Chapter 29 Departure (Part Two) Guests arrive, drunk with joy; choosing a path. ...
Shen Wan nodded first, and Xie Yuzhou, who always followed her, naturally agreed to participate. Qingxing and Chen Mo exchanged a glance and then responded one after the other. Guda popped out from a pile of food, clamoring to be the referee, while Wenren Xi smiled and said, "Okay, okay, okay."
The atmosphere at the round table was cheerful, but Duanmu Tingzhu was unhappy. He jumped out to protest: "No, you won't let me drink, how am I supposed to play this game?"
Qingxing glanced at him and pushed a glass of pomegranate juice in front of him: "You drink this."
"No!" Duanmu Tingzhu felt slighted, and he resolutely fought to the end, "This is not fair!"
Shen Wan laughed at him: "Who told you to be so young? If you get into trouble while drinking, Elder Mu Sheng will definitely tie us up and give us a good scolding."
She might even complain to the sect leader, and she certainly didn't want to be punished with confinement by the sect leader.
Duanmu retorted, "You're only three, four, five, or six years older than me, yet you act so high and mighty and look down on others!"
Xie Yuzhou, who was usually silent, spoke up: "Compared to you, I'm still a little older."
Duanmu let out a "Hey!" and got excited. He picked up a talisman, held it high, and threatened Xie Yuzhou: "Senior brother, you're really disrespectful for your age! So what if you're old? Do you dare to come and compete with me to see who's more capable!"
A martial arts contest is out of the question, but if we let them run wild, the game might not be able to continue.
So Qingxing cleared her throat, gently tugged at Chen Mo's sleeve under the table, and cast a sincere pleading look at her.
Over the past few months, she had come to realize that perhaps because her senior sister was too imposing, Duanmu Tingzhu was fearless except for Chen Mo.
Chen Mo met Qing Xing's gaze and understood. Duanmu was sitting beside her, and she easily snatched the talisman from the latter's hand with a slight reach.
She patted Duanmu's shoulder gently and comforted him, "The wine isn't good. You can be the referee and point out their mistakes."
Duanmu snorted coldly, but eventually calmed down a bit and stopped making a fuss.
Wenren Xi, who had been watching the commotion with a smile, now that everyone had quieted down, slowly began to read out the rules of the game:
“This game is simple to play. Rather than ‘passing the flower,’ it’s more like ‘flying flower order.’ I’ve just made a slight modification. Guda starts,” Wenren Xi tapped Guda’s forehead and continued, “It will say a word like ‘rain’ or ‘flower,’ and the next person will recite a spell containing that word. If anyone gets stuck, they’ll have to punish themselves with a drink.”
Qingxing asked, "Are any kinds of magic allowed?"
Wenren Xi replied with a smile, "Anything is fine."
Qingxing nodded, her mind already racing to find the books she had read.
After reading so many books, I can finally put them to good use this time.
Guda coughed twice, flew into the air, and scanned the six people below: "Then I shall begin!"
Everyone spontaneously started clapping. Guda grinned mischievously amidst the rhythmic clapping. Just as Qingxing's hands were about to go numb, it suddenly spoke up: "First one, water!"
Shen Wan immediately chimed in: "A dragon playing in the water!"
Xie Yuzhou hesitated for only a moment before following closely behind: "Moonlight over the Riverbank."
"Why did you use my sword techniques?!" Shen Wan protested, raising her hand to complain to Guda, "Senior brother cheated! The spell he used didn't contain the word 'water'!"
Duanmu chimed in, "That's right!"
Guda, always eager for drama, chimed in, "I agree with Shen Wan's statement. Xie Yuzhou, you should drink a cup of wine as punishment!"
Xie Yuzhou didn't say anything, but simply picked up the wine glass in front of him and drank it all in one gulp.
"Let the game continue!"
Applause erupted, and now it was Duanmu Tingzhu's turn. He struggled for a long time, his face turning red, but he couldn't come up with a talisman containing the character "water".
Under the expectant gazes of the crowd, he licked his lips and finally said weakly, "...spending money like water."
The noise in the private room suddenly stopped. Shen Wan burst into laughter for the first time, and Gu Da laughed so hard that he was doubled over. Wenren Xi shook his head helplessly, and Duanmu Tingzhu shrank his neck, wishing he could disappear into the ground.
Qingxing stopped what she was doing, raised an eyebrow, and waved the pomegranate juice that Duanmu had just pushed back. At the same time, she said with a smile in her voice, "Drink it yourself, junior brother at the same table."
Duanmu Tingzhu: ...
He looked like he was bearing a heavy burden of humiliation as he gulped down the juice.
Guda wiped away non-existent tears from the corners of her eyes and said expectantly, "Senior Sister, it's your turn!"
Chen Mo spoke calmly: "Water Fist Technique."
Qingxing thought for a moment, then said, "A mirage."
When he finally got to Wenren Xi, he, like Duanmu, got stuck.
Gudako's question was really difficult for talisman and puppet cultivators. There are many sword techniques and formations with the character "water" in them, but there aren't many talisman and puppet techniques.
So Wenren Xi could only laugh helplessly and drink the wine, resigning himself to his bad luck.
Seeing so many people suffer in the first round, Gudako excitedly exclaimed, "Keep going, keep going!"
...
Laughter filled the Xikelai restaurant. The six of them and Shuling played for another half hour, eventually turning into bickering and boasting, with no regard for their previous manners. By the time the full moon climbed above the treetops, the waiter had to come and urge them to hurry up. However, the people in the private room were either passed out or drunk, leaving only Qingxing, Xie Yuzhou, and Duanmu Tingzhu standing.
Looking at the chaotic scene before her, Qingxing remained silent for a long time before finally deciding to divide the work with the other two and transport these people back to Taihua Mountain first.
But as soon as she opened her mouth to call Xie Yuzhou's name, the boy in front of her glanced at her, and then collapsed to the ground with a "thud," without any warning.
Qingxing:?
"Tch, with such a low alcohol tolerance, they're worried I'll get into trouble," Duanmu said, supporting Xie Yuzhou as he complained. "He's not much better himself."
"Let's figure out a way to get back first."
Qingxing put Guda back in her bag and turned to help Wenrenxi.
People who drink alcohol have different ways of getting drunk. Some fall asleep as soon as they touch a glass and can't be woken up, like Chen Mo. Some keep muttering to themselves, like Shen Wan. And then there's Wenren Xi, who talks nonsense and makes random facial expressions.
The moment Qingxing touched his wrist, he reflexively lashed out a silk thread. Qingxing turned her head away expressionlessly, casually looped the thread around, and firmly tied it into a knot around Wenren Xi's wrist.
“Oh dear, Junior Sister Qingxing is so heartless…” Wenren Xi looked at her, her tone resentful, “So cold and ungrateful! You refused to learn our Path of Slaughter before, and now you want to bind me like this…”
Qingxing didn't want to argue with the drunkard, but the man in front of her talked incessantly, relentlessly bringing up her previous refusal to follow the path of killing. In the end, Qingxing had no choice but to explain, "It's not that I was unwilling, it's just that I had already decided what I wanted to cultivate."
"Oh? Tell me, what path is it that can rival our slaughter..."
This statement, however, put Qingxing in a difficult position.
Because she really hadn't decided what she wanted to fix.
In previous lives, I only chose to have some fun. If I were to cultivate a few more, it wouldn't be a bad thing.
As Qingxing was pondering, a cool breeze suddenly rushed into the room, and the candlelight on the table flickered, casting silhouettes of several people on the wall.
She looked up and saw the scene inside the private room: Shen Wan was chasing after Duanmu to pull his ears, Xie Yuzhou had found a wooden stick from somewhere and was chopping at the pillar again and again, and Chen Mo was still asleep, breathing steadily.
The dishes and bowls on the table were all overturned, and an opened sake bottle was rolling around on the edge. The sake inside had long been drunk, and only a few drops of liquid remained, which were squeezed out by the external force and fell out, one drop after another.
Qingxing's gaze followed the liquid downwards, and in the shallow puddle on the ground, she saw her own smiling eyes.
She stood up, summoned the Endless Wood, and raised her hand to unleash a giant teleportation array.
Wenren Xi was looking for water when Yu Guangzhong noticed that the seat next to him was empty. Thinking that Qingxing was leaving, he called out, "...Junior sister, that's not very kind of you. Are you leaving us to go up the mountain by yourself?"
"No, I'll take you back." Large teleportation arrays consume a lot of spiritual energy, so Qingxing quickly chanted the incantation, and a blue light emanated from the soles of her feet.
"Duanmu, lure Shen Wan over here." She left the Endless Wood standing still, then turned to pull Xie Yuzhou.
Duanmu did as he was told, but Shen Wan was too annoying after getting drunk, and he had to use a lot of effort.
The teleportation array had been activated. Before they disappeared, Qingxing turned back and whispered to Wenren Xi, "Senior brother, thank you."
"Huh?" Wenren Xi looked bewildered. "Why are you thanking me?"
Qingxing didn't say anything more.
By the time they returned to Mount Taihua, it was late at night. Qingxing told Duanmu to go back on his own, then pulled Shen Wan and Chen Mo into the house, leaving Xie Yuzhou and Wenren Xi, who were already fast asleep, behind. After watching them for a while, she simply cast a Water and Fire Invulnerability Formation, closed the door, and went to sleep.
The next morning, even before the pheasant crowed, it was Jiuquchen who came looking for Qingxing.
He only had one day to go out, which he had originally planned to use to explore the spirit network for his apprentice. However, Qingxing was going to a dinner party, and he didn't want to disturb her. Afraid of oversleeping, he stayed up all night, waiting for the dawn to appear on the horizon. He thought that Qingxing was a diligent person and should be awake by now, so he used the body of the ugly doll to laboriously reach the mountainside.
The gate to Tingyu Garden was open, which puzzled him. But as soon as he stepped inside, he was startled by two long, thin creatures lying across the courtyard.
"Xie Yuzhou... Wenren Xi?! What are you doing here?" He walked up to their ears and shouted, "The sun's already high in the sky! Get up! Get up!"
The two suddenly woke up. They were first startled by the ugly doll's face, then immediately sat up and looked around blankly.
"I'm asking you two, what are you doing in my apprentice's yard?" The rag doll pointed at them and scolded, "Two grown men lying in someone else's yard... what kind of behavior is this!"
Wenren Xi was stunned for a moment, but as a puppet cultivator, he immediately reacted. He was about to explain when Qingxing, who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion, interrupted him.
With a "whoosh," the wooden door was opened from the inside. Qingxing glanced at the two people on the ground, then bowed to the rag doll as a disciple: "Master, I was drunk last night and returned a little late, so I can only temporarily place them here."
"I see." Jiu Qu Chen glanced at them, then waved his hand. "Never mind... This just means my disciple..."
Before she could finish speaking, another commotion came from behind Qingxing. A short while later, Shen Wan emerged with a head full of messy hair. She stood next to Qingxing, first stretching, then smiling and greeting everyone: "Good morning!"
She glanced at the ugly doll on the ground and asked in confusion, "Senior sister, is this your doll? It's so ugly!"
Qingxing spoke calmly, "This is my master."
Shen Wan: ...
Wenren Xi couldn't help but turn her head to the side. Xie Yuzhou wiped his face, seemingly unable to bear watching any longer.
That wasn't the end of it, because Chen Mo appeared right after, and because she was so tall, she accidentally bumped her head when she went out.
She hadn't heard the conversation in front of them, and as soon as she saw Jiu Quchen, fueled by the alcohol from the night before, she blurted out, "So ugly."
Dust from Jiuqu: ...
He was repeatedly told he was ugly, and by people who were all younger than him, which hurt his pride.
Qingxing could only explain again, "This is my master."
Chen Mo stood still for a moment, then spoke up: "I'm sorry."
The group in Tingyu Garden exchanged awkward glances. Qingxing felt unusually embarrassed; she rolled her eyes, unsure how to explain to her master.
Jiu Qu Chen stared at the group. Being called "ugly" was a minor matter; he really hadn't expected Qing Xing to let them all into Ting Yu Yuan.
I must never let these disciples drink alcohol again!
But he had never set a good example before, and now he didn't know where to begin. After hesitating several times, he could only wave his hand, hand them a prescription for a hangover remedy, and send them away.
As Shen Wan left, she asked worriedly, "Uncle-Master, you wouldn't report us to the Sect Leader, would you?"
Xie Yuzhou: "I don't know."
Wenren Xi glanced at the courtyard gate behind him and said easily, "Don't worry, Ninth Uncle is a very nice person."
Shen Wan hesitated: "But I said he's ugly."
Chen Mo: "I already said that."
The two looked at each other and felt a sense of mutual appreciation.
Only Qingxing and her master remained in Tingyu Garden. Jiuquchen climbed onto the stone table and pointed at the stone bench in front of him.
Qingxing understood and went over to sit down before asking, "Master, is there something important that you came to Tingyu Garden so early?"
"Let me check your cultivation progress." The rag doll placed its hand on her wrist, carefully feeling it for a moment before exclaiming in surprise, "Wow!" "My disciple is indeed exceptionally talented, you've already reached the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm!"
Qingxing pursed her lips: "Master taught well."
"What did I teach you? You don't need to be modest." Jiu Qu Chen withdrew his hand. "Judging from the state of the Spirit Network, it's only a matter of time before you break through to the late Golden Core stage..."
“But without the assistance of the ‘Dao,’ this process will be somewhat slow.” The doll looked up at her. “Before I went into seclusion, I asked you what Dao you wanted to cultivate, and you said you hadn’t decided yet. Several months have passed now, and I wonder if my disciple has an answer?”
Not wanting to sound like he was rushing him, he added, "It's okay if you don't have one, no rush."
After listening, Qingxing remained silent for a long time. Just when Jiuquchen thought she hadn't made up her mind yet, Qingxing spoke up.
"Master, I've made up my mind." She looked at the fallen leaves on the stone table and said slowly, "I will cultivate the Path of Mortals."
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Author's Note: Only two couples in this story explicitly have romantic relationships: Qingxing and Shizun, and Shen Wan and Xie Yuzhou. The rest are friendship or family relationships.
Has anyone noticed that Qingxing is actually a little bit cunning? (Yeah, that's right)
Tomorrow's chapter will be extra long.
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