Chapter 180 Is There Something in the Jar? "Are you kidding me?"
"right."
Lin Feiran's face flushed slightly, and she felt somewhat uneasy, but she still answered firmly and resolutely.
As if pausing, he poured a few drops of dew into the cup, raised his eyebrows, and smiled before speaking: "What?"
Lin Feiran was a little nervous, and licked her lips: "Although I was a bit dizzy last night and didn't know where I was, I heard everything you said. I was indeed quite inexperienced..."
So when I meditated this morning, I reviewed the experience for a long time and figured out a method that would prevent me from trembling like I did last night.
She said this as if she had lost a fight and said, "I won't lose this round again," with a touch of embarrassment, but also a strange sense of pride and uprightness.
Ru Xian couldn't hold back any longer and stopped laughing softly. Her peach blossom eyes closed like willow leaves, and she looked extremely happy.
He crossed his legs, his chin slightly raised: "Would you like to hear the details?"
Lin Feiran took a sip of tea, lightly gripped the hem of his clothes with his right hand, nodded to himself, secretly affirming his own abilities, and then said.
"First release, second knead, third stroke, fourth overlap, fifth tighten, how about that?"
If someone else said these words, it would inevitably sound reckless and romantic, but when she said them, it sounded like she was listening to some kind of sword manual. Yet, Ru Xian could also discern something subtle and unique to him.
He still had a hint of a smile in his eyes, and said meaningfully, "You learn everything very quickly. However, I thought you would be a little embarrassed."
Lin Feiran did not deny it, and looked at him and said, "I don't know anything about medicine, so I can't offer much help with your illness. You'll have to study it yourself. I can't help with big things, but I can at least spread some word so you can get a good night's sleep."
You slept very well last night.
Last night, when Lin Feiran finally came to her senses and calmed her mind, all she could hear was his long, soft breathing.
“Getting a good night’s sleep is very important,” Lin Feiran said. “But I didn’t expect that you seem to be more comfortable sleeping in someone’s arms than I am.”
After all, when they first met, even if Ru Xian remembered their past, he only treated her with the respect due to Liang Cai and disliked others getting close.
Upon hearing this, Ru Shan's eyes flickered slightly. After a moment of silence, she suddenly realized something and looked over in understanding. He had placed his crossed legs next to Lin Feiran, his knees slightly bent, and slowly pressed down on her side.
"Are you making fun of me?"
Lin Feiran immediately turned to the side and stepped back three steps before he could raise his leg to block, walking to the window.
She whispered, "It's only fair to reciprocate."
Since he was going to learn, he should learn a little bit of everything. He often teased her, and it was fine if he occasionally replied with a joke.
...But it does feel pretty good.
Lin Feiran pointed to the lights outside the window: "It's getting dark, I'll go scout ahead."
"Wait a minute," Ru Xian called out to her, "The relocation is progressing well."
Lin Feiran squatted on the windowsill and looked back.
“The northern plains of the human realm are ravaged by snowstorms that have been raging for days. It is said that a terrifying thing has fallen there. The people of the northern plains have nowhere to escape, so they all go to the Goddess Sect for protection.”
The remaining snowstorm has spread to the northern border of Zhongzhou, where the Emperor has stationed troops, the reason for which remains undetermined.
Lin Feiran exclaimed in surprise: "It sounds like a top secret. How could so much be discovered in less than a day?"
Ru Xian smiled and said, "This is why I value Xun Feifei. He is meticulous and thorough in his work, and he is hardworking and conscientious. It is not difficult for him to find out the whole situation in less than a day."
Who says crows aren't auspicious omens?
Lin Feiran sighed silently in his heart.
"I will thank him when I get back." She was about to leave, but then she turned back and put the Golden Wave Sword into the room.
"It's bound to be too conspicuous to carry around, so I'll just leave it here for now."
After saying that, she climbed out of the window again, and her figure quickly disappeared into the light.
...
With many people moving into Luoyang, the number of police officers patrolling the city has increased to prevent unrest.
Among the Feather Guards coming and going, those lined up were all mortals, but the leaders were cultivators from the Star Domain.
Lin Feiran couldn't just climb over the wall, so he had to blend into the crowd and walk through the streets, noting down the handover times of the patrol guards.
Although there were many soldiers in the city, most of them only patrolled the market areas. Near the palace, only a few people stood in front of the palace gate to show their power, while the rest of the area was deserted, with only a few beams of light occasionally flashing by.
This means there is a magic array below.
This was exactly what Lin Feiran had expected.
The Holy Palace Lady is a disciple of a sage and is skilled in magic arrays. It would not be difficult for her to create a city-protecting array like that of Luoyu City, but for Lin Feiran, it is indeed a bit of a worry.
She secretly circled the palace, sketched out its general layout, then turned and left, following the patrolling guards.
She wanted to try and see if she could glean any information about herself from these people.
After all, she found it hard to believe that the Emperor was still unaware that she had regained her memories.
Before arriving in Luoyang, Lin Feiran was actually quite troubled about how to enter the palace and meet Bai Lu.
The best strategy is naturally to sneak in silently.
But this either requires finding an opportunity to exploit, or it depends entirely on finding a loophole in the magic array and secretly stepping inside.
No matter how she thought about it, the former was more feasible, so her first task was to find this opportunity.
But if the weather is not on her side and she has no chance at all, and she is unable to break the magic array, is she going to have to go back empty-handed?
That's impossible.
She was determined to get to the bottom of her mother's matter.
But all of this is contingent on seeing the Holy Palace.
Therefore, Lin Feiran had a risky plan hidden when all other options were exhausted.
She paused slightly with her pen, looked up at the flower-filled city before her, and continued sketching on the scroll while following the guard. Her gaze was calm and composed, exuding a remarkable steadiness.
For three whole days, Lin Feiran went out during the day to quietly sketch and arrange things in the city, looking for an opportunity, and wandered around at night, following the footsteps of the soldiers and drawing up plans.
She told herself that slow is fast, and the more important something is, the less she should rush it.
Moreover, an excellent opportunity is just around the corner.
Just as Lin Feiran put away his paper and pen and passed a corner, a strong gust of wind suddenly came from the side.
She immediately stepped aside and looked back.
Those were weathered hands, covered in countless scars, trying to pull her into the dark alley.
Lin Feiran immediately raised her leg to defend, and her right hand struck like lightning. After five or six moves, she grabbed the man's wrist and dragged him halfway out of the dark alley, exposing his face to the light.
She paused for a moment, and then was dragged in.
"Seniors, how did you come to Luoyang City?" Lin Feiran looked at the two people in front of him, feeling suspicious.
Zhang Siwo, who was supposed to be forging iron in the city of Yaodu, and Li Changfeng, whom he had secretly dragged back on the day of the siege, both stood in front of him with different expressions.
Zhang Si looked at her, her expression somewhat anxious: "We also want to ask you. How did you come to the human realm without a word? Do you know..."
He paused, but didn't continue.
"Know what?"
Lin Feiran was puzzled, but Zhang Siwo remained silent.
"You've come to the human realm on urgent business?"
Li Changfeng, who was standing to the side, turned to look at her. After not seeing her for several days, he seemed to have changed again.
Unlike his initial carefree demeanor, or his previous dejected silence, he has become calm and composed, yet still not enlightened enough.
What did I do to Zhang Si that caused such a change in him in just a few days?
Lin Feiran was somewhat surprised, but still replied, "Indeed, it is an urgent matter."
What is it?
"...It's inconvenient to tell you."
Li Changfeng untied the wine flask, took a sip, and then yawned: "Even without being told, I could tell that you've been wandering around for days, hoping to enter the palace?"
"What?!" Zhang Siwo exclaimed in shock. "Isn't this like a lamb being led to the slaughter?"
Lin Feiran was initially surprised, but upon hearing this, his eyes flickered slightly. He turned to look at Zhang Siwo with a questioning look in his eyes, but he fell silent again, only sighing a few times, his expression not pleasant.
Li Changfeng hung the wine pot on his waist and asked, "How do you plan to enter the palace?"
Lin Feiran lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment, then decided not to hide it anymore: "Tomorrow, Murong Qiudi will return to the city from the north, and there will be a banquet in the palace. With such an opportunity, how could I not take advantage of it?"
"Aren't you afraid of going in and finding out it's a trap?"
Her expression remained unchanged: "That's exactly what I wanted."
Lin Feiran had considered that the silence in the city might just be the stillness before being trapped.
But so what?
She is no longer the little girl who was driven to the brink of despair and had no power to fight back many years ago.
It would be advantageous for her if the Emperor and others were unaware that she had broken the seal. However, if they knew and still wanted to trap her, she could turn the tables and take the opportunity to meet Bai Lu.
Someone like her would definitely tell Lin Feiran everything about her mother if he wanted to ask.
This is a risky move. If that happens, she will have to thoroughly understand the layout of the palace and the surrounding defenses before those people have the patience to deal with her and she falls into their trap. She will also need to make other unforeseen preparations to avoid being trapped in the palace.
These three days of preparation were enough for her.
Li Changfeng smiled and dusted off his clothes: "The younger generation is truly formidable. Old Zhang, I told you long ago, there are some things you don't need to worry about, just observe quietly."
Zhang Siwo remained silent, only clicking his tongue repeatedly, like a Buddhist monk fiddling with prayer beads, constantly rubbing the brocade rat in his hands to ease his mind.
Lin Feiran noticed the strange behavior of the two men, calmed himself down, and was about to bow and say goodbye when he heard Li Changfeng speak.
"Since you're not afraid of a trap, then I'll help you get into the palace. Every step counts."
Zhang Si looked him up and down, almost laughing in anger, and angrily rubbed the brocade-haired rat's fur.
“I could tell before that you, Li Changfeng, were someone who thrived on chaos, and you only stayed quiet under Ding Yi for a while.”
And they even helped her enter the palace? Some people weren't even invited.
Li Changfeng glanced sideways and said, "I'm not qualified, but there are plenty of others who are. Meet me on East Street at dawn tomorrow. I'll be waiting for you for a quarter of an hour."
After saying this, he picked up the wine jug, staggered out of the dark alley, and went to a nearby wine shop to get another jug.
"Who are you taking her to? Can that person be trusted, Li Changfeng?"
Li Changfeng left, and Zhang Siwo was about to step forward to ask him questions when Lin Feiran stopped her with a wave of her hand. With a flick of her right hand, the golden-bearded hamster obediently fell into her hand.
"Seniors, what is your purpose in following me for so long? If you don't speak..."
Zhang Si scoffed, seeing right through it, and said, "Go ahead and pinch it. If you can be so ruthless as to pinch it to death, I'll change my name."
Lin Feiran crumpled the golden-haired rat in her hand tightly, then handed it back. Actually, she was just joking with him.
"What do you mean by stalking? It's just a coincidence that we met. You just need to know that we have no ill intentions."
Zhang Si sighed and handed her a small, palm-sized skirt-pressing knife.
"Since you are going to the palace, take this with you. It's not for you to use as a sword. It's a protective magic item. Remember not to let it leave your side."
Lin Feiran looked at the object in his hand and said bluntly, "We don't seem to be close enough for you to give me such a treasure."
"What are you saying? I also admire you as a junior. Besides, we had a life-and-death bond last time we broke into the dungeon." Zhang Siwo muttered a couple of words, then stroked his beard and coughed lightly. "However, if you still don't want to accept it, then consider it as you doing something for me."
Having obtained the answer he wanted, Lin Feiran simply solved it.
"By the way, senior, I've tried to find you several times before, but for some reason, you were never in the shop, so I missed you several times. Today I'm finally able to see you, and I have something to ask you."
Zhang Siwo said, "I won't say things I shouldn't say."
"I'm not asking you anything, but I want to inquire about someone." Lin Feiran lowered his eyes.
"You should have seen my Golden Wave Umbrella. As fellow weapon craftsmen, can you recognize whose handiwork it was made?"
"So that's what you wanted to ask."
Zhang Siwo stroked his beard and pondered for a long time: "Your sword is indeed a rare treasure. Its craftsmanship is also different from ordinary swords, but I have never heard of it before. It must have been made by some reclusive person."
Judging from the technique, it should be from the Jiangnan school, somewhat resembling the art of Lingxi Zhenren.
Lin Feiran had never heard of him before, so he pressed on, "Is this person still alive?"
"Yes, she's someone who only swings her hammer once a year. No one can live longer than her."
Jiangnan.
Holding the pen and paper in his hand, Lin Feiran's conjecture became increasingly accurate, and a surge of excitement welled up within him.
...Could it be her?
...
Another day passed, and things made great progress. Even without encountering Li Changfeng and Zhang Siwo, Lin Feiran was already prepared to infiltrate.
But as Li Changfeng said, every step counts, and no one knows what entering the palace means for her.
She climbed through the window and entered. Ru Xian was sitting at the table, reading the treasure appraisal book written by the Mad Taoist.
"Why do you keep climbing through the window instead of using the door?" He turned around and looked at him.
Lin Feiran said, "I always went to see you through the window instead of the door before, so it must be a habit."
Ru Xian smiled but remained silent, turning to the next page to study. She only said, "The pill has been deciphered. It's the prescription on the table. Apart from adding some Fusang wood, the ingredients are actually nothing special."
"But why is it so effective?"
It is not surprising that the Emperor and others, who held high positions and were well-informed, knew about the cold illness, so they would put in a branch of Fusang wood.
But she had personally witnessed the use of orange blossom, which used almost the length of her forearm to barely suppress her cold symptoms. Now, the prescription only contains one qian (approximately 3 grams), so how could it have such an effect?
Lin Feiran picked up the prescription and slowly scanned it. It was indeed full of common medicinal herbs, but in the end, he only drew a strange circle.
What is this circle?
“A circle means it is nothing.” Ru Xian finally put down her book, turned around and said with certainty, “Even I can’t recognize it, which means it’s not a medicine. The reason this pill works so quickly must be because of this.”
Lin Feiran was puzzled, but he had urgent business to attend to tomorrow and couldn't think about it too much.
She accepted the prescription, told Ru Xian about her encounter with Zhang Siwo and Ru Xian that evening, and then asked, "Will you come to the palace with me tomorrow?"
Ru Xian pondered for a moment, then shook her head: "My cultivation level is not low. If I go in, I will quickly disturb that magic array. To avoid making things worse, I will wait for you outside the palace. You can call me anytime."
Lin Feiran nodded, then leaned forward to glance at the items on the table and asked, "Ruxian, your illness has not been completely cured. Does that book contain any feasible methods?"
Ru Xian walked to the table, observed her expression, and did not deny it: "I do have some ideas."
Is it that bead?
Ru Xian remained noncommittal, only smiling as she asked, "You want to help me get it?"
Lin Feiran pulled out his notebook; the second page still read "like hailstones," but he hadn't signed it yet.
“I said I would help you cure your illness. Although I don’t know anything about medicine, I’m skilled enough to retrieve a bead.”
He raised his eyebrows: "I didn't make the cut."
Lin Feiran immediately took action, a yin-yang fish leaping into his eyes: "And this too."
Like a wisp of snow brushing away the stray hairs from her forehead: "What, are you afraid I'll have a relapse and die? The Cloud Soul Rain Spirit Grass I went to find last time will last a long time, I won't have any problems easily. On the contrary, you... no eighteen or nineteen-year-old is as tired as you."
"Now, it's time to rest."
Author's Note: As promised, a red envelope will be given out in this chapter!
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