Chapter 19: Genius Night Talk and Pursuit
This casual conversation that took place in a ruined temple on a rainy night had a very good atmosphere.
Every cultivator, on their long path of cultivation, encounters some difficult problems. Those problems are closely related to their own circumstances, and even their teachers often find it hard to provide answers. It usually takes a long time to figure them out. The difficulty of those problems, in a sense, represents the level of the cultivator.
In this conversation about cultivation, the questions Chen Changsheng raised were all very difficult and of a high level. Xu Yourong mostly listened quietly, occasionally saying a few words. Yet those few words were like a bonfire in the dark night, very striking, illuminating the world before him, allowing him to see a brand new path.
This surprised him greatly, and then filled him with admiration. This young girl's knowledge and cultivation attainment were unimaginably high. Tang Thirty-Six and Su Moyu also had extremely high talent in the Dao, but compared to her, they were clearly a notch below. Among the peers he had met in his life, only Gou Hanshi could rival her. Of course, there was also his senior brother, Yuren, who seemed unable to cultivate.
Because of the level of these cultivation problems and the unique angles of thought, Xu Yourong also developed a lot of admiration for him. She thought to herself that among the young cultivators she had seen, besides Senior Brother Qiushan and Gou Hanshi, no one could match him. She knew that although the Snow Mountain Sect had a legacy of ten thousand years, a deep foundation, and had once been infinitely glorious, it was ultimately located in the remote northwest. Unlike the academies in the capital, the Longevity Sect, or the Holy Maiden Peak, it couldn't easily access the latest knowledge in the cultivation world. For him to possess such insight and ability could only be attributed to natural talent.
The cold rain outside the temple grew heavier, pressing their voices softer and softer. The pile of grass became warmer and warmer from the heat. The two of them sat against the wall, a foot apart, talking softly. Occasionally, they would fall silent for a moment to think, their brows slightly furrowed, forming interesting shapes in the firelight. Then he would propose a certain conjecture, and she would suggest another possibility.
Being able to go from being unable to cultivate to becoming the youngest Tongyou Upper Realm in history in just one year—besides the solid foundation laid by his teacher and senior brother since childhood, Chen Changsheng was, of course, also a genius in cultivation. It must be known that relying solely on extensive reading and mastering the Daoist scriptures would absolutely not allow one to get the top score in the Grand Examination, let alone view all the stele in the Front Mausoleum in one night. As for Xu Yourong, she was an even more self-evident genius in the Dao. It must be known that, if calculated carefully, the youngest Tongyou Upper Realm in history might not necessarily be Chen Changsheng; it was more likely her, because she was three days younger than Chen Changsheng.
At this moment, they did not know each other's true identities, but they were increasingly certain that the other was a genius in cultivation. And geniuses are often lonely, because they lack objects for equal spiritual exchange. This sentence might seem a bit cliché, but it is very true. All geniuses hope to meet a companion, someone who can easily understand their meaning, someone with whom they can discuss problems that have no place for discussion elsewhere. It's like an itch in a spot on your back that you can't reach for years, and suddenly someone reaches out and scratches it for you. That's scratching the itch—how could it not be comfortable?
This conversation became more and more pleasant. Even the usually calm and composed Xu Yourong's eyes grew brighter and brighter.
Until late at night, Chen Changsheng proposed a somewhat rebellious idea, suggesting that the gaps between the spleen could be used to replace the function of the two sparse meridians. This made Xu Yourong ponder for a long time. Just as she was about to think of a possibility, she suddenly felt a slight weight on her shoulder, and then smelled a faint, natural scent.
Looking at Chen Changsheng, who was sound asleep leaning against her shoulder, she was momentarily stunned, and a hint of shy annoyance appeared in her eyes.
She didn't like being close to men, let alone in such an intimate posture. Having been carried on his back all this way had already been a great burden for her, and now he had actually leaned against her.
She extended her finger, slowly pressing it against Chen Changsheng's brow, preparing to push him away. But for some reason, she didn't exert any force.
Thunderous snoring echoed through the old temple, even drowning out the sound of the rain outside.
Xu Yourong looked at the sleeping Chen Changsheng, remembering how he had been extremely sleepy throughout the journey. Whenever he had time, he basically had his eyes closed, sleeping. It should be a side effect of the Snow Mountain Sect's technique... Tonight was probably no exception. He must have been very sleepy earlier, but he had kept talking with her. This made her feel a bit warm.
At the same time, she still felt a bit shy. This was the first time she had been so close to a man.
Of course, she had been on his back for several days, but... that was unavoidable, it was because of her injuries, it was a matter of expediency... In short, she had countless ways to console herself and find excuses. But now, she couldn't find an excuse. He was just leaning on her shoulder, his brows and eyes right in front of hers, extremely clear.
The sisters-in-law in the small town always said "stinky men, stinky men," but he wasn't very stinky; he had no particular smell.
Alright, considering you're seriously injured, and I'm also seriously injured and can't move easily, I'll allow it.
Thinking this, Xu Yourong withdrew her finger, then closed her eyes, preparing to fall asleep with the night rain. But for a long time, her eyelashes still trembled gently.
Whether it was because his snoring was too loud, or for some other reason.
"What a fine pair of adulterers."
The rain had stopped at some point. Nanake's cold voice sounded outside the old temple.
Accompanied by footsteps, she, the old man with the zither, the two maidservants, and the couple of demon generals entered the temple.
Her gaze moved from the extinguished fire to the pile of grass by the wall. Looking at the scattered grass stems and the marks of bodies pressing down, she easily deduced that Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng must have slept embracing each other last night.
The two maidservants knew that their mistress had strictly observed etiquette and rules since childhood, considered herself a moral gentleman, and valued the word "virtue" above all else, so they were not surprised by her reaction. The couple of demon generals, however, were somewhat surprised and then found it a bit amusing. Liu Xiaowan smiled and said, "They are engaged. How can you call them adulterers?"
Nanake was momentarily speechless. This couple of demon generals were powerful and not her subordinates, so she couldn't scold them like she would her maidservants. But she still insisted, "Men and women should not touch each other. Even if they are engaged, they should maintain distance until they are married. Having him carry her all this way could be said to be unavoidable, but what is this?"
Liu Xiaowan smiled and said nothing more.
Since Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng had already left, the group of demon clan strongmen naturally didn't stay and left the temple.
On both sides of the White Grass Path, the grassland was filled with the auras of demonic beasts. Some demonic beasts were so powerful that even the couple of demon generals felt a bit wary.
The old man with the zither said that although he could use his zither music to control some low-level demonic beasts, he absolutely did not have the ability to control such powerful ones. Moreover, his ancient zither was currently slung on his back and hadn't been played at all. Yet, for some reason, those powerful demonic beasts not only didn't attack them but even vaguely showed a sense of submission.
That was because Nanake was holding a piece of black wood.
This piece of black wood, no one knew what it was, but it continuously emitted some kind of signal into the surrounding grassland. The old man with the zither's gaze fell on the black wood, recalling his shock when he first saw Nanake take it out a few days ago—this piece of black wood, which showed no sign of any magical properties, could actually command the demonic beasts of the Sunset Prairie to obey. Even the most powerful, proud, and ferocious demonic beasts, after some initial restlessness, quickly showed submission.
Clearly, this piece of black wood was the most powerful tool that the Black Robe Strategist had left for Nanake. Even Nanake hadn't expected this piece of black wood to have such incredible power. The Black Robe became even more mysterious and great in the hearts of these demon clan strongmen. Who exactly was he? How could he know the Garden of Zhou so well, and even possess this black wood, which was clearly an artifact belonging to the Garden of Zhou?
This was something they couldn't understand and had no way to ask about. What the old man with the zither didn't understand was why Nanake hadn't used this black wood to command the countless demonic beasts in the grassland to tear Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng to pieces. Instead, she had ordered those demonic beasts not to attack without permission. What exactly did she want to do?
"Teacher gave this black wood to me, probably calculating that I might enter this grassland. But Teacher didn't tell me the origin of this black wood in advance, indicating that Teacher left the final choice to me. I could use the black wood to kill them, but I could also pursue a greater dream."
Nanake looked into the distance of the White Grass Path. She didn't see the figures of those two, but it was as if she could see them. With an indifferent expression, she said, "Although I don't understand how they did it, it's obvious they know where Zhou Dufu's tomb is and the location of the Sword Pool. So, of course, they can't die."
The old man with the zither said in a low voice, "But now that we've found the White Grass Path, why keep them alive?"
Nanake said, "Without them, we would never have found this White Grass Path in this vast grassland. Similarly, I can't be sure what trials we'll have to pass to enter Zhou Dufu's tomb. I will never gamble on something uncertain against something they already possess."
The old man with the zither understood and said no more, respectfully stepping aside. Teng Xiaoming walked to a spot by the path, crouched down, and carefully examined the traces left by Xu Yourong and Chen Changsheng. He felt a lot of respect for them, thinking that they truly deserved to be the most outstanding young man and woman of the human world, able to persist until now.
Nanake looked up to confirm the position of the sun in the post-rain sky, then continued forward. Her leather boots crushed the frost-like white grass, leaving a clear trail. The old man with the zither, the two demon beauties, and Teng Xiaoming and Liu Xiaowan followed behind. Further back, in the broader grassland, countless demonic beasts, like a tide, surged over puddles and wasteland, following silently.
What a scene, magnificent and terrifying.
(Some readers said they were in a bad mood and asked me to be willful and release a few more chapters. But, dear readers, I'd like to be willful, but I still have fifty thousand words to write this month... I really can't write fast... The next chapter will probably be released after seven o'clock. Also, I often mix up Liu Xiaowan and Liu Wan'er. Just half-close your eyes and pretend you didn't see it.)