Chapter 9: Please Maintain the Composure Befitting an Iceberg

"Your Highness, I, your humble general, have come on the orders of the Guozhu. If I return like this, I truly won't be able to report back!"

"The enemy nation has been making threatening moves lately. The Guozhu is worried they might secretly target you, Your Highness. Please allow me to accompany you on your journey. Once you return to Du Xian Men, I will go back myself."

Youqin Xuanya frowned slightly, her usually expressionless, beautiful face now showing a touch of helplessness.

Yuan Qing spoke up to persuade her, "Xuanya Shimei, we're heading to Bei Ju Lu Zhou, where dangers lurk everywhere. With General Yuwen along, we'll have an extra person to look out for us."

Li Changshou suddenly interjected calmly, "Yuan Qing Shidi, you already know this general? I didn't hear him introduce himself earlier."

"Well, yes," Yuan Qing glanced at Li Changshou and smiled, "I grew up with Xuanya Shimei, and we both entered Du Xian Men together.

This general's name is Yuwen Ling. He's the most trusted commander of Xuanya's father, the king, and he's usually responsible for guarding the Guozhu. His coming here to protect her clearly means the situation is quite precarious."

So the poker-faced girl and the warm guy are childhood friends...

Li Changshou cupped his hands and said, "I spoke out of turn."

"Sixth Princess," Yuwen Ling frowned and called out.

Youqin Xuanya looked toward Jiu Jiu, who was lounging at the mouth of the gourd, her gaze conveying a hint of plea.

"No problem, no problem," Jiu Jiu the immortal waved her hand lazily from the edge of the gourd's mouth, her voice drawling. "Since he's your family's guard, he can come along. A newly ascended immortal like this big guy won't cause any trouble under my watch.

Hey, big guy, go sit at the back of the gourd.

And keep quiet later—it's not really proper to let you tag along, but luckily, the sect rules don't forbid entry-level disciples from having their own guards on outings."

Yuwen Ling cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Xianzhang."

With that, the burly man, carrying his massive axe, floated toward the rear of the large gourd. Jiu Jiu pointed her finger, and a gap slowly opened in the surrounding immortal light.

Seeing this, Li Changshou unobtrusively stepped aside and circled around to the front of the gourd, cupping his hands as he asked, "Jiu Shishu, may I sit behind you?"

Jiu Jiu chuckled wryly, "What, you're over a hundred years old and still acting shy?

Come on, sit here. Your master said you're cautious and meticulous, and he wasn't wrong."

"Li Shixiong, please sit here," Youqin Xuanya stood up proactively, giving Li Changshou a slightly apologetic smile as she stepped back two paces.

"Thank you," Li Changshou nodded, ignoring the two sharp gazes from behind, and calmly took the seat Youqin Xuanya had just vacated.

Those two gazes came from Liu Yan'er and Wang Qi, who were clearly displeased with Li Changshou's 'exclusionary' behavior, feeling it lacked the grace expected of Du Xian Men disciples.

Li Changshou naturally chose to ignore it.

Jiu Jiu the immortal continued steering the gourd northward. Liu Yan'er and Wang Qi seemed intent on mocking Li Changshou and deliberately went to chat with Yuwen Ling.

However, Yuwen Ling, the sturdy warrior, was a man of few words, and their conversation turned awkward, killing the atmosphere several times over.

It was only when Yuan Qing couldn't stand it anymore and joined in that the conversation finally flowed more smoothly.

Li Changshou didn't even glance back, keeping his right hand tucked in his sleeve while strands of spiritual awareness spread around him.

Before deciding to go to the southeast of Bei Ju Lu Zhou, Li Changshou had given it careful thought and had already asked a familiar attendant from the Bai Fan Hall about the immortal in charge of escorting the sect disciples on this training trip—it was Jiu Jiu the immortal, who had handled this route before.

Although Jiu Jiu had been cultivating for less than a thousand years, her strength was extraordinary, and she possessed powerful divine abilities along with several impressive treasures granted by the sect leader. Her cultivation realm was said to be approaching Tian Xian.

—For typical qi refiners, the realms after ascension are Yuan Xian, Zhen Xian, Tian Xian, Jin Xian, Da Luo, and Hun Yuan Wu Ji, collectively known as the 'Tian Xian Dao'.

More importantly, Jiu Jiu was one of the few immortals in the sect who had some acquaintance with his master.

Li Changshou had originally thought that since the group going to Bei Ju Lu Zhou for training was small, having this immortal by his side would make it much safer than going alone.

But he hadn't expected this sudden complication midway...

Glancing sidelong at Yuan Qing and Yuwen Ling, Li Changshou pondered quietly in his heart, then slowly closed his eyes. He had no intention of meditating and remained ready to unleash his Wind Escape at any moment.

At least, being close to Jiu Shishu gave him a bit more security...

Huh?

"Hehehe... Just a tiny sip, we're still far from there, won't delay anything, won't delay anything..."

Jiu Jiu the immortal, perched at the gourd's mouth, let out a strange laugh as she hugged her wine gourd and took another stealthy swig, her face flushing red and her lips smacking with lingering satisfaction.

Li Changshou: ...

Yeah, maybe I should find an excuse to leave the group and go alone.

The old man above.

...

Half a day passed without incident.

As dusk faded into a sky full of stars, sitting on this gourd over ten zhang long, surrounded by faint immortal light and with a subtle scent of wine in the air, Li Changshou held a bamboo scroll and read quietly.

The others had already entered meditation, including Yuwen Ling at the back.

Jiu Jiu lay slanted at the front of the large gourd, eyes half-open, letting the wind tousle her messy short hair. She looked quite different from the typical fairy, you could say full of character.

Li Changshou quietly savored the dao techniques described in the scroll, pondering their operations, but his spiritual awareness around him remained vigilant, monitoring the nearby ten zhang.

Thanks to his previous deliberate training in alertness, this wasn't much of a burden for him.

A small wine gourd suddenly appeared in his line of sight. Li Changshou shook his head solemnly and said, "Thank you, Shishu, but I don't drink."

"How boring," Jiu Jiu rolled her eyes, jumped up from the gourd's stopper, and sat on the edge, gently swinging her cleanest part—her slender legs.

After letting out a wine burp, Jiu Jiu asked casually, "Changshou, your master... he's about to ascend, right?"

"The heavenly tribulation should come in the next three to five years," Li Changshou placed the scroll on his lap and looked at Jiu Jiu.

Jiu Jiu was one of the few people who had visited Xiao Qiong Peak in the past century since he joined the sect.

"Ah," Jiu Jiu sighed, adopting a tone of worldly wisdom as she spoke with her back to Li Changshou, "Back in the day, we got along well, but it's a pity about your master. He had decent talent, but after that injury damaged his dao foundation, he could never fully recover.

Changshou, don't underestimate your master just because he hasn't ascended yet—his understanding of Du Xian Men's dao methods is on par with any thousand-year immortal..."

"Shishu, you're too kind," Li Changshou smiled slightly, his eyes narrowing a bit—this was a rare expression from him, except around his master and shimei.

Li Changshou continued, "My master has always given his all to teach me and my shimei. To us, he's like a parent."

"So, how's your cultivation going? After all these years, you're still only at Hua Shen ninth stage—can't you grasp Fan Xu?"

Jiu Jiu turned her head and glared at Li Changshou, "I heard when I first joined that Xiao Qiong Peak had bad luck, and from what I see, that's spot on.

Give me your hand—I'll check your aptitude... I remember your qualifications were pretty good when you started, right? You haven't been muddled up by your absent-minded master, have you?"

Li Changshou's brows furrowed instantly. Although Jiu Jiu meant well, this...

If she touched him and probed, as a Zhen Xian expert, she would definitely uncover the cultivation he had hidden with his techniques!

Jiu Jiu had already extended her wine-scented right hand toward him. Li Changshou instinctively shifted back and said with an awkward smile, "Shishu, men and women shouldn't have physical contact—it's not appropriate."

"Men and women shouldn't have physical contact? Who's been saying that? Never heard of it!"

Jiu Jiu looked at him with disdain, "We qi refiners seek freedom and leisure in the world—what do those messy mortal etiquettes matter?

Hurry up and extend your hand!

Did you make a mistake in your cultivation? I thought your aptitude was good!"

"Shishu, this really isn't proper... I've developed a condition in recent years where I convulse if I touch a woman!"

Li Changshou stood up in an instant, his steps shifting as he created two afterimages, smoothly moving to stand behind Youqin Xuanya. He looked at Jiu Jiu with a bitter smile.

Jiu Jiu blinked, suddenly seeming to notice something.

That footwork just now...

"You Long Tan Yun Bu? Not bad, kid—that's a tough technique to learn!" Jiu Jiu's expression turned peculiar. "Your master said you're only interested in escape arts. Have you spent the last hundred-plus years just on these?"

"I've been diligently cultivating without slacking off for a... hmm?"

That soft touch.

Li Changshou looked down at the slender, fair finger gently poking his inner thigh, black lines appearing on his forehead.

Following the finger up, he saw a smooth, ivory arm, like a finely carved piece of mutton-fat jade, leading to a red shoulder strap, collar, and that slightly tilted, curiously pretty face.

Youqin Xuanya!

'In recent years, I've developed a condition where I convulse if I touch a woman!'

Li Changshou's mouth twitched wildly, but in that instant, he made a decision.

This was one tough character—he immediately began to tremble all over, controlling his muscles to twist, his face contorting in pain, eyes rolling back, and foam forming at his mouth...

Damn it...

Youqin Xuanya, aren't you supposed to be an ice queen?

You bastard!