Sueño de Jiangshan

Capítulo 55

Leng Jie, still sporting a lazy smile, looked up at him and nodded lightly, replying, "Isn't that obvious? This isn't my home, of course I'm leaving! I'm going back to Wuyou Valley with my senior brother first thing tomorrow morning. It's too early to disturb the Princess. So I'm asking you, Your Highness, to pass on my message as a sign of our politeness and respect as juniors."

"Can't we wait a few days? I'll go back with you after I've finished dealing with the housekeeper's affairs." Shi Yu's tone had softened considerably.

Leng Jie shook her head and replied, "You have things you must do, and I have things I must do. Besides, my senior brother and I are going back to Wuyou Valley; we're going home, not to fight anyone. Why would I need you to come with me?"

"Stop playing dumb with me. Don't you understand my feelings for you? Of course I'm going to propose to your master. I promised to marry you, and how can I, a grown man, go back on my word!"

“But I didn’t agree to marry you! Besides, you know I already have a husband. Have you ever heard of a woman marrying two husbands?” Leng Jie replied calmly.

Shi Yu said impatiently, "I don't care. You stole my heart. You have to take responsibility and give it back to me!"

"Uh!" Could such a pointless remark really come from the mouth of this unbelievably cool man? Leng Jie stared in astonishment at Shi Yu's deep eyes. They were filled with deep affection, yet devoid of any sweetness. She couldn't help but shake her head and laugh, "I must remind you, you're not a six-year-old anymore. Acting coquettishly and being unreasonable really doesn't suit your current imposing image. Besides, I don't remember ever stealing your heart. If your heart has truly been lost somewhere, you should take responsibility for finding it yourself."

Shi Yu's face flushed instantly, turning from white to red, then from red to purple, and finally to a bluish-green. His already large eyes widened in alarm. His lips were tightly pressed together, and after a long, trembling struggle, he managed to squeeze out a few words through gritted teeth: "You! You! You really don't like me?"

Leng Jie nodded very seriously and firmly.

Suddenly, Shi Yu went berserk, pulling Leng Jie into his arms. His arms, like iron rings, tightly encircled her slender waist, pressing her body against his. Without a word, he pressed his full lips against her alluring, cherry-like mouth, biting and nibbling frantically, yet without knowing how.

Leng Jie was startled! Then, her fingers instinctively reached for the silver needle, ready to release it. Suddenly, the image of Shi Yu frozen into an ice sculpture in the icy pool flashed through her mind. She ultimately restrained herself, letting him bite her lip until it hurt. However, she was surprised to find that this guy didn't even know how to kiss. A mischievous thought arose spontaneously.

She suddenly opened her mouth and took Shi Yu's lower lip into her mouth. She sucked hard a few times. Shi Yu's body immediately stiffened. Leng Jie continued to slide her tongue into his mouth, swirling it around inside, then sucked hard on his tongue. Feeling Shi Yu's stiff body trembling, Leng Jie suddenly bit his tongue hard.

"Ah!" Shi Yu involuntarily pushed Leng Jie away.

Freed from her grasp, Leng Jie grinned as she wiped the blood from her mouth. She then turned to Shi Yu, who was still covering her mouth, and asked, "How was it? Did you feel anything? This is what kissing is all about. What you did was like eating corn. That last bit was payment for biting my lip."

Shi Yu glared at Leng Jie, both ashamed and angry, and demanded, "How could you?"

Leng Jie scoffed and replied, "Have you forgotten how much your sister knows? Do you want to learn anything else?"

As she spoke, Leng Jie suddenly winked at Shi Yu and made a seductive gesture, slowly moving closer to him.

Shi Yu couldn't help but swallow hard and involuntarily took a few steps back.

Leng Jie glanced at the bed behind him and pressed closer, saying ambiguously, "If you want, I can teach you anything, like how to..." She deliberately left the words unsaid, but instead touched Shi Yu's face with her hand.

Shi Yu was instantly jolted as if electrocuted, staggering back several steps. With a "thud," she fell backward onto the bed. She stared at Leng Jie warily with a look of utter shock, as if she had seen a ghost.

"Pfft!" Leng Jie finally couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Haha..."

Startled by Leng Jie's series of bold actions, Shi Yu finally realized that he had been tricked by this girl again. He was so angry that he jumped out of bed, wanting to try out the kissing trick she had just taught him.

"What are you doing?" Two men suddenly rushed in through the door, glaring hatefully at Shi Yu, who was about to pull the laughing Leng Jie into his arms. Shi Yu was stunned for a moment, and Leng Jie had already been pulled away by Xuan Yuan.

The air in the room seemed to freeze. Aside from Leng Jie, who was still laughing uncontrollably, the three men exchanged sharp, piercing glances.

The tense atmosphere finally stopped Leng Jie's laughter. She put her hands on her hips and slowly straightened up. Taking a breath, she glanced at the group exchanging glances. She said nonchalantly, "Heh, looks like my laughter was loud enough to attract you all. Actually, it's nothing. We were playing a little game. Shi Yu lost and tried to cheat, so I was laughing at him!"

"A game?" Looking at Leng Jie's swollen lips, even a fool would understand what was going on. Qingfeng and Xuanyuan asked simultaneously in sharp voices. Without waiting for Leng Jie's reply, they directly dragged Shi Yu out of the room. As they left, they didn't forget to close the door behind them, leaving behind a cold, detached sentence: "Stay in your room and don't come out."

Leng Jie rubbed her aching lips and shrugged at the door. She walked over and bolted it. Turning around, she saw Duanmu standing at the window, holding her bundle, a half-smile on his face. Leng Jie quickly walked over, took the bundle, and was about to say thank you.

Duanmu smiled and said, "I take back what I said about you being a fairy. You're clearly a demon."

"I've never considered myself a good person. Demon or monster, I just do what I want," Leng Jie replied indifferently.

Duanmu suddenly said seriously, "You're not allowed to lecture a man who tries to take liberties with you like that again. Not every man is as easy to fool as Prince Ying."

"How long have you been here?" Feeling suddenly spied on, Leng Jie asked unhappily.

Duanmu Xingchen calmly replied, "I arrived when your senior brother came in. That's why I said you're a vixen. You've captured the hearts of four men at the same time, yet you keep your own heart tightly locked. I really want to peel open your heart and see what it's made of?"

Four? He was among them too? Leng Jie stared at Duanmu Xingchen in astonishment for a moment before replying, "I am a heartless woman. So, you must guard your heart."

"Unfortunately, it's too late. My heart is no longer inside me," Duanmu Xingchen replied softly, turning and disappearing into the night sky.

Leng Jie shook her head and sighed helplessly. She never wanted anyone's heart. They lost their hearts themselves, so they had to take responsibility for finding them back. Just like her own heart, though it was shattered into pieces, she picked it up, mended it, and put it back together. Therefore, she believed they had only temporarily lost their hearts. After she left, they would definitely find them again.

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Chapter 90 Unexpected

Along a mountain path shrouded in mist and towering peaks, two people on two horses galloped from afar. The road ahead ended, the surrounding cliffs sheer and treacherous, the rushing torrents roaring through the valleys. Waterfalls cascaded down the sheer cliffs, lush forests forming verdant canopies. Gazing at the magnificent scenery before them, the fatigue of several days of rapid travel vanished instantly. Leng Jie excitedly reined in her horse and stopped to admire the view, exclaiming in wonder:

"Senior brother, is this Tianmu Mountain where you grew up? It's absolutely magnificent!"

"This is Tianmu Mountain. Go through that canyon and you'll reach Wuyou Valley," Qingfeng explained to Leng Jie as he stopped beside her.

"How are we going to get across that canyon?" Leng Jie couldn't help but ask curiously. The water in the canyon was incredibly swift. Judging by the speed of the current, not only would a person be swept away, but even a horse would be swept away immediately if it went in.

Qingfeng naturally understood her curiosity and smiled mysteriously:

"Let's go! Follow me and we'll get in." With that, he spurred his horse forward.

"He's actually keeping us in suspense!" Leng Jie rolled her eyes at Qingfeng's retreating figure. She spurred her horse and looked down. But Qingfeng galloped straight towards the canyon. Leng Jie chased after him, calling out:

"Senior brother, are you sure that will work?"

They arrived at the edge of the canyon. Suddenly, Qingfeng leaped onto Lengjie's horse and wrapped his arms around her from behind. He whispered in her ear, "Close your eyes!"

Leng Jie nodded, but he didn't close his eyes. Something unexpected happened. The patch of grass where they were suddenly sank, followed by a moment of darkness. When the light returned, what greeted them was a completely different scene. Exotic flowers and plants were everywhere, a sweet fragrance filled the air, and three striking, powerful characters, "Worry-Free Valley," were carved on a stone tablet.

So, Worry-Free Valley is located at the bottom of the canyon! Leng Jie stared back at Qingfeng, dumbfounded. She asked, speechless:

What did you just do?

Qingfeng smiled but remained silent. He lifted Leng Jie and leaped off his horse. He then removed the luggage and saddle from the horse, placed the horses on the grass, and let them roam freely. Carrying two bundles, he said:

“You didn’t listen to me and close your eyes, did you? The reason I told you to close your eyes is because what you saw was all an illusion. We didn’t go underground, and there were no rapids. Those were all formations set up by Master.”

"Are you kidding me?" Leng Jie asked incredulously.

"Haha, I was wondering who was so bold as to trespass into my Worry-Free Valley. It turns out to be my two good disciples who have returned!" Suddenly a loud voice came from above.

The man arrived as soon as he heard the voice. He was an old man with white hair, a youthful face, and a flowing beard, dressed in an apricot-colored robe. With a radiant smile and kind eyes, he looked at the stunned Leng Jie and said with a smile:

"Little apprentice, why don't you pay your respects to your master!"

Qingfeng hurriedly pulled Leng Jie to bow and said, "Disciple greets Master!" "Disciple greets Master!" Leng Jie inexplicably repeated after Qingfeng.

"Good! Good! Such good fortune has come to me even though I'm sitting at home. This is wonderful!" The old man stroked his white beard and laughed heartily.

"Did he think she was easy prey?!" Leng Jie finally snapped out of her shock. She looked up and met the old man's meaningful gaze with a probing look. How eerie! Leng Jie couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

"What? My little apprentice is not satisfied with me as his master?" the carefree old man asked with a smile.

You regained her composure, and Leng Jie immediately put on a fawning smile, replying in a crisp voice:

"Satisfied! Satisfied! Extremely satisfied! I wonder what gift Master has to give his disciple?"

The carefree old man was taken aback, then burst into laughter: "Haha...you little devil, the Empress herself! You don't bring a gift for your master, but instead ask for one! What kind of logic is that?"

Leng Jie and Qing Feng were both stunned! Leng Jie glared at Qing Feng and asked, "Why did you tell Master her identity?"

Qingfeng returned an innocent look: "I didn't say that!"

"Stop glaring at me, you two! Don't you even know who your master is? With your meager skills, do you think you can escape my discerning eye?" The two disciples of the carefree old man exchanged glances, leaving him standing alone. He said unhappily.

"Master can read faces?" Leng Jie asked, though she didn't believe it.

The carefree old man smiled but said nothing.

Qingfeng explained to Leng Jie, "Our master is proficient in medicine, skilled in divination and formations, and knowledgeable in astronomy and geography."

"So our master is a prophet! That's a real stroke of luck!" Leng Jie said with a smile. Although she felt Qingfeng was exaggerating a bit, thinking back to what she had seen when they entered the valley, she had to admit that this master was no ordinary person!

The three, master and disciples, chatted and laughed, arriving at an old gray courtyard to meet their relatives. Leng Jie once again looked at the simple and quiet courtyard in surprise.

"Little apprentice, do you think this place should be a wooden hut or a thatched cottage to make sense?" the carefree old man asked with a smile.

"Wow! So Master really is a sage who can predict the future!" Leng Jie said with an embarrassed smile, her thoughts exposed.

"Haha, your master is quite capable! You'll find out soon enough. Now, let your senior brother take you to freshen up. Then hurry up and cook a good meal to honor your master. I just finished a two-week fast yesterday, and I knew you'd be back after a quick calculation. That's why I'm still waiting for you on an empty stomach!"

"No way? You haven't eaten for half a month?" Leng Jie looked at the carefree old man with suspicion and asked, "Master, are you planning to cultivate immortality? Or are you already an immortal?"

"Smack!" The old man gave Leng Jie a flick on the forehead. He chuckled and scolded, "You brat! I told you to get your master something to eat, and you keep making up excuses. Have you ever heard of immortals needing to eat? Hurry up and cook me some food! I want meat!"

Good heavens! Leng Jie felt she was about to collapse. Was she really going to accept this old man as her master? She couldn't help but turn to Qingfeng, her eyes asking, "Can I back out now?"

Unfortunately, before Qingfeng could respond, she received another tap on the forehead. Her master's voice, both amused and utterly pitiful, rang in her ears again:

"What? Want to back out? There's no gatekeeper. Once you enter my Worry-Free Gate, then..."

"A person who is carefree in life will be carefree in death!" Leng Jie interrupted her master and hurriedly said, "I understand. Your disciple will go and prepare lunch for you now."

As she spoke, she grabbed Qingfeng's sleeve and started walking forward. She felt completely trapped in the beautiful snare Qingfeng had woven for her. He said his master was kind and easy to get along with. From her brief encounter, she realized he was a hunter more cunning than a fox. This was the first time Leng Jie had been so thoroughly exposed. Although she had always seen others this way before, she now knew that this feeling was anything but pleasant.

In the kitchen, Qingfeng tended the fire for Leng Jie. A pot of chicken soup was simmering inside. Leng Jie skillfully chopped up a freshly cooked pheasant. This was an ingredient the chef had prepared for them beforehand—two pheasants. Leng Jie stewed one of them, the older one, in soup, and boiled the smaller one. She cooked rice in a clay pot and stir-fried two kinds of wild vegetables she had just picked outside. A not-so-lavish lunch was quickly prepared.

The carefree old man, drawn by the aroma, gazed at the neatly arranged, tender and succulent chicken on the plate. He couldn't help but swallow hard, eagerly reaching out to grab some. Unfortunately, his hand was only halfway there when the plate of chicken seemed to sprout wings and suddenly flew into his young apprentice's hands.

"Master, you didn't wash your hands, did you?" Leng Jie asked deliberately.

The carefree old man reluctantly withdrew his hand, which had been hanging in mid-air, and chuckled awkwardly, "Hehe! My little apprentice's chicken looks and smells delicious, but I wonder how it tastes?"

"Want to know? Then go wash your hands. You're a doctor, after all; I don't need to tell you the saying 'illness enters through the mouth'!" Leng Jie said bluntly.

The carefree old man's face darkened, and he glared at Leng Jie. He snorted coldly, flicked his sleeves, and angrily turned to wash his hands.

Qingfeng chuckled to himself, knowing that no matter how powerful his master was, he would still be outmatched by Xiaojie.

Leng Jie made a face at the old man's retreating back, then put the chicken she was holding back on the table. She set out bowls and chopsticks, and served three bowls of rice. Only then did the old man return, his hands still wet with water. He even showed Leng Jie his hands to indicate that he had washed them.

"Master, please have your meal!" Leng Jie obediently handed over chopsticks. "Senior Brother, please have your meal!"

The carefree old man took the chopsticks, quickly picked up a piece of chicken, put it in his mouth, took two quick bites, and swallowed it. Immediately, another piece was at his lips. After eating three or four bites in one go, he smiled with satisfaction and said, "Hehe! You truly are my good disciple. This chicken is delicious! Your master hasn't tasted such good chicken in over twenty years. Your senior brother's chicken is practically inedible!"

"That's still better than what Master did!" Qingfeng pointed bluntly.

The carefree old man chuckled and said, "That's true. So these past few years, with your senior brother gone, I haven't eaten much. But this time, I've finally gained a good disciple who can cook."

"Why doesn't Master go down the mountain? Or hire someone to come back and cook for you?" Leng Jie asked, puzzled.

"Hehe, silly disciple, do you think just anyone can come in here? If just anyone could come in, your master would have been driven crazy by now," the carefree old man said as he ate.

"But didn't my senior brother and I use the temperature control device to come in? Why can't others come in?" Leng Jie asked, puzzled.

"That's because you practiced the internal energy cultivation techniques of my Worry-Free Sect and took the Nine-Turn Rejuvenating Pill from Worry-Free Valley. That's why you were unharmed when you came in. Ordinary people would have died as soon as they got close to that canyon," the Worry-Free Elder explained.

No wonder Qingfeng said so solemnly back then, that once you enter the Worry-Free Gate, there's no turning back. It really isn't a place anyone can enter! When Leng Jie came to her senses, she found that besides her bowl of rice, all the plates on the table were empty. Qingfeng ladled out a bowl of chicken soup and handed it to her, saying:

"Have some soup! Don't make it so delicious next time, or you can eat some before you make it. The chef's job is to provide one meal a month's worth of food."

"No way? Where's Master?" Leng Jie asked, staring blankly at Qing Feng.