Chapter 2 The stone you moved hurts the foot...
Lu Qing followed Wu Chen to the only inn in the town.
Wu Chen only booked a superior room and was about to have the waiter bring the food to the room when a storyteller was in the lobby of the inn, spitting as he recounted a tale of immortal romance.
Lu Qing listened intently while leaning on the railing, showing no intention of going into the room.
Wu Chen asked her, "Want to listen to an audiobook?"
Lu Qing nodded.
Wu Chen then led her to sit down in the main hall and had the waiter serve the dishes.
The storyteller had few fans today, and after talking for a long time, he hadn't earned much money. Weakly, he threw down his gavel with a snap, saying, "To find out what happens next, please listen to tomorrow's story."
Lu Qing was displeased. "Hey, you, you were talking so well, why did you stop?"
The storyteller squinted and glanced at Lu Qing listlessly.
Wu Chen flicked his finger, and a piece of silver landed on his table.
The storyteller immediately perked up, beaming with joy, "I'll tell you, I'll tell you. Whatever story the young master wants to hear, I'll tell it."
Lu Qing thought for a moment, "Tell me the story of the immortal sect, the most powerful and the most captivating one."
The storyteller stroked his beard. "Young master, have you heard the story of the Divine Palace?"
Lu Qing shook her head.
"Alright. I'll tell you the story of the Divine Palace, young master." The storyteller put away the silver, took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, struck the gavel, and began to speak.
"It is said that the great god Pangu separated heaven and earth, and the goddess Nuwa mended the sky and created humankind. From that time onward, gods, immortals, humans, ghosts, monsters, and demons coexisted in this world. However, later, for reasons unknown, the three realms gradually separated, and it became difficult to find any trace of gods and immortals in the human world. Instead, demons and monsters roamed the human world, harming the innocent and taking countless lives. Yet, in chaotic times, there are always capable people who slay demons and monsters and act on behalf of heaven. Today, we will talk about the first person in the Divine Palace - Lord Shuoming, Zou Yubo..."
The storyteller began by recounting the unusual celestial phenomena at the time of Zou Yubo's birth, saying that he was extraordinary even as a child, always plagued by demons and monsters who tried to harm him, but he always managed to turn misfortune into good fortune and danger into safety; when learning his craft, he was often envied and framed by mediocre people, but he persevered and eventually rose to prominence.
Lu Qing was clearly uninterested in these eloquent compliments; her face fell, and her displeasure was immediately apparent.
The storyteller was quite perceptive; he quickly skipped that part and steered the conversation to the exciting part that followed.
"...At this critical juncture, Lord Shuoming learned a vital secret from ancient texts. In the far west of the human realm, there lies a secret place called the Western Abyss. The Western Abyss is filled with poisonous waters and miasma, teeming with demons and monsters. Yet, these monsters guard a Spirit Tree. Know that this Spirit Tree bears fruit only once every thousand years, yielding only one fruit each time. Do not underestimate this Spirit Fruit; though it is but a small fruit, it can bring mortals back to life, regenerate flesh from bones, and cure all diseases; but for demons and monsters..." Consuming it grants a complete transformation, allowing one to become human. For cultivators, consuming it greatly enhances their power, granting them unparalleled divine abilities. Thus, Lord Shuoming decided to journey to the Western Abyss to obtain this Spirit-Communicating Fruit… After countless hardships and near-death experiences, Lord Shuoming finally obtained the Spirit-Communicating Fruit. After consuming it, not only did his cultivation increase dramatically, but he also gained the ability to communicate with gods and spirits. He led various immortals to drive away the demons and monsters that plagued humanity. He also established a divine palace to protect the people of the world…
Lu Qing yawned, "They weren't as interesting as those stories about men and women from before."
The storyteller chuckled dryly, "How about I give you another one?"
Wu Chen smiled, tossed him another piece of silver, and shook his head at him.
The storyteller wisely shut his mouth.
The inn's waiter brought up steaming hot food, saying, "Please enjoy your meal, esteemed guests."
Lu Qing looked at the dishes and opened her mouth towards Wu Chen.
Wu Chen raised an eyebrow. "Hmm?"
“Feed me!” Lu Qing boldly leaned in front of him.
Wu Chen raised an eyebrow helplessly, picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks, and put it into her mouth.
Lu Qing took a bite and then spat it out. "What a weird taste!"
Wu Chen switched to a different pair of chopsticks, picked up a bite for himself, and said, "Oh, this is a wild mushroom. It's naturally a little bitter, but it's good for your health."
Lu Qing blinked and smiled, "Really?"
But inwardly he was slamming his fist on the table and roaring, "You say we have a close relationship, yet you don't even know my tastes. It would be a miracle if I believed you!"
Wu Chen looked helpless. "You need to nourish yourself properly now. Although dietary therapy is slow to take effect, if you persist, it will eventually work." He switched back the chopsticks he had used to serve Lu Qing food. "Here, eat slowly. The taste isn't strong. You'll get used to it."
Lu Qing ignored him, shut her mouth, and swayed left and right to avoid his chopsticks.
Someone at the door chuckled, "Oh my, isn't this the young master Wu who flits through a sea of flowers without a single petal clinging to him! I really thought you were chaste, but I only realize today that you just don't like women!"
Lu Qing tilted her head and opened her eyes wide to look at the person who spoke, but she couldn't dodge Wu Chen's chopsticks and was stuffed with a mouthful of wild mushroom. She didn't like the taste, and her little face scrunched up like a shriveled gourd.
Wu Chen looked at her seriously, "Don't throw up. You have to eat."
Lu Qing's lips twitched, and with a gulp, she swallowed it all without even chewing.
Wu Chen sighed, gripping his chopsticks, unsure of what to say.
The man speaking at the door became even more annoyed, lifted his robe, and stepped inside. He walked straight to their table.
This man had a foul tone and an even worse attitude, but he was extremely handsome and refined. Lu Qing tilted her head back and stared at him, comparing him to Wu Chen in her mind.
His face was longer and thinner than Wu Chen's, and unlike Wu Chen's handsome and masculine features, it possessed a more feminine and delicate beauty. His eyes were slightly narrow and long, and at this moment they looked somewhat gloomy. Unlike Wu Chen's peaceful and calm demeanor. His lips, because of his mocking expression, were uneven, one side higher than the other, and Lu Qing had an urge to reach out and even them out.
However, his clothes were exceptionally exquisite. His royal blue clothes were covered with subtle patterns embroidered with silver threads, which shimmered like water as he moved, captivating Lu Qing's attention.
A beautiful but somewhat troublesome person, Lu Qing sighed sincerely, chewing on the mushrooms Wu Chen fed her, and said indistinctly, "What a pity."
Wu Chen flicked her forehead with his finger, "Don't talk while eating."
"Wow, in my lifetime, I actually got to see Young Master Wu flirting with someone!" Seeing that Wu Chen ignored him, the man simply plopped down on the floor.
"What does 'flirting' mean?" Lu Qing vaguely understood, yet seemed not to understand.
Wu Chen frowned slightly, "You're not allowed to learn any nonsense."
Lu Qing pointed at the uninvited guest, her face full of "innocent curiosity," and asked, "What nonsense? You mean him?"
The young man's face darkened further, and he reached out to overturn the table, but Wu Chen slammed his left hand on the table, which stood motionless as if it were rooted to the floor. "Wu Chen!" the young man gritted his teeth.
Wu Chen looked at him calmly, "Yu Zhen, Yu Jitang, haven't you made enough of a scene?"
Lu Qing chuckled, "Fish and chicken soup?"
Yu Jitang's face darkened. "Kid, so anyone who dares to joke about my name has already been reincarnated."
Lu Qing wasn't afraid of him at all. "A name is given so that people can call you that. If I called you Crucian Carp Soup, that would be a joke."
Yu Jitang said in a gloomy tone, "State your name. Your grandfather does not kill nameless people with his sword."
Lu Qing rested her chin on her hands, her voice soft yet defiant, "But their name is 'Nameless'!"
Yu Jitang shuddered at her sweet, coquettish voice, "Are you a man or a woman?"
Lu Qing mocked him, "If you can't beat them, you can't beat them. Why bring up men and women? Stop dawdling. Are you even a man?"
Yu Jitang suddenly stood up. "Don't think I'm afraid of you. Both of you come at me together." He then drew his sword.
Wu Chen's expression truly darkened now. He stood up immediately and reached out to push the hilt of Yu Jitang's drawn sword back. Yu Jitang lowered his brows and pushed it away with his right hand.
Wu Chen's left hand met Yu Jitang's right hand. The two of them moved with lightning speed, but no matter how Yu Jitang's right hand made his move, it was blocked by Wu Chen's left hand. The sword hilt, which was only two inches from its sheath, was pressed back by Wu Chen's right hand.
Lu Qing clicked his tongue twice, as if he could hear the grinding sound of the sword against its hilt.
Yu Jitang's face turned red, but he couldn't stop the sword sheath from closing with a soft click.
Lu Qing laughed so hard he rolled on the floor. "Oh my, so this is what 'the sword doesn't kill the nameless' means. If you can't kill the nameless, you're even less likely to kill the famous ones."
Unlike Lu Qing, Wu Chen didn't push her luck and stopped, saying, "Alright, stop fooling around. Sit down and eat together."
Yu Jitang's face was still flushed, and his teeth were grinding together. "Who cares about your food?" He turned and left.
Lu Qing was about to say something sarcastic when Wu Chen flicked his forehead and said seriously, "If you keep fooling around, you'll be punished by eating wild mushrooms every meal."
Huh?! Lu Qing looked aggrieved and heartbroken. "I'm already yours, how could you treat me like this!"
Yu Jitang, who had already reached the door, turned around in surprise and almost twisted his neck.
Wu Chen sighed inwardly: The stone I moved has fallen on my own foot, and it really hurts!
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