Chapitre 73: Chapter 73: This Venerable One is Confused
Having run into Mo Ran so suddenly, Xue Meng blinked. This was the first time the two had come face to face since Mo Ran was detained.
Recalling how Xue Meng defended him in front of the others, Mo Ran smiled at him in spite of himself, but Xue Meng was thoroughly shocked by this grin,
and looked disgusted, his words contemptuous, "What are you doing? What are you looking at? What are you smiling about? What's there to smile about!" "...I'm greeting you." "Disgusting!"
Mo Ran: "..." A comeback like that killed Mo Ran's conversation starter, and Shi Mei hummed pensively for a moment but didn't push for any more answers either,
and only smiled at Xue Meng, "Young Master, who annoyed you now?" "Who else can it be? WHO ELSE CAN IT BE!! Shameless! Disgusting!
Despicable! Obscene!" Mo Ran sighed, "That doesn't rhyme." "WHO CARES! WHY DON'T YOU GO AT IT IF YOU'RE SO GREAT!" "I'm not great, I'm uncultured." Mo Ran chuckled, "Come on, tell us. Who pissed you off?" Shi Mei said with a smile: "I bet it was dashixiong again." "Goddamn dashixiong! BEAST! PERVERT! If he's so easy, how come he hasn't gotten syphilis?! I'm freakin' willing to give ten years of my life so that he'd get sores on his head, ooze pus from his feet, rotten nose and rotten eyes, let's see who'd like him then, that despicable, shameless, obscene…" Mo Ran: "..." Seeing that Xue Meng was going to sink into an endless cycle, Shi Mei hastily stopped him, pointing behind and exclaimed, "Shh, look, the beloved dashixiong and those lady cultivators have come——" "!!!" Xue Meng jumped, and that always proud face suddenly flashed a trace of trepidation. He cursed "filthy debauched" under his breath but actually turned around and left with his tail between his legs without looking back, truly panicking like that of a beaten dog. In the end however, he still wanted face and shouted back, "I suddenly remembered I've got something to do, so I'm heading off first!" Mo Ran watched him scamper off out of sight and was amazed, "Wow, this dashixiong really has it going on! Actually scaring him off like this." Shi Mei held back his laugh, "Ever since he ran into him the other day at the restaurant and got into a scuffle, he's been like this since he got back. I guess he's met his match." "Amazing, amazing. I've gotta see him for myself sometimes." While those were the words that left his lips, but inwardly Mo Ran had already gotten some ideas. If that man could make Xue Meng hide like this, then this "dashixiong" should no doubt be the one he's thinking of.
But now wasn't the time to enjoy Xue Meng's spectacle. Xue Zhengyong and Xuanji had already arrived at the Dewsip Pavilion, and were just softly discussing Eighteen's murder case with the master of the Peach Blossom Springs, the Elder Immortal of the feathered tribe.
The Elder Immortal of the feathered tribe was practically divine; the glow of spiritual light circled and enveloped her body, and while she looked to be a young woman of a fair, tender age, heavens knew how old she actually was.
She was just explaining the case calmly to Xue Zhengyong when a personal attendant walked in and reported in a low voice, "Elder Immortal, we've brought them." "Send them in."
Mo Ran and Shi Mei entered the warm pavilion, scanned around, and saw Xue Zhengyong was fanning that infamous fan, speaking to others, and they immediately called out, "Uncle!" "My child, my child." Xue Zhengyong heard them and looked around. His eyes lit up, and quickly beckoned them over, then patted his shoulder, "Come, sit next to uncle…" "I didn't kill her…" "Of course it wasn't you, of course it wasn't." Xue Zhengyong sighed incessantly, "Who knows how this misunderstanding came about. The Elder Immortal told me everything just now, and my coming here this time was to help prove your innocence. Sigh, heavens have mercy, look how downtrodden you look." He pulled Mo Ran over, and the Elder Immortal of the feathered tribe didn't stop him either, and only watched the two with passive eyes.
Mo Ran also greeted the Xuanji Elder too, and immediately sat down next to Xue Zhengyong's side. However, what made Mo Ran wonder was Xuanji didn't immediately notice his disciple Xia Sini wasn't around, and only very naturally nodded at Mo Ran.
It was actually the Elder Immortal of the feathered tribe who asked, "Eh?
Where's the other child? The one named Xia." "Ah, yea." Only then did Xuanji come around, "...Where's my disciple?" Mo Ran saw that he obviously didn't care for Xia Sini and felt somewhat upset, "My shidi is still locked up. He asked me to greet you on his behalf." "Is that so." Xuanji nodded, "Why he didn't come?" Mo Ran replied curtly, "He's cooking." "..." Xue Zhengyong was bewildered for a moment, then laughed, "Is cooking more important than clearing his name?" Xuanji also grinned, "Playing around so capriciously. I'll go check on him once the meeting is over." "No need. After the meeting we still gotta eat." Mo Ran said, "Interrogate however you will, but let's get this over and done with." Thus, Xue Zhengyong spoke up, "Elder Immortal, let's continue what we were discussing earlier. How about this: We have an elder in our sect who is skilled in refining pills. Before coming here, I asked him to refine a number of truth pills." "Truth pills?" The Elder Immortal was slightly taken aback after hearing him,
and lightly tapped the corner of her lips with a dainty, crimson finger, "Is it that pill that could make mortals speak the absolute truth?" "That's correct." The Elder Immortal was rather surprised, "The materials required for this pill is complicated and difficult to refine, and even here in our Peach Blossom Springs, it'd take at least half a month to produce such a pill. I'm amazed that my lord has such a medical expert, why didn't you bring him along?"
"He's asocial by nature, and dislikes traveling with others." Xue Zhengyong replied, "The pills are already being refined, and they could be sent to the Peach Blossom Springs by pigeon post within ten days. When that time comes, pray my Elder Immortal come to testify the effectiveness of the pills, and have the young disciples take them. The truths will be revealed then.
"..." The Elder Immortal contemplated for a moment, then inclined her head, "That is feasible." Xue Zhengyong sighed a breath of relief and smiled, "Then if that's the case,
let me go this instant to bring my other disciple out of the prison cave." "Hold it." "What is it?" "Before this affair is cleared, both Mo Ran and Xia Sini are still suspicious." The Elder Immortal said, "Even with the Sect Leader's insurance, this venerable cannot allow freedom to the two of them." When Xue Zhengyong heard this, he shut the fan with a clear PA! While there was still a smile on his face, his eyes had grown colder, "Now, that's a little disingenuous, Elder Immortal." The Elder Immortal of the feathered tribe raised her gaze, and stared at him with a pair of scarlet red eyes, "Is Xue-zunzhu dissatisfied with our decision?" "Of course. Since a guilty verdict hasn't been passed on the two disciples of my sect, then with my and Xuanji Elder's watch and guarantee, what reason is there for Elder Immortal to keep them detained so intently?" "It's not really detention." The Elder Immortal said cooly, "I've never mistreated them, and their daily meals are uninterrupted. I've only restricted their movements, it's not unreasonable." Xue Zhengyong was still smiling, but the smile had gone cold.
"Not unreasonable? In my understanding, that Prison cave saw neither the sun nor the moon, a place to imprison criminals who are clearly sentenced as guilty. How incredible that with but a smack of lips, Elder Immortal determined it not unreasonable just like that." There were feathered tribe guards on the side who immediately came to defend, "Xue-zunzhu, please watch your tongue!" "What, have I said anything improper? I haven't humiliated nor cursed your Elder Immortal, and everything I've said was the truth. My words only lacked the polite respect owed by a guest, but it's not unreasonable." That feathered tribe folk heard Xue Zhengyong's response and became even more enraged, "YOU——!" A bare hand glowingly white as jade reached out and stopped him. The Elder Immortal raised her head, and snorted coolly at Xue Zhengyong, "We've once heard rumours in the mortal realm that Xue-zunzhu of Sisheng Peak was a fickle man, while possessing strong spiritual powers, there was some lack in education and did not parse in word games. However, today, this venerable feels the rumours have lied to us. Xue-zunzhu, how full of reasons you are." Xue Zhengyong also flashed her a smile, but there was no more mirth left in his eyes, "I'm but a vulgar man, pray the Elder Immortal not mind."
That Elder Immortal of the feathered tribe grinned, raised her hand and picked a tangerine, then very carefully peeled it before holding it out before Xue Zhengyong, "Then why don't you and I both take a step back. It will not be possible to give those two the same freedom as before, but staying in prison certainly isn't appropriate. This venerable one will order for Xia Sini to be released right now, and Mo Ran and Xia Sini will move their lodging to Campsis Pavilion. That's a place for receiving guests, the only thing is I must send people to watch over it, forbidding the two of them from taking even half a step out of the pavilion. Is this agreeable?" Xue Zhengyong was silent for a bit, then he raised his hand, pausing in mid air, but in the end he still took that tangerine.
Although Campsis Pavilion was said to be a place for receiving guests, the Peach Blossom Springs didn't usually have guests. Thus, the interior of the pavilion had been neglected for a long time. Since the Elder Immortal permitted them to move to this place, Mo Ran had planned to go over and clean up first,
then go pick up Xia Sini once everything was ordered and tidy.
Xue Zhengyong and Xuanji still had things to discuss, so under the watch of several feathered tribe folks, Mo Ran and Shi Mei went over to Campsis Pavilion first.
Campsis Pavilion was situated in the NorthWest of the Peach Blossom Springs. On the outside, blossoms were abundant like forests, the skies glowing brilliantly at the fall of dusk.
"This is a good place. Now even if we stay here we won't feel wronged." Mo Ran said happily.
Shi Mei sighed, "How can you not feel wronged? You two obviously didn't kill anyone, but the innocent was wronged. Too bad Shizun couldn't come. If he had come, then he could just use Tianwen to interrogate, and there wouldn't be any use for some truth pills before the truth is revealed." "Haha, Shi Mei think things are too simple. Tianwen is a holy weapon, and while it has the ability to bring out the truth, whether if it's effective is entirely dependant on if the castor has the mind to interrogate. Do you think those birds would be willing to let my Shizun interrogate me? Do you think they'll believe him?" "...That's true." Seeing that the sun was about to set, Mo Ran started tidying the house while Shi Mei helped on the side.
It certainly was strange. Only when Mo Ran finished cleaning the house and sat down to rest and drink some tea, did he suddenly realize that he actually didn't feel any secret joy in being able to spend time alone with Shi Mei, nor did he feel charmed.
Mo Ran choked at the realization and almost spat out his tea.
Shi Mei jumped in surprise, "What's wrong?" "N, nothing." Mo Ran waved his hands insistently, but his mind was shaken.
Had he really been training under Chu Wanning for so long that he'd also turned into a soul unmoved? Take a look at this Campsis Pavilion. The place was desolate, not a soul around, the peach blossoms were swaying, and the single men were left alone with only each other. If this was the past then he for sure would've flirted hardcore with Shi Mei for a while before he got down to serious business.
What was it with him recently? Such purity of the mind, that shouldn't be…
Mo Ran scratched his head.
Shi Mei blinked.
Four eyes met, and Mo Ran cracked a dopey smile, his dimples precious and cute, "The peach blossoms outside are beautiful, I'll go pick a branch for you to take." "Plants are sentient, just let them bloom properly on their branches." Shi Mei said.
"En… You're very right. Then, then I won't pick them!" They sat there in silence, and Mo Ran dug through everything he could in his mind to start a conversation, but realized that with the lessening of days they saw each other, there was actually nothing worth talking about.
When he looked up, he suddenly saw Shi Mei had a thin sheen of sweat from helping him clean the residence. Unable to bear it, he took out a handkerchief from his robes and handed it to him.
"For you to wipe your sweat with." "..." Shi Mei lowered his gaze to glance over, and saw Mo Ran was squeezing that handkerchief nervously and couldn't help but smile, replying gently, "Thank you." Thus he took the handkerchief and lightly dabbed his forehead.
The feel of that cloth was light and soft, sewn with the best of silk, and after Shi Mei used it, he said, "I'll take the handkerchief back and wash it before I return it to you." "Okok." Mo Ran answered promptly. His agreeableness towards Shi Mei was practically carved into his bones by now, it had become an innate ability, "If you like it, it's ok if you don't return it either." Shi Mei laughed, "That's probably not right, look how well this handkerchief is made…" He said as he opened the handkerchief, smoothing out the creases to fold it again.
Yet just when those delicate, white and tender fingers felt over the opened handkerchief, Shi Mei was taken aback, and he let out a soft "eh".
"What is it?" Shi Mei paused, and looked up with a smile, "A-Ran really wants to gift me this handkerchief?" "If you like it then take it. What's mine is yours." Mo Ran was very generous.
Shi Mei's eyes were laughing, "Borrowing flowers from others to worship the buddha. Aren't you afraid that Shizun will find out and whip you?" "Huh?" This time it was Mo Ran's turn to be taken aback. "What do you mean by borrowing flowers to worship the buddha? What does Shizun have to do with this?" "Take a look yourself." Shi Mei's tone was a little unreadable, "Such a big haitang blossom. When did Shizun give you his own handkerchief?"
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone