Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Drinking Xie Lianxin could not help retorting, “Martial Aunt Han, Master has already dealt with the matter. If you’re dissatisfied, go talk to my Master about it.” “You…” Han Suxue’s anger surged to her head. Faint killing intent burst from her eyes, and the cold radiating from her body was oppressive. The ground began freezing with a series of cracking sounds. Liu Ruyan’s face turned pale, and although she looked frightened, she secretly looked forward to seeing Xie Lianxin suffer. Suddenly, a spring breeze brushed across their faces, and the ice melted away. Su Heng stepped in front of Xie Lianxin. Han Suxue looked astonished, while Su Heng turned slightly and lowered his head to ask Xie Lianxin, “Fairy Lianxin, didn’t you just say that there are several places in Xuanti Zong with particularly beautiful scenery and that you would show them to me? Have you forgotten?” Xie Lianxin immediately said, “Oh, I almost forgot.” “Fellow Daoist Han, we’ll take our leave first.” Su Heng smiled faintly, his smile flawless. Xie Lianxin put the ancient book on the table into her storage pouch. Azure escape light surged from Su Heng’s body, wrapping around Xie Lianxin. The two transformed into a streak of azure light and vanished from the spot. Han Suxue’s expression grew even colder, hatred filling her eyes. That little slut was just like her mother—skilled at seducing men. It had taken her only a moment to make Su Heng step forward and help her out of trouble. That talent for seducing men must have been inherited from that woman, Dugu Jing, right? ———— The peaks were steep and extraordinary. A white rainbow plunged from the cliff, sending thousands of feet of snow flying like waves. Suddenly, a streak of azure escape light descended from the sky and landed on a slab of bluestone, transforming into a man in azure robes and a girl in white. The man in azure was as radiant as jade mountain and as clear as autumn water. Although the girl was still young, her snowy skin and flowerlike features already revealed the makings of an unparalleled beauty. “Does Martial Aunt Han dislike you?” Su Heng asked Xie Lianxin with a smile. “She dislikes plenty of people. I’m not the only one. I just don’t know why she seems especially fond of nitpicking me,” Xie Lianxin said. In her previous life, she had been puzzled by it too. Later, she learned the truth: that woman had a secret love for her father and hated her mother to the bone. “I helped you out of trouble. How are you going to thank me?” Su Heng asked. “You’re a dignified Immortal Lord. Are you really this petty? You’re asking me for a reward just for that?” Xie Lianxin said. She was not afraid of Han Suxue at all, nor did she believe Han Suxue truly dared to do anything to her. “I was only joking,” Su Heng said. Xie Lianxin gazed at his face, then said, “Fine, fine. I’ll count that as you helping me. I’ll take you somewhere nice. Come on, follow me!” With that, she transformed into a streak of red light and flew off in a certain direction. Seeing this, Su Heng curiously transformed into a streak of azure light and followed behind her. Xie Lianxin took Su Heng out of the main range of Kun Mountain and brought him to a secluded peak on the edge of the range. They then landed in a cave halfway up the mountain. Many dazzling flowers and plants grew inside the cave. There was also a spirit spring, and beside it stood a spirit cherry tree several dozen zhang tall, its branches covered in pink blossoms. There was a table and several chairs beneath the tree. Xie Lianxin walked over, picked up the hoe leaning against the trunk, and dug beneath the tree. Soon, she unearthed two jars of wine. “Wine?” Su Heng asked in surprise. “Mm. I brewed it myself. I’m inviting you to have a drink.” Xie Lianxin smiled. Su Heng said, “You’re only fourteen, aren’t you? Does your Master let you drink?” “Of course not. Otherwise, would I have hidden it here?” Su Heng: “…” Xie Lianxin had already opened the jars. The fragrance of wine immediately filled the air. With a wave of her hand, two white jade bowls appeared on the table, and she filled them both. “Come, come, let’s drink.” Xie Lianxin sat down with a smile. Su Heng did not sit. Half-jokingly, he said, “If I drink with you and Immortal Venerable Yuyang finds out, will he chase me down?” “If he chases you, can’t you run?” Xie Lianxin replied. Su Heng froze for a moment, then threw his head back and laughed. “Fairy Lianxin truly is a remarkable person!” He finally sat down across from Xie Lianxin, lifted his bowl, and took a sip. “How is it? What do you think?” “Good wine.” Xie Lianxin boldly raised her bowl. “Bottoms up!” She had possessed an excellent tolerance for alcohol since birth, probably because half of her was not human. At the age of three, she had already stolen some of her father Xie Yi’s wine to drink. Her little face had turned bright red, frightening Xie Yi so badly that he hid all the wine on Yuyang Peak somewhere no one could find it. Su Heng smiled and clinked bowls with Xie Lianxin. After they had drunk several bowls, he said with a smile, “Fairy, you certainly have an impressive capacity for alcohol. But in the future, you should avoid casually inviting strange men to drink with you—especially when you’re alone with them.” Xie Lianxin fixed him with her sharp violet eyes. “Do you think I’m stupid? This is within Xuanti Zong’s territory, right under my Master’s nose. Anyone who dared to do something to me under my Master’s nose would have to be an idiot. Given the difference between our cultivation levels, if you had any malicious intentions, would you need to wait until I was drunk?” Su Heng studied her deeply for several moments before smiling. “Fairy Lianxin truly is different from ordinary women.” Xie Lianxin said seriously, “That’s where you’re wrong. Every woman is different. I’m not different from ordinary women. All women are different from one another.” Su Heng paused, then cupped his hands. “I’ve learned something today.” Xie Lianxin smiled lightly, her smile like a lotus slowly blooming. Su Heng gazed at her face, a ripple seeming to stir in his jade-green eyes. Suddenly, as though sensing something, he rose to his feet and said, “I should be leaving. Thank you for the wine, Fairy. Until we meet again!” He politely cupped his hands. After speaking, he transformed into a streak of azure light and shot out of the cave entrance, vanishing over the sea of clouds in an instant. After he left, Xie Lianxin continued drinking until she finished the remaining wine. Then, unhurriedly, she took the circuit drafts for the alchemical puppet from her storage pouch and began studying them in detail once more. ———— While Xie Lianxin was studying the puppet, Han Suxue arrived at Yuyang Peak to drink tea with Xie Yi. In the waterside pavilion beside the lotus pond, Han Suxue and Xie Yi sat facing each other. Liu Ruyan was seated beside them as well. Han Suxue lifted a cup of tea and took a delicate sip, a smile on her face. Whenever she faced Xie Yi, she always wore a smile, and the deep affection in her eyes was impossible to conceal. “When I left, Ruyan was still a little girl. In the blink of an eye, she’s become a grown young lady. You’ve truly worked hard all these years, Senior Brother. If Brother Liu and Sister Ruomei could see Ruyan as she is now, they would surely be overjoyed.” As Han Suxue spoke, she glanced at Liu Ruyan. Liu Ruyan sat to the side, looking shy. “Ruyan is a well-behaved child. She hasn’t required much of my attention,” Xie Yi said. Hearing Xie Yi praise her, a blush immediately appeared on Liu Ruyan’s fair and lovely face. Han Suxue failed to notice the way Liu Ruyan looked at Xie Yi. Otherwise, she would certainly have realized that Liu Ruyan’s gaze toward him was far from innocent. She gazed at Xie Yi’s handsome face. From the first moment she had seen him, she had fallen deeply in love with him. Yet there had never been a woman in his eyes. Back then, who knew how many female cultivators had admired him? Not one had been able to enter his heart. It would have been fine if things had remained that way. But then, that wretched woman… At the thought of her, Han Suxue seethed with hatred.