◇ 【142】 Dragon Flying Over the Mountain
Xi Lang pulled away the troublesome bath towel, put Gu Juan on the bed and held her in his arms, then pulled up the quilt to cover her.
Gu Juan rested her head on the man's strong arms and leaned against him sideways.
Xi Lang lifted one of his legs and placed it on his abdomen, stroking it intermittently, and asked in a low voice, "Would you like some water?"
Gu Juan shook her head lazily, rested her cheek on his arm, and closed her eyes.
Xi Lang hugged her tighter.
The two of them gradually fell asleep in the faint warmth.
The next morning, while packing, Xi Lang mentioned the results of his investigation into Xuanyuan Qing. He also suspected that Xuanyuan Qing was connected to the Xuanyuan family, and asked Shang Liuyun to investigate, but to no avail. He only discovered that Xuanyuan Qing had appeared as a bodyguard to Xu Zhenze over two years ago, apparently with the intention of searching for something within the Xu family.
Gu Juan thought that their foundation in the world of cultivation was still too shallow. If there was a chance in the future, they would have to find a way to strengthen their ties with other sects, so that it would at least be more convenient to get information.
Since there was no result, Gu Juan put the matter aside for the time being. Some things will not happen if you rush into it.
During the days apart from Gu Juan, Xi Lang had pinpointed the approximate location of Shenlong Flying Mountain. Gu Juan had previously taken too many days off, making it difficult to apply for more. During the May Day holiday, the two of them, unobtrusively, journeyed to the border of Beihu Province. There, a mountain called Baiwu Mountain stood. Its jagged rocks made it difficult to climb, and its mid-slopes were shrouded in mist almost year-round. A steep cliff at the summit gave the entire mountain a nearly inverted "L" shape, making it incredibly steep. At its foot, a vast crescent-shaped lake called Cailian Lake half embraced the mountain. Standing by the lake, Baiwu Mountain could be seen from the east, south, and west. Consequently, many people mistakenly saw the same mountain from different directions, but this was not the case. In other words, Shenlong Flying Mountain lay just behind Baiwu Mountain. If Xi Lang hadn't been incredibly attentive and expert in formations, he wouldn't have been able to discover Shenlong Flying Mountain's location. His senior's ingenuity was truly admirable.
The day Gu Juan and Xi Lang arrived was a beautiful, clear, sunny day. Because of the proximity to mountains and water, the May sun, though a bit intense, wasn't scorching, with a gentle breeze and a pleasant temperature. The mountains teemed with lush greenery, lush grass, and chirping birds. At the foot of the mountain, the clear waters reflected the azure sky, like a vast emerald. A gust of wind rippled the water, creating a breathtaking spectacle. A few small boats drifted in the center of the lake, enthusiastically paddled by bamboo poles. The lakeside was also bustling with visitors, with colorful tents nestled along the shore, looking from a distance like giant flowers. Some people were barbecuing by the lake, creating a lively and relaxed atmosphere.
Gu Juan looked up and walked along the shore towards the end of the lake.
He and Xi Lang were dressed like ordinary tourists, wearing sneakers, backpacks, and sunglasses, and did not attract anyone's attention.
When we reached the foot of the mountain, we saw a group of people walking towards us.
Gu Juan and Xi Lang stopped at the same time.
One of the people in the group was someone they knew: Xuanyuan Ao, the patriarch of the Xuanyuan family. Xuanyuan Ao led a dozen or so people, both men and women, all wearing identical peaked caps, like a tour group.
Gu Juan transmitted a surprised voice, "Old man, aren't they also coming for the Shenlong Feishan? This is too coincidental."
Xi Lang was also surprised, "What a coincidence."
Normally, Gu Juan and Xi Lang would use the identities of Riding the Wind and Breaking the Waves when traveling outside as cultivators. Xuanyuan Ao saw them, paused slightly, and walked over.
Gu Juan and Xi Lang looked at each other and went to meet him.
"Master Xuanyuan, what a coincidence." Gu Juan said politely.
"Fellow Daoist Chengfeng, Fellow Daoist Polang." Xuanyuan Ao smiled gently, his expression amiable and generous. He glanced at the mountains before him and asked, "It seems our destination is the same?"
Gu Juan deliberately asked, "Really? I wonder where your destination is?"
"A divine dragon flies over the mountain." Xuanyuan Ao said bluntly.
His frankness made Gu Juan feel a little favorable and he nodded slightly.
"Are you two interested in joining us?" Xuanyuan Ao asked.
"Yes, please." Gu Juan didn't care. If he refused now, it would be awkward if they met again on the mountain.
"Please." Xuanyuan Ao led his men up the mountain first.
Gu Juan and Xi Lang followed behind their team.
Baiwu Mountain and Cailian Lake are among Beihu Province's more famous scenic spots. The area near the foot of the mountain is heavily developed, making the climb relatively easy. With the Xuanyuan family leading the way, Gu Juan and Xi Lang found the trek much easier. Holding hands, they casually took in the scenery, occasionally chatting quietly, like genuine tourists, quite relaxed.
Xuanyuan Chun looked back at them, his brow furrowed in disapproval. To him, Gu Juan and Xi Lang were like two ignorant brats. This operation was crucial and confidential, and he couldn't understand why the Patriarch had allowed these two men to accompany them. He worried that Gu Juan and Xi Lang would ruin their plans. But he dared not disobey the Patriarch's orders, only to remain angry and silent.
Gu Juan had long sensed the unfriendly gaze, but he shrugged it off, accepting the situation as it was. They were simply traveling with these people, not intending to take advantage of them, so he had no fault to offer. A mere Spiritual Silence Stage cultivator wasn't worth his attention.
The group walked briskly, reaching the halfway point in less than half an hour. The rest of the journey was a bit more challenging. Because the mountain was densely forested, steep, and rocky, it was difficult to access, and the efforts to access it were minimal. The Xuanyuan family members took out their machetes or sickles and cleared away the branches and vines that blocked their path. With their True Energy assisting, chopping branches was effortless.
Xi Lang pulled a bottle of icy juice from his storage bag and handed it to Gu Juan. This juice was homemade, and there were a variety of flavors: apple, strawberry, mango, orange, watermelon, and even spiritual fruit. It was packaged in milk-like containers with straws inserted. The juice was only for family consumption, and the boxes had no branding, just pictures of the fruits to help identify the flavors.
Xuanyuan Chun glanced back inadvertently, feeling even more suffocated. He raised his voice, "Fellow Daoist Chengfeng and Fellow Daoist Polang, could you lend a hand? There's strength in numbers, and we can reach the top of the mountain sooner."
Gu Juan smiled faintly, drank the remaining juice in the box in one gulp, put the empty box back into the storage bag, and said loudly: "No problem."
He leaped up, stepped on the air, and was as light as a swallow. In just a moment he reached the front of the team.
Xi Lang and he were in perfect harmony, flying up at the same time as him and landing beside him.
Gu Juan waved his hand, and a powerful force of Qi flew out of him, like a reamer, shredding the trees, vines, and weeds before him. The fragments of leaves and weeds fell like green snowflakes. A path, roughly two meters wide, was cleared below. Though curved, its two boundaries remained perfectly parallel. A cursory glance suggested the path was at least a hundred meters long. While this length might not be unusual, it cleverly skirted around difficult rocks. This demonstrated the immense power of Gu Juan's control over his true energy!
Xuanyuan Chun was shocked.
"What do you think of this kid's trick, Master Xuanyuan?" Gu Juan acted complacent in front of Xuanyuan Ao.
The jealousy in Xuanyuan Chun's eyes was immediately replaced by disdain.
Xuanyuan Ao praised: "Fellow Daoist Chengfeng has a profound level of cultivation. I'm afraid no one of his peers can match him."
"Master Xuanyuan, you're too kind." Gu Juan smiled and walked beside him naturally. "Master Xuanyuan is the one with the true high level of cultivation. Polang and I are still far behind. However, I believe that one day, I will become more powerful than everyone else!"
Xi Lang watched him perform and laughed to himself.
Xuanyuan Ao smiled but said nothing.
Gu Juan continued, "Master Xuanyuan, it seems we have a connection with the Xuanyuan family. Some time ago, I met someone from your Xuanyuan family in Yuezhou, a man named Xuanyuan Qing. He even injured my mentor."
Xuanyuan Ao frowned and said calmly, "Really? Xuanyuan Qing was indeed once a member of our Xuanyuan family, but he was expelled from our family five years ago and has nothing to do with us since then."
"So that's how it is." Gu Juan said apologetically, "I'm sorry, I misunderstood."
"It's okay." Xuanyuan Ao waved his hand nonchalantly.
Seeing that he didn't want to talk more, Gu Juan didn't dare to ask any more.
After a silent climb of about ten minutes, the group finally reached the summit. Standing on a cliff over two thousand meters above sea level, the spring breeze rustled, and the distant view opened my heart. Looking down, the small boats on the lake looked like floating willow leaves.
Xuanyuan Ao was always followed by a woman who looked to be around forty, with her hair tied up behind her head, a beautiful face, and a dignified temperament. After walking around the area, she returned to Xuanyuan Ao and seemed to have something to say. She glanced cautiously at Gu Juan and Xi Lang.
Xuanyuan Ao said: "Arong, it's okay to speak frankly."
Xuanyuan Rong pointed to a pine tree in front of him that was thicker than an adult's waist. This pine tree was the only one within a radius of fifty meters.
"The barrier is right here. Even if an ordinary person circles the tree, they'll just be spinning around here. A cultivator can sense the existence of the formation by circulating their true energy; otherwise, they'll just be spinning in circles."
It turns out that she is proficient in formations.
Xuanyuan Ao nodded and asked, "Can you break the formation?"
Xuanyuan Rong was very calm and nodded gracefully, "I'll give it a try."
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There's a problem with Cheetah Browser. No matter what I click, it takes ages to respond. It's inconvenient to search for information, so it's really hard to code today's chapter o(╯□╰)o I'll try restarting the computer later. It's so frustrating. Good night, my dears.
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