Su Bei continued to ask Er Xia a few questions and received several ambiguous answers, which made the doubts in his heart grow even denser.
Coming down from Juxian Pavilion somewhat dazed, he somehow, in a muddled state, agreed to Er Xia to visit the South Wind Ancient Country after the recruitment meeting in the Sacred Land.
Amidst the cheers of the crowd, he wandered toward the three women, still able to hear various discussions:
"Elder Su really is a divine being! With that piece of poetry out, who in the world would dare boast about Shangyuan poetry and verse?"
"Truly leaves no path for us scholars to tread upon! Alas!"
"Ah! Elder Su, do you like long hair or short hair? I'm keeping my hair short for you!"
"Tonight, Elder Su, you~are~my god——"
"..." ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ NovᴇlFirᴇ(.)nᴇt
Watching her Master approaching, Xiao Ruoching's cheeks turned somewhat red. Her delicate hands were lightly clasped together, her mind still replaying the line of poetry Su Bei had spoken atop the city wall.
Is that person at the place where the lights are dim?
Her pearly teeth lightly biting her thin lips, she gripped the Sword Maiden's hand tightly. The Sword Maiden blinked, somewhat puzzled as to why Sister Xiao was suddenly holding her so tightly.
Listening to Su Bei's footsteps getting closer and closer, Xiao Ruoching felt her heart beat faster and her cheeks grow warm. Just as she was thinking of looking up to say something to her Master, she suddenly noticed his complexion seemed a bit off.
His expression seemed thoughtful, and he looked rather preoccupied. Xiao Ruoching quickly suppressed the jumble of thoughts in her heart and, her lips slightly trembling, asked, "Master, what's wrong?"
Su Bei raised his head to look at his prodigal disciple, and seeing the concern in her eyes, he couldn't help but blink.
Am I the kind of person to wear my heart on my sleeve?
Dan Wuque stepped forward, casually patted Su Bei on the shoulder, and said with wide eyes, "Brother, when you're feeling down, just hop a couple of times and it'll be all better."
Su Bei looked at the women before him, and his spirits suddenly lifted.
Indeed, what does Li Zijun have to do with me? I have no connection or prior involvement with her... Besides, thinking about it now is useless. When I visit the South Wind Ancient Country and meet her, won't I find out everything then?
As the saying goes, 'When the cart reaches the mountain, there's bound to be a way through.' Isn't that just my laid-back nature? Since when did I start trying to anticipate every little thing?
This isn't like me at all!
He then reached out and touched the tuft of hair atop Dan Wuque's head, causing her cheeks to redden slightly. She pursed her lips, a look of enjoyment on her face.
The wind blew gently, and Su Bei began to smile.
Early morning, snow fluttered softly, like a thin mist spreading over the black walls and white tiles of Luoxue City.
Morning birds sang lightly on the willow branches; their flitting and flapping wings startled snowflakes into falling.
The snowflakes scattered down, startling the pedestrians on the road.
Inside a guesthouse, strange noises could faintly be heard.
In a murmur, Xiao Ruoching tightly hugged the pillow in her arms, a trace of crystal-clear saliva at the corner of her mouth.
Her undulating form, due to an overly relaxed sleeping posture, caused her nightgown to hang loosely, exposing large swathes of snowy white skin.
Her fair, crossed feet revealed faint blueish veins; her long, slender legs tightly clutched the brocade quilt, seemingly rubbing against something.
Su Bei had large, dark circles under his eyes. He looked at the still-slumbering Xiao Ruoching with an exasperated expression and yawned widely.
Dan Wuque had already gotten up, along with Sword Maiden, and they had begun their morning exercises.
Last night, after they strolled through the lantern display, guessed riddles, and bought a lot of things, Su Bei had to reluctantly book just one room. This was due to the excessive crowds during the Lantern Festival.
—It was indeed because the guesthouse had precisely one room left! Su Bei found it quite coincidental.
Particularly as this room had only one large round bed.
At first, his prodigal disciple had looked at him with complete disgust. She clutched her pillow and hesitated to close her eyes. She feared Su Bei might transform into some Dragon Emperor to battle three Phoenixes in the middle of the night.
After all, the already small bed had to somehow accommodate four people.
However, Su Bei didn't bother with her at all. He simply snatched the pillow she was clutching, found a spot, and lay down, closing his eyes.
Moonlight streamed in, and the sounds of fireworks could still be heard outside. He thought he'd fall asleep peacefully, but somehow, in the sleepy tangle of limbs, someone's foot found its way into his mouth...
It felt as if his body were draped with several warm, soft limbs. A pervasive heat surrounded him, and various lingering feminine scents filled his nostrils, refusing to dissipate.
As he planned to turn over, within arm's reach was...
His prodigal disciple's face, free of makeup, was naturally rosy and radiant like a fresh lotus. Su Bei had no choice but to take his pillow and sit on the bed's edge, silently watching the leader of the Autobots.
Thinking back on how he had been tormented for no reason the entire night, Su Bei ground his teeth fiercely.
Then, to Sword Maiden's astonishment, he stepped forward. He reached out his large hand, pinched Xiao Ruoching's delicate nose, and observed her with a hint of amusement.
His prodigal disciple's eyebrows furrowed slightly. Her nose then twitched violently, as if she were struggling for air... It seemed she finally realized someone was pinching her, for her sleepy eyes slowly opened.