Red Girl's face darkened, and she was about to refuse, but as soon as she turned around, she saw Lu Xuan already standing beside her. Knowing that this man was skilled and that she probably couldn't do anything to him, she simply stopped talking.
The two walked out of the bamboo house. Lu Xuan looked up at the sky and spoke.
"It seems like the weather is about to change, so we'd better not go too far."
"change of weather?"
Hong Guniang looked up and saw that the sky was full of bright stars and a clear moon, showing no signs of the weather changing. Fortunately, she ignored Lu Xuan and continued her walk along the mountain path.
Lu Xuan remained silent, his figure swaying slightly as he disappeared behind the girl in red. A few breaths later, without the girl in red even noticing, he reappeared.
The two walked about a hundred meters. Suddenly, a cool breeze arose. Red Girl instinctively looked up at the sky, only to see that the previously clear sky had suddenly become overcast. The moonlight was gone, and darkness visibly descended around them. A cold wind picked up, and within a few breaths, large raindrops began to pour down.
The young woman turned to hurry back, but suddenly felt a warmth spread through her. She realized she was now wearing a fur coat, and an oil-paper umbrella had appeared over her head. The biting wind and rain were instantly blocked.
Turning her head to look at Lu Xuan, she saw him standing in the rain, holding an umbrella for her. But strangely, despite the torrential rain, Hong Gu Niang was surprised to find that Lu Xuan didn't seem to be getting wet at all.
"You..." The girl in red jumped several meters away in fright.
"Are you human or a ghost?" The words had barely left his mouth when he felt the umbrella above his head reappear. At the same time, Lu Xuan's voice came from behind him.
"Are you afraid of ghosts?" Along with these words came a warm breath, making Hong Gu Niang's neck feel cozy. Ghosts don't have warm breath, do they? Hong Gu Niang explained to herself. Moreover, this person's movements were incredibly fast, even more astonishing than her own as a performer from the Moon Gate. She couldn't dodge his actions at all. Fortunately, she managed to walk back to the bamboo house.
Lu Xuan's umbrella was very thoughtful; not a single drop of water fell on Hong Guniang from beginning to end.
After entering the house, Hong glanced at him, tossed him her coat, and turned to go inside. Lu Xuan wasn't angry; he chuckled softly. He turned to look at the heavy rain outside.
Upon seeing this, Chen Yulou walked over to his side.
"So, what do you think of my sister, Brother Lu?"
"She's my type."
"Haha, Brother Lu, you're certainly a man of few words. But then again, Miss Hong has a tragic past. When she was sixteen, a local bully took a liking to her and wanted to take her as a concubine. She refused, and her family was forced to their deaths by the bully. In a fit of rage, she killed all sixteen members of the bully's family. From then on, she became an outlaw and joined my Xieling Sect. I treat her like a younger sister. Brother Lu, you should consider this carefully."
Chen Yulou's words were truly from the heart. He hoped that Miss Hong would find a good home. However, he didn't understand Lu Xuan. He could only offer a half-explanation, half-warning suggestion.
"I understand what you mean. Don't worry, I won't let her get hurt."
"That's good. However, I'm not her biological brother after all, so it depends on her wishes." Chen Yulou naturally couldn't just give his person to someone of unknown origin with a few words. He made it clear that Hong Guniang's consent was necessary.
After chatting for a while, Chen Yulou finally felt tired and turned to rest. Lu Xuan, on the other hand, sat alone under the eaves outside the house, meditating until dawn. The benefit of practicing Qi cultivation is that it can replace sleep through meditation and sitting meditation.
The next day, when everyone awoke, the sky was already clear, as if the heavy rain of the previous night had never happened. Mountain weather is like that—it changes in an instant. So, at Lu Xuan's reminder, everyone packed raincoats, umbrellas, and some dry food and drinking water before setting off for Ping Mountain.
Before setting off, Lu Xuan asked everyone to wait a moment. He quickly walked to the outer edge of the village and returned shortly afterward, carrying a bamboo cage containing a magnificent rooster.
"My goodness! This rooster is huge. If we stew it all together, there'll be enough for each of us to have a big bowl. Brother Lu, is this the food you brought?"
The one who could say such a thing was undoubtedly Commander Luo. Lu Xuan couldn't be bothered with this fool.
"You'll see how wonderful this thing is when the time comes." Without further explanation, he took the rooster and set off.
Rong Baoyi led the way for everyone. However, Lu Xuan didn't let him go all the way. Once they could see Ping Mountain in the distance, he sent him back. A child wasn't suitable for this adventure. Ping Mountain was fraught with countless dangers, many of which Lu Xuan found troublesome. Naturally, he couldn't let this kid take the risk.
"Alright, Rongbao Yixiao. Take her back here. Don't keep your mother waiting."
"Brother Lu, you should come back with me. We really can't go into Ping Mountain. There are monsters inside."
"Haha, Brother Lu knows there are monsters. This trip in is to catch them. You stay home and wait for me to come back. I'll treat you to stir-fried cured pork."
"Brother Lu, you must be careful."
"Don't worry, go back now. Don't keep your mother waiting."
"Hmm." Rong Baoyi finished speaking and turned to run away. Because Lu Xuan was there, Commander Luo and the others didn't make things difficult for the child this time. Hong Guniang, who was standing to the side, saw Lu Xuan's actions and her eyes lit up slightly.
Lu Xuan straightened up and said.
"Ping Mountain is right in front of us. Commander Luo, you can gather the troops now. This isn't something that can be done in a day or two. Let's set up camp first. I'll be right back."
After saying that, he flickered and disappeared into the grass.
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Chapter 186 Partridge Whistle Who Moves Mountains (Third Update, Please Subscribe)
Upon seeing Lu Xuan suddenly disappear, Commander Luo immediately flew into a rage.
"I hope this kid didn't run away."
Chen Yulou spoke up.
"Probably not. Ping Mountain is already in sight. Whether he runs away or not is irrelevant. We just need to focus on our own tasks."
“That makes sense. Let’s set up camp first and wait for my brothers to arrive before we open the mountain and take the treasure. But then again, what the hell is this place? It feels so eerie.” Commander Luo said, looking at the few thatched huts in front of him.
"This place is called the 'Zanguan' (攒馆). It's a place to lay the bodies of strangers who die in the area."
"Isn't that a mortuary?"
"almost."
"Damn it. I knew this place was creepy." Upon hearing it was a brothel, Commander Luo felt uneasy. He quickly grabbed a torch and held it in his hand. Only then did he feel much better.
The group pushed open the door and entered. They saw dozens of coffins neatly arranged throughout the room. Even the bravest person would get goosebumps at the sight.
On the other side, Lu Xuan's body leaped and bounded several times on the mountain. He heard a strange sound coming from the bushes ahead. He chuckled softly, and his body floated over like a ghost.