Luzhou Moon - Chapter 111
"For example, Wuyi Mountain in Fujian?" Wei Heng leaned against the side of his horse, seemingly confident.
"And there's Tiantai and Yandang in Zhejiang," Lian Junchu said casually.
Wei Heng's usually smiling eyes lit up. "Thank you."
"It shouldn't take too long to get to Tiantai from here," Lian Junchu thought for a moment, then added, "Have you ever been to Chicheng Mountain in Tiantai?"
Wei Heng shook his head. "I'm very familiar with the southern Anhui region, but I've never been to the place you mentioned."
"That's a Taoist grotto-heaven..." Lian Junchu said. "Since Hai Qiongzi is also a Taoist cultivator, perhaps he will stay at Chicheng Mountain."
Wei Heng said with delight, "That's good! Let's rest for the night, and I'll set off at dawn." He then looked at Lian Junchu and asked, "Let's put everything else aside for now. Now that the Divine Pearl has returned to Yinxi Cottage, what are your plans?"
Lian Junchu remained silent for a moment, not answering his question, but instead slightly raised her face and said, "Lian Junxin just told me to find Hai Qiongzi before you."
Wei Heng paused for a moment, then laughed.
"Does she think you should be competing with me for something?" He took the reins and strolled leisurely forward. "I'll be waiting for you at the city gate tomorrow morning."
The next day, when Wei Heng arrived at the city gate, Lian Junchu was already waiting there. Apart from Yinglong and Chongming, everyone else had already accompanied Lian Junxin to escort the coffin back to the island.
Seeing that this troublesome person was gone, Wei Heng felt relieved and set off with Lian Junchu, heading south towards Chicheng Mountain in Tiantai.
Thanks to Lian Junchu, Wei Heng didn't have to ask around everywhere along the way. Although he was proud by nature, he was also good at chatting with people, but he really couldn't get close to Lian Junchu. Whenever it came to personal matters, Lian Junchu would remain silent, let alone matters concerning him and Yue Ruzheng.
Wei Heng tried to find out if Lian Junchu would return to Luzhou if Hai Qiongzi could be found, but no matter how he asked the question, Lian Junchu never answered.
Finally, Wei Heng could only sigh helplessly, "My only worry is whether Yue Ruzheng will suffocate from being with you!"
After he finished speaking, Lian Junchu, sitting inside the carriage, suddenly said, "You seem to always like to mention her?"
Wei Heng raised an eyebrow and smiled, turning his face to face Lian Junchu behind the car window. Seeing that his expression was indifferent and his gaze was forward, he surprisingly spoke up.
"It seems that in the future, I'll have to get Young Master Lian to say a few more words. The only way is to keep repeating the name Yue Ruzheng in your ear." Wei Heng deliberately repeated her name again.
Despite her best efforts to conceal it, Lian Junchu still revealed a slight expression of anger.
"But you're very different from what I imagined," Wei Heng couldn't help but say, "Of course, I had only heard about it from others back then, and I didn't pay much attention."
Lian Junchu then glanced at him sideways, her expression quite indifferent.
Wei Heng, already used to his personality, continued, "Back then, I thought you were a warm and cheerful person, which is why Yue Ruzheng always liked to go to those deep mountains."
As he said this, Lian Junchu's eyes showed a hint of helplessness. Yinglong and Chongming, who were following behind, heard this and wanted to laugh but dared not, so they had to suppress their laughter.
"Master Wei," Lian Jun said, still wanting to continue speaking upon first meeting him, but finally couldn't help but say, "you are quite different from the impression you left on me before."
"How so?" Wei Heng asked, somewhat delighted.
"I originally thought that you were mature beyond your years to be able to shoulder such heavy responsibilities before you were even twenty. But now it seems that you are still a young man at heart." Lian Junchu said calmly, without looking at anyone else.
"You're only a few years older than me, why are you so serious?" Wei Heng flicked the reins and quickened his pace to ride forward.
Chapter Seventy-One
After entering Zhejiang, they continued south, approaching Tiantai, where the mountains became increasingly numerous. Wei Heng rode alone at the front, gazing at the distant Chicheng Mountain, its rocks and soil a deep crimson, truly living up to its name. The four inquired along the way, but few knew whether Hai Qiongzi had ever been seen in the mountains. It wasn't until they reached the foot of the mountain that someone said they had seen an old man in tattered clothes, carrying a bamboo cane, strolling leisurely in the woods outside Yujing Cave last month.
Wei Heng, who had been feeling dejected, was greatly encouraged by these words and said, "Perhaps this old man is Hai Qiongzi. Young Master Lian, if it's inconvenient for you, I'll take my leave first!"
Having said that, without waiting for Lian Junchu's reply, he spurred his horse and headed towards Yujing Cave. Unexpectedly, the mountain path was initially quite flat, but after crossing a ridge, towering pines and cypresses stretched before him, and deep valleys opened up before him. Following the directions he had received earlier, he traveled for a while, but found himself increasingly disoriented. After passing through this pine forest, he was met with another deep ravine, and all around was silent except for the sound of the rustling pines.
Faced with this desperate situation, his horse grew restless and neighed repeatedly. Wei Heng looked around and saw that there was no way forward except for the deep ditch in front of him. He had no choice but to spur his horse and charge straight ahead. The horse let out a long neigh, reared up high, and landed just on the muddy ground on the other side, almost falling over.
Just then, a clear and melodious bell sound came from the secluded forest ahead. Wei Heng barely managed to stop his horse and looked up to see a female Taoist priest holding the Three Pure Ones Bell stepping out from the vast forest. She was about forty years old, with a round face and elegant features. She wore a dark blue Taoist robe, and her hair was tied up in a high bun, adorned with a black jade crane hairpin.
Upon seeing this man, Wei Heng was overjoyed, dismounted, and bowed, saying, "Is this Daoist a esteemed disciple of the Shenxiao Palace on Mount Luofu?"
The female Taoist remained calm and composed, simply returning the greeting with a slight bow, saying, "This is a place for quiet cultivation; please leave, young master." With that, she took a step back and offered no further reply.
Upon seeing this, Wei Heng frowned and said, "My name is Wei Heng. I came from Luzhou because I heard that the Venerable Hai Qiongzi of Shenxiao Palace had been to Tiantai, so I came into the mountains specifically to search for him. Moreover, my purpose in coming here is only to rescue someone; I have no other motive."
Although he said this, the female Taoist remained standing silently. Seeing that she seemed unwilling to reply, Wei Heng grew anxious and said, "I have long heard that Hai Qiongzi is a highly accomplished Taoist master, why are you unwilling to lend a helping hand?"
The female Taoist priest composed herself and said, "My master is no longer here. Even I don't know his whereabouts, so how can I tell you, young master?"
Wei Heng was taken aback, then said, "Is this a pretext, Daoist Master?"
The female Taoist's previously gentle face suddenly darkened, and she snapped, "Since you harbor doubts, don't ask me anymore!" With that, she turned and strode quickly into the woods without looking back. In a moment of urgency, Wei Heng leaped over her head, blocking her path. The female Taoist, clutching the Three Pure Ones Bell, her eyes gleaming with cold light, asked, "Young master, do you intend to fight here?"
Just as Wei Heng was about to speak, he saw someone rushing towards them from the road they had come from. In a flash of white, Lian Junchu had already crossed the deep ravine and landed behind the two of them.
Hearing that more people were approaching from behind, the female Taoist priest did not turn around, but coldly said, "I see you are not truly here for medical treatment, but rather for some other purpose, aren't you?"
Wei Heng, displeased, said, "We haven't done anything, why make such unfounded assumptions?"
The female Taoist ignored him and strode forward. Wei Heng was about to catch up when Lian Junchu gestured for him to stay behind and went ahead, following closely into the pine forest.
Wei Heng waited outside for a while with doubt in his heart. When Lian Jun returned, the female Taoist was nowhere to be seen.
"You just let her go like that?" Wei Heng asked in astonishment.
Lian Junchu glanced towards the pine forest and said, "Wait a little longer; she's gone back to pack her things."
"Pack your bags?!" Wei Heng was taken aback at first, then exclaimed with delight, "You mean she's willing to help us find Hai Qiongzi?"
Lian Junchu said, "When she arrived at Chicheng Mountain, Hai Qiongzi had already left, so she stayed behind, wanting to wait a while longer to see if Master would return. I've already explained the situation to her, and she said she could go to Luzhou."
Seeing how easily he spoke of it, Wei Heng couldn't help but ask, "Did you know her before?"