Chapter 176 Teaching (Revised) "You still don't know how to warm people, I'll teach you..."
There are many sects in the world, and cultivators are self-disciplined. Everyone is pursuing the Great Dao, and few people are able to stop and observe the appearance of all living beings.
After all, things in this world are valued for their rarity and cheap for their abundance.
At that time, demonic beasts frequently appeared in the human realm, and mortals were often caught in the crossfire of battles between cultivators, their lives as worthless as grass.
Just when things were at their most dire, an unknown monk entered the palace and had a long talk with the emperor who was on the throne at the time.
Three days later, the Can Star Domain emerged out of nowhere, standing tall in the Central Plains under the name of "helping the world in distress".
That unknown cultivator was none other than Ding Yi, the now-known prime minister.
It is impossible to know which sect he came from, but among all the sects in the world, Daohe came first, and then others. According to the timeline, they can all be separated from Daohe Palace, the root of the Daoist sect.
Ding Yi reigned for many years without ever overstepping his bounds. He maintained harmonious relationships with successive emperors, and was a gentle and kind man who had no interest in power and whose heart was only for the common people.
He had always been close to the emperor and was even known as the emperor's "father-in-law," so he had his own small courtyard in the Luoyang Palace.
The flowers and plants in the courtyard were sparse and lacked bright colors. Only the stone tables and chairs appeared simple and heavy, making people feel solemn.
Wei Changzai didn't pay much attention to these things at first, but when Zhang Chunhe pushed open the door and entered, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes when he saw the person in the room.
He had initially thought the man was just putting on an act, but he was surprised to find that the furnishings inside the house were just as simple as those outside.
Apart from simple tables and chairs and a few straw cushions, there are only piles of books stacked like hills, very neat and tidy, with bookmarks attached, emanating a mellow fragrance of old ink.
The windows were wide open, the outside was filled with starlight, and the inside was also brightly lit, so it didn't feel gloomy or oppressive, but rather very bright.
Wei Changzai paused for a moment, thinking that Lin Feiran must like this place.
Ding Yi was sitting behind a pile of books. When someone pushed open the door, he looked up. His expression showed neither surprise nor joy. He simply stood up, nodded, raised his whisk, and performed a Taoist salute.
"Fellow Daoist Zhang, young Fellow Daoist Wei, please have a seat."
Zhang Chunhe was equally unenthusiastic. Neither of them were obsequious. After exchanging a few pleasantries, they sat down at the table, displaying a refined and platonic relationship.
Wei Changzai sat quietly to the side, not even feeling curious about the "benefactor" Zhang Chunhe had just mentioned.
Good people, bad people, benefactors, villains...
In his eyes, they were all the same kind of people.
He neither disliked nor liked him, let alone cared about or favored him. Perhaps it was for this reason that his master felt he had the aptitude to cultivate the unity of heaven and man.
He used to think so too, until Lin Feiran asked him later, if that were really the case, then what difference would there be between him and a handful of snow or a stone?
He thought for a long time before lowering his eyes and replying, "A handful of snow and a stone cannot carry you over mountains for miles. They would have melted and sunk long ago when we crossed the icy river. I think I am a person, not snow and stone."
Lin Feiran asked seriously, "Does not wanting to be human mean you're not human?"
A faint smile flickered in his eyes, but he didn't speak again. He simply pursed his lips and carried her slowly through the dense forest.
"...Always, always there?"
Zhang Chunhe called his name a few times, and when he saw him look up, he was surprised.
"What were you thinking about just now? You were lost in thought for quite a while. Venerable Ding Yi is asking you a question."
Wei Changzai's expression shifted slightly, and he realized that the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned. He concealed it without making a sound, stood up, cupped his hands, and frankly admitted it.
"This junior has been impolite and lost his composure. Please forgive him, Your Excellency."
"No problem. Young people don't like sitting quietly and discussing philosophy. They are easily distracted."
I do not practice the unity of heaven and man, please understand. Please sit down.
Ding Yi waved his hand, his expression not as solemn as Zhang Chunhe's.
"What I asked just now was, after you broke through to the next realm, did you feel any blockages in Tanzhong and Shen Gu?"
Wei Changzai composed himself and shook his head: "No."
Ding Yi nodded, then raised his hand and hovered it beside Wei Changzai's neck. After carefully examining the flow of his spiritual veins, he turned to Zhang Chunhe and nodded, speaking without any context.
"Although I do not agree with it, I will not interfere. Out of consideration for our past friendship, I can only tell you that once the key is unlocked, it is time to practice the Way."
Zhang Chunhe immediately smiled, as if a spring breeze had touched his face, and replied, "This is how it has always been between you and me, not about positions, but about each taking what we need. I'm sorry to trouble you with your help today, but I won't bother you any further."
Ding Yi did not try to stop him, but returned the greeting, covered the teacup, walked to the desk, and glanced at Wei Changzai's back. As if remembering something, he lowered his eyes, and it was unclear whether he was sighing or feeling sorry.
He picked up the pen beside him, held his wrist suspended for a long time, and finally wrote two words lightly on the paper.
Is it fate?
...
A north wind swept through the city, bringing with it a chilling atmosphere.
It was winter, and snow was falling at night. The people in Luoyang were already wearing fur coats and padded jackets. A few people walked by on the streets in twos and threes. Although it was not as lively as in the summer, it was not deserted either.
After Lin Feiran and Ru Xian entered the city, Ru Xian, finding it troublesome to be watched, simply put on a veiled hat before going to the inn to stay.
She was very familiar with Luoyang and its customs, so she found two or three inns that met her requirements from among the many.
Unfortunately, after asking two different places, they were told that the rooms were full. But when they finally arrived at this place, the innkeeper said that there was only one room left.
Lin Feiran was silent for a moment, touched the hilt of his sword, and glanced at Ru Xian: "Why don't you stay in this room, and I'll find another inn to stay at and come find you tomorrow morning?"
Ru Xian stood beside her, not responding, but her snow-white hat flap twitched slightly, as if she were surveying the area.
“We’ve looked at three inns, all of which are luxuriously decorated and have very high room rates. Ordinary people wouldn’t come here. If even these inns are full, the other inns probably won’t have any vacancies either.”
The innkeeper looked him over and immediately pointed, saying, "This cultivator is clearly very experienced. If you, young cultivator, were to look for other inns, I guarantee you wouldn't find any vacancies."
Lin Feiran was very puzzled, but he still paid the money, since someone had to stay here eventually.
"It's not some major festival or celebration lately, and there are plenty of inns in the city, so how come they're all full?"
The innkeeper accepted the room fee, took out a number plate for her, and replied, "Actually, we are also puzzled. Recently, many wealthy merchants and common people have flocked to the city. They come from all over the country and have different accents. They are all planning to settle down here, but they have no place to live for the time being, so they can only stay at the inn."
"After all, it's Luoyang. Perhaps it's a place that everyone longs for, so they moved here."
This was just speculation, and the shopkeeper himself didn't quite believe it. After all, there were quite a few people; how could they relocate like that?
He glanced at Lin Feiran, leaned closer and whispered, "In my experience, a migration of this scale must mean that there has been a disaster somewhere, and the wealthy are packing their valuables to seek refuge in Luoyang. As for the poor, well..."
Lin Feiran recalled what he saw when he entered the city. It was nighttime, but there was a long queue in front of the city gate, and the checks were very strict. Otherwise, they would not have been able to enter the city quietly.
She took the number plate, thanked the shopkeeper, and went upstairs with Ruxian to their room.
Such a fine inn, besides its exquisite furnishings and materials, also possesses treasures that ordinary inns do not have.
The room wasn't small. In the right corner was a bathtub with a water-stabilizing bead inside. When spiritual energy was released into the bead, a continuous stream of warm spring water would overflow from it.
As Ru Xian was certain to be cleansed, he took off his veil and turned to look at Lin Feiran. Before he could speak, she walked thoughtfully to the tub.
While deep in thought, he poured the spiritual dew and medicinal juice he usually used for bathing into the tub.
...Just like when she picks up her pen to ponder, her other hand always can't help but grind ink, and how long she grinds depends on when she has an idea.
Ru Xian remained silent, only loosening her robes and letting her snow-white hair fall behind the screen. No matter how much she poured out, this dosage was nothing to him.
As he removed the armband, he heard her make a slight sound, so he raised an eyebrow and casually hung the armband on the wooden frame.
"Go if you want, don't ask me. Bring some rice cakes back with you."
Lin Feiran was even more surprised and exclaimed, "Your Excellency, your ability to see into people's hearts is truly superb. How did you know I wanted to go out?"
Is this the composure cultivated through years of traveling in the human world?
Ru Xian didn't answer directly, but joked, "You were calling me 'Ru Xian' so often before, but you've switched back to it after just a few days. Are you that timid?"
Lin Feiran blushed slightly, looked around, and touched the back of her neck: "We're outside..."
What's going on outside?
Lin Feiran's face was already flushed.
The subtleties and differences are something only she can appreciate, so how could she possibly explain them in detail?
Seeing Ru Xian quickly emerge from behind the screen, she gave a mumbled reply, then climbed out the window. A moment later, she turned back and tightly closed the window.
"I'll go out and ask around, I'll be back soon."
Like snowflakes falling into a warm spring, they sighed silently.
That's how young people are; they're always bold when they should be, timid when they should be, and retreat when they should attack, and attack when they should retreat.
The timid Lin Feiran was leaping between the rooftops.
In about fifteen minutes, she had explored most of the inns in Luoyang City, and the conditions there were no different from what the innkeepers had said, or even worse.
Not only were the guest rooms full, but even the thatched hut in the backyard of the inn was hastily converted into new "guest rooms" by adding a few bed boards and curtains.
Lin Feiran was puzzled. After exploring all the inns within a radius of several miles, she originally intended to return, but when she passed through one of the markets, she quietly stopped and looked at the dilapidated and secluded mansion in front of her.
Above the main gate of the mansion hangs a plaque, the paint on which has faded somewhat, but the straight character "林" (Lin) is still visible.
This is the Lin residence.
The once renowned general's mansion is now deserted and dilapidated, but a dim yellow lamp still shines in the huge house.
Lin Feiran rolled over and peered down from the roof ridge. The old servant whom her father had rescued and later taken in as his steward was still in the house.
The lamp was hung on a nearby pillar, with a charcoal fire below it. He sat crouching on the stone steps, quietly and attentively twisting paper money by the dim light of the fire.
The owners of the Lin family were either dead or gone, and all the former servants were dismissed. Everything from the past was locked away in this mansion. Ten years have passed, and no one remembers it anymore.
But on this chilly night, there was a light shining for the three of them.
With a thud, the paper money was thrown into the charcoal brazier, and instantly the fire blazed brightly. The embers that were burned off were also blown up by the wind and scattered in front of Lin Feiran.
She reached out and took it, her eyes calm and composed.
“The young lady has gone into the mountains to cultivate and has not returned to the manor this year. I wonder if she is well. General and Madam, if you have spirits, please let this smoke rise to show that she is safe and sound, so that I, Old Zheng, can rest easy.”
Lin Feiran lowered his eyes for a moment, activated the hand seals, and blocked the cold, damp wind, allowing the embers in the basin to rise straight up.
Old Zheng stared blankly at the charcoal brazier, looking dazed. He then looked up and around, only to see a quiet night.
Just then, Lin Feiran saw several stealthy figures darting across the backyard. He frowned slightly, and a flash of lightning appeared beneath his feet. The next moment, he was standing on the roof of the backyard.
Apart from a stone table, there was nothing else in the courtyard, but it was clear that someone often came here to weed, so it did not seem desolate, just somewhat empty.
In this empty corner, four or five people were gathered together, seemingly sharing something to eat. They were dressed plainly and did not look like burglars.
"Who are you?" Lin Feiran asked in a low voice as she leaped down, though her voice was calm and did not sound like an interrogation.
The men were so frightened by her that they dropped what they were holding and huddled together in fear, asking, "Who...who are you?!"
"I just happened to pass by and saw you sneaking around in the abandoned house, so I came to ask."
Lin Feiran looked down and saw that the things that had been thrown out were actually steamed buns and cakes. She looked at the group of people and said thoughtfully, "Are you planning to move into Luoyang City? Are there not enough inns, so you broke into empty houses in the city?"
The person opposite immediately retorted: "We did not trespass. It was the old butler of this mansion who saw that we had nowhere to go and took pity on my child, so he allowed us to stay here temporarily!"
"Your child?"
Lin Feiran was standing outside the window. Upon hearing this, she glanced over and easily saw the child lying on the couch inside the room, wrapped in a thick quilt, but still shivering a little.
The man immediately stepped forward, blocking Lin Feiran's view: "We haven't even asked you yet, are you trying to break into this house?!"
Lin Fei then took a half step back, pondered for a moment, and took out a bottle of pills from his mustard seed bag.
"Does your child suffer from a cold-related illness?"
When the men saw the porcelain bottle in her hand, their expressions softened, but upon hearing the words "cold illness," they immediately stared at her with wary eyes.
Lin Feiran's expression shifted slightly, revealing a hint of surprise.
She actually had no objection to the temporary stay; houses are meant to be lived in, and it's better to use them for charity than to leave them vacant.
Old Zheng was saved by his father and survived; now he's just doing the same thing.
She was just worried that these people were of dubious origin and that Old Zheng would suffer a loss, so she asked them. Unexpectedly, she gained some unexpected benefits.
“You also know about cold-related illnesses,” she said softly.
Among the refugees who came from the northern part of Zhongzhou, almost none knew about the cold illness; they thought it was some strange disease and were searching everywhere for doctors and medicine.
Lin Feiran had seen people from the Northern Plains who knew about the cold disease, yet were so secretive about it, just like the people in front of him.
She was almost certain that these people came from Kitahara.
"We don't understand what you're saying!" The men were furious, but they didn't even dare to utter the words "cold illness," and just pushed forward.
Lin Feiran stepped aside and handed over the porcelain bottle in his hand: "I'll only ask a few questions. After I've asked them, this bottle of medicine is yours."
The quantity of this medicine is limited. Even if it is taken every day, it can only temporarily alleviate the symptoms and keep the patient in bed. If a few more pills can be taken, the patient can get out of bed.
After a long silence, the group finally softened their stance after looking at the children in the house.
"We do know about this disease. What would you like to ask?"
"You've come from Kitahara?"
"...No, we are just people from the northern part of Zhongzhou, which is separated from Beiyuan by several snow-capped mountains, but my wife is from Beiyuan."
"Most of the people who relocated this time, like you, came from the north?"
The man nodded.
She then asked, "Why do they all come to Luoyang?"
Lin Feiran's attitude was gentle and his expression was upright, and the others gradually lowered their guard and began to answer.
“Not all of them came. We were just heading south. Many people settled down along the way, but even after we arrived in Luoyang, there are still many who want to go south from Luoyang.”
He glanced at Lin Feiran cautiously.
"As for the reason, the north is currently covered in ice and snow, and in addition, the northern plains have..."
At this point, he stopped speaking, but his wife immediately made a hand gesture, as if in prayer.
"In short, now only the Goddess Sect remains in the entire Northern Plains. We mortals have nowhere to live and can only migrate south. Luoyang is the imperial city with many medical cultivators. We want to take our child to get treatment, so we will stay here."
"If it weren't for the Holy Palace Empress's elixir, my son would probably have passed away ten days ago."
Lin Feiran focused intently: "Is this medicine really that effective?"
The man nodded: "It was almost immediately effective... Immortal Master, if there are no other problems, may we have this bottle of pills?"
Lin Feiran remained silent for a moment before handing over the porcelain bottle, still pondering in his heart.
Just as she was about to ask something else, the back door made a locking sound, the courtyard gate opened, and the old steward hunched over as he entered.
"What's wrong with you all? Why are you making such a racket?"
A gust of wind blew through the courtyard. The group looked at the old butler, about to mention Lin Feiran, but when they turned around, she was already gone.
"Truly a celestial being, appearing and disappearing without a trace."
The man looked at the old steward, concealing the matter of his cold illness, and explained in a few words, "Perhaps he was just passing by and saw us gathered in an empty house, so he came to ask."
"An eighteen or nineteen-year-old girl?" Old Zheng paused slightly, then quickly looked up at the night sky. After a moment's thought, a faint smile appeared on his lips. "Take the medicine. She's not some bullying immortal, just a young girl who wants to go home to visit."
...
Lin Feiran hurriedly left, leaped into the market, stood there for a long time, then sighed, bought the most delicious osmanthus milk cake, and slowly returned to the inn where he was staying.
There was still a light on in the room, but no other sound. She quietly pushed the door open and saw a figure curled up on the bed, as if he was already asleep.
Lin Feiran moved even more quietly. After placing the pastries on the table, she formed a hand seal to create a sound-concealing magic circle, blocking the sound of her bathing water so as not to wake him.
But after taking a bath, she was faced with another problem.
Tonight, shall we meditate, meditate, and meditate some more...
The room was indeed spacious, but there was only one bed. After a moment of silence, she decided to spend the night in the spirit room.
Just as she was about to find a place to meditate, she saw a yellow-sealed book that she had never seen before, covered up by the bedside. It seemed to have the words "Lingbao" written on it.
This must have been something Ruxian read before going to sleep; as soon as she felt sleepy, she put it down.
...
What book is it?
Lin Feiran was genuinely curious. She pursed her lips and looked at it for a moment, then casually glanced at it as she passed by the bed.
"The Treasure of All Sounds"?
How come I've never heard of it?
She stood still for a few moments, thinking that passing the long night with books was no worse than meditating. So she picked one up and flipped through it casually. On the title page, she had only written a sentence: "When I went away, all things were treasures. Now I come back, all things are treasures." This is not the Book of Songs, but the Treasure Hunt of the Mad Taoist.
Lin Feiran's eyes flickered slightly when he saw the words "Crazy Taoist," and he stood at the head of the bed, flipping through the pages.
One of the pages had creases, indicating that he must have read it before going to bed; a few sentences were written on it.
"I, the Mad Taoist, rode my donkey through the snowy northern plains. The donkey's hooves slipped, and we entered a secluded orchid valley. The valley was filled with orchids, all in the form of ice crystals, yet full of vitality."
In awe, they stayed there for several months and finally discovered the miraculous source. It turned out that there was a living spring beneath the delicate roots of the orchid, and a precious pearl of pure snow naturally grew in the spring. It was extremely effective in calming the body and consolidating the meridians, ensuring that the orchids within a radius of several miles could survive as usual.
Lin Feiran turned to the next page, which was completely blank except for a sketch of a Taoist riding a donkey, grinning and kicking up dust as he rode away.
"..."
It made her laugh for no apparent reason.
"Is it funny?" someone asked her.
Lin Feiran's smile hadn't faded when she nodded, only to have her wrist grabbed and plunged into a hazy darkness.
In an instant, the fragrance of cold plum blossoms filled the air, but it was not warm. It was like a chilling haze, and even in a warm quilt, he still felt a cool temperature, as if he could not be warmed up.
The coolness, especially when it's right next to you, is even more impossible to ignore.
A faint breath came from her, and Lin Feiran dared not move, afraid of touching something she shouldn't. However, she couldn't see anything, but she felt a suffocating feeling of being entangled and stared at.
"So you're still awake? Or did I accidentally wake you up?" she asked.
"I didn't sleep. With nothing to do at night, I went fishing in my room, using a book called 'Wanlai Lingbao' as bait. The results were surprisingly good."
Judging from their breathing, Ru Xian was not close, so the two should still be about a fist's distance apart.
However, although he was aloof, his breath was surprisingly warm.
"Are you cold?" he asked first, his tone as usual.
Lin Feiran lay there like a stiff puppet, her heart pounding like a drum.
"It's not cold!"
"Is that so?" He moved slightly, and a rustling sound immediately came from under the covers.
"But I'm cold. My constitution has always been like this; spiritual power, spells, and magical treasures are all ineffective."
"Oh, oh." Lin Feiran stared straight up, even though she couldn't see anything.
"What would be better? Shall I get you a hand warmer that ordinary people use?"
"The hand warmer is useless; it gets cold very quickly."
His cool, jade-like hand slowly grasped her wrist.
"That's only human nature!"
Lin Feiran, as if his tail had been stepped on, was about to bristle and run away, but he held her tightly.
His body temperature was actually cool but not cold, like a piece of fine, cold jade.
But this piece of cold jade pulled her hand to her waist, touching that firm yet supple concave line.
"You don't know how to be warm-hearted yet, I'll teach you."
Lin Feiran's hands trembled as if he were holding a sword for the first time.
Ru Xian hadn't expected this, and couldn't help but chuckle softly, but her movements didn't stop.
He took her hand and gently stroked it against his side, then slowly moved it backward, across his lower back, up, and finally stopped at his shoulder blade.
Her palms were too warm, like the sweltering heat of summer, while his were as cool as frost in March. The contact between them created a burning sensation.
It's actually very comforting.
He liked the heat.
He lowered his head, a hint of satisfaction in his voice: "I was just teaching you how to hug, why are you trembling like this?"
Lin Feiran... Lin Feiran could not answer; she had already passed away.
How could a young person have ever been tempted like this?
She felt that she had already restrained herself from suddenly jumping up from the bed and practicing the Golden Wave Sword Technique all night, so how could she possibly be distracted to answer such a blatant question?
Actually, it wasn't just her; Ru Xian was also experiencing her first time sleeping in each other's arms.
Contrary to expectations, Lin Feiran felt warm all over, and after a while, she did feel a sense of warmth, like being bathed in the sun at night, feeling comfortable and at ease.
He raised his hand and precisely placed it on Lin Fei's nape, his breath lightly brushing against her earlobe.
"Go to sleep. Nighttime is a time for rest. After the ceremony tomorrow, you can go to the palace to investigate if you wish. As for the relocation to Luoyang, I will help you."
Author's Note: Lin Feiran: My soul is currently frozen.
Therefore, it's clear that kissing and such will happen in the future... But don't underestimate Lin Feiran; as long as she learns, she'll be able to learn (X).
P.S.: Although it's late today, it's a weekday, so it's understandable. At least it wasn't posted in the early hours of the morning. As usual, there will be a red envelope.
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