Chapter 29 Escape
Ling Zheng, who was among the medicine men, saw the Valley Master and Wen Rensu beside him from afar. His eyes darkened and he slipped away in the chaos.
He walked into a secluded path, took out a piece of linen from his sleeve, tied it on the back of his head, and made a simple mask.
Ling Zheng started running towards the Valley Master's bedroom. When he arrived at the door, he was already sweating profusely, and his face became even more pale and looked unrecognizable.
He adjusted his breathing and slowly walked into the corridor of the bedroom. Every ten steps, there was an oil lamp illuminating the ornaments on the walls on both sides.
There were strange herbs, huge beetle corpses, and bones of unknown animals. It was so quiet that the only sound was one's own heartbeat.
The corridor was about ten feet away, and Ling Zheng quickly arrived at the master bedroom, where several unconscious servants were lying on the ground.
The Valley Master entered Taoism through poison, and his blood is full of poison. There is almost nothing in the world that can bewitch him, but it is difficult for his servants to reach this level.
Before reporting the matter of the medicine man to the Valley Master, Wen Rensu had already spread odorless incense outside the master bedroom door, giving Ling Zheng an opportunity.
He walked in quickly and, following Wen Rensu's instructions, went straight to the screen behind the bed.
There lay a giant bronze tripod quietly, engraved with dense runes that almost occupied the entire body of the tripod, making it look even more eerie.
Ling Zheng grabbed the handle of the tripod lid and pulled it, but unexpectedly, the lid looked small, but it was actually very heavy.
It's too heavy, what should I do! A trace of panic flashed through his mind, but he forced himself to calm down and scan the room to see if there was any tool that could be used.
A Tang sword placed on the sword rack caught his attention. Ling Zheng ran to take it down, pulled out the scabbard, and the blade shone with a cold light.
He went back and gathered his strength to insert the blade into the gap of the tripod lid. He gripped the hilt and pressed down, prying out a gap about the width of a finger. At this time, the sword had been bent to the extreme, making a buzzing sound.
After sensing the change in light, the poisonous insects in the cauldron began to scurry around and hit the inner wall, making harsh scratching sounds, and a few even escaped from the cauldron.
Ling Zheng bit his finger, squeezed out a few drops of dark red blood and smeared them on the Gu jar, then saw a spotted silkworm mother Gu slowly crawling in.
Ling Zheng's face showed a slight joy after obtaining the spotted silkworm mother Gu. He raised his leg and kicked the lid of the tripod closed. He also put the Tang sword back into place.
Ling Zheng ran out on tiptoe, his ears moving slightly, and suddenly he heard a sound, the sound of dead leaves being crushed by his feet.
I remember that there was only an ancient tree at the entrance of the bedroom, so that person must have been on Ling Zheng's path.
After hesitating for a moment, Ling Zheng turned around and ran back, hiding in the place where the tripod was placed.
Half a minute later, Ling Zheng heard the Valley Master's voice, with a hint of anger.
"Those medicine men are really restless. Haha, they are just food for the insects, yet they dare to use the insects to eliminate dissidents."
Then Wen Rensu replied calmly, "Yes."
Ling Zheng squatted behind the ancient tripod, listening to the increasingly obvious footsteps of the Valley Master, who probably sat down on the bed.
"Protector Wenren, how long can you stay in the valley this time?"
“…It’s hard to say.”
"How can a Dharma Protector travel outside every day? Isn't it good to have good food and good accommodation here?"
Wenren complained of silence.
Ling Zheng felt a sudden sharp pain in his ankle. It was another spotted silkworm mother Gu that had crawled out! He didn't dare to say a word, and beads of sweat formed on his temples and dripped onto the ground.
Unexpectedly, such a small fluctuation could be heard by the Valley Master. His expression suddenly became gloomy. He turned around and walked around the screen, and was surprised to find a masked medicine man hiding in it.
"You are so brave!" The Valley Master smiled ferociously, stretched out his sharp black nails and attacked Ling Zheng.
Ling Zheng yelled at the top of his lungs, "Wen Ren Su, save me!"
Oh? The Valley Master's eyes rolled, and he immediately understood the whole situation. Wen Rensu had actually betrayed him and was in cahoots with the medicine man in front of him.
In the blink of an eye, the Valley Master suddenly felt a sharp wind blowing from behind. He suddenly turned sideways and slashed with his blade, and several poisoned silver needles flew out in an instant.
Wen Rensu quickly picked up the Tang sword on the table, and without even drawing it out of its sheath, he swung it to block all the rain of silver needles.
"Wen Rensu! I treated you with all my kindness! How dare you betray me!"
"I'm sorry, Master. I have to do this."
Before he could finish his words, Wen Rensu approached the Valley Master and chopped at his neck with a Tang sword. The Valley Master lowered his waist, dodged, and shot out several silver needles.
Seeing that Ren Su and the Valley Master were fighting fiercely, Ling Zheng avoided them and rushed out without hesitation, but the Valley Master really had no time to pay attention to him.
He hurried to the north gate, reserved for elders and above. Following Professor Wenrensu's method, he pressed the switches on the gate in a fixed sequence. The stone gate slid open with a rumble, stirring up wisps of dust.
He came out. When the heavy stone door closed behind him and the warm sunlight shone on Ling Zheng's face, he couldn't help but squint his eyes.
Finally, free.
Ling Zheng's eyes welled up. Quickly calming himself, he not only continued wearing his mask but also smeared a handful of dirt on his exposed skin to make it less glaringly white.
Although he would look better without the medicine man's outfit, Ling Zheng was short of money at the moment and could not afford new clothes.
He hurried into the city, wanting to buy some food for the journey before the news spread, and head to a place farther away from the Cliff Valley.
After walking a few miles, Ling Zheng stood at the food shop, touched a string of copper coins in his palm, and asked the big and strong lady for the price.
"How many steamed buns can I buy with ten coins?"
Just as he was waiting for the old lady's answer, someone suddenly patted his shoulder. Ling Zheng's face changed slightly and he wanted to run away, but the man grabbed his wrist.
"Jiang Ling, where are you going?"
The familiar voice made Ling Zheng breathe a sigh of relief. He turned his head to look back, then froze in place.
Wen Ren Su was no longer wearing the mask he had been wearing for years. His angular face was filled with narrow eyes, which contained a hint of tenderness.
The lips are thin and pale, revealing a hint of original coolness. Combined with the slightly sharp jawline, it creates a sensual and complex sense of stunning beauty.
There are more or less some rumors about Wen Rensu's appearance. Some people say that there may be a scar or a large birthmark on Wen Rensu's face under the mask. In short, it must be hideous and terrifying, so it is covered up.
After learning Wenren's true appearance, Lingzheng began to understand the idea of wearing a mask. Having an outstanding appearance can actually bring a lot of unnecessary trouble.
Ling Zheng quickly calmed down his surprise. After all, no matter how good a man's appearance was, there was nothing to pay attention to. Instead, there was one thing that made him curious.
"How did you find me?"
Hearing Ling Zheng's question, Wen Rensu smiled slightly.
“You want to hurry, but when I saw you in the palace, there was no sign of any dry food on you, and you couldn’t afford a horse. Fengming City is the closest to the north gate, so it’s not difficult to guess.
"Don't eat this broken steamed bun anymore. I'll buy you some clothes first, and then buy you a fast horse. Then we'll go north to the most famous Yueshun Restaurant in Guxing City and eat good food."
"What did you say? If you don't want to buy, don't interfere with my business!" When the old lady heard that Ling Zheng and the other man not only did not buy anything, but also shouted "broken buns" at the door of the store, she put her hands on her hips and pointed at their noses and scolded them angrily.
Ling Zheng glanced at the old lady coldly, pulled Wen Rensu's sleeve and left.
When he stepped into the neat and beautiful cloth shop, Ling Zheng felt as if he was in another world. He forgot how long it had been since he bought new clothes.
The shopkeeper was a young woman, and she was struck by the sight of Wen Rensu. She approached him gracefully and said warmly, "Sir, what would you like to buy?"
Wen Rensu raised his chin slightly to indicate, "I bought it for him. Do you have any recommendations?"
Hearing this, the shopkeeper opened his mouth unconsciously. It was common for medicine men to serve behind the Gu Master, but buying clothes for medicine men was unique.
Therefore, as soon as they entered the door, the shopkeeper naturally ignored Ling Zheng who was standing beside him.
"Uh... young sir, what style of clothes do you like?" But the shopkeeper was a shrewd man and quickly adjusted his attitude.
The voice coming from behind the mask was a little muffled, but it was still clear that it was a young male voice.
"Anything that's convenient for movement will do."
The shopkeeper understood and took Ling Zheng to choose.
Wen Rensu immediately fell in love with several sets of luxurious brocade clothes suitable for young men displayed at the front door.
When Ling Zheng returned with two sets of dark-colored suits, Wen Rensu pointed at the brocade clothes at the front door and said to the shopkeeper with a smile, "Take these two down and have a look."
The shopkeeper was delighted and said "oh", then handed it to Wenrensu to look at it. Wenrensu touched the material and found it soft, glutinous and breathable, so he asked the shopkeeper to pack up the four sets of clothes.
Ling Zheng felt a little uncomfortable and frowned, saying, "No need to buy so much."
"Huh?" Wen Rensu seemed surprised, then smiled.
"My Jiang Ling is so beautiful, how can she wear ugly clothes? I want to go to the Central Plains to buy some, the clothes there are more exquisite."
"...No need." Ling Zheng is beautiful and aware of it, but she is not used to dressing up.
Moreover, strictly speaking, he had no relationship with Wen Rensu at all. Who knows when, thinking that Wen Rensu was no longer useful, he would sneak away, not going to the Central Plains at all.
The two of them arrived at the horse market, which was bustling with activity, filled with the sounds of bargaining and the occasional neighing of horses.
Ling Zheng changed into a set of tight clothes, looking a little thinner, and walked side by side with Wen Rensu.
Wen Rensu turned around and asked, "Jiang Ling, can you ride a horse?"
"...Yes." There was a hint of doubt in Ling Zheng's tone.
Wen Rensu raised his eyebrows, "Really?"
"...No." Ling Zheng changed his words without blushing or beating his heart.
Wen Rensu picked a stronger Ili horse, sat on the saddle gracefully, and extended his hand to invite Ling Zheng.
"Jiang Ling, get on the horse."
Looking up at Wen Rensu's sincere face, Ling Zheng comforted himself that it was just a temporary solution. He immediately grasped Wen Rensu's warm palm, gritted his teeth, and pushed forward, straddling his arms.
Feeling the thick, inky hair of Ling Zheng brushing against the back of his neck, bringing a light tickle, Wen Rensu curved his lips and smiled, "Let's go." With that, he pulled the reins and the Ili horse started to run.
As the horse's back swayed, Ling Zheng was tightly wrapped in Wen Rensu's arms. Endless embarrassment arose in his heart, but was forcibly suppressed by his willpower.
They rode like this for over half an hour before finally reaching Guxing City. Outside the city gate, Ling Zheng saw a stream and suggested washing his face before entering, as the dirt on his face had become itchy from sticking to it for so long.
When we arrived at Yueshun Restaurant, we were already filled with the mouth-watering aroma of wine and meat before we even entered the door. This is a smell that cannot be smelled in the Cliff Valley.
Ling Zheng's stomach growled uncontrollably. As a teenager, he inevitably felt a surge of embarrassment, but Wen Rensu didn't laugh at him, instead gently stroking the top of his head.
"It's been a while since you've had a full meal in the Cliff Valley. Enjoy your meal today, but don't overeat. I know there are a lot of delicious foods along the way, and I'll take you there."
Even though he knew it was all fake emotion, the words were still so touching. Ling Zheng's heart skipped a beat and he pursed his lips.
Ling Zheng went upstairs with mixed feelings. Wen Rensu seemed not to notice. He called the waiter and listed all the signature dishes of his restaurant like they were his own treasures.
When talking about a dish with peanuts, Wen Rensu glanced at Ling Zheng, hesitated for a moment, and finally removed it.
Seeing this, undercurrents brewed in Ling Zheng's dark pupils.
Wen Rensu said nonchalantly, "My intuition tells me that you don't like peanuts, right?"
"How do you know?" Ling Zheng felt that Wen Rensu's words were puzzling, but he happened to be right.
Wen Rensu smiled mysteriously and said, "I guessed it." After that, he lowered his eyelids, and a subtle undercurrent appeared in his eyes under his long eyelashes.
The exquisite dishes were soon served one after another. Ling Zheng untied the sackcloth, revealing his pale face.
Wen Rensu was not in a hurry to eat, and served Ling Zheng the food very naturally.
Seeing this, Ling Zheng's hand holding the chopsticks froze, and he whispered, "I can do it myself."
"What's wrong with serving food to my wife? I'm not hungry now anyway." Wen Rensu said in a very calm tone.
But the two men's interaction was watched by many people. Ling Zheng secretly complained, feeling like a thorn in his side.
After half a round of drinking, Wen Rensu said to Ling Zheng, "I'm going to the bathroom, you continue eating."
Ling Zheng nodded and breathed a sigh of relief, finally able to eat his meal in peace and comfort. Wen Rensu had just been looking at him with such affectionate eyes that it had been a real torment for him to eat.
Not long after, a burly man swaggered up to Ling Zheng. He looked as ugly as an orangutan. He smiled obscenely and said, "Girl, I can see that you are a woman disguised as a man. Come and have a drink with me."
Ling Zheng blinked expressionlessly, his brows instantly covered with an almost sinister coldness. His mouth curved inexplicably, and he immediately spat out the word "get out".
Unfortunately, the big man had drunk a lot of wine and was very drunk. He could not recognize that it was a male voice at all. He just felt that the thorny rose was more stimulating and wanted to get closer to savor it carefully.
Before the big man sat down, Wen Rensu stood silently behind him, grabbed the big man's shoulders, his fingertips dug deep into his body, almost to the point of crushing him, and suddenly threw him more than ten steps away, and then he staggered and fell on the wooden floor.
The hidden smile on his face completely disappeared, as if he had returned to his aloof and arrogant look before he was infected with the love poison. He walked over leisurely, stepped on the big man's sin, and crushed it hard.
The big man suddenly let out a howl like a pig being slaughtered, cold sweat broke out, and soon a dark circle appeared under his crotch, emitting a disgusting stench.
The few people who were traveling with the big man noticed that Wen Ren Su was releasing a strong murderous intent, and they didn't even dare to eat. While Wen Ren Su was not paying attention, they carried the big man out of the restaurant trembling.
When Wen Rensu apologized to Ling Zheng, there was still a hint of coldness in his eyes.
"Jiang Ling, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left you here alone."
Ling Zheng has always been vindictive, and now seeing Wen Rensu's hurt face, he instinctively wanted to get rid of this weirdness and pretended not to pursue it any further: "Forget it, just come back."
After experiencing the treacherous life of Cliff Valley, Ling Zheng felt deeply uncomfortable with Wen Rensu's almost pure love, like putting your frozen hands in warm water and then they become numb and painful.
Wenren complained that this pure love was actually completely based on illusions, a mirage, a castle in the air. Lingzheng knew all this, but why did his heart, which was completely tainted by greed, feel so inexplicably empty?
After eating and drinking, Wen Rensu took Ling Zheng to the inn next door to rest for a while. He told Ling Zheng that he wanted to go to the market to buy some things.
Ling Zheng still had a trace of inexplicable emotion in his mind, and agreed without objection.
Wen Rensu was gone for more than an hour. He went to the black market and bought two sets of Wanjun School clothes and a light and slender sword.
The Wanjun Sect is a unique sect among the sects in the Central Plains. Its strength is comparable to that of the largest sect, the Qiyang Sect. It is only because of its smaller number of members that it is not included in the big sects, but it is also very famous.
When Wen Rensu returned to the inn and opened the door, there was no one there. It was empty, with only two sets of brocade clothes neatly folded on the couch. Ling Zheng had only taken his spare change of clothes.
Tsk. Wen Rensu felt a headache and looked out the window. It was dusk, approaching night. The hazy moonlight that used to be visible was now gone. This was because today was the first day of the new moon.
The night of the new moon is when the poison of the spotted silkworm Gu takes effect. Although Ling Zheng has drawn the young Gu out of his body, the poison has penetrated deep into his bones over the years and is not fatal. However, he still feels uncomfortable every time the new moon comes.
Therefore, Ling Zheng couldn't go far.
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