Chapter Seventeen: Lei Fu

  Cai Feng's voice broke the silence, "Gentleman truly understands the heart of a young lady, fresh and elegant, reading it leaves a lingering fragrance in one's mouth. This time, Cai Feng has lost. But to be able to get this poem, even if I lose ten more times, I will have no regrets."

  As soon as this was said, the atmosphere in the field relaxed a bit. Everyone knew that this year's first snow trial had come to an end. Li Si Ming wiped away a cold sweat, if he lost this round it would be a joke, but if he won it would be a beautiful story. Fortunately, he finally won, and laughed loudly again and again.

  Then someone will say a few words as a summary, and everyone will eat and drink and that's it.

  The two protagonists of this first snow trial are now surrounded by a crowd of stars, and there are countless people who want to talk to Pan Yu, the wealthy young master. And those who want to redeem Cai Feng's body are even more numerous. However, they are destined to leave in disappointment tonight.

  Cai Feng pushed away several people's obvious hints, her eyes fixed on Pan Yu, shining with an unusual light. The few people who were originally openly competing and secretly fighting could only look at each other and smile bitterly: "They want to continue this legendary love story of the talented scholar and beauty, we ordinary people can't intervene." What kind of person is Pan Zhang, what kind of person is Pan Yu, they are all very clear. If it's just a talented scholar, how can he make these wolves and tigers retreat? Some rich young masters who don't know their place still came to pester, but Cai Feng had already apologized and retreated.

  She had been watching him, but he never turned around to look at her. He seemed to be searching for something in the crowd, and it wasn't until their eyes met unintentionally that a warm smile was exchanged, only to immediately turn away and disappear into the crowd.

  At this moment, Pan Yu and Xu Xian were together. As soon as the big ship docked, they found a small path to leave. In the quiet and deserted small path, Xu Xian excitedly talked about his hidden symbol today, saying that Pan Yu's extraordinary performance was beyond ordinary people, but the people around him just remained silent.

  As I walk and think, what should I say? Thank him for his help, he will definitely say don't be polite! Praise him for doing a good job, he will definitely say it was taught by a Taoist priest on the road. Say that his hidden symbol is very powerful, he will definitely acknowledge it with a big smile.

  No, I don't want to say anything, just want to hug him, want to lean on his chest, want... but it will scare him, can only go on like this. Pan Yu suddenly exclaimed loudly: "In the center of a sentence, no one will understand, do not speak of sorrow and hatred, do not speak of withering away, only rely on longing for each other."

  Xu Xian scratched his head, unsure what was wrong with Pan Yu all of a sudden. Pan Yu suddenly grabbed Xu Xian's hand, and Xu Xian cleared his throat twice "That, this, I mean, uh, never mind." Xu Xian finally succumbed to Pan Yu's seductive power, and suddenly remembered an article from his past life, it seemed that glass was indeed tempered like this, and he felt a chill in his heart, a surge of hot air rising in his chest, and he said with a sigh: "It seems like the New Year is approaching."

  Pan Yu smiled and said: "Yes, I also want to go home." Her family was in the capital, and she came to Hangzhou just for studying.

  "Time to go home!" Xuxian sighed, another year was about to pass.

  In the Xuanji Pavilion, Xu Xian was lazily lying on a wooden desk, asking: "Sister, aren't you going home?" The weather had turned cold, and the place for drawing talismans had moved indoors, where a bright red stove was burning, while outside it was bitterly cold. But inside, it was warm as spring, making people feel especially lazy.

  Yu Xuanji sat on a broken meditation cushion, her eyes closed, saying: "The four seas are my home." What is called the gate, is just a place for cultivation, there is no one who will gather to spend the so-called years of mortal life.

  Xu Xian yawned and said: "It's just that there is no home in the four seas, it's really pitiful!"

  Yu Xuanji opened his eyes and stared at him, saying: "That doesn't need you to pity, how is the Five Thunder Talisman drawing going?"

  Xu Xian collapsed onto the table: "That's many times more difficult than a stealth charm, how could I possibly draw it in one go? I'm not a god." Then suddenly came to life again "Or you can teach me like last time."

  Yu Xuanji glanced at him faintly, then closed his eyes and said, "Dream on." Since the last incident, Yu Xuanji had added an extra hour of meditation every day, and he always maintained a stern expression in front of Xu Xian. The unexpected breakdown of his defenses had only made them stronger.

  Xu Xian didn't mind, and took out a crystal clear jade cicada to play with. This was given to him by Pan Yu before he left, saying it was obtained from the hands of that farmer he saw when he first came to Xuanyuan Temple, and after asking skilled craftsmen to experiment for a long time, they finally found a coating that could block the radiation mentioned by Xu Xian.

  Xu Xian also greatly admired, ancient science seems to be all experimental science, completely groping, for this coating, do not know how many small animals were sacrificed, but of course, Xu Xian has not yet reached that step. This coating is very peculiar, completely transparent and not afraid of water and sweat, it is said that as long as there is no hot blood, it will not melt.

  It was just the expression on Pan Yu's face when he gave him this jade cicada, and now he feels a bit strange about it. He didn't want to think deeply about it, anyway, it was like giving Pan Yu his sword, just a casual gift between friends.

  Xu Xian invited: "Sister, would you like to follow me back home for the New Year?" His family was in Qiantang, and it was very close to Hangzhou.

  "It doesn't matter."

  "Go ahead and eat it, there's a lot of delicious food!" Xū Xiān was about to take out a lollipop.

  Wearing a green woolen shirt, Zhu'er sat on a small stool, roasting by the fire, his little face reddened by the flames. At this moment, he exclaimed with joy: "Great!" He glanced at Yu Xuanji who was meditating and said: "Thank you, Master Uncle, Zhu'er wants to accompany Master."

  "You're really obedient, but your master is a wise person and doesn't care about these things. What's the difference between this year or that year, bamboo shoots or whatever? It's all meaningless. If you come home with me, it'll save her some effort, cooking for one less person, isn't that a win-win?"

  "Ridiculous! Master loves bamboo shoots the most."

  Xu Xian sneered and said, "Look at your master not saying a word, she's already agreed. She must be thinking, what's the point of all this fuss, just stir-fry it and eat it, yeah, how about stir-fried bamboo shoots with meat?" What a mean thing to do to a little girl!

  "Master!" said the bamboo shoots with a wronged tone.

  Yu Xuanji finally opened her eyes again, her cherry lips parted slightly, and she revealed a hint of her pearly teeth as she softly said one word to Xu Xian: "Scram."

  Xu Xian stood helplessly in front of the gate of the mysterious machine "Just kidding, it's not that serious, let me in! Good bamboo shoot, obedient bamboo shoot."

  "Bad Master Uncle, stupid Master Uncle, Master said you will come back when you can draw the Five Thunderbolt Seal!"

  A gust of cold wind came, and Xu Xian shrank his neck, shaking and trembling as he walked to the academy. Without Pan Yu, the academy felt especially desolate. He pulled out the classics, histories, and philosophers' works, reading them randomly before falling asleep early. As usual, he persisted in his cultivation, but even a person with the Tao couldn't see the golden light in his room anymore; all the radiance seemed to have been retracted, transformed into a golden human figure that slowly rose to its feet. His eyes flowed with luster, yet were as dull as water.

  Tan Tan said: "Where is Shen Tu Zhang?"

  A figure gradually emerged from the void, and it was a burly man with a long beard who responded loudly: "Shen Tu Zhang is here." These days, Xu Xian would sneak out every night to inspect the yin, and feed those extremely evil ghosts to Shen Tu Zhang. These days of cultivation seemed to be going well, his body size remained the same as before, and even his facial features had not changed much.

  To know that the soul has left the body, without a foundation, it is difficult to control one's mind and nature, and it is easy to become extreme. This is reflected in the external appearance, which can easily change from its original form at birth. Either due to strictness, it becomes ferocious; or due to violence, it becomes gigantic; or due to contempt, it becomes emaciated. The four ferocious ghostly guards under Cheng Huang are like this. When angry often, the face turns red; when cold often, the face turns blue. A ferocious appearance is a result of constantly having a stern expression, and over time, becoming that way. Shen Tu's ability to maintain his original form shows his cultivation.

  Because he was a martial artist from birth, his will was firm and his martial arts skills were extraordinary. Xu Xian once asked Pan Yu if this world had something called inner energy. The way of practicing martial arts is to cultivate the body and transform it into energy. Inner energy can be thought of as this energy. Although there's no mysterious "entering the Tao through martial arts", energy indeed affects the spirit, even if one doesn't understand the principle of "cultivating energy to transform the spirit", when energy is cultivated to a high level, it has an excellent effect on the spirit.

  On the street, Xu Xian led the way, followed by Shen Tu. "How has the situation been in the territory recently?" After clearing up the accumulated official business from before, Xu Xian ordered the four ghostly attendants to go and capture the newly deceased souls, determine their merits and demerits, and then send them to the underworld. He dispatched Shen Tu to investigate other situations within the Hangzhou territory. His current cultivation was increasing day by day, and Shen Tu's progress was also gratifying. There was no need to rush into taking action against the Avenging King's Manor, as it would be best to wait for an opportunity to force them with his own strength. Instead, he should take advantage of the current situation to tidy up the other ghosts in the territory.

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