Slap~
The wet firewood was thrown into the campfire. Amidst the thin blue smoke, a few sparks burst out.
Ye Jingtang sat on a stone by the campfire. The Chilong Huanhou Dao (a kind of saber) was inserted beside him. In his hand, he held a wooden stick on which were skewered two small fish that he had just fished out from the pond.
Not far behind him, a tall woman in a snow-white long dress was lying flat on the stone. Her jade-like face had returned to normal, and her whole body exuded a spotless aura once again.
Overall, she looked like a flower fairy peacefully sleeping in the forest, having no relation at all to the drunk beauty who had taken advantage of a man while acting crazy from drinking just now.
Ye Jingtang had somehow become a "medicine jar"... No, a "medicine stick", and it was already bad enough that he had been rubbed against. He really couldn't put into words how he felt in his heart.
But the fact that True Person Xuanji could do such a thing indicated that she really had no other way. She had only rubbed against him a couple of times. Thinking about it carefully, it didn't seem like a big deal...
While he was lost in these random thoughts, a sound of breaking wind came from the forest. Then, the white bird landed beside the campfire, spread its big wings to dry its feathers, and at the same time, tilted its head to look at the Fairy Sister not far away:
"Jiji?"
It probably meant - Is it over?
Ye Jingtang picked up the grilled fish, tore off a small piece, and fed it to the bird's mouth:
"She's asleep. How's the situation over there?"
"Jiji..."
After demonstrating how to eat a fish in three bites, the bird reported that the target hadn't moved for the moment and that it had come back just to get a hot meal.
Ye Jingtang knew that it wasn't easy for the bird to fly all over the mountains in the heavy rain. He let the bird warm itself by the fire and have a good rest, and he didn't urge it to go out and keep watch again.
While the man and the bird were communicating, there was also an imperceptible movement on the stone behind them.
"Jiji..."
The chirping of the bird came from not far away. True Person Xuanji's fingers twitched, and then her groggy mind gradually regained clarity. An unprecedented sense of fatigue came over her body, making her feel a bit dazed.
Did I drink too much again...
No, it wasn't because of drinking too much...
I was poisoned by the Yinhuang Fragrance. I didn't want to do it myself and was going to endure it...
Halfway through enduring it, Ye Jingtang suddenly showed up, and in the end, he took advantage of the situation...
No, he didn't take advantage of the situation. I held him down and rubbed against him...
"..."
True Person Xuanji realized that she seemed to have done something very embarrassing. She opened her eyes, and a flash of embarrassment passed through her clear eyes. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced - Ye Jingtang hadn't left and was still sitting there waiting...
What was he waiting for?
Why was that big white bird here too? Oh... It was the bird that brought him here!
I should have known better than to feed you fish. Isn't this repaying kindness with ingratitude...
The bird was squatting by the fire eating fish. When it found that the Fairy Sister behind it had turned her head, it raised its wings to greet her.
Ye Jingtang also turned his head when he saw this. He found that True Person Xuanji got up as usual and rubbed her forehead. He then raised his hand to signal:
"Go and keep watching."
"Jiji."
After receiving the order, the bird turned around and flew into the forest. Before leaving, it also greeted True Person Xuanji.
But True Person Xuanji ignored it, which made the bird very disappointed. It thought that this sister seemed to have no conscience.
After watching the bird fly away, Ye Jingtang turned back to look at True Person Xuanji. When he saw her draw out the Hehuan Sword (a kind of sword), his eyes couldn't help but freeze:
"Miss Shui'er, you..."
Chua~
True Person Xuanji twirled a flower with the sword and put the sword back into its sheath. Then she swayed to the campfire and sat down. She took the small fish that Ye Jingtang had been grilling for a long time:
"Master Ye, why are you here? I was poisoned a little while ago and accidentally drank too much. My head hurts, and I can't remember what happened..."
Ye Jingtang blinked his eyes. He didn't think that with True Person Xuanji's cultivation level, she couldn't remember what had just happened. But he didn't want to bring up the old matter either, so he just smiled and said:
"Um... The bird passed by just now and found that you were here acting drunk, so it asked me to come and take a look."
"Is that so?"
True Person Xuanji naturally tore off a piece of fish and put it between her red lips. She asked:
"I like to act crazy when I'm drunk. I didn't scare you, did I, Master Ye?"
To be honest, Ye Jingtang was quite frightened, because the person in front of him was the "Imperial Preceptor" and Benben's master.
"It's okay. You just pulled and tugged at me a few times. Are you feeling okay, Miss Shui'er?"
True Person Xuanji actually felt quite good, refreshed and energetic. But when she thought about the reason for this feeling, she couldn't feel at ease. She let out a soft sigh:
"It's nothing. I'll be fine after resting for a few days. I troubled you to take care of me for half the night. I must express my gratitude..."
"No need!"
Ye Jingtang raised his hand and said seriously:
"Leaving aside the fact that Miss Shui'er has an extraordinary status, even if you were an ordinary person, as a government official who receives a salary from the imperial court, when I encounter someone in danger in the wilderness, I have to offer help. If I ask for gratitude in return, wouldn't that be taking bribes?"
True Person Xuanji blinked her eyes: "Master Ye knows my identity. As long as I put in a good word for you, you could soar in your official career in the future..."
Ye Jingtang already had the power equivalent to "acting on behalf of the emperor." If he blindly sought support from powerful people again, it wouldn't be a matter of rising up but rather having his legs broken. He said seriously:
"I became an arrestee relying on my real abilities. I can't do the kind of thing that involves relying on personal connections. I still have official duties. If you're okay, Miss Shui'er, I'll be leaving now."
True Person Xuanji originally wanted to give some money to silence him. Seeing Ye Jingtang's appearance of avoiding her like the plague, she was a bit at a loss. After thinking for a while, she smiled and said:
"I'm glad you don't mind, Master Ye. I'm fine now and need to turn back as soon as possible. Take care on your way in the future, Master Ye."
Ye Jingtang nodded. Just as he was about to get up, he thought about it and asked:
"Miss Shui'er, did you encounter another hundred-year-old dragon just now and got injured while drawing your sword to cut it down?"
True Person Xuanji shook her head: "I just met a master. She has a good heart but is tracking down the whereabouts of a pharmacist under King Wu's command to find a pill formula. This matter has nothing to do with you, and you can't catch up with her anyway. Just pretend it doesn't exist."
Ye Jingtang felt that the person who could cause True Person Xuanji so much trouble shouldn't be an ordinary person. So he kept this matter in mind and cupped his hands to take his leave.
True Person Xuanji sat there eating the grilled fish and watched Ye Jingtang leave with a calm expression. It was only after Ye Jingtang's figure disappeared that a worried look appeared on her face.
If it were just a matter of socializing in the martial arts world, it would be easy. A simple sentence like "The road in the martial arts world is long. We'll meet again if fate allows" and then she could avoid him for many years. By the next time they met, they might have both forgotten about this matter.
But this young man happened to be from the Black Yamen. Once she entered the capital city, as the "Imperial Preceptor," she would inevitably meet him head-on. At that time, the situation...
Not to mention being a top master, she might not even be able to put on the airs of someone with high status and power.
"Sigh..."
True Person Xuanji felt that she had forced herself to chase the Thief Saint of Beiliang and had received her retribution. After being melancholy for a moment, she put aside her miscellaneous thoughts. After making sure that there was no one around, she quickly got up, took off her skirt, and jumped into the pond to take a thorough bath...
——
After leaving the mountain stream, Ye Jingtang walked towards the northeast according to the direction guided by the bird.
It was probably almost dawn. The rain was gradually getting lighter, and there was a bit of light in the mountains and fields, but it was still difficult to see the rocks and trees clearly.
After walking more than ten li, Ye Jingtang came to the top of a mountain. He put his hands over his mouth and made the sound of an owl: "Whoo~~ Whoo~~"
After a while, a white figure flew over from the distant forest and landed beside him silently. It opened its mouth and chirped "Jiji-jiji" in complaint. It was probably talking about the fact that the Fairy Sister had ignored it just now.
Ye Jingtang coaxed the sulking bird and walked silently through the forest. Soon, they came near a cave. Guan Yujia didn't seem to have left yet.
Although he was 100% sure that he could kill Guan Yujia if he rushed in now, if the other party refused to speak, he still wouldn't be able to find out the whereabouts of King Wu.
Therefore, Ye Jingtang didn't go directly forward. Instead, about two li away, he used his knife to split open the bushes and vines, pretending to be clearing a path through the mountains.
Chua——
Chua——
As the sound spread, there was an immediate reaction from the cave in the distance. Guan Yujia, whose clothes were torn and his body was stained with blood, silently crept out from inside, glanced in his direction, and then quickly fled towards the south.
Ye Jingtang followed for a while. Estimating that the place where King Wu was hiding was far away, he asked the bird to keep following while he turned back the way he came and headed towards the vicinity of Tiehe Villa, lest something go wrong if he left Ning'er and Third Lady for too long.
After flying dozens of li along the forest and returning to the stone cliff again, the sky had already brightened, and the rain was gradually stopping.
Pei Xiangjun had been keeping watch all night. At this moment, she was lying on the ground, looking around with a telescope. When she saw Ye Jingtang come back, she asked:
"How is it? Who was in trouble?"
Ye Jingtang landed on the edge of the stone cliff and let out a sigh:
"It's nothing much. True Person Xuanji drank too much and was sleeping in the mountains..."
Swoosh-swoosh~~
As soon as the words were out, there was movement from inside the blackout curtain. Luo Ning, whose clothes were in a mess and had been "ravaged," lifted the blackout curtain and asked in confusion:
"You went out? What happened to True Person Xuanji?"
"It's nothing. The bird gave false information. I went to take a look. Since there was no problem, I left..."
Ye Jingtang didn't want to talk about the fact that True Person Xuanji had been acting drunk. After explaining a few words, he sat down outside the blackout curtain:
"Third Lady, you haven't closed your eyes all night. Take a rest. It will be at least afternoon when the bird comes back to report the news. We can't leave for now anyway."
Pei Xiangjun was indeed quite sleepy, but she looked at Ye Jingtang and hesitated for a moment:
"You only slept for less than an hour last night..."
Luo Ning had slept soundly all night and had already woken up. Seeing this, she quickly put on her clothes and came out from inside:
"You two can just sleep. I'll keep watch."
Ye Jingtang had been busy all night. After "fulfilling his husbandly duties" and then coaxing the drunk person, he really hadn't slept well. So he didn't refuse and rolled into the curtain.
Pei Xiangjun's eyelids were already drooping, but she still felt a bit embarrassed. Just as she was about to say something, she saw Luo Ning's disdainful little look and swallowed her words back. She glared back at Luo Ning and lifted the curtain to get in.
Ye Jingtang used the package as a pillow. When he saw Third Lady lie down beside him gracefully, he wanted to pull Ning'er's leg over to rest on it, so he stretched out his arm:
"Lean against me and sleep. When we're out and about, there's no need to be so particular."
Although Pei Xiangjun wasn't someone who had never slept hugging Ye Jingtang, this was the first time to do it so openly. After hesitating for a moment, she still lay on her side with her back to him and rested her head on Ye Jingtang's left arm, keeping a distance of more than a foot between them.
The space behind the blackout curtain was already small. Ye Jingtang stretched out his arm flat for Third Lady to rest on his forearm. It was possible, but neither of them was very comfortable. So he thought about it and held Third Lady's waist, turned her around to face him, and hugged her shoulders in his arms.
Pei Xiangjun's body suddenly tensed up. She looked up and glanced at him. When she found that Ye Jingtang was lying there steadily and had no intention of moving around, she secretly let out a sigh of relief.
Since he wanted Third Lady to catch up on her sleep, Ye Jingtang didn't have any improper thoughts. But after lying down for a while, he found that something was wrong.
Ye Jingtang opened his eyes and tilted his head to look. He saw a beautiful and charming face looking at him intently, leaning on his shoulder. He didn't know what she was thinking.
When she found that he had opened his eyes, she quickly closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.
Ye Jingtang felt that Third Lady was really inexperienced in matters of the heart. Not to mention Xiuhe, she probably couldn't even compete with Yunli. After thinking for a while, he lowered his head and kissed her on the forehead:
"Go to sleep well. Don't think too much."
"..."
Pei Xiangjun's forehead was kissed, and her shoulder trembled slightly. Before she could say anything, she found that her back was poked twice, and then a wave of drowsiness came over her, and she fell into a deep sleep...
——
After the night's commotion, the once-famous Tiehe Villa in Wu Prefecture had become the target of public criticism. Countless disciples of the Twelve Gates came upon hearing the news. By dawn, the foot of Wuming Mountain was already crowded with people. The original disciples of Tiehe Villa had fled in disarray one after another after the villa master was defeated.
In a small town five li away from Wuming Mountain, the Three Wonders Immortal Elder Guanghan Lin had recovered a lot after a night of recuperation. Standing by the window of the inn with his hands behind his back, he looked at the gloomy Wushan Mountain Range with a frown.
His disciple Yang Guan carried a bowl of medicine and came up the stairs. He ran to his master's back and advised:
"Master, you're getting old. You almost died on the mountain last night. In my opinion, we should just go back and wait for the news. As long as Lord Ye says a word, we can clear ourselves of any connection to King Wu's rebellion. What can you do by standing here..."
Guanghan Lin took the medicine bowl and blew on it. He snorted:
"If I were to rely on your little connections in the capital, I would sooner or later die outside. I once spoke up for Young Master Ye Sishao in the Zhou family. Yesterday, when we were in great danger, Young Master Ye Sishao didn't hesitate to fall out with Guan Yujia to offer his help. One doesn't need to express gratitude verbally, but one should keep it in mind and show it through actions. This is the precious friendship in the martial arts world that money can't buy."
Yang Guan shrugged slightly: "Maybe it's just that Young Master Ye has a hot temper and just wanted to beat up Guan Yujia. He would interfere no matter who Guan Yujia was fighting. Master, you think he's repaying a favor, but actually, he didn't even notice you..."
Guanghan Lin frowned. But thinking about it, he thought it was quite possible. He then said:
"Whether others remember the favor or not is their business. Since I've received a favor, I have to repay it. For a life-saving favor, one should repay it with one's life. Now that Young Master Ye Sishao and Guan Yujia have gone into the mountains and neither of them has come out, if I were to slink away like the other sect masters without even saying a word, how could I stand in the martial arts world in the future?"
Yang Guan thought this was a place full of trouble and wanted to persuade his master again, but Guanghan Lin suddenly raised his hand.
Clip-clop, clip-clop...
The rapid sound of horse hooves came from outside the town.
Yang Guan looked up and saw two men wearing black cloaks and wide-brimmed hats riding strong horses enter the town from the entrance.
Because the man in the lead had a rather muscular build and his clothes and horse were not like those of ordinary martial artists wandering in the world, he attracted the attention of many martial artists in the town.
Yang Guan frowned and looked at them for a few times. He asked:
"Master, who are these two people? They don't seem easy to mess with."
Guanghan Lin had been in