My Taoist buddy has practiced surrogacy

Chapter 1469 Tranquility
Every year when the flowers bloom, petals fall like rain. Children chase fireflies with lanterns, their laughter echoing throughout the courtyard. And deep within the corridor, the whispers of a couple drift in: "This year, add extra icing to the almond cookies." Peaceful days pass, and their story continues…

The rain poured down, large raindrops pounding the ground and splashing up droplets. The Zhenyuan Escort Agency headquarters was brightly lit, yet a tense and oppressive atmosphere hung in the air. A group of masked assassins burst in, killing indiscriminately, instantly staining the courtyard red with blood. Ling Xue's mother held her young daughter tightly, her eyes filled with terror and desperation. She knew she might not escape death today, but she would at least protect her daughter.

The mother pressed a blood-stained jade pendant shaped like two fish into Ling Xue's hand, urgently saying, "Xue'er, take this. You must live no matter what!" With that, she resolutely turned and led the pursuers away. Ling Xue hid behind a pile of firewood, watching helplessly as her mother was pierced through the chest by a sharp blade; the vivid blood was particularly glaring in the rain. Tears blurred her vision, but she bit her lip tightly, afraid to make a sound.

Just when Ling Xue thought she was doomed, a small, thin figure appeared beside her. It was Ling Lu, the half-sister born to the maid. She was panting heavily and grabbed Ling Xue, saying, "Come with me!" The two took advantage of the chaos to escape from the escort agency and embarked on a life on the run.

They ran frantically until they reached a dilapidated temple to catch their breath. However, before they could even catch their breath, the pursuers were already closing in. Just then, a dark figure descended from the sky. It was Zhou Xing, a wandering swordsman, who wielded a long sword and quickly repelled the pursuers. The silver bells on his sword tassel jingled with his movements, their sound like a life-saving chant reaching the sisters' ears.

Zhou Xing looked at the trembling Ling Xue and Ling Lu, his gaze lingering on the jade pendant clutched tightly in Ling Xue's hand, and he paused slightly. He crouched down and said gently, "Don't be afraid, I'm here." With that, he took out two almond cookies from his pocket and handed them to them. Ling Xue took them and put them in her mouth; the sweet taste temporarily dispelled the fear in her heart.

Late at night, the group rested in the dilapidated temple. Ling Xue noticed a bleeding arrow wound on Zhou Xing's back. Silently, she tore off a piece of her skirt and carefully bandaged it for him. As her fingertips touched his warm skin, she heard his deep voice: "I'll take you to eat steamed sweet cheese tomorrow." A blush crept onto Ling Xue's face, and a warmth welled up in her heart in the cold, rainy night.

The three disguised themselves as peddlers and joined the caravan, continuing their journey. Ling Lu, clever and mischievous, was always looking for ways to amuse everyone. She secretly used soot to draw a turtle on Zhou Xing's lapel, causing everyone to burst into laughter. Zhou Xing pretended to be annoyed and chased after her, but secretly slipped an extra half-string of copper coins into his sleeve as travel expenses.

One day, they arrived at the ferry crossing to board a boat and cross the river. Suddenly, a group of men in black appeared, demanding a toll from the people crossing the river. Zhou Xing stepped forward, feigning to ingratiate himself with them, and then, taking advantage of their momentary lapse in attention, snatched a whip and lashed it fiercely at the leader's shoulder blade. That single, powerful lash terrified the other men in black, who fled in panic.

That night, they stayed at an inn. While Ling Xue was bathing, she heard faint conversations coming from the next room. Holding her breath, she recognized one of the voices as speaking with a local accent. A chill ran down her spine; she realized the danger was still there. Just then, Zhou Xing kicked open the door and saw the barefoot girl shattering the candlelight. He quickly took off his outer robe and covered her wet shoulders. His movements were gentle and swift, as if afraid she would feel even a chill.

As they passed through Qingzhou City, a wanted poster was displayed on the city wall. Ling Xue immediately recognized herself in the portrait, and her mother's name was clearly printed next to the reward. Her hands trembled, her heart filled with fear and unease. Zhou Xing noticed her distress and carried her on his shoulder through the crowd. His steps were steady and powerful, as if he wanted to shield her from all the storms of life.

While resting at a teahouse, a storyteller was vividly recounting tales of the martial world. Ling Lu listened intently, and inadvertently knocked over her teacup. Just as the scalding tea was about to burn her, Zhou Xingfei deftly used his chopsticks to pry the cup aside, the chopsticks piercing the tabletop with pinpoint accuracy, sinking three inches deep. This skill drew the attention of those around him, and Ling Xue's admiration for him grew even stronger.

While spending the night in the deserted temple, strange things began to happen. A hidden compartment under the Buddha shrine opened automatically, shooting out poisoned needles. To protect the two sisters, Zhou Xing shielded them with his own body, his left arm instantly covered in purplish-black poison. Ling Xue was frantic and hurriedly used her silver hairpin to cut open his wound to let him bleed and drain the poison. Moonlight streamed through the window, casting three overlapping shadows on the floor, like a solemn painting.

To uncover the truth, they infiltrated the governor's mansion. Ling Lu, disguised as a dancer, took to the stage, her flowing sleeves concealing a dagger's gleam. She searched for clues among the crowd, her eyes resolute and determined. Meanwhile, Zhou Xing, feigning drunkenness, caused trouble, diverting the guards' attention.

Inside the accounting room, Ling Xue used her keen sense of touch to search through the ledgers. Finally, she found a secret parchment letter hidden in a compartment. Just as she picked it up, the mournful cry of an owl suddenly swept in through the window. Before they could react, a masked man burst through the window. A fierce battle ensued, with Zhou Xing wielding his longsword, fighting his enemies with flashing sword light and splattering blood.

In the chaos of battle, Ling Lu, trying to protect her sister, was accidentally struck by a sword and fell from the high platform. At this critical moment, Zhou Xing leaped forward and caught her frail body. Even as her back slammed against the railing, he maintained his supporting posture, like a steadfast mountain providing shelter.

Following the directions indicated by the secret letter, the three found the underground chamber. Inside, they found the mother's last letter and half of a dragon-patterned military tally. The letter revealed a shocking secret—the massacre of their family years ago was actually linked to power struggles within the imperial court.

At that moment, the pursuers arrived. Zhou Xing acted decisively, igniting the gunpowder barrels to create chaos. The blast wave from the explosion engulfed the entire secret chamber, filling it with smoke and dust. He pushed the two sisters into the secret passage, while he stood guard at the entrance, sword in hand. The blood-stained tip of his sword picked up an apricot blossom branch from the ground and threw it into the flames. At that moment, his figure appeared incredibly tall in the firelight.

During her escape, Ling Xue accidentally triggered a mechanism and fell into a freezing pool. The icy water almost made her lose consciousness, but her will to survive made her struggle desperately. In a daze, she saw Zhou Xing, as a boy, practicing martial arts under a waterfall. Memories flooded back; fate had already bound them tightly together.

The final showdown arrived, and the location was chosen on Suzaku Street. Zhou Xing, single-handedly breaking through the formation, exuded overwhelming power. His swordplay was sharp and precise, each strike carrying boundless anger and determination. Ling Lu blew her bone flute, summoning a flock of pigeons to obscure the enemy's vision, creating a favorable opportunity for him to attack.

Ling Xue climbed the bell tower, her bowstring snapping with a startling sound, triggering a chain reaction of crossbow bolts. Arrows rained down on the enemy, catching them off guard. With the combined efforts of the three sides, the tide of battle gradually turned.

As the dust settled, the rising sun pierced through the clouds and bathed the earth. Zhou Xing picked up a broken jade pendant fragment and embedded it into the notch of his sword hilt, symbolizing that what is broken will eventually be mended. Ling Lu playfully stuffed his mouth with almond cookies, while a flower seller on the street corner trembled as she offered him a pair of twin lotus blossoms. In the twilight, the three riders galloped away, their hoofbeats echoing through the misty rain. The sound of their hooves faded into the distance, but their story remained forever in people's hearts. The road ahead is long, but they will walk hand in hand, embracing new challenges and opportunities.

A fierce wind, whipped by blizzards, raged across the desolate northern wilderness, plunging the world into chaos. Zhou Xing, dragging his heavy shackles, sank knee-deep into the snow with each step. His hands were cracked and bleeding from the cold, the blood freezing instantly upon contact with the snow. The luxurious life he once enjoyed as the crown prince was a distant memory; now, he was nothing more than a criminal in the eyes of the court, exiled to this bitterly cold land to serve hard labor.

The overseers' fierce eyes were fixed on him constantly, and any moment of lapse in attention would result in a beating. Just as Zhou Xing was about to succumb to exhaustion and the cold, a group of bandits emerged from all sides like ghosts. They wielded sharp blades, their eyes greedy and vicious, clearly targeting the escorting party. Chaos erupted instantly, and people scattered in panic.

Just when Zhou Xing thought he was doomed, a slender yet resolute figure appeared in his sight. It was a young woman—Ling Xue. She wore simple cotton clothes, yet she stood out conspicuously in the swirling snow. She quickly directed the villagers to set up a makeshift barbed wire formation. This ingenious arrangement startled the bandits' horses, causing them to fall to the ground, resulting in a chaotic scene of men and horses tumbling over.

Taking advantage of the bandits' confusion, Ling Xue decisively took out some kerosene, lit it, and created thick smoke. The choking smoke spread, making it difficult for the bandits to open their eyes, and coughing filled the air. Zhou Xing seized the opportunity to break free of his restraints and hid in a nearby cave with Ling Xue.

The cave was dark and damp, but compared to the clashing swords outside, it was a safe haven. Ling Xue carefully examined Zhou Xing by the dim firelight. When her gaze fell on the half-broken jade pendant at Zhou Xing's waist, her expression changed drastically. A hint of surprise and doubt flashed in her eyes, and her fingers trembled involuntarily.

"Where...where did you get this?" Ling Xue's voice was a little hoarse, filled with barely concealed excitement. Zhou Xing looked at her unusual reaction and was also filled with curiosity, but he was too tired at the moment, so he simply recounted his experience of being exiled and did not ask any further questions.

After settling things in, Ling Xue went out of the cave to check the surroundings. When she returned, she was carrying some herbs. She skillfully crushed the herbs and applied them to Zhou Xing's frostbitten hands. The cool sensation of the herbs soothed Zhou Xing's wounds considerably, and it was the first time he had observed this mysterious woman so closely.

Ling Xue's profile flickered in the firelight, her eyelashes still adorned with unmelted frost, making her appear like a snow sprite. Zhou Xing noticed the intricate cloud-pattern embroidery peeking out from the worn cuffs of her sleeves; the stitches were fine and neat, far beyond what an ordinary family could possess. His questions grew stronger: what untold secrets did this seemingly ordinary village girl hold?
Days passed, and Zhou Xing gradually adapted to life in the north, but he remained vigilant. One day, he noticed several hungry wolves lurking nearby, their eyes fixed on the sheepfold in the village. Based on his past experience, he realized that the wolves were probing for weaknesses in the defenses, and a large-scale attack was likely imminent.

Zhou Xing immediately found Ling Xue and told her his concerns. After discussing it, the two decided to work together to develop a defense strategy. Ling Xue demonstrated her extraordinary wisdom; she improved the structure of the animal traps, making them more sensitive and deadly; she also designed a feint trap layout, using dummies, firelight, and other means to confuse the wolf pack.

As night fell, the wolves launched their attack as expected. Howling, they charged towards the sheepfold, only to fall into carefully laid traps. However, just when everyone thought the danger was over, a gigantic wolf with silver fur appeared. It was the wolf king, exceptionally ferocious, easily avoiding the traps and charging straight at the group.

The situation was extremely critical. Ling Xue calmly observed the wolf king's movements when suddenly an idea struck her. She grabbed a copper basin beside her and began to tap it, producing a crisp, rhythmic sound. Miraculously, the sound seemed to possess a magical power, disrupting the wolf king's attack rhythm. The wolf king began to become agitated and its actions faltered.

Zhou Xing seized the opportunity, picked up his weapon, and charged at the wolf king. With their combined efforts, they finally repelled the wolf king. After the battle, to express his gratitude, Zhou Xing draped his coat over Ling Xue. As he approached, he caught a glimpse of an old scar faintly visible on her neck—a mark left by an arrow wound.

Back at their lodgings, Ling Xue took out a star chart and began studying the weather changes. Zhou Xing noticed the direction of the capital marked on the chart and his heart skipped a beat. He casually asked, "You seem quite interested in the capital?" Ling Xue paused slightly, then replied calmly, "I'm just curious if the clouds there are also hanging so low." But her eyes betrayed the turmoil in her heart.

As time went by, the trust between Zhou Xing and Ling Xue deepened. One day, by chance, they came to the edge of a deep, frozen lake. The lake was covered with a thick layer of ice, and the surrounding silence was somewhat eerie.

Ling Xue led Zhou Xing onto the ice and to a secluded spot. She took out her tools and began chiseling open a hidden compartment beneath the ice. Soon, a yellowed scroll appeared before them—the *Heluo Geomantic Map*. Zhou Xing's eyes widened. He knew the book's importance; it contained detailed information on the geography, passes, and fortresses of the land, a veritable strategic treasure.

What shocked him even more was that half of a tiger tally was hidden in the book's inner lining. When the two pieces of jade were put together with the tiger tally, they fit perfectly. At that moment, Zhou Xing felt as if his fate was undergoing a tremendous change.

That night, the two sat around the campfire to keep warm. Ling Xue finally revealed her true identity to Zhou Xing. It turned out that she was from a military family of the previous dynasty, whose family was massacred due to their involvement in political struggles. Only she managed to escape and lived in hiding in the north. For many years, she had been secretly investigating the truth of what happened, waiting for her chance for revenge.

As she spoke, Ling Xue became increasingly agitated, and a high fever began to rise in her body. In her delirium, she clutched Zhou Xing's sleeve and murmured, "Don't let the flames of war reach Yanran Mountain..." Zhou Xing looked at her unconscious state, a strange emotion welling up within him. He stayed by her side all night, until dawn.

The next morning, a scout reported that a delegation from the capital had secretly traveled north.