Chapter 52 052 "You wouldn't... mistake me for your mother, would you...?"
Jiang Ling'er and Xiao Duwu then learned that during their journey north, everything that happened in Yangjiazhuang was like a hurricane, spreading throughout the entire country in just half a month.
Come to think of it... it makes sense. The vast martial arts world is full of hidden talents, and those whose names are known can only be counted on one hand. Apart from the Wuyazi Master Wanxiangchun in the north, who wields a whisk that shakes the heavens, Ma Rujiao in the south, Gongye Chi, the king of ten thousand poisons in the west, and Yuwen Wugou, the former crown prince of the previous dynasty, who wields a sword that can pacify the nine provinces in the east, not to mention that half of the four most famous martial arts masters in the four directions have already retired from the martial arts world, and below them is the infamous Sanzang of the Demonic Sect, a sorcerer and assassin.
The infamous Seven Assassins of the Demonic Cult, setting aside their character and stance, were all martial arts masters, figures whose mere stomp of their feet could shake the entire martial arts world. Yet, two of them died overnight, not only in obscure, remote rural areas, but also at the hands of utterly unknown individuals. How could this not evoke a sense of both satisfaction and astonishment?
However, the rumors became more and more outrageous. When Jiang Ling'er heard that the female demon of the "Shura Duo" wielded a woodcutter's knife and tore Di Qing and Huo Wu into eight pieces, she could still tolerate it and feel guilty. But when she heard that the jade-faced Shura of the "Shura Duo" held a jade flute and was elegant... she couldn't sit still anymore.
Why is he, the little poisoner, a jade-faced demon, while she is a hideous and ugly shrew?!
Jiang Ling'er immediately lost her appetite and put down her chopsticks. She wanted to go up and argue with the storyteller, but the little poisonous creature forcibly dragged her away!
Taking advantage of his height and long legs, the little poisoner, even though Jiang Ling'er wasn't short either, still managed to lift her up by having his arms slip under her armpits, like he was holding a child!
He didn't let go of Jiang Ling'er's hand until they were a good two blocks away from the noodle stall. Instead, he put his right arm around her shoulder, like the most intimate lovers in the world, almost pulling her completely into his embrace, and whispered in her ear: x
"This is Qing Shi Town, unlike Yang Family Village. The people who come and go are either vicious criminals or homeless people. It's best not to mess with anyone."
The warm breath, carrying the cool fragrance of winter plum blossoms, gently brushed past her ear. Jiang Ling'er tried to resist, but ultimately couldn't. She tilted her head and rubbed her ear against the little poisoner's hand resting on her shoulder to stop the tickling sensation. Actually, she had already noticed that the little poisoner was incredibly clingy, especially after that day at the old镖头's grave—
It was clearly Jiang Ling'er who couldn't live without him, couldn't live without the ghostly flames on his body, but now it's become that he's always clinging to Jiang Ling'er, as if he wants to hang on to her, kissing, hugging, and touching her all day long...
Otherwise, she wouldn't have said he looked like a cat.
No, cats aren't as clingy as him.
Jiang Ling'er wasn't quite used to it at first, but she gradually got used to it. She didn't dislike it; in fact... she liked it.
Surrounded and baked by this ball of fire, with endless ghostly flames covering her body, she seemed to be generating boundless strength. Whether it was her imagination or not, the longer she stayed by the little poisonous creature's side, the longer she was nourished by this ball of fire, and it seemed that a small flame was also burning in her body, especially in her dantian. Her originally meager and insignificant internal energy was gradually sprouting and even showing a tendency to grow stronger, just like this small flame.
Judging from what Little Poison said, she wasn't stupid, especially since they were currently burdened with a considerable bounty; sticking her neck out wouldn't be a good thing. The unpleasantness at the noodle stall quickly dissipated. Jiang Ling'er curiously looked around at the unfamiliar town and streets. Northern towns weren't as bustling and prosperous as the south; along the way, there were only a few noodle stalls and teahouses, and with the falling snow, it looked desolate and bleak. The pedestrians hurried by, and even if they didn't have kind faces, they were far from the "vicious and ruthless" people Little Poison had described.
Seeing Jiang Ling'er's disbelieving look, the little poisoner snorted coldly:
"How stupid! Do you think a villain has 'I am a villain' written on his face?"
Despite his complaints, he held Jiang Ling'er even tighter in his arms, not for any other reason than to keep warm.
As dusk approached, the falling snow was accompanied by a light drizzle.
To Jiang Ling'er, he was a natural, scorching furnace, but to herself, he was nothing more than a normal flesh and blood body, capable of feeling hot and cold, with cold air seeping into her bones, making her shiver.
He could only hold Jiang Ling'er tighter, fortunately the person in his arms was as warm as a small stove.
The little stove suddenly turned its head, its lips brushing against the little poison's cool cheek, and asked in surprise:
"Why do you sound so familiar...? You've been here before?"
The little poisoner paused slightly, a faint blush rising to the cheek where her lips had brushed against his, as if scorched by fire. He stared intently at her lips, from which she exhaled white breath, then glanced up at the crimson sunset gradually swallowed by the night, and at the end of the smoky blue alley shrouded in a thin mist, devoid of human presence. He didn't answer her question, only saying casually:
"It's getting late, let's find a place to stay first."
Jiang Ling'er hummed in agreement and was about to leave when she realized that the hand on her shoulder was still. She turned around and her lips inevitably brushed against the little poisoner's chin. It was all his fault for holding her too tightly, so tightly that it made her uncomfortable, even though the road was so wide!
She leaned back slightly, creating some distance between them. Almost at the same moment she moved, her retreating lips unexpectedly collided with another pair of icy lips. The hand that had been on her shoulder moved to her waist, forcing her to fold up. The cold fragrance of winter plum blossoms wafted over, and then her lips and tongue were deprived of air.
Here we go again.
The little poisoner's kiss came suddenly and fiercely, like a storm, without warning. It happened before she even realized what was happening.
Jiang Ling'er couldn't tell whether she was stunned by the fire in front of her or because of lack of oxygen. When the little poison released her, her legs almost gave way and she could not stand. However, the little poison quickly grabbed her waist and stood still.
She looked at the little poisoner's bright red lips, and saw her own bright red lips reflected in his beautiful, dark eyes. He wiped away the silver strands from the corner of Jiang Ling'er's lips with his thumb, his fingertip lingering on her soft lips for a moment before he let go, his beautiful eyebrows curving into a smile.
"Let's go."
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The two traveled at a leisurely pace and found an inn before it got completely dark. They managed to use the last copper coin they had to check in.
In the north, water is a scarce resource, and hot bathwater is a luxury. The two of them only had one bucket of bathwater. Jiang Ling'er knew that Little Poison was a clean freak, so she wanted him to go first and she could wipe herself down one last time. Unexpectedly, Little Poison pushed her behind the screen and even stood guard in front of the screen for a full half hour before letting her out.
When she came out, the water was cold, but the little poisoner didn't seem to mind at all. She grabbed some clean clothes and went inside.
Jiang Ling'er was left standing there, staring blankly at his retreating figure, murmuring:
"Is this still... Little Poison?"
--
While the small poisonous creatures were being cleaned up, Jiang Ling'er finally had time to study the "Longevity Manual" that she had copied from Yang Dalang's back.
The dim candlelight cast a long shadow of hers. She studied the tiny, obviously broken characters, resembling tadpoles, for a long time, but couldn't understand a single word.
I can't understand it no matter how hard I try, that people would fight over such a lousy book that they can't even understand...
She suddenly stopped, as a cool body, still damp with moisture, pressed against her from behind. It was the little poisonous creature, its chin resting on the top of her head like a large bear. Its gaze was fixed on the "Longevity Manual" in her hand, and it lazily said:
"You're looking at this. What, want to cultivate it? It's a pity this is an incomplete version; you need to collect the whole thing before you can cultivate it."
"Of course I don't..." Jiang Ling'er finally remembered something when the "Longevity Manual" was mentioned, and hurriedly asked, "By the way, did you see the copy of the "Longevity Manual" on Di Qing's body?"
Upon hearing this, the little poisonous creature lifted its thin, drooping eyelids and slowly shook its head.
Jiang Ling'er was about to ask something when the little poisonous creature suddenly sneezed, causing Jiang Ling'er to pause:
"Did you catch a cold?"
Jiang Ling'er immediately forgot what she was going to say, turned around, and frowned: "I told you you'd catch a cold doing that..."
Turning around, I realized he was only wearing a loosely draped outer garment, his hair still damp and hanging over his shoulders, soaking his clothes in the blink of an eye…
Outside the window, wind and snow raged.
Jiang Ling'er's brows furrowed even more, forming a small hill. She still held the "Longevity Mantra" in her hand, the rolled-up scroll pointing at the little poisonous creature's bare chest:
"You're not even wearing your clothes properly, how are you going to catch a cold!"
Upon hearing this, the little poisonous creature scratched its head impatiently, and water droplets from its hair rolled down into Jiang Ling'er's collar. The icy water droplets made her shiver very slightly: "Isn't it troublesome to put it on and then take it off?"
Jiang Ling'er: "Huh?"
In response, the "Longevity Manual" in her hand was brushed to the ground.
The secret to immortality, which everyone coveted, was thus trampled on.
The little poisoner grabbed her waist with both hands, lifted her up, and pressed her against the window frame, burying his head in his lips to bite open the buttons on her clothes.
Jiang Ling'er was stunned for a moment before realizing what was happening and said, "...It's flared up again?"
The little poisonous creature remained silent, its head buried in Jiang Ling'er's neck, until it spat out the last button. It then tilted its head back, its slightly damp hair clinging messily to its body, as if it had just bathed. Not only was its hair wet, but its eyes were also glistening, like washed obsidian. With its head slightly tilted back, it stared intently at Jiang Ling'er, its thin lips curving into a smirk. A bright red beauty mark at the corner of its eye added to its allure, making it appear like a seductive ghost, exuding an aura of malevolence.
"Yes, please help me."
Just as her lips and tongue were captured again, Jiang Ling'er noticed with her sharp eyes that a lump had indeed bulged on the little poisonous creature's neck, the work of a Gu worm.
I'm not lying.
...
Outside the window, wind and snow raged, and a hurricane brought frost, snow, and hail that crashed against the windowpane with thunder and crashes.
Jiang Ling'er, separated by a window, is like a fish on a chopping board, a fish wagging its tail in a drained pond.
The wind and snow raged outside the window, and she faced just as fierce... even fiercer impacts.
This poison used to flare up once a month, then once every two weeks, then once every five days, then once every three days, and now it's almost every day...
Even though she was a martial artist and stronger than the average woman, she still couldn't withstand it.
Unable to bear the pent-up frustration, he turned into anger and bit down hard on the "slave" mark on the little poisonous creature's left shoulder!
The person in front of her paused, and then... Jiang Ling'er almost screamed!
The dim candlelight flickered, outlining two intertwined figures, one above the other.
Jiang Ling'er, who used to retaliate by biting him fiercely, later found it amusing, resting her forehead on his shoulder and breathing softly. Eventually, she grew utterly fed up and, glancing at the young man with his head buried in front of her, her brows furrowed deeply.
"You wouldn't... mistake me for your mother, would you?"
The person in front of him, who had been working incessantly with their head down, finally froze.
Slowly raising his head, he revealed a face covered in fine sweat, pale with a rosy tinge, a face that seemed both human and demonic. His beautiful eyes narrowed, his expression darkening.
"What did you say?"
Jiang Ling'er glanced at the water stains on his lips... and abruptly turned her head away: "You know what I'm saying!" Finally, she turned back, glared at the person in front of her, and added, "Aren't you ashamed!"
The little poisoner's thin lips were almost pressed into a line as he remained silent, but his increasingly red and almost bleeding earlobes revealed that he was clearly still shy.
Jiang Ling'er's pent-up frustration, which had been controlled and manipulated by this guy, finally dissipated, bringing her considerable relief! However, she was soon stunned.
Because she discovered that the eerie blue flames on the little poisonous creature's body were still raging, but she couldn't inhale a single drop...
The little poisonous creature raised its chin, a slight smirk playing on its lips, gesturing to her—
Use your mouth.
Jiang Ling'er: "..."
Jiang Ling'er: "…………"
Jiang Ling'er gritted her teeth, and with a low growl she could no longer bear it, she grabbed the head of the person in front of her with both hands and bit his lips hard!
The little poisoner groaned in pain, but a muffled laugh escaped its chest. It then pulled her down onto the couch, transferring the ghostly blue flame from the little poisoner's mouth to Jiang Ling'er's...
They were enveloped in a ghostly blue flame, while snow continued to fall outside the window.
--
It's the first watch of the night.
The second watch of the night.
A small head popped out from under the covers. Jiang Ling'er was really annoyed and fed up, and really wanted to kick the person off her!
"...Is it still not better? Why has it been taking so long this time! Are you...are you lying to me?!"
The little poisoner paused for a moment, its voice somewhat hoarse:
"……again."
Jiang Ling'er: "..."
...
It was past midnight.
Jiang Ling'er finally couldn't hold on any longer and fell into a deep sleep, her long eyelashes still bearing a trace of tears.
A slender finger wiped away the tears hanging from the corner of her eye, and then gently placed the bamboo flute beside her.
Finally, he gently stroked her sleeping face with his fingertips before changing into a black dress and leaving quietly.
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midnight.
Qingshi Town, the Ghost Market.
The once quiet and desolate alleyway is now brightly lit and decorated, even as the wind and snow rage on.
All those who came and went wore masks of ghosts and gods.
Only one young man, dressed in only a single garment, walked to the end of the alley and stopped at an inconspicuous stall. The stall owner was a short boy wearing a lucky cat mask.
The vendor selling lucky cat figurines greeted him familiarly: "Young man, you look unfamiliar. Is this your first time here? I have top-quality hidden weapons and daggers, as well as exquisite South China Sea pearls..."
The young man tapped the stall with his knuckles, succinctly interrupting him:
"Campsis grandiflora seeds".
The vendor paused as soon as he finished speaking. Two dark, hollow eyes beneath the lucky cat mask silently scrutinized the young man's unremarkable face—
Suddenly, the voice rose higher, and the smiling beckoning cat mask looked up at the tall, thin young man in front of it:
"Oh, it's an old acquaintance. Isn't this Brother Little Poison, the old poison master's last disciple? Long time no see, are you wearing a different mask this time?"
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Author's Note: Sorry for being late! I've been a bit busy at the end of the year, so I'll be accumulating chapters and updating every other day for now! Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants between 2024-01-12 03:29:00 and 2024-01-19 01:37:49!
Thank you to the little angel who threw the landmines: Wnian (3 landmines);
Thank you to the little angels who watered with nutrient solution: Time (6 bottles); Deep Courtyard (3 bottles); Ugly Orange Isn't Ugly (1 bottle);
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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