His question left her speechless.
She was about to say something when he suddenly stood up. Outside the window, clouds rolled and unrolled, spring was in full bloom amidst misty rain, and willows swayed gently in the breeze.
"It's raining. Qianshu Temple is an hour's journey from Shanju. Once we're ready, we'll set off."
He turned around, this time without engaging her in any further interaction, leaving behind a lingering, pleasant fragrance in the room, before walking out.
Zheng Quchi stared blankly at his departing figure, blinked, and then widened her eyes in slight surprise.
"He went to my room specifically, lay down on the soft couch, and endured the cold night, just to say this one sentence?"
Right now, it seems even his temperament has become "ethereal," having comprehended the Great Dao, untouched by the mortal world, empty of everything... and without a single person.
——
Zheng Quchi felt that Yuwen Sheng seemed different from usual today.
Actually, that's not quite right. She didn't really know the real Yuwen Sheng; she just felt that he was unusually unfriendly to her today.
He held a black umbrella over a lakeside pavilion, his posture upright and his clothes swaying in the breeze and on the water. He walked two meters away from her, his pace unhurried, yet even a glance at her seemed unnecessary.
She followed him silently, occasionally glancing up to stare at his back for a moment before casually looking away.
Traveling up the mountain with him, this time alone was different from when he was "Liu Fengmian," and also different from when Yuwen Sheng deliberately transformed himself into "Liu Fengmian." This was the real Yuwen Sheng.
He wouldn't deliberately talk to her, he wouldn't slow down to wait for her, and he wouldn't consider her feelings...
She knew he was still angry about yesterday, and she wasn't interested in trying to win him over.
Each with an umbrella, one in front of the other, if they hadn't always kept in sync and maintained a balanced distance, others might have thought they were just strangers who happened to be going the same way.
“Yuwen Sheng…”
Upon reaching Sanqing Mountain, clusters of wildflowers bloomed across the mountain streams, mist swirled around, and a drizzling breeze lifted the white veil of clouds. She stood below and called out to him.
He paused, turned his head, and looked at her: "In the Kingdom of Julu, this name is considered a malignant tumor that must be eradicated. You call it out so recklessly, do you think that we can withstand the army of Julu?"
Zheng Quchi remained silent, gripping the umbrella handle tightly. She pursed her lips before saying, "I was wrong. I won't shout like that again. I just wanted to ask if you have any plans that require my cooperation?"
She boldly speculated: "Fu Rong said you're looking for something very important. Do you need me to help you find out? Or rather, to scout out the location and explore the way for you? I used to..."
Yuwen Sheng gazed at her quietly for a moment before turning his gaze away.
"You just need to do what you're supposed to do, and don't worry about anything else."
She was taken aback: "But Fu Rong and the others said..."
"You just need to protect yourself," Yuwen Sheng interrupted her.
Their conversation ended there, and he set off again, leaving Zheng Quchi no choice but to follow.
The Thousand Trees Hall is not located in Wujue Temple. It is located at the top of Sanqing Mountain. There is a particularly difficult section of the road leading up the mountain, which connects to a treacherous cliff. They have to traverse a narrow plank road carved into the mountainside.
Walking on the plank road feels like standing on a precipice, overlooking the mountains, making one feel the insignificance of everything.
Especially when it's wet and slippery after rain, every step needs to be taken with extra force and determination, and no carelessness is allowed.
When Zheng Quchi saw this plank road built with countless hammer blows, he stared at it intently, marveling inwardly that the wisdom of the ancients was truly undeniable; even under such barren conditions, they were able to achieve the ability to ascend to heaven.
If she were to do it, could she do it, and could she achieve it in a more convenient, scientific, safe, and permanent way?
With a bottomless valley beneath her feet, she walked cautiously yet explored freely. Holding an umbrella in one hand and gripping the rock face with the other, she was afraid that flocks of birds would fly by and knock her over. It was truly a thrilling and exciting journey.
Yuwen Sheng walked ahead as usual, but Zheng Quchi was terrified, fearing that if he took a wrong step, he would fall into the abyss.
There was a section of the road ahead where the planks were no longer laid out; it was a path of chiseled stones, the widest part of which was as long as an arm, and the narrowest part was only two palms wide. It was truly becoming more and more dangerous as you went on.
Her heart was pounding. She folded the umbrella and tucked it into her waistband, no longer daring to support herself with one arm.
She licked her lips and nervously moved at a snail's pace. Yuwen Sheng refused to wait for her, and she was afraid of losing him if she was alone behind him, so she had no choice but to bite the bullet and speed up.
ah--
A sharp scream, whether from behind or below, made Zheng Quchi shudder.
What? !
She turned around abruptly, but saw nothing amiss. Suddenly, a dark shadow whistled past her ear, and a gust of wind arose, whipping her hair into a fluttering dance.
Her eyes widened, and she turned her head to look down. She saw a dark figure falling from above, grazing her clothes, and with a sudden downward pull, she slipped and was pulled backward by the force of the wind.
Her pupils constricted suddenly, her face turned pale, and she stared at the bottomless abyss below, her mind going completely blank.
When faced with a danger beyond our control, we feel so helpless and insignificant.
Her swaying hand, desperately trying to grab something, was suddenly gripped tightly at the wrist by a large hand, and with a forceful pull, she was dragged back from the edge of the cliff.
She spun around, her face tilting inwards as she bumped into his strong chest. The familiar, delicate scent of morning dew was something she had never been able to quite identify before, but at this moment, it was as if her mind had suddenly opened up, allowing her to smell the cool fragrance of bluebells.
Her eyes widened, her heart pounded as if it were racing at 180 miles per hour, then abruptly stopped, and was now trapped in her chest, pounding all over.
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