Chapter 48 048 "You know what? You're cutest when you're being sarcastic..."
Two days later.
After parting ways with the peasant girl, the day also came for him to part ways with Aunt Yang and Yang Dalang.
Before leaving, Jiang Ling'er was packing her luggage when she found several menstrual belts among the clothes the farm girl had left her... Her fingertips paused, and then she hugged the package tightly to her chest, as if she had embraced the farm girl that day:
"You're such a good sister!"
Jiang Ling'er was overwhelmed by her sudden menstruation these past two days and had very few clean clothes to change into. The clothes brought by the farm girl were a godsend, and she was surprised that the girl was so thoughtful as to include menstrual pads!
She certainly wouldn't make menstrual pads; Ji Yunshu always prepared them for her inside the house. Ji Yunshu was so virtuous; she would arrange everything, big and small, for her. Outside the house, her maids would prepare them for her; in short, she never had to worry about such things.
That's why we're in such a mess now.
Jiang Ling'er clutched the package the peasant girl had left her, especially the several menstrual belts, as if they were priceless treasures. The little poisoner beside her pursed his thin lips, wanting to say something but ultimately remaining silent. He merely watched Jiang Ling'er cling to the package, a slight smile playing on his lips. He poured himself a cup of tea and gave a soft scoff.
"Promising."
Jiang Ling'er ignored the little poisoner's mockery and happily packed her bags, then suddenly asked casually:
"By the way, where have you been these past two nights?"
The little poisonous creature paused, and the tea spilled out:
"……What's wrong?"
"I haven't seen you come in these past two nights. What have you been busy with outside? It's so cold..." However, Jiang Ling'er seemed to be just asking casually and didn't care about the little poisoner's answer. She turned her head and picked up a menstrual belt, somewhat surprised, "The stitches are... too ugly."
The little poisoner's tense back relaxed almost imperceptibly, and his handsome face turned ashen. He slammed the teacup down on the table, splashing tea everywhere!
"If you think it's ugly, then don't use it!"
Jiang Ling'er was startled and even dropped her menstrual pad. After picking up her clothes, she stormed off to the outer room.
Jiang Ling'er stared at the empty doorway, speechless for a long time, before finally murmuring:
"...Are you sick?"
--
On the narrow, winding path outside Yangjiazhuang.
The snow finally stopped. Heading south leads to the prosperous water towns of Jiangnan, while heading north reveals the vast landscapes of the northern frontier.
Jiang Ling'er, Xiao Duwu, and Aunt Yang and Yang Dalang lined up at opposite ends, each carrying luggage on their backs; it was time for them to go their separate ways.
The deaths of two top masters from the Diqing and Huowu Demonic Sects will undoubtedly cause an uproar in the martial arts world. Regardless of which sect they belong to, the Demonic Sect will be the first to seek revenge. Therefore, not only Jiang Ling'er and Xiao Duwu, but also Aunt Yang and Yang Dalang should go into hiding, change their identities, and never return to Yang Family Village.
"My mother has suffered so much for me. In the future, I want to accompany her to the prosperous lands of Jiangnan so that she can enjoy a peaceful and comfortable life." As Yang Dalang spoke, he suddenly knelt down before Jiang Ling'er and Xiao Duwu without any warning. "My two benefactors, please accept my bow!"
Jiang Ling'er was stunned for a moment and hurriedly went to help, but was pulled back by the little poisonous creature. The two of them said in unison:
What are you doing?
"What are you doing?!"
The little poisoner's voice clearly still carried the anger from slamming the door and leaving.
Jiang Ling'er, who had been holding back, was now enraged: "He's the same age as you and he's kneeling before you. Can you bear it? Aren't you afraid of shortening your lifespan?!"
"How could I not be able to bear it?" The little poisoner scoffed. "He had half his human skin peeled off by Huo Wu, and he was barely clinging to life when I healed him. Huo Wu also died at our hands, and I even kindly gave him a new, decent skin, freeing him from the threat of the Demonic Cult. Otherwise, he would have died hundreds of times over! Most importantly, given his previous pathetic appearance, I doubt he'd ever find a wife. Was my kindness to him small? It was a great favor! How could I not be able to bear it? I could withstand kneeling once, or even kowtowing ten or a hundred times!"
Yang Dalang, unsure whether to stand or kneel, looked left and right: "..."
No matter how poisonous Huo Wu's tail needle is, it can't compare to the sharp teeth and mouth of the little poisonous creature!
Jiang Ling'er gritted her teeth so hard she could barely keep them down, but she managed to utter, "Giving without expecting anything in return is the mark of a true gentleman!"
The little poisoner retorted, "What's so good about being a hypocrite? If you're going to be one, be a real villain!"
Jiang Ling'er's eyes reddened with anger: "...You!"
"I can bear it, I can bear it, of course I can bear it!" Seeing that the two were about to start arguing again, Yang Dalang couldn't stay kneeling any longer. He raised his fair face, which, after being disguised by the little poisoner, was indeed much more handsome than before. He quickly stood up to smooth things over, "You two benefactors have treated my mother and me with kindness as heavy as mountains. If it weren't for you two, my mother and I are afraid we would never have been able to recognize each other in this lifetime..."
"Yes...this kindness is beyond measure, I could kowtow a hundred times, let alone ten!" Aunt Yang, who had been silent for a long time, sighed deeply and made a move to kneel down—
However, before Jiang Ling'er could react, the little poisoner moved even faster and firmly held onto Yang Da Niang's arm to prevent her from kneeling. He saw that Yang Da Niang was looking in his direction with a blank expression, but he did not remove his hand from holding her arm.
Jiang Ling'er paused for a moment, then smiled, and suddenly she was no longer angry.
"Um... Sister-in-law."
Yang Dalang suddenly called out to Jiang Ling'er in a low voice. Ever since that day when Jiang Ling'er scolded Yang Dalang severely outside the farmhouse—not really a scolding, but just drawing a line and telling him to take Yang Da Niang and escape—he no longer dared to speak glibly to Jiang Ling'er, and even felt a little afraid of her.
Jiang Ling'er turned her head to look at her: "What's wrong?"
"The carefree Taoist priest who saved me back then might be able to provide clues for our benefactors."
Although Yang Dalang didn't know the truth, he could tell that Jiang Ling'er might not be as interested in the "Longevity Manual" as the little poison; she was more interested in what was hidden behind the "Longevity Manual."
Jiang Ling'er did indeed think so, because this could very well be the key to uncovering why the old镖头 (bodyguard/escort) was involved with the "Longevity Manual".
As expected, Jiang Ling'er's eyes lit up upon hearing this, but she immediately frowned again: "It's nothing... what Taoist priest was it again?"
What strange name?
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Meanwhile, on the perpetually snow-capped Dagushan Mountain, at the summit of Qiongya.
Lingxiao Sect.
In the grand and solemn hall, a young man dressed in a sky-blue Taoist robe suddenly sneezed!
Standing before the young man was an old Taoist priest with a full head of white hair and an air of otherworldly elegance.
The old Taoist priest asked worriedly, "Junior brother, have you caught a cold?"
The young man's long, arched eyebrows furrowed slightly, and he raised his hand to indicate that he was alright, signaling the old Taoist priest to continue.
The old Taoist priest sighed softly and continued his previous topic: "What a pity... what a pity, it was just one step too late. I couldn't save my old friend's daughter either... The old镖头 (bodyguard/escort) spent his whole life upholding justice and only had this one daughter. How can I face his spirit in heaven..."
I'm tired of repeating the same old things.
The young Taoist priest looked up, revealing a strikingly handsome, fair-skinned face. His nose was high and straight, rising like a majestic mountain, and his phoenix eyes were still glistening with tears from his recent sneeze. He picked at his ear, yawned lazily, and walked away without looking back.
The old Taoist priest called out earnestly, "Junior brother... junior brother, where are you going again?" The young man ignored him, and even the old Taoist priest, with all his good manners, couldn't help but raise his voice, "Pei Xuan! Where are you going again?!"
The young Taoist priest, Pei Xuan, chuckled and strode away, completely ignoring the old Taoist priest behind him, whose white hair and youthful face had turned a deep rage.
"Why seek elsewhere beyond the mundane world? There is a paradise on earth too. The world is vast, and I am free and unrestrained, as happy as an immortal!"
The gatekeeper muttered under his breath, "What carefree life? I think my uncle is just out swindling and cheating again."
The tall, slender figure, which had already gracefully walked away, suddenly paused, stopped, and then turned around and strode towards the young Taoist boy.
The tall, long-legged young man had already taken three steps in two before the young Taoist boy could react. He suddenly bent down, stretched out a long finger and poked it in front of the boy, and said with a smile, "This junior uncle is kind-hearted and casts a divination every day. Be careful, kid, there might be bloodshed today."
The young Taoist priest was stunned: "What...?"
Before the young man could finish telling his fairy tale, he stretched out his long leg and tripped the boy, causing his front teeth to hit the threshold. He covered his hand with blood!
The young Taoist priest paused, about to burst into tears, when suddenly a finger touched his lips, stopping his sobs. He froze, his gaze following the direction of the long, slender finger—
The young Taoist priest smiled and extended one hand to him, beckoning:
"Give me the money."
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Jiang Ling'er listened as Yang Dalang spent a full quarter of an hour praising the carefree little immortal Taoist priest for his unparalleled bravery and for his unforgettable demeanor and charm.
Six years ago, a group of thirty-two boys followed Xu Fu to the sacred mountain to seek the elixir of immortality. The thirty-two boys were divided into four groups. Yang Dalang was unaware of the other three groups, but he knew that his group of eight boys, in addition to a hundred soldiers, were escorted by thirty disciples of the Lingxiao Sect.
These thirty Lingxiao disciples were all rising stars and promising talents in the martial arts world, just starting out. Their leader, barely in his early twenties, was none other than the leading figure of the younger generation of the Lingxiao Sect—the carefree Little Immortal Daoist!
"The reason why Huo Wu has been relentlessly pursuing me all these years is because six years ago, when our group was passing through the desert, we were ambushed by two assassins from the Demonic Sect, Huo Wu and Shui Rong! If it weren't for the fact that Little Immortal single-handedly defeated Shui Rong and Huo Wu back then, I definitely wouldn't have been able to escape..."
Recalling his companions being skinned alive, Yang Dalang couldn't help but tremble. However, the memory of the carefree little Taoist priest who appeared like a divine soldier brought him some peace.
"It's a pity that the Little Immortal Taoist has no fixed abode and we haven't heard from him for many years..." Yang Dalang's eyes shone brightly, full of trust: "But as long as we can find the Little Immortal Taoist, he will definitely tell us everything he knows!"
To single-handedly defeat two top assassins from the Fire Dance and Water Melting Demonic Cult, all at just over twenty years old—such extraordinary talent…
Jiang Ling'er had never heard of this person before.
Jiang Ling'er looked at it with disdain: "Little Immortal Taoist Priest? What a strange title."
Can he be a decent person?
Jiang Ling'er still had some doubts. After all, six years had passed, and six years ago Yang Dalang was only eleven or twelve years old. It was possible that his memory was somewhat inaccurate. Moreover, there were other strange things in Yang Dalang's story. It was one thing for Xu Fu to bring them and thirty-two children to seek the elixir of immortality, but it was another thing to stab the "Longevity Manual" in their backs.
When the "Longevity Manual" was mentioned, Jiang Ling'er suddenly paused, and quickly checked her waist and inner garment, but there was nothing there.
That day, during her underwater battle with Di Qing, she took a copy of the "Longevity Manual" from him... and it disappeared.
Yang Dalang asked curiously, "What's wrong with my sister-in-law?"
Has anyone changed my clothes?
Yang Dalang: "Sister Mei wiped my sister-in-law's body, and my mother washed all her clothes."
Amei is a farm girl.
Jiang Ling'er hurriedly asked, "Did you see... did you see a strange thing wrapped in parchment? To be frank, it's the same thing as the one behind you—the human skin book, 'The Secret of Longevity'."
That day, Huo Wu had half of Yang Dalang's skin peeled off his back. Later, Xiao Duwu replaced it with fish skin. Xiao Duwu completely removed the Longevity Manual tattoo from Yang Dalang's back. Now, it was neatly folded into the shape of a human skin book and placed at the bottom of the package.
Yang Dalang was also startled when he heard about the "Longevity Manual," but he still honestly shook his head: "I haven't seen it. If Mother had seen it, she would have told me. Sister Mei doesn't know what the "Longevity Manual" is. If she did know, she certainly wouldn't have hidden it from me. Could it be that Sister-in-law...remembered it wrong?"
There's no mistake. Although she almost exhausted all her Netherfire fighting Di Qing underwater, she clearly remembered that when she attacked Di Qing's seven orifices, she had taken the "Longevity Manual" from his body and put it into her clothes. There's no mistake... Could she have lost it?
Jiang Ling'er had no doubt that Yang Dalang would not lie. He had spent most of his life hiding because of this damned "Longevity Manual". He was more than happy to be able to sell it to Xiao Duwu and Jiang Ling'er. He would not lie.
But no matter how anxious and confused Jiang Ling'er was, she could only keep quiet about it.
Meanwhile, Granny Yang grasped the little poisonous creature's hand, which was resting lightly on her arm, and looked at him. Her usually unfocused eyes vaguely revealed a pair of figures:
"Can I... hug you?"
The little poison not only gave Yang Dalang a new face, but also cured Yang Da Niang's eyes. Although Yang Da Niang can only vaguely see some images at the moment, she will regain her sight in time.
That little poisoner is really awkward; his silence is... tacit consent.
Aunt Yang carefully embraced the tall, slender boy in front of her. The little poisonous creature flinched slightly but did not push Aunt Yang away.
"Still unwilling to tell me your real name?"
“Zichu.” The little poisonous creature seemed to have given up struggling and answered quickly, “My name is ‘Zichu’.”
He paused abruptly and added, "The 'first' of my initial attire."
“Zi…Chu?” Aunt Yang murmured, “A good name, a good name…”
With one hand holding the little poisonous creature's hand, Aunt Yang was groping around for something with the other. Jiang Ling'er was stunned for a moment before realizing that she was looking for her, and quickly stepped forward to take Aunt Yang's hand.
Grandma Yang held their hands and murmured, tears welling in her eyes, "Good children, good children, all good children..."
She pulled out a candy wrapped in yellowed paper from her pocket and, just like when they first met, stuffed it into Jiang Ling'er and Little Poison's hands. Her wrinkled, aged face was filled with a childlike smile as she cautiously asked, "Want some?"
Jiang Ling'er knew all too well about the little devil's obsessive-compulsive disorder about cleanliness. She had intended to take the candy from his palm, but the little devil simply tore open the yellowed candy wrapper, popped the candy into his mouth, and his handsome face showed a momentary struggle before relaxing:
"Hmm...it's alright."
Jiang Ling'er was amused.
After watching Aunt Yang and Yang Dalang leave, Jiang Ling'er glanced at the little poisoner beside her:
"Are you shy?"
Little Poison: "..."
The little poisonous creature's fair skin and handsome face visibly darkened.
"What's wrong? Eating candy isn't shameful." Jiang Ling'er chuckled twice, tore open the candy wrapper, and popped the candy into her mouth, but her expression changed instantly, and she swallowed it with great difficulty.
It's so sweet!
"It's so sweet, how can you eat it!"
The cloyingly sweet taste spread across her tongue, and Jiang Ling'er struggled to find a sip of water to suppress the sweetness. Just as she was thinking about eating some snow, the little poisoner started making sarcastic remarks again:
“We’ve only known Aunt Yang for a short time, yet she still remembered to ask me my name when we parted. What about you? Why have you never asked me my real name? Is it because you don’t care?”
Jiang Ling'er: "..."
What's going on here now?
The little poisoner continued its aggressive advance, closing in on Jiang Ling'er step by step. Its anger and grievances grew with each word, and its beautiful eyes blazed with a sea of black fire.
"How long have you known that peasant girl? You've only known her briefly. She just gave you a few tattered clothes and you're already this moved, calling her 'good sister' all the time? And you even dare to complain about my needles..."
The little poisoner suddenly stopped talking, realizing something at this point.
Fortunately, Jiang Ling'er didn't notice his careless remark. Perhaps annoyed by his nagging, Jiang Ling'er suddenly blurted out something out of the blue:
"You know what? You're cutest when you're being sarcastic."
The little poisonous creature suddenly raised its eyebrows, its tone vicious: "What..."
He suddenly stopped before he could finish speaking.
Jiang Ling'er tiptoed and kissed his lips.
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The author's note: ①Why seek elsewhere beyond the mundane world? The mortal realm itself also possesses its own celestial paradise. (From Han Hong's "On the Same Theme at Xianyou Temple")
(P.S., the Little Immortal Taoist Priest is an old friend; he appeared in Chapter 5!!!!)
Oh right, I changed my pen name to "Zhang Duole". My only wish for the new year is to have lots of money (dollars)!!!
I'm throwing a tantrum and begging for nutrient solution! Ugh!
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