Chapter 98 The Sword Still Comes (Part Two) (Revised) Who will Lin Feiran face...?
"That's how I found you."
It was such a simple, unadorned statement, but when it came from Lin Feiran's mouth, it seemed to take on a completely different meaning.
Ru Xian's eyes were slightly open, and the smile on her lips was still lingering, but her heart was not as indifferent as her face suggested.
Like a lost dragonfly suddenly crashing into a lotus pond, it flies away in an instant, leaving only a ripple and a lone lotus swaying gently.
However, all of this happened in an instant, and before anyone could notice, everything had returned to normal.
Lin Feiran did indeed give a simple answer.
Since Ru Xian had allowed her to call him by his name, and she had paid close attention when she saw that streak of lightning flash by.
Anything unusual should not be revealed to others. Therefore, if anyone is present, she will only address them by their given name.
Surprisingly, this method proved to be extremely effective in finding people.
This outfit was completely different from his usual attire.
Her hair was completely black, tied into a high ponytail, but a few unruly strands fell from her cheeks, clearly intentional.
He changed from his platinum robe to a dark blue outfit, which made him look even taller and had longer legs. He wore leather wrist guards and sleeves, and a pair of silver tassels hung from his ears to his shoulders. Half of his lips and nose were covered with a silver mask.
If it weren't for those peach blossom eyes still retaining their familiar coldness, she might have mistaken him for Xun Feifei.
Lin Feiran couldn't help but recall the figure hidden under the umbrella and asked in confusion.
"Could it be that when you were on the lotus platform earlier, the person Xuanzhen was shielding with the umbrella wasn't you, but Xun Feifei disguised as you?"
Ru Xian nodded: "I have to show up at the ceremony; it was agreed upon beforehand."
However, the plan to search for treasure in the valley must not be discovered by anyone; therefore, a temporary solution of substitution is necessary.
What could possibly compel him to personally enter the valley to search for something beyond rare and precious treasures? The very act of searching for medicinal herbs would be enough to attract a lot of attention and scrutiny.
Lin Feiran understood, but still couldn't help but take a few more glances.
Ru Xian immediately noticed, his chin slightly raised, still maintaining his usual demeanor: "What are you looking at?"
Lin Feiran had never seen someone with hair tied up like that before. At first glance, it looked so clean and neat, giving off a youthful sharpness.
Lin Feiran asked, "Lord, did you dress like this when you traveled in the human realm before?"
Ru Xian glanced down, and when she looked up, a hint of disapproval appeared on her face.
"When I was young, my hair reached my shoulders, and I was unparalleled in my elegance. Even when I wore blue, I would adorn myself with a few pieces of white jade. I would not dress like this unless it was an extraordinary time."
Putting everything else aside, he'll definitely show his face openly and honestly.
He turned to look at the white deer, raised his chin and nodded: "Follow me. There are countless people watching you. If you don't move, they can stay here forever."
Lin Feiran then looked around and unexpectedly caught many peeking glances. After she looked at them, most people awkwardly looked away, except for one person who just looked on calmly.
Lin Feiran never realized that Wei Changzai's gaze was so omnipresent.
She turned around without hesitation and walked towards the white deer with Ru Xian.
As Xian said, waiting until the end of time is indeed a bit of an exaggeration.
Almost instantly upon landing in the desert, many sect disciples spontaneously gathered together to discuss countermeasures.
Those who paid excessive attention to her every move were clearly lone cultivators.
As soon as she set off, they followed her.
The white deer stared blankly at everyone, pacing and circling in place until Lin Feiran walked towards it. Only then did it raise its hooves and finally move forward.
Lin Feiran did not speak or explain, but simply followed the white deer, with a group of rogue cultivators trailing behind.
At first, many people tried to travel by sword or use the Divine Speed Technique to speed up their pace, but they all fell heavily into the sand after only a short while.
Even if someone wants to find another way out, they will eventually return to the vicinity of Bailu.
Gradually, everyone understood and felt at ease to follow along, no longer having any other thoughts.
More than eighty people, like a long dragon winding across the yellow sand, with Wei Changzai at the very end of the line, carrying his sword and walking at a steady pace.
Only a dozen or so people entered Daohe Palace on this trip. Apart from Pei Yu, who looked gloomy and did not stick with the others, there were only nine people. As the junior brother, he had to stay behind and cover the way for others.
Qiu Tong glanced back at him every now and then, her expression hesitant, before turning back again.
Halfway through their journey, someone suddenly approached them and asked in a low voice, "Are you disciples of Daohe Palace?"
Wei Changzai turned to look and saw a girl with very clear eyes, but her eyes were slightly dark and her lips were pale, and she still looked sickly.
But with just one glance, he could tell that the girl was not a cultivator, but a mortal.
"yes."
He nodded in response, but did not ask why she had entered. He was not interested in why she had come in.
"Indeed, I knew it the moment I saw this Taoist robe!" The girl's eyes lit up as she spoke.
“My name is Orange Blossom. I used to live in Beiyuan. Back then, I often saw your Daohe Palace disciples coming here to exorcise demons, but I never had the chance to thank you. After Grandma passed away, Qi Chen and I left…”
This is a very noisy girl. Wei Changzai thought to himself.
He didn't know Qi Chen or the old woman, and he wasn't really listening, but he would occasionally nod in response to avoid being impolite.
Orange Blossom's goodwill towards him grew even more. She felt that this man, though seemingly cold, was warm-hearted. Not only did he not mind her talking too much, but he also frequently returned her greetings.
She turned to look behind her, and a glimmer of light suddenly appeared in her slightly tired eyes.
He had seen it in Lin Feiran's eyes before.
Wei Chang couldn't help but feel curious, so he turned around and saw a man dressed in scarlet robes walking towards him. He had a handsome face and was not an ordinary man.
"Qi Chen! You found him?" Cheng Hua's tone was full of surprise, and her voice softened completely.
The man called Qi Chen quickly caught up.
He first looked Wei Changzai over before placing the flower seed in Chenghua's hand.
Orange Blossom breathed a sigh of relief: "These are seeds of the Golden Crow Silk. If they are properly cultivated, they may grow into Fusang trees outside the Pilgrimage Valley. At that time, no one will have to suffer from the cold disease."
Chenghua was still very talkative, but Qi Chen was not impatient. He picked out the sand from her hair and then took out a bottle of medicine and handed it to her.
"If you can grow a hibiscus tree, you will be a hero. You should use it yourself first."
Cheng Hua remained noncommittal, placed the seeds at Qi Chen's waist, and then took the medicine and drank it.
As the warm wind blew, Wei Changzai smelled an extremely bitter odor, which made his tongue go numb just from the smell.
A disciple ahead turned around, barely glancing at them before frowning and hurrying forward, instantly putting some distance between himself and the three.
After drinking the medicine, Chenghua lowered her eyelashes slightly, then smiled at Wei Changzai and whispered, "Sorry, this medicine was really too bitter. Did it not bother you?"
Wei Changzai shook his head and said in a clear voice, "No."
Qi Chen glanced at the group of people in front of him, casually produced a red jasmine branch from between his fingers and handed it to her, then asked, "Do you want to go to the leader of the group? You know that person too."
After these words were spoken, not only Chenghua, but even Wei Changzai, who had originally been uninterested, turned to look.
Orange Blossom asked, "Is that someone we know?"
Qi Chen nodded, then changed his expression and pursed his lips in a serious manner. Cheng Hua's eyes lit up, and she immediately realized: "So it was her!"
Of course she remembered Lin Feiran. Back at the Flying Flower Gathering, she was forced to fight with others. If it weren't for Lin Feiran and Xuan Zhen, she might have been injured many more times on the field.
She stopped just as she was about to set off.
Qi Chen asked, "Aren't you going?"
Orange Blossom shook her head and said, "The timing isn't right now. Let's wait until we get back to talk about it."
Qi Chen remained noncommittal; he naturally followed Chenghua's wishes, as long as her mood improved.
Just then, Wei Changzai suddenly spoke up: "What is your relationship?"
The question was unusual, and Qi Chen immediately looked up, a look of inquiry and deep thought flashing in his eyes.
Chenghua paused for a moment, her face slightly flushed, and said, "We've already gone through the wedding ceremony, and now we're husband and wife."
couple.
Lin Feiran and he were originally engaged.
Wei Changzai then spoke up: "And then?"
Orange Blossom didn't quite understand, but she still smiled kindly, revealing two dimples at the corners of her lips.
"And then we'll just wait to die together."
Qi Chen: "..."
He smiled helplessly and raised his hand to cover her mouth: "No one will die. Husband and wife are the end. After that, there is only husband and wife."
The following sentence was clearly addressed to Wei Changzai.
Wei Changzai clearly didn't understand Chenghua's humor. He was very serious at the moment, his dark eyes sweeping over the two of them before finally settling on Qi Chen's face.
"Marriage is not permanent."
These words were inappropriate, but he said them anyway, whether to the two people or to himself, it was unclear.
Qi Chen's expression darkened slightly, already showing displeasure. Cheng Hua, however, looked at Wei Changzai and, after confirming that he meant no sarcasm, asked, "Why did you suddenly ask about this, Daoist Master?"
Wei Changzai did not answer. He turned his head to look ahead, as if he was looking at the desolate wilderness, but it seemed as if he had fallen into a certain place, but his eyes were in a daze.
Before the Flying Flower Gathering, Zhang Chunhe had instructed him that if he could win the championship and meet the Sage, he must also meet the Mad Taoist.
He was a close friend of his master during his lifetime. They would often come to Daohe Palace to sit and discuss Taoism, and then plunder some of the riches and leave with their loot.
After the Iron Khitan Book was taken away, the last trace of the Grandmaster's soul vanished into the world and could not be found again. If one were to ask who in the world best understands the way of the unity of heaven and man, after the Grandmaster, it would undoubtedly be this late master's friend.
He had indeed chosen this saint who didn't quite resemble a saint in the scroll.
When the mad Taoist saw him, he looked surprised, circled him six times, shouted "Chosen One," and then burst into wild laughter.
An ordinary person might be frightened by this sudden, maniacal laughter, but Wei Changzai was no ordinary person.
So he simply watched the mad Taoist quietly, neither stopping him nor being afraid.
The mad Taoist leaned close to him, his face contorted with wrinkles, and whispered.
"I heard your voice in the wind, young and numb. You raised the butcher's knife and swung it at them. I heard tangled threads growing in your heart, dark and without light. I heard you entangled between two people..."
Wei Changzai's expression remained unchanged; he even cupped his hands in a salute, his dark eyes expressionless: "Senior, you are incredibly powerful."
The mad Taoist suddenly felt bored. The madman was afraid of the fool, the fool was afraid of the madman, and the madman was afraid of nothing, but he didn't like to talk to the wooden man.
“I know what you want to ask. Your master told you that you want to discuss the Dao of the unity of heaven and man with me.”
The mad Taoist scratched his body and looked him over: "I can discuss the Dao with you, but I have been here for a long time and miss the Fierce Snow Wine very much. If you give me a pot, I will tell you about it."
But Wei Changzai shook his head and said, "That's not what I wanted to ask."
The mad Taoist looked him up and down with a strange expression: "You're actually ignoring your master's words?"
Wei Changzai did not answer. Knowing that he could not get anything out of him at this time, the Mad Taoist said, "Never mind, ask whatever you want."
Wei Changzai bowed again, her voice clear and cold, like frost and snow forming flowers.
The mad Taoist's eyes widened like copper bells, his eyeballs almost popping out, and he clicked his tongue for a long time, as if he had heard some great absurdity.
"Aren't you going to ask Qiu Tong?"
Wei Changzai asked in confusion, "I know she will marry me, why ask again... Or perhaps, in your calculations, I didn't actually marry her?"
The mad Taoist didn't answer, but just squinted his small eyes and chuckled.
"I'll only answer one question. You tell me, is it the first one or the second one?"
Wei Changzai did not hesitate: "The first one."
The mad Taoist shouted "Good!" twice, then paced back and forth, his fingers twitching as if he were thinking about something. After about an incense stick's time, he finally stopped.
But it's definitely not you.
Wei Changzai's eyelashes fluttered slightly, and a ripple finally appeared in his calm eyes. He looked up at the mad Taoist and remained silent for a long time.
Even someone as carefree as the Mad Taoist could see the rapidly changing light in his eyes.
He pointed at Wei Changzai, shook his head and laughed, quite proudly saying, "That's why I didn't tell you that person's name. If I had, wouldn't you have killed him right now?"
Wei Changzai still did not speak.
The mad Taoist was speechless: "Clearly I can't accept it."
He burst into laughter: "My husband used to be you, but now, everything has changed!"
Wei Changzai slowly closed his eyes, his dark pupils disappearing behind them.
The mad Taoist looked at him, his smile vanished, and a look of confusion appeared on his face: "I know most of your past, and I have also studied the Dao of the unity of heaven and man to some extent, so I know why you are so stubborn."
But I don't understand why you won't admit it?
What variables were involved that I was unaware of? Tell me quickly, because if the wind can't blow in anymore, I'll never know again!
The mad Taoist looked anxious, but Wei Changzai calmly opened his eyes and parted his lips slightly.
He said, “Love is a difficult thing, she cannot go down this path, I will guide her.”
The mad Taoist's smile froze.
He was just pretending to be crazy, forgetting that the person in front of him was genuinely abnormal.
"Let me tell you, your grandmaster's unity of heaven and man is indeed 'ruthless,' but not as 'ruthless' as you think!"
Before he could finish speaking, Wei Changzai had already bowed and left this small world.
In truth, he still harbored doubts, but not about Lin Feiran's dying husband; rather, he was confused about himself.
What is happening now is not entirely the same as what Master said back then. Is Qiu Tong truly his destined one?
"Taoist Master, Taoist Master? What are you thinking about?"
Orange Blossom couldn't help but bring Wei Changzai back to his senses.
Wei Changzai glanced at her and shook his head slightly: "I was just thinking about some old things."
They can only be Qiu Tong.
...
The white deer continued to lead the way, but the group had no idea how many miles they had traveled. Looking back, all they could see on the vast desert was a string of footprints that seemed to stretch endlessly.
At this point, thirst, hunger, and exhaustion intertwined. Sword Mountain hung high in front of them like a mirage, seemingly within reach yet still out of reach.
Many disciples were helping each other as they walked forward, and Chenghua, exhausted, was lying on Qi Chen's back, fast asleep.
Lin Feiran glanced at the disciples behind him, then looked at Ru Xian and asked, "Are you alright?"
Ru Xian nodded, her pace neither hurried nor slow: "It's alright. If you get tired, just say so. I'm not afraid of the sun and I don't feel tired at all. I can give you a ride."
He was only showing half his face at this moment, so his raised eyebrows and curved eyes were very obvious.
He often smiled like that when he talked to her.
Lin Feiran withdrew his gaze and shook his head, saying, "I can manage this short distance."
This journey is not much for cultivators; the difficulty lies in keeping moving forward in this unchanging desert.
Suddenly, the white deer looked up at the sky, and its antlers, flashing with light, let down a few strands of silk. It raised its four hooves high and began to run.
This journey was not as slow as before, and the white deer did not stop to wait. In this desolate desert, without its guidance, the group would probably have walked to their deaths without ever taking a single step.
Lin Feiran also walked against the wind, but couldn't help but look to the side every now and then to make sure that Ru Xian was alright before looking away.
"Aren't you underestimating me a bit?"
Ru Xian's feelings were somewhat complicated. He appreciated the caring gaze, but a few strands of resentment still welled up in his heart.
He will not submit to anyone, nor will he allow himself to be looked down upon.
With a light touch of his toes, his figure darted across the sand, leaving a lingering afterimage, and in the blink of an eye, he was at the forefront, only a few meters away from the white deer.
Lin Feiran was taken aback, and a smile slowly appeared on her lips. She rushed over, her movements equally amazing. She turned her head and looked over, her eyebrows slightly raised, and a smile appeared on her face.
"Your movement technique is not bad."
Lin Feiran said, "I thought you couldn't keep up, so I slowed down earlier."
Ru Xian pondered for a moment and said, "Is that so? This affection is certainly good, but it's a bit inappropriate to use it now. It's clearly me accommodating you."
Lin Feiran looked at him, the whistling wind brushing past her ears, a hint of eagerness showing in her eyes.
"How about we have a match right now? Whoever touches the white deer first will be considered to have the best agility and will have to yield to the other!"
She harbored a strong sense of pride, but she rarely showed it. Now, she revealed a sliver of her true self, and Ru Xian had no reason to refuse.
"OK."
He answered lightly, but suddenly gathered strength in his feet and moved forward, his tied ponytail swinging in the air. He didn't have her boyishness, but he had more of a carefree attitude.
"It's definitely because I'm accommodating you."
At this moment, there is no spiritual power to enhance the situation, so the competition comes down to movement skills.
In the past, Lin Feiran would never have dared to imagine that she could actually compete with a Divine Travel Realm Venerable. It wasn't that she was timid, but rather that a Divine Travel Realm cultivator wouldn't accompany her.
The two of them, one in front and one behind, chased each other closely.
Ru Xian did not treat Lin Feiran perfunctorily because of her low cultivation level; on the contrary, he was very serious, which was a sign of respect for Lin Feiran.
Under the scorching sun, the yellow sand was heavy and oppressive, and everyone's steps were slow. However, they saw two figures, one in green and one in black, chasing each other ahead. The atmosphere was not tense, but rather quite leisurely.
Finally, the figure in blue stepped across the water with a graceful, upward motion, lightly patting the white deer, startling it into moving even faster.
Everyone: "..."
As if turning around, the tassels swayed past her ears, her silver face gleaming: "It seems I still have to accommodate you a bit."
Lin Feiran, her forehead beaded with sweat, gazed at the white deer. Though her expression held regret, she was not annoyed. She spoke softly.
"One day, I will surpass you."
Ru Shan raised an eyebrow and said, "Have you said this to everyone who beats you?"
Lin Feiran nodded: "I have done every single one of them, so I will definitely surpass you."
Hundreds of spirit swords flew in from the clear sky, but they were not the real thing; they were just colorless sword shadows.
They came in overwhelmingly, instantly obscuring the nine round suns and revealing illusory rainbow light.
The colorless sword shadow spun and swept through the air, suddenly creating a whirlwind and raising a dust storm.
All the people could see was a sky full of yellow, with no sign of the white spirit deer. When they could hardly move, they could only stare at the still intense black color.
She walked ahead of the crowd, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far, as if she were leading the way, yet it seemed like an unintentional act.
Despite the fierce dust storm, Lin Feiran could still see the road ahead, but she still grabbed Ru Hai's wrist and took a half-step to the side to walk in front of him.
Unaffected by the dust storm, the heavy cargo, lacking any command, could only stretch its tail and wrap it around Lin Feiran's wrist, firmly connecting the two together.
In the blur, Lin Feiran saw several streaks of light rushing towards her. Almost simultaneously, the sword bones around her body burned and shone brightly, making her stand out like a bright light amidst the yellow sand.
Lin Feiran subconsciously reached out her other hand.
Amidst the swirling yellow sand, she could no longer see the road ahead, but she felt a soft touch constantly brushing against her palm, as if someone was holding her hand.
She forced her eyes open and saw several illusory figures flash past her, only to disappear in an instant.
According to ancient texts, before choosing a master, the sword spirit will go out to explore and place a stream of light in the hand of the chosen master. This is called the Star Lantern.
Before submitting to their master, sword spirits and other spiritual beings are mostly aloof, eccentric, arrogant, and rude. They do not want others to see their true appearance when lighting star lamps, which is why they create dust storms to conceal their true nature.
A few breaths later, the yellow sand dispersed, and the sword shadows gathered under the sky, landing on the top of Sword Mountain.
The white deer stood in front, looking up, and saw that Sword Mountain had arrived.
The cliff face is steep and seemingly about to collapse, with hundreds of spirit swords stuck horizontally or diagonally on it. The two spirit swords, Kunwu and Tai'a, still stand high on the peak, sheltered from the sun by a red umbrella.
Then a crashing sound was heard, and ten extremely long iron chains fell from the mountain base, crashing taut into the sand and soil. This was the bird path leading up the mountain.
Someone suddenly understood: "So that's how it is. In order to send the ten sword-selection experts here, they actually want us to spar with them as well. How unreasonable!"
Another person looked at their palm and wondered to themselves, "Although I am not among the top ten, I just felt a tingling sensation. Could it be that a sword spirit has taken a liking to me and wants to form a bond with me?"
As soon as the words were spoken, everyone clapped their dusty palms, trying to glimpse a glimmer of starlight, but to no avail.
"Is this what the legendary Starlight Lamp looks like?" someone suddenly asked, immediately drawing most of the attention.
As the crowd pushed past, they saw three extremely bright stars shining in the yellow and white mottled palm. Such light could not be hidden by yellow earth.
"I have two too!"
"I only have one."
"I wonder which sword will choose me; I mustn't let someone else get the upper hand!"
The people around were talking amongst themselves, but their gazes seemed to fall on Lin Feiran, after all, she was the champion this time, and who knows, the Kunwu Sword might just become hers.
As everyone was investigating, Lin Feiran stared at his palm, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Author's Note: Only Lin Feiran experiences an electric shock when called Ru Xian's name, because Ru Xian only touched her forehead once.
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