Chapter 11 Amulet Xu Qingning: "I gave it to you, you don't need it, and..."
"..." Xu Qingning's fingers pressed against the carved railing. "I gave it to you, you don't need it, and you shouldn't give it to someone else."
"If you need a talisman to give to a friend, I'll have Haocheng get a spirit talisman from the talisman hall for you. That should be enough."
"Senior brother, aren't you hesitant to accept my talismans?" Zhou Fuling frowned. "How could I dare to ask you for more?"
Xu Qingning: "...Why do you have to say such formal things?"
He closed his eyes briefly. He actually knew where Zhou Fuling's formality came from, but he didn't want to bring up the sensitive topic from before.
He just thought, if they can't be Daoist partners, then they can't even be siblings?
"Ice Mirror Peak was originally my senior brother's residence. Now, to avoid me, he won't go back to his residence and even wants to drive me out of Ice Mirror Peak and out of Tianji Sect..."
"Wait, when did I kick you out of Ice Mirror Peak?"
"You want me to go and pay homage to my master in the mortal realm," Zhou Fuling said. "Why can't I think of it that way?"
Xu Qingning remained silent for a long time before explaining to her: "I asked you to pay respects to the Miao Mountain Master in the mortal realm because the situation is currently chaotic: the immortal Zou Lanci of the Central Continent plotted my ten years of imprisonment, hoping that I would make a mistake and die; Kuang Yunchu of the lower realm also has a grudge against me; now the Yun Ning Sect has clashed with the Tian Ji Sect and has tried to take action against you several times."
I want you to lay low for a while.
And... avoid that unknown "villain".
“What does that have to do with you not coming back to live here?” Zhou Fuling immediately caught his blind spot.
“…” Xu Qingning said, “If there is nothing else to do in the future, I will naturally come back to live here.”
"Then what exactly do you mean by 'nothing'? What constitutes 'nothing'?" Zhou Fuling pressed aggressively. "Are you trying to use 'later' to keep delaying seeing me?"
"..."
The two of them were momentarily embarrassed.
“As long as you’re at Tianji Gate, I’ll move back, okay?” Xu Qingning turned her head. “As long as you don’t mention that matter again.”
The matter of Daoist partners.
"..." Zhou Fuling did not respond, making the atmosphere even more awkward.
Xu Qingning sometimes felt that she was a bit willful, as she always forced him to agree to all her requests.
But on this matter, at least for today... he will not back down.
Xu Qingning looked around, then lowered her voice and cautiously instructed, "There might be danger tonight. Don't stay with the Hua siblings. Find an excuse to go back first."
Zhou Fuling frowned slightly.
What business does Hua Yuexi and Hua Yuliu have with Xu Qingning here?
She said, "What danger? I need to tell them quickly."
"No." Xu Qingning grabbed Zhou Fuling's hand, the deerskin gloves feeling icy cold to the touch. "They might be related to the Kanghuangzhai demon calamity. Tianji Sect will be keeping an eye on them."
Logically, Zhou Fuling should have agreed, but... Zhou Fuling suddenly remembered that there were clues about her father in Kanghuangzhai.
If the Hua siblings are also involved, she doesn't want to leave.
"What?" Zhou Fuling lowered her eyes and blinked. "But Senior Brother, I made a promise with Yu Liu to go boating together. I don't want to break my promise, and I don't want to leave."
"I have your amulet, so I'll be fine. Haven't I always managed to escape danger in the past?"
“You…” Xu Qingning’s expression was unfriendly, never expecting Zhou Fuling to say such a thing.
Zhou Fuling interrupted, "...Senior brother, do you not want me to be with Hua Yuliu?"
"Of course not." His voice was icy and cold, like ice and stone, like a cold wind, and he said decisively.
“Fuling, go back... don’t stay by the Fairy Fish Pond.”
Ordinary disciples, upon hearing Xu Qingning's decisive command and his cold voice, would never dare to disobey.
Zhou Fuling, however, was not buying it.
Her face turned cold, and she said in a low voice, "No, senior brother, don't force me to go back, or I'll break off all ties with you."
"..." Xu Qingning had no idea why Zhou Fuling would suddenly say something so capricious.
“But senior brother, you can come with me.” Zhou Fuling looked to the side where all sorts of mythical beasts were roaming around. She smiled and said, “Even if you don’t want to be discovered by them, there are ways. If you come with me, you can observe them up close.”
"but……"
Zhou Fuling said with a smile, "I also want to spend the Wanshan Banquet with my senior brother."
...
The Hua siblings and He Yin sat together, preparing items for boarding the ship: lotus lanterns, prayer paper, chopsticks, and many delicacies such as crispy jade leaves, buttered abalone and snails, and lychee wine.
"Where are the Fuling people? It's time to board the ship," Hua Yuexi said.
She was the younger sister of the Hua siblings, but she had a bold and unrestrained temperament, with bright eyes and a more capable demeanor than her brother.
However, when Zhou Fuling returned, they were dumbfounded.
In Zhou Fuling's arms, there was now a small, snow-white tiger.
This mythical beast is officially called the "White Tiger." It is pure white with a pair of golden eyes that shine like stars. It should be flamboyant, but its temperament is unexpectedly cold.
This white tiger was actually transformed by Xu Qingning using his transformation technique.
Using a spirit beast to approach the Hua siblings makes it easier to observe them and avoids detection.
Furthermore, Zhou Fuling's attitude is inexplicably stubborn... If he goes with her and something happens, it will be convenient for him to take care of her.
The little tiger that Xu Qingning transformed into was about half an arm's length tall, nestled in Zhou Fuling's arms, its back high and its legs long and powerful.
This is not something everyone can do.
It is related to the family bloodline of Su Qingning.
For disciples of immortal sects, they can usually transform into their family totem more perfectly. The Xu family reveres the phoenix, while the Xia family reveres the white tiger. A high-grade incarnation is far more perfect than a low-grade one.
Xu Qingning glared at Zhou Fuling.
Zhou Fuling seemed to be doing it on purpose. She wrapped one arm around his waist, her fingers seemingly rubbing together unconsciously, while her other hand casually tried to hold his hand as if teasing a dog.
Xu Qingning glared at her several times, but she herself didn't seem to realize that her actions were inappropriate and didn't react.
The Hua siblings' eyes lit up the moment they saw him.
Hua Yuexi: "White Tiger!"
Hua Yuliu approached him, her gaze as clear as a spring, clearly showing her great affection.
Hua Lingshan raises spirit beasts, and both of them are people who love living beings.
They all crowded around, reaching out to hug Xu Qingning.
These kinds of spirit beasts dislike having their claws squeezed, as if their vital organs are being held. Xu Qingning finally managed to break free from Zhou Fuling's grasp and didn't want to be touched by anyone again.
Their hands were all aloofly brushed away by the back of Xu Qingning's hand.
Then, he turned his head and buried his head in Zhou Fuling's arms, but then realized it was inappropriate and turned back to look at the ground.
"Its temper is terrible! Where did this white tiger come from? Did you pick it up by the roadside?" Hua Yuexi wasn't too surprised, because Longtan was a prosperous place for immortals, and many families liked to keep small spirit beasts. There were also many spirit beasts by the roadside.
To bring good luck, these kinds of mythical beasts are kept as mascots, so they are extremely small in size.
"Hehe, yes. It's probably raised in Longtan. I just found it by the roadside and it caught my eye." Zhou Fuling pressed Xu Qingning's head down and touched his ear. Xu Qingning turned his head away fiercely.
Zhou Fuling smiled... This "don't let me touch you" attitude has remained unchanged for a hundred years.
"..."
Afterwards, the five of them boarded a painted boat.
The Fairy Fish Pond covers an area of about a thousand acres, almost a lake. From afar, the green canopies stand tall, and fish swim among the lotus leaves, their radiant light illuminating the shimmering water.
The cruise ships don't need to worry about affecting them either.
A protective barrier surrounds the lake. Cultivators can also enjoy the lake scenery among the lotus flowers and release lotus lanterns to make wishes.
When they boarded the boat, there were already many boats on the lake. Hua Yuliu and Hua Yuexi rowed the boat.
Zhou Fuling sat in the cabin, put down Xu Qingning, and lowered the lotus lantern on the deck.
Which one looks better?
Xu Qingning pointed to a blue and white one for her, and then transmitted her voice:
—[Are you going to play a drinking game?]
Only Zhou Fuling could hear this sound.
She opened her bag, and besides the lanterns, there was lychee wine, game tokens, dice, and chopsticks.
This is indeed used for drinking games.
This is one of the customs of the mortals. When playing, everyone drinks together, and the official in charge throws dice to determine the winner and loser. The loser then adds to the fun for everyone.
Drinking games have always been divided into "playful games" and "speech games".
"Xi Ling" means that the loser must obey the winner's command and complete a task, usually such as singing, dancing, or composing a poem.
"The order to answer" is a question that the loser must answer for the winner.
Zhou Fuling: "Yes."
Xu Qingning: [In a moment, listen to my voice. If you win, use the 'Word Command' on the Hua siblings to find out why they came to Dragon Pool.]
[Do you know anything about them?] Zhou Fuling looked at Xu Qingning.
[Yes. They might be related to the Kanghuangzhai demonic disaster, but we don't know whose people they are.] Xu Qingning said, [We still need to determine.]
Zhou Fuling was a little curious.
It's related to the demonic disaster at Kanghuangzhai... Also, who are they that Xu Qingning cares about?
Who else could he be?
He was adopted by his estranged senior sister and came from the mortal realm. If something really happens, it's most likely related to her. Or perhaps He Yin, who was on good terms with them, has other worries on her mind.
But one must seek conclusions through clarity and concrete evidence for everything, rather than simply observing people and contemplating patterns. Their ways of thinking differ.
Zhou Fuling observed the Hua siblings, her face blank with confusion. She didn't like anyone noticing her thoughts.
When the boat reached the center of the lake, they first released lanterns.
Zhou Fuling carefully wrote down her wish on the red paper.
Seeing that Xu Qingning was there, she wrote a note that read "May my senior brother be safe and happy" and secretly showed it to Baihu.
Xu Qingning glanced at her, nodded, and touched the back of her hand with her paw to indicate that she understood.
As for Hua Yuliu, Zhou Fuling also treated him equally.
He wrote another note that read "May Yu Liu be safe and happy," and quietly handed it to Hua Yu Liu to see.
Upon seeing this, Hua Yuliu took it and silently lowered her head, her face turning as red as a persimmon again. She could only manage to squeeze out, "Thank you, Fuling."
Xu Qingning saw it.
Zhou Fuling turned around again.
It was discovered that Xu Qingning had only left behind a silhouette.
She seems to be in a bad mood.
Xu Qingning suddenly froze, gripping the ship's railing tightly with her claws, and lowered her eyes.
After a while, Zhou Fuling finished releasing the lanterns and started playing drinking games. Xu Qingning then ran back.
[If you have the chance, you can ask why many disciples of Hualing Mountain retreat to the underground, while they came to Dragon Pool. It's best to ask Hua Yuliu and Hua Yuexi when they're quite drunk.]
The person in charge of the drinking game was chosen by drawing lots, and that person was He Yin.
After several rounds, Xu Qingning discovered that Zhou Fuling was extremely lucky, while the Hua siblings were her opposite, extremely unlucky, with Zhou Fuling winning almost every time and the siblings losing.
So it went very smoothly. Hua Yuexi and Hua Yuliu were given a lot of wine. In the early stages, Zhou Fuling mostly played “playful games”. The Hua siblings sang and danced. Before long, their different drinking capacities became apparent.
Hua Yuexi drank less than her brother, but she looked dizzy.
Hua Yuliu blushes easily, but has a much higher alcohol tolerance. Apart from avoiding Zhou Fuling's gaze, there was nothing else unusual about him.
Xu Qingning: "...ask the flowers and the moon."
The next time, Zhou Fuling was very lucky and won again.
Hua Yuexi saw this and sighed, "You win again... Fu Ling, you always win against me."
This time, Zhou Fuling drew out the command token.
“I want to ask Yuexi a question. Because I’m very curious…” Zhou Fuling said, “Why did Yuexi and Yuliu come to Longtan alone? I heard that many disciples of Hualing Mountain have chosen to live in seclusion, and they are all underground.”
Her eyes were full of affection, and she seemed to be curious and concerned about Hua Yuliu's background. However, this question made Hua Yuexi and Hua Yuliu's eyelashes tremble slightly.
Because she mentioned the unusual aspects of their trip.
The underground is a secluded place. And for them to come here alone after the tragic deaths of the former mountain lord and elders is truly risky.
To outsiders... sending their people underground seems like an escape from disaster, as if they were going to do something they would never return from, encountering unprecedented danger.
Did this Miss Zhou see something? But her gaze was so innocent… Hua Yuexi glanced at her, then laughed and said:
"Why did we come? We came to Longtan because we wanted to see..."
Hua Yuexi was rambling in her drunken state, but Hua Yuliu's expression changed slightly. He seemed to want to remind her of something, but before he could make a move, Hua Yuexi said, "I want to see and join a higher sect! The Three Great Sects, Immortal Master, how wonderful! People strive to rise higher!"
Hua Yuliu seemed to secretly breathe a sigh of relief when he heard Hua Yuexi say that, and withdrew his hand.
“Also, we’re here to…” Hua Yuexi said, “to catch thieves.”
Her voice suddenly became solemn, and her expression turned serious.
At the same time, both Hua Yuliu and He Yin looked up. He Yin, who had been pouring wine, suddenly tensed up and glared at Hua Yuexi.
It was only then that Xu Qingning noticed the reaction of He Yin, the official in charge of Ice Mirror Peak.
Why?
He Yin seemed to know something.
Silence reigned.
"Yes, catching a thief..."
Hua Yuexi looked at Zhou Fuling seriously, then suddenly shouted, "We've come to catch the heartbreaker who set my brother's heart on fire!"
Hua Yuliu's face instantly turned bright red: "...Sister!"
Zhou Fuling and Xu Qingning: "..."
"Continue. Continue." After Hua Yuexi answered, the atmosphere became lively again, and the drinking game continued as Hua Yuliu blushed more and more.
But this time, Hua Yuexi exclaimed, "I won!"
She stood up, her face beaming: "I beat you! Fuling, what's this called? A long-awaited victory, a triumphant turn of defeat!"
"I am the winner!" she laughed.
Zhou Fuling smiled as well.
Hua Yuexi shook the command, issued the command, and then glared at Zhou Fuling, her expression somewhat hesitant.
Zhou Fuling couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
“Miss Zhou,” Hua Yuexi asked seriously, “I would like to ask on behalf of a friend of mine if you have someone you like.”
Hua Yuliu gripped the railing, then nervously lowered her head again, as if she wanted to crawl under the boat.
Zhou Fuling covered her face with her fan, and Xu Qingning also looked up at her.
But she answered with a smile and a straightforward reply: "No. I don't have anyone I like right now."
A cold wind was blowing, but Hua Yuexi had no intention of letting the matter rest. She asked, puzzled, "But I've heard that Miss Zhou and Young Master Xu have a life-or-death bond and are very close. Miss Zhou has also expressed her feelings for Young Master Xu. Is that true?"
“Yes, that’s true.” Zhou Fuling glanced at Xu Qingning.
The white tiger sat there awkwardly, in the shadows, looking somewhat timid and pitiful. But its indifferent expression suppressed that pitifulness, leaving only a chilling aura that kept people at a distance.
She smiled and said, "I did have feelings for you, but that caused you distress. You mentioned to me many times that you didn't want this to affect our relationship, and I didn't want to bother you either. That's why I no longer consider you my ideal."
“But my senior brother and I have been together for ten years, through life and death. If he comes back to me… I will still consider him the closest person to me. I will never leave him.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Zhou Fuling's knees buckled.
The little white tiger jumped onto her, nestled in her arms, yawned, avoided her gaze, and turned his head to rest his head on her lap.
Hua Yuexi's gaze dimmed upon hearing this.
He roughly understood what Zhou Fuling meant.
“I understand that ten years of friendship is very important to Miss Zhou and hard to let go of,” Hua Yuliu said in a low voice. “But I admire Miss Zhou’s intelligence and deep affection, and I also hope that such a friendship can develop between us.”
He toasted Zhou Fuling.
Zhou Fuling retaliated, only to find the little white tiger in her arms clinging even tighter to her. But it was feigning sleep.
Zhou Fuling's embrace was very warm... Xu Qingning was indeed pretending to be asleep, but she gradually remembered things from a long time ago.
...Actually, it's not that far, just these ten years.
She found him twice, treated the injuries to his meridians, covered him with a warm blanket, and woke him up in time when he had nightmares about returning to the cold prison.
What came into view was the firelight and her face.
She pointed to the closed window and said, "Don't worry, there's no wind here."
Xu Qingning lay silently in her arms, thinking about her awkward behavior, and secretly licked her paws because of her animalistic instincts.
After a while, he remembered the purpose of his visit that night.
He suddenly sat up straight, raised his head, and shot a cold gaze outside.
The voice carried on the wind, but Xu Qingning suddenly noticed—
The wind rustled across the water, creating gentle ripples, and from afar, the faint sound of a zither could be heard.
The sound of the zither was like thunder, causing the water surface to tremble gradually, eventually transforming into a subtle thunderous sound. Spiritual energy swirled secretly in the air, its power concealed.
Xu Qingning was of high rank, but upon seeing this, he realized something, his expression changed, and he hurriedly jumped onto the wooden table, clapping his hands.
Zhou Fuling: "What's wrong?"
He Yin looked up, her expression changing: "There's something under the boat!"
A note from the author:
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