Tumor Sword Immortal

Chapter 130 Returning to the Mountain
The weather is warm in August, and it's stuffy and hot when you get up early.

The farmer's wife woke him up, and before dawn, he boarded his oxcart and headed to the county town to the west.

There were very few pedestrians on the road, and the oxcart was moving slowly. The man secretly took out the cloudy wine he had prepared the day before yesterday, took a sip, and wiped his mouth with a satisfied smile.

A few long calls of owls, about to fall asleep, echoed in the distance, reverberating across the open fields. It was unclear what insects they had startled, but then a bird spread its wings, parted the murky paddy field, let out a clear cry, snatched its morning meal, and flew away into the misty morning light.

The wheels rolled over the dirt road, occasionally bouncing on the stones, causing the man to burp. Perhaps he was slightly drunk or still half-asleep, he squinted and mumbled something incomprehensible.

As you approach the stone bridge over the river, you'll find a person sitting on the bridge railing.

It was a woman dressed in simple farm clothes, but her black hair fell down, as smooth as cut moonlight, yet she was unlike an ordinary farm woman.

She had a slender figure, and her stunningly long, white legs dangled over the railing, swinging gently as if bored.

The man saw this from afar and was startled. He quickly called out, "Young lady, are you perhaps thinking of doing something drastic?"

The woman's shoulders trembled slightly, as if she were chuckling softly.

She turned her head, revealing a beautiful face that seemed otherworldly, smiled politely at the man, and asked, "Brother, where are you driving west to?"

The farmer had never seen such a beauty before; he was stunned at first glance.

Luckily, he remembered his fierce wife and chuckled to hide the embarrassment on his face: "Heading to the county town to deliver goods. Young lady, what are you doing sitting in a place like this so early in the morning?"

The woman's dark hair partially obscured her face, revealing a helpless smile tinged with reproach: "I've met the wrong person. Knowing that my legs are still weak, he abandoned me on this stone bridge railing. I'd really appreciate it if you could give me a ride, brother. I'm going to the county town too."

The man scratched his head, his flushed face showing some embarrassment: "Helping you is nothing, but I don't have anywhere to sit here, so how about..."

Seeing that the girl was exceptionally beautiful, he felt embarrassed to let her sit in the haystack on the oxcart.

Unexpectedly, the woman didn't mind at all and said gratefully, "I'll sit in the back. I'll just trouble you to help me a bit, brother."

Those bare feet, like snow lotuses, were indeed not easy to walk on. They stumbled a bit when they touched the ground, and it took some effort to finally sit steadily on the back of the car.

At the man's shout, the old ox impatiently flicked its tail and began to slowly pace back down.

After crossing the stone bridge, the oxcart continued along the dirt road towards the western county town.

As the man drove the cart, he secretly sniffed the hand he had used to help the girl earlier, and felt that it still carried a faint, refreshing fragrance.

But soon he realized that he was already a married man, and the girl was still young and unmarried, and he had already taken a liking to her.

"Slap!" He slapped himself again.

"Hey, young lady," the man said, trying to cover his embarrassment, and asked the woman in the car loudly, "what are you going to the county town for?"

The woman's voice, as melodious as flowing water, came from behind: "Go home."

"Your family lives in the county town? Oh my, that must be a very wealthy family."

“Brother, you’ve misunderstood. My home is in the mountains,” the woman chuckled. “I’m a cultivator from Lingxiao Mountain.”

……

Seven days have passed since the chaotic battle at the summit of Qingfeng Sword.

Xu Shangxin sat by the window of her guest room, gazing at the grass, trees, blue sky, and white clouds in the courtyard that she had grown tired of seeing.

She held the sword, gently rubbing the hilt with her cheek, but remained silent.

There was another person in the room. Li Tan looked at her and sighed inwardly.

Her shoulder injury had healed considerably; though not completely, she could now manage her daily life. She was fiddling with the food box sent by the Lingxiao Sword Sect and called to Xu Shangxin, "Shangxin, come and eat something." Xu Shangxin shook her head, her eyes lowered, "Pei Xia hasn't returned yet; I have no appetite."

Her once beautiful face had become visibly thinner in just a few days, which pained Li Tan.

Senior Sister Li's gaze swept to the side of the table, where the things Pei Xia had given to Xu Shangxin were piled up.

There were three Fangcun Pills, two rare magical artifacts for protection and mental cultivation, and a Lingxiao Sword Sect technique for regulating internal energy. These were all rewards from the Sword Trial, and even included most of their travel expenses.

The meaning is already quite clear: Pei Xia did not disappear by accident; he... simply left without saying goodbye.

The logic wasn't hard to understand, but seeing Xu Shangxin waiting so intently with his sword, Li Tan just couldn't bring himself to say it.

Li Tan understood perfectly well that both she and Xu Shangxin had been rescued from the jaws of death by Pei Xia single-handedly. This man had already done them a great favor, and it would be unreasonable to ask him for anything more.

Li Tan bit her lip, feeling guilty, and said, "It's all my fault. If he hadn't saved me, he wouldn't have become enemies with that dance master's disciple..."

Only after hearing this did Xu Shangxin raise her head, a hint of panic flashing in her slightly reddened eyes. She stammered, "No, no, you... Senior Sister Li, don't say that, Pei Xia... he..."

The two women exchanged a glance and finally fell silent again.

Just then, hurried footsteps came from outside the door, and a disciple of the Lingxiao Sword Sect excitedly said to the two elders at the Opening Mansion Realm who were guarding the guest room, "The Dance Master is back! The Dance Master is back!"

Upon hearing this, not only the guards outside the door, but also Xu Shangxin and Li Tan's eyes lit up.

The dance leader is back, and Pei Xia...

Ever since Pei Xia abducted the dance leader and escaped from Lingxiao Mountain, the two elders at the Opening Mansion Realm who had been keeping a close watch on them finally opened the door to their guest room.

They looked at Xu Shangxin and Li Tan and said in a deep voice, "The dance master wants to see you."

This was the first time in seven days that the two had left their guest room.

Led by the elder, they walked across the sect square and, under the watchful eyes of many, slowly made their way to the towering main hall of the sect.

After passing through the majestic gate, the spacious and ancient hall was brightly lit. Led by Lü Changxiaoyue, more than ten sect elders lined up in order, with Zheng Ge, the sect leader of Lingxiao Sword Sect, at the very front.

Zheng Ge has lost a lot of weight in the past few days, and his once robust body now appears somewhat hunched.

Thankfully, things didn't turn out badly, and the dancer returned.

The blood hole on Xi's ankle has healed, and the new skin is still fair and smooth, but it still stings a bit inside, making it difficult for her to walk.

When Xu Shangxin and Li Tan arrived, she was fiddling with a red candle in the main hall, her clear eyes reflecting the firelight, revealing a girlish innocence.

Although he was imprisoned for many years, from another perspective, it also made the once aloof dance master, who had little attachment to this world, regain interest in everything.

Squeezing the candle wax off her fingers, Xi turned to look at Xu Shangxin and Li Tan, and asked, "Which one is Xu Shangxin?"

The eldest brother took a deep breath and took a step forward.

She still held the savior's life in her hand, and the Lingxiao Sword Sect did not confiscate her weapon. She had also decided that if the dance leader really wanted to hold her accountable for Pei Xia's matter, she was determined to take full responsibility.

If her demands are excessive, then fight her to the death!

The lead dancer nodded slightly, thought for a moment, and said, "Let me see you perform a routine."

The older brother's eye twitched: "W-what?"

(End of this chapter)