Mountain and River Festival

Chapter 85 If you're so capable, go and woo Qingli.
Shen Tang didn't know what was wrong with her.

He had told him during their conversation that night that "there must be no scandals," so he should have been even more careful to avoid suspicion. Besides, the loyalty of Zhang Shaoyou and others who were accompanying him was not entirely reliable, so he should have been even more careful to avoid suspicion in front of them.

As a result, because the two continued to pretend to be lame and needed to share a carriage, they were still alone in the small space of the carriage.

That's fine, being alone is fine, we've all seen that before.

But somehow they went from sitting face-to-face to sitting side-by-side. Shen Tang thought for a long time about how things changed in the first place, and finally remembered that she was the one who moved over first...

It wasn't even because Lu Xingzhou provoked her. Lu Xingzhou had been sorting through his rings the whole way, and then he stuffed several rings into her hands: "These are spoils from the secret vault. I kept some that are useful to myself and A'nuo, and the rest should go to the Heavenly Sword Sect's public treasury."

Shen Tang hadn't even considered that these items belonged to Lu Xingzhou; she had already assumed they all belonged to him… Anyway, they had plenty of spoils of war, such as the Incense Burning Pavilion's treasury, spirit stone vault, and basic resource vault, as well as storage rings seized from the opposing experts, some of which might even contain items better than the sect's collection. Shen Tang hadn't made Zhang Shaoyou and the others hand over what they had taken themselves, tacitly accepting that whoever took it, kept it.

According to this convention, the secret vault that Lu Xingzhou and A Nuo had managed themselves would naturally belong to Lu Xingzhou.

As it turned out, Lu Xingzhou actually turned most of it over to the public...

Shen Tang was a little confused and didn't take it: "These are your and A Nuo's spoils of war."

Lu Xingzhou chuckled: "Everyone was fighting desperately on the front lines, I was just responsible for picking up the scraps, these are the common spoils of war."

Shen Tang's gaze gradually softened into tears: "Is it because of me?"

“That’s only right. I’m a member of the Heavenly Sword Sect and I don’t intend to see myself as separate from others. Theoretically, I would need your permission to decide which parts I want, but I’ve skipped that step and kept what I wanted for myself. That’s all because of you.”

Shen Tang almost laughed when she heard this. It turned out that giving things wasn't out of personal feelings, but leaving things behind was.

She bit her lower lip and said in a seductive voice, "Then... do I want another reward?"

Lu Xingzhou blinked, his gaze falling on her feet again.

Shen Tang subconsciously shrank back, feeling a little embarrassed and annoyed: "You, is there something wrong with you...?"

We've already gone all the way to kissing, why are you still thinking about your feet...?

Is it because you like what you lack? Well, your foot is better now!

Lu Xingzhou didn't know why he was particularly interested in Shen Tang's small feet. Maybe it was because of the first time he saw her feet when she was treating his legs, or maybe it was because his name contained the character "zhou" (舟).

Thinking that he could ask for more now, there was no need to try and probe with just a little touch, so he deliberately asked, "What would the sect leader like to reward me with?"

Shen Tang half-stood up, glancing around furtively; the carriage curtains were drawn tightly. She quickly leaned over and playfully punched Lu Xingzhou on the cheek: "That's all it's worth..."

Just as she was about to sit back down as if nothing had happened, her hand was grabbed, and she was pulled close to him and hugged tightly.

"You...don't..." Shen Tang tried to push him away but failed, and panicked slightly: "There are so many people outside..."

Lu Xingzhou slowly and methodically planted a set of array flags around the small carriage: "At least it will provide sound insulation."

Before Shen Tang could even refuse, her cherry lips were kissed again.

From a slight struggle to completely closing her eyes and enjoying the moment, only a second had passed for Shen Tang.

At this moment, Yuan Muyu was issuing the "That's Impossible" declaration.

Ultimately, there were people outside, and even if it was soundproof, it would still be too stimulating. Both of them had their hearts pounding, and apart from kissing, their hands and feet were stiff, and they dared not move.

After they separated, Shen Tang's eyes were already filled with seductive allure, and she leaned weakly against his shoulder: "You're such a lecher... How could I have been fooled by you..."

Lu Xingzhou gently embraced her, inhaling her fragrance so close to his face: "Why don't you just say that I was deceived by Her Highness the Princess..."

Shen Tang raised her voice: "When did I lie to you!"

Lu Xingzhou pulled out a silk scarf with his left hand: "Let's start from here."

Shen Tang immediately fell silent, her pretty face flushed. What was clearly just a silk scarf wrapped with herbs had now become a token of their love, and was being used for teasing.

But it's very likely... that this was what truly touched Lu Xingzhou's heart. Before this, Lu Xingzhou clearly had many schemes and manipulations, but after this, none of them remained.

Seeing her beautiful and alluring appearance, Lu Xingzhou's appetite was whetted, and he kissed her again.

In the heat of passion, he forgot about the people outside. Almost unconsciously, Lu Xingzhou's hands began to explore her soft body.

Shen Tang was startled, nervously grabbed his hand, and quickly glanced outside.

Just then, a northerly wind blew by, causing the curtains to roll up slightly, revealing a gap through which Dugu Qingli's sidelong glance flashed by.

That look in his eyes was indescribable... Shen Tang felt like her whole body was on fire, like she was about to explode.

"Ahem." Lu Xingzhou was also a little embarrassed and carefully moved his hand away.

Shen Tang angrily slapped his hand: "You're pushing your luck! You filthy lecher!"

Lu Xingzhou kept a straight face and didn't say anything.

Shen Tang patted him for a while, then finally leaned against his shoulder and said softly, "No matter the occasion... I can't respond to you. Xingzhou, do you think this is unfair?"

Lu Xingzhou hadn't thought about any of that, and shook his head, saying, "What are you thinking about?"

"No, it was when I saw Qingli that I thought of it..." Shen Tang hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "Don't you like Qingli...?"

Lu Xingzhou's eyes widened: "What are you trying to say?"

Shen Tang bit her lower lip, wanting to say something but unable to speak for a long time.

Lu Xingzhou was incredibly clever; he immediately grasped her meaning, and his expression became extremely strange.

Does that mean you don't mind dating young, white-haired men, and might even be encouraging it?
So, isn't this the biggest advantage of traveling to ancient times? We only experienced the downsides for the first nineteen years, and now the benefits are finally coming?
Upon closer examination, Shen Tang's idea might not be simply an expression of magnanimity; it might also contain a hidden political consideration. Qing Li is a direct descendant of the Holy Land, if…

It's unclear whether Shen Tang herself had considered all this. Seeing Lu Xingzhou's strange expression, she wondered if her statement was a bit too much, and stammered for a long time without being able to speak. Finally, she sat up straight indignantly: "Anyway, Qingli will never date a man, so it's no use no matter how much you like her! If you're so capable, then go ahead and make your move. I want to see if she can still keep that icy face."

Lu Xingzhou's lips twitched, and he finally said, "What you need to think about now is how to keep her here, not these trivial things—if you still want to keep her."

Shen Tang paused, then fell silent.

Dugu Qingli had expressed her desire to leave many times before, and it was unclear whether this was related to the unexpected intimacy in the secret realm... In any case, it was because the battle of Fenxiang Tower was imminent, and they needed her powerful combat strength and the background of the holy land, so they kept her there by spouting a bunch of fallacies about cultivation breakthroughs.

Dugu Qingli isn't stupid. Now that the battle at Fenxiang Tower is over, Shen Tang really has nothing that could threaten her safety in the short term. She could ask to leave again at any time. What reason could she possibly have to stay this time?
Should she really be allowed to experience a romantic relationship to temper her heart?

If you dare to say that outright, Little White Hair might even draw his sword and slash at you.

Besides, isn't it a bit selfish to keep people here like this... Dugu Qingli is an unparalleled swordsman who seeks the path of immortality and swordsmanship, why keep him here?
…………

The group returned to Danxia Mountain. Bearing the weight of the massacre, and with a great deal of sect affairs to attend to, Shen Tang didn't follow them up the mountain. Instead, Lu Xingzhou returned to the small hut he had built himself by the pool behind the Huo residence.

Dugu Qingli pushed Shen Tang with a blank expression, while Shen Tang kept her eyes fixed on the mountain path. Shen Tang even sent Zhang Shaoyou and the others up the mountain first, seemingly wanting to say something to Dugu Qingli, but the two remained silent until they were almost halfway up the mountain.

Finally, Dugu Qingli broke the silence first: "After you sent them away, what do you want to say to me?"

"Ahem." Shen Tang asked, "How much...did you see just now?"

"I saw things that even animals wouldn't do."

Shen Tang: “?”

Dugu Qingli said, "I have never seen such strange behavior between male and female animals since I was a child. Don't you find other people's saliva disgusting?"

"We didn't stick out our tongues... wait, no..." Shen Tang was so angry that she couldn't speak coherently: "This is a kiss, humans, both men and women, can do it!"

"Is that so?" Dugu Qingli said lightly, as if she didn't believe him no matter what he said.

You guys actually tried to stick your tongues out... tsk.

Shen Tang was so angry she wanted to grind her teeth. Any slight shame or embarrassment she had felt at the time had completely vanished. She said angrily, "One day, you'll find out just how disgusting that is... Don't beg for it then!"

Dugu Qingli said with pity, "No wonder sword practice emphasizes a mind free of distractions. This is why people must cultivate themselves. I think I've come to understand it now. As for some techniques... sigh."

Shen Tang opened her mouth, then opened it again, only to find that she had lost her ability to speak and had no idea how to respond.

She now deeply regrets sending everyone else away and having such private conversations with this person. She had originally hoped to receive some words of encouragement and blessings, but now her best friend's friendship is gone!
In truth, she didn't know that Dugu Qingli's emotions weren't as calm and indifferent as they appeared. Little White Hair didn't know what the strange feeling in his heart was when he caught a glimpse of her; besides a few sarcastic remarks, he seemed to have nothing else to say.

After making sarcastic remarks, seeing Shen Tang so angry that she couldn't speak, he felt inexplicably satisfied.

Then he said leisurely, "If you want to hold a sect meeting, I won't participate. Now I want to travel and gain experience, and you shouldn't have anything to stop me?"

Shen Tang replied with the same answer: "Then go ask Lu Xingzhou."

Dugu Qingli still didn't know what her departure had to do with her man, and strangely enough, she felt that she should tell Lu Xingzhou.

After escorting Shen Tang to the main hall, Dugu Qingli drifted away and headed straight for the back mountain of the Huo residence.

This back mountain may have had a name in the past, but after being enclosed by the Huo family for decades, its original name is no longer known. Now, Lu Xingzhou himself has given this mountain the name Lingquan Mountain, corresponding to the spiritual spring on this mountain.

Lu Xingzhou returned and sat by the pool, taking out the herbs and fruits he had obtained from the secret storehouse to study.

He felt his leg was recovering a bit slowly. Walking was fine, but he always felt something was missing when he tried to exert himself. He regretted not being able to take advantage of the information gap from his recovered leg to slap people in the face during this battle, and only managing to become a minor leader... Although he didn't really need to fight alone, having always been a planner and support, a good alchemist wouldn't want to stand up and slap people in the face himself.

Burning Incense Pavilion was, after all, an alchemy sect, and the medicinal herbs specially stored in its secret vault were clearly rare and precious treasures. He wanted to see if it would help his leg recover faster.

The results of the investigation were somewhat unexpected.

I didn't recognize the herb, but I could tell from analysis that it was a very potent poison, not something used for alchemy.

You can keep it for now; you never know when you might need it.

The fruit is a good thing; it invigorates one's own blood and energy, and bestows upon one the power of a dragon and an elephant. It is an excellent treasure for martial arts practitioners, especially those who train their bodies.

However, she is not very compatible with sword cultivators like Xiaobai Mao or with practitioners like Lu Xingzhou who use techniques to harmonize yin and yang. The most suitable person for her is A Nuo. She is unreasonable and only wants energy. She looks small but is actually surprisingly strong, which makes her quite suitable for this role.

Secondly, there's Shen Tang. Her fierce and domineering Huangji Jingshi Jing is somewhat compatible with this, but it needs to be combined with other things to cultivate together, otherwise it would be ridiculous if she ate too much and became a muscle-bound Tang.

Since we're considering a harmonizing approach, Lu Xingzhou and Dugu Qingli could also consider using it, employing different drug ratios to emphasize different effects. Then, if there's any left over, some could be given to the newly arrived body cultivator, Zhao Guishan, whose approach is quite suitable.

However, given Lu Xingzhou's current alchemy level, it would be best to wait until he levels up before attempting to refine pills again; otherwise, it would be a waste of his talent.

No wonder the Incense Burning Pavilion kept these medicinal herbs separately without refining them; it wasn't really suitable for their alchemy sect, and they didn't know who to refine them for, so they kept them hidden. But actually, it's quite foolish. These things could create several martial arts practitioners in different directions; why hide them away…

When Dugu Qingli arrived, Lu Xingzhou was tying up the fruit and soaking it in the spiritual spring. Dugu Qingli curiously peeked inside: "What's this?"

"Oh, it increases qi and blood strength. It will be used for refining pills to help everyone train their bodies. You also need to strengthen your muscles and bones, so it will be useful for you too."

"Me?" Dugu Qingli was silent for a moment: "You're so smart, you should know I'm here to say goodbye, why are you still considering me? As long as you can use me, that's fine."

At that moment, Dugu Qingli suddenly realized why she had been unable to truly leave, time and again.

Having spent over a decade trekking alone on glaciers, I had never collaborated with anyone to face dangers, and no one, after acquiring something, would consider whether I could use it.

And this is something I've seen and experienced constantly throughout these two months, including now.

Lu Xingzhou finally turned to look at her and smiled slightly: "Wait a moment, Anuo is studying something in the room, and I think you will be very interested."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

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(End of this chapter)