"I'm just afraid …" Someone recklessly threw himself into Fuyao's arms.
Zhangsun Wuji suddenly turned around and raised his eyebrows. His fingers seemed to be moving, but for some reason, they did not move.
"What's there to be afraid of?!" Meng Fuyao immediately slapped the fellow away in the direction of the wolf pack. Just as she was about to give him another kick, Lord Ingot suddenly leaped up from behind and landed on the scholar's shoulder. As the fellow screamed even louder, Ingot scattered the wild spring onion and ginger that Meng Fuyao had stuffed into his body.
'Here you are, jumping into the wolf pack with the wild spring onion and ginger. A ready-made onion meat pie!'
'Who told you to be afraid of long hair?' 'Afraid of long hair?!'
The onion meat pie fell right in the middle of the wolf pack. When it raised its head and saw the wolf pack surrounding it, it let out a blood-curdling scream. It held its head with both hands and raised its buttocks, lying motionless in the middle of the wolf pack.
Meng Fuyao took a few steps away and turned back to look worriedly. What she saw was a pair of eyes — the pack of wolves was bewitched by the unique appearance of the onion meat pie. They were tempted but did not dare to move. Only one of the hungry wolves tried to bite down on the raised buttocks. It bit onto the person's dragging robe and gave it a tug. With a crisp 'chi la' sound, a shining white window opened up …
"Ouch … it's just a buttocks …" The scream became even more earth-shattering.
Fuyao quickly turned around and helplessly ordered Tie Cheng, "I'll leave it to you. You deal with it!"
Tie Cheng's face darkened as he took large strides forward. He pulled out his saber and slashed downwards. Wolf blood splattered everywhere. The scholar quickly got up and ran behind him. Looking at Tie Cheng's momentum, he praised, "Good! Brother, your move 'Splitting Huashan Mountain' is clean and powerful. It's an ordinary move, but the strength of the expert's guidance. Clean! "
"This move 'Full Moon Pavilion'? Ah, no, it's been modified. Ah, it's a great change. Everyone's work! "
"Good! These two moves can actually be used together? What a domineering move! Ah, brother, your martial arts are really amazing! You have the demeanor of three different sects! The only thing you lack is the skill, the only thing you lack is the skill! "
Fuyao stopped in her tracks.
This guy had a pair of keen eyes.
Tiecheng's own foundation was ordinary, but because of his loyalty, he was allowed to become her bodyguard. After receiving pointers from Zhangsun Wuji, Zhan Beiye, and Zong Yue, Zhangsun Wuji's martial arts flowed like the clouds and flowing water, Zong Yue's strength was nimble and agile, and Zhan Beiye's moves were forceful and domineering. Now, Tiecheng himself was already a first-rate expert, and the only thing he lacked was martial arts. This scholarly fellow, in just a few moves, was able to clearly explain the origin of his martial arts.
This guy didn't seem to want to hide the fact that he knew martial arts in front of them.
Meng Fuyao did not turn around. Instead, she sniffed the air and called out to Tie Cheng, "Let's kill more or less. There will be more and more hungry wolves, so there's no need to fight. We can't sleep here tonight, let's go down the mountain."
Tiecheng obeyed and kept his knife, which was covered with wolf blood. He wiped it clean with the torn robe of the scholar before returning it to him. The fellow stared blankly as he bitterly covered his buttocks with a piece of cloth that had been soiled by the wolf blood and mud.
Meng Fuyao did not look at him and walked straight down the mountain. The man covered his buttocks with one hand as he chased after her. "Hey, wait for me, don't leave me alone. I'll hire you to be my bodyguards. I'll pay, I'll pay a lot of money!"
Meng Fuyao shook her head without replying, "No service!"
"I'll send you a beautiful concubine, as long as you can send me back to Tong City!"
"Not interested!"
"I-I'm familiar with the state of Xuanji, and there's no one I don't know about!"
Meng Fuyao stopped in her tracks, crossed her arms, and looked back at him. "Oh? May I ask if you know who the Queen of Xuanji is? "
She originally asked this question in order to knock him down and then chase him away. She didn't think that the beautiful scholar would actually smile. His smile was somewhat crafty as he said, "Of course I know."
"Who?"
"It's complicated, it's hard to explain in a few words." He shook his head and sighed. "I'll tell you when we get back to Tong City."
Meng Fuyao stared at him for a while, and then her lips curled into a sneer. "You want to follow me? Sure, just like you said, your identity — guide, manservant, bodyguard. If there's no road, you'll find one. If there's no food, you'll beg for alms. If there's no place to stay, you'll find a place to sleep. When we get back to Tong City, you'll reward me with ten thousand taels of silver, a luxurious mansion, and ten concubines. That'll do. "
The corner of Tie Cheng's mouth twitched. 'Only a pig would agree to such a shameless request.'
"Sure." The pig agreed readily and ran over happily, the wind blowing from his buttocks. "Sigh, as long as you bring me along. I'm most afraid of being alone, but my father chased me out to train alone. God knows how much I'm afraid of being alone. I'm afraid of the dark, the wind, the rain, the thunder, I'm afraid of too many people on the road, and I'm most afraid of long-haired … Ah!"
Lord Ingot appeared eerily in front of his feet …
"Help!" That guy jumped onto Tie Cheng's back and refused to come down. "Hahahahahahahahaha —"
Tie Cheng pushed it down and shouted angrily, "Weak chicken, don't stick to me!"
"How boorish." That fellow shook his head and sighed. "Please call me by my name, Zhong Yi."
"Alright, Zhong Yizhong." She stared at him coldly. 'Must you stay?' Fine, I don't care who you are. If you dare to stay, you have to be careful of King Meng. Her menopause has come early recently!
"We don't have a place to sleep tonight, so the rest is up to you. I want a place to lie down."
"…"
An hour later, in front of a dilapidated temple at the foot of the mountain, Zhong Yi, who had been ordered to find a place to rest in advance, was waiting at the door with a smile on his face. "You can lie down now!"
Meng Fuyao entered suspiciously. The moment she entered, she saw that a bonfire had been lit. The ground had been swept clean and covered with clean straw. There was even a broken pot on top of the bonfire. It had been scrubbed clean, and the bubbling water was on the verge of boiling.
Zhong Yi looked sour, rotten, and half-crazy, but he was beautiful when it came to his work. Tie Cheng, who only liked to fight but was not good at meticulous work, could not be compared to him.
Meng Fuyao grunted in satisfaction. Seeing that Zhong Yi was actually sweating in such a cold spring night, she raised her eyebrows and ordered Tie Cheng, "We don't have enough firewood. Go find some more and remember to feed the horses."
Tie Cheng acknowledged and left. Zhong Yi walked over with a smile and poured a cup of water for her. "Have some tea," he said, attentively handing it to her with both hands.
Meng Fuyao took it. She was used to being served by others and did not think much of it. She did not notice that Zhangsun Wuji had turned his head to look at her. She only frowned and looked at him. "Please find some clothes made of iron and put them on. Do you think they look good?"
Zhong Yi obediently replied with an "Oh" and went to find clothes while covering his buttocks. Meng Fuyao held the water and drank it slowly. It tasted fresh and sweet, but upon closer inspection, she realized that it had been sweetened with honey. She raised her eyebrows and smiled. Suddenly, she recalled some things from her previous life and felt that the boy's eagerness was shameful.
Halfway through her laughter, she suddenly stopped. On her back, a gaze was glued to her, making her feel uncomfortable. That gaze did not probe or make things difficult, nor did it inquire or pursue the matter. It only looked at her back calmly. Yet, even with her back facing it, Meng Fuyao could still imagine that gaze and expression. It seemed like there was nothing, but in fact, everything was there.
Meng Fuyao wanted to ignore it, but after persevering for a while, she felt even more uncomfortable. She lowered her eyebrows and looked at the clear water, where the figure of the man sitting quietly was reflected in the ripples. Today, he was extremely quiet. Even after Zhong Yi had caused such a ruckus, he still did not say a word. In the past, he would have most likely stopped her, but today's silence made her feel even more sad.
That bitter taste came to her, but she did not know what kind of sweetness in life could make up for it.
Here, in the ever-changing world of mortals in the Five Continents, every sweet moment in life was actually a luxury. Who knew what kind of changes would appear at the next turn?
They were the proud sons and daughters of the Heavens, but they had never lived in honey. They were surrounded by enemies on all sides, so they had to be careful with their words and actions. Indulgence would lead to disaster, and relaxation would lead to extinction. Doing as one pleased meant losing control of one's authority. Occasionally, when they wanted to let their emotions run wild, they would accidentally bump into a hostile mountain wall and sprain their ankle.
Meng Fuyao lowered her eyes and stood up to pour away the sugar water. She refilled it with water from the stream outside the temple and boiled it over the fire. Zhong Yi came over happily and put on an iron robe that was a little too big. He swung his sleeves to take her water pot and wanted to put honey in it again. Meng Fuyao said coldly, "There's no need." She then continued maliciously, "Who knows if it's honey or poison?"
Zhong Yi was not angry. He squinted his eyes and smiled like a cat. "Isn't it stupid to play with poison in front of you?"
"It's stupid to play dumb in front of us." Meng Fuyao ignored him and continued to add fuel to the fire. Zhong Yi sat beside her and looked at her curiously. After a while, he said, "You're wearing a mask? Take it off and take a look? I think you must look like my sister. "
Meng Fuyao turned and smiled at him. "I think you look like my San."
"Who's San? Your brother? "Zhong Yi was very happy.
"My cat." She stood up and took the water from the fire. She took out Zhangsun Wuji's special cup from her bag and poured some water for Lord Ingot to bring it over.
Lord Ingot looked resentfully at the cup that was as tall as him. He felt that this was a very difficult task to complete, and he felt very ashamed. He finally had a chance to comfort his master, but because of his height, he was unable to complete it. Once again, he went to the corner to draw circles.
Meng Fuyao did not speak. She pursed her lips and placed the cup in the empty space between the two of them. After a while, she used one finger to secretly push the cup in that direction. After a while, she pushed it again. After a while, she pushed it again …
She did not look at the cup or Zhangsun Wuji, only at the fire in front of her. Her eyes were blank …
The cup moved slowly in the shadow of the fire without making a sound.
A distance of half a meter was like a long journey of ten thousand miles …
On her sixth push, she suddenly felt a warm finger.
The finger seemed to be reaching out to take the cup, but when it touched her finger, it paused and subconsciously moved away. Then, it reached out again and held both her hand and the cup.
Meng Fuyao's hand was gently wrapped around the warm cup. It was as if she was holding a ball of warm fire. The heat radiated in all directions and went straight to the bottom of her heart.
She fell silent and sat cross-legged beside the fire. Her eyes were clear and bright, like a pool of deep water. All the water flowed in the depths of the water, murmuring silently.
Zhangsun Wuji did not say anything either. He only held her hand without letting go. Their body temperature overlapped on the body of the cup. The temperature of the water seemed to have slowed down a lot. The temperature of the cup cooled down bit by bit, but her heart was full and moist.
At this moment, time was like water, flowing slowly.
Until Tie Cheng entered the door with a slightly chilly spring night air.
His silhouette was blurred by the moonlight outside the door. There was the scent of grass and fallen flowers on him. It was obvious that he had just fed the horse. He strode in with big steps, causing the fire to deviate and roll in the direction of Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji. Both of them let go. Meng Fuyao laughed and scolded, "You brute, you can't even walk properly."
Tie Cheng grinned and walked over. He reached out his hand to take out the dry food in his bag. Zhong Yi, who had been sitting in the corner silently, suddenly rushed over. He swung his sleeves and ran to Tie Cheng, saying, "Do I look good in this robe?"
Tie Cheng pushed him impatiently. "You look bad no matter what you wear!"
Meng Fuyao, who was facing the fire, suddenly looked up.
Tie Cheng did not recognize that it was his robe?
Tie Cheng? Tie Cheng!
With a whoosh, a purple shadow flashed and the fire intensified. Zhangsun Wuji had already leaped up.
He had always been as quiet as a virgin and as agile as a rabbit. Today, he had unleashed his maximum speed. Even Meng Fuyao, with her top-notch eyesight, could not completely capture his flight path. She only felt a jolt in her heart. In a flash, he was already in front of Tie Cheng. He raised his hand and an exquisite jade Ruyi slipped out of his sleeve. With a press of his finger, the Ruyi was already in between his eyebrows!
Meng Fuyao had also arrived at that moment. She did not even move to unsheathe her saber. A black arc of light shrouded the top of his head like a black tide. Meng Fuyao closed her eyes to avoid looking at his face, which was exactly the same as Tie Cheng's. She did not want to be disturbed or soft-hearted. Her first move was to split open his head and dig out his brain!
She, Meng Fuyao, would never let this person off!
He had insulted her and Zhangsun Wuji, the scum!
The white light of the Ruyi was like snow, while the black arc of Heaven Ruyi was like a black tide. The white light and the black light were clearly separated and intertwined. Like a spinning top, they turned into a huge two-colored net, surging and silently shrouding the opponent's body.
When Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji joined forces, their martial arts styles complemented each other and complemented each other's strengths. Her fierceness was lacking due to her unstable aura, which was complemented by his dense and all-encompassing True Power.
That person continued to smile. His voice was still soft and tender, thirty percent surprised and seventy percent proud.
Then, he retreated.
His retreat was really strange. It was like a silkworm shedding its skin. As he retreated, he took off the iron robe. The robe actually moved on its own when it flew out. It lifted its sleeve to meet the two's attack, as if it was a real human body. Following that, the person took off a random assortment of pouches, belts, wigs, and all sorts of other things. His silhouette, who was only wearing his underwear, twisted and swayed strangely among those things and disappeared.
All of this happened in an instant. A battle between the world's top experts would not be like a battle between ordinary experts that lasted for hundreds of moves. When the sound of the wind died down, the purple robe fluttered and fell, leaving behind a pile of messy clothes on the ground.
Meng Fuyao's robe fluttered as she madly chased after him. Her gaze swept across the night fog, the moon was hazy, and the wilderness was empty. Where was the silhouette from just now?
She stared blankly at the place where the person had disappeared. In an instant, the anger in her heart surged. With a "heh", she smashed the door of the broken temple.
Suddenly, she thought of Tie Cheng and hurriedly looked around. She found him by the stream, wearing only his underwear. His acupoints had been sealed and he had been casually thrown by the stream. Perhaps he had been very careless when he had been thrown, for he had actually fallen face down into the mud. By the time Meng Fuyao found him, he was already suffocating to death. Zhangsun Wuji had to personally transfer qi to him to save his life.
Fuyao's face turned ashen with anger. "From today onwards, no one is allowed to leave each other's line of sight, lest the enemy takes advantage of us …" Suddenly, she realized what that bastard was trying to do. He was deliberately picking on people she trusted and trusted, forcing them to be on guard against each other, to the point where they would eventually break up and go their separate ways. He was trying to force her into a loner.
Thinking of this, she felt a chill in her heart. She was not afraid of hardships and dangers in her life, but she was most afraid of alienation, indifference, and distrust. It was hard to imagine what kind of consequences it would cause if such a sinister and incomparably powerful enemy was spying on her.
She had a vague feeling that the enemy's target was her. Since he had repeatedly attacked those close to her in an attempt to isolate her, why should she involve others?
"Let's go our separate ways. Tie Cheng, you go back to Changhan or Yao City. Zhangsun Wuji, you go wherever you want, as long as you're not with me. "
"I only want to be with you," Zhangsun Wuji replied calmly. "Being with you is where I want to go."
This was the first time the two of them had spoken since that night on the water. Both were very calm, but once again, they had different opinions. Meng Fuyao lowered her eyes. She thought about how she would have to be vigilant at all times in the future, and how she would have to suspect even those closest to her. Suddenly, she felt disheartened. "How many days and nights of vigilance and surveillance will we have to go through in the future? That's … too scary. "
"Fuyao," Zhangsun Wuji said softly, "what he wants is for you to lose your noble spirit and courageous spirit, to slowly grind away your perseverance, trust, and confidence like a soft knife cutting through flesh. He does not want to kill you, but he wants to destroy you. This, I will not allow, and you should not allow it either."
Meng Fuyao let out a soft hum. She felt him slowly approaching and carefully reaching out to hold her shoulder. Ever since that night, he no longer casually took advantage of her. Now, every time he came into contact with her, he seemed a little uneasy and hesitant. This slight, unnoticeable hesitation made her heart ache. Then, she heard him say, "There's always a way. True tacit understanding and trust can't be destroyed by a stranger."
When Meng Fuyao heard that, her mind suddenly shifted to the hand on her shoulder. In that instant, a shadow flashed across her mind. It was actually that night in the narrow cabin that reeked of fish. The man's hand on her body, and his almost greedy gaze … It was so awkward and clear that she could not help but feel disgusted. She could not help but move away slightly.
It was just a small, almost insignificant movement, but Zhangsun Wuji's hand immediately froze. Meng Fuyao felt that stiffness, and her heart ached faintly. She hurriedly tried to make up for it, but it was too late. Zhangsun Wuji withdrew his hand slowly and naturally, as if he was afraid that she would feel awkward and did not want her to notice. But how could Meng Fuyao not know? The movement of the hand slowly retracting was like pulling a string, tugging on the tip of her heart. Even her internal organs were in pain from the tugging.
Perhaps that string was also tugging at Zhangsun Wuji's heart, and the pain was no less than hers.
Both of them were speechless for a moment, and could only support Tie Cheng back to the dilapidated temple to rest. Zhong Yi sat on the ground and played with his sleeves. When he saw them enter, he raised his head and smiled brightly. Meng Fuyao looked at him and thought about how he was the only one who rushed out when she and Zhangsun Wuji were blinded by the fire. She did not know if it was intentional or not, but he had actually saved them. Who knew what would have happened if that guy had gotten close to them?
In this kind of situation, the fewer people around, the better. That way, the possibility of someone taking advantage of a loophole would be lower. But for some reason, she did not feel any hostility toward Zhong Yi. Looking at him, she felt a pure liking for him, just like the younger brother next door.
She tried hard to think about why she would feel this way. Since she had transmigrated to this world 19 years ago, she had long been tempered into a copper pea. The soft, sweet, and exquisite feelings that belonged to her mediocre previous life had long been worn away. Thinking about her previous life, she suddenly realized that Zhong Yi looked a little like the baby-faced Xiao Li in the institute. Of course, Xiao Li was not as pretty as him, but his smiling eyes and brows had a similar charm.
In her memory, Xiao Li was a kind person. When she was busy, her eyes were bloodshot, and she forgot to eat and sleep, and her face was as pale as a ghost, he would secretly pour her a glass of water and put some locust flower honey in it. The water in her memory was sweet and soothing, just like the moment she entered the temple and suddenly drank the sweetness in the cup of water Zhong Yi had given her.
Perhaps it was because she missed everything in her previous life so much that she loved the house and its crow.
Meng Fuyao smiled and sat down on the straw mattress. Zhangsun Wuji looked at her and then at Zhong Yi. Based on his understanding of Meng Fuyao, she would most likely chase people away at this moment, but she did not. Zhangsun Wuji thought about it, but remained silent.
Meng Fuyao squatted beside the bundle to pack up and threw all the rations out. "That bastard touched it, we can't eat it anymore." She forced a smile at Lord Ingot and said, "I'm sorry to make you hungry. Zhong Yi, go see if there are any wild fruits to pick."
Zhong Yi, who was far away from Lord Ingot, replied with an "Oh" and quickly jumped out of the door. Lord Ingot curled up in a corner with tears in his eyes. 'Ah ah ah, King Meng, don't be like this. Poor old me, it's hard to get rid of the shadow in my heart.'
Zhangsun Wuji suddenly took out two pieces of flatbread, carefully peeled off the skin, and baked them over the fire until they were soft. He passed one to Meng Fuyao and said, "At least don't mind that Ingot slept with it." He broke the other half for Lord Ingot and left the other for Tie Cheng, who had yet to wake up.
Meng Fuyao held the biscuit in her hand. It was the one she used to make her 'Yuan Bao burger'. Zhangsun Wuji did not throw it away even after he saved him. He had always lived a refined life, but he never wasted anything. The biscuit felt warm in her hand, as if it still had its own warmth. Meng Fuyao held it in a daze for a while, then carefully tore it into two. "I'll eat the big half, you eat the small one."
Zhangsun Wuji looked at the flatbread and took it with a smile. "Aren't you leaving it for that Zhong guy?"
Meng Fuyao ate the flatbread and looked at Zhong Yi's bundle. She hesitantly said, "That guy has his own food, right? There was honey in the water just now. "
Zhangsun Wuji's eyes flashed. "Oh," he said no more. After a while, Zhong Yi came in, holding a few jet-black wild fruits that looked like chicken claws. "This doesn't look good, but it tastes sweet. Try it," he said.
Meng Fuyao grabbed the guy and tried to tear off his face. Zhong Yi laughed, not like he was frightened, but more like he was tickled. He laughed so hard that he jumped around like a monkey. After tearing for a while, Meng Fuyao saw that he was not wearing any disguise, so she angrily let go. She carefully looked at the fair-skinned guy who looked like a playboy. He did not seem to know how to do anything, but he seemed to have a strong ability to survive. She could not help but push him away. "Stay away from us. I'll kill you if I think you're fake."
Zhong Yi did not move away. He smiled and said, "Good sister, I can't be fake. I'm not afraid of your touch."
"Pfft, do you think you're Jia Baoyu?" Meng Fuyao felt goosebumps all over her body when she was called 'good sister'. She pushed the sticky candy away and stretched out her hand. Suddenly, Zhangsun Wuji flicked his finger. "Aiyo!" Zhong Yi cried out and turned around, holding his head. "Who hit me? Who hit me? "
"Me." Zhangsun Wuji did not even turn his head. His expression was hidden in the shadows of the fire, but his tone was cold. "Are you trying to disturb someone else's rest in the middle of the night?"
Meng Fuyao looked at him in shock. Wasn't this guy always polite? His smiling mask would work even on a common man, not to mention a young master from an aristocratic family. She had never seen him speak so impolitely. Was he angry? Why was he angry?
"I'll go make your bed." Zhong Yi was born with a good temper. He rubbed his head and forgot about it. He turned around to make Meng Fuyao's straw bed more tidy. Just as his hand touched the straw, a certain adult jumped up and appeared under his nose with his hands on his waist …
"What the …" Zhong Yi screamed and jumped away at the speed of light. Zhangsun Wuji smiled and stroked his beloved pet to show his appreciation …
Meng Fuyao's mind was filled with thoughts of how to deal with that damned fake. She did not notice the turbulent undercurrent. She sat down and closed her eyes. "I'm not going to sleep. I'll keep watch for you guys. From today onwards, I'm going to train harder."
She silently sighed, thinking that it was said that there was a huge gap between the top five of the Ten Strongest, and above the top five, there was an even bigger gap between each of them. Now, it seemed that it was true. She herself had already entered the ranks of the top powerhouses in the Five Continents, but she was still being toyed with by someone else, unable to fight back.
"Martial arts?" Zhong Yi was like a cockroach that could not be killed. He smiled again and said mysteriously, "The whole world knows that Fufeng has the most magical things. Xuanji is the closest to Fufeng, so there are also many good things. However, they are all in the hands of the palace and the noble families. Martial arts are prevalent in the Five Continents, so many of them can help improve one's skills."
Meng Fuyao suddenly remembered the snow-white pill that Zong Yue had given her. Zong Yue had said that he had tried to use another medicine to replace the last ingredient in the Evergreen Temple's antidote. He had failed countless times before he managed to refine the pill. He then improved on the basis of his hard-won success so that even if the antidote did not have much effect on the Evergreen Temple, it could still help her improve her skills. It was just that Zong Yue had said that the medicinal effect was overbearing and that she needed to rest or have a certain amount of luck to assimilate it. Now that her mind was in a mess, should she take it or not?
While she was deep in thought, Zhangsun Wuji had already cast an inquisitive look at her. She said a few simple words, and he said, "Give it to me."
He took the pill, but with a turn of his hand, he took out something that looked like half a sarira. It was bright and lustrous, like a gray pearl. Zhangsun Wuji carefully looked at the color of that thing under the moonlight. He let out a long sigh and said, "You can use this."
Meng Fuyao recognized it as the remaining half of the Moon's Qi cultivation essence. Back then, Zong Yue had left the other half for her to use only after she had improved her skills enough. Later on, Zhangsun Wuji had taken it away, so she had forgotten about it. Now that it was handed over to her, she realized that it was different from the first half. It was even more lustrous and lustrous. She gently pinched it with her fingers and felt the cool moonlight seep into her heart. After a while, she asked in a low voice, "You used your own energy to cultivate this over a long period of time, didn't you?"
Zhangsun Wuji smiled but did not reply. Meng Fuyao pondered for a long time before pushing the question back. "I know that you haven't made any progress since you met me. I didn't understand it at first, but now I've thought it through. How many people can withstand a person giving away their true Qi for years? Since I understand, I don't want you to do this anymore. This is no longer the one that the Moon gave me. At least half of the essence is yours. Take it back. "
Zhangsun Wuji only smiled and suddenly changed the topic. "Do you know what I fear the most?"
Meng Fuyao looked at him suspiciously.
"I'm afraid that I won't be able to save you if you are in danger." Zhangsun Wuji poked the fire and said, "You are too good at causing trouble and too independent. I'm afraid that something will happen that you can't solve and I won't be by your side. So the best way is to let you deal with it on your own. It's more important that you are strong than me."
He raised his hand and waved his sleeve, forcing Meng Fuyao to stop breathing. She could not help but open her mouth to take a breath. In an instant, she saw a pearl-like dot pop into her mouth. Zhangsun Wuji was afraid that she would spit it out, so he reached out and touched her throat, forcing her to swallow it.
Zhangsun Wuji smiled and let go of his sleeve. He stroked her hair and lay down to sleep without saying another word. Meng Fuyao sighed and sat down on the grass. The fire gradually died down, and the air was filled with the fragrance of the early spring peaches. In the darkness, the two figures, one sitting and one lying, quietly opened their eyes. They had not slept all night.
= = =
From the second day onwards, Zhong Yi really became a dutiful guide and manservant. He diligently led the way to find an inn, even caring if her chopsticks were hot or if her horse was full. Of course, he did not care about anyone else's business. He was like a flower blooming around Meng Fuyao all day long. Meng Fuyao was still 30% guarded and 70% impolite to him. However, King Meng, who could be persuaded by reason but not by force, had a limit to his cold buttocks. After Zhong Yi's repeated tests, he gradually began to joke around with him.
Zhangsun Wuji had been very quiet, especially when Meng Fuyao and Zhong Yi were chatting. Recently, it was obvious that he had been speeding up the recovery of his vital Qi. His martial art was really strange. Sometimes, his face would be transparent in the morning, but at night, it would turn into a texture of jade. He and his pet did not care about anything else, but Lord Ingot insisted on sitting between Meng Fuyao and Zhangsun Wuji during meals. Thus, Zhong Yi, who wanted to squeeze over to sit with Meng Fuyao, had no choice but to sit opposite.
Meng Fuyao noticed that the path Zhong Yi took them on was neither barren mountains nor main roads. His familiarity with the roads had reached a frightening level. Sometimes, when they passed by a town, he could actually find a narrow path through the entire town from behind the haystack of a house's partition wall. It was obvious that the path was not even known to the people in the town. The grass on the four sides of the path was untrodden by anyone.
Meng Fuyao did not ask why this young master of a rich family was so familiar with a small road in a town. Zhong Yi's origins were unknown, and he had yet to be identified as a friend or foe. But before the answer was revealed, why not?
That day, they arrived at Donglan Town in Guanyuan County. This was already the boundary of Xuanji Middle Road, which was a few days earlier than expected.
Donglan Town was not a big town, but because it was adjacent to a large inland county, Guanyuan, it had a population of about two thousand. It was considered a relatively prosperous town with smooth roads. Someone was having a wedding, as the aroma of food and the sound of drums and suona wafted over from afar.
The sky was gloomy, and it was nearing dusk. Meng Fuyao stopped her horse at the entrance of the village. She rested her hand on her brow and looked at the sun. "Damn the weather, it's most likely going to rain."
"I meant to walk from the mountain behind the town," Zhong Yi said. "I heard that the First Princess's' purple cloaks' have been active in the vicinity recently. Even though we're not afraid of them, there's no need to clash with them. It'll be troublesome if things get out of hand. The hill behind the town probably doesn't have a good place to shelter us from the wind and rain, and it'll be pretty uncomfortable to sleep in the rain."
Meng Fuyao turned back to look at Zhangsun Wuji. She knew that he had contacted the secret guards ever since they had come ashore. Once they entered the mountain and there was nowhere to shelter them from the rain, it would be easy for them to hide, but the secret guards would suffer. Zhangsun Wuji naturally understood what she meant. "Safety first," he said.
Meng Fuyao raised her eyebrows. "What is it that's forcing me to hide? Sleeping outside in the rain? No way! "
She pointed at a house decorated with lanterns and colored banners, with white walls and black tiles. "It looks like they're having a wedding. No matter how arrogant the purple cloaks are, they can't just barge into someone's wedding for no reason, right? Let's go have a drink! "
Meng Fuyao cracked her whip and led the way. She dismounted from her horse in front of the door and bowed to the smiling old man in red robes. "Congratulations."
"Thank you, thank you …" The old man bowed out of habit, but when he raised his head to see a few unfamiliar faces, he was startled. The town was only so big, and everyone was familiar with each other. Seeing that they were outsiders, the old man quickly bowed again. "May I know who you are …"
"I'm just passing by, and I'm here to celebrate." Meng Fuyao turned around, and Tie Cheng handed her a bag of gold. She rolled her eyes at him. 'Is this idiot trying to get people into trouble?' She reached into the bag for a gold leaf and offered it with a smile. "Here's a gift. I hope you won't mind."
"Oh, no!" To Fuyao's surprise, the old man pushed the golden leaf back at her. "You don't mind the rough and unrefined countryside. It's already a great joy for me to accept your gift as my son's bride. How can I accept your gift as well? I can't, I can't."
Meng Fuyao was taken aback. One golden leaf was equivalent to three years of living expenses for an ordinary farmer, yet this old man was not tempted at all. It was truly rare. She felt a little happier this time. She kept the golden leaf and said, "Thank you for your hospitality."
"Did you miss a place to stay?" The old man asked with concern. "Why don't you rest here after drinking tonight? Are there any good rooms? There are still a few clean ones."
Meng Fuyao thanked him again, and the old man called for a young man with thick eyebrows and big eyes to lead them in. Meng Fuyao and the rest walked through the courtyard full of people dressed in red and green. Their attire, expressions, and demeanor were completely different from the locals, attracting the attention of many people. The older ladies glanced at Zhangsun Wuji and Zhong Yi and laughed inexplicably.
Meng Fuyao muttered, "Love-Struck fool!"
Zhong Yi came over with a smile and said, "When will you smile at me like that for once …" He was slapped away by Meng Fuyao.
After chatting with the young man for a while, she found out that the family's surname was Li, and that they were a well-off and wealthy local family. They were a family of scholars, and their ancestors were once officials. Dissatisfied with the chaotic state of the imperial court, they retired and returned to their hometown. With their meager savings, they bought a few acres of land, and steadily managed it for generations. Now, the family business was prosperous, but they had fewer children. Today, their only son was getting married, and all the neighboring villages were invited to the wedding feast. Gifts were not counted, and even a handful of noodles wrapped in red paper was received respectfully.
The youngster led them through three courtyards and straight into the main hall. There were only three tables in the main hall, each of which was occupied by a man with a fat head and big ears. The youngster introduced them as the local County Magistrate. On both sides of him were the village head and other important people. As he spoke, he invited them to take a seat and sat with the County Magistrate.
Meng Fuyao calmly pulled Zhangsun Wuji to the main seat. She was used to sitting at the main seat, and under normal circumstances, if someone wanted her to sit there, it would depend on whether she was happy or not.
As soon as she sat down, there was a buzz of discussion from all around. A few travel-worn travelers, apart from their good looks, were actually invited to the main table by the Li family! Inviting them to the main table was only due to the Li family's good family tradition and courtesy. Those who knew how to read the situation should have declined, but this person actually sat down without a care!
Meng Fuyao turned a blind eye to the chatter, and continued to drink and eat heartily, exchanging toasts with Zhong Yi. Zhangsun Wuji did not drink, and he looked tired. Meng Fuyao looked at him worriedly, worried that he had trained too much.
After three rounds of wine, the bride came out to propose a toast. She had a slim figure, and Meng Fuyao looked at her with a smile, her eyes full of admiration. She was admiring the other woman with the eyes of a woman, but she did not expect that those who already disliked her would find her even more displeasing to the eye. This kid, frivolous!
The county magistrate was proud of his status. He raised his head and glanced at the village magistrate, who understood and poured a cup of wine for Meng Fuyao. "Honored guest, have a drink."
Meng Fuyao reached out to receive it, but the man's hand suddenly tilted, and the cup of wine was about to be poured onto her face!
The wine spilled out, and everyone's eyes twitched at the same time!
Meng Fuyao sneered.
She lightly tapped the cup with her chopsticks.
The wine that was about to be poured suddenly froze.
Everyone's eyes were as wide as a cow's. The moment the wine was spilled, it froze into a translucent frost that emitted a creaking sound. Fuyao's chopsticks, which were no more than ordinary bamboo in her hands, turned into a pair of ice chopsticks that were covered in frost. When the chopsticks touched the wine, a layer of white frost spread rapidly.
The white frost grew larger and larger, extending to the wine cup, and then to the village magistrate's frozen hand. Under everyone's watchful eyes, his hand suddenly turned into an 'ice hand'.
"Ah!" Li Zheng was stunned. Meng Fuyao tapped his hand with her chopsticks and asked with a smile, "Do you like my trick?"
"Sorcerer! Sorcerer! " Everyone at the table jumped away in fear, screaming and knocking over their chairs. Only the county magistrate managed to maintain the demeanor of a county magistrate. He stood up shakily and pointed at Meng Fuyao with a finger that was as fat as a carrot. "You, you, you, you … What kind of demon are you? How dare you cause trouble here in public! "
"Me?" Meng Fuyao smiled and drank a cup of wine. She stepped on the stool and grabbed the magistrate. "I came from the Realm of Nothingness and trained in Misty Peak since I was young. I entered the world at the age of 15, drank imperial wine, practiced the Flying Deity Sword Technique, sat on the throne, and killed the emperor's head. Since then, I've specialized in the 'Human Head Parasite' and have cut off 19,999 heads. The download page is 99% complete, and I only need one more head to complete the download. Who would be willing to become a district magistrate?"
"Gulp!"
The magistrate's eyes rolled back and he fainted after listening to this awesome self-introduction.
"Hua …"
All the guests in the hall ran away in an instant.
Meng Fuyao laughed and threw the bag of gold at Old Li, who had rushed over after hearing the commotion. "I really didn't want to cause trouble, but I'm born to be a troublemaker. Old Li, I'll buy four rooms with this gold, so we can stay for a night," she said apologetically.
Old Li, on the other hand, was a sensible man. He looked at Li Zheng, who was still in the posture of splashing wine. "It's alright, it's alright," he said immediately. He personally brought Meng Fuyao and the rest to the backyard to rest. When Meng Fuyao entered the room, she saw a bolt of lightning striking down from the sky. The thick clouds in the sky surged and collided with each other, causing countless raindrops to fall. In an instant, the raindrops formed a curtain and poured down.
Meng Fuyao laughed. "What a heavy rain," she said to Zhangsun Wuji, who was in the opposite room. "Rest well, you don't look well."
Zhangsun Wuji nodded. Meng Fuyao returned to her room to sleep, feeling uneasy for some reason. She felt that this festive and rainy night was not as peaceful as it seemed on the surface. It was as if something was about to happen. She slept with her clothes on, but she could not sleep well. She sat up and slept like this a few times. Suddenly, she heard a loud noise from the window. She got up to see that it was a strong gust of wind that had knocked the window against the wall. The wind was so strong that it almost broke the window.
A heavy rain poured in through the window, drenching everyone's head and face. Meng Fuyao quickly got up to close the window. Just as she was about to do so, a bolt of lightning struck down like a snow knife, illuminating the entire courtyard. In that bright white light, she suddenly saw the opposite window being smashed open by the wind. Inside the window, Zhangsun Wuji, who had been meditating on the bed, suddenly leaned back.
That scene appeared and disappeared in the blink of an eye. In the blink of an eye, everything was submerged in the dark wind and rain. Meng Fuyao was shocked and jumped out of the window.
She rushed into the rain, and another bolt of lightning came from the sky, illuminating her figure.
She ran into Zhangsun Wuji's room, which was already filled with water. As soon as she entered, a ray of white light came out. Meng Fuyao shouted, "Rat, it's me! What's going on? "
In the dark, Lord Ingot screamed. His voice was panicked, and Meng Fuyao could hear that he was crying.
She rushed forward and took a step onto the bed. As soon as she touched Zhangsun Wuji's finger, her heart thumped. His skin was ice-cold, and the pulse on his wrist did not seem to be beating!
Meng Fuyao's vision darkened, and she quickly gave herself a slap. Amidst the burning pain, she calmed herself down and carefully checked his pulse. Only then did she realize that Zhangsun Wuji seemed to have cultivated too hastily and was showing signs of Qi deviation. However, he was, after all, extraordinarily strong. At the moment of Qi deviation, he used the Turtle Breath to forcibly stop his bodily functions, preventing his body and inner force from being harmed by Qi deviation. At the same time, he also forced himself into a deep coma.
Meng Fuyao probed his body with her True Power and immediately knew why he was in such a state. Zhangsun Wuji had been using his True Qi to strengthen her foundation for a long period of time, causing his own True Power and cultivation to stagnate. When he tried to cultivate again, he could not bear the seemingly natural but overbearing power. Furthermore, he refused to give up because of the reason they both hated each other. That was why he was in such a terrible state.
Wasn't this also caused by her?
Meng Fuyao bit her lip and reached out to help him up. She placed a hand on his back and said, "Haozi, wake Tie Cheng and have him protect us. We can't be disturbed now."
Lord Ingot seemed to be very anxious, jumping up and down and squeaking incessantly. Meng Fuyao was worried about Zhangsun Wuji's safety and could not care less about him. She closed the window with a wave of her hand and sat down, isolating the room from the wind, rain, thunder, and lightning.
At the same time.
The sound of galloping horses suddenly came, heavily pounding on the rain-soaked streets of the small town. The galloping horses' hooves splashed water, and the water droplets swirled on the dark purple cloaks, which looked as dark as the night in the rain. Carrying the wind, the rain, the lightning, and the murderous aura, the horses crashed through the Li family's front door, which was decorated with red lanterns.
After a while.
"Ah —"
A miserable shriek pierced through the rainy night, but it only lasted for half a second. Then, as if struck by lightning, it stopped abruptly.
The rain poured down from the steps and the eaves of the corridors, forming large streams that converged into ditches.
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