frightfiction Chapter 576 Fearless
Chapter 576 Fearless
The man in green turned around gracefully and left the market with a bowl of soup noodles from a mortal's stall.
Only after Xuanji Zhenren's figure disappeared at the end of the street did Xue Tong finally look at Xue Lan and speak:
"Just like that? I thought we wouldn't be able to leave today."
Xue Lan didn't respond immediately. The Wolf King plopped back into his seat, and the first thing he did was pick up his chopsticks and start picking at his half-clumped noodles. Then, holding the chopsticks, he clasped his hands together and murmured:
"May God protect me, and I hope I won't have to deal with something while eating next time."
Xue Tong looked at her speechlessly and said, "You still have the nerve to beg Heaven's will? Have you forgotten the despicable things you saw before?"
Xue Lan's chopsticks moved swiftly, trying to loosen the remaining noodles, and she smiled as she replied to Xue Tong:
"I don't think Heaven would be so petty."
Xue Tong recalled Xue Lan's recent, massive Nascent Soul tribulation and reached out to touch the man's forehead:
"Oh no, we should have had Master Xuanji check his head just now. What if he accidentally broke it without us noticing?"
Before Xue Lan could retort, Shen Suan Zhenren, who had been quietly eating his noodles, put down his bowl and spoke:
"Tongtong, Uncle-Master Xuanji has already examined her body."
"Huh?" Xue Tong's face showed an expression of utter surprise: "When? How come I didn't know?"
Xue Lan took a satisfied bite of noodles, then shook her head and spoke:
"When he was idly tapping the gourd at his waist."
Xue Tong looked at Xue Lan, then at the inner demon: "So, he started probing your condition the instant the inner demon left your body?"
"Medical cultivation is terrifying!"
"Ordinary doctors diagnose illnesses by observing, listening, questioning, and palpating. In fact, medical cultivators are the same, only their methods are more sophisticated." Shen Suan Zhenren looked lovingly at Xue Tong, who was full of question marks. "The gourd on Uncle Xuanji's waist is his famous magic weapon. The water in it can cut off the life force of the world, but the gourd is a medical treasure nourished by thousands of spiritual herbs. It can bring the dead back to life and heal flesh and bones."
"The path to life and death is entirely in his hands."
"The Way of Life and Death?" Xue Tong murmured these four words, the confusion on her face gradually fading, and the girl's voice became joyful:
"Is it the same as Shishi's dual cultivation of medicine and poison?"
Shen Suan Zhenren nodded approvingly: "This is also why Yin Gu of Chong Gu Village sent Shishi to Qingyu Peak."
"Medicine and poison share the same principle, and life and death are interdependent; this is the source of the Dao of Qingyu Peak."
"The Source of the Dao?" Xue Tong looked at Xue Lan with some confusion: "What is the Source of the Dao of your Jiyuan Peak?"
"Our Jiyuan Peak?"
Xue Lan, who was eating noodles, was suddenly called out, her eyes filled with a clear sense of foolishness:
"I don't know, I just let them practice and see for themselves."
Xue Tong then remembered that the animals on Jiyuan Peak were all free-range, and it was difficult to have a standard for free-range animals.
Not to mention that currently only Ji Jinjin and Zhu He possess the Dao.
"Fearless!"
Just as Xue Tong was racking his brains to find similarities, he suddenly heard the two simple words of the True Man of Cautious Calculation.
"Fearless?" The girl murmured the two words to herself, then suddenly realized.
"Wandering freely, I fearlessly traverse the vastness of heaven and earth; slaying demons, I fearlessly slay the endless cycle of killing..."
"But Lian Chuan and Xiao Wu..."
Xue Lan placed the empty bowl on the table, wiped her mouth, and sent a telepathic message to Xue Tong with a smile in her eyes:
"To seek revenge for his mother, he was fearless of the length of his hatred; to protect his own path, he was fearless of his own fate."
“Jiyuan Peak is suitable for this fearlessness.”
Xue Tong's heart skipped a beat, then she looked into Xue Lan's curved eyes:
"how about you?"
"I?"
Xue Lan spread her hands and smiled at Xue Tong, saying:
"I dare to defy the will of Heaven and the plot, isn't that fearless enough?"
Xue Tong: That makes so much sense, I can't even refute it.
The girl's doubts dissipated, and she couldn't help but speak softly:
"They say that without the guidance of elders, cultivation depends entirely on the individual. But Xue Lan..."
"What's wrong?" Xue Lan asked, looking at Xue Tong.
"A bamboo grove can only grow two kinds of bamboo shoots, and a mountain can only have one kind of people."
"Yes!"
Xue Lan's eyes curved into crescents, her smile pure and reaching deep into her eyes:
"The same kind of people live on the same hill."
After saying this, the woman got up from the small stool to pay the bill, and also settled the bill for the bowl that Master Xuanji had taken.
Xue Tong, standing to the side, spoke with some curiosity:
Why didn't he take chopsticks?
A shrewd wolf king is often stumped by simple questions. Xue Lan paused for a moment, then casually spoke:
"It's probably because waving your sleeves to collect the bowl looks cool; bending down to pick up a pair of chopsticks just doesn't have the same effect."
Xue Tong thought for a moment and then said, "I can understand, but I find it funny."
“I think so too.” A-Wu poked her head out from behind Xue Lan, and the little boat in her arms also raised its paws.
Xue Lan tapped each of them on the head: "How dare you say that you're courting death?"
"Even if you keep hitting my head, it won't do any good. I'm destined to be taller than you in this lifetime!" Xue Tong covered her head and ran away quickly. After the girl's figure moved aside, Xue Lan saw Lu Feng, who had been hiding behind this person and eating noodles.
There were five bowls stacked in front of the young man, and he was holding a sixth one in his hand.
"What are you trying to do?" Xue Lan asked the young man. "Didn't I feed you?"
Upon hearing this, the young man holding the bowl ate even faster, his clear voice entering Xue Lan's mind:
"I can't bear to leave you! I'm about to die with you. I really can't bear to leave you!"
"When did I say I was going to take you to your death?" Xue Lan asked speechlessly as she sat down in front of Lu Feng.
Lu Feng put down his sixth bowl, which he had just finished eating: "Then can you guarantee I'll come back alive?"
Xue Lan, like a heartless butcher, said: "I can't guarantee that!"
Lu Feng spoke with a hoarse voice:
"You're still going to die, and you're still worried about those two bowls of noodles!"
"Just as Xue Tong said, you are a heartless person... Waaah."
The young man's accusations came to an abrupt halt as Xue Tong swiftly stuffed a steamed bun into his mouth, and the girl gave Xue Lan a warm smile:
"The child is just hungry, let him eat, it's on me."
Xue Lan tugged at her ear:
"Why did I just hear him mention you..."
"You misheard me. Shouldn't we be setting off?" Xue Tong interrupted Xue Lan with a smile.
"Why don't you go to the city gate and take a look? You've gained quite a lot from this trip with Lu Feng."
"go!"
"Wow!"
Although Xue Lan already knew from the inner demon that the Chosen One had hooked up with many good demons, she still couldn't help but gasp in amazement when she saw the several demon corpses under the city gate of Duanshui Pass.
The woman turned her head and grabbed Lu Feng's shoulders, shaking him violently: "I was so wise not to kill you back then. Do you know how many days it's been since a late-stage Nascent Soul demon has appeared around Duanshui Pass?"
"You are my lucky star, Lu Feng."
Lu Feng shivered at the sight of Xue Lan's overly enthusiastic smile, which made him feel somewhat uncomfortable. The young man timidly spoke:
"Master Uncle, please don't do this, I'm scared."
"Master Uncle?" Master Shen Suan looked at Xue Lan with some confusion: "Who took this child as a disciple?"
Xue Lan's smile vanished instantly, and the woman stammered, fiddling with her fingers:
"Lian Chuan might take him as a disciple."
As soon as the word "possibly" came out, Shen Suan Zhenren knew that this was probably something Xue Lan had done on a whim again, but considering Xue Lan's identity in his previous life, he felt that there was nothing wrong with it.
They've already taken on the role of accepting apprentices on behalf of their master, so accepting an apprentice on behalf of their junior brother seems insignificant.
Thinking of this, Master Shen Suan gave Xue Lan a meaningful look and said, "I wonder if the Lianchuan clan will allow him to recognize this cheap disciple."
"No need to worry about that," Xue Lan said with a smile.
"No problem at all."
Looking at the confident smile on Xue Lan's face, Shen Suan Zhenren guessed that this person must have had a high status in the Silver Moon Wolf Clan in his previous life. So he felt relieved and nodded gently to Xue Lan: "That's good then."
"Senior sister!"
Just as the two finished their conversation, Zhu He's excited voice came from above. Dressed in a black outfit and carrying the Xinghe Sword, Zhu He leaped down from the city wall, kicking up a considerable cloud of dust as he landed in front of Xue Lan.
"Senior Sister!" The person who landed on the ground grinned and handed Xue Lan a bag of things, then pointed to the several demon corpses:
"Am I amazing?"
"awesome."
Xue Lan took out three high-quality magic cores from the bag Zhu He handed her, a gentle smile on her face: "Have you told Senior Sister Min about going to the East Sea with me?"
Zhu He laughed heartily, then pointed to the top of everyone's heads.
"Senior sister, look up."
Xue Lan subconsciously turned around and looked up. A woman in a light purple dress slowly descended from the city wall, her gentle eyes carrying a faint smile.
"Long time no see, Xiaoxiao."
"Or should we call him Master Xue now? After all, he is the head of Wan Gong Fang, one of the Seven Sects."
"What, Master Xue of the Ten Thousand Crafts Workshop?" Xue Lan ran over and grabbed Min Chang's arm, asking:
"What does Xue Lan of Wan Gong Fang have to do with me, Lan Xiaoxiao?"
"You!" Min Chang smiled and tapped Xue Lan's forehead:
"All you do is talk a good game."
"hey-hey!"
Xue Lan grabbed Min Chang's arm and shook it, speaking in a coquettish tone:
"Sister Min, I want to take Zhu He with me."
"May I?"
Min Chang glanced at Zhu He across from her, who was dressed in new clothes, neatly groomed, and full of anticipation:
"Even if I leave him here now, his heart has already flown away."
“So…” Xue Lan and Zhu He looked up at Min Chang with bright, sparkling eyes.
"You can go." Min Chang patted Xue Lan's head, both amused and exasperated.
"But you can't take Zhuhe around causing trouble."
Xue Lan nodded frantically: "Don't worry, Sister Min, I will never do anything dangerous if I'm not sure I can succeed."
"If you're not sure?" Min Chang narrowed her eyes slightly, looking at Xue Lan's round and lovely almond-shaped eyes, her voice carrying a hint of coolness.
"Sister, sister, sister!" Xue Lan screamed and hugged Min Chang tightly.
"I promise, I promise I won't do anything dangerous if I'm sure I'm safe!"
Min Shang reached out and tidied Xue Lan's disheveled hair, asking in a gentle and clear voice:
"Really?"
Xue Lan swallowed hard, then spoke rather guiltily:
"Really...right?"
"What do you mean 'really'?" Min Chang sighed helplessly, her tone full of worry.
“I know you’ve never been one to listen to reason.”
"How could that be, sister?" Xue Lan stared at Min Chang with wide eyes.
"I think I'm being very well-behaved... Ahhhhh, Xiaotong, what are you doing, Xiaotong!"
Finally, Xue Tong, who had been holding back for so long, stepped forward, grabbed Xue Lan by the collar, and dragged her behind him.
The girl's movements were fluid and graceful, as if she had rehearsed them in her mind many times.
"Sister Min Chang." Xue Tong skillfully covered the Wolf King's mouth and gave Min Chang a reliable smile:
"With me here, nothing unexpected will happen."
Min Chang wondered if it was just her imagination, but she felt that Xue Tong was much more reliable than the person in her hands who was constantly jumping around. The woman nodded as if possessed: "Then I'll trouble you, Xiao Tong."
Xue Lan, whose mouth was forcibly covered, felt that her identity as a leader had been challenged.
However, when he tried to fight back, Xue Tong held him down firmly, preventing him from moving.
The girl glanced at Xue Lan triumphantly, her eyes seeming to say, "Catching wolves, I'm a professional."
Xue Lan couldn't help but roll her eyes.
Xue Tong exchanged a few polite words with Min Chang, and then, carrying Xue Lan, looked at the tall city wall of Duanshui Pass.
A sharp, dark red light flew down from the city wall. Ji Jinjin, her black hair tied up high, looked dashing and presented a respectful bow to Xue Lan and the others.
"Senior Uncle, Senior Sister and Senior Brother, Xiao Tong and these two fellow Daoists. May you all have a smooth journey and bring good news to the Yuanming Realm."
Xue Lan raised her hand and tried to pry Xue Tong's hand off her collar:
"Take good care of yourself at Duanshui Pass."
The woman stepped forward and drew a wisp of faint, strange fire from between her brows, then took Ji Jinjin's hand and placed it on the base of her palm.
"The path of slaughter is not endless. I hope this cluster of strange fire can help you regain your senses in a critical moment. Also..."
The woman looked into Ji Jinjin's eyes and gave a somewhat eerie smile:
"Where is the Xuan Sha Spear?"
Ji Jinjin obediently took out the Xuan Sha Spear and handed it to Xue Lan, then saw Xue Lan's smile become even more sinister.
The woman took the Xuan Sha Spear from her hand, then walked away with a strange, chuckling laugh, turning around as she went and saying:
"Wait a minute, it won't be long, just wait a minute!"
Ji Jinjin and Xue Tong had already guessed what Xue Lan was going to do, and with a heavy heart, they turned their heads away with everyone.
"A thousand fires burn in all directions, the red crane leads the way to the east."
The imperial edict sounded behind her, and Xue Tong covered her ears.
A quarter of an hour later, Xue Lan happily returned the Xuan Sha Spear, which had been scorching hot from the strange fire, to Ji Jinjin: "Take it, things will calm down for a while."
Feeling the incredibly obedient and fierce weapon in her hand, Ji Jinjin spoke with some unease:
"Senior sister, it's not dead, is it?"
"How could that be?" Xue Lan revealed a sinister smile:
"It has fought alongside you against the demons for many years and has long since developed its own consciousness. How could it have died so easily?"
“But Senior Sister.” Ji Jinjin waved the Xuan Sha Spear in her hand:
"It has no trace of malevolence or demonic energy left."
"Not even a little bit left?" Xue Lan took the Xuan Sha Spear with some doubt:
"Wait for your senior sister to take care of it for you."