Chapter 52#

Guangling Eatery#

After Song Ci finished speaking, he retracted his foot, pointed his sword downward, and gave Xiao Man a cupped-fist salute.

Xiao Man lifted his eyelids, fixed his gaze on him, and said: “Everyone has their own sword path and their own strengths. You don’t need to change paths midway and follow someone else’s.”

These words were essentially no different from what Yan Wushu had said, but after hearing them, Song Ci’s eyes widened. He was deeply moved and remained speechless for a long time.

Finally, he clenched his fist and thumped his chest, saying to Xiao Man: “Little Grand-Senior Uncle is right to lecture me!” His round face turned bright red.

Yan Wushu should have been speechless, but he was amused by Song Ci’s appearance and burst out laughing. Song Ci immediately glared at him, accusing him of being disrespectful in front of the Little Grand-Senior Uncle. Yan Wushu cupped his hands to Xiao Man and smiled: “Little Grand-Senior Uncle’s words are reasonable.”

Qu Hanxing, sitting diagonally opposite, wanted to laugh but didn’t dare, struggling hard to hold it in.

Wei Chuyun took a food box from his Qiankun Ring, uncovered it, took out the items inside, and handed them to Xiao Man: “Fuqiman Restaurant now also makes fermented rice balls with shaved ice. I brought a bowl for you.”

“Oh right, if Brother Wei hadn’t mentioned it, I would have forgotten!” Qu Hanxing nodded quickly. “Didn’t you like it quite a bit last time? So we brought some for you!”

The “Full of Fortune” pot was packed by the two of them in Huaman City. In addition, there were other foods. The fermented rice balls with shaved ice needed to be stored at a low temperature, so they were packed in a separate food box held by Wei Chuyun.

The shaved ice fermented rice balls were served in a blue and white porcelain bowl. The balls were colorful, topped with a small mountain of crystal-clear shaved ice, and sprinkled with osmanthus for decoration.

During their trip to Shenjing, they had eaten it once at the Xiaolai Tianfeng Restaurant. Xiao Man had said the taste was good, so Shi Tang had waved her hand and asked the waiter to bring a bowl for everyone.

Xiao Man still remembered this, but his heart was as still as water. He shook his head at Wei Chuyun and refused: “Sorry, I don’t have much of an appetite.”

Wei Chuyun had been paying attention to the bowl where the food was piled up like a small mountain in front of Xiao Man, yet he hadn’t moved his chopsticks much. Hearing him say this, a look of worry appeared on his brow.

“I didn’t think it through.” He put down the shaved ice fermented rice balls.

Only Song Ci among those present hadn’t eaten this. He was very curious and leaned over to ask: “Since Little Grand-Senior Uncle isn’t eating, can I have a taste?”

“Please.” Wei Chuyun handed the bowl to him.

Song Ci thanked him joyfully.

Xiao Man’s gaze swept over the “Full of Fortune” pot. He picked out some things he used to like from the bowl and ate them, put down his chopsticks, and stood up: “You guys eat, I’ll go for a walk.”

The flavor of the “Full of Fortune” pot was a bit strong. After stepping over the threshold, Xiao Man closed the door for them to prevent the smell from disturbing others.

But the door couldn’t block the sound. Before he had gone far, he heard Qu Hanxing shout excitedly: “I got a fortune dumpling! I’m the luckiest person this time!”

Song Ci refuted him: “That’s because Little Grand-Senior Uncle has no appetite; otherwise, it would definitely be Little Grand-Senior Uncle’s!”

Qu Hanxing: “Luck is fixed; once it’s used, it’s gone. Last time he was the one who got it, so this time the victory must belong to me! Haha!”

There was reckless laughter and a noisy atmosphere. Xiao Man walked aimlessly on the Cloud Boat, gradually distancing himself. Before long, Yan Wushu’s voice came from behind him:

“Little Senior Uncle.”

Yan Wushu called out slowly.

He didn’t stop.

The man called again: “Xiao Man.”

Xiao Man still ignored him. Yan Wushu changed his address again, drawling even longer: “Li-tt-le Grand-Sen-ior Un-cle—”

His voice carried a bit of a laugh, and the end was lowered, becoming somewhat deep. With these few calls, he pulled the distance between him and Xiao Man as close as possible; a few more inches forward and they would be touching.

Xiao Man took a big step forward and turned: “Is something the matter?”

His plain white sleeves were still spinning and rising in the wind, and his gaze had no temperature. Yan Wushu seemed not to notice, stepped closer, narrowed the distance, and smiled:

“I’ve prepared something for you.”

He didn’t say what it was. Having spoken, he raised his hand and tapped Xiao Man’s brow, just as he had done a long time ago, leaving a sword technique on Xiao Man’s forehead.

The movement of someone in the Upper Taixuan Realm was too fast for Xiao Man to refuse. Xiao Man was forced to accept it, frowned slightly, and said: “Isn’t this considered a violation of the rules?”

“Among those participating in the Guangling Trial, who doesn’t carry protection given by their sect?” Yan Wushu laughed as if it didn’t matter at all.

Then he added: “The Guangling Trial is divided into two parts. The first part is the outer field—meaning outside the secret realm—with one-on-one matches on the arena, round after round until only the last one remains. The second part is for people from various sects to enter the secret realm. The realm spirit will randomly form and assign teams, and the competition will be based on the number of monsters killed.”

“According to the rules, I cannot enter the secret realm. When you are in the secret realm, besides being careful of monsters, you must also be careful of the people from Qingyun Peak.”

At the end, his tone became slightly heavy.

Hearing this, Xiao Man’s eyes moved almost imperceptibly, and he said: “Thanks for the reminder.”

After speaking, he turned to leave. Yan Wushu called out again in that tone: “Little Grand-Senior Uncle—”

Xiao Man raised half an eyebrow, his gaze clearly asking what else?

“It’s been such a long time, and you don’t even care about our egg?” Yan Wushu looked at him and said faintly.

“That’s A’tu itself; it has nothing to do with you or me.” Xiao Man was refuting the “our” in his words.

Yan Wushu, however, had a serious face: “I hatched it; I am its father.”

Xiao Man: “…”

Xiao Man asked him: “Is it hatched?”

“Not yet, but there’s some movement.” Yan Wushu smiled.

Seeing that Xiao Man’s interest was piqued, he took him to a room at the end of the Cloud Boat.

Compared to the disciples’ rest rooms, the arrangement here was much more delicate.

Yan Wushu naturally wouldn’t truly hatch the Fuzhu like an ordinary bird hatching its offspring. He made a nest for it with cotton batting, then formed an array to maintain the temperature, and placed it on a wooden rack by the window.

The spiritual power flow on the egg was very obvious, rising and falling, seemingly telling of the Fuzhu’s mood. Yan Wushu led Xiao Man closer. Seeing him just staring, he couldn’t help but say: “Put your hand on it, don’t just use your eyes.”

Xiao Man did as he was told. He then asked: “How is it? Is it moving?”

“Ordinary pulsation, nothing strange.” Xiao Man’s tone was very flat.

These words caused Yan Wushu’s eyes to narrow slightly: “Have you hatched someone else’s egg?”

“The mountain sparrows in the mountains have told me.” Xiao Man glanced at him, not understanding what this person was dissatisfied about, but not wanting to understand either. Having spoken, he was about to leave again.

Yan Wushu grabbed his wrist: “Little Phoenix, the Fuzhu is reluctant to let you go.”

Then he pulled him back to the wooden rack, pointing his chin toward the egg and saying: “Look, you stop, and it’s even happier.”

At the moment Xiao Man intended to leave, the spiritual power flowing on the egg indeed weakened a bit, and when he returned, it suddenly became rich again, proving Yan Wushu was telling the truth.

“With you here, perhaps it can hatch a bit earlier.” Yan Wushu added.

Xiao Man looked at this egg, remembered A’tu’s previous featherless appearance, thought for a moment, and chose to stay.

He sat below the wooden rack, took out a roll of a book he hadn’t finished reading before from his Qiankun Ring, and flipped through it page by page.

The spiritual power on the egg maintained its intensity as it did in a joyful mood. Xiao Man suddenly felt that sitting here and being able to absorb some spiritual energy while reading was quite good.

Unexpectedly, before long, Yan Wushu moved a low table in front of Xiao Man, sat opposite him, and asked: “Do you want to drink sweet wine?”

“No need.” Xiao Man’s eyes didn’t leave the book, and he refused coldly.

“How about plum soup then?”

“No.”

“Shall I squeeze a watermelon for you?”

Xiao Man: “…”

Xiao Man looked up and asked: “What kind of things did you bring?”

Yan Wushu said lightly: “Just some food.”

“As long as you’re happy.” He lowered his head, his gaze returning to the book.

Yan Wushu, however, didn’t give up and asked again: “Then will you eat?”

Xiao Man ignored him.

“I also specifically prepared a dish of sweet and sour ribs…”

This man continued to list the things he brought. Xiao Man closed the book with a snap and stood up to leave.

The feeling just now was indeed wrong.

Yan Wushu hurriedly pulled him: “Don’t go!”

Xiao Man lowered his eyes, looking down at Yan Wushu: “Be quiet, and perhaps I won’t go.” His white clothes flickered in the void, a few strands of dark hair fell before his chest, and his face was expressionless, yet it possessed an indescribable beauty.

Yan Wushu made a motion of closing his mouth.

Xiao Man sat back.

After a moment, Yan Wushu said in a low voice: “The Little Phoenix has grown up and can be fierce toward me.”

There was even a bit of grievance in his words.

But after this, he stopped speaking, and the room returned to silence. Xiao Man sat before the wooden rack and didn’t leave, reading one roll after another.

This trip to Guangling would take two days and two nights. At night, the disciples each found a spot in the rest rooms, closed their eyes, and meditated.

After Xiao Man and Yan Wushu left during the day, they hadn’t returned to the previous rest room No. Bing. Wei Chuyun sensed something and pushed open the door to go out.

Qu Hanxing caught sight of his figure out of the corner of his eye, remembered the discovery in the Xueyi Peak Dao hall that day, gave a shout in his heart, and followed.

“Brother Wei, are you going to find Brother Man?” Qu Hanxing hid his emotions, acting as if it were normal.

“He’s been out for a long time; I’m a bit worried.” Wei Chuyun looked at him. “Did you see him when you went out just now?”

I didn’t see him just now, but I can deduce that he must be with my master! Qu Hanxing thought to himself, but said: “I saw him. He said he wanted to read and meditate in a quiet place with fewer people. After saying that, he drove me away.”

He even nodded as he spoke, acting with great certainty.

Wei Chuyun: “In what location?”

“On top.” Qu Hanxing pointed upward. Many runes were carved on the ceiling of the Cloud Boat cabin to ensure the stability of the barrier and the protective array, which was a restricted area for ordinary disciples.

“Brother Man’s current status is such that even my master has to call him ‘Little Senior Uncle’ when they meet. If the Little Senior Uncle wants to go up and catch some wind, his master naturally can’t do anything about it. But I’m different. Sigh, before I even started climbing up, I was kicked far away.”

He spoke with great sincerity.

Hearing this, Wei Chuyun moved slightly toward the outside of the Cloud Boat and cast a glance upward. Qu Hanxing was a bit nervous, fearing this person would truly ignore the rules and fly up to look. Fortunately, Wei Chuyun took another step back and nodded to him: “Alright.”

Then he turned and went back to rest room No. Bing.

Qu Hanxing let out a breath, then turned and rushed toward the other end of the Cloud Boat, where Yan Wushu’s room was.

Qu Hanxing didn’t dare be disrespectful to Yan Wushu by barging in. He came to the door, suddenly stopped his pace, and was about to knock when he saw the door open.

The room was as bright as day. Xiao Man sat below the rack by the window, eyes lowered as he read. The candlelight illuminated his side profile, his features transcendent and calm. Yan Wushu was on the other side of the room, having started an array, not knowing what he was doing.

The door opening meant he was being asked to enter. Qu Hanxing stepped over the threshold, gave Yan Wushu a cupped-hand salute, said “Master,” and then sat opposite Xiao Man.

His tone was hidden with endless sighs and deep meaning: “It’s been hard on me. Just now Brother Wei was looking for you everywhere.”

Xiao Man didn’t understand: “What do you mean?”

“He was looking for you, but you’re here with my master. You two, you two must have important matters to discuss, so the likes of us naturally shouldn’t disturb. That’s why I racked my brains to fool him.” Qu Hanxing gave a round of explanations in a secretive manner.

Xiao Man was even more confused: “Why prevent him from finding me?”

At this time Yan Wushu also spoke up: “That’s right, why prevent him from finding his way here?” Yan Wushu had seen through Qu Hanxing’s thoughts, but that didn’t stop him from following Xiao Man in asking even though he knew.

The meaning expressed by both was that he shouldn’t have stopped him. Qu Hanxing thought to himself: “Wasn’t I doing it for the two of you, yet you treat me like this?” He pursed his lips repeatedly, clenched his fists, and a sense of grievance arose: “So I’m the one who’s wrong? Then I’ll go call him over!”

Xiao Man asked Qu Hanxing before he stood up: “Does he have something to find me for?”

“He hasn’t seen you all day and was worried you were lost.” Qu Hanxing replied.

Xiao Man then said: “I am fine; tell him not to worry.”

Qu Hanxing wanted to say that he had already told him that, but his master spoke ahead of him: “Are you very free?”

“Ah? No, I… I’m not very free either.” The grievance in Qu Hanxing’s heart vanished, and he gave an unnatural smile. Usually, nothing good came of being asked such a question by his master. As he spoke, he was about to slip away.

Yan Wushu beckoned to him: “Come here.”

Qu Hanxing had to stop the thought in his heart, moved over, and asked: “Master, what is it you want me to do?”

Yan Wushu pointed to the wooden rack behind Xiao Man: “Hatch the egg.”

“What?” Qu Hanxing was greatly confused.

“Stroke it with your hand; it will be happy, perhaps even give you a kick.” Yan Wushu walked over slowly, took the egg nest from the rack, placed it on the low table in front of Xiao Man, and smiled at Qu Hanxing.

Qu Hanxing looked at the egg, then at Yan Wushu, the shock in his eyes almost overflowing: “This-this-this… what thing! It sounds like stroking a child in a belly. I’m not even married yet!”

Xiao Man lifted his eyelids and explained succinctly: “A’tu is inside, hatching its body.”

“…Oh.” Qu Hanxing knew A’tu was the little deer who had appeared several times to help them during that down-the-mountain training. Understanding the situation roughly, he sat down and reached out to cover it: “Then I’ll reluctantly stroke it then.”

His reluctance lasted all night, and also continued here for the entire next day. It wasn’t until the Cloud Boat entered the Guangling territory that Yan Wushu allowed him to stop hatching the egg.

During this day, Xiao Man and Yan Wushu each occupied a corner of the room. The former read books, while the latter tinkered with his array.

They arrived at Guangling town on the morning of April 7th.

A round of drizzling Qingming rain had just stopped. Various stalls were set up in the town, and pedestrians put away their umbrellas and stepped onto the streets. The streets and alleys were full of liveliness.

This time, Yan Wushu led the team for Gushan’s participation in the Guangling Trial. He had never been restrictive of the disciples under him. Seeing that there was still some time before the official start of the trial, he sent a transmission allowing the disciples to play in the town for half a day or a full day.

Upon hearing this arrangement, the Gushan disciples cheered and jumped off the Cloud Boat in groups of three or five, instantly vanishing into the crowd.

The Cloud Boat was still floating in the void, with only two people left on board.

Yan Wushu put the egg on the rack into his sleeve. Xiao Man was still sitting there reading, not having moved an inch for a day, as if he were a mushroom growing there.

He went over to pick the mushroom and laughed: “Little Phoenix, let’s go taste the local specialties here.”

It was still at an extremely fast speed. Before Xiao Man could react, he had already been brought to a certain shop in the town.

This wasn’t some grand restaurant; it was an eatery opened in the neighborhood. The tables and chairs were full of the marks of years. Those coming and going were all neighbors from the street. They sat in groups of two or three, chatting about today’s business and tomorrow’s weather, whose house had a son born and whose dog was lost.

The eatery was full of food fragrance.

The price board was hung on the wall. Yan Wushu didn’t even look and directly ordered four or five dishes. The owner noted them down, gave a “Right away,” and sent the order to the kitchen.

Xiao Man was placed in a seat by him, his expression showing no sign of satisfaction or emotion.

Yan Wushu sat opposite him, propped his left hand on the side of his face, picked up the pot on the table with his right hand, and poured out two cups of water, pushing one in front of Xiao Man.

“This is lemon water, made by soaking lemons in sugar, then taking them out and brewing them.” Yan Wushu said.

Then he added in a low voice: “Little Phoenix, you’ve become so much quieter now. I suddenly realized that I haven’t seen you smile for a long time.”