Chapter 84 084 "Since you're going to pity me, then pity me to the very end..."
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Would you... like to come with me?
As soon as the words were spoken, frost flowers swirled and snowflakes flew, and the cool morning breeze ruffled their long hair.
The young Taoist priest stared intently at the woman's hand before him.
Like the white part of a scallion, it is long and slender.
She was unlike any other woman.
Thick calluses were visible on the fingertips and the area between the thumb and forefinger; the lines on the palms were mottled, like a tangled mess...
He couldn't see through it.
He couldn't quite decipher her beautiful, delicate features as she lowered her head and looked down. It was a rare sight to see her so good-natured.
His physiognomy skills had never been wrong, at least... before he met her.
This was a life that should have ended long ago, but now it has become the biggest variable in his life. If what she said is true, Chunhua should have died in winter because of her appearance, but instead lives on in spring. Shui Rong, because of her appearance, hid for many years, and finally revealed his true colors.
And he... because of her appearance, is now in a deep state of confusion.
He was ordered to keep an eye on Jiang Ling'er. Even if she didn't say anything, he was to keep an eye on her at all times and stay by her side until he found the Crown Prince.
However, although Jiang Ling'er personally invited him to go with her, and although their goals were the same, saving him a lot of trouble, it was still... different.
The young Taoist priest stared at the long, slender hand in front of him for a long time, as if he were mesmerized and lost in thought, remaining silent for a long time.
She was the unexpected change that broke through his unchanging, stagnant years. Her hands, with their tangled, chaotic lines, were like…
An unknown destiny was extending an invitation to him.
Would you... like to come with me?
It was a tomorrow full of variables, unknowns, and dangers, yet also something to look forward to... inviting and beckoning him.
Realizing this, the young Taoist's beautiful phoenix eyes darkened. His thin lips pressed into a tight line, and he fell completely silent.
Jiang Ling'er: "..."
This was the first time Jiang Ling'er had mustered the courage to invite someone to accompany her in such a humble manner.
Her arms were getting tired from holding them up, but the scoundrel Taoist priest still hadn't responded at all. Could it be... that he had rejected her?
Jiang Ling'er secretly glanced at Pei Xuan's pale, handsome face, which was devoid of much expression. Pei Xuan possessed an exceptionally handsome appearance, and even when he was joking around, he could not evoke any disgust. However, once he became expressionless, he became inexplicably aloof, just like an immortal living high in the clouds, making people feel awe.
As Jiang Ling'er hesitated, wondering whether to withdraw her outstretched hand, the young Taoist priest, who had been silent for a while, suddenly realized and said:
"You pity me?"
Jiang Ling'er paused, and when she looked up, her voice had changed slightly:
"……What?"
"Let's get this straight." Pei Xuan crossed his arms and looked down at her coldly. "I'm not some greenhorn following you around, not some little poison, not a pet you can tease when you feel like it."
"You..." Jiang Ling'er paused, not expecting Pei Xuan to suddenly mention the little poison. Perhaps it was because the residual poison from the Heart-Binding Gu in her body hadn't been completely cleared out, but the sore left by the little poison in her heart was still throbbing. She couldn't mention it; it felt like being stabbed again. She immediately exploded, "Why are you mentioning him! Who else treats you like a pet?"
Her attitude, the way she said it... it was as if she was begging him!
Jiang Ling'er immediately frowned, and as she was about to withdraw her hand, it was grabbed by someone.
Pei Xuanfeng's eyes were deep and bright, reflecting Jiang Ling'er's clear almond-shaped eyes, which held a hint of strength and ruthlessness.
"Since you're going to pity me, then pity me to the very end."
Jiang Ling'er's eyes flickered, and she froze.
Pei Xuan stared intently at her, then suddenly smiled.
Sure enough, this man couldn't be serious for even a moment. He started acting like a rogue again, grabbing her hand and refusing to let go. He even brazenly pressed her hand against his cold cheek, blinking his eyes as he began spouting nonsense once more:
"You dare to abandon me after starting something, I will... I will..."
After rambling on for a long time without getting to the bottom of it, Jiang Ling'er, annoyed at his attempts to push him away, promptly fainted.
Jiang Ling'er was about to push his hand away, but was instead forced to bend down and support the tall and muscular body of the young Taoist.
Jiang Ling'er: "..."
"...Hey, stop pretending!"
"Hey! Weren't you so smug just now...?"
Jiang Ling'er slapped his cheek without any politeness, but Pei Xuan did not react at all, not even blinking.
Jiang Ling'er: "..."
Jiang Ling'er's breath hitched, and she fell silent. She saw that Pei Xuan, who had fainted, had his eyes tightly closed, his handsome face pale and devoid of any color. Since the avalanche, they had brought Chunhua's body down the mountain to bury her here, and Pei Xuan hadn't closed his eyes for a full day and night.
If he hadn't been chatting and laughing with her just moments before, Jiang Ling'er would have truly thought he had died.
It's easy to imagine that after a fierce battle with Shui Rong, who was now dead, he couldn't possibly have escaped unscathed.
Jiang Ling'er hesitated for a moment, then slowly extended a finger under his nose. After sensing a weak, warm breath, she suddenly breathed a sigh of relief.
Even after she fainted, he still held onto her hand, just like when they first met...
Jiang Ling'er: "..."
"…………"
Jiang Ling'er glanced at the young Taoist's long, thick eyelashes, which resembled seaweed, rubbed her aching temples, and laughed in exasperation:
"...I give up."
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When they arrived at Dagushan, it was still a vast expanse of ice and snow, an endless expanse of white. By the time they returned to Jinling, it was already the season of lush grass and soaring birds.
The city is a vibrant green.
regret.
I regret it when I think about it.
Jiang Ling'er originally thought that having Pei Xuan, a master, by her side would make things much easier, but she never expected him to be a burden, a burden who couldn't lift a finger.
No, it's our ancestors!
He has had a fever since falling into a coma and has never been fully awake.
Even ordinary country doctors couldn't cure him, so Jiang Ling'er had to pull Pei Xuan in a handcart, and then switch to a horse-drawn carriage, killing several horses in the process, before finally getting him back to Jinling City from Dagushan.
Upon arriving in Jinling, Pei Xuan remained impeccably dressed, exuding an ethereal air even in his unconscious state with his eyes closed. She, on the other hand, resembled a disaster victim, covered in dust and dirt, and seemingly even worse off than before.
Jiang Ling'er suspected that she had spent money extravagantly in the first half of her life and was too eager for a life of pleasure, which led to her current poverty and uncertainty about where her next meal would come from... and she even had to support a gigolo!
She emptied her and Pei Xuan's pockets of all the copper coins they had left and checked into an inn. Before they even had time to pack their belongings, they immediately called for a doctor.
This doctor is the most renowned old gentleman in Nanjing, so his consultation fee is naturally quite high.
Jiang Ling'er felt she had been more than kind to this rogue Taoist priest.
By the way, in order to avoid being recognized, Jiang Ling'er was dressed as a boy, and with her clothes covered in dust, she looked even more like a little beggar.
The doctor examined Pei Xuan's pulse, shaking his head and sighing repeatedly. After a long while, he finally said:
"This...who did he fight to this extent? His internal organs are all damaged...it's amazing that he can still hold on until now. An ordinary person would have been reincarnated several times over by now."
Jiang Ling'er was startled and quickly asked:
"Sir, could you please tell me if it can still be cured?"
The doctor nodded and shook his head at the same time: "If you say it can be cured, it can be cured; if you say it can't be cured... it can't be cured either."
Jiang Ling'er was bewildered: "What does this mean?"
"External injuries are easy to treat, but internal injuries..." The doctor pointed two fingers at various acupoints on Pei Xuan's body, "May I ask who you fought against, Master? Such vicious kung fu techniques are unheard of in my life! All of your meridians were reversed. If it were an ordinary person, their meridians would have ruptured and they would have exploded and died. It is only because you are young and have profound internal strength that you have managed to endure it."
Jiang Ling'er was taken aback upon hearing this, and then she understood.
This was naturally Shui Rong's doing.
"Then he..."
"All skills have been lost."
Jiang Ling'er was completely stunned, and it took her a long time to say, "Then...when will it be better?"
"It might be today, it might be tomorrow, but after the next incense stick burns, it might also be..." The old doctor paused, then let out another long sigh, "It might also be that he will never get better in this lifetime."
Jiang Ling'er froze, staring blankly at the jade-like face of the sleeping young man on the bed, speechless.
After the old doctor prescribed the medicine, he watched the old doctor leave without saying another word.
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The night is still and quiet.
Inside the inn.
"……water."
Pei Xuan woke up to the sound of dripping water.
He was rarely awake each day, and even then, it was beyond his control. At this moment, he stared with hazy eyes at the dark beams on the ceiling, and it took a long time for his muddled mind to clear up a little.
As his mind cleared, the sound of the pattering water echoed louder in his ears, and he turned his head to look in the direction of the sound—
In the dimly lit and cramped little guest room, only a single lamp flickered.
The warm, ammonia-like light cast Jiang Ling'er's silhouette as she wiped herself onto the screen.
Water droplets dripped from the handkerchief in her hand, which she then wrung out. Holding the handkerchief, her neck arched like a swan's head tilted back, she wiped her neck down with the damp handkerchief...
The young Taoist priest, pale and handsome, was momentarily dazed upon waking. Realizing what the woman behind the screen was doing, his eyelids twitched, and he immediately turned his head away.
Jiang Ling'er has sharp ears. Thanks to the guidance she has received from various masters, whether intentionally or unintentionally, and her own diligent practice over the past few days, perhaps even she herself has not realized that as her internal energy cultivation has increased, her hearing has become clearer and her hearing has improved a lot. She can hear the noise even through a screen.
"……woke up?"
The young Taoist remained silent for a long while before letting out a low, deep voice that could be easily missed if one wasn't listening carefully:
"……Um."
Soon, a more rapid, pattering sound came from the other side of the screen. In fact, such scenes were not uncommon during their journey south.
They couldn't always find a place to stay; sometimes they would just pick up a dilapidated temple and make do for the night.
There were no screens back then, only a broken Buddha statue separating them. The young Taoist priest was delirious with fever on one side, while Jiang Ling'er was wiping her body with a little clean water from the stream on the other.
She didn't dare stray too far from the young Taoist priest, fearing that the scoundrel might die without her knowledge.
At this moment, Pei Xuan also unfortunately woke up.
Through the broken Buddha statue, I saw a beautiful, jade-like butterfly bone, just like a butterfly, as if it could fly away with a flap of its wings.
If it weren't for the Buddha's fierce gaze, one might mistake it for a warm and fragrant chamber with red silk curtains...
He quickly came to his senses, turned his head away, and silently chanted, "Buddha, forgive me, Buddha, forgive me..." Then he remembered that he was a Taoist priest, so what sin could Buddha forgive him for?
They've really gone mad. How can a monk be as carefree as a Taoist priest?
Taoist priests can eat meat and drink alcohol, can monks? Moreover, Taoist priests still have hair and can even get married…
Thinking about it, he shook his head with a wry smile, his thoughts drifting aimlessly, then plunging into endless darkness once more...
Now...
The young Taoist priest turned to the side, silently counting, "One, two, three..."
As he silently counted to "ten," a series of hurried, chaotic footsteps appeared behind him. Immediately, his body was turned around, and as soon as he looked up, Jiang Ling'er's flushed face, still warm from the heat, crashed into him.
Her long hair hung wetly over her shoulders, water droplets still dripping down. The thin undergarment covering her shoulders and neck was quickly soaked, revealing a faint hint of jade color...
They had shared joys and sorrows along the way, and given the hardships of the journey and their shared experiences as江湖儿女 (people of the martial arts world), they had long since become indifferent to such trivial matters as the separation of men and women.
Not caring doesn't mean... not minding.
Pei Xuan frowned slightly, subtly averting his gaze. His throat felt dry, parched, and itchy. The persistent high fever of the past few days seemed to have damaged his voice, leaving it hoarse and sounding as if feathers were tickling him.
"What's the rush..."
Thirsty?
Two voices rang out at the same time, but Jiang Ling'er was used to talking to this handsome Taoist who only knew how to sleep all day, so she didn't intend to wait for his reply at all. She skillfully pinched his mouth with two fingers of one hand, and with the other hand, she directly picked up the teapot and poured the tea into his mouth!
Extremely rude, barbaric, impatient, and unreasonable.
Pei Xuan: "..."
Pei Xuan knew that prolonged illness breeds a lack of filial piety, especially since Jiang Ling'er was a complete stranger to him, and they had only known each other for a short time. He had already done more than enough by not abandoning him on the road; letting her vent was acceptable. However…
"...Enough, enough, enough! Cough cough...cough cough cough..."
The overturned teapot not only soaked his head and face, but also wet his pillowcase and bedding. The young Taoist priest repeatedly begged for mercy, and Jiang Ling'er finally felt it was enough and stopped.
The young Taoist priest coughed violently, as if he were coughing up his internal organs. His handsome face, already flushed from the high fever, looked even more as if he had applied rouge, as dazzling as the most beautiful color in spring.
Although Pei Xuan was usually carefree, he was now somewhat annoyed. His phoenix eyes, made even brighter by the high fever and violent cough, glared fiercely at Jiang Ling'er, who was smiling at him from beside the bed, holding a teapot.
"If you see that I am troubled, just give me a quick end to it. Why bother calling a doctor?"
What Pei Xuan didn't know was that Jiang Ling'er couldn't stand his lifeless appearance all the time.
Especially after the great revenge was achieved and Chunhua died, that expressionless, lifeless look, as if he didn't care whether he lived or died in the next second... who was he trying to impress?
unlucky!
What bad luck!
So she would always tease him, regardless of whether he was seriously ill. Only when he was so angry that his face was contorted with rage and his eyes looked like he wanted to devour someone did she feel that the person in front of her was alive, not a corpse.
She had no intention of bringing back a corpse from so far away.
unlucky!
What bad luck!!!
Of course, Jiang Ling'er didn't want to waste her breath on these complicated matters, and she disdained to talk to him about them.
As usual, after filling the container with water, I picked up the liquid food that had been prepared and mashed beforehand.
Pei Xuan tried to dodge at the sight of the strangely shaped bowl in her hand, but the tide had turned. Now, he was as weak as a dodder vine, utterly powerless against Jiang Ling'er's brute force. The strange bowl was right in front of him, its peculiar smell lingering in his nostrils. He simply refused to eat it.
Jiang Ling'er frowned and said impatiently:
"How can we manage without eating?"
The young Taoist could only turn his head away and give a wry smile:
"Spare me! I'd rather you kill me than make me eat this pig swill!"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ling'er paused for a moment, then immediately followed suit, feeding Pei Xuan the liquid food as well.
Pei Xuan: "!!!"
...
"Look at you! Are you still a child?! You need someone to feed you!"
Jiang Ling'er looked at her disheveled state, her forehead twitching. She gritted her teeth and had no choice but to start washing and grooming herself again.
The young Taoist priest, like a delicate flower ravaged by a storm, lay helplessly on the couch, his handsome face pale and lifeless.
It took a long time for a glimmer of light to return to his eyes.
He opened his mouth, but after a long while, he finally uttered a sound: "...Why waste money to hire a doctor?"
No one knew his body better than him. He had originally intended to perish together with Shui Rongyu, and he was extremely lucky to have only lost all his internal energy.
Behind the screen, Jiang Ling'er paused, her hand wiping her neck and shoulders: "You heard everything?"
Pei Xuan blinked, wondering how Jiang Ling'er had managed to prepare that liquid food. It had made his mouth dry and his stomach burn, and he was only now feeling a little better. Hearing this, he gave a very soft "Mmm."
He showed absolutely no trace of pain; his calm and composed demeanor made it seem as if he were not the one whose martial arts had been completely destroyed.
Even if it wasn't Jiang Ling'er's own internal energy, just thinking about how it was enough to rival Shui Rong, or even surpass him, made her realize how terrifying and vast that internal energy was. And it just vanished like that... Jiang Ling'er herself felt a pang of regret, but the scoundrel Taoist priest acted as if nothing had happened. He even reacted more strongly when fed a bowl of liquid food.
Jiang Ling'er is really something, I admire her a bit.
After a long silence behind the screen, Jiang Ling'er suddenly peeked out and spoke softly, a rare occurrence for her:
"Um... how about I take you back to the Lingxiao Sect?"
The young Taoist paused: "What? You invited me to come along... Now that you know my martial arts are completely useless, you regret it? You think I'm a hindrance?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Pei Xuan chuckled and turned his head to look. He saw Jiang Ling'er peeking out from behind the screen. Perhaps her collar was dirty, so she pulled it down to reveal a small part of her delicate collarbone, with a few water droplets still on it.
The water droplets, glistening and round, hung precariously on that delicate collarbone, threatening to fall...
The young Taoist priest's breath hitched slightly. He turned his gaze away, fixing his eyes on the dim beam without wavering.
To everyone's surprise, Jiang Ling'er didn't try to hide anything and readily admitted it:
"yes."
She originally invited him with the intention that finding Crown Prince Liansheng together with someone as skilled in martial arts as him and with such similar experiences would be much more efficient, and there was no need to hide that.
Pei Xuan hesitated, his face immediately fell, and he smiled bitterly:
"You're really honest..."
"So? Are you going back?" Jiang Ling'er hurriedly threw on an outer robe and walked over, saying with utmost seriousness, "You are the junior brother of the sect leader, Wu Yazi, and the Xiaoyaozi Zhenren of the Lingxiao Sect. Your Lingxiao Sect also has a natural healing spring and plenty of miraculous elixirs, definitely better than the doctors in Jinling City. Regaining your martial arts and internal energy is only a matter of time..."
As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Ling'er walked up to Pei Xuan, crossed her arms, looked down at the young Taoist, and asked again:
So you're going back?
Pei Xuan stared into those clear almond-shaped eyes for a long while before finally speaking:
"That's exactly right..."
Upon hearing the first half of the sentence, Jiang Ling'er assumed that Pei Xuan thought the same way, and immediately turned around to prepare for the formalities.
This is certainly the best option for him.
But she had only taken two steps when a faint sigh suddenly came from behind her:
"My senior brother will naturally do everything he can to help me regain my inner strength, but before that... sigh."
Jiang Ling'er paused, turned around, and asked in confusion, "Why are you sighing like that?"
With the Lingxiao Sect backed by countless miraculous elixirs and a sect leader who is his senior brother, countless people admire him. It's truly baffling what he's sighing about.
The young Taoist priest sighed deeply again, covering his face with his right forearm, as if he had suffered a great injustice.
“You know…you know that apart from my senior brother and that little Daoist boy named Meng Xiaochuan, very few people in the Lingxiao Sect really take me seriously…”
Jiang Ling'er paused, then remembered.
She had forgotten about that.
"I don't know where this rumor came from, but it says that my senior brother is going to pass the position of sect leader to me... If I go back, I'm afraid I'll be eliminated before my inner strength can be restored?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Ling'er froze in shock.
“Now…” The two words were deliberately uttered between his lips and teeth, the last syllable drawn out, giving Jiang Ling’er ample time to think.
The young Taoist priest raised his forearm, which had been covering his face, revealing his handsome face flushed from a persistent high fever. His dark blue Taoist robe was disheveled, and his phoenix eyes were cold and resentful, like a woman abandoned in her boudoir. He glanced at her with a melancholy look: "Do you still want to send me away?"
Jiang Ling'er: "..."
Jiang Ling'er: "…………"
After Pei Xuan finished speaking, he fell silent, propped himself up from the bed, and thoughtfully gave her time to make a decision, patiently waiting for her to decide.
Jiang Ling'er scratched her hair and raised a high brow. She paced back and forth, unable to make up her mind for a long time.
Throughout the entire process, the young Taoist priest watched her calmly and patiently.
After waiting for a long time, Jiang Ling'er finally stopped, seemingly having made up her mind, and glared at him:
"You can stay, but you have to promise me one thing first."
The young Taoist priest nodded: "Go on."
Jiang Ling'er took two steps in one, strode to the bedside, and under the young Taoist's astonished gaze, grabbed his collar and pulled him over!
Their eyes met, and the young Taoist's beautiful phoenix eyes reflected Jiang Ling'er's almond-shaped eyes, which resembled two clusters of bonfires.
Jiang Ling'er said each word through gritted teeth:
"From now on, no matter what the reason, you are never allowed to leave me again!"
Pei Xuan was stunned: "..."
It took me a while to realize what she was talking about.
She was still blaming him for leaving her in the secluded, water-filled room...
Pei Xuan wanted to explain, and wanted to say, "I'm doing this for your own good."
But under Jiang Ling'er's almost murderous glare, he wisely swallowed his words. Instead, he spread his hands and said self-deprecatingly:
"I was afraid you would abandon me."
Jiang Ling'er then narrowed her eyes, snorted, and let go of her hand.
Pei Xuan caught a glimpse of Jiang Ling'er's hand covered in wounds out of the corner of his eye, and several images flashed through his mind.
Whether it's the scene of Jiang Ling'er pushing the cart, or the scene of her pounding medicine for him...
The young Taoist paused, his Adam's apple bobbing nervously, and he subconsciously reached out to reach Jiang Ling'er's hand:
Your hand...
Jiang Ling'er avoided his hand, frowning and giving him a strange look:
"what?"
Pei Xuan paused, then said, "..."
He stared blankly at his hand, which was frozen in mid-air.
Honestly, he didn't even know what he was thinking just now...
He could only casually pull his hand back, put it behind his back, and subconsciously clench it, only to grasp a wisp of air.
She chuckled softly, though it was unclear what she was laughing at.
Jiang Ling'er gave Pei Xuan a strange look, assuming he was delirious from the fever. She turned and went behind the screen, where she had prepared a simple set of bedding. Just as she was about to rest, she paused, leaned against the screen, and added a sentence:
"It doesn't matter if you lose all your skills for the rest of your life."
The young Taoist priest paused, pulling himself out of his inexplicable thoughts. He raised his eyelids, his phoenix eyes sharp and clear, and said calmly:
"How so?"
Jiang Ling'er glanced at Pei Xuan from head to toe. He was as handsome as jade.
Based on her years of experience as a playboy, she said with unusual seriousness:
"You know about the 'Eighteen Touches of Qinhuai'? Even if you never regain your skills in this lifetime, it doesn't matter. Our Jinling city has an open-minded culture, and many people enjoy the pleasures of male love. Just go to the banks of the Qinhuai River, sell your ass, and you'll have all the delicacies you could ever want. Why would you need to eat anything else? You'll never have to worry about anything again..."
Upon hearing this, the young Taoist priest's handsome face immediately darkened.
He hadn't expected that this girl would not only be arrogant and sharp-tongued, but also hold grudges.
You will definitely not lose out.
He's seen it all.
Pei Xuan vaguely thought that this was what the old镖头 (bodyguard/escort) had been talking about...
You two are kindred spirits; you'll surely be delighted when you meet her...
The young Taoist priest heard the voice of an old friend echo in his ears, his vision gradually blurring. Just as he was about to fall into darkness again, Jiang Ling'er's voice suddenly rang in his ears:
"Oh dear, is she fainting from anger or has she had an attack? Why is her fever rising again..."
Immediately afterwards, a wet handkerchief was placed over her forehead.
Even with such a high fever, he was still thinking, "It's rare for me to be so seriously ill, it seems..."
not bad?
...He's really delirious from the fever.
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The next day.
Jiang Ling'er grumbled and cursed as she took care of the scoundrel Taoist priest for half the night.
Even someone made of iron couldn't withstand such intense heat. Perhaps it was from her anger, but Pei Xuan was burning hot to the touch, his entire body like a furnace. He had been running a fever on and off, but it was always a low-grade fever; this was the first time he had experienced such a fever.
Jiang Ling'er was really afraid that he would be burned into a mentally impaired state.
Somewhat regretting her words that provoked him last night, Jiang Ling'er copied the prescription left by the old doctor as soon as it was light and went out to get the medicine.
Shortly after Jiang Ling'er left, Pei Xuan opened his eyes.
After a night of burning, he seemed to have lost even more weight.
He rested on the couch for a while before taking off the handkerchief from his forehead, and then, with unsteady steps, got off the couch, went out, and went downstairs.
I walked downstairs to the inn and sat down in front of a tall, deep-set man who looked like he was from the Western Regions.
He briefly regained consciousness when Jiang Ling'er led him to this inn.
At a glance, one could spot this foreign man with an exceptionally striking face.
I thought he might have gone far away, but thankfully he is still here.
Pei Xuansu, his handsome face pale, greeted the foreign man across the mountain of beef and mutton:
"Long time no see... Chunyu Hun."
Upon hearing this, the foreign man looked up from the large basin full of beef and mutton. The moment he saw the young Taoist priest, his eyes lit up, and he swallowed a mouthful of meat before saying:
"...What is Master Xiaoyaozi doing here?!"
Pei Xuan smiled and nodded, glancing at the foreign man's hand.
Chunyu Hun paused, followed the young Taoist's gaze to the chopsticks in his hand, and after a moment of surprise, quickly handed the clean chopsticks beside him to Pei Xuan.
They watched helplessly as the young man, who seemed like an immortal in their memories, devoured the beef and mutton with gusto, stuffing it into his mouth and enjoying his meal.
This was no small matter.
Even beef and mutton didn't taste good anymore. He quickly poured the young Taoist priest a cup of wine.
"Daoist... Daoist Master... Hey, slow down, there's more..."
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Jiang Ling'er quickly got the medicine according to the prescription.
She left Jinling City and her home in the height of summer. When she returned, it was early spring, and in just a few months, Jinling City had undergone a complete transformation.
The faces of passersby were not only more foreigners, but also barbarians and even Jurchens.
The Jurchens' footprints had actually spread from the border into the city of Jinling.
After making some inquiries, she learned that the annual martial arts tournament was being held at the World's Number One Escort Agency. This was a grand event for martial arts practitioners from all over the world. She was carrying the unconscious Pei Xuan and was moving slowly. By this time, the martial arts tournament had already been going on for almost half a month.
Therefore, there were many people coming and going from Nanjing, and this was the reason...
She was thinking about it absentmindedly when she suddenly slapped her forehead and realized she had completely forgotten about it!
She was in a hurry to get back and brew medicine for that scoundrel Pei Xuan, but when she passed a vendor, the old woman's wailing made her stop in her tracks.
A golden figure stood with its foot on the boy's back, stomping his head hard into the mud and grinding it. It was spewing foul language.
The old woman clung to the golden statue's legs, weeping and pleading:
"Sir, sir, it's my son's fault, please have mercy... spare us, a widow and her orphan..."
Beside the Jin man was a middle-aged Taoist priest dressed in a dark blue robe. Before the Jin man could speak, the middle-aged Taoist priest kicked the old woman away.
"Ignorant and foolish woman! You think you can just grab an official's leg like that?!"
Jiang Ling'er was instantly enraged, cursing inwardly, "What a lackey of the Jurchens!"
Just as the fierce-looking Jurchen man drew his broadsword and was about to slash at the boy at his feet, Jiang Ling'er frowned. Ignoring everything else, she was about to throw the medicine packet in her hand to stop the Jurchen man when a familiar, booming voice rang out in the air!
"Go to hell, you son of a bitch! How dare you harm my people, the citizens of the Great Song Dynasty, in front of me!"
Jiang Ling'er turned around and saw that Master Ma, Master Lu, and Sister Qin Xiangyu had all arrived!
Jiang Ling'er's eyes lit up, and she almost cried out. It seemed that they had also come to participate in the martial arts tournament. Not only Master Ma, Master Lu, and Qin Xiangyu, but all the heroes who came to participate in the martial arts tournament surrounded her. Everyone hated the Jurchens and wished they could kill them as soon as possible. Now that they had finally caught a Jurchen, how could they let him go!
The middle-aged Taoist priest, seeing them surround him, also became somewhat flustered, but forced himself to remain calm and said:
"You...you're all insane? Are you all out of your minds! This man is a prominent figure among the Jurchens..."
Before the middle-aged Taoist could finish speaking, Master Lu slapped him with an abacus, sending him staggering back several steps, his vision blurring.
"Grandpa was fighting the Jurchens!"
Seeing that many people were standing up for the mother and child, Jiang Ling'er felt relieved and quietly disappeared into the crowd.
There were too many people in Jinling City who recognized her as the former troublemaker, so she had to disguise herself as a man and dress up to avoid being recognized. Therefore, she could not recognize Master Ma, Master Lu, and Sister Qin Xiangyu.
Jiang Ling'er intended to return to the inn, but out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the middle-aged Taoist priest and the Jin dynasty's lackey shamelessly fleeing.
I was furious and knew I had to beat that lackey to vent my anger!
He immediately stuffed the medicine bag into his pocket and quietly followed them.
Almost the instant she took her step, she brushed past a sedan chair.
A cool spring breeze swept by, causing the curtains of the sedan chair to rise and fall gently.
He revealed a pale, gloomy, and gaunt handsome face.
Fleeting.
Only a faint, cold voice remained:
"Mr. Gao, who's arguing up ahead?"
Ji Yunshu.
The refined young man Gao Yang, who was walking to one side, immediately whispered in his ear:
"Young Master, they are nothing but a bunch of street thugs who fight and brawl."
After Gao Yang finished speaking, he immediately called to his men:
"Raise the banner of Sun and Moon Fortress, clear away any irrelevant people, and do not disturb the young master's rest."
"yes!"
Jiang Ling'er and Ji Yunshu once again brushed past each other, going their separate ways and drifting further and further apart.
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Jiang Ling'er followed the middle-aged Taoist priest and the Jurchen lackey all the way, never expecting that she would end up there—
In front of the world's number one escort agency.
Jiang Ling'er was stunned, feeling a bit apprehensive about returning home... and dared not step forward.
He only snapped out of his daze when he saw the golden man and his lackey about to disappear through the gate, and followed after them.
However, they were stopped at the gate.
"Young man, where's your invitation?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ling'er immediately frowned: "...What invitation to heroes?"
The First Escort Agency has always adhered to the principle that everyone is a friend. Jiang Ling'er has lived in the First Escort Agency for most of her life, and this is the first time she has ever heard of the existence of a "hero's invitation".
"No invitation card?" The gatekeeper glanced at her up and down, then said, "Do you have any money? Ten taels of silver can buy an invitation card."
Jiang Ling'er stared in disbelief: "Ten...ten taels? Ten taels for a worthless post? What kind of post is worth so much?"
Knowing that he couldn't get anything out of Jiang Ling'er, the servant lost all patience and blocked the door, preventing Jiang Ling'er from entering.
"You have neither a hero's invitation nor any money. Sorry, brother, you can't enter this door. You'll have to wait for next year's martial arts tournament."
Jiang Ling'er finally understood; it turned out that to participate in the martial arts tournament, one had to pay ten taels of silver first.
This is blatant robbery!
Jiang Ling'er almost laughed in anger: "Who made this rule? Old Chief Escort Jiang..."
The servant immediately retorted, "Young brother, 'Old Chief Escort Jiang'? What ancient history are you living in? The current number one escort in the world is Zhao Xiao, the head of our White Tiger Hall! Haven't you heard of 'a new emperor, a new court'? The rules set by our Chief Escort Zhao are the law! You can come or not, if you don't want to come, then get lost! Don't interfere with my collecting invitations!"
"I think we shouldn't interfere with your ability to make money!"
Jiang Ling'er was furious. That bastard Zhao Xiao... he's just blinded by money!
Jiang Ling'er was furious, but she couldn't argue with the servant in front of everyone; it would be a huge loss if her identity were exposed. She glanced at the back of the Jurchen lackey as he was about to turn the corner and disappear, and suddenly an idea struck her.
Suddenly, a loud voice called out, "Uncle! Uncle! I'm talking to you! The one in the dark blue Taoist robe... Don't go!"
Upon hearing this, the Jurchen lackey rubbed his bloodied face, which had been scratched by Master Lu's abacus, turned around, and said in a gruff voice:
"You called me?"
"That's exactly who I'm calling!"
Jiang Ling'er glared at the servant as she spoke: "I remember now, my invitation to the hero is with my uncle! You wait!"
The servant, somewhat skeptical, stepped aside. Jiang Ling'er rushed forward, spoke something to the middle-aged Taoist priest, and then quickly turned back. The invitation to the hero flashed past the servant.
"Is that enough?"
The Jurchen lackey looked quite imposing with a large sword at his waist, but in reality he was a good-for-nothing. Jiang Ling'er merely touched his waist before she took the invitation from him.
The whole process went incredibly smoothly, so much so that even the middle-aged Taoist priest didn't notice it afterwards.
Jiang Ling'er only thought the middle-aged Taoist priest was too incompetent, but she didn't realize at all that he was no longer the same person she was a few months ago.
The servant, intending to put the situation awkward, squinted his eyes:
"Wait a minute, let me take a closer look at your invitation and see the signature..."
Jiang Ling'er cursed inwardly, "What a nuisance!"
She didn't want to escalate the situation, as it would be counterproductive. Just as she was considering whether to let the Jurchen lackey go and return in disguise another day, she suddenly noticed the servant's gaze sweep past her, looking behind her, and loudly cursing:
"It's you again, you unlucky little monk! Weren't you done fighting last time? Now you're looking for trouble in front of our escort agency again?"
It was like a godsend. Jiang Ling'er was overjoyed; she should have taken this opportunity to run inside. But she froze in her tracks after hearing the next sentence.
A slightly immature, deep yet clear voice, belonging to a young man, came from behind. It was like a clear spring gently flowing into my ears.
"This humble monk...this humble monk is not here to cause trouble. This humble monk only wants to finish reciting the Rebirth Sutra for the old镖头 for forty-nine days, and after completing the ritual, this humble monk will leave and will not stay any longer."
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Author's Note: One more chapter! Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants between 2024-04-10 22:42:16 and 2024-04-17 19:43:37!
Thank you to the little angel who threw the landmine: Fairy doesn't need a nickname (1);
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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