Chapter 56
03 He held Feng Jue's hand and sighed maturely.
The elders sitting nearby couldn't help but laugh, remarking that they hadn't seen such a lively Palace Master in all those years. Seeing the two of them interacting, the other sects each had their own thoughts. They thought, "Xi Lingren has suddenly become a powerful figure in Dongzhou, and now he has such a close relationship with Feng Jue. Lanyang Palace has gained another major force. Who in Dongzhou can compete with him in the future?"
Some people looked at the empty space below the left hand side of Lanyang Palace. That was supposed to be the seat of the Red Thunder Sword Sect, but unfortunately Li Wuhe did something stupid and passed away, and the Red Thunder Sword Sect did not send anyone else to support him.
The platform and the square formed their own worlds. The thoughts of those on the stage had no effect on the lively atmosphere below. The nine bone-testing platforms periodically emitted bright lights, drawing cheers and sighs from the crowd. Whenever someone passed the test, a dedicated person would record their sect's name on a spirit stone. The names were then divided according to their cultivation level, and those on the same spirit stone would become the competitors on the subsequent stage.
The elders on the platform focused their attention on the spirit stones. Lanyang Palace disciples lined up at the front for bone examinations, their names written on the stones standing out from the crowd. As the Palace Master, Feng Jue nodded in satisfaction.
03 found a silk handkerchief, grabbed Feng Jue's fingers and wiped them for her. She said, "There is something I want to tell you."
"Hmm?" Feng Jue turned her head, and a white veil covered her head. She subconsciously closed her eyes and heard 03's low laughter. The sound was like the white snow piled under the trees in the forest, quiet and cold.
Feng Jue opened her eyes in embarrassment and met 03's face. The anger in her eyes suddenly disappeared. She saw a faint smile on 03's face. She slightly curled the corners of her mouth, gently pressed down her long eyelashes, and her eyes were calm and gentle, which made Feng Jue unable to look away.
It was no longer the fake smile that had curved the corners of his mouth in the same exact angle, always with the same flawless accuracy. Surprised, Feng Jue reached out and poked 03's mouth, his fingers sinking into the warm skin. 03 was visibly stunned, the curve of his mouth deepening a little. He then reached out and poked Feng Jue's face in the same spot.
Siyi walked over slowly, looked at the Palace Master sitting on the main seat, and paused.
A veil covered the two people. Feng Jue placed one hand on the jade throne, and the bright red hem of her dress covered most of her palm. The light white gauze hung down, covering the scarlet and piling up on the scarlet, like a pear pressing a crabapple, or white snow covering a red plum - it was particularly evocative.
Siyi: “Ahem!”
Inside the veil, Feng Jue pursed his lips lightly, slapped 03's hand away, and took out the wooden box from his storage ring. He whispered, "I had Siyi refine the shell fragments of the mirage body I retrieved from the Chongshan Secret Realm. I made a hairpin for you, engraved with a formation to conceal your aura. It has the same function as the veil you're wearing now. Once the formation is activated, it can conceal your aura."
As she spoke, she opened the wooden box and took out a white hairpin. The hairpin had a wavy body and a simple and elegant design. The end was adorned with a silver pearl - the pearl was made from one of the five beads that survived the battle with the mirage. There were only five left in the 603 combination, and one of them was still hanging on the waist of the real 03, which really made Zhu tremble.
Feng Jue input a stream of spiritual power into the jade hairpin, asked 03 to lower her head, inserted the hairpin into 03's hair, and took off her veil.
03 said: "I feel emotional."
The world suddenly became clear!
Phoenix Technique: "..."
Monks are used to using spiritual power. Even if their eyes are injured, they can still survey the surroundings with spiritual power. But 03 is not like that. Except for fighting, she never uses spiritual power. After she stopped making beads and stopped flying, she just walked around the mountain on her two legs.
"As the saying goes, return to simplicity and return to nature. I think you want to return to simplicity and return to the pearl." Feng Jue joked, reaching out to fiddle with the beads on 03's waist. 03 said, "Feng Jue, do you want to see it?"
Feng Jue was really afraid that 03 would perform a magic trick on the spot, so he immediately said, "No need."
OK
03 nodded, waved and said hello to Siyi who was sitting next to her but smiling but not saying anything, then reminded Feng Jue: "It's a new task." She leaned over, leaned close to Feng Jue's ear, lowered her eyes and spoke in a low voice.
Her breath immediately fell beside her ear. Feng Jue's fingers stiffened, and he tilted his head calmly, pulling his red ears away from the warmth a little, and listened to 03 speak.
"According to what I know about the plot and past experience, the so-called thing in Xue Bushi's hand is not the "Phoenix Secret" you need. He looks very confident. Maybe he just knows your situation and misunderstands that what he has can have a great impact on you, so he wants to use it to blackmail you." 03 said softly.
Feng Jue's expression turned cold, and he nodded. 03 was right. If the Xue family had the Phoenix Secret, how could Old Madam Xue and her grandmother, who were like sisters, bear to watch her die? This Xue Bushi was nothing more than a self-righteous fool.
03 said, "I don't know how much he knows about you. To prevent him from spreading this matter casually, I promised to tell him that you can go meet him."
Feng Jue had the same plan. To see what he was going to do, she raised her hand to touch her chin and glanced at the bottom of the platform.
The bustling crowd had different expressions on their faces. The Lianshan Sect had declined to such an extent that there was not even a seat on this high platform. The Lianshan Sect disciple in blue disciple uniform fell into the crowd like an inconspicuous little fish in the ocean, with his fish face puffed up, and no one knew what the arrogance came from.
Feng Jue sneered disdainfully and picked up the teacup to drink tea. 03 tilted his head to watch Feng Jue drink tea and said calmly:
Xue Bushi is like all the brainless villains in melodramatic stories—impulsive, complacent, and full of flaws. Rest assured, no matter what he tries, he won't succeed."
"..." Feng Jue's lips left the teacup and he looked at 03 in surprise. He saw her leaning over, holding the teacup with both hands and drinking the tea with a "gulp".
Her long silver hair hung down on the sides of her face, her eyes were as calm and clear as ever, her movements were awkward and stiff, she drank tea like water because it tasted good, after putting down the teacup, her eyes curved up and she laughed "haha" to express her happiness.
"Heh." Feng Jue chuckled, leaned to the side, supported his face with his fingers, and curled his eyes.
As the days of bone testing passed, more and more names appeared on the spirit stone. People were restless, and there were always people coming to the square to walk around and look at the names on the spirit stone. Some clever monks simply started a business in this area, squatting beside the stone slab and writing one more name on the refined spirit stone. The monks who paid for the spirit stone could see it in the city.
Those who didn't have money to buy spirit stones looked up while holding their swords, saying to those around them, "Fortunately, the competition uses a points system. You don't lose qualification just by losing once. If you're unlucky and face someone two levels higher in cultivation, you're doomed."
"Look at the names at the top of this Jindan stage panel: Feng Jue of Lanyang Palace and Xu Zehua of Chilei Sword Sect. One of them is in the Great Perfection Jindan stage, and the other is in the middle Jindan stage. If you ask me, the final winner of this Jindan stage will be one of these two!" He vowed.
Behind the man, a silver-white head nodded.
Another person said, "That's not the case! In my opinion, the top of each list is someone who has reached the late stage of cultivation and is always victorious in every battle! Palace Master Feng and Young Master Xu may be famous, but the difference in cultivation cannot be made up by reputation."
Behind him, a silver head tilted.
"You are right, but Palace Master Feng has killed a thunderbird in the late Jindan stage. How does this count?" The previous person seemed to be a fan of Feng Jue and actively spoke to Feng Jue.
Silverhead nodded.
Another person said, "Back then, we had the right time, right place, and right people. If we were to let Palace Master Feng fight an uninjured late Jindan Thunderbird now, the winner would be obvious!"
Silver tilted his head.
The man from before said, "How do you know that luck isn't a part of strength? If you have bad luck and always draw a higher-level opponent in the ring, and lose every time, how can you explain it?"
Another person: "Hiss! You are so stubborn!"
"Whoever is talking back, let's ask someone to judge for justice!" The man holding the sword turned his head and was startled to see a beautiful woman standing behind them. He didn't know when she came. She had long hair like a waterfall and carried a sword on her back.
The swordsman, who already had a beloved wife, put away his amazement and said in surprise, "Senior Sister! What do you think?"
The senior sister said: "Feng Jue is OK, Xu Zehua is not OK, and the others are not OK."
Look at this! He is indeed a swordsman!
The sword-carrying man laughed heartily, grabbed his companion's wrist, and said proudly, "Listen!"
The other man was stared at by a pair of clear eyes. He cleared his throat awkwardly and said in a low voice, "I'm also being realistic."
"You say I'm stubborn, but don't you see how stubborn I am?" the sword cultivator said, pointing to the spirit stone panel next to the golden elixir. "Let's not talk about the golden elixir. There are only thirty qualified cultivators in the Nascent Soul stage, and their cultivation levels are similar. There's not a single one in the late stage. Who among these people do you think can take down the Nascent Soul champion in the East Continent Competition?"
"This..." Another person was confused. After looking around, he found that every name had been famous in Dongzhou. He couldn't help but groan and said, "I dare not jump to conclusions."
The swordsman laughed heartily, put his arm on his companion's shoulder and patted him.
At this time, 03 asked doubtfully, "Why do we have to choose?"
"Am I not the leader?"
The smiles on the two monks' faces disappeared in an instant, and they said shamefully, "Indeed."
"We are obsessed with appearances. Instead of discussing other people's prestige, let's go back to practice." The two monks bowed to 03 and left in shame.
03Looking at their backs, I took a bite of the candied haws.
——Exuding the leisure of a recommended student among a group of nervous prospective candidates.
She walked through the crowd, further and further away, along the mountain path.
03Thinking: It’s a dark and windy night, a murderous night. Sure enough, some things that cannot be known to others will happen at night.
In the distance, the mountains are undulating and the moon is bright. The green bricks under my feet are bitten by the soil and stepped on by white boots. I watch in vain as the green color covered in moonlight walks into the forest and reaches the top of the mountain.
03Looking up, I saw a person standing under the clouds, as proud as a phoenix, looking at me with his hands behind his back.
"Why did you take so long?" Feng Jue's tone was not full of complaints. He hooked his finger at 03 and chuckled, "Come here, I'll give you some candy."
03 walked over quickly and smiled at Feng Jue. Feng Jue took out a package of brown paper from the storage ring. After unfolding it, there were square-cut crisp candies inside. The syrup was coated with nuts, peanuts, and sesame seeds, and the aroma was fragrant.
"Don't worry, I've washed my hands." Feng Jue snorted coldly, picked up a piece of crispy candy and handed it to 03's mouth. 03's eyes were bright, and he took the crispy candy in his mouth, curled his eyes, and handed Feng Jue a string of candied haws. The hawthorns on the candied haws were big, red, and round, very beautiful.
"Thank you." Feng Jue said.
03 said: "Also
Thank you. "
The summer breeze blew by, and the fragrance of the mountains and forests suddenly became more sweet. Xue Bushi emerged from the woods, waved his hand to brush away the sweet smell, and looked at the two people standing on the hilltop in surprise.
This was Xue Bushi's first time seeing Feng Jue. He had only heard that she was as beautiful as a fairy, and extremely beautiful. Seeing her in person, his heart couldn't help but beat fast. He felt that the rumors were true. There was no woman more beautiful than her in the world! But when he looked at the cold and elegant silver-haired woman next to him, bathed in the moonlight and breeze, he quickly wiped away his previous thoughts.
Xue Bushi licked his lips nervously, his eyes flashing with excitement. He slowly walked over under Feng Jue's cold gaze and said with a smile, "Greetings, Palace Master Feng."
Feng Jue asked coldly, "Where are the things?"
Xue Bushi rubbed his hands and glanced at the silver-haired woman next to him. Feng Jue sneered, "Why, didn't you ask her to pass on the message to me?"
"..." Xue Bushi was shocked. Thinking of the hooded woman that day, and then of the disciples of Lingshan Sect who had become famous in Lanyang City recently, he suddenly realized.
He smiled and said, "Okay, since Palace Master Feng isn't worried, why should I worry? But please swear, Palace Master, that if I take out that thing, you won't kill anyone to steal the treasure!"
In an instant, sarcasm and a sneer appeared on Feng Jue's face, and he said sarcastically: "Okay."
After she swore, Xue Bushi calmed down and took out a wooden box from his storage ring, not forgetting to observe Feng Jue's expression.
Feng Jue stood up straight, looked at the thing in Xue Bushi's hand in surprise, and said slowly: "This is..."
Xue Bushi laughed heartily and said, "That's right! Palace Master Feng, I already know that there's something different about your inner method. You and the old Palace Master have spent your entire lives searching for the other half of your inner method, and the other half is in this wooden box!"
After taking the last bite of the candied haws, she wrapped the stick and placed it in her storage ring, intending to discard it after descending the mountain. She clapped her hands and looked at the wooden box in Xue Bushi's hand. The box looked very old, polished clean, and the moonlight cast a lacquer red hue.
The wooden box is engraved with phoenix patterns all around, and at the top handle, there are two phoenixes facing each other.
Seeing Feng Jue didn't say anything, Xue Bushi thought she didn't believe him, so he quickly input a stream of spiritual power into the wooden box. The wooden box then emitted a golden light, rejecting Xue Bushi's investigation.
"This is something my father found in my grandmother's secret room this year. It was hidden in a wooden box with many traps. There was a letter on it. It was written by my grandmother to the old Palace Master, your mother. In the letter, my grandmother mentioned the clue to the other half of the secret method and said she would get it for the Palace Master. However, my grandmother left Lianshan Sect for many years and returned seriously injured. The old Palace Master had passed away. Not long after, my grandmother also passed away. This thing is the only thing she left behind.
"Things!" Xue Bushi said excitedly, "Even if it doesn't contain the other half of the secret method you want, it is still an important clue!"
"Palace Master Feng, there's no grudge between the Lianshan Sect and the Lanyang Palace. Even if you and Xue Bufan cancel your engagement, we still have the bond between our two families. The Lanyang Palace Master's mental method is different, and this is a matter of great importance. My father and I won't mention it to anyone else. I can also give this wooden box to you, but..."
Feng Jue raised a hand and placed it on 03's shoulder. She leaned forward, lowered her eyes, and asked in a low voice, "What do you want?"
Xue Bushi's mouth was a little dry, and he whispered, "I don't want to offend the Palace Master. My father and I don't have big appetites. We just want... a spiritual vein from Lanyang Palace!" His voice suddenly rose, and his eyes were excited.
03Looking at Feng Jue, his face was calm.
Feng Jue asked calmly, "You want to use this box to exchange for a spiritual vein in Lanyang Palace?"
Xue Bushi said in a deep voice, "Yes! If Palace Master Feng doesn't want to exchange, I can't guarantee what will happen to this box in the end, nor can I guarantee who will hear that the Palace Master's mind method is different. Even if the Palace Master wants to kill me now, I still have my father!"
"Kill you? I won't kill you." Feng Jue shook her head and chuckled. She raised her hand and pointed her fingertips that were drawing golden patterns in the air. Suddenly, countless wooden boxes that were exactly the same as the one in Xue Bushi's hand fell down and blocked Xue Bushi.
Xue Bushi was horrified and looked around in panic. How could there be so many wooden boxes?
Feng Jue said slowly: "I just want to tell you that the box in your hand is worth a spiritual vein, or not worth a spiritual vein."
"It's worth mentioning that the two old ladies were deeply loyal to each other back then. This wooden box can only be opened by the secret method of the Feng family. My old lady passed the secret method to Old Lady Xue, which shows their friendship." Feng Jue finished speaking, raised his hand and put all the boxes back into the storage ring, chuckling, "Old Lady Xue has a long and blessed life. She sent my grandmother and my mother away. Do you think that if she found the other half of the secret method, she would hide it in this box instead of bringing it to me?"
"The only bloodline of her old friend?"
Xue Bushi gurgled and whispered, "I told you, this might just be a clue to the inner Dharma! Grandmother can't be sure, so she doesn't dare to give you hope."
Feng Jue sneered and suddenly looked up at the sky.
The moon was bright in the sky, and a few stars twinkled faintly. Feng Jue sighed, "If the old lady knew that her descendants treated me like this, how could her spirit rest in peace in heaven?"
"Haha, Lianshan Sect has fallen to this point, and I haven't seen what you, Lanyang Palace, have done!" Xue Bushi suddenly said, "After Xue Bufan was deposed, you watched coldly and canceled the marriage as you said. Now the reputation of Lianshan Sect has been ruined.
No longer, why don't you just ignore it for a reason! Lanyang Palace is ruthless, so don't blame us Lianshan Sect for being ungrateful! Feng Jue, let me ask you, do you want this wooden box? Will you give me the hush money or not? "
Feng Jue was still looking at the stars. She curled her lips into a smile, and her lazy voice spread in the mountain breeze. She said, "Okay, I'll give it to you."
Xue Bushi was delighted and laughed heartily: "After saying so much, you are still a coward!" No matter how powerful you are, if your weak spot is caught, you will be at his mercy!
Feng Jue moved his hand away from 03's shoulder. 03 lowered his head and saw Feng Jue shrug his shoulders.
oh!
It's her turn.
03 Her eyes lit up, and she reached into her storage ring and pulled out a letter. She held the letter and handed it to Xue Bushi with both hands, saying, "Please."
The voice was very polite.
Xue Bushi frowned and looked down. He saw two crooked words on the letter and could hardly make out: "War - Letter." Xue Bushi felt a chill on his back and subconsciously took a step back.
03 took a step forward and placed the letter of challenge on the box held by Xue Bushi. She said seriously, "That day, you and I swore to the Heavenly Dao that if I take you to see Feng Jue, you must meet one of my conditions."
"At that time, you said that this condition could not be higher than one tenth of what you got from Feng Jue. I asked you if you could exchange it for something else, something other than your personal belongings, and you said yes."
03 He tapped the wooden box through the letter of challenge with his fingers, smiled at Xue Bushi, and said, "You think this thing is related to Feng Jue's life, so you use it to threaten Feng Jue to get benefits. Then I will take your life. The oath of heaven has been made, and those who violate it will be struck by thunder from heaven. I invite you to fight me to the death, and the fight will not end until death."
03 He drew his sword, curled up the corners of his mouth, and said with a smile: "Xue Bushi, please come in."
The author has something to say
Work Log
I don’t have work today, so I went shopping and treated Feng Jue to some candied haws.
Also attached are 10 data packages of experience in analyzing human food flavors. Please refer to the main system. If you gain anything, please pay me the research fee.
Main system approval:?
*
My waist is broken, help me, help me
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
