Chapter 89 Reunion with Purple Fern

  As soon as Shen Bailian woke up, she felt a wave of dizziness in her mind, and her hands and feet were soft and weak. In her confusion, she suddenly heard a faint breathing sound beside her ear. She quickly turned her head to look, only to see someone lying next to her pillow, with a high crown and a few strands of raven-black hair scattered out, falling on the pillow, and being gently blown up by the person's soft breath.

  In the drowsy vision of my first awakening, his profile was exceptionally serene and gentle, more so than usual. The morning light passing through the window paper cast a sharp outline on his face, carving out deep facial lines like a knife cut, with long eyelashes like feathers, a straight nose and handsome eyes, and a faintly furrowed brow that exuded an icy elegance. This must be what they mean by "noble bearing".

  It was probably the sweeping gaze that made the person in a deep sleep feel something, and his sword-like eyebrows seemed to frown even more tightly. It wasn't until then that Shen Bailian suddenly realized he had been staring at Murong Ziyin for almost a moment, and he felt a bit embarrassed, so he quickly looked away and slowly sat up with his hands on the ground for support.

  There was one thing that made him wonder... Why did Zǐ Yīng sleep here? Shěn Bǎi Líng thought for a moment, and gradually remembered some things... Yesterday, he drank with the boat owner and others, the wine was very strong, making people dizzy, and then he accidentally dropped his wine glass... As for what happened later, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't remember clearly, only vaguely recalling fragmented dreams, which were just old memories from years ago. This time, however, there seemed to be a cold aura surrounding him, making him feel at ease... How many years had it been since he last felt this way?

  Just immersed in a somewhat melancholic sentiment, suddenly the door outside transmitted a few knocks that were neither light nor heavy, followed by a loud and clear voice: "Brother Shen, Xiao Ge Mu Rong, are you awake?"

  Shen Bailian was startled, and before she could respond, she felt the boy's body beside her lightly tremble. The calm atmosphere surrounding him instantly returned to its usual clarity, indicating that he had awakened from his slumber. Indeed, in the next moment, he propped himself up with both hands, sat up straight, and their gazes met as they stared into a pair of deep eyes.

  It's unclear whether it was an illusion, but Shen Bailian felt that Murong Ziyin's gaze at him today seemed particularly complex, with a hint of inquiry. However, the young man remained silent, only pursing his lips and staring intently at him. Shen Bailian felt somewhat bewildered - had he not woken up yet?

  "Uh... Ziying, you're awake." Shen Bailian had to make small talk, and a faint smile appeared on his face. "Yesterday... I must have been drunk and made a fool of myself, sorry about that, thanks for understanding." After thinking for a moment, he added another sentence, "If I've offended you in any way, please forgive me."

  The person in front of the bed tightened his lips a bit more and still didn't say a word.

  Some awkward atmosphere spread unknowingly, Shen Baiying felt even more uncomfortable, and secretly thought: What exactly happened yesterday, why is Ziying being so strange today...

  Just then, the door was knocked again by Xiang Qing, who called out in a loud voice: "Shen brothers, Shen brothers?" The shopkeeper's voice could also be heard, trying to persuade him: "Xiang sir, the two young masters inside haven't even gotten up yet! As the saying goes, one moment of spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold..."

  "Cut the crap, what's with two grown men on a spring night!"

  "Uh..."

  The two outside were still arguing, when suddenly they heard a creaking sound. The door in front of them swung open, and the cold-faced young man standing at the entrance looked even colder than yesterday. His gaze, like icy water, swept over them, causing the shopkeeper to shrink his shoulders and wisely shut his mouth.

  He burst out laughing, turned around and threw the spring dream behind his head, stretched out his hand and knocked a loud slap on the shopkeeper's forehead, took a few steps and squeezed in, shouting loudly: "Has Brother Shen sobered up?"

  Shen Bailian lifted the quilt and got out of bed, adjusting her clothes as she bitterly smiled and said, "I'm awake now."

  "Haha, glad you're awake." Xiang Qing took a few steps forward, the smile on his face looked rather sly, and with a hint of amusement in his eyes, he said intentionally, "Brother Shen gave us quite a show yesterday... Who would have thought that your alcohol tolerance is so low? It's fortunate for me to witness the rare 'one cup knockdown' which is even more impressive than the legendary 'thousand cups not drunk'!"

  Shen Bailian's face turned slightly red, and she glanced at him with a smile: "Don't tease me again, Boat Master." Yesterday was also his first time drinking with others, who knew the human wine was so strong? After just a few sips, he felt weak all over, and his head was spinning.

  Xiang Qing burst out laughing and finally spared him, turning his head to look at Murong Ziyuan who was still silent. He then changed the subject and said: "Yesterday I thought of sending you off, but unexpectedly a small bowl of wine made you stay for another day. Never mind, today big brother will let little Sanzi prepare a good meal, we'll use tea instead of wine, have a great feast, and afterwards big brother will personally send you out of town, how's that?"

  Shen Bailian slightly shook her head, just about to politely decline, when she suddenly sensed a strong spiritual energy rushing from the northwest direction, seemingly heading straight for this place. Her heart and mind instantly froze, stopping her words, and she raised an eyebrow to look out the window. In front of the window stood the figure of Murong Ziyu, who also seemed to have sensed that aura, and he stretched out his hand to push the window open by a foot.

  A burst of humming and clear ringing was heard, a blue light flashed in from the window, circled around the room and then rushed towards Mu Rong Ziying, stopping steadily in front of him, emitting a bright glow.

  "What is this strange thing!" Xiang Qing was just an ordinary person, how could he know that it was the transmission technique of the Xianmen Taoist school, and he could only stare blankly, extremely surprised.

  Shen Bailian's gaze converged on that thin blue light, her expression somewhat unusual, but she suddenly fell silent.

  Murong Ziyin's gaze swept over Shen Baiying's body without leaving any traces, and then he reached out to grasp the light in his hand. The blue light dispersed into the air as soon as it came into contact with his palm. Murong Ziyin turned his palm over, and a small white jade sword appeared on his palm.

  "Murong, what... how did a beam of light fly in from outside the house and turn into a white stone in the blink of an eye? What kind of trick is this, it's so amazing?" The first to speak was Xiang Qing, who was staring at the jade sword in his palm with wide eyes, looking like he couldn't wait to hold it in his hand and examine it carefully.

  Murong Ziyin shook her head slightly, still glancing at Shen Baiying's expression, and said lightly, "This is just a common spell used by my sect to send messages, it doesn't count as anything." As she spoke, she withdrew her gaze and swept it over the sword body, her expression suddenly tense, her brow furrowed again, and she said in a deep voice, "The elder of our sect has sent an urgent message for me to return to the sect immediately, I'm afraid there's something important... I fear I can no longer delay."

  Toward Qing Zheng, he couldn't help but admire and praise the magical powers of the immortal family's Taoist arts, which were vast and profound. Upon hearing this, he was taken aback for a moment.

  Shen Bailian saw this and also took the opportunity to say to Xiang Qing: "Master Xiang, I too have important matters at hand. If I don't accomplish them as soon as possible, my heart will be worried. There is no banquet in the world that doesn't disperse, but there will always be a day of reunion. I think this farewell dinner doesn't need to be eaten again. Let's wait until next time we meet and I'll invite Master Xiang to drink wine then."

  Hearing him say that, Qing's expression couldn't help but be somewhat disheartened. However, he was naturally generous and waved his hand, saying: "Forget it, forget it! There's no reason to delay your affairs just because of my one person's happiness. No need to say anything more, I'll send you to the post house right away!"

  "No need to trouble yourself." Murong Ziyin shook her head again and said, "The journey to the sect is long, I can travel by sword and go myself."

  "That Shen brother......" Qing turned his gaze towards Shen Baiying again, "You're also going to that whatever sect?"

  Shen Bailian was taken aback for a moment, then replied: "Actually, my destination this time is not Kunlun Mountain, but Jiangdu City. It seems that I won't be able to travel with Ziying this time." He said with a hint of regret in his smile.

  Murong Ziyin's eyes flashed slightly, and she nodded lightly, saying no more.

  The three of them parted ways outside Qinglong Town, Mu Rong Ziying returned to Kunlun Mountain, while Shen Bai Ling went to Jiangdu to find that eccentric diviner who was skilled in fortune-telling and astrology.

  On that day, in the Beiming Palace, Kun Jiutian had informed Shen Baili of the residence of that strange person in Jiangdu, but also hesitated to say that his old friend was eccentric, and when he was happy, it was possible to live in seclusion for decades even in deep mountains and forests. If not, changing residences every three days was a common occurrence. Although he had praised the delicious food and fine wine of Jiangdu a few years ago when he went to visit him, it was uncertain whether he would have abandoned his current residence and gone elsewhere after several years. Therefore, the matter of finding someone was still somewhat uncertain. Nevertheless, the trip to Jiangdu was imminent.

  Fortunately, with the sword in hand, a thousand miles is just one day's journey. A few days later, Shen Baiying was already standing outside Jiangdu City.

  Jiangdu City is the capital of Yangzhou, with a reputation for being one of the richest cities in the world. There are thousands and millions of merchants in the city, with countless luxurious mansions and gardens, as well as many famous scenic spots such as Slender West Lake. The city is extremely prosperous and adds to its beauty, even outside the city gates it's bustling and extraordinary.

  Shen Bailian had been traveling for a whole day and was already feeling hungry in her stomach. She immediately entered the city to find an inn, hastily ordered a few dishes, and walked upstairs. At this time, it was not mealtime, so the upstairs area was empty, with only a few tables of guests seated. When Shen Bailian went upstairs, she was preoccupied with finding that strange person, and didn't look around much. Seeing a table by the window was empty, she walked over there.

  Who would have thought that suddenly a surprised cry was heard, followed by a tender voice calling from behind: "Xuan Zhen brother?"

  This sound "Xuan Zhen" entered his ears, as if it were a different world. Shen Bai Ling was stunned for a moment, and only felt that the five flavors in her chest were mixed up. Xuan Zhen, Xuan Zhen... how many years had passed? How many years had it been since someone last called out this name?

  He turned around in a daze, but was met with a smiling face as lovely as a flower. It turned out that the one calling his name from years ago was a young woman. The woman wore purple clothes, her black hair casually coiled at the back of her head, with two thin braids hanging down from her shoulders, her bright and sparkling eyes curved into a smile as she gazed in this direction, her tender lips also carried a hint of a smile, her lotus-like face was extremely charming and moving, subtly revealing a sense of familiarity.

  Shen Bailian's gaze swept across the woman's face several times, her eyes suddenly widening as she blurted out: "Zixuan?!"

  The woman was the little witch girl he had met in southern Xinjiang more than a decade ago. Time flies like white horses, and in an instant, it has passed. The young and tender girl from back then has now grown into a beautiful and elegant lady, and her youthful appearance has transformed into today's beauty, revealing a moving temperament. The two sat down at the table, and before long, the shopkeeper had brought up the dishes, but Shen Bailong no longer had an appetite to eat. He looked at Zixuan opposite him several times, and couldn't help but smile: "Zixuan has also grown into a big girl now."

  Zi Xuan smiled and said, "Xuan Zhen brother doesn't seem to have changed at all."

  Shen Bailian shook his head and sighed, "Although my appearance hasn't changed much, but... the inside has long been completely different." He didn't want to talk about past matters, so he changed the subject: "Zi Xuan, when you left a note and ran away back then, it was extremely bold of you. Do you know how worried I was for you? You were alone outside, running around, weren't you bullied by others?"

  Her eyebrows and eyes curved even more as she smiled, her face filled with joy. "You said back then, 'This wild girl not bullying others is already a blessing, what reason is there for her to be bullied?' How come you're asking me this now? I'm alone in the Jianghu, free and unrestrained, happy beyond measure, where's the need for anyone to worry?" Although she spoke like that, her words still carried gratitude. "However, having been out and about more often, Zi Xuan has seen many human relationships and worldly affairs... people like Brother Xuanshen who treat a chance-met little girl so well are truly rare in this world... Brother Xuanshen, in Zi Xuan's heart... thank you very much."

  Shen Bailian smiled and said, "Being able to say such things, it seems that Zixuan has really grown up. However...” He suddenly felt a few points of doubt, “Why are you in Jiangdu, and yet no one from Nanjiang came to take you back?"

  Zi Xuan's smile was slightly subdued, and after a moment, she replied: "Having experienced the prosperity and bustle of the Central Plains, what's the point of returning to the Southern Frontier? Anyway, I've been exchanging letters with the Puppet Granny these past few years, and from what I've heard, nothing major has happened in our tribe. Moreover, the Five Spirits Pearl is still lost outside, and as a descendant of Nüwa, I should also contribute some effort for the sake of the Southern Frontier tribes..."

  Shen Bailian finally understood that Zi Xuan had been shouldering such a heavy responsibility while traveling the world: "Alas, as a girl, you have to run around for the sake of your clan, it's really not easy... But don't just focus on finding the Five Spirits Pearl, a woman's youth shouldn't be wasted, find someone who can support each other and bring them back to meet your mother-in-law." By the end, her words were filled with a hint of smile.

  Zi Xuan's face turned red, but she didn't refute him. Instead, she lowered her head and after a while, softly said: "How did you know... that I haven't found it?"

  Shen Bailian was taken aback, and suddenly a strange feeling of "my family has a daughter who has just grown up" arose, and he stuttered for half a day before saying: "You little girl... whose young master are you?"

  Zi Xuan turned her face to look out the window, and a hint of shyness and confusion appeared on her beautiful face. She said softly: "I only know that his surname is Gu... he's from Jiangdu... I came to Jiangdu City this time just to find him. But this city is so big, and there are so many people coming and going, it's really hard to say when we'll meet again..."

  Looking at the girl who was once taken care of like a little sister, now with a blossoming heart, talking about other men with a shy expression, Shen Bailian only felt that the subtle feeling in her heart that had been protecting and nurturing the growing flower was being plucked away by some unknown young man, becoming more intense. After calming down for half a day, she finally spoke up: "You don't even know where he lives, how can you find him?"

  Zi Xuan pursed her lips, a hint of stubbornness on her face: "I don't care. We women from the southern border, if we fall in love with a man, will not let go easily. Since I already know he's in Jiangdu, even if it takes a month, a year, or several years here, I'll find him!"

  "What if he already has someone in his heart?" Shen Bailian frowned and said.

  Zi Xuan's whole body shook, and her face turned somewhat pale: "It won't be, he wouldn't like someone else... At that lantern festival, the way he looked at me with his eyes, I absolutely wouldn't misinterpret it... He felt the same way about me..."

  "Why didn't he take you home, why didn't he tell you where he lives?" Shen Bailian asked more and more strangely. If that surnamed Gu really liked Zi Xuan, why did he leave without leaving any news after parting with her? If it wasn't intentional to deceive Zi Xuan's true heart, then there must be another reason...

  "I... I must find him, no matter what Brother Xuanzhen says, I want to hear it from his own mouth whether he likes me or not!" Zi Xuan said, getting up from her seat and rushing downstairs.

  "Zi Xuan!"