Chapter 85 Sword Qi
Lu Xiaofeng had always known that the "home-brewed" wine from Lu Yusheng's place tasted very good, and he was amazed when he tasted it for the first time.
Seeing that Ximen Chuixue also looked somewhat surprised, he couldn't help but lean in and tease, "How is it? It's not inferior to the wine from Wanmei Manor, is it?"
The latter's expression didn't change much, but after a brief moment of stunned silence, he nodded honestly.
It was a rare treat, and Sikong Zhaixing ate with great relish. His craving for good food wasn't as low as Hua Manlou's; he was already tired of drinking herbal soup every day.
If Lu Yusheng hadn't at least not restricted his access to alcohol, he probably would have secretly gone to restaurants for a treat when he went into town to shop.
Once the tongue is enjoying the food, it's reluctant to let such a pleasant experience end too soon.
He estimated that he was about four or five tenths full, so he put down his chopsticks, poured himself a drink, and joined the conversation.
Lu Xiaofeng recounted some minor events that had occurred at Wanmei Manor in the past few days, while Ximen Chuixue listened attentively, occasionally adding a few brief comments to any omissions in his account.
Hua Manlou and Lu Yusheng reacted much more quietly. They also enjoyed the food, but listened more to the stories of the group.
When Lu Yusheng heard Doctor Xue mention that the remaining seven of his so-called "Eight Friends of Hangu Pass" might come to visit, he was at a loss for words.
You mean there are seven other people like this who are easily startled, who can't go online after being overage, and who subtly remind her of the mistakes she made?
Listening with one ear and the other, Lu Yusheng unconsciously began to scan his surroundings and drift off into his own thoughts, until he saw a white figure approaching outside the window.
In this snowy season, wearing white makes it easy to blend into the background.
She stared intently for a long time until the person's figure drew closer and closer, and the others at the table also stopped what they were doing, finally confirming the other person's identity.
It's Duan Yu.
"Young Master Duan!"
Upon seeing that it was an acquaintance, Lu Yusheng immediately stood up and waved to them. Although the others were not as enthusiastic and proactive as she was, they all put down their chopsticks.
Lu Xiaofeng and Sikong Zhaixing were only nodding acquaintances with him, but they both had a good impression of this humble and polite young man.
Hua Manlou gave a slight smile, clearly welcoming his visit.
Thinking back to the last time Duan Yu parted in haste, he promised to come back and reunite with them. Now, apart from Old Master Feng, all the people from that day are present. Isn't that a kind of fate?
Clearly, Duan Yu thought so too. When he walked into the house with Lu Yusheng, his eyes were full of uncontrollable smiles, and the resentment that had been building up in his heart for many days dissipated considerably.
She said with a smile, "It's so lively here today."
Although Lu Xiaofeng wasn't very familiar with him, he was quite outgoing with people he admired, and immediately replied, "It's not easy for all of us to get together here; it's better to arrive at the right time than to arrive early."
This is no exaggeration. Not long ago, the desolation here was even worse than before, and for many days, only Lu Yusheng was left to hold the line.
It wasn't until earlier today, when Lu Xiaofeng and his two companions returned weary from their journey, that the little shop finally became somewhat "lively."
After listening to Lu Yusheng's account of the events, which omitted the part about "Ding Chunqiu," Duan Yu couldn't help but sigh, "It really is fate."
However, he didn't miss the two strangers at the table.
After politely exchanging introductions with the old gentleman, my eyes involuntarily fell upon the last person remaining. Someone like Ximen Chuixue, no matter where he was, whether standing or sitting, was always the most eye-catching person in the crowd.
Even the noble Prince of Zhennan couldn't help but think to himself that he had an extraordinary demeanor and felt intense curiosity upon seeing him.
However, the other party's attitude was clearly lukewarm, and they didn't seem to like him much, giving a perfunctory nod as a response.
As Ximen Chuixue's only friend, Lu Xiaofeng naturally indulged him and helped him out of the predicament.
He immediately acted as an intermediary to introduce the two parties.
Prince Duan was not a petty person, and his attitude was not affected by the other party's cold face. On the contrary, he was stunned for a long time after hearing his name and identity...
Early fame, a strong sense of justice, and exceptional swordsmanship—these are all words used to describe Ximen Chuixue. He had never known much about this person before, and it was difficult for him to imagine an image that closely matched the description.
Today, even though it's only our first meeting, I was struck by such an aura and felt a sense of "it should be this way."
Naturally, he stayed.
Lu Yusheng made room for him, and Lu Xiaofeng poured him some wine. By the time he came to his senses, he had already downed four or five cups.
Regretting his own gluttony, yet reluctant to part with such sweet and delicious wine, just as he was about to drink another cup, he suddenly heard a soft call in his ear.
Duan Yu glanced sideways; it was that blind, refined young man.
He quickly put down his cup and asked suspiciously, "What is it?"
Hua Manlou's lifeless yet beautiful eyes were looking at him with some worry: "Did you encounter any trouble on your way to Hangzhou?"
Duan Yu was somewhat surprised by the other party's keen perception. Although the joy of their reunion had kept his smile on his face, the sadness hidden in his heart was still noticed by the other party.
And so the pain in my heart surged up again.
The smile on his lips vanished for a moment, and when it returned, only a bitter curve remained.
He wanted to say something happy, but after several attempts, he finally sighed and said, "The lonely lamp is dim, my thoughts are about to end; I roll up the curtain and gaze at the moon, sighing endlessly."
Seeing his expression, everyone present understood that it all boiled down to "love".
After Duan Yu finished his drink, he looked up and saw that everyone around him seemed to understand. He couldn't help but smile bitterly, but the image of Wang Yuyan's smiling face involuntarily floated into his mind.
She has a beautiful smile, but unfortunately, she only smiles at her cousin...
Noticing that his mood was getting increasingly down, Hua Manlou changed the subject and asked again, "So, you've come back this time because you've finished what you were doing?"
The latter shook his head, but not to deny it: "There was nothing important to do anyway, and... I should go home."
The young prince's return to Dali was a major event, and his uncle, the current emperor of Dali, Emperor Baoding, sent several loyal retainers, including Zhu Danchen and Chu Wanli, to welcome him.
Although Duan Yu did not want to make a big fuss, he still accepted his uncle's kindness. He came here today simply to keep an appointment with an old friend before heading to the agreed location.
With the Lunar New Year approaching, it is perfectly reasonable to go home and reunite with family.
After hearing this answer, the group stopped asking questions and continued to enjoy the delicious food and wine in front of them.
To be fair, although Lu Yusheng's cooking skills have improved rapidly in recent times, they are not really anything special in the eyes of those who have enjoyed countless delicacies.
But her wine was too good.
Against the backdrop of such fine wine, even the most delicious food seems ordinary; simple cooking, in turn, brings out the sweetness of the wine even more through complementary techniques.
Although Xue Muhua was slightly disappointed with the food after tasting the drinks, Sikong Zhaixing retorted without hesitation: "Is this not good? Do you want dragon meat?"
After a brief silence at the table, the group resumed their conversation, and even Ximen Chuixue was amused by Lu Xiaofeng and no longer seemed as aloof as he had initially appeared.
Duan Yu's heart sank even further.
From the moment the name of the fairy sister flashed through his mind, scenes of their brief time together began to flash through his mind.
Thinking of her smile makes me happy, but thinking of how she was only passionate towards another man makes me sad. These two emotions clash back and forth in my heart, making me feel both sweet and heartbroken.
--Too.
Duan Yu shook his head sadly.
Young Master Murong is handsome and has a great temperament. He is also highly skilled in martial arts and has a childhood sweetheart relationship with Fairy Sister. The two of them are a perfect match.
If he could really understand, why would he have drunk so much wine in the first place?
The more I try to convince myself to let go, the more stifled I feel inside.
Just then, Xue Muhua, caught off guard, collided with Sikong Zhaixing's chopsticks with his left hand, causing the empty wine bottle in his hand to slip from his grasp and smash towards Lu Xiaofeng's position opposite him.
Of course, this unexpected situation was not dangerous for Lu Xiaofeng at all. He raised his hand to catch it almost the instant the bottle flew up.
Although Duan Yu was neither drunk nor sober, he still saw the scene clearly.
His mind was a little foggy, but he could still clearly distinguish the reactions he should take.
Almost instantly, he raised his right index finger, and a sword aura formed from his inner force shot out from his fingertip, striking the wine bottle.
An invisible sword aura struck the wine bottle, initially propelling it away from its previous point of impact, sending it soaring over the heads of the group towards the gate. Its momentum undiminished, it continued its advance along the point where it met the bottle, finally breaking through the barrier before it hit the ground.
With a crisp "bang," countless translucent shards fell to the ground.
The sound seemed to press the play button on the frozen scene, and Lu Xiaofeng belatedly withdrew his hand.
Doctor Xue's hand was still awkwardly raised in the air. He had finally avenged his great enemy and was in a state of great joy. He had drunk the most and was the happiest. After this, he was mostly sober.
And Ximen Chuixue...
Ximen Chuixue not only stood up, but also gripped his black sword.
If he usually gives people the feeling of being cold, then when he holds a sword, that coldness is tinged with a murderous intent.
Almost everyone present felt a chill rise from the bottom of their hearts at the same time, except for Duan Yu.
Although he wielded the "Shangyang Sword" with great skill in the heat of the moment, it also caused his internal energy, which had returned to a state of calm, to become somewhat restless again.
The alcohol was taking effect, and I was so dizzy that I didn't notice the change in the atmosphere around me.
Ximen Chuixue moved suddenly. Just as Lu Xiaofeng was about to ask a question, he heard him coldly speak towards Duan Yu: "You use a sword?"
Although the latter was somewhat dazed, he still heard his question. After glancing back to confirm that the speaker was addressing him, he slowly said, "In my entire life... I have never used a sword..."
Ximen Chuixue's brows furrowed slightly; clearly, this was not the answer he wanted.
This man claimed that he had never used a sword, yet he could release such a pure and invisible sword aura with the mere raising of his hand that no swordsman in the world would mistake it for such a sword aura.
He wanted to ask more, but the next second he saw Duan Yu, who could no longer hold on, roll his eyes and fall into a deep sleep, so he had no choice but to give up.
So he stopped drinking, sat down again, and waited patiently for the other person to sober up.
No one could have imagined that someone like Ximen Chuixue could have such patience.
Lu Yusheng never expected that after cleaning up the mess with his friends and seeing Xue Muhua off, he would see him still sitting there, while the young master Duan next to him was lying on his side on the table, breathing evenly and still fast asleep.
She was exhausted from working too hard today and had no energy to pay much attention. She was also pleased to have received a large sum of money for drinks from Doctor Xue, so she bypassed the area and went straight back to her house.
We were initially debating whether to arrange a room for the old gentleman, but he was in a hurry to go back and share the good news, so he refused to stay overnight.
Seeing that the other party had already used the medicinal herbs here to prepare a hangover remedy for him, he gave up on the idea.
Hua Manlou and Sikong Zhaixing were both quite unfamiliar with Ximen Chuixue. Although they didn't speak to each other, they tacitly vacated the hall for the other party.
Lu Xiaofeng did not intend to leave today. He originally wanted to escort Xue Muhua for a while, but the other party was also a martial artist. Although his skills were not excellent, they were enough to protect him. After being refused several times, he had no choice but to give up.
Back inside, seeing Ximen Chuixue still guarding Duan Yu with his sword, he smiled helplessly: "Why don't you go back and rest for a while? What if he sleeps until tomorrow morning?"
Ximen Chuixue was extremely cold to everyone, but he could always listen to Lu Xiaofeng's advice to some extent.
So she didn't argue and gently closed her eyes.
His action caused Lu Xiaofeng's laughter to suddenly turn into a loud laugh: "What are you doing?"
Ximen Chuixue's breathing, which had been somewhat even, paused for a moment before he opened his eyes again and said, "I'm already resting."
Seeing his reaction, Lu Xiaofeng knew that he could probably not persuade him any further, so he had no choice but to give up.
That night, apart from Doctor Xue who was still on his way, everyone slept very well.
When the morning light of the next day shone through the glass into the bedside, Lu Yusheng subconsciously turned over, struggled for a few minutes, and then frowned and opened his eyes.
Lying in bed, I first routinely checked my experience points and shop balance, and only after seeing the numbers rise significantly did I finally become fully awake.
Memories of last night flooded her mind, and she sat up abruptly. After quickly getting dressed and washing up in the room, she ran downstairs.
The seats where Ximen Chuixue and Duan Yu were originally sitting have been changed.
Sikong Zhaixing sat in the chair where Duan Yu had slept soundly the night before, his head propped up on the table with his hand. Lu Xiaofeng stood beside him with his arms crossed, both of them looking out the window.
There was also Hua Manlou, who was sitting not far from the two of them. Hearing the noise, he was the first to turn around, smiled at her, and said, "There's breakfast warming in the pot, Xiaoyu, would you like some?"
"No, not yet."
Lu Yusheng greeted him and subconsciously walked over. After stopping, he couldn't help but curiously look outside in the direction of the other two people's gaze.
Two figures, both dressed in white, were bathed in the rare winter sunshine, seemingly conversing, creating a harmonious atmosphere.
She felt her eyes dazzled by the highly saturated white and involuntarily closed them.
Perhaps they didn't want to be watched by so many people anymore, because when Lu Yusheng opened his eyes again, the two people had already turned around and walked into the house.
The two of them stood by the table, and seeing that neither of them was about to sit down, Lu Xiaofeng, who was at the same height, took the opportunity to tease them: "You two didn't start fighting?"
To everyone's surprise, Ximen Chuixue not only didn't get angry after hearing his question, but actually laughed.
This was the first time Lu Yusheng had seen him smile since he had ever known of this person's existence.
Perhaps because he rarely made this expression, his smile was awkward, but it was still a smile. He said, "Who told you I would fight with him?"
Lu Xiaofeng seemed to be inexplicably infected by his good mood, and spoke more and more freely, teasing, "Among those who wield swords, isn't someone like him who has already entered the inner sanctum enough to be your opponent?"
This time, it was Duan Yu who laughed: "Who told you I use a sword?"
The other party's words at the dinner table last night were still ringing in his ears. He was repeatedly choked and speechless, but Lu Xiaofeng felt no shame or anger. On the contrary, he was very happy, even happier than when he was drinking last night.
The fact that his two friends didn't fight was the happiest thing in the world for him.
Yes, Duan Yu was already a friend in his heart at this point.
It was truly worthwhile that he cautiously listened to the sounds upstairs all night, and then got up early again to keep watch in the hall with almost no sleep.
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