Chapter 67 The Stubborn Woman's Lament (Seventeen) My senior brother never showed me the slightest bit of...
A moment of silence fell over the surroundings.
Gu Lianzhou lowered his eyes to look at the dodder vines entwined between his fingers, his Adam's apple bobbing as he struggled to suppress the urge to devour the demonic energy.
Just now, in the illusion, when he used the dodder to carry away the scattered demonic energy, he noticed that his body had an unusual craving for the demonic energy from the outside world.
"Master, do you have any containers to store demonic energy? Like Chu Yue did, to temporarily hide Senior Luo?" He held the air in his hands, pondering earnestly. "I once heard my senior brother say that demons are originally colorless and formless, born from obsession. If they are properly cared for, perhaps they can be brought back to life?"
He looked serious and didn't seem to have lost his mind.
Song Qiling's gaze lingered on his palm, and she hesitated before asking, "Did you really catch the demonic energy?"
Gu Lianzhou nodded, somewhat anxiously saying, "We need to hurry, I'm about to lose control."
Upon hearing this, Song Qiling disregarded everything else, took out a porcelain bottle from her waist and handed it to Gu Lianzhou: "Although it cannot compare to gold, it can still gather demonic energy. Since your eyes can see clearly, you can put Senior Luo away properly."
After saying that, she looked at Uncle Nie and saw that he looked blank and clueless. She couldn't help but remind him, "Uncle, Gu Lianzhou has a pair of Yin-Yang eyes. He can see things that ordinary people can't see. You should believe him."
“Yes, we should believe it.” Nie Fengxi rolled his eyes, as if he had finally come to his senses. He watched his disciple “carefully” pour something into the porcelain bottle, his brows furrowed slightly, and he couldn’t help but lick his dry lips before turning to look at Song Qiling.
"Young man, since you call me 'Uncle-Master,' you must be from the Heavenly Mystery Sect. Could you open my 'Heavenly Eye' for me and let me see Qingyu?" He was still a little uneasy and wanted to see for himself.
Song Qiling pondered for a moment, thinking that her martial uncle had cut off one of his arms and naturally could not rely on the power of the Xishan Golden Seal, she couldn't help but feel pity and nodded, "Alright."
The so-called "opening the third eye" is not very difficult; it just takes some effort to open it for others.
She steadied herself, then bit her fingertip, half-kneeled, and took a few steps forward to sit down in front of Nie Fengxi. "Uncle-Master, close your eyes."
Nie Fengxi did as instructed.
In a short while, a blood talisman appeared on his mind. When he opened his eyes again, all he could see were floating red dots of light.
Upon closer inspection, one could see that his disciple was surrounded by black mist, with strands of hair-like black matter acting like tentacles, absorbing the light and preventing it from dissipating.
"Lianzhou." He choked for a moment, pointing to the dodder swarming in the air, "What happened to you while I was gone?"
How did it turn out like this?
"Master, I..."
"It's a long story."
Song Qiling raised her hand to interrupt, saying, "Uncle-Master, we can't keep this from Chu Yue for long. Once the demonic energy is completely gone, you should take the porcelain bottle and the Five-Turn Pill and leave. Go as far away as possible and never come back."
Nie Fengxi nodded and said, "Okay."
His gaze fell on Song Qiling's features, and he suddenly felt a sense of familiarity. He couldn't help but ask, "Young man, what's your name?"
Song Qiling swallowed hard, a stiff smile spreading across her face: "It's been a long time. Uncle-Master, you've forgotten me? I'm Qiling."
She avoided Nie Fengxi's probing gaze and looked at Gu Lianzhou, who was busy to the side. "I met the young master of the Gu family halfway through my journey. Because of your relationship, he calls me senior brother."
After saying that, he nervously clenched his fist.
Nie Fengxi had watched her grow up, so he naturally knew she was a young woman. However, they hadn't seen each other for so many years that he might have forgotten her.
Gu Lianzhou also took a moment to smile and said, "Yes, thanks to my senior brother's care along the way, I was able to meet you, Master, safely."
As soon as he finished speaking, the large carriage fell silent once again.
Nie Fengxi suddenly felt dizzy and his eyes hurt. He couldn't help but raise his hand to press his temples: "It's been a long time since I've opened my Heavenly Eye. My body can't take it anymore."
He glanced at the restless Song Qiling and smiled warmly: "It's my darling Qiling. It's been so many years, and she's grown so much."
"Uncle-Master!" Song Qiling interrupted in a panic, "I am no longer a child, it's strange... it's embarrassing to call me like that."
Seeing her embarrassed expression, Nie Fengxi smiled and shook his head, saying, "Yes, yes, yes."
His gaze returned to Gu Lianzhou's hand, his knuckles slowly tightening: "Yu Niang, it was I who ruined you in the end."
The porcelain bottle was full. Gu Lianzhou put the lid on and handed it to Nie Fengxi with both hands, saying solemnly, "Master, please keep it safe."
This time, we mustn't lose them again.
-
Just as Murong Xiao said, all participants in the competition, regardless of their background or methods, will receive a prize as long as they make it into the top three.
Therefore, without Chu Yue's interference, Nie Fengxi naturally obtained the life-extending Five-Turn Pill, which he swallowed after Liu Dai nodded in approval.
Gu Lianzhou felt reassured and helped his master onto the carriage.
"Are you really not going to the banquet tonight?" Yu Qi clasped his arms and leaned lazily against the carriage wall.
Looking at Gu Lianzhou carrying his luggage, he couldn't help but ask, "Even you're leaving?"
Gu Lianzhou put the heavy bundle into the carriage and then jumped off. He looked at Nie Fengxi, who was sitting in the carriage with his eyes closed, and turned to Yu Qi with a smile, saying, "Master has important things to do and doesn't want me to come along."
“So you’ve stayed.” Yu Qi’s brows immediately relaxed, and he laughed heartily. “I thought you were as heartless as Song San, leaving whenever you wanted.”
Upon hearing this, Song Qiling, who was standing to the side, nudged him with her elbow and said with dissatisfaction, "If I have time in the future, I will come back to see you again. It's not like we will never see each other again."
"Tch." Yu Qi rolled his eyes. "Easy to say, but he won't even tell you where he's going. What a stingy guy."
Seeing the flustered young master Yu, Song Qiling raised the corners of her lips and patted him lightly on the back: "Why are you still acting like a child?"
"I'm not a child!" Yu Qi shrugged, shaking off the hand behind his back, and grinned, "You really are... even more like an old woman than Liu Dai."
Liu Dai, who stood quietly to the side watching the commotion, was speechless.
What did he do to deserve this?
Nie Fengxi, sitting upright in the carriage, slowly opened his eyes and waved to his disciple. Upon seeing this, Gu Lianzhou hurriedly stepped forward, tilted his head, and leaned in to listen to his master say some intimate words.
After he finished explaining, he lowered the carriage curtain and urged the coachman to drive off.
Watching the carriage speed away, Gu Lianzhou stood silently in place, feeling as if there was a hole in his heart, a terrible emptiness.
He had imagined what it would be like to see his master again, but it would never be as hasty as it was today, a brief meeting with only a few words.
Just like Yu Qi complained about his senior brother, he didn't even want to tell him where he was going.
-
As soon as it got dark, the Murong mansion was filled with lights. Red lanterns swayed under the eaves, casting warm light on the stone pavement.
The stage, which had already been set up, was already in use. As soon as the tune started, many people stopped eating and tilted their heads to listen. Occasionally, a few little children would dart across from under the eaves, stirring up the wind that shattered the lamplight on the ground.
Maids carried wine and dishes around the table, filling the courtyard with the aroma of food.
Song Qiling carefully tucked a thick stack of silver notes into a hidden pocket inside her clothes, and began to examine Gu Lianzhou by the dim light.
She had just been called away from her seat by Gu Lianzhou, and now the two of them were standing by a rockery, acting furtively as if they were conducting a shady deal.
"There are many people around tonight, and it would be bad for Senior Brother Yu if someone saw us," Gu Lianzhou said.
He is cautious in his actions.
Song Qiling nodded, watching Gu Lianzhou's lips move as if he wanted to say something but hesitated, and couldn't help but chuckle: "Is there anything else you want to say to me?"
Now that most of Gu Lianzhou's troubles have been resolved, he naturally feels much more relaxed, and his tone becomes cheerful.
However, Gu Lianzhou interpreted it differently.
Looking at his senior brother's carefree demeanor, he suddenly felt a tightness in his chest and a deep sense of resentment. "Doesn't my senior brother feel even a little bit of reluctance towards me?"
Song Qiling's smile froze on her face. She looked up at her junior brother's expression and couldn't help but wonder: Could it be that Uncle Nie said something to him? Otherwise, why would a perfectly fine person talk nonsense to her during the day?
On second thought, this "reluctance" could also be used between brothers, perhaps she was overthinking it.
"Of course I'm reluctant to part with him." She smiled and reached out to touch her junior brother's shoulder, but seeing the burning in his eyes, she stopped abruptly, her fingers hovering awkwardly.
Then, she changed direction, rubbed her nose, and guiltily looked away: "What's wrong with you today?"
Gu Lianzhou was taken aback upon hearing this. He looked down at his toes and saw the crisscrossing dodder lying on the ground, looking listless. He then knew the answer in his mind.
"I... want to spend more time with my senior brother and talk to him more." He slowly frowned, each word spoken with great difficulty.
The night wind rustled the locust tree leaves, and he stared at the slightly swaying knot on his senior brother's lapel, his Adam's apple bobbing.
This shouldn't be the case; he shouldn't be saying these things to his senior brother with this attitude.
He suddenly felt annoyed. He seemed to have been too blunt, as if he had laid bare his secrets and torn them to pieces for his senior brother to see.
Gu Lianzhou lowered his head, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the hem of his clothes, his voice muffled as if squeezed out from a crack in the ground: "Senior brother, just consider this my unhappiness in saying goodbye to Master today."
As soon as he said those words, he felt so sour that his teeth tingled.
He was so foolish as to use his master as a cover-up; this reason was simply... utterly clumsy.
Thinking this, Gu Lianzhou's eyes grew dimmer. His tall and slender figure looked as if it were about to shatter from a distance.
"It's alright." Song Qiling sighed softly, raised her hand to pinch the corner of his clothes, slowly tightened her grip, and led him towards the rockery. "Just stay a little longer, as you said."
Finding a slightly lower artificial rock, Song Qiling let go of the rock, lifted her clothes, and jumped up to sit on it. She patted the empty space next to her and gestured to Gu Lianzhou, "Come on up."
She looked at the moon in the sky and said regretfully, "It's a pity I can't drink tonight."
As soon as she finished speaking, a warm spot squeezed against her side.
While there was enough room for one person to sit on this rock, it became extremely crowded with Gu Lianzhou added to the table.
Song Qiling looked at Gu Lianzhou, who was so close to her, and her breath caught in her throat. Perhaps it was because the moonlight was too bright tonight, but her junior brother's eyes seemed to be brimming with tears.
She couldn't help but ask, "What exactly did your martial uncle say to you?"
Gu Lianzhou answered truthfully: "My master was concerned about Senior Luo and didn't say much to me. He only told me to go home as soon as possible and then gave me no other instructions."
Song Qiling coughed lightly and reached for the triangular talisman pouch at her waist. "Is there really nothing else?"
Gu Lianzhou shook his head: "It's really gone."
Hearing his certainty, Song Qiling finally breathed a sigh of relief, her calf dangling in front of the artificial rock swaying slightly. "That's good then."
She paused, then hastily tried to cover it up, saying, "That's not what I meant..."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com