Chapter 129 Night Stroll (Part 7) (Supplement) "Which old friend? For..."
Lin Feiran felt somewhat embarrassed by these words.
She was no hero, and her cultivation level was not high, so having her protection was hardly a blessing.
She looked down at her robes, then at the treasures and long dresses around her, and a sense of helplessness, which made her feel quite uneasy, rose in her heart.
Back in Sanqing Mountain, she was valued by the elders and betrothed to Consort Wei because of her low cultivation level. She seemed to have all the advantages, so she was often ostracized by her fellow disciples and had few close friends, let alone such genuine treatment.
But when she arrived in the demon realm, whether it was Biqing and her group, or Ruxian, whom no one dared to offend, they all treated her with great enthusiasm.
To be fair, this actually relieved a lot of her depression and dispelled a lot of her confusion when she first left the mountain.
She still thought that among the many people in the world, not everyone is cunning or greedy; there are always people like her, and still people like her.
"My Lord, thank you for your trouble."
The outfit for the night out was finally chosen. In addition to the accessories on the robe, Ru Xian also picked out a lot of face ornaments and earrings for Lin Feiran.
He was just picking out a pair of silver pendants and holding them up to her ear when he looked at her. He was about to speak when he heard her say something else.
“Since my parents passed away, few people have cared for me like this. I will always remember your kindness.”
Lin Feiran didn't have pierced ears, and Ru Xian hadn't thought about getting them either; they always opted for clips. He pressed the silver pendant under her ear and withdrew his hand.
"Thank you as you are, but please don't take me for your mother."
Lin Feiran exclaimed in surprise, "Of course not!"
He lifted his eyelids and gave her a cool look: "It'd better not."
He still remembered how Lin Feiran pulled him aside and whispered "Mother!" when she used the secret technique, her face on the verge of tears.
If it were anyone else, he would have crushed their wrist bones long ago, but it was Lin Feiran. She was his sharpest sword and his brightest pearl, and he couldn't bear to part with her.
"Wear this necklace, earrings, and this silver moon ring tomorrow night, and you'll be ready to make a grand entrance."
As the snowflakes withdrew their hand, their fingertips inadvertently brushed against her chin. It was only for a moment, but the coolness they left behind lingered for a long time.
Lin Feiran reached out and touched it, then asked, "Do you need any makeup?"
Ru Xian shook her head: "No need."
Lin Feiran's face should be shown directly, without the need for makeup, to fully display her dignified and resilient nature.
Lin Feiran nodded, glanced at the mirror again, and memorized all the accessories before changing back into her black clothes and explaining why she had come to find him.
"You mean, the Human Emperor is contacting Mingyue now, wanting to use the matter of presenting the treasure to get her to meet me and find out about my recent situation?"
Ru Xian turned around and sat down, crossing her legs and revealing a patch of snow-white skin without any attempt to conceal it.
He looked at Lin Feiran with a half-smile, and said thoughtfully, "Even Mingyue has to bring pearls and jade to see me. You have been repeatedly denied entry to my room. If we calculate it, don't you owe me quite a bit too?"
Lin Feiran choked, only then realizing that it was indeed much easier for her to see him than for others.
As Xue likes quiet, Xuanzhen and a few others have seen that he still needs to be informed, while he himself has broken through at night countless times.
She hesitated and said, "The previous ones... were said by the Lord himself, that we could come and ask him anything at night. As for the later ones, I'll gather some more beads and come back."
Ru Xian smiled upon hearing this, knowing that she was serious about her work and would probably really start collecting beads, but who knew when she would finish.
"Just kidding, I don't need your few beads. Let's get back to the point."
He said slowly, "When the Emperor insisted on sending Mingyue here for a marriage alliance, I knew something was wrong. However, I had no choice but to agree."
Lin Feiran pursed her lips. In her guess, this matter might be related to the Pilgrimage Valley. She asked, "Why? I am not trying to find out, I am just curious. If the Venerable One is unwilling to say, there is no need to discuss this matter in detail."
"You already know about the Cloud Soul Rain Spirit Grass, so what secret is this to you?"
As Ru Xian stood up, the hem of her robe trailed down, gently brushing against her side.
Do you know why I decided to take over the Demon Capital?
Thinking of the rumors in the Demon Capital, Lin Feiran said, "Many people say that the Venerable Lord couldn't stand the Demon King's evil deeds and took action in anger, which led to the Night Tour Day. But I think the Venerable Lord is not a kind-hearted person."
“Not bad.” Ru Xian leaned against the windowsill and looked back at her. “Everyone has a reason for their actions and a purpose. I entered the Demon Capital and killed the Demon King not for anyone else. What I wanted was the library tower in Xingzhi Palace.”
Seeing Lin Feiran looking at him, he tilted his head slightly, revealing the extremely tall tower in the morning light behind him.
A morning breeze blew by, causing wisps of snow to flutter and dapple the air with golden light, but his features remained hidden in shadow, his expression unreadable.
"As you know, I suffer from a chronic illness that is difficult to cure with medicine, which is why I joined the Langhuan Sect when I was young."
He turned to medicine in order to cure terminal illnesses, but unfortunately, even the Langhuan Sect, which was passed down from the medical ancestor, was helpless.
Although it is said that a doctor cannot heal himself, I was unwilling to accept this, so I read through all the books, notes, and medical records in the Medical Classics Pavilion. Only then could I barely come up with a way to alleviate the symptoms. I wrote a prescription for myself, went down the mountain to find medicine, and began to travel through the human world.
However, this method only works temporarily and cannot eradicate the problem, so I returned to the demon realm. At that time, the demon king had just completed this tower.
The tower houses the treasures he has collected from all over the world, as well as rare books.
I had intended to sneak into the tower to peruse the scriptures and seek other methods, but I was constantly disturbed for no reason. Frustrated, I simply went into the city to fight him and seized the tower.
Lin Feiran suddenly realized and couldn't help but say, "Could it be that Your Excellency is thinking that since the person has been killed, why not ascend to a higher position? That way, even if you need to find medicine in the future, you will have someone to command you, and you won't have to go alone?"
Ru Xian crossed her arms, her face arrogant, but said, "Yes and no. Even if I am not the Demon Lord, I can still command the people I command today, even if they leave this position."
For example, Xun Feifei, Qingzhu, Xuanzhen, Biqing, the various tribes that came to rely on them, and you.
You all need me; this need is more secure than power.
The reason I ascended to the position of Demon Lord was simply because I was already there, and besides, the sunlight at Xingzhi Palace was quite nice, so I slept very well here.”
Lin Feiran held the robes tightly, his eyes filled with longing and emotion: "My Lord, when will I be as confident as you?"
As if half-sitting on the windowsill, with the bright sunlight shining behind him, he squinted at Lin Feiran, then got up and walked to her side, pointing to the mirror.
He extended two fingers and touched her spine, sliding them down segment by segment.
"Your back and your gaze will naturally lift up."
Lin Feiran looked at herself in the mirror, and something seemed to stir in her heart.
What is she like in the eyes of others?
She pulled herself together and looked at the person behind her: "Your Majesty, weren't we talking about the Human Emperor's actions? Why are you bringing me into this? They might make a move later. Should we wait and see, or strike first?"
Ru Xian did not answer, but only asked her, "If it were you, what would you do?"
After pondering for a moment, Lin Feiran still spoke his true thoughts: "If it were me, given the current difference between light and darkness, it would be better to observe the situation calmly."
Ru Xian remained noncommittal, casually saying, "Then let's do it your way."
Seeing Lin Feiran's expression change slightly, he couldn't help but chuckle.
"Why do you see me that way? You're absolutely right. Besides, some people are willing to tip me off; their sincerity is such that how could I possibly doubt them?"
Lin Feiran naturally had nothing to say.
She hadn't expected to arrive empty-handed and leave with a full load. The worries of last night had been easily dispelled, and now she seemed to only need to focus on tomorrow's nighttime stroll.
However, she did not tell Ruxian about the fox clan.
Firstly, the veracity of the information is unclear, and if it is released rashly, it could be seen as sowing discord.
Secondly, if the fox clan had any connection with her, then Qiu Tong would have attacked her back in Sanqing Mountain, but she didn't. Since there was no connection, the only ones willing to expend effort on someone as insignificant as her were probably the same few who had attacked her before.
Just as she said, one side is in the light and the other in the dark; we can only wait and see.
She walked out with her clothes, and couldn't help but sigh, realizing that everyone truly has their own difficulties to face.
As she reached the rooftop, she brushed past Xun Feifei. The two exchanged a nod and then went their separate ways.
Xun Feifei was going to see Ru Xian, but not to his room, but to the main hall in the center.
Upon entering the hall, the sunlight was intense. On the eight-tiered jade platform, the person leaned against the armrest, his eyes half-closed.
The more energetic they were when choosing clothes, the more listless they are now.
However, Xun Feifei was completely unaware of this and simply bent down to report what she had heard recently.
He glanced up and sighed at the many coincidences.
Previously, the Lord had given him a portrait and asked him to send someone to inquire about the person's identity, but he never expected that the person he was looking for was Lin Feiran's mother.
“The person in the painting is her mother. According to her, her mother happens to be from Jinling Ferry in Jiangnan City. My godmother may know this, so I sent her a letter asking her to identify her. I believe the result will be available soon.”
Ru Xian asked, "Why would she give you the portrait?"
Xun Feifei explained, "She learned to dance with me yesterday and felt that she had a lot of her mother's style, so she asked me about it. Later, we talked in detail at home, and that's when she sent back a more detailed portrait."
The person on the jade throne then lifted his eyelids and repeated, word by word, "In your home? When?"
"……last night."
Ru Xian pondered for a moment, realizing that he hadn't bothered him last night because he had gone elsewhere.
"You've always preferred living alone and don't like having people at home, let alone discussing things in detail. What happened last night?"
Xun Feifei was slightly taken aback. Ru Xian had never been very curious, and she thought he wouldn't ask any more questions, but she didn't expect him to ask so many questions this time.
Since the Lord had asked, he could not lie, but he also would not spread Lin Feiran's private affairs around. So he simply explained and left it at that.
“Last night I ran into an old friend of hers from the same school. That guy is strange and I was afraid he would cause too much trouble and do something extreme, so I took Lin Feiran away to avoid the limelight for now.”
Ru Xian clearly wasn't going to listen to this so easily. He sat up slightly and asked in a cool voice, "Which old friend? Why are you bothering me?"
It must be said that he is very good at grasping the key points.
Xun Feifei couldn't lie to him, but she was also afraid of revealing more, so she could only be more concise.
“Wei Changzai, a disciple of Daohe Palace, is entangled with the other due to a past marriage agreement.”
The hall fell silent for a moment, with only the occasional light tapping of hailstones on the armrests.
Xun Feifei suddenly thought that he should have his fortune told soon and choose an auspicious day to go out.
*
Meanwhile, Qiu Tong, also in the Demon City, stepped out of her room, hesitated for a long time, and finally knocked on Wei Changzai's door.
A moment later, the door opened, revealing a cold and aloof face that was no different from usual, as if the person who had inexplicably lost his mind last night was not him.
It seems that after a good night's sleep, much of the worry in my heart has dissipated.
Although Wei Changzai was taciturn, he actually preferred to sleep to heal himself when he was depressed. In his previous life, Qiu Tong would talk to him after he woke up and help him resolve his inner conflicts.
"Are you feeling better?" Qiu Tong asked.
Wei Changzai nodded, his dark eyes, as black as lacquer, fixed on her. His clear, phoenix-like eyes easily drew people in.
"It's alright, I've already seen through the illusion. You've come to see me now because there's been some progress in the matter at home?"
Qiu Tong's face flushed slightly. She shook her head and pointed to the street outside the inn.
The outside was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, much more lively than usual, and adorned with various brocades and embroidered fabrics, exuding a rich fragrance. The demons coming and going also wore happy expressions, creating a peaceful and joyful atmosphere.
"During the night, the market is wide open, and the demon capital has many rare and precious treasures for sale. There are also cloud chariots parading in the evening. Since you rarely come to the demon realm, would you like to come with me for a stroll?"
Unexpectedly, Wei Changzai nodded: "Alright. But I have to complete the task my master assigned me today, so I can only go sightseeing tonight or tomorrow."
Qiu Tong was secretly delighted, and her hands behind her back began to tap lightly.
"It's alright, you go ahead and do it. I need to contact my sister later. We'll go to the market tonight and watch the parade tomorrow!"
"Okay." That was his usual answer.
When their eyes met, Wei Changzai looked at herself quietly, and she saw her own reflection in those dark eyes.
Gradually, he leaned down, and Qiu Tong heard a series of extremely urgent drumbeats. Suddenly, a flush of heat spread across her face.
"What's wrong?"
Wei Changzai tilted his head slightly and suddenly asked, "I heard your heart beating very fast. Are you happy?"
He still remembers Lin Feiran's words.
Seeing someone you like makes you happy without even realizing it.
He had this feeling when he first met Qiu Tong, and he felt the same way when he met Lin Feiran. He had never thought about it deeply before, but now, for the first time, he wanted to explore something.
Although he felt no emotion whatsoever when he saw Qiu Tong now.
When her thoughts were suddenly exposed, Qiu Tong was a little nervous, but she did not deny it.
She thought that her purpose in being reborn was to prevent Wei Changzai from falling into the five signs of decay. Now that the matter of the sword bone had been resolved, he no longer needed to feel guilty about it, and the predicament was over.
All that remains is to reconnect with him as soon as possible and return to the past.
She lowered her eyelashes and whispered, "I am indeed happy..."
Wei Changzai then asked, "What kind of happiness?"
"It's like... fireworks exploding in my heart, one after another."
Even though Qiu Tong was bold, she couldn't continue to speak openly. She quickly glanced at Wei Changzai and said repeatedly, "This Mandarin Duck Ring can only be temporarily removed for one day. There isn't much time left, so remember to come back early, or it will forcibly tie us together!"
After saying that, she rushed into the room, leaving Wei Changzai alone in the corridor.
Fireworks explode?
For him, it was still a difficult statement to understand.
Wei Changzai withdrew his gaze, took out the All-Encompassing Compass, and walked into the crowd of people in the market.
Zhang Chunhe's task for him was quite strange: to find several willow trees in the Demon Capital and carve runes on their branches.
However, his master's actions were always peculiar, so he was no longer surprised and had long since learned not to interfere.
No matter how strange it is, it has nothing to do with him.
The city is small, with waterfalls and willows everywhere. Their mirror-like leaves tinkle and reflect the expressions of passersby.
Guided by the Omnidirectional Compass, he located a tree in a specific direction, then leaped onto the branch and used a wooden awl engraved with runes to pierce the trunk, carving out strange runes stroke by stroke.
There are nine runes in total, which means that nine plants need to be found. He searched from noon to evening and finally carved the eighth rune. Just when he was engrossed in his work, he suddenly heard a soft laugh that was hard to hide.
It does look somewhat familiar.
Wei Changzai looked up and happened to see a man and a woman playing on the other side of the street, just across the Jade Belt Creek.
He rarely remembered unrelated people, but he had a strong impression of these two.
One is named Orange Blossom, and the other is named Qi Chen.
This is a Daoist couple consisting of a cultivator and a mortal. Their union is even shorter than that of ordinary cultivators. Regardless of whether they suffer from illness or pain during this period, they are destined to be separated by death after about several decades.
Such a fleeting moment—if it were him, he would surely change the pulse of this mortal woman named Chenghua in order to make it last forever.
The art of changing pulses is a forbidden technique, and only one in ten who have used it survives. He had seen it in the eighteen volumes of forbidden books. Qi Chen's cultivation level was unfathomable, and it was impossible for him not to have heard of it.
But he did nothing, leaving her to live a mortal life that lasts only a day.
Is this also love?
The two were choosing paper lanterns. Cheng Hua's face was beaming with joy, and Qi Chen also had a faint smile on his face. Although it wasn't intense, the gentleness between his brows didn't seem fake.
It was as if not even a wisp of wind could penetrate between the two.
Wei Chang knelt among the branches and leaves, gazing into the distance. The refracted light fell on that cold face, leaving a few mottled marks.
For some reason, he suddenly remembered that when he and Lin Feiran went to Luoyang to participate in the Flower Festival, they also chose palace lanterns in the same way.
Only when she went down the mountain with him would her face show a hint of her former vibrancy.
The palace lanterns in Luoyang were exquisitely crafted. If they were flower lanterns, they only featured peonies, but if they were animal lanterns, the variety was dazzling.
He had no particular preference and simply picked a still fish at random. Lin Feiran didn't show it on her face, but her shifting gaze and the way she lightly bit her lower lip revealed how carefully she had chosen.
Lin Feiran likes to purse her lips.
She dislikes conflict, so she will remain silent when she doesn't want to argue.
If she smacks her lips too much, it becomes a light biting of her lower lip, but she only does this when she's happy.
After much deliberation, she chose a phoenix with extremely long tail feathers. Then, holding the lantern handle, she draped it over her arm, its head held high, its feathers covering half of her body.
She turned to look at him, her eyes sparkling with excitement, as if flames were dancing within them.
"How about it? Doesn't it look impressive?"
She spoke softly, as if afraid that someone would hear and mock her for overestimating herself.
At that time, before he even knew when the bitterness would begin, he had already experienced this emotion.
He knew she really wanted to enter the country.
But he was powerless to help.
The feeling of powerlessness was also gleaned from Lin Feiran.
He didn't know how to offer comfort, so he could only nod and say, "It is indeed very impressive."
Such majesty was hidden in the bustling crowd, hidden in her gaze as she looked at the palace lanterns, and dared not speak loudly, but was quickly dispelled by the noise.
He looked at the phoenix, subconsciously took her wrist, and whispered, "Slowly, that day will come."
But they all remained silent about which day "this day" was, perhaps it was a day that would never come.
In a daze, with a flick of his wrist, the last character was engraved half an inch longer.
He had never seen these runes before; Zhang Chunhe had just told him to memorize them. As far as runes were concerned, as long as the shape was correct, a difference of an inch in length or length was not a big deal. So he did not redo them. Instead, he jumped down from the waterfall willow and followed Chenghua and the other person at a distance.
How about a Daoist partner?
Daoist partners can walk hand in hand, embrace each other freely, and stay together at all times.
There was clearly a square table, but the two of them insisted on squeezing in one space, yet they were perfectly content with it.
Despite the wide street, the two insisted on holding hands and whispering to each other.
He had done all of these things with Lin Feiran, because they were engaged and were about to become Daoist partners.
But now that the engagement is over, that bond has been completely severed.
When that mortal woman dies, that will be the day the two part ways.
Ultimately, it is still fragile.
Wei Changzai stopped and stopped following.
The Mandarin Duck Ring could only be untied for one day. At dusk, Wei Changzai and Qiu Tong were suddenly drawn together by the spiritual thread and bumped into each other.
Qiu Tong was indeed hit and cried out in pain, but she couldn't help but feel a surge of joy.
She bit her lower lip lightly, looked up at Wei Changzai, and a faint blush appeared on her bright face.
"Tonight... I'm afraid we'll have to stay in one place."
Wei Changzai looked at her quietly, his gaze calm: "Don't worry, I meditate and cultivate myself at night, and I won't do anything out of line."
Qiu Tong lowered her head: "That's not what I meant."
The two first strolled through the market, where there were many rare and exotic treasures, but they were also quite expensive. Although they were not short of money, they were not very interested and did not choose many items after picking and choosing.
Wei Changzai did buy a phoenix-shaped knob, which Qiu Tong secretly admired for a long time. He showed no intention of giving it to her, only thoughtfully examining it before putting it into his mustard seed bag.
Just then, a cry rang out in the market, causing the crowd to become even more noisy and restless, and even the cultivators selling treasures looked up.
At the end of the long street, a cloud chariot slowly drove up. In front of the chariot was a beast with green eyes and golden pupils, the size of a celestial horse, sacred and awe-inspiring. The surrounding cultivators immediately took three steps back, fearing a collision with it.
The cloud chariot was even more extravagant, especially the two wheels beside the frame, which were not ordinary wheels, but surrounded by light clouds and mist, making it look as if it were traveling in the clouds and mist from a distance.
As they got closer, they could see a short-haired, chestnut-haired boy standing on the carriage shaft. He was slender and had half a canine tooth showing. He was both well-behaved and handsome.
Wei Changzai was quietly observing when he heard a demon beside him ask a loud question.
"Lord Xuanzhen, are you still the one to act as the guardian of the Dharma parade this year?"
Wei Changzai's gaze fell on the cloud carriage, and through the fluttering gauze, he could only vaguely see the outlines of the statues inside.
Xuan Zhen looked in this direction, patted the head of the Azure Sea Golden-Eyed Beast, and said loudly, "We have a newcomer this year! She has never done this before, so everyone should give her your support!"
Someone asked in confusion, "Could it be that human envoy?"
Xuanzhen smiled without saying a word, and drove the cloud chariot toward the city gate.
A bystander said, "What doubt is there? She's the only newcomer. It seems the rumors are true. This human is truly favored. In her first year, she was put on a cloud chariot. In the past, she was led by a celestial horse, but this year she's been given a blue-eyed golden-eyed beast!"
"This is incredible! Not everyone can be a protector. I'll try to curry favor with her when she goes out on patrol. She loves my family's steamed buns, so I'll send her a few baskets!"
"Isn't 'several drawers' a bit of an exaggeration?"
"You can tell you're new here. That envoy's appetite... well, let's just say he ate my family's steamed buns for months. Now I have enough money to buy the shop next door!"
Qiu Tong: "..."
She turned her head and saw Wei Changzai staring blankly at the cloud carriage.
Author's Note: The two finally know who their love rival is (X)
P.S.: I really wanted to write a short skit about a hero fighting a dragon to save a princess, but the atmosphere in the previous chapters was too tense to fit into the author's notes, so I didn't. But now that it's got 29,000 favorites, I'm planning to write one to celebrate and put it in the author's notes later.
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