Mountain and River Festival

Chapter 4 Shen Tang
Sheng Yuanyao thought she hadn't caught up with Lu Xingzhou when she went down the mountain, and was still confused as to why the little Taoist boy was pushing the wheelchair so fast... In fact, Lu Xingzhou was still halfway up the mountain at this time and she had overtaken him.

When they were halfway down the mountain, the master and disciple saw a woman sitting alone in a wheelchair at the edge of the cliff where the western fork led to, staring at the setting sun in the distance in a daze.

He looked desolate and melancholy, and his wheelchair was very close to the edge of the cliff, looking like he could fall down at any time.

The little Taoist boy walked slower and slower, looking back at the woman's back every step.

Lu Xingzhou had no expression on his face: "What's wrong?"

The little Taoist boy's chubby face twitched: "Master, is that sister trying to commit suicide?"

Lu Xingzhou turned his head to look. From behind, the woman did look like she had lost all hope in life, but she still said, "What does it have to do with you?"

The little Taoist boy pleaded, "That person is also in a wheelchair, and all alone, so pitiful..."

"So you've always felt that Master is pitiful?"

The little Taoist boy patted his chest and said, "Master is not alone, Master has me!"

"It is because of you little thing that Master feels pity."

The little Taoist boy stopped patting his chest, his expression filled with resentment.

Lu Xingzhou wanted to laugh at the cute look, but he didn't say anything against it. The little Taoist boy understood what he meant and happily pushed the wheelchair over.

Shen Tang sat on the edge of the cliff, quietly gazing at the rosy clouds in the sky, seemingly lost in thought. A cold, clear voice, seemingly from nowhere, reached his ears: "Bai Chi has become the chief alchemist of the Danxia Gang, and the former alchemist, Lu Xingzhou, has been expelled. Should we execute Bai Chi right here?"

Shen Tang's lips moved slightly, seemingly silently, but in fact his voice was heard from afar: "How about that Lu Xingzhou?"

"His cultivation is ordinary, and he has a disability, but he seems to have a secret. As for his alchemy skills, they seem to be on par with Bai Chi."

Shen Tang pondered for a moment: "For now, let's not consider killing anyone. You and I have just arrived in Xiazhou, so we shouldn't make too much noise and don't cause trouble for Yuan Yao."

The conversation stopped here, as she could sense someone approaching from behind.

Soon, a man's gentle voice was heard: "Girl, please move aside. You are blocking my way."

Shen Tang glanced back, focusing on the wheelchair and Lu Xingzhou's legs for a long time, finding it quite interesting. "This is a cliff, where is the way out? Are you worried that I'm blocking your way to suicide?"

"Yeah." Lu Xingzhou said, "How about lining up? The girl goes first. I'll jump in after her, and I can blend in with the beauty, which is quite a bonus."

Shen Tang was slightly stunned, and his eyes fell on the face of the little Taoist boy who had half of his head sticking out from behind the wheelchair. The little Taoist boy blinked his eyes, as if he had sympathy.

Shen Tang felt amused. It seemed like the master and disciple had misunderstood something... Lu Xingzhou's words sounded like a tease, but upon closer thought, he was trying to stop him from jumping off the cliff in a roundabout way.

He himself had just been expelled, yet he was so kind as to meddle in other people's affairs.

Thinking of this, Shen Tang's eyes flickered slightly, and he chuckled softly, "Then why did you commit suicide? Was it because you were just kicked out of the Danxia Gang like a stray dog, and your heart was broken?"

Lu Xingzhou sighed: "You know?"

"Because I came here behind Bai Chi, and now he's staying, and you're out. As for your identity, a wheelchair is easy to spot, isn't it?"

"What about the girl? Why is she like this in her prime?"

Shen Tang also sighed: "Because the alchemist Bai Chi, whom I hired with great difficulty, was poached right after arriving in Xiazhou. Do you think if I jump down here, will it cause trouble for the Danxia Gang?"

They both paused, then suddenly smiled at the same time.

The experiences of both parties in this matter are strongly related, and they are both in wheelchairs, which shows their great affinity.

Lu Xingzhou also realized that his first impression was wrong. This woman looked bleak, but she definitely wasn't here to jump off a cliff. She probably came here to try to win back Bai Chi. She should have had a wheelchair attendant, but for some reason, Lin wasn't there. She was just waiting for someone.

"If my followers are not here, it would be very dangerous for a person in a wheelchair to be so close to the edge of the cliff. If you slip, it will be too late to regret it." Lu Xingzhou gestured to the little Taoist boy.

The little Taoist boy ran over quickly, and when he saw that the other party had no intention of stopping him from approaching, he immediately became happy. He pulled the wheelchair back a few feet and turned around, facing Lu Xingzhou head-on.

Before, when she turned her head to talk, he could only see her profile. Now that they were facing each other head on, Lu Xingzhou realized how beautiful this woman was.

She wore no makeup, yet her features were picturesque, her complexion smooth as cream. Though confined to a wheelchair, she smiled faintly, appearing gentle and generous, a first impression that was incredibly pleasing. Her grace and demeanor alone surpassed even the well-connected Sheng Yuanyao from the capital, let alone the gang's daughter Liu Yan'er.

The sun was setting, and a rosy glow filled the sky, shining on the woman, adding a sense of mystery and ethereality, as if a goddess had descended to earth.

Shen Tang was also studying Lu Xingzhou, secretly amazed. Both in wheelchairs, both with the aura of aristocratic sons and daughters, they could almost see a gender-reversed version of themselves in each other.

The little Taoist boy exclaimed: "Sister, you are so beautiful..." Lu Xingzhou laughed: "You call everyone beautiful when you meet them. Just now you even called Sheng Yuanyao beautiful sister."

The little Taoist boy muttered, "She is indeed very beautiful..."

Shen Tang smiled slightly: "Little sister, you will be more beautiful than anyone else in the future."

The little Taoist boy was delighted: "Really? Master thinks I'm fat."

Shen Tang: "..."

Lu Xingzhou didn't bother to pay attention to her and said to Shen Tang, "There aren't many upper-level eighth-grade alchemists in Xiazhou, but they are countless outside. Being poached by Bai Chi is not a big deal. There's no need for you to worry about it. Well, I don't think you're the type to commit suicide. I misunderstood you just now. Let's say goodbye."

The little Taoist boy pushed the wheelchair reluctantly and didn't turn back for a long time.

This sister is so beautiful and gentle!
Shen Tang smiled and said, "I thought you would recommend yourself."

"Why do you think so?"

"Isn't it good? The Danxia Gang poached Bai Chi from me and drove you away. You come to me and build a career, suppress the Danxia Gang, and make them regret it. Wouldn't that be great?"

"There are many ways to get revenge. Making someone regret losing you is just something you women like to do."

Shen Tang was stunned, not knowing what he was thinking, and remained silent.

"Even if you just want to make someone regret something, there are many ways to do that. You don't have to gamble your future." Lu Xingzhou smiled. "So if the young lady sincerely invites me, I hope to discuss something more practical. For example, your current situation, goals, and the treatment you will offer me. So far, I don't even know your name. Why would you think I would recommend myself to a force I know nothing about?"

"I'm being abrupt." Shen Tang looked Lu Xingzhou up and down: "You... don't look like a teenager."

"No way." Lu Xingzhou turned around and pinched his little Taoist boy's cheek, smiling gently: "After all, a man who has to support a family has no right to act arrogantly."

The little Taoist boy rubbed his face resentfully: "You obviously think I'm fat."

Shen Tang smiled, but quickly lost his composure, returning to the bleak demeanor he had when they first met. He whispered, "My name is Shen Tang, and I'm the young master of the Tianxing Sword Sect in Yongzhou. A month ago, our sect offended someone, resulting in heavy casualties. Even my master was killed... I was the only one left, leading the remaining troops to relocate to Xiazhou, using the guise of being a foreign merchant."

"Why choose Xiazhou?"

"There aren't many places that are remote enough to avoid enemies and have good medical facilities to try to treat the leg."

"You trust me so much, aren't you afraid that I'll spread the news?"

"We sincerely invite Mr. Lu, so we can't even lie about our origins." Shen Tang smiled and said, "I believe Mr. Lu has no need to betray me."

Lu Xingzhou didn't comment and stared at her legs for a while: "Did your legs get broken in the previous fight?"

"Yes," Shen Tang said calmly. "From the perspective of sect development, our Sword Sect is also short of alchemy talent. It's unfair to seek... Young Master's concerns are correct. We are homeless and outsiders, and our conditions are much worse than those of the Danxia Gang. If you don't want to come, then you can't be blamed. It can only be said that we are not destined to be together. If you are willing to come, I am willing to pay you twice the salary that the Danxia Gang offered you, and I will make you the head of the Alchemy Hall, handing over all the power related to alchemy and pharmaceutical manufacturing."

This offer is quite good. Why wasn't Lu Xingzhou called the Hall Master in the Danxia Gang before, but just the Chief Alchemist? Because the Hall Master was actually Liu Yan'er, even though she wasn't in charge. After all, the position of Hall Master is a high-ranking position in the sect, so it's impossible to just give it to an outsider. There must be a period of assessment, and Liu Qingcang's approach is understandable. Shen Tang's direct offer of this position shows great sincerity.

Lu Xingzhou was not convinced. "Your sect has powerful enemies outside, and the situation is unpredictable... Please forgive me for not standing guard while I have a child with me. Even if I am given the position of sect leader, it would be meaningless."

Shen Tang sighed, nodded, and said to Shanjian, "Qingli, let's go back."

The figure flashed, and a girl in white appeared beside them. She held the wheelchair with an expressionless face and pushed it directly past Lu Xingzhou and his apprentice without even looking at Lu Xingzhou.

Lu Xingzhou blinked his eyes, and the master and disciple turned their heads in perfect sync, following Qingli's gaze.

The girl had white hair, slightly blue eyes, skin as white as snow, and a pure and cold appearance. It had been nineteen years since I was reincarnated, and I had seen many demons, but this was the first time I had seen such a two-dimensional human in this world!

Shen Tangzheng explained to Lu Xingzhou apologetically, "Qingli has a cold personality. Mr. Lu, please don't take my rudeness to heart."

Lu Xingzhou stared at Qingli for a long time, then suddenly said, "From what you said, you're new here, so do you have a place to stay?"

Shen Tang was stunned for a moment: "I'm staying at the inn temporarily, and I'm looking for a suitable place."

Lu Xingzhou showed his eight neat white teeth: "Joining your sect is not very convenient... but I can be your landlord, what do you think?"

The two women and the little Taoist boy all looked at Lu Xingzhou with strange eyes.

Even if you are just a landlord, you are still in a dangerous situation... In the storyteller's story, wouldn't this be called not liking the lady but liking the maid?

(End of this chapter)