Chapter 52 Spring City Blossoms "Isn't it beautiful?"...
During Lin Feiran's time in the demon realm, besides the steamed buns he ate every morning, the food he ate most often was silver fish.
Although Xun Feifei usually appears to be a cool guy who doesn't get close to people, he is actually a very good cook. He also likes to study cooking in private, and whenever he makes a new dish, he always invites a few people to his secluded courtyard to taste it.
In any case, his dishes will always include silverfish, whether grilled, fried, or stewed, and they all taste delicious.
Before she left, knowing that Lin Feiran was traveling alone, he prepared a lot of ingredients for her, saying that there must be streams on the way to Chuncheng, so if she ran out of food, she could use these to accompany her, along with river fish and birds, so she would never go hungry.
She wholeheartedly agreed and carefully put away the prepared seasoning packets, intending to keep them for any eventuality. However, she never expected to be so lucky today, catching three silver fish. It would be a real shame not to use the special seasoning.
Lin Feiran, who usually had a calm gaze and never showed her emotions, now had a slight smile and swung her leg slightly. The firelight from the fire blazed brightly in her eyes.
Ru Xian sat to one side, playing with a handful of gold beads in his hands. His gaze swept to his side, and he picked up a bead and tossed it into the air. The chubby dog that had been waiting in front of him leaped up, caught it in its mouth, and swallowed it like a candy bean, barking happily.
Xie Kanhua remained silent for a while before asking, "Are all foxes in the demon realm barking like dogs?"
Lin Feiran didn't know how to explain, so he could only reply, "I don't know about other foxes, but that's what they call them."
"Hard-handed? That name sounds rather inclusive, it seems Fellow Daoist Bai Fei dotes on it. But the barking of a fox and a dog is indeed funny." Xie Kanhua found it amusing and even laughed out loud, but because his face remained calm, his words took on a different meaning.
"..."
Lin Feiran hesitated, stared at him for a while, and thought to himself, "There are many extraordinary people in the world, so it's not surprising to encounter one or two."
"Senior, are you leaving like this, abandoning your duties of guarding the boundary?"
Ru Xian glanced at Xie Kanhua upon hearing this.
Xie Kanhua shook his head: "No need. The matter of Chuncheng is more important. I must be present. Moreover, the sects have already discussed and agreed on a temporary replacement."
The silverfish were grilled and their aroma was indeed mouthwatering. After thanking him, he took one and ate it while saying, "Besides, that demon lord has been silent for many years. Since I started guarding the boundary, he has not made any unusual moves. It seems that he is not a warlike person. If there are no accidents, the boundary sea will be safe for the time being."
Upon hearing this, Lin Feiran remembered something: "Why did you go to the Endless Sea to guard the boundary, senior? It's a remote place, and most of the people around are mortals with different spells, which is not beneficial to cultivation."
Xie Kanhua remained silent for a long time before giving a vague answer: "Because I need to avoid people."
"Who are you hiding from?"
He said solemnly, "I want to avoid everyone and just stay with my pipa."
Lin Feiran breathed a slight sigh of relief upon hearing this. Although they had only known each other for a short time, she could tell that Xie Kanhua was a man of unconventional character. There were few people in the world who sought common ground while respecting differences. She had thought that he had been ostracized and had come here. It was good that he hadn't.
She glanced at the pipa beside him, its strings clear and its sound melodious, and couldn't help but say, "It seems that your musical skills are extraordinary."
“Indeed, it is fate that we meet today. I will play a tune for you.” After eating the silver fish, Xie Kanhua was in high spirits. He wiped his hands clean, tuned the strings, and played the notes with natural grace, as if the ancestor of the zither had descended to earth, and celestial music was about to be played.
As night fell and the bright moon hung high, the sound of arpeggios drifted from the stream. The sharp, resonant notes sounded like an old woman's night weeping or a demon's wailing. The sounds were strange and startled several birds in flight. The sound made the burly man's spine tingle, and he silently buried his head under his knees, trying to block out the noise.
Lin Feiran now truly understood what it meant to be grating and unpleasant to listen to. It was as if he wasn't plucking strings, but rather the very core of the listener's mind.
Engrossed in playing, Xie Kanhua got up and sat down by the stream. He closed his eyes and became completely absorbed in the music, ignoring everyone else. He even started to sing softly in response. The tune wasn't off-key; it just had a few more notes than the usual score.
Lin Feiran silently ate the remaining silver fish, and looking at his back, she almost clapped her hands, her heart filled with admiration.
If one has this mindset, what great things cannot be accomplished?
As she was feeling sentimental, a talismanic light swept past her feet. Looking down, she saw a soundproofing array that blocked Xie Kanhua's zither music and also prevented her from talking to Ru Xian.
She turned her head and saw Ru Xian still feeding the goods. Her head was slightly lowered, her eyelashes were slightly curved, and her long gold and white robe reflected the firelight. The lotus pattern on it shimmered, and the gold rings on her wrists and legs shone brightly. She was somewhat decadent, but the civil and military style of her robe made her look tall and sharp.
Only when you get closer do you realize that his hair color is not entirely black; under the firelight, a beautiful dark green hue is revealed.
Unlike his usual snow-white appearance, he now exuded a sense of danger.
Lin Feiran stared for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Lord, why did you suddenly change your clothes?"
As he raised his eyes, in the firelight, his eyes regained their usual emerald green: "My appearance is unique, as everyone knows. If I don't change, what's the point of you changing your face?"
She nodded, then asked, "Which one is your true appearance?"
"It's just a change in hair color and a small mole formed from the red mark above my eye. My appearance hasn't changed, so how can it be considered 'real'? The peacock clan has always only distinguished between blue and green, and their hair color is the same. However, unfortunately for the clan, this generation has produced a strange white peacock like me."
After saying that, he suddenly straightened up, raised his hand, and generously showed off himself, his eyes crinkling as he smiled and asked, "Does it look good?"
"Huh?" Lin Feiran paused for a moment, looked at it carefully, and nodded, "It's beautiful."
"Which looks better, white or green?"
“...They all look good.” After Lin Feiran finished speaking, he looked at Xie Kanhua, who was still lost in thought, leaned slightly forward, and whispered, “Your Majesty, you don’t need to care about other people’s opinions. Everyone has their own beauty, and it cannot be changed by other people’s flaws.”
Ru Xian was taken aback, not expecting her to answer like that, but looking at her serious expression and calm eyes, he suddenly chuckled softly, causing stray hairs to fall onto his eyes.
Lin Feiran was not surprised, nor did she ask any questions. After all, she was already used to Ru Xian laughing inexplicably like this.
"My lord, I thank you for accompanying me today, so I haven't had a chance to ask why you participated in the Flying Flower Gathering with me. And why didn't you retaliate when you landed from the imperial carriage?"
As Ru Xian had said when he first formed a pact with her, he wanted her to go to the Sacred Valley to find something. He had also obtained a spot to enter the valley from the Human Emperor, so he did not need to participate in the Flying Flower Gathering. He only needed to give her the spot when the Sacred Valley opened, and then let her go to find the treasure.
Was it really to prove to her that he could leave the Demon Capital? That doesn't make sense.
Ru Xian turned to look at her, her smile still lingering: "Since I'm in such a good mood right now, I can tell you. What I want is a kind of spiritual herb from the Pilgrimage Valley. You've never seen it before, so it's hard to tell. Even with the Yin-Yang Fish, it's still inconvenient. So I plan to enter the valley myself, but the Holy Spirit may not be willing to let the demon race enter. Therefore, I'll try entering the Flying Flower Society first."
If he could participate in the Flying Flower Festival, he would surely be able to enter the Sacred Valley.
Lin Feiran asked doubtfully, "How do we try it?"
As Ru Xian leaned against the square table, a white fish leaped out from her palm: "You and I have formed a demon-taming decree, binding us together as one. Perhaps, I can borrow your aura to give it a try."
Has anyone done this before?
"Who knows? The Pilgrimage Valley hasn't been open for a long time. The last time was hundreds of years ago."
At this point, Lin Feiran had a sudden inspiration and said, "Only cultivators at the Illumination Sea and Questioning Heart realms can participate in the Flying Flower Gathering. Venerable Master, you wouldn't be suppressing your cultivation level, would you?!"
Therefore, when the imperial carriage was attacked, he did not attack Xie Kanhua.
He raised his hand and pulled down half of his robe, suddenly revealing a patch of fair skin. Lin Feiran was about to turn his head when he was stopped by him as if he had foreseen it: "Don't turn your eyes. Look carefully. In the next few days of travel, you will learn this art of sealing meridians."
By the light of the fire and the moon, Lin Feiran saw a dense patch of light flowing across his shoulders and back, which was quite beautiful. But upon closer inspection, he realized that it was not an illusion.
His veins were filled with many silver needles, each one flowing with silver, which at first glance looked like twinkling starlight.
“My cultivation level is too high. If I want to fall back to the Mind-Questioning Realm, the only way is to seal my meridians. However, I have not suppressed them all. I have left half of them. On the night I enter the city, I will remove the curse for you for the second time. After that, you will seal the remaining spiritual meridians for me.”
After saying this, there was no reply for a long time. Ru Xian pulled her clothes together and turned to look: "Did you hear me clearly?"
Lin Feiran's expression was complicated. After a long pause, he said, "Lord, with such spirit, you will succeed in whatever you do. You may borrow my aura."
Ru Xian chuckled, then took out a silver needle and a wooden board from his mustard seed bag and handed them to her: "You must know the acupoints of the spiritual meridians, so practice your strength and accuracy. The meridian-sealing needle technique is meticulous, with extremely short intervals. If there are any mistakes..."
"I understand!"
Lin Feiran took the needle, listened to Ru Xian explain the key points of needlework, watched him demonstrate it several times, and then practiced it himself.
Not far away, Xie Kanhua was still playing and singing, and occasionally a few fish in the stream would float up belly to the surface and drift downstream.
*
The next day at dawn, the three set off under the sunlight. Once they left the valley, the roads were wide and flat, so they quickened their pace.
Lin Feiran led the two on their journey during the day. Occasionally, they would encounter a few demonic beasts, which she would then eliminate with her sword. If there were any rare fruits, she would leap up and pick them to share with the two. If there was a town, she would make sure to arrange food and lodging there first.
As for the night, she mostly practiced the art of needlework. She didn't go to bed early, always waiting for the two of them to rest before going to sleep fully clothed after reviewing the formation again.
For half a month, the three of them traveled from sunrise to sunset. It was a hurried trip, but Xie Kanhua did not feel uncomfortable at all. This was because Lin Feiran was really good at taking care of people.
She wasn't the type to boast or take credit. She did everything quietly, always noticing the smallest details. Sometimes, before he could even speak, she had already taken care of things, requiring no one else to worry.
Such a temperament often indicates an unhappy past.
Xie Kanhua sighed. Feeling indebted to someone for taking care of him, he searched his entire body and found only handfuls of sea pearls, which he then gave to her.
After traveling for so long, the three of them finally caught sight of Spring City one afternoon. They only needed to cross a valley forest to reach it.
Upon reaching the valley, Lin Feiran stopped, listened intently, and frowned, saying, "It sounds like someone is talking."
Xie Kanhua was indeed a highly skilled senior, and he pointed to the cliff face: "It came from over there."
The three looked up and saw a crooked tree growing on the rugged cliff. A hawk flew beside the tree, fiercely pecking at the person hanging from it. The person was covering their head, swaying precariously, and the cries for help were coming from their mouth.
Lin Feiran's eyes flickered slightly. She turned to look at Ru Xian, who stood with his arms crossed and said in a cool voice, "Am I holding you back? You can take a break."
After saying that, he found a flat stone to sit down, stretched out his long legs, and the burly man immediately stepped forward and hammered him with his claws.
Lin Feiran said nothing more. She drew her disciple's sword, leaped onto it, and flew away on her sword.
Xie Kanhua looked on curiously and asked, "Fellow Daoist Bai Fei, what's wrong with her?"
Ru Xian, unfazed, looked at the figure and said slowly, "Some people are born this way; they can't stand hearing people cry for help."
Xie Kanhua understood immediately and exclaimed, "There are actually cultivators like this in the world. With such a mindset, young friend Wenran, you will surely achieve great things in the future."
Ru Xian raised her eyes, then chuckled lightly, her eyes revealing sarcasm: "You people always talk a good game, but if you were really asked to do what she did, you would all refuse."
Xie Kanhua remained expressionless, yet his expression was clear. He did not deny it: "Indeed."
Otherwise, he wouldn't have stayed away from conflict for so many years as a border guard.
Lin Feiran flew to the crooked tree on her sword. The eagle saw her and immediately let out a long cry, but it was afraid of her identity as a cultivator and dared not go forward.
She looked at the man hanging from the crooked tree. He was an ordinary man, probably in his thirties, with short hair tied up at the back of his head.
Lin Feiran asked in a clear voice, "What are you doing climbing up here? Stealing baby eagles?"
Hearing someone ask him a question, he immediately looked up, his eyes brightening, and burst into a hearty laugh: "Heaven has eyes! Finally, someone heard my cry for help... No, little sister, I am definitely not a bird thief! I was on my way to Chuncheng when I passed by the valley and saw a fledgling eagle crying for help. I bandaged its wounds and took it back to its nest, but I couldn't get it back down!"
Lin Feiran looked into the nest and saw that the fledgling eagle did indeed have bandage marks. Just as she was beginning to believe it, she saw the man's face and was momentarily stunned.
The man had a resolute face and a carefree demeanor. Perhaps due to years of walking under the sun, he had a healthy bronze complexion. Most striking was the scar on his face.
This is the legendary tale of the human realm, Gu Buhui, who, with the strength of a mortal, rivaled cultivators and defeated four Venerable Ones of the High Realm.
He was the person Lin Feiran knew who was closest to being a chivalrous knight.
Author's note: River God: Young man, did you drop this golden peacock, the white peacock, or this green peacock?
Lin Feiran: Uh... I dropped them all?
River God: You only lost one.
Lin Feiran: Okay, the one I dropped was green.
...
Lin Feiran: Wait a minute, River God, no, Ru Xian, you're the one who wanted to play the River God game, and you gave me the Green Peacock. You can't just lie through your teeth, so why are you angry...?
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