late at night.

Thick clouds temporarily obscured the moonlight.

Xiaoju walked hurriedly on the mountain road. She was cautious and worried, looking around frequently. The lantern she was holding was a magical instrument, which could be used for investigation and warning.

The trees on both sides of the mountain road rustled in the breeze. Besides the sound of the wind, Xiaoju could only hear the sound of her own footsteps and heartbeat.

The sound of the waterfall grew louder and louder, drowning out all other sounds.

Soon, a deep pool appeared in front of her. Xiaoju quickened her pace, trying not to stay near the water.

She came to the waterfall and walked up the mountain path. The roar of the waterfall rang in her ears, which was particularly deafening at night.

The air was filled with mist, and the moss and vines on the rock walls were very moist.

The light from the lantern cast flickering shadows on the stone walls.

Xiaoju walked forward and saw the entrance to the Wan Yao Cave, and she felt slightly happy.

But then, she thought of the mission entrusted to her by Lin Shanshan, and felt an extremely heavy pressure again.

She had already arrived at the entrance of the cave, but for a moment, she hesitated and wandered around the entrance, not daring to enter.

At this moment, Linghu Jiu's voice came from the cave:

"Drunk lying on a stone bed in the warm breeze,"

"Dreams deep in the cave are hard to guess."

"When I wake up, the moonlight shines on the pines and cypresses,"

"The footsteps are getting closer. Who is coming?"

Xiaoju knew that she had been discovered, so she had no choice but to bite the bullet and introduce herself.

Linghu Jiu of course knew that Xiaoju was Lin Shanshan's personal maid, so he immediately called her in.

Xiaoju walked into the cave with trepidation.

The lights in the cave are dim, and there are many mottled mosses on the walls, as if telling the passage of time and vicissitudes of life.

Xiaoju soon saw the stone bed.

A thin monk was half lying on the stone bed.

He was half-lying on his side, with a casual posture, smelling of alcohol, and with sleepy eyes, he exuded an aloof demeanor, as if all worldly worries had nothing to do with him.

It is Linghu wine.

With a smile on his face, he gently asked Xiaoju: "You came to the cave to find me so late at night. Is it because Junior Sister wants to ask me for help?"

Xiaoju took a deep breath, bowed first, then gritted her teeth and told Linghu Jiu about Lin Shanshan's request.

Linghu Jiu: ...

Xiaoju looked at Linghu Jiu anxiously.

Linghu Jiu frowned, sighed deeply, got off the stone bed, put his hands behind his back, and paced in the cave.

For a moment, Xiaoju suddenly felt that Linghu Jiu's transcendental demeanor was dragged down by the secular world, tainted by the red dust, and his immortal nature disappeared, adding a lot of humanity.

Xiaoju felt a lot of sympathy for Linghu Jiu who was frowning and thinking.

She had made up her mind that if Linghu Jiu even slightly rejected Lin Shanshan's request, she would immediately turn around and leave.

Although she was a girl, she felt that this matter was too bad and cruel for Linghu Jiu.

Linghu Jiu paused and sighed, "I have been in the cave for a long time and I don't know what is happening in the outside world."

"This time, even if Junior Sister didn't come to ask me for help, I should have helped her."

"Xiao Ju, take my badge and go to the library to get the enlightenment diagrams for the gold and fire elements. As long as they can be shown to the monks stationed outside, give them to Ning Zhuo."

"When you hand it over to him, tell him that the senior brothers are a little anxious to protect their junior sisters, and please don't blame Master Ning Zhuo."

"Let me lend you these Enlightenment Diagrams as an apology from the Wanyao Sect."

Xiaoju looked confused and didn't know why Linghu Jiu said that.

Linghu Jiu smiled at her and waved his hand: "When you go back, tell Junior Sister about this and tell her that she doesn't need to pay anything this time. As the senior brother, I will take care of it."

"You must go there early tomorrow morning and make sure this is done. Please report to me when you return."

"Yes, Xiaoju understands." Xiaoju returned to the original mountain with the badge, carrying all kinds of doubts.

After meeting Lin Shanshan, he told his young lady about Linghu wine's hospitality.

After a moment of confusion, Lin Shanshan's frown suddenly relaxed and she figured out the key: "So that's it."

"Miss, what does that mean?" Xiaoju couldn't understand this riddle.

Lin Shanshan explained to her: "It should be that Senior Brothers Laode and others fanned the flames behind the scenes, causing public opinion against Master Ning Zhuo, which prompted many cultivators to challenge him."

"My eldest senior brother knows about this, so he ordered you to do this to apologize to Master Ning Zhuo."

"Ah? Why should we, the Wanyao Sect, apologize to an outsider?" Xiaoju found it unbelievable and felt indignant after hearing this, and she spoke up for Linghu Jiu.

Lin Shanshan shook her head.

She has been brought up since she was a child, so naturally her vision and cognition are different from those of the maids.

"Big Brother, it's right to do this."

"The presence of monks stationed outside our sect is a unique feature of our sect and one of our main management strategies."

"Once this matter is exposed, the harm to the entire Wanyao Sect will be invisible and huge."

"Since the eldest senior brother wants to bear the expenses, let him do it. As the eldest senior brother of Wanyao Sect, he really needs to do this."

Xiaoju finally understood a little.

The next day, she started to act early in the morning.

Afterwards, she took the maps, entered the teleportation array, and appeared directly on Xiaozheng Peak.

She slightly concealed her face, dressed in a strange way, and went straight to the cave where Ning Zhuo was now. She sent a message to express her identity and her intention to visit.

Ning Zhuo was practicing the three skills in the cave. After receiving the letter, he immediately sent a message to Xiaoju to come into the cave.

Xiaoju had just sat down in the reception room when she heard footsteps. Then she saw a young man turning around the screen and appearing in front of her.

Xiaoju's eyes lit up and she saw Ning Zhuo wearing a long robe with wide sleeves, as white as clouds.

He has handsome features, his eyes are distinct black and white, as clear as lake water, and reveal a sincere light.

He had a smile on his face, as kind and gentle as the spring breeze, which made people feel good about him.

"No wonder the young lady has such a fondness for him, running around for him and giving so much for him!" Xiaoju sighed in her heart.

Before she met Ning Zhuo in person, she didn't quite understand Lin Shanshan's actions and felt indignant for her senior brother Linghu Jiu.

But now that I have met Ning Zhuo in person, I suddenly have a greater understanding of Lin Shanshan.

Read the error-free version at 69shuba! 6=9+shu_ba is the first to publish this novel.

"I thought that as a son of a cultivation family, he would have a similar status to the eldest lady, but I didn't expect him to dress so plainly and simply."

"So, this is the type that the lady likes!"

"In fact, in my opinion, Ning Zhuo and Linghu Jiu are completely on par with each other."

Xiaoju secretly compared the two of them in her heart.

She felt that Linghu wine was like a breeze, unrestrained, free and gentle, while Ning Zhuo was like the morning light, pure and clean, sincere and warm.

The young man in white is graceful and his eyes are as clear as the full moon.

The clear breeze and bright moon are both suitable for each other, and they are both good men in the world.

Xiaoju stood up, saluted Ning Zhuo, and her voice became much more obedient and gentle.

Ning Zhuo smiled, sat in the main seat and motioned Xiaoju to sit down as well.

Xiao Ju did not take a seat: "I am just the young lady's maid, how dare I sit on the same level as Master Ning Zhuo."

"This time, I came here to bring you a treasure!"

Xiaoju took out all the gold and fire enlightenment diagrams and handed them to Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo was curious and asked, "Miss Lin has been put in solitary confinement, how could she lend me so many enlightenment diagrams?"

After all, he had only borrowed three pictures of the Enlightenment Diagram from Yue Muxing before, and he had taken out the two pictures of Lingshuang and Aoxue that he had on him to lend out.

The current scale is much bigger than before.

It doesn't make sense that after Lin Shanshan was put in solitary confinement, her own power and means became greater.

Xiaoju smiled: "I was just about to tell you this, sir."

Next, she told Ning Zhuo in detail the whole story about the Wufatu and Linghu Jiu's apology to him.

Ning Zhuo was surprised: "There is such a thing?"

"So, the reason why I was challenged by so many people today was because of the disciples of Wan Yao Men who were behind the scenes fanning the flames."

"I see. Hahaha."

Ning Zhuo pretended that he had just realized it and laughed out loud a few times.

He stood up and stuffed all the Enlightenment Diagrams into Xiaoju's hands: "If that's the case, then I can't take these Enlightenment Diagrams."

Xiaoju was very surprised: "Why do I dare to ask you, sir?"

Ning Zhuo said seriously: "Before, I was grateful to Miss Lin for her kindness and help. She helped me, an outsider, to quickly integrate into the Wanyao Sect and Xiaozheng Peak."

"I have always remembered this kindness, which is deeply engraved in my heart. I dare not forget it. I think if I have the chance in the future, I will definitely repay it."

"How could I not know how much Miss Lin has done to help me?"

"Hearing that she was put in solitary confinement made me extremely worried. Every time I went to the original mountain, I was stopped. I'm afraid that none of the letters I sent out reached Miss Lin."

Xiaoju nodded. She knew that Ning Zhuo came to the original mountain almost every day and that his letters were intercepted by Laude and others.

Ning Zhuo said: "I once asked myself, if I knew that Miss Lin would be put in solitary confinement for helping me, would I still accept her help?"

"I will."

Xiaoju couldn't help but exclaimed. She thought Ning Zhuo would deny it, but she didn't expect him to directly affirm it.

Ning Zhuo stared into Xiaoju's eyes: "Because I understand that Miss Lin is helping me completely from the bottom of her heart!"

"This kind of thought is just like the Wu Xiulan I gave her. It is a treasure between heaven and earth and needs to be cherished."

"I wonder if there is such a friendship in the world, where people can feel like old friends at first sight and help each other after just a short time together?"

"If I refuse Miss Lin's help, I will just be watching such a treasure being scattered."

“This is a waste of natural resources.”

"She helps me now, and I will come back to help her in the future. This is the symbol of friendship and the best way to preserve this treasure in the world!"

Xiaoju was stunned.

She didn't expect Ning Zhuo to say such a thing.

Looking at the young man in white who was as bright as the morning light, and looking at his clear eyes, Xiaoju could feel his sincerity.

"I see." She was convinced.

She also vaguely understood why Ning Zhuo would now reject these enlightenment diagrams.

"Just... friendship?"

(End of this chapter)