Parting Intent, Yin-Yang Fish

"Xiaolan, your injuries aren't healed yet."

Qin Huaiying chased after her, a hint of helplessness in her voice.

It was clear that Ouyang Lan had been in the middle of her healing, and had run out upon hearing the commotion.

"Mother."

Lu Wu-bing bowed and smiled, "I was just thinking of making a trip to Mingyang City. My parents have moved there, and I'm not sure if they're settled in safely."

"You should go. They've been very worried about you." Qin Huaiying looked at Lu Wu-bing with a smile and waved her hand. "I'll have Yun Chong escort you. If there's anything inconvenient for you to handle, he can step in."

"I'd rather not."

Lu Wu-bing felt his scalp tingle.

Although, in hindsight, his third senior brother Wu Yunchong hadn't shown any signs of foul play. In fact, during their escape from Jiangzhou, he had even covered their retreat.

After they were separated, he had rushed back to the Celestial Star Sect first to call for reinforcements.

On the surface, he seemed like a perfectly good senior brother.

But in his heart, he always felt a subtle sense of apprehension, believing this senior brother was not as simple as he appeared.

If he were to follow him down the mountain this time, who knew what kind of misfortune would befall him?

"It's just a visit to my family. There's no need to trouble Senior Brother. If there's nothing else, this disciple will return quickly."

"Alright then, Wu-bing. After you go down the mountain, don't neglect your sword practice. When you return to the mountain, if you feel confident, try the Sword Gate Three Trials as soon as possible."

"Hm?"

Lu Wu-bing's heart tightened.

It felt like being back in his past life, with his teacher checking homework.

What was this about? He had just joined the sect, and after such a short time, he was already expected to take an assessment and practice advanced martial arts?

Was there really no need to rush? He wasn't ready yet.

As soon as this thought crossed his mind, he saw Senior Sister Xiaolan's beautiful eyes blinking at him from the corner of his vision.

He smiled knowingly and quickly replied, "I'll listen to Mother. When I return to the mountain, this disciple will immediately attempt the trials."

"That's excellent, excellent."

Qin Huaiying burst into hearty laughter, clearly delighted.

Lu Wu-bing noticed that when his mother-in-law smiled, her eyebrows would tilt upwards, giving her a rather amusing expression.

It wasn't exactly similar to Senior Sister Xiaolan, it was practically identical.

As expected of mother and daughter.

The biological ones.

"Oh, right, I almost forgot. Wenxiu also came to bid farewell and go down the mountain earlier. She said she was going to find you. I wonder if she had anything to say. Go and see her."

"Is that so?"

Lu Wu-bing's eyes flickered. Had Ji Wenxiu decided to head to the capital early?

He wondered what kind of situation awaited her.

Would the journey be safe?

"Mother!"

Ouyang Lan's eyes pleaded as she stretched out the word.

"Don't even think about it. You need to recover from your injuries first. You can't go down the mountain this time."

"Alright then."

Ouyang Lan wilted like a frost-bitten eggplant, her expression becoming pitiful. "Junior Brother, after you go down the mountain, be sure not to listen to anything the disciples from Gold Jade Hall say. You can't go to places like Yihong Courtyard or Chufang Tower, but you can try the Crispy Duck from Zuihu Residence and Xi San Niang's Red Bean Cake..."

As she spoke, she couldn't help but swallow, and then started laughing at herself.

She used to think her mother nagged too much, but now she found herself doing the same...

It was better not to say too much, lest her junior brother get annoyed.

"Go on, go on. Come back soon."

Ouyang Lan waved her hand reluctantly.

She didn't even notice that the young disciple named Su Mei was hunched over, her neck retracted, her head bowed, wishing she could hide in the ditch by the gate.

It's over, it's over.

Seeing this gentle side of the fearsome Senior Sister, would she be silenced?

The young girl thought this, not daring to breathe.

"What a coincidence, Senior Brother Lu is also going down the mountain today. You're heading to Mingyang City, aren't you?"

Ji Wenxiu had evidently received the news as well.

She wasn't guarding the Orchid Fragrance Courtyard.

Instead, she stood prettily by the roadside.

Seeing Lu Wu-bing looking curiously at her face, she generously allowed him to observe, saying softly, "My injury isn't like Senior Sister Ouyang's. It looked severe at the time, but it was only damage to my Blood Essence. After taking blood-replenishing medicine these past few days, I'm much better."

Speaking of which, a hint of melancholy flashed in Ji Wenxiu's eyes: "After all, it's [Mad Blood]. Since it has great drawbacks, it naturally also has great benefits.

The family's secret technique, [Azure Sky Chant], can shock the mind and spirit, and the [Phoenix Nirvana Heart Sutra] can naturally burn the old and replace the blood, giving it extremely strong recovery abilities. These are advantages brought by innate bloodline."

Were these things something one could casually discuss with outsiders?

She thought, perhaps it was because she had rescued the little princess from the flower thief that day.

Psychologically, she felt a natural closeness.

To the point where she let down her guard completely.

In modern medical terms, this was actually a mental disorder.

She wondered if this situation was good or bad?

Lu Wu-bing's expression flickered slightly. He looked around, asking somewhat strangely, "Are you traveling back to the capital alone this time, Junior Sister Wenxiu?"

"Of course not. While Senior Brother was in seclusion cultivating for these three days, I wasn't idle either. I finally found Daoist Grandpa. Look..."

She gestured down the mountain.

At the end of the mountain path, amidst the trees, a figure in a grey, patched robe was leaning against a green donkey, tilting his head back and drinking something.

"With him escorting me, the journey will be very safe."

Lu Wu-bing's heart stirred. Ji Wenxiu called this person "Daoist Grandpa," so he was likely the expert represented by the words "Qingyun" carved on those two jade pendants from that day.

Looking at the disheveled figure with white beard and white hair from afar.

Lu Wu-bing felt a surge of respect.

Generally speaking, someone dressed like this could basically be identified as an ultimate master.

If this were a story like "The Legend of the Condor Heroes,"

He would be Hong Qigong.

In "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber," even more so, he would be True Master Sanfeng.

Think about how terrifying that was.

Of course, he could also be an ordinary beggar.

But that possibility was not high.

Someone whom the Bright Moon Sect and the royal princess could both trust to contact using a personal token in a time of crisis was, by all accounts, no ordinary person.

He felt relieved.

Lu Wu-bing let out a long sigh. Before he could say anything, he saw the young girl Ji Wenxiu lower her head, lift her collar, and take out a black and white fish-shaped jade pendant.

Before Lu Wu-bing could get a clear look at the material, Ji Wenxiu applied slight force with both hands and separated the black and white twin fish.

With nimble hands, she took out a red string, threaded it through the pure white Yang fish, tied a knot, and handed it over.

"Here."

"Why are you giving me a jade pendant?" Lu Wu-bing felt a chill on the back of his neck, as if Senior Sister Xiaolan were secretly watching him from behind, and his expression became slightly unnatural.

"Giving it to you? I'm lending it to you."

Ji Wenxiu's cold, expressionless face could no longer hold. With a "puchi," she burst into laughter.

"Senior Brother, you'll know when you hold it in your palm."

"Huh! I feel a warmth, but it's actually extremely cold."

"You're mistaken. There's no warmth, only coldness."

Ji Wenxiu lightly spat, a hint of unnaturalness flashing in her eyes.

He understood. It was her body temperature.

"Uh..."

Lu Wu-bing felt a little awkward. He carefully felt the coldness of half the Yang fish and then discovered with surprise: this chill cleared his mind and refreshed him. Not only could it calm his spirit, but it could also accelerate his internal energy cultivation.

As the coldness seeped into his palm, his [Dripping Water Force] internal energy circulation suddenly accelerated, as if injected with active factors, spontaneously gathering essence and transforming it into internal energy.

Cold jade...

It can accelerate cultivation.

It probably also has a suppressive effect on mental abnormalities.

This was a rare treasure.

"You've discovered it. This thing has a boosting effect on the [Small Clear Sound Mantra]. Compared to that, the slight benefit of accelerating internal energy cultivation is not as important."

"I felt embarrassed to take it out that day when Senior Sister Ouyang was nearby...

I'll lend it to Senior Brother for now. My Yin fish has a similar function, and actually... actually, you don't need to return it so urgently."