Mountain and River Festival

Chapter 522 White Hair and Martial Uncle

Last night, Xiao Bai Mao first listened to Lu Xingzhou and Ji Wenchuan chatting, mainly thinking that they had something important to discuss. After listening for a couple of sentences, he realized that it was just the brothers having a few drinks after a long separation, so he stopped listening.

He spent most of the night pondering that piece of Ice Illusion Divine Jade.

The reason why it is said that alchemy through pill-taking is superficial is not because the pills themselves are ineffective; in fact, there is little difference between pill-taking and using spirit stones. However, cultivation is not just about the pure accumulation of energy, but also about understanding and enlightenment.

In many fields, "understanding" is often far more important than pure numerical values. Just as a writer who memorizes articles by rote is not on the same level as one who understands and masters the essence of grammar, the same applies to spiritual practice.

When you gain new insights and understandings, your cultivation will increase even without accumulating power. This kind of increase is much more reliable than taking drugs.

Dugu Qingli originally thought she had a deep understanding of ice, especially when ice was demonized, she was practically the embodiment of the law.

But the appearance of this jade reminded her that her understanding of frost was still insufficient.

Ice can also be illusory.

Once you fully understand it, you will undoubtedly break through to the highest level, without needing any elixirs.

Unfortunately, even with her affinity for it, it wasn't so easy for her to fully grasp it overnight. When she awoke from her meditation, her understanding was hazy and she hadn't gained much. However, upon seeing the dawn, her first thought was to go find Lu Xingzhou to have breakfast together.

He immediately found it a little funny, and now he could finally answer his own question—why his dear Tinglan would smile so broadly and carefree when she mentioned him.

So this is what happens when your heart is filled with that person. You wake up thinking of him, and you want him to be with you whenever you want to eat something.

As for its impact on spiritual practice... before, when I couldn't clearly define my own intentions, I even went astray while healing; but once I clarified my intentions, I felt peaceful and calm all night, and my spiritual practice was completely unaffected.

That's just how it is.

Actually, it didn't feel so natural for Qinqin Tinglan to teach her these words.

Little White Hair looked inward and found that although he hadn't grasped anything, his cultivation had actually increased quite a bit.

The girl sniffed the ice-cold flower arbor on her bedside table, and went out in a good mood, intending to have dinner with Lu Xingzhou. At the door, she overheard her incredibly sophisticated martial uncle from yesterday confessing his feelings: "I really like you, blah blah blah."

White hair probe.

Yuan Muyu's pretty face turned a deep liver color from holding it in.

The image of a wise and capable person that I had painstakingly cultivated yesterday collapsed completely, and the worst part is that I feel guilty.

To be honest, this little white-haired girl wasn't one of his wives, just a bridesmaid, and the one who secretly ate the master's trinkets. Logically, she should have been quite assertive in front of him. But yesterday, I secretly watched their nighttime walk, and it was so beautiful and peaceful that it felt like their love story was unfolding on screen, and anyone who got in the way would look like a homewrecker.

Actually, Yuan Muyu's decision to confess his feelings this time was somewhat inspired by Dugu Qingli.

The girl's sincerity, frankness, and pure heart deeply moved this old witch who had been navigating the demonic path for so many years. Trying to be more direct, and seeing Lu Xingzhou's unusually stunned expression, she thought it was having some effect, only to turn around and see the person in question.

Dugu Qingli strolled in and honestly greeted, "Uncle-Master."

Previously, they said Yuan Muyu hadn't returned to the sect and wasn't considered a senior uncle, but now they know to call her senior uncle. The implication is obvious: old woman, don't try to steal your niece's man, have you no shame?

Yuan Muyu paused for a moment: "Do you need your martial uncle to help you propose marriage to the sect?"

Dugu Qingli didn't realize that Yuan Muyu's words were actually a threat, meaning that if you jump again, I will tell Ye Tinglan. How dare you, a little white-haired girl who is stealing a man from your master, tell your uncle about this?

Little White Hair started playing with subtext himself, but unfortunately he couldn't analyze other people's subtext. Instead, he thought about it very seriously: "I don't need to arrange a marriage. I thought it was stupid when they got married last time."

Yuan Muyu was stunned: "You don't want a title anymore?"

Dugu Qingli thought for a moment, somewhat puzzled: "What's the use of that thing? I don't know why they care so much, and I don't know why my martial uncle would go crazy over something like this, even wanting to become a Qian Yuan immortal..."

Yuan Muyu: "I'm not crazy."

Dugu Qingli glanced at her and then remained silent.

Yuan Muyu once again experienced the tragedy of being in a wheelchair: when people looked at her with such questioning eyes, she felt an extra sense of condescension and was treated as if she were mentally challenged.

Coupled with Dugu Qingli's expression, the feeling was indescribable, making one feel extremely uncomfortable.

Yuan Muyu could no longer contain herself: "I'm talking about your affair. Aren't you afraid I'll tell Ye Tinglan? You're just jumping around like this in front of me!"

Dugu Qingli said, "I was standing, I didn't jump. It's because my uncle was sitting that I seemed tall, but my uncle could clearly stand."

Yuan Muyu: "?"

Lu Xingzhou listened with great interest from behind. This was the first time he had encountered a chaotic situation where he didn't want to smooth things over but instead found it quite amusing.

Dugu Qingli said, "Then, Lu Xingzhou and I didn't have an affair; we were in a romantic relationship."

Yuan Muyu: ""

"Then, Uncle-Master thought whether Master should be wary of me or you."

Yuan Muyu: ""

If Pei Chuyun was maliciously mocking her, that would be one thing, but Yuan Muyu knew that Dugu Qingli didn't mean it; every word she said was from the heart.

It was incredibly difficult to stay calm, and I was speechless.

Dugu Qingli asked, "Is there anything else, Martial Uncle?"

Yuan Muyu took a deep breath, intending to settle things through cultivation: "Have you studied the cultivation method I gave you yesterday?"

Dugu Qingli said, "I have mastered the cultivation technique bestowed upon me by my martial uncle. Thank you, martial uncle... Oh, by the way, does your martial uncle understand the Dao of Ice Illusion? I would like to ask him about that..."

Yuan Muyu could no longer bear it: "Let Ye Tinglan, who trusts you, go and teach her!"

Without even turning the wheelchair, he lifted it and flew out of the courtyard gate. This little thing is truly only someone like Ye Tinglan can handle; no one else can match him.

Then, you can hear Dugu Qingli inside asking Lu Xingzhou, "That wheelchair looks familiar, isn't it the one you sat in before?"

Lu Xingzhou said, "Yes, it was originally made for me by my sister."

"Can you take back something you gave away? You can't be so stingy as to ask me to take the flowers back."

Is this being stingy? Yuan Muyu was so indignant that she almost fell off her chair.

Lu Xingzhou patted the little white-haired boy's head: "Of course not."

Dugu Qingli asked, "Is there basically nothing going on at the Ice Prison Sect?"

"Yes, but I'll rest here for a few days first. My sister just gave me a set of the Charming Maiden Mystic Art, and I need to study it. If I can really deduce the complete version of the Yin-Yang Ultimate Intent, it will be extremely important to me. I'll put other things aside for now."

"Do you need my help?"

Lu Xingzhou chuckled: "You should forget about the yin and yang aspects... You yourself are the one who most needs to be harmonized."

"Hmph. I have things to practice too, I don't care about you."

“Your sister and master are highly knowledgeable in cultivation, but they are not omniscient. In particular, Jiang Yuan knows more about these kinds of extremely special items. You might as well talk to her about it.”

"What about her?"

"I don't know, I guess they're still studying that drop of blood. You can go and check with her."

Dugu Qingli had no desire to go find that stinking meat seller and beggar, and she snorted almost inaudibly twice.

Lu Xingzhou found it amusing and couldn't help but pat her head again.

Dugu Qingli looked up angrily: "Why do you always touch my head these days?"

“Because it’s cute.”

"Then you never touch Ah Nuo, but you like to pinch her cheeks instead."

Lu Xingzhou pinched her cheek.

Dugu Qingli kicked him.

The two chased each other out of the courtyard. Dugu Qingli raised her sword and shouted, "I forgot I haven't avenged my face injury yet, and you're still touching and pinching it."

Yuan Muyu hid to the side and watched the two chase past him, his hands clasped together in silence for a long time.

Ji Wenchuan, munching on a steamed bun, walked over and mumbled indistinctly, "Old Lu is going south, what's the next step?"

Yuan Muyu said with a stern face: "Qian Yuan is in sight. I need to go into seclusion to digest what I have gained from the Ice Demon. You and Situ will discuss and handle all matters related to Miaoyin Mountain together."

"Alright." Ji Wenchuan breathed a long sigh of relief.

It seems they didn't hear those slanderous remarks from last night.

Then he suddenly remembered something: "Speaking of Ye Tinglan and Gu Zhanting breaking through the Qian Yuan realm, it seems like they both used some kind of cover-up... Shouldn't we ask Lao Lu?"

Yuan Muyu said calmly, "I will contact Ye Tinglan myself."

"Isn't Lao Lu right next door? Why go to all this trouble?"

"I...don't want to owe him anymore."

Ji Wenchuan stuffed the last bite of the bun into his mouth and mumbled indistinctly, "If it were me, I would ask as many times as I could and keep owing... There's a routine in the world of mortals and officials: asking for help is sometimes not about wearing down relationships, but rather an excuse to strike up a conversation and strengthen those relationships."

Yuan Muyu heard this, turned her head and looked in the direction Lu Xingzhou and Dugu Qingli had run away, her eyes flashing.

Over there, Dugu Qingli and Lu Xingzhou, tired from their chase, sat side by side on the edge of the cliff to watch the snow scene and eat the local fruits for breakfast.

Despite Dugu Qingli's increasingly sharp and witty remarks, she actually enjoys the quiet moments with Lu Xingzhou, and they rarely speak.

And, since it was outdoors, we didn't dare to be intimate; at most, we could only hold hands and kiss each other's foreheads and eyelids.

After finishing the fruit, Dugu Qingli leaned leisurely on Lu Xingzhou's shoulder before speaking: "Where do you plan to go next?"

Lu Xingzhou said, “South of Daqian. Qiandu is in the north, and the south is far away, so there is more room for maneuver. For example, our Yama Palace chose to avoid the capital and set up its headquarters in the south. Many others would think the same. I think if Gu Yiheng is secretly cultivating his own power, it is most likely in the south. I will use the pretext of investigating demons to investigate this.”

Dugu Qingli was a little happy: "I've never been to the South, so this is a good opportunity to go and see it. Can I go see Miaoyin Mountain?"

Lu Xingzhou was taken aback: "There's nothing to see at Miaoyin Mountain. It looks like an ordinary mountain from the outside, but the real treasures are all inside."

Dugu Qingli said in a low voice, "I just... want to see the place where you and Anuo stayed for so many years."

Lu Xingzhou couldn't help but lower his head, wanting to find her lips again.

Dugu Qingli gently nudged him: "They're outside. There are still many people from the Heavenly Yao Holy Land inside the Ice Prison Sect... um..."

With his lips sealed, Little White Hair didn't care whether there were any people from the Tianyao Holy Land left, and closed his eyes.

It's been two days since I last kissed Bai Bai...

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

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(End of this chapter)