Chapter 102 "Does Fellow Daoist Su have any other purpose?"
Su Xiaoyuan returned to the cabin with the interview notice, and her whole body looked wilted like an eggplant hit by frost.
The puppet was spreading the dried bedding on the bed. Seeing her like this, he asked, "What happened to Xiaoyuan?"
Su Xiaoyuan weakly raised the paper in her hand.
The puppet took it, glanced at it, and asked in confusion, "Going to Dragon Ridge Peak for the retest tomorrow, isn't that a good thing?"
"I just met Immortal Master Lingyue at Yanhui Tower this afternoon, and I have to see him again tomorrow. He doesn't even let me breathe." Su Xiaoyuan sat down on the soft chair, and four prosthetic hands immediately extended from the back of the chair, two to massage her shoulders, and two to massage her legs. She had drawn the chair design, the power system was developed by Puppet Man, and the prosthetic hands were specially customized by Immortal Master Muqing. The bones and flesh were made of the highest-quality puppet materials. Not only were they beautiful, but they also felt incredibly lifelike and provided a very effective massage.
She didn't know if she was just imagining things, but the pair of hands on her knees with long, slender fingers and sexy veins looked so much like the hands of Ling Yue, the Immortal Venerable, who had taken the communication mirror from her and drawn runes on it.
She suddenly felt a little creepy, quickly turned off the massage function, and retracted her hand into the back of the chair.
The puppet smoothed out the last tiny wrinkle on the bed sheet, walked over to the chair, knelt down, and naturally took one of her legs to massage it. He asked casually, "What did he do today to scare Xiaoyuan?"
Su Xiaoyuan said, "The three of us were having lunch when he and his senior brother suddenly showed up. They didn't even go to the private room, but sat at the table next to us. It was like..."
She stopped here, looked at the top of the puppet's head, and suddenly doubts arose.
This restaurant was recommended to her by the puppet a few days ago. How could it be such a coincidence that she met the Immortal Master Ling Yue there?
"What's wrong?" The puppet raised his head and looked at her in confusion, with a childlike innocence in his inorganic eyes.
Su Xiaoyuan pursed her lips: "Fu Tingyun, how did you know about that restaurant?"
The puppet said as a matter of course: "I went there with Ling Yue when I was with him."
Su Xiaoyuan was a little annoyed. She should have thought of it earlier. How could a puppet know which restaurant was good? Of course, he must have been there with his previous owner!
"Will Immortal Master Ling Yue also go to the restaurant? Doesn't he not eat and doesn't like to see people?" Su Xiaoyuan asked.
"He doesn't like to see people, but he'll occasionally follow his master's instructions and go out to crowded places," the puppet said. "He's lived in seclusion for many years and often interacts with demons. If he's always away from the public eye, he's easily affected by demonic energy. When I was with him, he'd occasionally make special arrangements to meet people in busy restaurants to discuss matters."
Lies are always 70% true and 30% false. His master Xuji Daojun did say such words, but Fu Tingyun naturally didn't take it to heart. The old man probably feared that he would become more and more lonely in the mountains, so he tricked him into going down the mountain.
Su Xiaoyuan: "But he and his senior brother just sat opposite each other, drinking tea silently, without saying a word."
The puppet said casually: "Use the secret sound."
"Oh, yes, how could I forget!" Su Xiaoyuan suddenly realized that powerful beings above the Spirit Transformation Stage can communicate in secret voices as they please. With so many people in the restaurant listening intently, they certainly don't want others to hear their conversation.
After listening to the puppet's words, Su Xiaoyuan temporarily resolved her doubts, but she still felt a little strange, like a puzzle, the shapes all matched, but the pattern always felt awkward.
Maybe it was just a coincidence. It was their first time to go to that restaurant, and Ling Yue Xianzun rarely came down the mountain, so they ran into them. As soon as he came back, he immediately received an interview notice.
If it weren't for the huge gap in status and strength between the two, she would have suspected that Immortal Ling Yue was plotting against her.
It's not absolutely impossible. After all, the time traveler is like a time bomb. Although she knows that she has no means, the boss doesn't know. After the boss kills the Demon Lord, there is no one in the Three Realms who can threaten him for the time being. Doesn't he have time to make a move on her?
Does he want to take precautions and nip the threat in the bud, or does he want to understand that "other world" through her and even shatter the void?
Su Xiaoyuan's thoughts became increasingly irrelevant until the puppet's voice brought her back to her senses: "Oh, I think we've found the poisonous insect Xiaoyuan wants."
Su Xiaoyuan had almost forgotten about this and asked in surprise, "Have you got it yet?"
Puppet: "Not yet. We have just found a middleman. The insect is from a foreign land and is very rare. It will take about ten days to find it."
Su Xiaoyuan was a little worried: "What kind of insect is it? Could it be an evil insect?"
Although if she was caught putting a poison on Ling Yuexianzun, she would die no matter what kind of poison she put on him, she still didn't want to use evil means to deal with others, even if she didn't have a good impression of that person.
"It's not an evil poison," the puppet said. "I'll explain it to Xiao Yuan once I find it."
Su Xiaoyuan felt relieved, but she began to worry about tomorrow's retest. "I wonder what Immortal Ling Yue will ask tomorrow. Will there be another test?"
The puppet still had full confidence in her: "Xiao Yuan will definitely pass."
Su Xiaoyuan was not as optimistic as he was, because her cultivation was too low, and she had passed the secret trial by luck. There was only one possibility for Immortal Ling Yue to let her pass the re-examination, which was to continue observing and testing her.
Despite this, driven by her years of being a good student, she still spent an entire afternoon preparing, listing the possible questions one by one, thinking of a plausible answer for each question, and then memorizing them.
She also conducted several mock interviews using puppets as interviewers.
After dinner, Ruan Mianmian came back.
Su Xiaoyuan told her about the interview tomorrow. Ruan Mianmian was surprised and said, "Yu Yingchun and I also received a letter from Xianhe when we were shopping. However, our re-examination is in seven days, and it will be at Feiwen Peak. How come you are here so early, Xiaoyuanzi, and still at Longji Peak?"
Su Xiaoyuan was even more terrified when she heard that, and her stomach twitched. "I don't know either..."
Ruan Mianmian slapped her forehead and said, "Ah, why are we so stupid? There are over a hundred people. Of course, we can't meet them all in one day. It's normal to meet them in batches."
"Then why am I alone at Dragon's Back Peak?"
"Maybe those who are in the same group as you are all at Longji Peak!" Ruan Mianmian said generously.
Really? Su Xiaoyuan wasn't sure. If only it were as simple as Kaishan thought.
She felt as if there was a lead weight in her stomach, heavy.
"Is Xiaoyuanzi ready?" Ruan Mianmian asked again.
Su Xiaoyuan nodded: "I've made some rough preparations."
As she was speaking, Ruan Mianmian's communication mirror suddenly made a "ding" sound.
She quickly took it out and took a look, then laughed, "Yu Yingchun is so funny. Even when she saw an extremely ugly spirit horse on the road, she still sent me a message... Oh, I almost forgot!"
She dug into her Qiankun bag and pulled out a box with a black background and red patterns. "This is a gift Yu Yingchun asked me to bring you. It's a specialty he brought from Fenglin Island. One for each of us."
"Brother Yu is too polite. How can I be so embarrassed!" Su Xiaoyuan said.
"What's there to be embarrassed about? You even invited him to dinner."
"It wasn't me who invited you..."
"It's the same if my brother-in-law invites me," Ling Yuexianzun was not there, Ruan Mianmian started to speak nonsense again, "It's all for the sake of our sister Xiaoyuan."
He urged again: "Open it quickly and take a look."
Su Xiaoyuan opened the box, revealing rare delicacies, as well as elixirs and magical instruments unique to the Suzaku clan. Ruan Mianmian introduced them to her: "This is a fire-proof bead; wearing it will protect you from fire. And this is a Hundred Feather Fan. The fan ribs are made of unicorn horn, and the fan cover is woven with feathers from one hundred species of spiritual birds from Fenglin Island. It can block attacks from the five elements..."
These things were obviously very valuable and had taken a lot of thought. Su Xiaoyuan was obviously benefiting from her best friend's help: "No merit, no reward. These things are too valuable."
"It's okay," Ruan Mianmian said, "It's his birthday next month, we can just prepare a decent gift for him."
She rummaged through the gift box and wondered, "Hey, why is there something missing from your box..."
She rolled up her sleeves to show her bestie the five-colored bracelet on her wrist. The main string was vermilion and shone with a strange luster, a bit like the brilliance of a diamond.
"What material is this? So beautiful!" Su Xiaoyuan exclaimed.
"Yu Yingchun said it was a Suzaku feather," Ruan Mianmian said carelessly, "I'll send him a message to ask if the bracelet was missing from the gift package for you."
As he said that, he took out the communication mirror.
Su Xiaoyuan hurriedly stopped her: "Don't ask, this bracelet is a gift from Yu Daoyou."
Ruan Mianmian was puzzled: "Why send me alone? You are my sister, I told him..."
Su Xiaoyuan rubbed her forehead and had to explain: "Fellow Daoist Yu has the blood of the Vermillion Bird, right?"
Ruan Mianmian: "Yes."
Su Xiaoyuan: "Then is his original form Suzaku?"
Ruan Mianmian still didn't understand: "Yes, I heard that it was hatched from an egg. It learned to transform into a human when it was three years old."
Su Xiaoyuan: "...So is it possible that this is his own feather?"
Ruan Mianmian: "Ah! He must be crazy, plucking his own hair to weave bracelets and give them away!"
Su Xiaoyuan pinched her brows and said, "Do you know what it means when a bird gives you feathers?"
Ruan Mianmian shook her head. "Here in Xuanwu, it's a land of ice and snow. There's not even a single bird feather, let alone a bird. When I went to the Yunyu Sect, I couldn't eat meat. When I saw those plump birds, I just wanted to roast them and eat them..."
Su Xiaoyuan sighed and asked, "What do you think of Fellow Daoist Yu?"
"That's great," Ruan Mianmian said, "otherwise why would I accompany him for such a long time?"
"I mean, do you like him?"
"Of course I like you. How can we be friends if we don't like each other?" Ruan Mianmian grinned heartlessly, "But I still like you the most, Xiao Yuanzi. Don't be jealous."
"I'm not talking about friendship," Su Xiaoyuan had to say, "His looks and personality are exactly what you like, right? You didn't even know him when you voted for him in Moon Village. What a fate..."
Ruan Mianmian opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She was stunned for a long moment before her eyes widened. “Grandma Tian… now that you put it that way, it really is true!”
Then her expression suddenly changed. "It's over, it's over. In the secret realm, I thought he was a girl and said everything in front of him. My true nature is completely exposed... Is it too late to start pretending now?"
Su Xiaoyuan: "...I don't think you need to pretend."
Ruan Mianmian drooped her head and said dejectedly, "How can that be possible? I will definitely scare people away if I act like this."
Su Xiaoyuan knew that she was thinking about unhappy things again. Although she had let go of the issue with Song Jinshu, the influence he caused was obviously still lingering.
"I heard that birds give feathers to show their love for a mate," Su Xiaoyuan said, "I guess Fellow Daoist Yu likes you."
Ruan Mianmian's eyes widened: "You must be kidding!"
Su Xiaoyuan: "What's so strange about that? Isn't it natural to like you? It would be great if our family could open a mountain!"
Ruan Mianmian murmured, "I still don't quite believe it. I have to ask."
Su Xiaoyuan had no time to stop him. She had already pressed the communication talisman. The person on the other side, who was obviously guarding the communication mirror, immediately picked up the call: "Thank you, fellow Daoist?"
Ruan Mianmian asked straight to the point, "The bracelet you gave me, was it made of your own wool?"
Yu Yingchun's voice was tense, and his nervousness was obvious: "Yes, yes... Thank you, fellow Daoist. That was the first hair I shed before I transformed at the age of three. I washed it many times, and it's not dirty..."
Ruan Mianmian: "I heard that birds give feathers to show their love for a mate. Do you like me?"
Su Xiaoyuan almost choked on her saliva.
Yu Yingchun obviously didn't expect her to ask directly. After a moment's pause, he replied, "Yes, yes... I'm sorry, Fellow Daoist Xie. I'm Meng Lang. Fellow Daoist Xie, please don't..."
"I agree." Ruan Mianmian said simply.
There was silence from the other side for a long while, and then Yu Yingchun's cautious voice came, still trembling: "Fellow Daoist Xie, are you serious?"
"What else?" Ruan Mianmian asked, "Do I look so free?"
Su Xiaoyuan coughed twice.
Ruan Mianmian reacted and realized that she had accidentally exposed her true nature again. She said delicately, "Don't worry, Fellow Daoist Yu is so handsome, how could I bear to lie to you?"
Su Xiaoyuan covered her face.
Su Xiaoyuan felt like she was being buried alive in dog food as her best friend and her boyfriend chatted on the phone for a long time. She tactfully went back to her cabin to take a shower and refresh herself, gathering her energy for tomorrow's re-examination.
After washing the puppet, he cleaned up in the bathroom. Su Xiaoyuan changed into pajamas and lay on the bed waiting for him.
At this moment, the communication mirror beside the pillow suddenly made a "ding" sound.
Few of her contacts were used to sending text messages, so she had a bad feeling and took a look at the message. On it was the complex rune she had added today.
[Sorry to bother you, Fellow Daoist Su. I haven't used the communication mirror in a while. I'm trying to see if the runes are drawn correctly.]
Su Xiaoyuan hesitated for a moment, then tremblingly wrote a few words and sent them back: [That's right, Immortal Venerable.]
Not long after, another message came from the other side: [Did Su Daoyou receive the letter?]
You are really bringing up something that is not related to the topic!
Su Xiaoyuan replied: [Received, Immortal Venerable.]
[Okay, Fellow Daoist Su, please settle down as soon as possible.]
[Okay, Immortal.]
[Friend Su, please be more casual. No need to be so polite.]
[Okay, okay, Immortal.]
[See you tomorrow at Dragon's Back Peak.]
[Okay, Immortal Venerable, I will definitely be there on time.]
There was no reply for a long time. Su Xiaoyuan thought the conversation was finally over. Just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief, there was suddenly another "ding" sound.
[It doesn’t matter if you’re late, I’ll wait for you.]
Su Xiaoyuan: "Fu Tingyun, help!"
The puppet came over upon hearing the noise: "What's wrong?"
Su Xiaoyuan showed him the communication mirror and said helplessly, "What does this mean? How should I reply to him?"
The puppet said calmly, "No need to reply."
"How can that be!" Although Su Xiaoyuan was still a clear-headed college student, she also knew that she couldn't let her elders, mentors, or leaders be the last ones to respond.
The puppet pursed his lips and said, "Then I'll reply to him with what Xiao Yuan always said to me: 'Good night and sweet dreams'."
"That won't work," Su Xiaoyuan said firmly, "I can only tell you this."
She considered it for a moment, and even though she knew Immortal Master Ling Yue was probably not sleeping, she still replied, "Immortal Master, go to bed early too."
Then he gave the communication mirror to the puppet: "Please put it away for me."
If you put it next to your pillow, you might have nightmares.
The puppet took the communication mirror, turned off the light, walked silently to the wall, opened the wardrobe, placed the communication mirror on the top shelf, then returned to the bed, took off his clothes and lay beside her, holding her in his arms.
Su Xiaoyuan had formed a conditioned reflex. She hugged his waist and buried her face in his arms. She sniffed from his chest to his neck and the crook of his neck. The scent of fumes took on a special flavor on the puppet's skin, which was obviously different from when she smelled it alone. She didn't know what the principle was.
The puppet placed his hand on her waist and rubbed it slowly.
"Not tonight, I have to go out early tomorrow morning." Su Xiaoyuan said hurriedly.
The puppet hummed, stopped stroking, and just put his hand on her waist.
Although she didn't do anything, Su Xiaoyuan didn't mind satisfying her urge to touch her abdominal muscles and her back.
She always felt that Fu Tingyun's touch seemed better than before, and the grooves on his back and waist seemed deeper. She didn't know if it was an illusion.
"Fu Tingyun," she yawned, "Can the puppet's body shape also change?"
The muscles under my hands suddenly stiffened.
"Why do you ask?"
"You seem to have gotten in better shape recently."
"Maybe it's because of the recent sword practice." The puppet explained lightly, and the hand on her waist suddenly tightened.
Before Su Xiaoyuan could react, he leaned over and kissed her hard.
…
The next day, Su Xiaoyuan got up early, reviewed the prepared interview questions from beginning to end, and then took a boat to Taiyan.
When we arrived outside the mountain gate, the deacon and the Yunhe car were already waiting there.
The deacon rode a cloud in front to lead the way, and Su Xiaoyuan followed behind in a crane cart. Soon they reached the top of Dragon Ridge Peak.
The steward escorted her to the front of the formation, drew a talisman to open the gate, and said, "The Immortal Venerable is waiting in the hall we met last time. Do you recognize him, Fairy Su?"
Su Xiaoyuan hurriedly said that she recognized him, and the deacon took his leave.
Su Xiaoyuan passed through the sword formation safely and walked towards the side hall. She didn't see any other people coming for the interview along the way, and her heart couldn't help but beat fast.
The interview was still at the place where they had tea last time. As soon as Su Xiaoyuan walked into the garden, her stomach began to ache as if it was tied in a knot.
This time, before she even reached the corridor, Immortal Lingyue pulled back the curtain and came out, coming down the steps to greet her: "Fellow Daoist Su."
Su Xiaoyuan walked over quickly and saluted.
Immortal Master Ling Yue nodded and welcomed her into the hall. The two of them sat opposite each other as they did last time.
This time he didn't have that weird smile on his face. Although he looked like an ice sculpture, it was much better than a pervert. Su Xiaoyuan was really relieved.
"I invited Fellow Daoist Su over today just to have a casual chat," the man said as he picked up the teapot and poured tea for her. "Fellow Daoist Su, there's no need to be so formal."
Su Xiaoyuan held the teacup in both hands. Having learned from the previous lesson, she pretended to sip the tea without actually drinking it. "Excuse me, Immortal Venerable."
Ling Yue Immortal Venerable asked, "Why did Fellow Daoist Su come to participate in the Dragon Ridge Peak Trial?"
Of course Su Xiaoyuan had prepared for this question. She recited the standard answer she had prepared, which was nothing more than clichés like hoping to improve her strength and vision on a broader platform.
The man seemed satisfied with her answer and asked, "What kind of martial arts did you originally practice, Fellow Daoist Su?"
Su Xiaoyuan hadn't considered hiding her experience with the Yunyu Sect. Hiding it was impossible; a major sect like Taiyan would definitely conduct background checks. Furthermore, Dragon Ridge Peak had clearly stated that there were no background restrictions for the recruitment, so she had nothing to hide.
Su Xiaoyuan answered truthfully: "I was originally a disciple of the Yunyu Sect, practicing the Hehuan technique."
Immortal Master Ling Yue did not show any surprise, obviously he already knew her background.
"What method did you want to learn after entering Taiyan, Fellow Daoist Su?"
Su Xiaoyuan said: "If I am lucky, I would like to try to practice the talisman formation."
Ling Yue Immortal Venerable continued, "Tai Yan is known for its swordsmanship, especially Dragon Ridge Peak. This trial is also mostly for swordsmen and other martial artists. Since Fellow Daoist Su wants to practice talisman formations, why not apply to other sects that specialize in talismans?"
Su Xiaoyuan was stunned by his question.
The man put down the cup in his hand, tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, and looked up into her eyes.
A cold wind seemed to blow through the warm spring-like hall, the air suddenly condensed, and the atmosphere took a sharp turn for the worse.
His eyes were like thin, cold blades, as if just by staring into her eyes, he could dissect her soul and dig out the secrets hidden deep within her spirit. "Fellow Daoist Su, do you have any other purpose for coming to Taiyan besides learning martial arts?"
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