Chapter Six: Awakening

  Xu Xian, however, didn't even glance at the evil spirit, but instead stood quietly below the hall, looking up at Cheng Huang Jun. Cheng Huang Jun looked like an ordinary person, with a long face and high nose, sporting a beard, wearing official robes from some unknown dynasty, exuding an air of dignity.

  Xu Xian asked: "How will you save her?"

  That city god looked at Xu Xian with a gaze that made his heart skip a beat. Could it be true that such people really existed in this world?

  He came down from the hall, regardless of his dignity, and cupped his hands: "I don't know how to address you, my name is Zhao Wenhui, I have been in charge of the local Chenghuang Temple for more than ten years, but I didn't expect to meet a person like you."

  The ghosts were all astonished and looked at each other, the City God examined the case with great solemnity and severity, yet in this very court, had he ever seen a superior treat people with such courtesy.

  Xu Xian said: "I am Xu Xian, from Qiantang, currently studying at the Tianxue Academy. My friend was harmed by a wicked person, so I came out to rescue him. Please, sir, lend me your assistance." Although it was a polite and humble phrase, Xu Xian's tone seemed somewhat indifferent.

  Zhaowen Hui, however, was not worried. "It turns out that it's been nearby all along, the soul has left the body. Although there is a possibility of coming back to life, it's not necessarily so. Here is a Revival Dan pill, take it with her when attaching the body, and you can change your fate. Leave quickly today, and we'll meet again another day."

  He handed a small box to Xu Xian, who was still holding Pan Yu and could only nod in gratitude. Pan Yu had already buried her head in his arms like an ostrich, and although she was being held by someone in front of others, she was still extremely shy at heart.

  Xu Xian went out and flew into the sky again.

  The ghost soldier who brought Xu Xian asked: "Sir, although this Xu Xian has some Taoist skills, why be so polite to him?"

  Zhao Wenhui watched as Xu Xian departed, and upon hearing the ghostly soldier's question, he sighed and said: "If I'm not mistaken, this is a cultivator."

  The red-faced ghost soldier who scolded Xu Xian smiled and said: "Sir, aren't you also a cultivator? Even we brothers are cultivating wholeheartedly."

  Zhao Wenhui shook his head and said, "Those who cultivate immortality and Buddhism are as numerous as the fish in the river, but how many truly cultivate the Tao?" Moreover, he had another concern in his heart - that one precious Revival Dan. Although it could only save someone who had just died with a remaining yang energy, it was not something to be taken lightly. Today, he wanted to resolve this good karma with Xu Xian, also for future considerations.

  The four ghosts were at a loss, but they didn't dare say more. Only Xu Xian's empty and hazy eyes deeply stayed in their hearts.

  A gust of wind blew, and the door opened wide. Xu Xian carried Pan Yushu into the room with a smile, only to find two identical versions of themselves inside.

  Put Pan Yu on the bed, watching her slowly absorb into her body, took out the Huángūn Jūn's gift of a still-yang pill, and put it in her mouth. The medicinal dan was fragrant and pungent, dissolving instantly upon entry, and before long, Pan Yu slowly came to. Xǔ Xiān felt at ease, also absorbing it into his own body, this time the yang spirit had escaped, really exhausting a lot of effort, if not for continuously absorbing the power of the Taiyang, probably would have been unable to hold on.

  Pan Yu completely woke up from her daze, feeling a heavy body, and found that Xu Xian had not prepared to leave when he exited his body, and was now pressing down on hers. Closing her eyes, her face flushed slightly, but she knew she had to face the situation head-on. If it were anyone else, she would have already taken action by now, but with Xu Xian, she hadn't even thought about it. Besides the wonderful feelings in her heart, she also trusted that Xu Xian would absolutely keep this secret for her, because he was that kind of person.

  Pan Yuxin pushed Xu Xian with his hands, and to his surprise, he no longer felt so weak, but instead felt extremely hungry. Even though life was filled with exhaustion, people still wanted to live on. And the person in front of him made this reason for living even more compelling.

  Xu Xian slowly came to, his eyes still somewhat dazed. He didn't know how he had suddenly fainted. It seemed like he had a very strange dream, but when he tried to recall it, the dream dispersed like clouds and was completely gone. The yang spirit that had been forced out with external help wasn't perfect after all.

  Suddenly feeling like someone was watching him, Xu Xian raised his head, and Pan Yuzhen silently stared at him with a hint of shyness in her eyes. Xu Xian excitedly grabbed Pan's hand and said: "Mingyu, you're not dead."

  Pan Yu was taken aback, wondering if it was all just a dream, but a glance at the Qinghong sword by her bedside, still bearing faint bloodstains, told her otherwise. With her quick wit, she immediately grasped what had happened, yet still asked tentatively, "Thanks to Han for saving me."

  Xu Xian thought for a moment, picked up the merit plate in his hand and took a look, clicking his tongue: "It cost 100,000 merits!" But looking at Pan Yu who was a bit more spirited in front of him, he said sincerely: "It was worth it."

  "What is this?" Pan Yu asked, knowing that Xu Xian didn't remember anything from last night. He felt a sigh of relief in his heart, but also had a faint sense of loss. A memory that should have belonged to two people now only existed for one person.

  Xu Xian couldn't help but recall that evening in the small courtyard, when Yu Xuanji said to herself: The "Tao Te Ching" your master gave you contains a jade tablet; if you pray to it, perhaps Pan Gongzi can still be saved.

  Pan Yu listened to Xu Xian's words, her eyes flashing, she felt that there were many doubts about Yu Xuanji's body, but she had just escaped from death and was not willing to think more at this moment. She touched her belly and said: "I'm hungry."

  This was the first time she had said she was hungry in days, so Xiān hurriedly bustled about, and since she was still ill, it was just rice porridge. Xiān fed her spoonful by spoonful. Pān Yù saw how carefully he blew on the porridge, and her heart skipped a beat as she quickly lifted her head to gently peck at his cheek.

  Soft and moist touch, fleeting. Xu Xian was like being struck by a ten million volt electric shock, stiffening there. Pan Yu's face had been flushed, but seeing Xu Xian's completely red face, she couldn't help but burst out laughing, taking the bowl from his hand to drink on her own, she was really starving. While drinking, she kept glancing at Xu Xian, as if looking at the most interesting thing in the world.

  Xu Xian's mind was a mess, his heart racing. It was because during the moment of enlightenment, those memories were like a dream, but his subconscious had already understood Pan Yu's true gender. Originally, being kissed by such an otherworldly beauty should have made a normal man's heart skip a beat, but his conscious mind still thought of Pan Yu as a man. Thus, Xu Xian fell into a painful dilemma, Ah heavens, could it be that I'm actually... and moreover, I'm the one on the receiving end?! Tears streamed down his face, he even had thoughts of dying.

  Pan Yu handed the empty bowl to Xu Xian, who immediately took it and refilled another bowl. His expression was wooden, his movements stiff, and his heart as dead as ashes. Pan Yu curled her lip - wasn't it just a kiss from Master, what's the big deal?

  So the whole night was in a "dazed" state. But the next day, everything returned to normal. It's said that when people receive too great a shock or their heart can't bear the pain, they will choose to forget selectively. Now Xian can appear and explain this saying is true, that one kiss he has completely forgotten, really.

  Two scholars from the White Deer Academy mysteriously disappeared, and it wasn't until the government investigated that someone said they had gone to play by the lake. Later, their headless bodies were found on the lake. The scholars were killed in different locations, but despite the government's investigation, the case remained unsolved.

  Xu Xian sighed again, but Pan Yu gave him a few inexplicable white eyes, and he couldn't sigh anymore. He himself didn't understand why either.

  The murderer was later caught, but it turned out to be a few water bandits. After a good beating, they all confessed and were sentenced to immediate execution, and the case was finally settled.

  The governor privately summoned Xu Xian once. His nephew was fine, and he also let out a big sigh of relief. He praised Xu Xian for a while. Later, Xu Xian's nominal teacher, Wang Xuezheng, also called Xu Xian to the government office to encourage him.

  Xia Zi Qi secretly gritted her teeth with hatred, but when she saw Xu Xian, she was more affectionate than if she had seen her own brother. Han Wen Ge, Han Wen Ge's cries didn't stop, and he said he wanted to invite Xu Xian to the Listening Rain Pavilion to drink flower wine.

  For the meaningful activity of drinking flower wine, as a 21st-century crosser, Xu Xian is very interested in investigating it, anyway, he doesn't have to spend his own money. Just when Xu Xian was about to agree, Pan Yu suddenly appeared from somewhere and said: "Hanwen, Uncle invites you to dinner at the mansion tonight."

  Xia Zi did not dare to argue with the governor-general, "Another day, another day, Han Wen brother, you must give your brother some face."

  But then he didn't go to the governor's mansion, instead he heard Pan Yusu scolding Xia Ziqi, exposing all his bad deeds to Xu Xian.

  Xu Xian fully demonstrated the inferiority complex of Chinese people, and his gossiping soul was completely awakened. He asked in detail: "That night, he really had a one-night stand with seven women at the brothel, right? I didn't expect that despite his awkward appearance, he's actually a pure player."

  Pan Yulang's face turned cold and she said, "Anyway, you'd better have less contact with him."

  "You're not the one who never talks about others behind their backs?"

  "Of course we're friends, I have to take care of you!"

  "Take responsibility for me!" This sentence once again stirred up Xu Xian's heartache, and he fell into a daze. Xu Xian lived between heaven and hell, and in his daily life with Pan Yu, nothing was more comfortable than this. Xu Xian's breakfast was always brought back by Pan Yu to wake him up to eat. But the fine sand in the white rice sometimes inadvertently made him fall into the abyss of "suffering" with just one sentence.