L'hibiscus comme peinture

Chapitre 113

"Did you hear me clearly?" Sheng Lu finally finished speaking, took a deep breath, and shouted loudly.

"Understood." The eight sect leaders looked like wilted eggplants, weak and listless. Duan Zhengfei's complexion was also not good, but it was much better than that of the eight sect leaders. Jin Xuan had been staring at the Holy Lord from beginning to end. Even he himself did not understand that the Holy Lord was looking at him. He also looked at the person in his heart through the Holy Lord. Yi Tian, Yi Han, and Wei Ziqi also stared at the Holy Lord. He felt too familiar to them.

"Hehe... Sect Leader, Sect Leader..." Seeing the eight usually arrogant sect leaders looking like they were swallowing a bitter pill, unable to express their grievances, Sheng Cheng chuckled happily. Just as she was about to say something, she noticed that their sect leader seemed lost in thought, not responding to her calls.

"What is the sect leader looking at? He's so engrossed in it that he didn't hear Sheng Cheng calling him so many times." Sheng Qing, always eager to stir up trouble, immediately moved closer to the Holy Lord with a knowing smile.

"Nothing? Let's go!" The Holy Lord suddenly came to his senses, his face, hidden under the veil, blushed slightly, and he forced himself to remain calm. With a flash, he disappeared from the mountain peak.

"I saw it! I just saw the sect leader blush! It really is! Wow, so cute, hehe..." Sheng Qing watched as their sect leader fled down the mountain as if he were running away. He was stunned for a moment before he came back to his senses from the scene just now. He shouted as if he had seen some kind of wonder.

"Okay, let's go! Otherwise we won't be able to keep up with the sect leader." Saint Orange, Saint Green, and Saint Purple rolled their eyes at her and said disdainfully before following the direction in which Saint Lord disappeared. In fact, they were unconvinced. Why didn't they see that classic scene just now? It was all the sect leader's fault for running too fast.

"Hmph, just say you're jealous! Wait for me!" Sheng Qing pouted and snorted coldly. Finding that she was alone, she quickly chased after him.

Jin Xuan and the others were unaware of what was happening. They only saw the Holy Lord leap into the air like a startled swan and instantly reach the foot of the mountain. The woman in green shouted something about blushing, and then everyone instantly vanished. The Holy Immortal Sect was indeed strange, and their martial arts were truly extraordinary.

"Where have they all gone?" The eight sect leaders stared wide-eyed at the scene before them in disbelief, exclaiming in shock.

Duan Zhengfei was also speechless with shock. Holy Lord, how high must your martial arts be! Apart from the prince, he had never seen anyone with such high lightness skills. Although he had an eccentric temper, with the help of the Holy Immortal Sect this time, the Seven Kill Tower should not be a threat.

The Holy Ruler? Jin Xuan instantly vanished, chasing after the Holy Ruler...

The Strategist and the Princess: A Journey to the Seven Temples Tower (Jianghu Chapter)

Inside the side room of the Duan residence, the Holy Emperor stood with his hands behind his back, calmly gazing out the window, two strands of white hair fluttering in the wind, as if admiring the beautiful scenery outside.

A few knocks sounded on the door, and the Holy Emperor's shoulders trembled imperceptibly. He said in a low voice, "Come in."

With a creak, the door opened, and Sheng Qing walked in with a grin. She winked ambiguously at Sheng Jun, who was standing by the window, and deliberately raised her voice, saying, "Sect Master, Young Master Ling has arrived." Although Sheng Jun was looking at her, she still winked and grinned happily.

"Then let him in!" After a moment of silence, the Holy Emperor composed himself and said calmly.

As soon as they moved into the Duan residence, Jinxuan immediately asked to see him alone. After some hesitation, he finally agreed to see him, but he was uneasy, wondering if Jinxuan had noticed something.

"Yes." Shengqing happily replied, immediately letting Jinxuan in, then smiled at the two of them and left.

"Your Majesty." Jin Xuan walked in and was immediately drawn to the aloof white figure. His voice, though less cold, carried a hint of emotion. Whenever he saw the Holy Emperor, that serene gaze would always come to mind.

"Young Master Ling, please." The Holy Lord turned around, flicked his robes, and said calmly. The mention of "Holy Lord" eased his mind considerably; he couldn't possibly have guessed, after all, "she" was already dead. Her voice also deliberately became low, making it even less likely he would guess.

"Your Majesty, have we met before?" Jin Xuan sat down, his cold expression softening as he frowned . He couldn't see Jin Xuan's face clearly, but the sense of familiarity had been there from the very first moment he saw him.

"No." The Holy Lord sat down opposite Jin Xuan, directly denying it. Did he come to him just to ask if they had already met?

"I've come here today to discuss with the Holy Lord the matter of dealing with the Seven Killings Tower," Jin Xuan said, no longer fixated on whether the two had met before, and directly stated his purpose.

He didn't understand why he still had the mind to care about this issue. For him now, eradicating the Seven Killings Tower was the only thing he wanted to do; everything else was irrelevant to him. He had no interest in caring, but he couldn't ignore this Holy Emperor, especially the two strands of white hair floating on his forehead. He felt inexplicably heartbroken. From his posture and expression, he knew he wasn't very old. What was it? Why did he make the young man's hair turn white?

"Why do you choose to speak with me alone, away from everyone else?" the Holy Emperor said calmly, reaching out to fiddle with the tea set on the table, his eyes lowered.

"I once followed the assassins of the Seven Killings Tower, trying to find their location, but I almost got trapped in the dense forest. It was full of dangers. I thought that if there were too many people, it would reveal our whereabouts and allow the Seven Killings Tower to be prepared, resulting in even more casualties." Jin Xuan stared intently at the Holy Lord's hand as he set out the tea, his voice slightly deep, but his tone remained completely calm.

As if he hadn't heard Jin Xuan's words, the Holy Lord continued to lower his head and fiddle with the tea set. Jin Xuan was not in a hurry, but simply watched his movements as he set the tea. His movements were so elegant and graceful, as if he were a pure and flawless immortal, undisturbed by the outside world. For a moment, Jin Xuan had the illusion that his mortal body might taint his immortal body.

After a while, the room was filled with a pleasant fragrance. The Holy Lord slowly poured a cup of tea, and wisps of mist, like a veil, rose up, gently swirling around him, dreamlike and ethereal, as if they might disappear at any moment. Jin Xuan watched, his heart pounding with unease. He wanted to rush forward and grab the Holy Lord, his fists clenching unconsciously. Only when a pair of delicate, perfect hands held a cup of tea before him did he relax his taut heart, release his grip, and accept the fragrant tea shrouded in mist. He inhaled the aroma, finding it refreshing even before tasting it. He savored it carefully; upon tasting, the fragrance lingered on his lips and teeth, truly sweet and mellow without being overpowering, seemingly tasteless. After drinking it, he felt a harmonious energy permeating his mouth. This tasteless taste was, in fact, the ultimate taste…

This is clearly just ordinary Longjing tea, but why does it become so fragrant after being handled by him? Even the tribute tea from the palace cannot compare. It is truly excellent tea and skillful craftsmanship. My mind suddenly became clear, and I felt a peace I had never experienced before.

The Holy Emperor poured himself a cup of tea, picked it up and smelled it carefully. He closed his eyes slightly, and the world suddenly became quiet, with only the two of them carefully sipping the tea and the aroma filling the air.

The Holy Lord held the teacup but didn't drink it. He merely raised it to his nose and put it down, saying calmly, "Is that a formation?" Though it was a question, his tone was certain. The information sent by Holy Orange only went as far as that dense forest; they hadn't even seen the Seven Killings Tower. Even the Orange Pavilion couldn't see it, which could only mean that the strange forest was a very powerful formation. Not many people in the Orange Pavilion knew the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, let alone were proficient in them. Jin Xuan's trip there and subsequent failure further confirmed his suspicions. Otherwise, given Jin Xuan's abilities, if he could know the location of the Seven Killings Tower, he wouldn't need to ask him for help.

"I think so," Jinxuan nodded, his eyes fixed on the half-empty cup of fragrant tea. He thought to himself that he would probably never be able to drink such fragrant Longjing tea again!

"After destroying the Seven Fiends Tower, if Young Master Ling has some free time, I will invite you for tea again," the Holy Lord said, as if he had seen through Jin Xuan's thoughts.

"I'm afraid I'll be troubling you then," Jinxuan said, taking another sip of tea as if savoring the memory, his expression softening and his tone becoming somewhat humorous.

The Holy Lord shook his head, stood up, looked out the window, and a smile appeared on his lips hidden under his veil. To be able to brew tea for Jin Xuan, to peacefully drink tea and discuss the Dao with him, to feel his steady heartbeat, and to hear his satisfied sighs—what more could he ask for? If this were truly the last leg of his life, to be able to peacefully brew tea and chat with him every day, to burn the zither and discuss the Dao, even if the days were as bland as water, would be as sweet as drinking water to him. But such days were now a dream for him. As long as the Seven Temples Tower remained standing, they would never have a day of peace.

"The sun has set; it's time for us to set off." The Holy Emperor, hands clasped behind his back, gazed at the last rays of the setting sun and spoke softly. The sunset was infinitely beautiful, but it was nearing dusk. Was his life also nearing its 'twilight'?

"Hmm." Jin Xuan looked at his back and nodded. He understood what he meant. Bathed in the sunset, his white figure was tinged with a golden hue, so dazzling, yet giving him a lonely and desolate aura.

Two figures flashed by, and the room, filled with the aroma of tea, vanished without a trace.

"Hehe... The tea brewed by the sect leader is so fragrant! It's a pity we're not that person, we don't have that kind of luck." Sheng Cheng lay on the tree trunk, pretending to regret it, with an awkward smile on her face. She glanced at Sheng Qing, who was smiling, and nudged her with her elbow, saying, "You cunning Qing, do you think something might happen when Prince Jin and the sect leader go out alone, 'under the flowers and the moon'?"

"Put away your filthy thoughts." Sheng Qing glared disdainfully at Sheng Cheng, then, as if lost in a pleasant dream, said with a look of rapture, "The sect leader and Jin Xuan will definitely work together seamlessly to destroy that wicked Seven Fiends Tower. In the process, Prince Jin will discover the truth, and then the two of them..."

"Sister Shengqing..." Before Shengqing could finish speaking, a clear, mischievous voice rang out, interrupting Shengqing's words and breaking her boundless reverie.

"Who is it?" Sheng Qing shouted angrily. Who was so inconsiderate as to interrupt her while she was imagining that beautiful scene, ruining the tender moment between Prince Jin and the sect leader? Just wait and see how I deal with you! Turning her head, she saw that yellow figure, immediately suppressed her anger, put on a smile, and said, "Oh, it's you! Little Yingying, what brings you here?" As she spoke, she flew down.

"I've already told you, stop calling me Xiao Yingying like Master does. I'm only a few years younger than you," Huang Ying protested, pouting.

"Alright, alright... Sister Ying, what brings you here?" Sheng Qing patted Huang Ying's head and smiled. She adored her younger sister, who possessed extraordinary medical skills! Despite her young age, she had inherited all of Master Huang's teachings and was renowned throughout the land as the number one female physician! Her personality was also a direct descendant of Master Huang's—quite eccentric. However, ever since returning from her trip to the border, she had been acting strangely, alternating between laughter and sorrow. It had been a long time since she had seen her so odd; she truly missed her.

"My master asked me to take care of the sect leader, as he himself is too busy," Huang Ying said excitedly. She was very curious about and admired this mysterious sect leader, but no matter how much she tried to please the old man, he wouldn't take her to see the sect leader. Now that she could finally meet the sect leader, she felt both nervous and excited.