"Chong Xuezhi, the world needs you now."
"It is you who need me."
"That's not true. Second Uncle has always worked hard without complaint."
Shangguan Tou said, "Zhi'er, it turns out you and your second father are quite alike."
Xuezhi said, "Let's talk about the 'Samadhi Flame Phoenix Blade' first."
"'Samadhi Flame Phoenix Blade'?" Feng She had already stood up, squinting as he gazed at the manual, and smiled, "Is this the manual? It looks a lot like one I saw before."
Xuezhi and Lin Yuhuang glanced at him in unison, then continued talking to themselves.
Shangguan asked, "Which one?"
"The Snow Lotus Sword of the Vast Ocean".
These words shocked the father and daughter. Xuezhi rushed over and grabbed his shoulder: "Xiaoshe, where did you see that? Tell your sister quickly!"
Feng She raised an eyebrow and said, "Beg me."
"Please."
"I don't want you to beg like that." Feng She patted his fair and thin face, looking like he was asking for a beating. "Give me a kiss and I'll tell you."
Xuezhi hesitated for a moment. Soon, Lin Yuhuang's sinister voice came from behind her: "Sodomy."
Feng She glanced at Lin Yuhuang, who was smiling brightly despite the dark clouds overhead, and said somewhat unwillingly, "At... Hongling Temple."
"Hongling Temple?" Lin Yuhuang stood up. "Was that poison really from Man Feiyue? Damn it! I actually lost to her!"
Shangguan Tou asked, "Is the secret manual inside Hongling Temple?"
"Yes."
"Then could you lead us to sneak into Hongling Temple?"
"Sure, sure. But what will you offer in exchange? Don't mention that word with 'chicken' in it again, I'm not buying it."
What do you want?
"I have no idea."
"..."
Xuezhi said, "Then let's do this: we'll owe you a favor for now, and we'll let you know when you've thought it through. As long as it's within our power, and it doesn't cost us our lives or involve anything outrageous, we'll do our best, okay?"
"All right."
"Really? When are you taking me?"
"Tomorrow."
"Really? That's wonderful!" Xuezhi's eyes narrowed into slits with joy, and she kissed Feng She on the cheek. "Thank you, Feng She!"
Feng Shemu froze for a moment, then quickly covered his cheeks with his hands, but couldn't hide the blush spreading rapidly across his face: "Chong Xuezhi! How can a girl like you kiss people so casually!"
"You're the one who asked me to kiss you."
"You'll kiss me just because I tell you to? Do you want me to be your wife?"
"Alright, alright, stop being so stubborn, go pack your things."
After chasing away the ripe tomato Feng She, Xue Zhi happily returned. Shangguan Tou looked at her, his face expressionless. Lin Yuhuang immediately gave her a sharp rap on the head. After being nagged for a while, Xue Zhi covered her head and laughed, "I really didn't expect Xiao She to be so easy to talk to."
96
Qiu Hongxiu, who had just stepped inside, said, “Don’t let his easygoing nature fool you. This kid may look like a rebellious teenager, but he’s actually very worldly and pragmatic. He can betray even the Holy Mother who raised him, let alone you. The people of Hongling Temple are all like that. If you give them benefits, they’ll kill their own mothers without batting an eye.”
"Zhi girl, do you see that? This girl is so good at light footwork and so thoughtful. Unlike you, you're such a simple and silly girl."
"Don't talk nonsense! You're not innocent!"
"Okay, then you're in a complicated situation." Lin Yuhuang looked at them. "In the end, everyone already knows about this."
Shangguan Tou smiled and said, "Uncle Lin, please rest assured, Hongxiu and Langya are both trustworthy people."
"Alright. I have to go back to Chonghuo Palace. You'll have to stay with Zhi'er tomorrow."
"Yes, I will."
"No need," Xuezhi quickly waved her hand. "My martial arts skills are still quite good, and Xiao She must be very familiar with Hongling Temple. Bringing another person would only make things more difficult. Besides, Young Master Shangguan is probably very busy and won't have the time."
Shangguan Tou glanced at Xuezhi sideways without saying a word.
Lin Yuhuang leaned back in her chair and chuckled, "My good daughter has not only learned manners, but also how to be considerate? Don't worry, Xiao Tou will definitely be eager to go with you. With his martial arts skills, how could he possibly hold you back?"
Xuezhi panicked: "No need, really no need."
Shangguan Tou maintained his indifferent demeanor. His eyes, naturally light in color and usually clear, now appeared almost ethereal, as if veiled by a layer of frost. Despite this, he maintained his unwavering smile.
"Uncle Lin, I suddenly remembered that there is a deal to be discussed at Pinghu Spring Garden this month. The two garden owners will be going to Moon Valley in a few days." Shangguan Tou suddenly said, "We can't go to Hongling Temple this time. We'll accompany Zhier next time."
A sense of unease gradually welled up in Xuezhi's heart.
Pinghu Spring Garden. He Chunluo.
This was what Xuezhi subconsciously connected to. He Chunlu had been eyeing Shangguan Tou for a long time, despite her seemingly gentle demeanor. Xuezhi desperately suppressed her displeasure, said "I'm sleepy," and hurriedly left the room. Shangguan Tou didn't chase after her as usual.
The next day, Xuezhi followed Fengshe to Xuantian Hongling Temple.
It turned out that Xuantian Hongling Temple wasn't far from Suzhou; it was only about a day's walk west. When they reached the edge of a forest, it was already late. Xuezhi originally planned to stay overnight before crossing the forest, but Feng She forcibly made her change into grey clothes and dragged her inside. Before long, the two were standing beneath an ancient, towering tree. Black mist filled the surroundings, and the ancient tree's trunk blocked out the sun; from a distance, it resembled a long-abandoned ancient city.
Xuezhi couldn't help but ask, "What is this?"
"Xuantian Hongling Temple".
"This...is this Hongling Temple?"
“Next,” Feng She pointed to the tree roots and handed Xue Zhi a piece of gray patched cloth, “Tie this to your head, making sure all your hair is covered, not a single strand is left out, and then cover most of your face. Also, once you go inside, no matter how strange or unusual things you see, don’t touch them; no matter what questions others ask you, you only need to answer ‘The fragrance of the jade hairpin is as sweet as orchids, surpassing all other beauties.’”
What does this mean?
"You don't need to worry about what it means, just read it aloud and you won't go wrong." Feng She beckoned with his finger and walked quickly and lightly forward.
Xuezhi took two steps forward and then saw clearly that there was a wide, square, deep pit in the lawn under the ancient tree. A staircase stretched straight down, with no end in sight.
“Remember, don’t touch anything, and be careful when you walk,” Feng She repeated once again.
"Um."
"...Never mind, give me your hand."
"Um?"
Feng She grabbed Xue Zhi's hand and carefully led her down the path.
It turned out that Xuantian Hongling Temple was an underground sect. After walking a few steps, they noticed faint lights emanating from the path. The further down they went, the brighter the lights became. Then, torches began to light the walls they passed. Finally, the two stopped before an iron gate that resembled a prison cell door. Upon seeing the two guards, Xuezhi felt an immediate sense of admiration for Man Feiyue: even the guards could be dressed so extravagantly: earrings, necklaces, tattoos—nothing was missing.
"Who goes there?" The voice was incredibly alluring, as if it didn't come from a man.
"It's me, Feng She." Feng She's voice also became a little seductive, which gave Xue Zhi goosebumps.
"Oh, it's my senior brother. And who's that ugly girl behind him?"
Xuezhi was furious, but she still replied, "The fragrance of the jade hairpin is as sweet as orchids, surpassing all other beauties."
"Go in."
Then the two passed through and entered. Once inside, they discovered that while the exterior looked unremarkable, the interior was incredibly opulent. Its vast size rivaled the Ming Tombs, and the mysterious decor and color scheme made it look like an underground palace. However, strange black or dark purple stalactites clung to the marble walls, or occasionally, poisonous insects darted about. Xuezhi swallowed hard and followed closely behind Feng She.
Finally, the two entered the main hall.
In the main hall stood a statue three times the height of a human, surrounded by many men, none of whom resembled a woman.
Many people came to ask Xuezhi questions, and Xuezhi, enduring their strange tone, answered them one by one: "The fragrance of the jade hairpin is as sweet as orchids, surpassing all other beauties."
Just as her patience was about to reach its limit, she suddenly looked up and saw the statue.
The statue's face is that of Man Feiyue, but its figure is definitely that of a voluptuous, tall woman. Three characters are inscribed below the statue: Man Yuchai.
“The jade hairpin is the name of the Holy Mother. This statue is also of herself.” Feng She thought for a moment and then said, “Her ideal self.”
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97
Xuezhi's task was simple: just keep repeating one sentence to deceive everyone. Later, she understood Feng She's intention: there were very few women working here, and they were all as tall as or shorter than Manyiyue. The only words they could speak were those ten inexplicable characters. Standing in the Hongling Temple, Xuezhi realized that she had become a female giant.
Feng She had a tough time, talking to people everywhere and displaying expressions Xue Zhi rarely saw—expressions unique to Hongling Temple, brimming with allure. And look at that statue; its figure goes without saying. The material, carved from mutton-fat jade, was like solidified cream, with a deep blue sheen, almost translucent. The woman's face in the statue was so clear and translucent it seemed you could squeeze water from it. Thinking about Man Feiyue's true face, few could remain unmoved by the weight of life.
After confirming that Man Feiyue was out, Feng She took Xuezhi and led her out through a small door on the side. Every so often, there was a small hole in the cave ceiling. It was late at night, and starlight streamed through the holes, neatly arranged on the ground and falling on the people passing by.
After winding their way through countless courtyards, the two finally stopped in a deserted corner. Feng She suddenly stopped, and Xue Zhi bumped into his back. She rubbed her face, glanced ahead, and almost fainted—they were standing before a bottomless abyss. Hanging from the cliff was a steel cable, and in the center of the cable was a large iron cage, secured with a lock.
Feng She clapped his hands and said, "Oh no, I forgot she likes to lock cages."
"The fragrance of her jade hairpin is as sweet as orchids, surpassing all other beauties."
"Okay, now that there's no one around, you can speak."
"Are we going to crawl into this cage and fall out?"
"Yes."
Xuezhi fainted at the sight of blood again.
"I'm going to find the keys. Stay here and don't go anywhere." Feng She took a couple of steps, then turned back and said, "If anyone comes, I'll say the same thing again: don't wander around."
Xuezhi nodded.
To get from the iron cage area to Manyue's dormitory, one had to cross the main hall, almost to the other end of Hongling Temple. Feng She was anxious but dared not run too fast, and had to greet people along the way. When he reached the entrance of the hall, he let out a long sigh—there wouldn't be too many people on the other side, so he could quicken his pace.
However, the hall was completely silent.
Feng She felt a chill run down his spine and dared not advance rashly.
At that moment, Man Feiyue's mature and full voice echoed in the cold and quiet hall: "Xiao She, what are you doing standing at the door? You're already late."
Feng She swallowed hard, forced himself to walk in, stopped to her right, and stammered, "Wasn't the Holy Mother not here? Why is she back so soon?"
"Oh, what's wrong? You don't want me to come back yet?"