Chapter 120 Clay Figurines (Supplement) "When will you return?"...
Yu Guangzhong observed that Prince Qingping merely frowned slightly, his unfathomable face etched with several dark shadows.
He did not stop her.
But he didn't help her; he just watched, without a trace of worry in his eyes.
As Qingyao withdrew her gaze, the long mace in her hand had already landed in front of that person.
Once the long mace was unleashed, its joints connected, it weighed as much as a thousand pounds. With a single strike, the so-called divine messenger tumbled over, and the heavy, hard old wooden table was shattered to pieces.
The man rolled over and stood up, a hint of unspoken excitement in his eyes. He pulled out two daggers and said in a deep voice, "You delivered this to my doorstep yourself!"
He didn't dodge, but charged straight at her with two short daggers, completely ignoring the falling mace, his eyes fixed on her neck!
With a few clanging sounds, the hook of the mace extended lightly, grazing the blades hanging on his chest and arms, and embedding itself firmly into his flesh.
It was a one-hit kill, and even Qingyao felt it was too easy.
Just as she was about to pull the mace back, she discovered that the man, after being injured, not only did not retreat, but became even more excited!
His narrow eyes were tinged with a pale red as he stared at her neck. He took three more steps forward, letting the heavy mace pierce into her flesh and go through her arm, spilling half a patch of crimson blood.
As if completely oblivious, he let out a few chilling low laughs, and the cold blade in his hand fell like a sharp light, piercing straight for the side of his neck!
"Enough, Red Fang."
King Qingping raised his hand and finally called out the person's name. In a flash of inspiration, the two extremely thin blades were stopped halfway and could not get any closer.
Qingyao couldn't see Qingping King's expression at this moment, but the doubts in her heart faded slightly. She thought that at least her father was not completely indifferent.
King Qingping looked at the man, his expression turning slightly cold: "Chiya, you are one of the Nine Swords, so I respect you to some extent, but in terms of cultivation level, you are far inferior to me."
"I have no objection to you coming today with the order to accompany my son, but if you intend to take action here, you should think it over first."
Chiya looked at him and raised his hand to wipe the blood from his cheek.
The next moment, the blood seeping from his body suddenly congealed, and several red lines emerged from the wound, slowly crossing and connecting, bringing the torn skin together.
“The Prince of Qingping is a very famous man. Your daughter is no match for him. In my opinion, it would be better for the Prince of Qingping to take action himself to avoid any mistakes.”
Prince Qingping's expression remained unchanged, but he couldn't help but sneer inwardly.
He was asked to personally kill a young cultivator who was only eighteen or nineteen years old and had just reached the Questioning Heart Realm.
Is it giving that girl too much credit, or is it insulting him too much?
“I have other important matters to attend to and cannot depart for the time being. However, the Divine Envoy is one of the Nine Swords, second only to the Holy Maiden, and holds a highly respected position. If he goes with my daughter and has her assist you, I believe there will be no mishap.”
As expected of the fox clan, they were clearly threatening him just now, but in the blink of an eye, they changed their attitude and spoke so shrewdly that they not only put him on a pedestal but also pushed all the blame onto him.
Chiya wasn't stupid, but he didn't point it out. He simply flicked the cold blood off his hand and said quietly.
"What is Lin Feiran? She's just someone who accidentally escaped. If I kill her and it's time to settle accounts, don't try to take her place."
Prince Qingping smiled gently and said, "What do you mean by that? My daughter has been assisting me. Even if she hasn't made any great contributions, she should still be credited for her hard work."
Chi Ya smiled coldly, casually tossed the token in his hand aside, and then turned and left.
"I will definitely set off to find her by the day after tomorrow at the latest, so this young lady should prepare in advance. As for you, Prince Qingping, you'd better think it over carefully. If this matter fails, it won't be me who loses merit."
Qingyao watched him leave coldly, then glanced at the long mace; the flesh and blood on it had vanished without a trace!
She turned to look at King Qingping: "Father, who exactly is this scoundrel? How dare he speak to you like that, a mere cultivator at the Ascending High Realm?"
Prince Qingping sighed softly, and with a wave of his hand, he swept away the stench of blood from the room.
"He holds a high position, and I dare not provoke him easily. When we set off, you should only accompany him and assist him from the side, and do not confront him."
If the opportunity arises, it would be best if you killed that envoy, so that you could gain some merit for your father.
Qingyao's face showed a hint of anger: "Father, have you really joined the secret sect? And why should I listen to him!"
Prince Qingping waved his hand: "It's not that we've joined the esoteric sect, it's just that we each take what we need."
As for Chi Ya, he's mentally ill, bloodthirsty, and loves life-or-death situations. He fights without regard for his own life, so why bother taking him seriously?
"It's better to just bear with it and treat him like a mad dog."
Qingyao knew that it was impossible to reason with him, so she stopped talking. After pondering for a while, she put away her mace, pretended to be angry, and turned to leave.
*
On Qingqiu Hill, the autumn sun hangs high.
Chi Ya, carrying a set of short blades, walked clattering along the corridor. His hair was braided and gathered together, revealing his sharp features and faint markings on his face, exuding a murderous aura.
When the servants of Qingqiu saw him from afar, they immediately turned and left to avoid a collision.
He walked very slowly and leisurely. When he reached the middle of the road, he simply lay down on the bench, looked up at the sky, and sighed.
"The weather is so nice, I want to kill someone."
He played with the dagger in his hand, glanced at the servant holding the brocade box not far away, his eyes flickered slightly, and just as he was about to sit up, the jade pendant at his waist rippled faintly, like the sound of bells and chimes.
He clicked his tongue in surprise, put the dagger away, and lay down on his own.
"do what."
A moment later, a boy's voice came from the jade pendant, clear and crisp, yet with a maturity beyond his years.
"I am about to return to the demon realm. Is there anything unusual there?"
Chi Ya tossed the jade token and replied calmly, "Aside from being ordered around and constantly doing things, there's nothing unusual. So, did your group from Chuncheng obtain the Pilgrimage Valley's spiritual vein?"
The voice on the other end paused, then replied, "No. We were blocked midway, which alerted the Holy Spirit. The three of us were driven out of Spring City and were seriously injured."
Chi Ya crossed his arms and laughed loudly: "So disheveled, yet still thinking of rushing back to do things, kids are full of energy."
After a moment of silence, a sharp voice came from the jade tablet, its tone harsh and completely unlike its previous composure.
"Pah! You're the one who's pathetic! Who's as idle as you!"
Chi Ya's expression turned serious, and he said in a low voice, "Fu Yin, keep an eye on your sister. They are clearly in the same body, so why can't the older brother ever control her?"
After a long silence, Fu Yin finally spoke: "Why don't you take care of yourself first?"
A few coughs came from the jade tablet, followed by Fuyin's hoarse voice: "This contact is to inform you of something important. The pilgrimage to the Holy Valley lost the spiritual vein and alerted the Holy Spirits. They are already aware of our situation."
Just yesterday, I received a divine inspiration regarding the permanent closure of the Valley of the Pilgrims, stating that it will never reopen...
However, although the valley is closed, the spiritual vein is not restricted; it is either trapped within the valley or has already escaped.
Chi Ya remained silent, seemingly listening attentively, but his mind had already soared to the heavens.
He casually asked, "Why not seek out the Holy Maiden of the Goddess Sect? I've heard that this sect is very powerful, and the reason we can't infiltrate the Northern Plains is entirely because they are in charge."
Fu Yin said, "After we were expelled from Chuncheng, we originally wanted to wait for them to come to us, but that female cultivator had anticipated this and used some method to return to the Goddess Sect first. We could no longer make a move and could only give up for the time being."
However, the Holy Maiden is currently refining a magical artifact for searching spiritual veins. Once she completes it, she will distribute it to us, and both realms will search together. You must not slacken your efforts.”
Chiya responded, then tapped the jade tablet and asked, "Where's the other one? Why aren't you saying anything? Of the three of us guarding the demon realm, you're the one with the most free time."
There was no response from the jade tablet. He applied more force, and after a moment, another voice came from the jade tablet, peaceful and steady, yet full of charm.
"If your level of understanding is higher than mine, you can also relax, talk less, and do more."
Chiya was momentarily speechless, but before he could even utter a word, the jade tablet fell silent.
...
Once his cultivation advances, he will surely slay them all!
*
In the southeast of Luoyu City lies a dense forest filled with red maples. Stepping into it at night is like entering a thick ink painting.
When Lin Feiran and his two companions arrived, the thief who had infiltrated had already been trapped inside the magic array. Upon closer inspection, they found that the man had a broad forehead and a dignified appearance, and was not one of the people they knew.
He appeared wary, still poised to act.
Lin Feiran looked at him with a puzzled expression. Could it be that this was really just a lucky accident, and they just happened to stumble upon a thief?
Qingzhu twitched her left arm slightly, her eyes showing some surprise.
Only Biqing ran to Qiyu's side in a few steps, her expression indignant.
"Chief, what treasure did this thief steal?!"
Saitama did not answer, but his brows furrowed.
A clansman standing nearby pointed behind the man and angrily shouted, "What treasure? He stole nothing but a rebellious son!"
The three of them peeked out at the same time and saw a person sleeping behind that man. It was clearly Biqing's brother, who was determined to join the esoteric sect.
Lin Feiran raised an eyebrow, recalling what she had seen earlier, and had a slight guess in her mind.
Could that magic circle actually summon members of the esoteric sect?
The next moment, the Jade Clan member spoke up, angrily saying, "I just went to check the courtyard. There are totems drawn on the ground. Maybe he has made contact with some Nine Swords sect of secret religion. He is really determined to go back!"
Saitama slowly closed his eyes, exhaled a breath of stale air, and then took out a two-inch-tall octagonal palace lantern.
The flame inside the lamp was a deep blue, reflecting off the crimson maple leaves and casting a pale purple hue.
She parted her lips and silently chanted an incantation, her hand seals changing. Then, she stroked the palace lantern with one hand, and a tiny flame instantly ignited at her fingertips.
She stepped forward, and the intertwined magic array immediately restrained the man's limbs, rendering him unable to move.
The ghostly fire burned between the eyebrows of the esoteric disciple, and his expression immediately became dazed.
"Why did you come here and take him away?"
Upon hearing Saitama's question, the man hesitated for a few moments before finally speaking, word by word.
“He prayed to the saint, so she sent me to rescue him. This is my achievement.”
Saitama still looked down at him: "He's just an ordinary disciple, how could he possibly invite some saintess?"
"The Holy Maiden is benevolent and will grant all our requests. Moreover, he has already accumulated most of his merits. In another six months, he can directly advance to the second level, which will make him no ordinary disciple."
Saitama pressed on, "What counts as merit? You didn't make him do anything?"
The man shook his head and said, "Merit is merit. I don't know what he did. I'm just a first-level disciple."
What is a first-level disciple?
The esoteric disciple turned around stiffly, pulled off the clothes of the person behind him, and pointed to the bottom of his spine.
There was a tiny red mole there.
"This is one layer. As you move upwards, there will be a second one, a third one..."
Saitama immediately reached out to check, and his expression softened after finding that the red mole was harmless.
She looked at him intently and asked, word by word, "Where did you go tonight?"
Lin Feiran felt a sudden chill run down her spine. She blinked rapidly twice, managing to regain her composure, but her heart was pounding faster and faster, becoming increasingly clear.
The esoteric Buddhist disciple was trapped in the magic circle and remained silent for a long time, as if he were thinking.
With each pause, dozens of reasons flashed through Lin Feiran's mind, each one an explanation, yet none quite convincing.
Finally, the man spoke.
"I've been there: Wangfeng Courtyard, Cuizhu Pavilion, Guanlan Garden, Feiyan Pavilion..."
As soon as he opened his mouth, he mentioned dozens of courtyards.
Lin Feiran's heart finally settled when she heard the name Guanlan Garden.
Biqing suddenly realized: "So it was you who broke into Guanlan Courtyard!"
She then looked at Saitama: "Clan leader, he must have searched many places before finding my brother's residence."
Saitama nodded.
She thought, in that case, the timing makes sense.
Since this person was able to infiltrate Luoyu City, he must have had other methods, so it's not surprising that he was able to infiltrate Guanlan Garden as well.
He must have sneaked into Guanlan Garden early in the morning to search for the person, but failed, so he turned to other places. By the time she and Biqing returned to the courtyard, he had already found the person and carried him here.
She then asked, "Who is the Holy Maiden? What exactly does your esoteric sect want to do?"
"A saint is a saint, what should we do? We should...we should..."
The more he spoke, the hoarser his voice became. When he uttered the last word, his eyes rolled back and he immediately fainted.
Saitama's face darkened with anger, and he slowly withdrew his hand, the flame at his fingertips silently extinguishing.
"Bring them both back and keep them under strict guard, especially this rebellious son!"
The clansmen nearby responded and led the person away.
Saitama glanced at Qingzhu and Lin Feiran, sighed slightly, and then patted Biqing's head.
"Guests are guests, how can we let guests come to catch thieves?"
Bi Qing's imposing manner immediately weakened, and she explained in a low voice, "I think anyone who can infiltrate Luoyu City must be no pushover. We've never been good at fighting, so I only brought them along because I was afraid you'd get hurt. Lin Feiran is a very good fighter."
Saitama remained silent for a moment, then said to Lin Feiran and the other person, "You should be resting now, but I'm sorry to have troubled you to come here. Please go back to your rooms first, and I will bring you an apology gift tomorrow."
The implication was that they didn't want them to interfere in clan affairs.
When he left, Lin Feiran thought Qingzhu would come with him, but after they descended from the maple forest, he said he had some things to do.
Lin Feiran asked, somewhat puzzled, "Do you need my help?"
Qingzhu smiled and shook her head: "Some of your clothes are missing. You need to find them. The night is still long. You should go back and rest first."
Upon hearing this, Lin Feiran couldn't help but glance at him, then realized that he was just joking and didn't actually want her to come along; he wasn't really going to be separated from her.
She chuckled inwardly, a hint of amusement in her eyes: "Alright, I'll head back now."
Qingzhu looked at her with gentle eyes and nodded, saying, "If you're still hungry, there's food in the courtyard. You can eat something before you sleep."
Lin Feiran agreed, and only after her figure completely disappeared from sight did Qingzhu leisurely turn around and slowly walk to another place.
*
For Lin Feiran, what he did today was a completely different kind of "thrilling" experience.
sneaking into the study at night, rummaging through things randomly, replacing letters, almost getting caught, and perhaps having no way to explain oneself...
These were things she had never done before, things she would never have done before, but she did them so smoothly today. More importantly, she had not felt any guilt or shame so far.
She has changed.
Thinking of this, Lin Feiran suddenly buried herself in the quilt.
Suddenly, the black fish in my eyes stirred, flicked its tail and leaped out, swimming in the narrow blanket, completely blending into the darkness.
Before Lin Feiran could find it, he heard a sound like hailstones.
"I haven't seen you for a day..." Ru Xian's voice paused for a moment, "I didn't know that you never light a lamp at night."
Looking through the blackfish's eyes, he saw only an endless expanse of darkness.
Lin Feiran paused slightly, then whispered, "Your Excellency, who would light a lamp at night?"
The yin-yang symbol can convey both thoughts and words, which is why Ru Xian sensed something amiss in her words.
"What a muffled sound, where are you now?"
Lin Feiran said quite frankly, "In my blanket."
"..."
The sound of the transmission was so faint that she heard a distinct hissing sound.
It wasn't a gasp of surprise, but more like the breath that lingers slightly in the mouth when someone is about to speak but can't say anything.
After a long pause, Ru Xian finally spoke again: "What are you doing under the covers? Watching the blackfish in the dark?"
He reacted quickly and immediately guessed that Lin Feiran was huddled together with Yin Yang Fish.
Upon hearing this, Lin Feiran did not speak immediately, but strangely, Ru Xian did not urge him either.
If she were to activate the white fish now, she would surely see him sitting by the window, bathed in moonlight, stroking the blue dandelion on the windowsill.
Unfortunately, Lin Feiran would never do that.
For her, this was a transgression.
Ru Xian rested her chin on one hand and lit a dandelion with the other, listening to Lin Feiran's barely audible breathing.
He himself was quite amazed at his patience and the fact that he didn't find it boring.
After an unknown amount of time, Lin Feiran finally spoke, slowly recounting the events of the day, her voice growing softer and softer.
"...That's right, my lord. I feel like I've changed a bit again."
Ru Xian offered neither comfort nor praise; he simply listened quietly before asking, "So, do you like this change?"
I don't like it, but I don't hate it either.
Lin Feiran moved slightly, making a rustling sound, and looked at the empty darkness in front of him before speaking to himself.
"When I was a child, I read the Daoist Canon and it always said that only by being upright can one embark on the Great Dao, and only by having a righteous heart can one wield a sword. But the older I get, the more I find that the things around me are actually quite different from what is said in the book."
For some, the evil path is also the great path; those with base hearts are actually more steadfast in wielding the sword.
Just like today, Elder Saitama and I cannot be completely honest with each other, and we have to resort to extraordinary means to find out more, but I do not regret it.”
As she moved under the covers, her nose suddenly bumped into something, so she raised her hand to stop it and scooped the small black fish into her palm.
Ru Xian chuckled and said, "If you regret one thing, you'll regret everything. It's a good thing to have no regrets; it shows you have a calm mind."
Lin Feiran held the blackfish, her gaze unfocused.
She originally thought that growing up would bring sadness and separation, as well as joy and novelty, but now she suddenly realizes that the only thing that changes on the way up is "change" itself.
Others are changing, and so is she.
"When I was a child, I went to a temple fair with my mother and saw a craftsman who made dough figurines. I found it novel and kept pestering my parents to stop and buy three of them."
The stall owner immediately got to work, coating the dough with a little glutinous rice flour and sesame oil, and in half an hour he had sculpted the father. The mother looked better, so he sculpted her for a little longer.
I didn't actually know, so I just looked in the bronze mirror and sculpted a serious little figure, which turned out to be a complete mess.
But now, I understand a little better.
Growing up is like shaping dough.
Perhaps someone will help shape it, or perhaps not.
But when you actually get your hands on it, it's just a blank.
Every moment of joy, every moment of pain, every moment of determination or wavering becomes a small knife in my hand, pressing and shaping the dough into my true self.
"The real Lin Feiran seems to be gradually taking shape."
Upon hearing this, Ru Xian removed her hand from the dandelion and placed it on the table, gently stroking it. Her eyes, gazing at the night sky, were slightly narrowed but unfocused.
In this state of confusion, he seemed to see a pearl covered in dust, slowly revealing its brilliance.
He asked, "What about the dough figurine from before?"
Lin Feiran said somewhat shyly, "I was young then and didn't think much about it. I ate the dough figurine as soon as I got back."
The dough figurine was mixed with honey, making it very sweet. She ate the head and the body in one bite, and finished it off in no time.
Lin Feiran always felt very comfortable after chatting with Ru Xian.
He didn't talk much, nor did he offer constant advice or comfort. He always spoke calmly and casually, asking her to express her thoughts and to seek her own path.
That's how cultivation is; you can only follow your own path.
With that crucial point cleared in her mind, Lin Feiran breathed a long sigh of relief.
The black fish in his palm was still thrashing its tail when suddenly he heard a voice like hailstones: "How much longer are you going to simmer this fish?"
Lin Feiran suddenly came to her senses, then lifted the corner of the blanket and sent the blackfish out.
Then Ru Xian's eyes finally lit up. He saw the moonlight in the courtyard, the tranquility inside the room, the golden umbrella standing by the bed, and a lump on the bed.
"Lin Feiran," he said.
Lin Feiran threw back the covers and looked up at the black fish.
When will you return?
Author's Note: Lin Feiran: ? ? ? Although several chapters have passed, I've only been gone for a day?
P.S.: After thinking about it, I felt the ending wasn't right, so I revised it. [heart emoji]
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