Mountain and River Festival

Chapter 45 The warm fragrance of nephrite
Once you know where the secret room is, it will be easy to find the entrance.

There are only a few types of secret room mechanisms. Since no one will disturb you, you can figure it out by trying slowly.

Not long after, Lu Xingzhou bent a vase and turned it around, and a crack appeared at the back of the bookshelf, revealing a staircase leading downwards.

"How uncreative." Lu Xingzhou looked at the stairs helplessly. This was the inconvenience of the wheelchair. He even had to remove the threshold of his own house, let alone the stairs.

Ah Nuo showed her eight neat white teeth: "It's okay, at least this passage is wide enough..."

The next second, he lifted the wheelchair with one hand and rushed down the stairs carrying his master.

After arriving at the secret room and putting down the wheelchair, Anuo rushed to the potted plants, took out a water-controlling talisman, and started watering the flowers to save their lives.

Huaer's message for help just now was so pitiful...

Lu Xingzhou fumbled on the shelves in the secret room. The secret room was not small, but most of the shelves were empty. The Huo family's cultivation books and treasures were indeed placed here, but they had been taken away long ago.

Judging from the empty shelves, there are indeed a lot of classics... With so many classics, it is no wonder that later generations cannot understand them all. Lu Xingzhou dared to bet that there must be a part that records the terrain here. Unfortunately, the descendants of the Huo family are not good and probably did not notice it.

Lu Xingzhou looked through the things that were left behind and not taken away. Most of them were low-end sword techniques and skills obtained by exploiting the villagers. They were of low quality and miscellaneous, so there was no need to take them to the capital.

His hand lingered on a book of secret archery techniques... and hatred flashed in his eyes.

This is his house.

The things that the Huo family had seized when they broke into other people's homes were nothing more than useless things that they casually threw on the secret book shelf and were too lazy to even take away. They probably hadn't even been flipped through.

Lu Xingzhou silently opened the book, looking at the method that he had been familiar with since childhood but now had no conditions to use, with a complicated expression.

There are also many small notes and experiences written by my father. Although his understanding is relatively elementary with today's knowledge, Lu Xingzhou still read them very seriously.

Flipping through the pages, I came across these words: "Our method has ultimately declined. Qing'er must not be trapped here in the future. Our family, the Huo family, has lived in Danxia for generations. We must have been one family with Grand Tutor Huo's family long ago. Our cultivation method must be a fragment or a side branch of the Huo family. If we can obtain the cultivation of the Huo family's main lineage, that will be Qing'er's future path. I wonder if there will be an opportunity in the future..."

"Actually, it would be best if we could leave the mountains and seek membership in a great immortal sect... But the ancestral dragon and tiger embrace us, the mountain is like a furnace, and the sun rises from it, like an elixir undergoing nine transformations. It's all fate... fate, no one knows if it will be our turn. Perhaps it lies with Qing'er."

Lu Xingzhou stroked these words with his fingers and pondered for a long time.

Unexpectedly, the Huo family couldn't find any records, but they actually saw it in their own ancient books, but it was a little vague. This vagueness probably had nothing to do with the father, but was passed down from generation to generation. So it seems that the Huo family should also know these few sentences, at least the previous generations must have known them, but they couldn't figure it out and finally gave up the search.

This mountain is like a furnace, not Tai Chi...

The sun rises in the middle of it, like the elixir going through nine turns, which is the creation of nature.

On the surface, unlocking the secrets of this place should be related to timing, precisely at sunrise, when the sun rises from the col, just like elixir rising from a furnace.

But from what position can this phenomenon be observed? Looking at the mountain and the sun from different angles will definitely give different observations. Unlocking this secret is mostly related to the observation position.

If it were that simple, the Huo family should have figured it out long ago... They could have sent countless people to observe at different locations and choose the most appropriate point.

So what's missing?
Besides…could this secret have already been lost when the alchemy furnace was revealed, making further investigation pointless? That's why the Huo family left so abruptly.

Lu Xingzhou pondered for a long time, but could not come to a conclusion. He closed the book and put it in his arms. He searched the secret room again, but found nothing.

An Nuo also searched for a long time, but found nothing. She looked at Lu Xingzhou with some concern: "Master..."

"Ah?" Lu Xingzhou came to his senses and rubbed her face with a smile. "I'm already very happy to have gained something. What's most exciting is that this comes from my own family tradition and has nothing to do with the Huo family. Let's go and take the ordinary classics here. The Tianxing Sword Sect will need them."

As Anuo was packing, he asked nervously, "Master, will you treat my legs tonight? I'm afraid I'm not up to it..."

Lu Xingzhou sighed: "You are the one with the best talent as an alchemist, not me. Why are you being so timid?"

"Because...that's Master Zhi's leg."

"Don't be afraid, even if An Nuo blows on me, Master will be able to get better by a factor of three."

Anuo became happy again, quickly packed up his things, and carried the wheelchair out.

…………

The next morning, Lu Xingzhou went to change Shen Tang's dressing as usual.

The capital was in turmoil, and by the time the news reached Xiazhou, a few days had passed, and it was already the tenth day of treatment.

Theoretically the last day.

Seeing Lu Xingzhou come in, Shen Tang looked a little excited that he couldn't contain himself.

Lu Xingzhou wondered if her reaction was because she could stand up or because she could finally take a shower.

In fact, it was difficult for Lu Xingzhou to understand why these women were so concerned about this. Shen Tang was a fourth-grade cultivator. Even if he couldn't fly or hide in the ground, at least he could stay clean and pure without being stained by dust. He still smelled fragrant these days.

Besides, it is early winter now and it will snow in a few days. It is not midsummer yet.

Lu Xingzhou sat beside her and opened the medicine for her. He asked casually, "Have you prepared for the flying sword and the ceremony?"

"Yes, I've given the order. Everyone's anticipation for this is higher than their enthusiasm for the previous purification sword talisman."

"That's natural, the style is different."

"So...how's your own treatment?"

"Anuo helped me clear the meridians and applied ointment. She is very skilled." Lu Xingzhou was a little depressed: "You could feel something vaguely on the first day, but I felt like I had no treatment on the first day. I didn't react at all." Shen Tang was stunned for a moment. His first reaction was that since Anuo was very skilled, why didn't she treat me, but you did it instead.

You stinky man, you did it on purpose, didn't you?

But in the end, he didn't ask, and just said: "Take your time. Now that our conditions are better, it will be possible sooner or later."

"Yeah." After helping Shen Tang change her medicine and seeing her taking the last internal pill, Lu Xingzhou asked cautiously, "I made this pill based on that fruit. It's different from the previous nine. How do you feel about it?"

Shen Tang tried to circulate Qi through his calf and was pleasantly surprised. "The medicinal effects are similar, but your pills are of higher quality than theirs... If I were to judge by my own feelings, my leg would have healed considerably. The Qi is flowing smoothly, and I no longer feel any obstruction."

"Would you like to try lifting your legs?"

Shen Tang tried it slowly and raised her beautiful feet slightly.

Dugu Qingli watched from the side with his eyes wide open, feeling a little nervous.

The jade feet actually slowly lifted up, several inches away from the bed.

Shen Tang felt a little weak, but he refused to give up and gritted his teeth to continue lifting. As a result, he felt sore and weak, and lost his strength, so he smashed it back again.

Lu Xingzhou quickly grabbed it.

Dugu Qingli stretched his neck and looked at the man holding Shen Tang's calf. It felt like the air was frozen.

Shen Tang's face flushed all the way to his neck: "Put me down."

Although he lacked strength, his sense of touch had fully recovered. When he reached out with his big hand, his whole body felt numb as if he had been electrocuted.

I've been touched every day for so many days, and I thought I would be used to it like my left hand touching my right hand. I didn't expect that even after regaining consciousness, it would still be so embarrassing.

Lu Xingzhou coughed dryly and let it go, then asked seriously, "What does it feel like to touch it?"

Shen Tang was both embarrassed and angry. Do you want me to tell you how the electric shock felt, how it itched, and how my heart was beating?
After holding it in for a long time, he angrily said, "Normal perception."

Lu Xingzhou put his hands on her knees, helping her bend and straighten them. He repeated this several times to gauge her condition. Finally, he turned to Dugu Qingli, who was standing beside him. "Help her up. Try to walk slowly for a few steps. Be careful."

After saying this, without waiting for a response, he turned around and pushed his wheelchair out the door.

The two women watched him go with strange eyes. Shen Tang reached out and touched the knee that the man had pressed on, and asked in a low voice, "Why does he seem to be hiding today?"

Dugu Qingli felt like he knew something, but at the same time, he didn't seem to know anything. He could only say with a straight face, "What does it have to do with me? Do you want to get up?"

"want."

Dugu Qingli lifted her up, put on her shoes and tried to walk slowly.

Although most of the strength was on Dugu Qingli, he could really walk with difficulty.

It was hard to describe the feelings and joy in Shen Tang's heart. After a long while, he bit his lower lip and said, "Qingli...thank you."

Dugu Qingli had a blank expression on his face: "I don't think it's me you want to thank."

"No, no." Shen Tang smiled apologetically, "If it weren't for Qingli's constant help, I wouldn't be able to hold on until today."

Dugu Qingli felt that this was too fake and was too lazy to argue. He supported her all the way to the yard.

Lu Xingzhou sat outside, watching them walk out in silence. Although he felt a vague sense of retreat in his heart, his eyes were filled with relief. When he saw her stand up, he could often see himself, as if all his years of anticipation were halfway fulfilled.

Dugu Qingli subconsciously supported Shen Tang and walked towards him. The main reason was that she felt there was something between the two people's eyes, and she felt a little guilty if she didn't help them get closer.

In fact, it was very difficult for Shen Tang to walk these few steps. He could hardly walk anymore. But looking at Lu Xingzhou's eyes, it seemed as if he couldn't say "help me go back", so he had to grit his teeth and persevere.

As a result, before he even reached Lu Xingzhou, his legs gave out and he fell straight down.

Although Dugu Qingli was by his side and there was no need to worry, Lu Xingzhou still instinctively slapped the armrest and the wheelchair shot out at lightning speed.

Dugu Qingli wanted to steady her, but seeing her behavior, he simply let go. Shen Tang turned to look at her in disbelief, then fell into Lu Xingzhou's arms with a plop.

Lu Xingzhou was stunned for a moment with the soft and fragrant beauty in his arms, and Shen Tang's mind was also blank.

The north wind blew by, picking up a few fallen leaves in the yard, causing the two people's hair to flutter lightly. The scene was quite beautiful. Dugu Qingli clapped his hands and turned away.

Lu Xingzhou: “?”

White Hair, what am I going to do if you leave? I can’t just leave you behind!
Recommend "Master, Please Listen to My Explanation First":
"You mean, even though you were forced to be an undercover agent, you were devoted to the Yu Huanzong?"

Facing his master's half-smile, Lu Qingyuan held up four fingers. "Heaven and earth can bear witness! I have absolutely no intention of betraying my master or ancestors. It was all because of that imperial concubine... Master, please listen carefully to my explanation of the whole process..."

——————

"You mean... you didn't go anywhere last night and practiced diligently all night long?"

Lu Qingyuan stood straight: "This is the truth..."

"Is that so... I was wondering why you smelled like that imperial concubine's rouge and powder?" Master sneered again, "So it was because that imperial concubine pushed you too hard?!"

Lu Qingyuan was sweating profusely, and raised his hands high: "Master, please listen to my explanation first..."

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(End of this chapter)