Returning to Tonglin County, Daoist Priest Mingzhang and Daoist Priest Yuting went back to the mountain, while Lu Zheng went home.
The moment he arrived home, he saw Liu Qingyan float lightly over the wall.
"Lu Lang, did you go to Shaotong Mountain?"
"How did you know?"
"Mother told me. She said she saw White Cloud Temple's paper crane circling above Lu Lang's house."
Liu Qingyan came to Lu Zheng's side and asked with concern, "Did something happen to Lu Lang's sect?"
In Liu Qingyan's eyes, Daoist Priest Mingzhang was already an immensely formidable expert. Yet he had summoned Lu Zheng with a paper crane—who knew what urgent matter had arisen?
So she had been somewhat worried all afternoon. When Lu Zheng failed to return after nightfall, her worries only deepened, leaving her unable to sleep.
Now that she had discovered Lu Zheng had returned, she could no longer hold herself back. She flew over to question him with concern.
"Nothing, nothing!" Lu Zheng reached out and wrapped an arm around Liu Qingyan, replying with a smile, "Daoist Priest Yuting came back. Master couldn't beat him at chess, so he called me in to save the day."
Hearing this, Liu Qingyan breathed a sigh of relief, then could not help laughing. "So that's how it is. Qing Yan was worrying too much."
But upon further thought, Liu Qingyan sensed that something was amiss. Looking suspicious, she asked, "You played chess until the Chou Hour?"
Lu Zheng blinked. As expected, fox spirits were not easy to fool.
Liu Qingyan blinked, and a misty sheen welled up in her eyes. She asked no more, merely saying considerately to Lu Zheng, "It is rather late now. Qing Yan will draw some water for Lu Lang to wash up. Lu Lang has been tired