lanqiu was; how could he bring himself to harm his senior sister?
All the words in the world were reduced to a dry, unspoken question: "Senior sister, is the food to your liking?"
Wu Zhuyue smiled slightly and said politely, "It's delicious. Thank you, Junior Sister. You can make even simple meals taste so good. I hope you can continue to do so in the future."
The boy chuckled, nodded to her, and left with his bowl and chopsticks. Wu Zhuyue returned to the table, glancing down at what she had copied.
My handwriting has improved a lot since then.
The confinement, Yi Xiaohan didn't specify the duration, perhaps three weeks, perhaps three years. She might not even qualify for the grand competition, but what did it matter?
The seals have been broken in two places, and even if something is detected as amiss, it cannot be repaired. Wu Zhuyue's state of mind has become very calm, and perhaps it will never, ever be stirred again.
This was exactly what she wanted—quiet, a quietude so profound that bitterness blended into the cold stillness of water, a quietude so profound that she stopped thinking about anything, simply waiting for the inevitable ending, content with the unchanging.
Because she wanted to repay a debt of gratitude. How much is her life worth? To be able to carry on the important mission for her master and lay the foundation for changing the injustices of the world, how fortunate she is.
From then on, she was cut off from everything, needing not to see anyone or shed blood. She would wait until everything was over and then leave with her master. She would then return to being a girl with only the name "Xiao Wu," wandering alone and adrift once more.
It was summer outside, but a chill lingered in the girl's heart. She gently closed her eyes, feeling a sense of contentment born from long-term suffering, like the embers left after something has burned out.
That's good...
Du, du.
Wu Zhuyue looked up in confusion.
Did that student drop something?
The door was flung open without hesitation the next moment. This was the first time there had been such a commotion in the quiet room since the lockdown began.
The room was quiet and still, but then, someone carrying the fragrance of flowers burst in, holding the hand of a young man in a peony-pink dress. The tart yet rich scent of wildflowers burst forth in an instant, as if a field of crimson was right before their eyes, dazzlingly beautiful.
The boy's golden eyes, brimming with passion, met her blank and unmoving gaze.
This instantly brought forth the entire spring.
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Author's note: After returning to the sect, I still want to write about the days we spent together!
Actually, I really like both of them now that I've written this far. And Xia, as the "protagonist," will definitely have many connections with other people, including Xiao Wu. Of course, so will the senior sister; she also has her own network of relationships.
I've always felt that Xia is a sincere person. So many characters in this book are poor at expressing their true feelings, missing many opportunities to clear up misunderstandings with words, but she is, and she seizes every chance. She tries to make Xiao Wu happy and hopes that Xiao Wu and Xiao Lu will have a good relationship. Because she is the two children's senior, and also their friend.
So she came.
Xiao Wu, it's spring outside.
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