knife

Chapter 267 Dance for the King

Wangyue Residence is built at the highest point of Qiyue Island, half of it suspended in the air, with the Qingshui River below.

In previous years, the Qingshui River would have been covered with a thick layer of ice by this time, enough for horses and carts to run on.

But this year, the area around Qiyue Island is still sparkling with light. Every day, at least a hundred soldiers are garrisoned in this section of the river, chiseling ice to ensure that no one can take advantage of the ice to reach Qiyue Island during this season.

Standing by the window, I pushed it open and watched the brilliant lights on the warships slowly sailing down the river.

"At the first watch of the night, a cold wave is coming. Close the doors and windows tightly!"

From the boat came the energetic shouts of the night watchman.

It must be said that since Yao Dali surrendered, he has been very meticulous in his work and has not slacked off in the slightest. Moreover, the performance of the navy in several military operations this year has not been lackluster, but has become more and more satisfactory.

This person's talent was buried under the Yan family's control.

The snow became increasingly dense, and with the wind, it swirled into the house in gusts.

The door creaked open, and Li Dachui turned around with a smile, but the smile immediately froze on his face. It wasn't Xiao Ningyu he had been hoping for who entered, but Luo Hua.

"Oh dear, Mr. Li, it's freezing cold. You've left the window open, and all the warmth in the room is being blown away by the wind!" Luo Hua said reproachfully as she walked in.

"I'm not afraid of the cold!" Li Dachui said with a smile.

"Your heart is burning with excitement, isn't it?" Luo Hua covered her mouth and laughed, clapping her hands. Footsteps sounded outside, and a group of people carried in tray after tray. "When you turned around just now, your face was full of smiles and anticipation, but as soon as you saw it was me, that smile vanished in an instant."

"Where?" Li Dachui said slyly, "Seeing Miss Luo would make me just as happy."

"A man's mouth is a lying devil!" Luo Hua covered her mouth and laughed, "Young Master Li is indeed a master of deception."

"I've always been true to my word!" Li Dachui coughed and asked, "Why didn't Ningyu come?"

Luo Hua sat down at the table, adjusting the dishes on it as he looked up at Li Dachui and said, "Ningyu said she's really exhausted these days and wants to rest for a bit, so she asked me to come and have a drink with you, young master, and chat with you so you won't feel lonely!"

Li Dachui could not hide the disappointment on his face. He sat cross-legged on the felt rug and sighed, "Yes, yes, for the past six months, she has been traveling all over the country. She was in charge of military affairs, which was both mentally and physically exhausting. Now that she has returned home, she can relax all of a sudden. It is inevitable that she is tired. Let her rest more. It's alright."

As Luo Hua poured wine for Li Dachui, he shook his head and sighed, "Young Master Li is indeed the number one super warm-hearted man in the world. Even though his disappointment was obvious, the words he spoke still warmed people's hearts and made them feel warm all the way up to their faces. Come, come, young master, let me toast you. My Ningyu is so lucky, I'm really happy for her. Hmm, what should I wish you? May you two be happily married, like phoenixes singing in harmony, living a long and happy life together, with many children and offspring?"

"Thank you for your kind words, thank you for your kind words!" Li Dachui smiled broadly, raised his cup and clinked it with Luo Hua's, then drank it all in one gulp.

Luo Hua took a small sip, looking at Li Dachui at the head of the table with a smile on his face.

She put down her cup, stood up, walked to the front, and, to Li Dachui's astonishment, opened door after door.

"Come and take a look!" Luo Hua stood at the door and waved.

Wangyueju is situated on one side of the river, while on the other side, one can see the entire Qiyue Island. Downstairs, there is a small garden with a strong southern style.

The wind and snow continued, but lanterns lit up one after another in the garden, including many of the crystal spotlights made in Tai'an City.

Spotlights made from different crystal colors will naturally emit different lights.

At this moment, all the lights converged on a woman in full dress in the center of the garden. Even though her face was covered with a light veil, Li Dachui recognized her at a glance. Who else could it be but Xiao Changche?
"This, this, this, this..." Li Dachui was speechless.

Luo Hua chuckled and said, "Didn't you always ask Ning Yu to dance for you? Ning Yu said that she owed you too much, so she would dance for you."

Before Li Dachui could speak, Luo Hua had already floated up and landed below. With light steps, she arrived at the small pavilion in the garden, where a zither had already been set up. She reached out and plucked the strings, and the clear and melodious sound resounded throughout Wangyue Residence.

A bamboo flute flew out from the pavilion. "Young Master Li, you are skilled at playing the bamboo flute. How about the two of us accompany Ningyu?"

"Jump, what are you jumping for?" Li Dachui looked at the graceful beauty standing in the arena, but his mind started to wander. He held his bamboo flute and asked.

"Let's play the Guanghan Palace Breaking Formation Melody composed by you, Young Master!" Luo Hua said with a smile. "This melody is widely known outside the pass. When Ning Yu and I had some free time, we choreographed a dance to it."

"Excellent!" Li Dachui was overjoyed. He stepped outside the door, leaned against the railing, held his flute in front of him, pursed his lips and began to play. A clear high note suddenly rose, and then at the highest point, it suddenly turned several times. Luo Hua's zither music joined in at the right time. Although they had never practiced before, the coordination was extremely skillful.

With a whoosh, in the center of the garden, two long flowing sleeves unfurled, and the carriage rose slowly, truly like a fairy descending to earth. Her figure undulated and shifted, dancing gracefully in the wind, in the snow, and under the illumination of various lights.

Li Dachui's gaze followed the graceful figure as she rose and fell in the garden, and sometimes floated in mid-air. He watched so intently that he was willing to close his eyes.

The difference between a martial artist at the ninth rank of the Profound Origin realm and an ordinary dancer is immeasurable.

Thinking back to his promise to Xiao Changche, Li Dachui couldn't help but chuckle.

Initially, asking Xiao Changche to dance was merely a slightly malicious jab at the two collaborators.

Later, the two became friends, and it turned into a good-natured joke.

Ultimately, it became a memento for the two of them to remember the past.

Li Dachui never imagined that Xiao Changche would actually dance for him.
Moreover, it was a dance he had prepared for a long time, meticulously choreographed, and performed for himself. As the last note rang out in the air, the carriage of Xiao Changche rose slowly, its long water sleeves trailing behind it, and floated towards the small building.

From the pavilion downstairs, Luo Hua's smiling voice reached Li Dachui's ears.

May the red phoenix and the dragon be united in marriage, and may they sing in harmony.
A hundred years of harmonious marriage, husband and wife singing in unison.
The grasshoppers multiply and the gourds and melons continue to thrive.

Long, flowing sleeves rolled up, and Li Dachui, holding his flute, didn't move at all, being swept straight into the room.

Meanwhile, another water sleeve waved behind him, and with a series of clattering sounds, the doors were closed one after another.

With a tearing sound, Xiao Changche's dance costume, which he was wearing over his clothes, split in two and flew to either side.

Li Dachui reached out and pulled a graceful figure into his arms.
They embraced tightly, breathing and smelling each other, and then floated up, passed through the hall, entered the interior, and landed on the large couch that was as soft as a cloud.

With a hissing sound, the giant candles inside the room went out one by one, and layers of gauze curtains fell one after another.

The room was filled with the colors of spring, instantly making the snowstorm outside Wangyue Residence pale in comparison.

After an unknown amount of time, the patrol boats on the Qingshui River returned, and the watchmen's shouts became even more vigorous.

"At the second watch of the night (Hai Shi), close the doors and windows to prevent theft."

It seemed that the crew on the warship became more energetic every time they passed Qiyue Island.

They certainly knew that important people lived on the island.

"Ouch, you're pressing on my hair!" Xiao Changche exclaimed softly in the darkness. "Move it."

"My back hurts, I can't move!" Another person chuckled, clearly delighted that their wish had been fulfilled. The sound came from under the covers.

"If you don't move, I won't be polite!"

"Oh dear, I need to move. I really can't take it anymore, I need to get myself some medicine tomorrow!"

"You want to die?!"

Laughter filled the room.

"Go to sleep, it's getting late. Get some rest, or you'll be walking with your legs bent so low tomorrow morning, and Luo Hua will laugh you to death!" Li Dachui said.

"I'm tired too, let's sleep!" Her breath was sweet and her voice was languid, yet it made one's blood boil.

"Ningyu?"

"Ok?"

"Actually, I think it's fine even if I have to lean on the wall to walk tomorrow!"

"What are you doing? Are you out of your mind?"

I think I'm doing okay!

The quilt churned again, the light gauze trembled slightly, and the entire Wangyue Residence seemed to be shaking.

No matter how late the dawn breaks, it will eventually appear.

Xiao Changche stretched out a big yawn and sprawled out on the bed in a starfish shape, just like she always did.

Having just spread herself out, she realized her posture was rather unseemly, and her slightly dazed mind instantly cleared.
Scenes from last night flashed through my mind.
She gasped and pulled the blanket over herself, only to find the space beside her empty.

Wrapped in a blanket and barefoot, she stepped out from behind layers of gauze curtains, only to see Li Dachui standing in front of the window wearing only his underwear. The window was wide open, and the cold wind, carrying snowflakes, lashed against his muscular body. The snowflakes landed on his body, turning into bloodstains that flowed down the gaps between his muscles.

"What's wrong with you now? This is the time when it's easiest for a cold to get into your body. Don't think that just because you have high martial arts skills, you can still get sick." Xiao Changche said gently.

“Ningyu, I have advanced to the Innate Realm!” Li Dachui turned to look at Xiao Changche and said, word by word.

"What did you say? Innate?" Xiao Changche's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief.

She had known for a long time that Li Dachui had reached the peak of Xuan Yuan, but he was stuck there and couldn't move forward. He couldn't even find the slightest clue to advancing. He tried to find a way by chasing and slashing at An Xuan, sometimes attacking and sometimes releasing him, but it didn't work.

How could someone who had been so carefree with him for one night, and then suddenly advanced to the Innate Realm?

"Ningyu, do you think if we do this a few more times, you might also jump directly to the Innate Realm?"

Seeing Li Dachui baring his teeth and claws as he attacked, Xiao Changche cried out in alarm and turned to run away. However, Li Dachui grabbed the blanket he was wrapped in, pulled it up, and spun around in a circle, instantly brightening the room.

(There's actually a hidden Easter egg in this chapter, but I wonder if any readers will spot it, hehehe!)

(End of this chapter)