Chapter 181 Suspicion Arises, Lin Feiran's eyelids twitch
Lin Feiran had no choice but to wash up and lie down in bed. After a few breaths, a warm feeling spread from the quilt.
After three nights of effort, Ru Xian had rejected her well-practiced five-step method; all she needed to do was lie still and act as a heater.
This makes no sense.
Lin Feiran couldn't understand it.
She felt that her summary was spot on, and there could never be a simpler set of steps.
Although she felt regret, she wouldn't force herself to do it; he probably wouldn't like it.
but……
Ru Xian was largely unaware that he had such a strange quirk.
Lin Feiran sighed silently.
After a while, like snowflakes brushing against a lamp, he slowly approached Lin Feiran in the darkness, one hand loosely resting on her side and the other touching the back of her neck.
It's unclear what method was used, but Lin Feiran quickly became sleepy. She didn't resist anymore and fell asleep immediately.
Then, I was woken up in the middle of the night because I needed to pee.
She woke up without any surprise, her chest heaving as she gasped for the hard-won air.
Ru Xian's sleeping posture was elegant and very proper, which could be seen before, but after falling asleep, he would unconsciously move closer to Lin Feiran.
His head was slightly lowered, his forehead pressed against her earlobe, his breath was soft, and everything was fine.
But the hands that were loosely draped over her will silently exert force, tightly wrapping around her waist and the back of her neck, as if trying to squeeze out her last breath and then become one with her.
The first night went well; nothing unusual happened.
But on the second night, something strange happened. Lin Feiran was caught off guard and almost died in her sleep. Fortunately, she had been practicing physical training for many years and was not seriously injured. She woke up after a while because she felt suffocated.
However, she rarely saw him sleeping so soundly, so she didn't wake him up. Instead, she reviewed the situation again and used a different breathing method before she was able to fall asleep peacefully.
Indeed, reading more books is never a bad thing.
I remembered to switch to that breathing method before, but I was really tired tonight and didn't realize it, so I fell for it again.
Lin Feiran lay stiffly on the bed, unable to move, and could only look to the side. Because she was too close, she could only see the outline of the armband.
She glanced at him quietly for a moment, then couldn't resist pulling out her still-functioning left hand and stroking it from his waist down his back using the five-step method.
If there's nothing wrong with the method, then it's probably just a lack of practice. She can try more.
Her hand finally landed on his back, and she slowly tightened her grip. It was just an experiment, but as the pressure increased, her hand, as soft as hailstones, loosened slightly.
In the quiet bedchamber, Lin Feiran's soft, questioning voice rang out.
She loosened her grip, but his hand, which had been like a hailstone, slowly tightened again. So she applied pressure once more, and his hand began to relax again.
Lin Feiran found it amusing and tried it several more times before finally confirming that it was a subconscious reaction, not a coincidence.
Before she could even laugh out loud, she suddenly met a pair of half-closed eyes, in which a faint, lustrous blue-green light shone.
"..."
Lin Feiran tilted his head to the side, continuing to act as a heater.
Ru Xian quietly watched her, then glanced at his outstretched hand. He had just woken up and could naturally feel how much force he had used.
He knows himself all too well.
He sighed softly, sat up, and soon faint lights appeared in the tent. He turned his back.
"Take a look, are there any bruises on your ribs?"
"No."
Lin Feiran didn't even look at it, after all, this wasn't something that just happened tonight, and there wasn't a single mark on her body.
But she paused as soon as she said it.
"A little, but not on me."
When Ru Xian turned to look at her, Lin Feiran simply tapped his wrist.
She was fine, but he had pressed too hard, leaving a shallow red mark on the gold ring on his wrist.
Lin Feiran couldn't help but ask, "Ru Xian, you've already reached the Divine Travel Realm, why are you still like this?"
Seeing that she was alright, Ru Xian didn't pay any more attention and casually replied, "The aftereffects of the illness are that I'm more prone to scarring, not that I'm more easily injured."
Lin Feiran understood: "Just who are you? Even your symptoms are so strange."
Ru Xian simply sat to the side, looking down at her, then smiled and placed her hand on the back of her neck: "If you can stay awake, I'll tell you."
His palms, warm as jade, rested comfortably on the back of Lin Feiran's neck; for someone with a feverish body, the temperature was just right.
Sweet dreams.
Lin Feiran initially wanted to resist, but under his actions, she actually became drowsy and fell asleep in less than a breath.
Ru Xian's gaze softened, and he simply sat beside her, leaning against the bed railing. A moment later, a messenger bird flew into the room and landed on his fingertip, with the character "Xun" written on its tail feather.
Night falls in the human realm, daylight in the demon realm.
Something important must have happened, otherwise Xun Feifei wouldn't have sent a message.
He unfolded the letter, looked at what was written on it, his eyes darkening slightly. A moment later, a wisp of fire swept across, and the paper vanished without a trace.
...
The next morning, Lin Feiran woke up on time as dawn broke.
She had just sat up when Ru Xian pushed open the door and entered, carrying a food box in her hand.
He looked up and asked, "Awake? Wash up and have breakfast."
Lin Feiran glanced at him with a puzzled look, then got up to wash up and quickly sat down at the table.
"Did you not sleep all night?"
She asked the question while eating.
Ru Xian shook her head: "I slept for a while. But there's something I need to tell you."
Lin Feiran looked at him seriously: "What is it?"
Yesterday, Xun Feifei received a letter from the Southern Sea. The letter stated that snow clouds gathered in the sky above the Sea and did not dissipate all day, while the Spirit Well in the sea only gushed out once, shattering the snow clouds, and then made no further move.
Today, most of the sea is frozen, and the snow clouds are gradually moving north. Many tribes near the border have perished, hence their plea for help from the Demon Capital.
Lin Feiran paused slightly, recalling what he had seen during his trip to Jihai, and pondered, "There are two Spirit Wells, one in Jihai and one in the Demon Capital..."
Could these two places be connected? After the boundary gate was shattered, a large amount of spiritual energy flooded into the human realm, rendering it powerless to destroy the snow cloud?
Ru Xian nodded: "Perhaps so."
Lin Feiran was very puzzled.
Why did the snow clouds start from the south? The climate there is hot and humid, so even if it snows, it should start from the north, just like in the human world.
Just as she was pondering, Ru Xian called her back: "It's almost dawn. If you don't eat now, you'll be hungry for a long time after we go to the palace."
Lin Feiran glanced at the food on the table, and thinking about his actions this morning, couldn't help but ask, "Are you planning to go back and deal with this?"
He threw the question back at me: "Do you want me to go back, or do you not want me to go back?"
Lin Feiran shook his head: "Of course it's all up to you. If the Merfolk send me a message, I will go, but you are not me."
“So I won’t go.” He lowered his eyes and said, “It’s almost dawn, time to keep our appointment. I will wait for you here until you and I return to the Demon Capital together.”
Ru Xian's attitude towards her was both distinct and unusual.
If Lin Feiran is a sapling that has not yet sprouted and is in dire need of wind and rain, then Ru Xian is an observer who stands alone by the side, holding an umbrella and quietly watching the wind and rain, but does not step forward to provide shelter.
He would only step forward to support the branch just before it was about to bend, but he would quickly step aside again.
He will wait as long as the wind and rain continue.
"good."
After finishing his food, Lin Feiran didn't linger and climbed out the window again.
...
Today, Luoyang is no longer as crowded and noisy as it was a few days ago. The main street is deserted, with only two rows of guards carrying long halberds.
Outside the city gate, the imposing Feather Guards bowed in salute. Murong Qiudi rode her celestial horse down with a swift thud. Her expression was solemn, and the slight lowering of her brows exuded a chilling aura, enough to make one overlook her beautiful face and feel only fear.
Since flying horses were not allowed to traverse the city, she dismounted, switched to an ordinary horse, and spurred it into the city with a single neigh.
Many people crowded into their homes to watch, their expressions filled with amazement. Meanwhile, in the bustling buildings next to the main street, a number of talented young people were gathering.
These people came with their sect to discuss important matters concerning the Dao.
In this not-so-small banquet hall, Wei Changzai was sitting alone in the northwest corner. When others came to chat with him, he would only get up to return the greeting and respond with a single sentence.
That day, when he went to sweep the tomb, he learned by chance that Lin Feiran had returned to Luoyang City. He immediately turned around and went to find her. From afar, he saw her walking with the demon lord.
Although the two shared an umbrella, their behavior was not intimate...
For some reason, he still risked being discovered and followed them. After confirming that the two had not done anything inappropriate, he finally relaxed.
He only stopped when he received a message from his master on the way, telling him to come out of seclusion immediately. After returning to sweep the tomb and offer incense, he hurriedly returned to Daohe Palace.
What Zhang Chunhe was about to say was the Alliance meeting that was about to be held at Daohe Palace today. The leaders of various sects had all come here to discuss matters. After hearing about this, the Emperor issued a golden invitation, inviting the young talents accompanying him to the banquet.
Important figures have no need for these young people to join in their discussions. After some deliberation, the group decided to send them down the mountain to the palace, which was also a way of exchanging favors.
Wei Changzai disliked such occasions. After exchanging a few words, he got up and left, leaping onto the rooftop, sitting cross-legged, and examining the commemorative stone in his hand.
The notes stored therein were the very notes that had been previously discovered in Zhang Chunhe's study.
This handbook is well-organized in terms of detail and summary, recording the changes of Daohe Palace over the past few hundred years since the passing of the Grandmaster. There are no special secrets; it is simply a concise chronological history without any fabrication or embellishment.
Even the repeated defeats of Daohe Palace were clearly recorded by him, without concealment or exaggeration.
Wei Changzai only wanted to read the part about Lin Feiran, so he started reading from the back. However, this reading made him show a rare hint of doubt.
On the seventh day of the third month of the thirty-sixth year of the Tai Cang era, during a heavy rain, I was wandering in Dongpingcang when I encountered a boy. He was intelligent, refined, and exceptionally talented. Moved by his appearance, I took him in as my last disciple and taught him with utmost care, hoping that he would attain enlightenment.
In the sixth month of the thirty-eighth year of the Tai Cang era, during the Grain in Ear season, the blazing fire was blazing. The Taoist Sanbu had reached the end of his journey, and the Great Way had come to an end. He passed away peacefully at Feilai Peak. I was filled with sorrow, but I was powerless to stop him. I could only pay my respects and send him off.
Of the five fellow disciples, only my junior sister Chunyan and I remained. Tears streamed down my face.
In the late spring of the thirty-ninth year of the Tai Cang era, Lin Feiran entered the sect. No one chose him as their personal disciple, so he was placed in the common disciples' quarters as an equal. However, because of his divine bones, his path ahead was clear, and perhaps a great path lay before him. Therefore, Ji Changying was assigned to look after him and provide him with his initial instruction.
[In the forty-third year of the Tai Cang era, Lin Feiran's spiritual veins were indeed beyond medical help. Even with divine bones, he could only remain a mortal, his path to immortality forever cut off. Therefore, he was sent back to his academy and no longer cared for, becoming no different from ordinary disciples.]
...
Wei Chang read it again, and the words recorded in the image stone were still the same; he had not misread it.
Wei Changzai naturally recognized this Taoist priest.
His Taoist name was Fu Chunshan. He was a disciple of the same school as Zhang Chunhe, and also his senior brother.
The Three Diviners Taoist was blind and unable to see, but he was very skilled at divination. It was said that he could see the will of Heaven in his eyes and was a highly respected figure.
The fates of him, Qiu Tong, and Lin Feiran were determined by the Three Diviners, who divined and calculated the secrets of heaven.
Why did I never see the Three Diviners Taoist pass away two years after I became his disciple?
And there's the most crucial point.
He was not the Zhang Chunhe he met at Dongpingcang.
Wei Changzai's gaze darkened slightly, and doubts arose in his usually calm and aloof heart. He touched the illusory image with his fingertips and pursed his thin lips.
He didn't even consider the possibility of a typo.
No one understood his master better than him.
He was an extremely meticulous person. This was a handwritten note by him. Even if there were any mistakes, he would have corrected them quickly and would never have left it until now.
Besides, this is where we first met, not some shameful secret, so why pretend?
Why did he record it in this way?
Perhaps there is no such thing as a destined person, nor is there such a thing as destiny.
As Wei Changzai stood up, just as he was pondering, he suddenly saw a figure flash by in the distance. In just one glance, he recognized the person.
Looking in the direction she had gone, his gaze flickered slightly, but he returned to the banquet hall he had just been in.
As soon as we entered, a disciple of Daohe Palace stepped forward excitedly.
"Junior Brother, where have you been? We can't find you! Someone just came to say that Venerable Ding Yi wants to meet with us after the banquet. This is excellent news!"
Wei Changzai took a half step back without making a sound, his dark eyes calm, and simply nodded: "Thank you for telling me, Junior Brother Changqing."
Chang Qing waved his hand: "No need for thanks. We can enter the palace in another hour. How about I ride with you, my junior brother?"
Wei Changzai did not answer, but just looked at him.
Chang Qing turned away silently, sighed deeply, and left.
...
When Lin Feiran arrived at East Street, it was exactly 5:00 AM.
There were few pedestrians on the street, and she could see Li Changfeng sitting in front of a wonton stall, lifting his bowl to drink the last mouthful of hot soup.
He looked up and saw Lin Feiran rushing over. He threw down a copper coin, said nothing, just made a gesture, and then leaped onto the roof.
Knowing that he was going to lead the way, Lin Feiran chased after him. On the way, she couldn't help but ask, "Senior, does the person you are looking for have the ability to protect himself? Not just anyone can enter the palace banquet. If something happens to him in the middle of the event, I don't want to drag him down with me."
Li Changfeng looked back and said, "Not bad speed. Since I promised to send you to the palace, I will keep my word. Don't worry, this person is the apprentice of an old friend of mine, and we are close. Moreover, he is of a high rank. If anything happens to you, he might be able to save your life."
Lin Feiran was puzzled, but didn't ask any further questions. He figured he would know once they met, so he followed him through a maze of twists and turns until they finally climbed over the wall and entered a secluded place.
She turned her gaze and looked around. Although the place was remote, it was also very quiet. The furnishings inside showed that it was not a place for ordinary people to live in. This person must be either rich or noble.
Li Changfeng led her forward, pushed open the courtyard gate, and said lazily, "Boy, the matter I entrusted to you last night can be fulfilled today. I've brought the person with me."
Lin Feiran looked up and heard light footsteps coming from the main house. The person got closer and closer and then pushed the door open with a bang.
"Senior, you've finally arrived!"
Li Changfeng patted the man on the shoulder and walked straight into the room: "Chen Qi, where is the fine wine your father bestowed upon me? Quickly bring it out and fill my stomach!"
"It's right on the table, already prepared for you."
After answering, Shen Qi looked at Lin Feiran again, his doe-like eyes clear and bright, and then bowed to her.
"During the sinking period, as a disciple of the Imperial Academy, this is our first meeting... Fellow Daoist, you are truly refined and elegant."
Lin Feiran and Shen Qi locked eyes, and Lin Feiran's eyelids twitched as she thought of Shen Qi's unlucky constitution.
Author's Note: Actually, the last chapter ended sweetly, but everyone seemed to want to see what happened next, so this chapter provides the real sequel, letting everyone see what Lin Feiran has been up to these past few days (X)
P.S.: Each of the supporting characters has their own backstory and a hidden backstory, but they are all intertwined with Lin Feiran's main storyline.
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