Chapter 23: Journey to Penglai (Part 2)

Li Qingyuan: “I invited my junior sister to dinner. Who is this little brother? I don’t know you, so how can I invite you?”

He seemed to sense that the relationship between this youth and Lu You was not ordinary, and his words carried a hint of rudeness.

After a moment of exchanging glances, Lu You and the other two observed that the mood was slowly rising a few notches before she spoke, “Senior brother, don’t take offense. This is my friend; his name is Xie…”

However, Xie Yuzhen kicked away the stool and sat beside Lu You, smiling at Li Qingyuan, “I’m called Xiao Yi.”

Lu You was unsure when Xie Yuzhen had changed his title, but he was now a performer, a magician, and it was probably an alias from when he learned his craft before his memories awakened.

Years ago, the Demon King had battled Master Wuzhen of the Penglai Immortal Sect, and his essence had been shattered, scattering across different places. The romantic development between her, the Koi female protagonist, and the Demon King consisted of continually raising Xie Yuzhen’s favorability through various personas, while in the process, driving several identities to merge.

In her past life, she was expelled from the sect holding a black rabbit, struggling with her luggage and wearing a veil, stumbling along the street when the black rabbit suddenly dashed from her hands.

The street was crowded, and when she finally caught up to it, calling its name, it was already lying lifeless at someone’s feet. Its body had gone limp and was lifted by a hand with graceful joints. The youth, Xie Yuzhen, carrying a box of fireworks and props, looked at her with brilliant black eyes and said, “Are you looking for this rabbit?”

Seeing her heartbroken, the youth insisted on following her, claiming he owed her a rabbit.

In truth, Lu You knew that the rabbit wasn’t dead; it had merely emptied its body as two nearby demon souls had instantaneously converged. The illusionist Xie Yuzhen inherited all the memories from his time as a rabbit, and from that moment on, he could fall in love with her in human form. This youth could perform tricks and appear and disappear at will. As she journeyed to Penglai, he quietly accompanied her, continuing to help her confront challenges.

As for the third demon soul, it happened to remain within Master Wuzhen’s body in Penglai.

Once the demon souls converged, Xie Yuzhen, under Wuzhen’s identity, would regain all the powers of the Demon King from that day.

In this life, although she did not wait for the rabbit Xie Yuzhen, she caught sight of a magician wearing black shorts, carrying a firework stand, shaking a rattle in his hand, and immediately shouted, “Xie Yuzhen!”

Xie Yuzhen, indeed startled, turned around and walked slowly to her, his curious eyes looking at her: “You recognize me? You know my name.”

Lu You told him she was his old friend, and Xie Yuzhen followed her.

Fortunately, despite lacking memories of the black rabbit, the second demon soul was still willing to be close to her. Lu You watched as the favorability within the panel soared, feeling very pleased.

The plot was finally returning to the right track, albeit in a slightly different order.

However, the experiences of the illusionist Xiao Yi didn’t seem as blank as in the previous life.

Lu You had seen him cough at night, his hand on his chest, lips pale. He seemed to have sword wounds, having been attacked by cultivators.

In this life, he unexpectedly had dealings with cultivators ahead of time.

But when asked, he refused to elaborate, only smiling and claiming to have forgotten.

Lu You no longer probed deeper and focused on raising Xiao Yi’s favorability.

The little Shura field did not last long. Upon seeing Xiao Yi, Li Qingyuan appeared somewhat displeased, stiffly saying a couple of words to her before leaving.

Xie Yuzhen, however, was completely unaffected, casually sitting beside her, watching Li Qingyuan depart with a smile and asking Lu You whether she preferred buns or pancakes.

He must be jealous, Lu You thought. The Demon King’s dark eyes always held an unfathomable smile, brilliant yet cold, difficult to grasp.

Lu You smiled, saying, “Both are good.”

Xie Yuzhen lowered his gaze but remained silent.

Both are good.

How could both be good? If it were that person, he would probably choose one on the spot, discarding the other. Or neither would be to her liking, and he would scold him, telling him to go and buy them again.

Xie Yuzhen raised his eyes to look at Lu You, the girl before him glancing at him helplessly, her lips slightly pursed, her eyes bright and wet, looking pitiful, reflecting his blurred shadow. She was completely different from the other young lady.

That day, when he heard Lu You’s voice, he was startled. Because it was the only voice he remembered from his fragmented memories, accompanying that voice was a pain that left a lasting impression.

But when he got closer to Lu You, he felt not pain, but a strange comfort: as if wrapped gently in a halo, a continuous stream of spring water soothing him; the headache and old pains in his bones seemed to vanish. However, once he left her, this effect gradually diminished.

Although he was the Demon King and could distinguish that pain and comfort were two different sensations, all living beings have the instinct to seek pleasure and avoid harm. This was never wrong, so he followed Lu You.

This was the person he had been searching for.

As for what had happened, that could be explored later.

“You choose one,” the boy said gently to Lu You.

Lu You hesitated for a moment, carefully curling her lips into a bright smile. “I really don’t mind; you can choose whatever you like and just leave me the other one.”

Xie Yuzhen was taken aback again.

The healing power emanating from Lu You surged toward him like a tide, but at that moment, he inappropriately thought of the young lady. He recalled the sound of chopsticks clattering, commands, restraint, ridicule, a foot that had kicked toward him, the smug curve of lips beneath a veil, and finally, a bright red vermilion mark.

That was someone unrelated, who probably had been consumed long ago in the temple, and now only bones had turned to ash. Not having eaten the food was all it was; why bother thinking about it?

Xie Yuzhen felt somewhat displeased, curling his lips. “It seems you don’t like any of it. I’ll go buy something else for you.”

After saying this, he truly stood up to leave.

Why should that person be so proud, picking and choosing, so arrogant, while others were different from her?

Since Lu You was the person he sought, she should also receive equal treatment.

Seeing him leave, Lu You inhaled sharply.

How could this battleground provoke Xie Yuzhen like this? Even having breakfast could make him go crazy.

But when she opened the system interface, she felt a bit disappointed: her satisfaction had only increased by one star, but Xie Yuzhen’s affection level hadn’t budged at all.

She couldn’t help but shake the interface.

Perhaps it was because Xie Yuzhen wasn’t around; the system was subsequently activated, congratulating her on encountering the second piece of demon soul. Her satisfaction had accumulated, and now she could redeem her [Healing Spirit Herb] golden finger.

However, Lu You hesitated for a moment and didn’t redeem it immediately.

Firstly, as long as Xie Yuzhen was by her side, she needn’t worry about her satisfaction rising; sooner or later, she could redeem it again. Secondly, she felt that what Xie Yuzhen needed right now wasn’t the spirit herb; he should experience more stimulation like today, to facilitate an increase in affection.

Lu You browsed the “Koi Mall,” using her current satisfaction to redeem another item, the [Light Reflection Mirror].

These five years of working in isolation left her feeling quite uncertain. The moment she activated the [Light Reflection Mirror], she directed it toward Penglai.

She wasn’t worried about others; she mainly wanted to see how Xu Qianyu had progressed over the past five years.

This female supporting character was quite difficult to deal with; she wasn’t a brainless, malicious character. How to say it, every other senior sister in Penglai treated her warmly, sending clothes and spirit treasures daily, treating her like a group pet, while Xu Qianyu… was a nitpicker.

Being with Xu Qianyu always made her feel uneasy, a pressure that was very uncomfortable.

That was probably the feeling of a slacker who relied on cheating sitting next to a top student. Moreover, this top student often glanced at her test paper with a look of suspicion, as if he was about to stand up and report her for cheating.

What did it have to do with her… Lu You often thought resentfully; couldn’t he just pretend not to see her?

There was nothing she could do; Xu Qianyu found fault everywhere, naturally making her slap herself in the face every time.

What was even more amusing was that Xu Qianyu, who rarely liked anyone, didn’t know that the person he liked was actually scheming every day about how to possess her, Lu You.

However, the Light Reflection Mirror made a round inside the inner gate of Penglai, then turned toward the outer gate, the foot of the mountain, and even visited the Discipline Hall. Everything appeared normal, but Xu Qianyu’s shadow was notably absent.

What was going on? Was she still on her way up the mountain?

Lu You confirmed again and couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief: it seemed the world had restarted, and everyone had been somewhat affected.

Compared to Xu Qianyu, her progress wasn’t slow; she could put her mind at ease for the time being.

• Where was Xu Qianyu now? She was still on the road.

As she passed through the gate of Jiangnan City, Shen Suwei reached out to catch a message butterfly.

The golden words of Xu Binglai appeared, the handwriting blunt, heavy, and somewhat displeased: “When will you return?”

Shen Suwei silently sighed, “In five days.”

Xu Qianyu only wanted to travel for two hours each day—during the time after sunset when it was no longer hot but still light. The rest of the time, she stayed at inns, went out to eat, or watched some fresh magic tricks. She carried a large amount of gold and silver, spending extravagantly as she traveled from Nanling to here, thoroughly exploring places she had never visited before.

During this time, Shen Suwei taught her some simple spells, such as the cleaning spell; he also taught her to meditate and draw in spiritual energy. This was the first lesson for beginner disciples; many people learned it even before entering the sect, but she had no foundation at all, so it was her first time experiencing the wonderful sensation of spiritual energy circulating.

For those with spiritual roots, although they could naturally absorb spiritual energy, the probability was roughly equivalent to walking down the road in spring and accidentally bumping into floating willow catkins. Drawing in energy was like shaking the scattered catkins in the air into a line, allowing them to flow in from her shoulders, circulate through her internal organs, and be stored in her dantian. During this process, her meridians and blood would be thoroughly cleansed, eliminating impurities, hence clearing her mind and spirit.

During the day, she played, and in the evening, she meditated. While meditating, she gradually leaned back and asked her senior brother a fatal question: “Do I have to sit to meditate?”

Then she slowly lay down.

“If you’re tired, just sleep,” Shen Suwei often helped her draw the curtain and left when he saw this. Perhaps he felt she was beyond help.

But the answer to that question was that one could also draw energy while lying down.

Xu Qianyu appeared to sleep the moment it got dark, resting six hours a day, waking up around noon. Much of the time, she was actually meditating while learning about Penglai-related matters from the system.

In this life, she was too far apart from Shen Suwei.

So she didn’t want to meditate in front of her senior brother, showing a diligent attitude towards cultivation, as that made her feel ashamed. Instead, she worked hard in secret.

As a result, the pace of their journey slowed down.

Shen Suwei suggested that she walk a bit more, but she said her feet hurt, coldly refusing to move forward.

Shen Suwei was not the kind of person who would force others. He had a gentlemanly demeanor, especially since she was a weak little mortal girl, so he didn’t forcibly pull her onto the spirit crane. Instead, he silently followed her, enduring without complaint.

However, just halfway through the journey, there was a sudden darkness above them as something came crashing down. Fortunately, Shen Suwei immediately wrapped it in spiritual power, preventing it from falling.

The spirit crane struggled and let out a few “caw” sounds.

Even the spirit crane couldn’t fly anymore.

“…” Shen Suwei quietly pushed it slowly into the air. For the next few days, he pushed the spirit crane along with his spiritual power.

Until one morning, after receiving a message from the butterfly, Shen Suwei directly woke Xu Qianyu and asked her if she was willing to part with some gold and silver to ride the spirit crane and return immediately. They were not far from Penglai, and if she endured for a quarter of an hour, they would arrive. If she was really uncomfortable, he could give her a pill to make her sleep and wake up at their destination.

He pursued efficiency and stability in his work. In recent years, with increasing experience, he handled tasks more smoothly. However, this matter had dragged on far beyond his expectations.

Xu Qianyu lay on the pillow, her long eyelashes fluttering, and she opened her eyes with difficulty, looking confused, as if she hadn’t understood his words. After a moment, she regained her senses and sat up.

There was no expression on her face, but her fierce eyes stared at him, carrying a somewhat gloomy meaning. After staring at him for a moment, Xu Qianyu coldly spoke, “This is my money.”

Having been a young lady for many years, her words were accustomed to being resounding. Her voice was naturally crisp, with clear enunciation, like pearls dropping on the ground, commanding attention. “Is it your money? What right do you have to spend my money? You have some nerve. Penglai wants me, yet you can’t even take my things and want to spend it. It’s your incompetence.”

“…” Shen Suwei quietly looked at her.

In fact, he was somewhat stunned by the scolding.

Apart from the sect leader, no one had dared to reprimand him like this for many years. Moreover, the sect leader had always treated him with gentle words and courtesy, never scolding him in this way.

Before he could respond, Xu Qianyu pulled the blanket and lay back down, quietly closing her eyes, becoming silent.

After a moment, Shen Suwei helped her lower the curtain.

As he turned to leave the inn room, he suddenly recalled that she had scolded someone like this at the residence of Wang Changshi.

But at that time, she was scolding Wang Duan to save him.

Now she was scolding him.

Xu Qianyu was a distinguished guest at the inn. Even though she hadn’t gotten up yet, the waiter had prepared breakfast, knowing that the immortal lord and the young lady were together. Upon seeing him, he invited him to sit down.

Shen Suwei sat alone at the table, his long fingers playing with a jade chopstick.

He had seen quite a few people. If this girl were always so indifferent, it would be reasonable. He would complete his task and not take it to heart. If she were his opponent, she would have been dead long ago and wouldn’t have had the chance to say such a long string of words.

But he distinctly remembered that when he acted as “Lady Wang,” this girl had not treated him like this.

Although she could be spoiled, most of the time, she was sincere and earnest, even close and reliant, often protective of him.

He moved a bowl of white jade radish to his front, flipped the chopstick in his right hand, and the jade chopstick turned its head. With a slash of sword energy, it became razor-sharp. When he gently touched the radish, it fell soft with a “squeak,” cut perfectly to remove one edge.

Shen Suwei lowered his eyelashes; he was not a mere clay figure. All this way, Xu Qianyu had treated him with extreme coldness, every word arrogant, every sentence cutting to the heart, exhausting all forms of difficulty, yet he endured. He could understand.

Because he had disguised himself and taken her away from home.

She was unhappy in her heart, so she placed this grudge on him and began to resent him from then on.

Whether Xu Qianyu was happy or angry, whether she loved or hated, it actually had nothing to do with him. He was merely a passerby.

However, when there was a contrast, and the contrast was so stark, it stirred a ripple in his heart.

But he held the jade chopsticks very steadily, and the sword energy remained unaffected, accurately dividing the radish into several strands as if slicing silk, carving the white jade radish into a flower heart, with petals the size of green beans curling inward. The connection was only as thin as a hair, yet not a single part broke.

Shen Suwei thought that he had become too involved in this task, which was inappropriate. Once they returned to Penglai, he could extract himself. He just needed to endure a few more days, send Xu Qianyu back, and he would be free.

As he withdrew the jade chopsticks, the steam evaporated in an instant. He pushed the bowl back to its original place, and the white jade radish had already blossomed, layered with nine layers, crystalline like jade. The frost formed from the sword energy on the petals slowly melted, looking exquisite and stunning.

The morning sunlight poured in through the side window, illuminating his profile like cold, snowy sharpness.

He, Shen Suwei, could endure the most, which was grinding.

This “Rich Peony” version of the white jade radish stood out among many delicacies, making it so eye-catching that Xu Qianyu immediately noticed it.

In the next moment, a silver spoon “crack” inserted into the flower heart, directly skewering it and entering Xu Qianyu’s mouth, taking a bite of half.

The radish was chilled; when she bit into it, it was soft and juicy, refreshing to the heart, perfect for the sweltering summer. She then skewered the remaining half to eat.

After finishing, she wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and asked her senior brother when they would leave today.

Seeing Shen Suwei looking at her in silence, she curiously glanced at him, “What’s wrong?”

Shen Suwei observed her expression, which was calm, even pleasant, as if she had completely forgotten the scolding from the morning.

After contemplating for a moment, he found it hard to believe that she hadn’t meant it. It was merely the young lady’s morning temper, affecting the innocent bystander.

“Nothing.” Shen Suwei lowered his eyes, faintly glancing at the dishes on the table. She hadn’t touched much of the others, but had eaten all of that flower, “Aren’t you going to eat?”

“I’m not eating anymore.” Xu Qianyu glanced around and casually waved for the waiter to take away the leftovers, speaking with an air of arrogance, “I only eat the most beautiful things.”

Is that so? Shen Suwei’s long eyelashes fluttered slightly.

But this didn’t seem to completely negate the impact of the earlier remark, “It’s your fault for being useless.”

Shen Suwei got up and went downstairs, stepping out of the inn into the golden morning light. Another messenger butterfly fluttered by, and he reached out to catch it: “The fifth day has arrived.”

“…” Shen Suwei felt that if his master’s trust in him could be measured, his long-accumulated credibility was probably declining rapidly over these few days. He released the messenger butterfly.

“Three more days.”