Chapter 232

Chapter 232: Tsundere Xiaoli, traveling together

After a lively chat, the table of martial arts men paid their bills and left the teahouse.

They seemed eager to hurry on, lest they miss the Liuyun Sect’s grand spectacle.

After they left, the other two tables also began to pay their bills and leave.

Lu Qing glanced at their backs, a thoughtful look on his face.

After finishing two pots of tea and devouring all the steamed buns, Lu Qing and his companions rested for a long time. Only after the horses were well fed and rested did they continue their journey.

“Old Doctor Chen, I didn’t expect the Liuyun Sect to cause such a big incident,”

Wei Zi’an said in surprise from the carriage.

“Yes, I thought their young master was missing and they would be extremely worried. I never thought they would use this as an excuse to escalate their exploitation and plundering of other smaller factions,” Ma Gu sighed.

Only Lu Qing remained silent, a look of deep thought on his face.

The old doctor noticed his expression and asked, “Ah Qing, what are you thinking about?”

“Master, I’m thinking. The Liuyun Sect’s Young Master clearly died in Qingfeng Town, and no other Liuyun Sect disciples escaped at the time.

Logically, the Liuyun Sect shouldn’t have confirmed their Young Master’s death so quickly; at most, they should have assumed he was missing.

So why has the news spread throughout Yunzhou?” Lu Qing asked puzzledly.

“That’s right,” Ma Gu realized. “We came from Qingfeng Town without any delays, but from what those Jianghu people just said, it seems like we just took down the Young Master, and the Liuyun Sect already knows about their Young Master’s death. It’s indeed a bit strange.”

Hearing this, Lu Qing’s heart moved slightly.

“Ah Qing, have you thought of anything?” the old doctor asked.

“There’s one thing. I’m thinking the Liuyun Sect must have some rare treasure that could determine the life or death of their young master in such a short time. Otherwise, it’s hard to explain.”

“Such a rare treasure exists in the world?” Ma Gu exclaimed in surprise. “According to the map provided by Master Fang, the Liuyun Sect is a thousand miles away from Qingfeng Town!”

“There are wonders in this world, and it’s not impossible to say there aren’t such rare treasures. Take the great cauldron at the Zi’an family. Before you saw it, could you have imagined such a miraculous object existed?” Lu Qing said with a smile.

Ma Gu was speechless for a moment, remembering the strange cauldron he had seen in the Wei family’s underground cave.

Indeed, before seeing it with his own eyes, he hadn’t dared to imagine that such an incredible treasure existed.

The old doctor, however, didn’t question Lu Qing’s words.

He knew Lu Qing carried a legacy of immortal cultivation, and since he dared to say so, he had clearly figured out how the Liuyun Sect had determined the young master’s death.

The carriage returned to silence, and Lu Qing fell back into thought.

Yes, he had a suspicion.

If the Liuyun Sect had truly used a life or soul tablet to confirm Mo Xuan’s death, it meant someone within the sect had inherited the immortal cultivation tradition.

At the very least, they had acquired some immortal artifacts.

If that were the case, their trip to the Liuyun Sect might be fraught with uncertainty.

However, even if there were any, Lu Qing wasn’t worried.

Not to mention that his master had not only achieved a breakthrough in cultivation but also become a Qi Refiner. His spiritual energy was growing daily, and his strength rivaled that of a Xiantian Great Perfectionist.

Speaking for himself, if pushed to the limit, he could break through and enter the Xiantian realm.

At that point, with his cultivation skyrocketing and his Xiantian Qi condensed, coupled with the two spiritual artifacts, the Qiankun Yiqi Bag and the Tuling Pearl, his

combat power would likely be even greater than his master’s, and he would fear no one.

Even if a true immortal cultivator emerged from the Liuyun Sect, he would be confident he could defeat him tooth and nail.

The carriage moved slowly.

Knowing that the major sects of Yunzhou would march on Liuyun Sect in a few days to demand an explanation, Lu Qing and his companions were in no hurry to travel.

At their current speed, they would definitely reach Liuyun Sect in three days.

And they could even enjoy a free spectacle – why not?

As dusk fell, the carriage stopped.

“Old Doctor, it’s getting dark. There’s a dilapidated temple up ahead. I think we’ll have to stay there tonight,” Ma Gu said.

“Let’s park there,” the old doctor nodded.

They’d mostly been staying outdoors these days, so they were used to it. They were lucky to have the shelter of a dilapidated temple.

Ma Gu steered the carriage slowly towards the temple.

Once inside, they discovered it was a small, abandoned mountain temple.

And…

Lu Qing glanced at the horses outside the temple, a feeling stirring in his heart. It seemed someone had already occupied the area before them.

Someone inside the temple heard the carriage’s movement and came out to investigate. As soon as they exchanged glances, everyone on both sides was stunned.

Lu Qing was stunned for a moment, then raised an eyebrow.

What a coincidence.

It turned out that the two people who came out were a young man and woman carrying long swords, and they had just met at noon. They

were guests at one of the other tables of people who were enjoying tea and resting in the teahouse.

Ma Gu was also a little stunned when he saw the young couple.

But he quickly reacted and stepped forward and said politely, “Hello, young lady, sir.”

“Um, you’re welcome. Hello everyone. I didn’t expect we’d meet here again,”

the young couple said quickly, coming to their senses. They

had obviously recognized Lu Qing and the others.

“Yes, meeting is fate. I wonder if there’s any room in this temple where we can escape the cold fog and morning dew?”

The old doctor stepped forward and said gently.

“Yes, yes. This temple looks small from the outside, but it’s quite spacious inside. If you don’t mind, we can squeeze in.”

Seeing the old doctor’s kind face and Lu Qing and the others didn’t look like bad guys, the young couple relaxed their guard and said quickly.

“Thank you very much.”

After thanking them, the old doctor led Lu Qing and the others, following the young couple into the temple, while Ma Gu went to park the carriage.

There was a small front courtyard inside. After crossing the courtyard, they arrived at the temple dedicated to the mountain god.

Entering the temple, they saw three other people inside: a chubby middle-aged man and two young men.

“Ping’er, who’s that outside?”

the chubby middle-aged man asked casually when he saw the girl enter.

“Dad, it’s Doctor Chen and his companions whom we met at the teahouse at 10:00 PM. They just arrived here, and since it’s getting late, they’d like to stay here for the night,” the girl replied.

“Doctor Chen?”

The chubby middle-aged man looked at Lu Qing and the others.

The old doctor stepped forward and said politely, “My last name is Chen, and I’m a doctor. These are my disciples and servants. We were so anxious to get by that we didn’t pay attention to our itinerary. Now that it’s getting dark, could you please let us stay here for the night?”

“Doctor Chen, you’re too polite. This place is ownerless, so anyone can stay. We’re just a little early. We’re not the owners, so how can we borrow someone’s name? Being away from home isn’t easy. If you don’t mind, please squeeze in with us.”

The chubby middle-aged man also recognized the old doctor and his companions.

After all, their group was somewhat unique. Not only were there elderly men with gray hair and beards, but there were also children of several years old. It was hard not to be impressed.

“Thank you very much. I hadn’t asked for your name yet.”

“My last name is Xu…”

While the old doctor and the chubby middle-aged man chatted, Lu Qing and Wei Zi’an went to find a place to clean up.

Elsewhere, the girl named Ping’er came up to Xiaoyan, looking at Xiaoli in her arms with curiosity.

“Little sister, what are you holding?”

“Hello, sister,” Xiaoyan called sweetly. “It’s Xiaoli, and she’s my best friend.”

“Xiaoli?” The girl looked at Xiaoli, who was squinting, and her affection grew. “It’s so cute. Can I pet it?”

“You’ll have to ask Xiaoli,” Xiaoyan said, looking down at Xiaoli.

Xiaoli opened his eyes, glanced at the girl, and turned his head to the other side to continue his doze.

The two little creatures had been together day and night, and had long since connected.

Xiaoyan immediately understood what Xiaoli meant.

She could only say apologetically, “Sorry, sister, Xiaoli doesn’t like being touched by strangers.”

“Is that so?” The girl also noticed Xiaoli’s actions and felt a little disappointed.

However, her attention was quickly drawn to something else.

“Little sister, you said you were going to ask it. Can this little animal understand you?”

“Yes, Xiaoli is amazing. It can understand us,” Xiaoyan said proudly.

The girl was even more amazed at Xiaoli.

But seeing Xiao Li’s aloof expression, she felt a wave of melancholy again.

Her eyes rolled, and after a moment’s thought, she said, “Little sister, do you know what Xiao Li likes to eat?”

“Xiao Li likes fish!” Xiao Yan answered without hesitation.

“Like fish?”

The girl was immediately troubled.

Their bags contained everything except fish.

After all, fish has a strong fishy smell, and no one traveling would bring fish in their bags for no reason.

“Besides fish, does Xiao Li like dried meat? I have plenty in my bag,” the girl asked hopefully.

However, Xiao Yan shook her head. “Not really. Xiao Li loves fish the most and rarely eats dried meat.”

“What about the dry food…”

Wei Zi’an, who was cleaning, was secretly amused by the girl’s desperate attempts to please Xiao Li.

Xiao Li was a very arrogant guy.

Aside from Xiao Yan and Lu Qing, he had never seen him approach anyone.

He was completely indifferent to everyone.

Even if it was Old Doctor Chen, it would rarely approach him.

Just like his mother, in the past two years, she had tried every possible way to build a good relationship with Xiao Li.

As a result, the fish didn’t know how much bribes it had given, and the number of times it could actually hold Xiao Li was very few.

It was wishful thinking for the girl to win Xiao Li’s favor with just a little food.

Sure enough, in the following time, no matter what method the girl used, she couldn’t get close to Xiao Li.

Even if she took out her treasured and favorite cakes, she couldn’t get Xiao Li to open his eyes.

Instead, Xiao Yan got the chance and ate several delicious cakes.

Later, Xiao Li felt that this woman was too annoying, so he simply jumped out of Xiao Yan’s arms, jumped onto Lu Qing’s shoulders, and hid in his arms.

At this moment, the girl was completely helpless and could only feel depressed.

After all, there are differences between men and women, and as a woman, she didn’t dare to entangle a strange man.

This scene naturally caught the eye of the old doctor and the chubby middle-aged man.

“Old Doctor Chen, your little beast is quite human-like.

I’m sorry for being rude,” the chubby middle-aged man said. “It’s nothing. Xiao Li’s personality is a bit eccentric. On weekdays, apart from Ah Qing and Xiao Yan, he rarely comes close to us. I hope Miss Xu won’t be offended.” The old doctor smiled.

“I see. This little beast does have quite a personality,” the chubby middle-aged man suddenly realized.

“By the way, Mr. Xu, I heard you say earlier that you were heading to the Liuyun Sect?” the old doctor asked.

“Indeed, Doctor Chen should have heard at the teahouse at noon that something big was about to happen in the Liuyun Sect. I’m here to take my disciples on a journey to broaden their horizons. How could we miss such a grand event?”

“But didn’t those wanderers at noon also say that the Liuyun Sect is known for its tyranny? Mr. Xu, aren’t you afraid of danger going there?”

“Haha, the Liuyun Sect is about to be attacked by a coalition of many sects in Yunzhou. I’m afraid they can barely protect themselves, so how could they care about idle people like us? Besides, although I’m not very talented, I still have some ability to protect my disciples,” the chubby middle-aged man laughed.

“Mr. Xu is amazing,” the old doctor couldn’t help but praise.

“By the way, Doctor Chen, where are you going this time?” the chubby middle-aged man asked.

“We originally wanted to travel to the territory controlled by Liuyun Sect, but after hearing what those martial artists said at noon, we are a little embarrassed.

The Liuyun Sect is about to create a storm vortex in Yunzhou. If we go there now, we may be sucked into it if we are not careful.” The old doctor hesitated.

“I was wondering what it was. What’s the big deal?” the chubby middle-aged man said with a smile. “Doctor Chen, since you’re also traveling, you shouldn’t miss this great event. This time, most of the sects in Yunzhou will be there. It would be a shame to miss it.” “

But…”

“No buts. It’s rare that we get along so well. Doctor Chen, if you’re worried about your safety on the road, why not join us tomorrow so we can have someone to look after you? With us here, ordinary scoundrels won’t be able to harm you at all!” the chubby middle-aged man said cheerfully.

The old doctor noticed the composure on the chubby middle-aged man’s face, paused, and nodded. “In that case, my master and I will shamelessly take advantage of Mr. Xu’s kindness.”

“No need to be so polite. It’s a deal!”

The young girl nearby was delighted to hear their conversation.

If they were traveling together tomorrow, wouldn’t that give her more time to get closer to Xiao Li?

Thinking of this, the girl immediately went to Xiao Yan, hoping to learn more about Xiao Li’s preferences from her.

Lu Qing was somewhat surprised to learn that his master had decided to embark on the journey with the chubby middle-aged man and the others the next day.

However, he didn’t ask any questions, but continued to work on his tasks, preparing dinner for everyone.

Before long, a rich aroma began to emerge, slowly filling the entire mountain temple.

(End of this chapter)