Chapter 2207: Peach Blossom Spring

Zhongshan Weisun crashed heavily onto the ground, spiderweb-like cracks radiating from his back.

Huang Sheli was truly enraged.

She could laugh heartily, banter and quarrel, and she didn't care about status or hierarchy. She didn't care about those things. But she couldn't accept deception, couldn't tolerate being used.

Zhongshan Weisun had used her trust, tricked her into coming to the Southern Domain, to support his personal agenda!

To travel thousands of miles for a distinctive dish or scenery not found elsewhere wasn't a big deal for world-renowned families of their status.

One aspect of power and position was "renxing" (willfulness).

She had thought Zhongshan Weisun might have other motives, but she hadn't expected him to be this foolish – to go to such lengths for a friend far away in the Southern Domain.

Zhongshan Weisun, a Jing Countryman, had come to meddle in the affairs of Chu Country in the Southern Domain, and he had even tricked her and Jiang Wang into coming!

Long Boji was a friend, wasn't she, Huang Sheli, also one? And wasn't Jiang Wang?

She and Jiang Wang had gone to the Border Wasteland to exterminate demons, not for a sightseeing trip, but truly putting their heads on their belts, treading the line between life and death, seeking to kill true demons – at any moment, there was a possibility of facing a heavenly demon.

Every moment they spent in the Border Wasteland was tense; they didn't dare to be careless. Although they hadn't actually encountered a heavenly demon, the mental strain of those few days was evident. Yet they still accepted Zhongshan Weisun's invitation to the banquet, even flying thousands of miles to the Southern Domain. Was it for a sip of wine or the novelty? Had they never been entertained before?

It was nothing more than feeling that Zhongshan Weisun was a decent person, willing to make friends, that's all.

But Zhongshan Weisun simply didn't cherish this.

Or rather, in his eyes, the goodwill of Jiang Wang and Huang Sheli were just bargaining chips to exchange for Long Boji. Long Boji's life and death were more important than all of this, and he had already made his choice.

"Hah... ah..." Zhongshan Weisun supported himself with both hands on the ground, slowly propping himself up.

His messy, mud-stained long hair hung to the ground. He faced the yellow earth, breathing heavily, the fresh blood on his face dripping into the mud.

"I, Zhongshan Weisun, truly am contemptible today."

"Two members of the Tai Xu Pavilion, contemporary True Persons, look up to me, willing to drink with me, attend my banquet. This is giving me face. The two treat me with sincerity, yet I use this to deceive them. I am truly disgraced."

"But—" He raised his head, his face covered in fresh blood and mud, and looked at Huang Sheli and Jiang Wang: "But as long as I could think of even a little method, I wouldn't ruin my own reputation like this."

"The two of you, I have known Long Boji for many years. We are kindred spirits, true friends who understand each other. For years, I have been restrained by the shackles of being named 'Zhongshan clan heir,' living with a gentle and elegant mask. All my lack of progress, my recklessness, my madness and perverseness, I dared not let people see."

"Few people truly understand me. I don't know how many people, after knowing my rude side, would still treat me as a beneficial friend?"

"Today's South Dou Hall is caught in a huge vortex; one careless move can destroy too many people and things. I want to pull a hand on this broken ship, my good friend. But I truly, do not have this ability. I don't have the power of True Person Jiang, yet I have the sentiments of True Person Jiang."

"I also know some people in Chu Country, but they cannot help me."

"There is only one friend I still consider familiar, and who has a high position. Unfortunately, he was named Wu Ling, and he already met with misfortune a long time ago. I don't want Long Boji to be another unfortunate friend of mine in the Southern Domain."

"Everything I've said is a dirty excuse, all to explain myself. But, two True Persons, I do not intend to seek your forgiveness."

Zhongshan Weisun's golden body and jade marrow were severely injured, but he said with heavy breaths: "I just want to tell you all to what extent I can go for this matter, what I can pay. Sister Sheli, aren't you always very interested in Xiaoyao Spring? I am willing to transfer all my dry shares in Xiaoyao Spring to you. And Brother Jiang, your Cloud Top Immortal Palace was shattered in Tianjing City, and it hasn't been repaired yet, has it? I will help you gather the materials to repair the immortal palace."

"As long as you two help say a word."

He was like a dried fish on the shore, struggling to look up at the two members of the Tai Xu Pavilion: "Long Boji is just a Shen Lin cultivator; he poses no threat to Chu Country. Chu Country will give this face, as long as you two help say a word—"

"Enough." Huang Sheli interrupted him: "How is Jiang Wang's face earned? Is it by begging on the ground like you? You see our face too lightly, and you see yourself too heavily!"

"What weight do you think you, Zhongshan Weisun, have? If you truly had enough weight, would you still need to use us? What are the dry shares of Xiaoyao Spring? Is this old lady short of money? This old lady likes to earn money, but how many people want to send money yet can't send it to my front!"

"I originally should have personally hammered Long Boji to death, to give Jiang Wang an explanation. Also to let you know the outcome of using me, to eliminate the hatred in my heart. This is my temper!" Huang Sheli lifted her finger and pointed at Zhongshan Weisun: "But after all, I have known you, Zhongshan Weisun, for so many years. Seeing your useless appearance now, I really cannot do it. But remember, there will be no next time. Everything of the past, let it all return to nothing."

Zhongshan Weisun laughed silently and miserably, then looked at Jiang Wang again.

Jiang Wang didn't say a word, neither speaking to Zhongshan Weisun nor to Huang Sheli, and simply stepped into the air and left.

Huang Sheli raised her hand, probably wanting to say something, but in the end, she said nothing. She flicked her long robe and flew back towards Jing Country.

The Zhongshan Weisun who always followed rules and etiquette, gentle and refined, was too willful when he was willful. He clearly just used himself to make things difficult for others. This was not what a friend should do.

Killing Long Boji herself was indeed an explanation, one that could clear her completely. Her friendship with Jiang Wang was something she had actively forged time and time again. It was obvious which one, Zhongshan Weisun or Jiang Wang, had more weight and a greater future – but as she herself admitted, she really couldn't do it.

After all, they had known each other since childhood. She saw Zhongshan Weisun's excessive willfulness, yet also as Zhongshan Weisun wished, she was put in a difficult position.

Turning around and leaving at this moment was absolutely not an attitude speaking out for Zhongshan Weisun, yet it also tacitly approved Zhongshan Weisun's borrowing of her reputation. As for messages like "Huang Sheli accompanied Zhongshan Weisun to the Southern Domain to save Long Boji," she would not specifically refute them.

This was truly a farce.

Zhongshan Weisun, as Long Boji's friend, was loyal enough. But as Jiang Wang's acquaintance, he was not meaningful enough.

Jiang Wang somewhat uninterestingly flicked his long sword, considering whether to go to Yu Abyss next.

The Tai Xu Hook Jade sent a message at this time.

It was Ling Yue's message.

There was only one sentence on the message:

"Big brother, are you here to save Long Boji?"

Du Gu Wudi replied, asking, "When did you receive the message?"

Ling Yue quickly replied, "Just now, transmitted into Chu Country through a secret channel. It arrived almost simultaneously with the message of you all entering the Southern Domain. So I immediately came to ask you. This person is on the key list; if he is your friend, arrangements must be made early."

Jiang Wang didn't turn back, but his perception could capture Zhongshan Weisun just struggling to crawl up, and Huang Sheli had already left. He replied, "I am not familiar with Long Boji. I was coaxed here by Zhongshan Weisun; they are the two friends."

Ling Yue's message flew back rapidly, the words between the lines clearly with anger: "Like this, Zhongshan Weisun still has some face! I will leave Long Boji's body intact and let him be taken back to Jing Country for mourning."

After a while, inside the Tai Xu Illusion Realm, Huang Liang's message flew in again: "Big brother Jiang, come to Huang Liang Terrace for a meal; I have a good seat reserved for you!"

Jiang Wang first replied to Huang Liang, saying "Okay."

After thinking for a bit, he wrote to Ling Yue again: "Just pretend that this time I came to the Southern Domain is to visit the old duke. I have no ill intentions towards Long Boji, and Zhongshan Weisun is also considered loyal... Of course, they are not my friends and have nothing to do with me. You all should do as you should; don't be positively or negatively influenced by me."

The Tai Xu Paper Crane shuttled through the Illusion Realm.

Zuo Guangshu of Huafu Pishen unfolded the message and replied: "This dog thing Zhongshan Weisun dares to bully and coax you; I must let him know what Barbarian Chu is!"

But after thinking for a bit, he erased this line of words and wrote instead: "Okay, got it."

He pinched the message into a crane and sent it flying away.

Qu Shunhua was sitting opposite him, sharing a table, her little legs crossed, her soles touching. She laughed and said: "Why did you erase that sentence?"

"Everyone says Big Brother Jiang is ruthless, but he's actually soft-hearted," Zuo Guangshu said: "If I say that, he will definitely want to advise me again. All day long, he thinks about killing the true, from the demon realm to the Border Wasteland, he's already tired enough. Why make him worry about these things?"

Qu Shunhua lifted a jade-white finger and poked his face with a smile: "You are considerate!"

Zuo Guangshu also stretched out a finger, hooked her finger, and they held hands like this in a rather childish manner, yet he talked about serious matters: "The Evil Face Army soldiers have surrounded Due Peak for some days now. The forces outside the South Dou Hall have long been cleared; it's just the South Dou Secret Realm that hasn't been breached. What exactly is the An State Duke's plan?"

This time, the Chu Emperor was furious and ordered the extermination of the South Dou Hall. The one in charge of this matter was precisely the An State Duke, Wu Zhaochang. He had returned without merit from his investigation in Lunxian Forest and was precisely at a time with nowhere to vent his frustration, but in the matter of the war in the South Dou Hall, he still maintained considerable patience.

"Surround and fight for aid!" Qu Shunhua said: "Right now, it's a strategy of attack and wait, waiting for the friends of the South Dou Hall hiding underwater to surface one by one. The An State Duke has always been too lazy to catch small fish; since he is making a move, he wants to catch everything in one net."

"Like Zhongshan Weisun?" Zuo Guangshu asked.

"That is an unexpectedly foolish fellow." Qu Shunhua couldn't help but laugh: "Our Guangshu really holds a grudge!"

"Besides those friends of the South Dou Hall." Zuo Guangshu asked: "Are they also waiting for the friends of the Three Points Fragrance Building? Waiting for Luosha Mingyuejing?"

This time, the An State Duke led the extermination of the South Dou Hall, and the matter arose suddenly. The country's heavenly prides gathered in response, each wanting to show off their skills. Unfortunately, exterminating one South Dou Hall didn't require too many soldiers, and the positions in the army were limited. Wu Zhaochang was also not someone who was happy to see the children of powerful families seek experience, so he only selected a few.

Qu Shunhua was conscripted into the army and took charge of one side, while Zuo Guangshu didn't have a military task, so he still needed to ask Qu Shunhua about some specific situations on the front line.

Qu Shunhua explained: "The dark agents of the Three Points Fragrance Building who stayed in the Southern Domain were basically cleared out. But several of their important figures are still hiding inside the South Dou Secret Realm."

Zuo Guangshu found it difficult to understand: "The An State Duke is clearly casting a net; will Luosha Mingyuejing take risks for a few subordinates?"

"Luosha Mingyuejing can, of course, abandon her Tianxiang and Xinxiang, but she always wants Peach Blossom Source." Qu Shunhua said: "What if she comes? Anyway, Long Shengjun is already a turtle in a jar; trying it once can't hurt."

Peach Blossom Source is the cave heaven treasure tool of Luosha Mingyuejing, refined from the thirty-fifth small cave heaven, "White Horse Xuanguang Heaven." It had always been located in Ying City.

It was precisely because the Three Points Fragrance Building placed all their cave heaven treasure tools under the surveillance of Chu Country that the Chu Court was extra relieved.

When the Three Points Fragrance Building brazenly left Chu, many high officials of Chu Country were astonished – who could have thought that the determination of the Three Points Fragrance Building was so great? They had operated in Chu for many years, which could be said to be the fundamental location of the Three Points Fragrance Building, yet they abandoned everything, even not wanting the cave heaven treasure tool that could be inherited for ten thousand generations!

Of course, now the facts prove that although the assets of the Three Points Fragrance Building in Chu were all confiscated into the national treasury of Great Ying, Luosha Mingyuejing still wanted the cave heaven treasure tool named Peach Blossom Source.

Several years after leaving Chu, when the pursuit from the Chu Country side gradually eased, the dark agents who had been lurking for many years activated one morning, connected with the South Dou Hall, and brazenly made a move, stealing Peach Blossom Source from Ying City.

Unfortunately, they were doomed not to escape; the people who brought the treasure tool were one by one surrounded in the South Dou Secret Realm.

Zuo Guangshu nodded his head thoughtfully.

"Alright, I have military duties, so I can't be distracted for too long." Qu Shunhua put on her boots: "Wait for me well at home. As for Big Brother Jiang, you take him to Huang Liang Terrace and entertain him well. As for teaching Zhongshan Weisun a lesson..."

She smiled charmingly: "Leave it to me."

Golden white jade buy songs and laughter, drunken for months, light king hou.

The name Bai Songxiao came from this.

Above the green cliff, the morning sun entered the painting. The bamboo forest became a sea, rippling with morning light.

"Contemporary Qin Immortal," "First Person in the Painting Dao," "Dean of Green Cliff Academy"... Bai Songxiao, who enjoyed so many honors, was a woman whose appearance at first glance was not unusual.

One had to look closely and ponder to see the fine brushwork.

Her beauty was not something vulgar people could see.

Clouds blocked and mist covered the mountains.

She wore men's clothing, with a crown binding her hair, and a Confucian shirt on her body. She sat on a stone platform on a high cliff, with a small table in front of her. On the table was a pot of tea and two cups.

Hot steam lingered from the spout, like fog.

Just then, a mountain wind blew by, and flowing clouds roamed around. The bamboo sea rippled with green waves, and a rainbow hung over the distant mountains.

Bai Songxiao picked up the teapot and slowly poured two cups of tea.

The cups were seven parts full.

When she put down the teapot, a handsome and unrestrained man, with an air of transcendence, landed on the mountain top and sat opposite the small table.

His white clothes fluttered, like an immortal descending to the mortal world.

"True Person Ye has come very quickly." Bai Songxiao gently pushed a teacup forward with the back of her index finger.

Ye Lingxiao picked up the teacup, first lightly sniffed the tea fragrance, then took a small sip, and finally put the teacup down with satisfaction, laughing: "Tasting Green Cliff Dragon Tip, one's foot speed cannot be slow."

Bai Songxiao looked at him: "You, Ye Lingxiao, connect with the world, horizontally engaging in commerce, still lack tea to drink?"

"This is tea brewed by the Green Cliff Mountain Master, and these are also unique tea leaves from this place!" Ye Lingxiao's tone was exactly the right amount of exaggeration: "Even if I were rich across the whole world, how could I drink this cup without fortune?"

Bai Songxiao didn't comment, only saying: "Since you are a fortunate person, do you know how to cherish fortune?"

Ye Lingxiao picked up the teacup again: "This kind of good tea, I may not be willing to waste a single drop."

The fine, long tea leaves tumbled in the boiling water, like dragons swimming, hence the name 'Dragon Tip'. Drinking it could prolong life and benefit essence, supplementing qi and cultivating origin. This kind of tea leaf was not found elsewhere; here, there were only two mother trees, which the Green Cliff ancestor master had planted by hand that year.

Bai Songxiao shallowly sipped a mouthful and asked casually: "What do you think of the matter of the South Dou Hall?"

Ye Lingxiao didn't answer but asked: "Someone came to find you?"

The Green Cliff Mountain Master lightly laughed: "Indeed so!"

"What did they say?" Ye Lingxiao asked.

Bai Songxiao said: "Nothing more than words like 'great sects of the world, connected by the same qi,' 'prepare for rain in advance,' and 'lips perish, teeth are cold'."

Ye Lingxiao nodded: "Very reasonable words."

Bai Songxiao added: "Very reasonable nonsense."

Perhaps it's not nonsense!

Who doesn't know the reason for 'lips perish, teeth are cold'?

The problem is that your South Pole Longsheng Emperor was stripped of his imperial title by the Chu Heavenly Son years ago for a reason, and he hid in the outer heaven for those years, yet didn't learn his lesson. Now he still dares to collude with the Three Points Fragrance Building and steal the cave heaven treasure tool from Ying City, and he was caught red-handed!

The six great overlord countries have stood until now, and they have done no fewer things that shake mountains and connect ridges.

Chu Country is famous for its military; who would be 'lips and teeth' with you?

Thank you everyone for your support, we are back to first again.

The day before yesterday I said I must work hard to write a side story, yes, now I have inspiration. (Cross out)

I will first write a four-thousand-character update and submit it to everyone the day after tomorrow. (This is true)

Then I will work hard to write a side story again.

Everyone can look at the activity; I forgot to tell everyone before. The top five characters can appear on the screen; everyone can vote for the character they want to see.

There can only be one character name in the side story, but I plan to write about Zuo Guanglie and Kujue.

It's also considered the return of the old monk. It will also conveniently fill in a background line.

Hope everyone can like it.