Chapter 135 - When You Marry a Chicken, You Follow a Chicken
TL-Checked by Sa.s.systrawberry; Edited by Molly and Animeart
The old Taoist priest continued sternly: “I only saw your lady hugging you, but you did not hug her back. This is unseemly. Young people should learn how to treat their lady well.”
Lin Shu acknowledged his negligence, and put his arm around Ling Fengxiao’s shoulder.
Ling Fengxiao spoke up on his behalf: “This is just his usual nature.”
The old Taoist snorted, letting him off, once again gazing out of the window. He let out a sigh, and said, “I wonder whether Ah Cui still yet lives.”
Speaking again: “Since I was a Taoist priest under Quanzhen Sect, I shouldn’t have acknowledged my feelings for Ah Cui. If I had recognized my feelings for Ah Cui, then I should not have joined the Quanzhen Sect. Yet I have both cultivated Taoism and acknowledged my feelings for Ah Cui.”
Since he had both cultivated Taoism and acknowledged his feelings for Ah Cui, what kind of outcome could there be for them?
It was either choose not to cultivate, and stay with Ah Cui, or continue to cultivate and disa.s.sociate himself from Ah Cui.
What his choice had been, the old Taoist priest did not say, but it was evident.
Hearing this, Lin Shu looked over at Ling Fengxiao.
If he both cultivated the Heartless Path and chose to be with Ling Fengxiao, what sort of outcome could there be?
Ling Fengxiao said, “The porridge is ready.”
She divided the porridge amongst them, drank the porridge, and listened to the old Taoist speaking about his past extensive travels, and then they left to go to sleep.
After lying down, Ling Fengxiao hugged him and shut her eyes.
Lin Shu hugged her back and put his hand on her waist.
The world was silent, for that moment, and he could only hear Ling Fengxiao’s light and shallow breathing.
Lin Shu then closed his eyes.
A dreamless night.
They bid farewell to the old Taoist priest the next morning.
The old Taoist priest had said the night before, that the departure of people was similar to fish swimming into rivers and lakes. Once they have been separated, they would never meet again in this life.
In this vast world, their fate with the old Taoist priest might have ended with their long discussions that night around the furnace. They might never see each other again in this lifetime.
And what about the rest?
Lin Shu was unsure.
The journey was quite peaceful, and the group headed southwards. While the border between North and South was still experiencing winter, with icy winds blowing from time to time, spring had come early in the South. The surrounding areas of k200K;k200K;Shangling Mountain showed tiny signs of spring returning to the earth.
When they arrived at the foot of the mountain, the Grandmaster of Shangling Academy came to greet them personally.
Ling Fengxiao had no choice but to share in its entirety, her account of the past events.
She did not mention Lin Shu’s status as a disciple of Sword Pavilion, and only mentioned that his cultivation level was at the stage of Crossing the Tribulation.
After hearing the details from Ling Fengxiao, Shangling Grandmaster arched his hands and lowered his head in respect towards Lin Shu: “Taoist Friend, joining up with Her Royal Highness Fengyang and defeating the Great Wizard shows that you are an extraordinarily skilled person.
Lin Shu said, “You praise me too highly”.
“I wonder from which sect does Taoist Friend’s capabilities originate from,” he said.
Lin Shu replied, “My master instructed me in swordsmanship, but never spoke of any sect.”
This was the story that he and Ling Fengxiao had agreed upon the day before.
At the time, Ling Fengxiao had reminded him, Northern Xia was a place where people harbored evil intent, and Southern Xia was no better. Since he was in possession of the “Endless Yearning” manual, it would be impossible to keep others from coveting it.
He was already at the Crossing Tribulation cultivation level, while he would not fear others’ covetousness, however if he was swarmed by locusts, it would still be unpleasant.
Lin Shu had said, “It may be difficult to keep it a secret”.
While others may never have witnessed Sword Pavilion’s swordsmanship, and it may pa.s.s unrecognized for a little while, but if someone was determined to figure it out, it may be possible to deduce its source from the style and unique sword intent.
Ling Fengxiao replied, “I understand, I just don’t want you to be dragged into this mess. If we could buy more time, I could make better arrangements.”
Lin Shu thought, My thinking is still too naive.
It’s true that there may be some despicable people who covet peerless skills, but the majority of the problems would be from the more established sects or even from the Imperial court. What Ling Fengxiao meant was that Lin Shu might get involved in a conflict between multiple factions.
Lin Shu naturally didn’t want to get involved in this.
But there was an old saying that when you marry a chicken, you should follow that chicken, and when you marry a dog, you should follow that dog.
Although it was unclear whether their relationship was equivalent to him marrying into Xiao Shao’s family, or Xiao Shao marrying into his family, he would follow regardless.
He didn’t know what undercurrent disputes existed in Southern Xia’s political situation or amongst the Immortal cultivators, but he knew that the Big Miss must be at the core of these disputes and was actively involved.
——He didn’t understand, and he did not want to understand what these people were doing, he just had to cooperate with and complement Ling Fengxiao’s actions.
The Shangling Grandmaster listened to this “I don’t know my own sect” and it was unclear whether he truly believed it, however he still maintained his polite manner: “Your venerable master must be a reclusive expert, I wonder… where is he now?”
Ling Fengxiao answered for him: “His master is an immortal lord who has gone into seclusion and does not get involved in earthly affairs, with some past history with Phoenix Mountain Villa. He has been traveling around the world for the last fifteen years and his current location is unknown.”
Shangling Jian said: “So that’s how it is.”
With this, he didn’t pursue the matter further.
Lin Shu felt that the Shangling Grandmaster was probably trying to engender an alliance with his master, that is, Lord Taoyuan.
After all, for Northern and Southern Xia, each expert added would increase the odds of winning.
But Ling Fengxiao had stated that Lord Taoyuan did not involve himself in worldly affairs, indicating that he would not be wooed, and then carried him out of the Phoenix Mountain Villa. Even if the Shangling Grandmaster wanted to explore this matter, there was no opportunity.
After speaking with the Grandmaster, the two returned to their residence.
The Jasper Heaven and the Bamboo courtyard was still there, and new bamboo shoots from early spring had also emerged. Whenever there was a gust of wind , the bamboo leaves rustled, it felt as if this whole place was set apart from the troubles of the outside world.
The furnishings of the Wind and Drizzling Rain Garden remained unchanged, but the moment they entered, they were greeted by an emerald shadow flashing in front of them.
“Brother Lin, Big Miss!”
It was Yue Ruohe.
Yue Ruohe was extremely excited. His agitation made his words unintelligible but one could still make out the gist of it.
On that day, after Ling Fengxiao was ambushed, she had asked Lin Shu and Yue Ruohe to leave first. However, Lin Shu remained there and asked Yue Ruohe to depart. Yue Ruohe was aware that he had to return with the blood poison samples and the skill manual ‘The Universe is in me’. It was a great responsibility. He ran quickly like the wind and made it back to Southern Xia without any danger. After returning to the Academy, he delivered the blood poison sample to the elders, and returned the peerless manual to his family. He immediately sent someone to infiltrate Northern Xia and secretly search for their trail. He was unable to locate traces of them even after numerous search attempts, and was extremely worried.
Ling Fengxiao said: “Why did you not call for us in the Dreamscape?”
Yue Ruohe: “I couldn’t find either of your names within the Dreamscape.”
Lin Shu: “…”
In the Dreamscape, one of them used the alias Folding Bamboo, the other was called Xiao Shao. Had Yue Ruehe been able to find them in the Dreamscape, it would have been a miracle.
Ling Fengxiao felt rather awkward. She changed the topic and inquired on how Yue Ruohe’s Secret Manual had been lost.
It turned out that on that day, it was the Elder Yue’s Ecclosion Ceremony, The Dream Hall held a grand gathering, and the various large sects had sent their members to offer congratulations. The Secret Manual’s security had been lax, and it was stolen by unimaginably skillful methods.
The Dream Hall had searched extensively and made multiple inquiries, and while they were unable to locate the whereabouts of its secret manual, they did hear news that the black market would auction off the ultimate martial arts skill “Endless Yearning”.
There were only so many ultimate martial arts manuals. One of them had just been stolen, and the other was now being sold. How could there be such a coincidence?
However, when the news reached Dream Hall, it was already too late. By the time Yue Ruohe had rushed to the black market, the manual had already been sold. So he snuck into the capital of the Northern Xia Dynasty to look for clues, which allowed him to meet up with Ling Fengxiao and Lin Shu.
After all, Yue Ruohe said: “Although the secret manual has been recovered, I find it very suspicious.”
Ling Fengxiao: “Indeed.”
Then she looked at Lin Shu and said, “What do you think?”
What do I think?
Other than it being suspicious, what else would I think?
Since the thief can steal the secret manual by employing extremely skillful methods, why did he not keep it for his own use, instead selling it on the black market?
If you merely wanted fortune, you could simply auction it off. But why use it to counterfeit the “Endless Yearning” manual?
Lin Shu said: “Someone wants to draw the Sword Pavilion out.”
Ling Fengxiao nodded.
Lin Shu frowned.
First, they obtained “The Universe is in Me”. Peerless martial arts skills have a unique aura which is identifiable. The news of the Dream Hall losing their secret manual was so tightly kept under wraps that no one knew of it, so everyone would believe that this was really “Endless Yearning”.
When considering potential buyers for “Endless Yearning”… In addition to the various forces in Southern Xia and Northern Xia, there was one other, the Sword Pavilion!
And after the event in Northern Xia, from several years ago, they already had some ideas about the Sword Pavilion.
So were he and Ling Fengxiao being lured out?
Lin Shu felt that the matter was more complex than it seemed.
He looked over at Ling Fengxiao and noticed that she was also frowning slightly. It was obvious she also felt that something wasn’t right.
Ling Fengxiao pulled him back to her room.
Lin Shu noticed from the corner of his eye that You Ruohe was rather stunned at this.