NOVEL NEXT Chapter 178 – Once Upon a Time in the Azure Cloud Sect
Deep within the mountains, nestled amidst ancient forests, lay the grounds of the Azure Cloud Sect.
Lu Fubao, dressed in simple coarse cloth, her hair styled in adorable twin buns, climbed the stone steps with nimble steps, taking three or four at a time.
A small bamboo basket hung on her back, filled with spring bamboo shoots, colorful wild mushrooms, and a variety of berries and wild vegetables. Her rosy cheeks and the smile playing on her lips betrayed her cheerful mood.
“Fan Li! I’m back!”
“Look what delicious things I brought you!”
“Ah, Daoist Priest Ling Xiao is here too? Thank you for treating Fan Li’s injuries again.”
Halfway up the mountain, a thatched hut stood alone. Inside, Fan Li sat on a kang bed while a young Daoist priest channeled his Qi to heal his wounds.
“Miss Lu has returned?” The young Daoist priest, Ling Xiao, looked up, his eyes lighting up at the sight of her.
“I am merely following the orders of my master, the sect leader, to treat Brother Fan’s injuries. It is my duty, no need for thanks.”
As he spoke, his gaze lingered on Lu Fubao. He noticed her slightly flushed cheeks and the beads of sweat on her forehead, evidence of the long journey she had undertaken to gather food for Fan Li. A frown creased his brow.
“I never would have thought… Brother Fan, as Miss Lu’s husband, hasn’t even reached the level of Golden Core.
Preparing meals for Brother Fan every day must be quite tiring for Miss Lu. Unfortunately, all the disciples of the Azure Cloud Sect have achieved a state where we can live without food, and we do not cook within the sect. I cannot offer any assistance in that regard.”
Lu Fubao felt a strange tone in Ling Xiao’s words, but the way he addressed Fan Li as her ‘husband’ brought a blush to her cheeks. To her own surprise, she didn’t correct him.
“My husband’s cultivation was originally quite high. But he was ambushed by villains and his spirit was injured, causing his cultivation to decline significantly. One day, he will regain his strength and seek revenge on those who wronged him!”
Ling Xiao’s expression remained unconvinced. “Today’s treatment is complete. I shall return to the sect now. Please remember, Brother Fan and Miss Lu, you may only move about near the mountain’s midsection. Further up lies the sect’s main gate, and outsiders are forbidden from entering without the sect leader’s permission.
However, if Miss Lu requires anything, you may inform the elder guarding the mountain gate and mention my name. They will grant you passage.”
A hint of pride colored his tone as he continued. “After all, I am the sect leader’s personal disciple. I still hold some influence within the Azure Cloud Sect.”
“Thank you, Daoist Priest Ling Xiao,” Lu Fubao quickly expressed her gratitude, then added a gentle reminder, “There’s no need to address me as Miss Lu. You may call me by my name or ‘Madam Fan.’”
Ling Xiao was momentarily stunned, a flicker of anger crossed his handsome features before he quickly vanished.
“Farewell!”
After Ling Xiao had left, Lu Fubao stuck her tongue out in the direction he had gone. “Ptui! Lecher! If not for the Azure Cloud Sect’s unique healing techniques, I would have shown you my true colors!”
“Pfft!” Fan Li couldn’t help but laugh.
Seeing him chuckle, Lu Fubao’s face flushed red.
“You… what are you laughing at? I only pretended to be your wife for convenience. Besides, didn’t you see how that Ling Xiao was practically drooling over me like a lustful ghost?”
“I saw,” Fan Li nodded. “Thank you for your efforts, Miss Lu. I am… ahem, Fan Li is eternally grateful.”
Hearing him address her formally as ‘Miss Lu’ again, Lu Fubao’s brows furrowed slightly.
“Don’t call me that, someone might overhear. If they discover our charade, it will be inconvenient for me to take care of you.”
Fan Li was taken aback. “Then what should I call you? Surely not ‘wife’ or ‘my lady’?”
If he hadn’t asked, perhaps he could have gotten away with it. But now that he had voiced the question, any girl with a shred of modesty wouldn’t agree.
Lu Fubao glared at him. “Call me ‘Fubao.’ Surely that won’t offend your noble tongue?”
Fan Li’s injuries hadn’t fully healed, and he could barely walk. He leaned against the headboard and said in a placating tone, “Of course not. Having Fubao personally care for me is a blessing from my past life.”
His words brought another blush to Lu Fubao’s cheeks. Fan Li also realized his words might have sounded a bit too intimate.
“Ah, well… are you hungry? I found a lot of food.”
Lu Fubao bit her lip, unsure if she was nervous or trying to suppress a smile. She hurriedly grabbed her bamboo basket and emptied its contents onto the table.
At first, Fan Li’s reaction was normal as he saw the berries and bamboo shoots. But as a pile of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple mushrooms tumbled out of the basket, his expression changed.
He pointed to the most numerous variety, with their bright red caps, and asked, “Are you sure these are edible?”
Perhaps he was simply ignorant, and mushrooms in this world were naturally brightly colored. Clean and hygienic, safe to eat?
“I don’t know,” Lu Fubao shook her head. “Back in Lu City, the chefs at home often made mushroom soup. Why, are there poisonous mushrooms?”
There are! Absolutely!
Fan Li rolled his eyes, feeling a sense of exasperation. Thankfully, he had asked. She didn’t even know how to distinguish poisonous mushrooms?
“Ahem,” Fan Li said in a confident tone. “Fubao, I believe all these mushrooms you picked are poisonous.”
Lu Fubao’s face turned pale. “I didn’t do it on purpose!”
Like a child who had made a mistake but refused to admit it, she left the table full of poisonous mushrooms and fled the hut, leaving Fan Li alone on the bed.
Fan Li waited and waited, but Lu Fubao didn’t return. His stomach began to rumble with hunger.
“Alright,” he thought with resignation. “Looks like I’m having another raw meal.”
He forced himself out of bed and stumbled to the table, grabbing a bamboo shoot in one hand and a few wild dates in the other. He shoved them into his mouth, ignoring the taste.
After filling his stomach, he leaned against the wall and slowly made his way outside.
As expected, Lu Fubao was crouched on the stone steps outside the hut.
She flinched slightly at the sound of his footsteps but pretended not to hear him, remaining motionless.
“Fubao?”
“What?!” Her tone was sharp, but beneath it lay a hint of grievance and guilt.
“Thank you for taking care of me every day.”
“Hmph!”
Tsundere, but with a hint of pride and relief.
“There’s something I want to discuss with you.”
“Go ahead, I’m listening~!”
Fan Li paused and his tone became serious. “If we encounter danger again, especially a life-or-death situation, you can leave me behind and escape on your own. Truly, you don’t need to worry about me.”
After all, this was just a clone.
No matter how valuable, a clone couldn’t compare to Lu Fubao’s life.
Ever since Yan Yuan’s death, Fan Li had been filled with an indescribable guilt towards the people of Lu City. He hadn’t even dared to tell Lu Fubao about Yan Yuan’s death.
“What do you mean?!”
Lu Fubao fell silent for a moment, then turned to face Fan Li, her beautiful eyes blazing with anger.
“Do you think I’m a cold-hearted person? Or a coward who clings to life at all costs? Fan Li! I just picked a few poisonous mushrooms by mistake! Why do you misunderstand me like this? I misjudged you!”
Tears welled up in her eyes.
Perhaps it was because of the life-or-death situations they had faced together, but Fan Li had become a special presence in Lu Fubao’s heart. This change was something even she hadn’t realized.
She only felt aggrieved.
She cared so much about Fan Li, so why didn’t he understand? Why did he say such hurtful things, telling her to abandon him?
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