People in Doupo: Unparalleled Talents Actually Bring a System

Xiao Ling couldn't help but laugh when he heard that. He raised his hand and flicked Mu Qingluan's forehead: "You, if you want to learn, just say so. I dare not boast about other things, but I have accumulated a lot of fighting skills over the years."

As he spoke, Xiao Ling tapped the ring on his finger, a smile flashing in his eyes, "You can choose any of the Earth-level or Profound-level ones. I promise to discipline you until you are satisfied."

The disciples who were originally practicing hard in the square finally saw the face of the person who came. They paused in their moves, and then burst into exclamations one after another.

"It's Master Xiao Ling! He's even more handsome than the rumors say!"

"Oh my god, I joined the Xingyun Pavilion because I heard about Master Xiao Ling's deeds of hiding the Alchemy Championship. Today I finally see him in person!"

"Master Xiao Ling is so handsome. I wonder if he needs a girlfriend. If not, I'd be willing to be his bed-warmer..."

Noticing the commotion of the disciples, Mu Qingnuan's face darkened. He tapped the jade flute on the stone railing with his fingertips and said in a crisp voice, "What are you doing? How can you be so disrespectful during training?"

This shout was like an icy spring soaking into stone. The disciples shuddered all over and quickly held their weapons and returned to their positions. However, many of them still secretly looked at Xiao Ling, with uncontrollable excitement and yearning hidden in their eyes.

She glanced at the restless figures in the queue, and raised her brows in a sharp arc: "If you dare to be distracted again--" Before she finished her words, she felt her sleeves being gently tugged.

When she turned around, she saw Xiao Ling looking at her with a half-smile and a hint of mischief in his eyes.

"Okay, don't scare them." He raised his hand and shook his finger at the girls who were shrinking their necks in the crowd. "Let's not waste time here. Let's get going."

Mu Qingnuan always obeyed Xiao Ling's words, and nodded immediately after hearing his words: "Since Senior Brother said so, let's not delay here, and pack up and leave quickly."

Before she finished her words, she tapped the stone platform with her toes, her moon-white sleeves raised an arc of clear light, and her figure swept towards her residence.

Seeing this, Xiao Ling also jumped up and followed behind him. He couldn't help but laugh when he heard the whispers of "Master Xiao Ling is so handsome" and "Master Sister is so fierce" coming from behind him...

Chapter 590 Heating up

Hua Zong is located in the northwest of Zhongzhou, with a continuous road between it and Xingyun Pavilion.

Even if an ordinary Dou Zun strongman uses all his strength and tries his best to travel, it will probably take more than ten days to cross this long road and reach the destination.

Xiao Ling naturally had no plans to travel in person, and there was still some time before the handover ceremony for the leader of the Hua Sect, so there was no need to rush.

After leaving Xingyun Pavilion and taking Mu Qingluan on the road, he called over Liekongzuo, who was still leisurely in the Tianxing Mountains, and asked him to carry the two of them and fly towards Huazong.

On the way to Huazong, Xiao Ling did not ask Liekongzuo to speed up, but instead took Mu Qingluan to walk and stop along the way.

The originally boring long journey seemed like a tour arranged specially for the two of them. They stopped to appreciate the scenery when passing by famous mountains and rivers, and strolled in towns and markets when they came across them. Even the simple meals in the mountain inns were given a unique flavor because of what they saw and heard along the way.

Xiao Ling also kept his promise with Mu Qingluan. Whenever he had free time, he would guide her in fighting skills training, which benefited Mu Qingluan a lot.

The already close relationship between the two became even closer during this trip together.

However, because they had a deep affection for each other before, these details of their relationship were not noticed too much by the two of them.

……

The blue sky is vast and boundless, like an uncut indigo crystal.

A slender black shadow broke through the wind from the end of the sky. Wherever it passed, the cotton-like clouds were stirred up like waves, as if to make way for this swift figure.

The slender figure of Rayquaza cut through the air, making a fine "rustling" sound, which mixed with the whistling wind in the ears, weaving into a travel melody above the sky.

The mountains below were spread out like ink dots, and occasionally a stream passed through the valley like a silver thread, reflecting tiny scales of light in the sunlight, but it could never catch up with the silhouette walking on the clouds.

The black jade-like scales of the Split Sky Throne shone with a cold luster in the sunlight. Mu Qingluan bent her knees and sat sideways on its back, her two slender legs together and tilted to the side, and the plain skirt flowed between the scales like moonlight.

Xiao Ling lay on his back beside her, with the back of his head resting lightly on her knees, his arms casually draped behind his head, his eyes lazily scanning the drifting clouds.

The wind lifted up a corner of the boy's black robe, revealing his slender waistline, and a faint smile hung on the corner of his lips.

Xiao Ling's long, azure hair was left loose, untied, giving him a particularly carefree look. Although Rayquaza was flying across the sky at breakneck speed, the strange thing was that the whistling wind didn't mess up his hair, only gently ruffling the ends.

Mu Qingluan's slender white hands lightly fell on Xiao Ling's head, massaging him gently.

Her fingertips started from the Baihui acupoint and slowly pressed to the temple, applying a little force.

She lowered her eyes, her eyelashes casting a thin shadow on her face, and the jade bracelet on her wrist swayed gently with her movements, making a tiny sound.

"Senior Brother, do you feel comfortable with this massage?" Mu Qingluan asked softly, reducing the force of her fingertips a little.

Xiao Ling narrowed his eyes slightly and twitched the corners of his lips lazily: "The strength is quite good...but with the skirt fabric between us, it's a little less satisfying to lean on."

The girl's cheeks, which were already slightly flushed, suddenly became hot, and the tips of her ears almost burned.

She pinched the acupuncture points on the back of his neck with her fingertips, but hastily loosened her grip when he groaned. She raised her eyes and rolled her eyes coquettishly: "Senior Brother, you never have any serious words to say!"

Having said that, she did not stop her movements. Instead, she raised her knees slightly to allow him to rest his head more comfortably.

The hem of her skirt was lifted by the wind, revealing a small part of her snow-white ankle, which was quickly covered by the plain fabric.

Xiao Ling looked at the blush on the tip of her ear, chuckled softly, and simply closed his eyes and pretended to be confused.

Occasionally teasing this little junior sister along the way made the boring journey a little more interesting.

Xiao Ling turned his head to look at the light red on the tip of Mu Qingluan's ear, and couldn't help but feel fortunate that he brought her along. If he were really alone, even if the mountains and rivers were picturesque, it would probably not be able to withstand the loneliness of being alone.

……

As Rayquaza's slender figure continued to fly through the clouds, the rolling mountains below gradually flattened out.

After flying for another hour, a city embedded in the plain finally came into view of Xiao Ling and Mu Qingluan. The blue-gray city wall meandered like a belt, the moat shimmered, and the three words "Hua Lin Cheng" on the top of the city wall were clearly visible in the sunlight. The eaves were all carved with blooming peony patterns. It was obvious that this was a city under the jurisdiction of the Hua Sect.

"Senior Brother, this Hualin City is our destination this time, right? We have been traveling for such a long time, and we are finally here." Mu Qingluan looked at the outline of the city below which was becoming increasingly clear, and spoke with bright eyes.

Xiao Ling also opened his eyes, which were originally slightly closed. He chuckled and sat up. He looked at the gilded plaque on the top of the city and said:

"Yes, it's clearly written on the invitation. After arriving in Hualin City, we will first go to Ningxiang Pavilion in the west of the city to inform the Hua Sect deacon who is waiting there. After that, someone will take us to the true location of the Hua Sect."

While the two were talking, Liekongzuo flew downwards at Xiao Ling's signal. Its huge body kept shrinking. When it was less than a thousand feet away from the city, it had turned into a black snake as long as a forearm and obediently crawled into Xiao Ling's sleeve.

It carried the two of them for thousands of miles, and now they can finally take a break.

Xiao Ling flicked his finger at the little guy in his sleeve who was ready to move, then turned and gave Mu Qingluan a look.

The girl understood what he meant, and they both pointed their toes at the air at the same time, descending towards the city gate as light as two feathers.

The evening breeze blew the moisture from the moat in their faces, making them feel a little damp. A few flying white doves crossed with Xiao Ling and the other man in mid-air, fluttering towards the sky dyed red by the sunset.

Although it was getting dark today, people were still coming and going at the city gate.

When the figures of the two people descending from the clouds came into the sight of these passers-by, exclamations suddenly rang out from all around. Even though Xiao Ling blurred their faces with his mental power and Mu Qingluan covered half of her face with a scarf, these people could not distinguish their true identities.

However, the faint pressure lingering around the two of them, and the way they lightly tapped the air with their toes as if walking on flat ground, all showed that their cultivation was at least at the Dou Zong level.

Xiao Ling's black robe fluttered in the air, and the star track pattern embroidered with gold thread on his sleeves was faintly visible. Mu Qingluan's moon-white skirt swept over the eaves, and the jade bracelet on her wrist made a clear sound.

Even with their faces hidden, such extraordinary attire made people wonder if these two were the geniuses of some great sect.

Xiao Ling and Mu Qingluan naturally didn't plan to waste much time at the city gate.

Such major cities always have special passages for high-level cultivators to enter and exit. As soon as the two men stepped onto the stone steps engraved with cloud patterns, the gatekeepers sensed the looming pressure around them. Before they could speak, the leader saluted with a fist and stepped aside to make way.

The two of them didn't say much, just nodded slightly to the guards, and then walked into the city side by side.

The moment dusk spread over the bluestone road, the lights of Hualin City suddenly lit up. The lanterns of the shops along the street formed a river of stars, the glass lamps on the eaves of the restaurants shattered into spots of light, and even the bricks and stones of the road were faintly reflected in the glimmer of the night pearls, making the whole main street as bright as day.

Mu Qingluan and Mu Qingluan's gaze did not linger on the bustling city, but looked straight to the end of the main street, where stood a building with flying eaves and brackets. The three characters "Ningxiang Pavilion" on the plaque were dyed brightly with gold by thousands of candles. The peony lanterns hanging under the eaves were swaying gently in the evening breeze, scattering fine light rain.

After determining the direction, the two simply strolled through the streets of Hualin City.

When passing by a jewelry store, Mu Qingluan's attention was attracted by a peony hairpin inlaid with diamonds.

Seeing this, Xiao Ling chuckled, and without waiting for her to speak, he picked out the plainest mutton-fat jade hairpin and pinned it in her hair with his own hands.

The jade hairpin made her skin look whiter than snow, but the tips of her ears were red as if they were about to bleed: "Master, Senior Brother, why are you suddenly..."

"This hairpin looks very suitable for you, Junior Sister. It is indeed very beautiful." He took a step back to take a look at it, used his fingertips to straighten her hair that was messed up by the wind, chuckled, and said.

Mu Qingluan's ears flushed red as she lowered her eyes and whispered, "Brother, it's naturally the best one I've chosen. Thank you so much, Brother..."

Before they finished speaking, they both looked up at the same time, their eyes meeting in the light. The girl's eyes reflected the warm glow of the glass lamp, and a smile played at the corner of the boy's lips. As their eyes met, they both burst out laughing at the same time.

It was unclear who reached out first, but when their fingertips touched, both of them paused slightly. Mu Qingluan's hand trembled slightly, but the moment Xiao Ling shook his hand, it fell steadily into his palm.

"This young man has excellent taste." The old woman in front of the jewelry store, seeing the two of them, narrowed her eyes and smiled kindly. "This hairpin was made by me using a whole piece of mutton-fat jade and spent three days polishing it. There's no other like it in all of Hualin City."

She glanced at their clasped hands again, her eyes wrinkled. "But look at you two, you're truly a match made in heaven."

Xiao Ling chuckled softly, his fingertips stroking the lines on Mu Qingluan's palm, but he didn't respond.

The girl's already flushed cheeks suddenly turned red all the way to her ears. She lowered her eyes and stared at her toes, feeling a little at a loss for a moment.

She opened her mouth to argue, "We're just senior and junior brothers and sisters," but when she felt the warmth of Xiao Ling's palm, all the words suddenly got stuck in her throat.

"Mother-in-law, you're too kind." Xiao Ling smoothed her wind-blown hair, the action so natural as if he had repeated it a thousand times. "Since it's the best, please wrap it up."

The old woman smiled and shook her head. She carefully put the hairpin into the brocade box while muttering: "I have run the shop for decades. What kind of people have I not seen? People like you who have smiling eyes and eyebrows..."

She suddenly lowered her voice and moved closer to Mu Qingluan, "Miss, don't miss your beloved."

The girl's fingertips suddenly curled into Xiao Ling's palm, but she heard him laughing softly above her head.

When she looked up, she happened to meet the light in his eyes, which was like a lake of shattered stars, and even her reflection in it was dyed with a touch of azure color that made people intoxicated.

The lights of the night market flickered, making the old woman's smile flicker, but also engraved the overlapping shadows of the two people on the bluestone slab, like a painting frozen in the evening breeze. The people in the painting were so close to each other, so close that they could hear each other's accelerated heartbeats, so close that even their breathing was entangled in the same rhythm.

When leaving the jewelry store, Mu Qingluan suddenly remembered that the old woman had stuffed an extra candy into the brocade box when she was wrapping the hairpin.

She quietly crushed the candy wrapper and put it into her mouth. The sweetness spread on the tip of her tongue, but what was sweeter than the candy was the hands that never let go of her palms and the light red on someone's ears that had not faded to this day.

The two walked side by side on the bluestone pavement, their clasped hands swaying gently with each step. Their shadows were stretched long by the moonlight, like two flowers growing together, their roots entwined in an invisible knot somewhere deep within...

……

Not long after, the two arrived in front of Ningxiang Pavilion.

In the twilight, a woman in a light pink skirt was standing in front of the steps. The camellia pattern embroidered on her sleeves trembled in the evening breeze. When she saw the figures of Xiao Ling and Mu Qingluan, her eyes suddenly brightened.

"Greetings, Master Xiao Ling and Young Mu Qingluan." The woman bowed, her golden hairpins swaying softly. "My name is Hua Fei, and I am the deacon of the Hua Sect's External Affairs Hall. I have been waiting here for a long time on the orders of the elders."

When she raised her eyes, her gaze lingered on their clasped hands, and a proper smile appeared on the corner of her lips. "You two have come so far, it's been hard. I have prepared fragrant tea and water for washing clothes in the pavilion. Please follow me."

Seeing this, Xiao Ling raised his eyebrows and chuckled. The Hua Sect was more informed than he had imagined. They were able to identify their identities so quickly even though they only showed their faces briefly at the city gate.

However, Xiao Ling was extremely confident in his disguise. Seeing this situation now, it seemed more like Mu Qingluan had revealed a flaw before.

Of course, Xiao Ling didn't care much about this situation. He nodded slightly and said, "In that case, I'll have to trouble Miss Hua."

Hua Fei slightly turned sideways and raised her hand to signal, "It is my honor to entertain you two. Please follow me."

After saying that, she turned around and walked into the pavilion. Xiao Ling and Mu Qingluan exchanged a glance, then joined hands and followed her steps.

Perhaps because this is the Hua Zong's stronghold in Hualin City, the surroundings are exceptionally quiet. I didn't see a single person along the way, only the shadows of lights moving between the carved beams and painted buildings and the clear sounds of wind chimes on the eaves.