Chapter 104: Huo Lu

Before the solemn Buddha statue, Pei Chuyun pressed her palms together and closed her eyes, as if making a wish. Then, appearing devout, she kowtowed and offered incense in reverence.

After offering incense, she took the divination blocks from the incense table and tossed them onto the ground.

The blocks landed showing one flat and one round — a perfect yin-yang pair, meaning her wish could be granted. Pei Chuyun looked quite pleased.

Lu Xingzhou watched from the side, his expression odd.

This is a commoner's divination block toss — and you, a cultivator seeking the clouds, play it too? Look at how proper people divine; look at how you divine.

Not as good as A-Nuo.

"What wish did Miss make?" Lu Xingzhou finally could not help asking.

Pei Chuyun, seemingly blushing, glanced at him, lowered her head, and murmured: "I won't say — once spoken, it won't come true."

Of course the wish she made was whether she could handle this man… Pei Chuyun knew this commoner's divination method was unreliable, but it gave her psychological comfort. Besides, she didn't believe in Buddha at all — all that piety was an act. Still, getting a yin-yang on the first toss naturally made her happy.

Somehow, looking at Lu Xingzhou now felt much more pleasing to the eye. She thought to herself: once I really turn you into this young lady's dog, at worst I'll treat you a little better, won't torment or take revenge on you — at most I'll kick you once, shave your head, that's all.

"Since Young Master has come all this way, won't you offer some incense and pay respects to the Buddha?" Pei Chuyun asked.

Lu Xingzhou smiled: "My legs and feet are not convenient — I can't kneel."

Pei Chuyun twitched the corner of her mouth and turned her head away.

Yes, yes, yes — your legs and feet are not convenient, but kicking people you're plenty nimble at.

A voice came from behind: "If your legs and feet are not convenient, why not have Abbot Yuanhui take a look? The abbot's reputation for curing illnesses and saving lives is well known."

Lu Xingzhou turned his head to look — a young master of twenty-seven or twenty-eight stood at the temple hall's entrance, expression indifferent, his gaze scanning up and down, somewhat rude.

Lu Xingzhou smiled: "Fourth Young Master still has the leisure to care about me?"

Huo Lu's expression instantly changed.

He had come here privately, of course, wanting to verify for himself whether this person was Huo Shang. If things went poorly and the man couldn't even recognize him, it would be pure comedy. But the other recognized him at a glance — the probability that this was Huo Shang instantly rose to the red line.

This Lu Xingzhou doesn't look the same as Huo Shang, but in the cultivation world, changing one's appearance really isn't all that complicated. No wonder Yang Dechang returned to the Huo family and solemnly stated this person should be Huo Shang.

Yet this bastard openly called it out in front of everyone — quite the quiet schemer. Hongfa Temple was full of visitors, and right now the hall had a crowd. Even if Huo Lu had killing intent, he couldn't do anything openly. Fratricide — how could such a thing be spoken of openly? Instead, before outsiders they had to put on a show of fraternal harmony.

Huo Lu took a deep breath and said lightly: "We share the surname Huo, don't we?"

Lu Xingzhou smiled: "Indeed."

Of course he bore the surname Huo — in fact, not only did he share the surname, according to his father's notes, he was indeed from the same clan branch. Based on the time of the Maha secret realm, only about a century had passed; the branch split would be even later, so their blood ties were still quite close — perhaps split in Grand Tutor Huo's father's generation, or even in Grand Tutor Huo's own generation.

A proper cousin — calling him Fourth Brother wouldn't be wrong.

But facing each other directly, the atmosphere had nothing to do with brothers — killing intent filled both their eyes.

Huo Lu thought for a moment, and before outsiders simply adopted the attitude of facing a long-lost younger brother, saying: "When will you come home to visit? A small matter like legs and feet — the the family can always find some way. Drifting about outside on your own, there's no future in it."

"Heaven's Edge Sword Sect is quite nice," Lu Xingzhou said with an amiable smile. "If I weren't at Heaven's Edge Sword Sect, Fourth Brother probably wouldn't be this polite."

Huo Lu was reminded only then — Shen Tang is the Chaohuang Princess, and now Lu Xingzhou has become the Princess's close confidant, possibly even her intimate advisor… then he absolutely couldn't be dealt with openly. His face grew even uglier. He took a deep breath and lowered his voice: "What exactly do you intend to do?"

"What could I possibly do?" Lu Xingzhou said lightly, smiling: "Sixth Brother went off to face the demons himself and got killed — does Fourth Brother blame me for not stopping him?"

Huo Lu's eyes grew shadowed.

Lu Xingzhou added: "But you lot are quite interesting — there are demons in Xiazhou, and Sixth Brother runs straight to them. Menggui City just had a demonic cultivator case, and Fourth Brother runs to Menggui City. Be careful, don't follow Sixth Brother's path — don't say your little brother didn't warn you."

Huo Lu said coldly: "Mutual concern — demonic cultivators are vicious, you should be careful. Around you it's either children or women — should big brother send some guards for you?"

"Fourth Brother is too kind," Lu Xingzhou smiled, eyes curving: "Your little brother came here precisely to see what demonic cultivators look like. The Huo family is righteous and public-spirited, always rushing toward demons, unafraid of risk — how could I fall behind? Besides, my sect is a righteous sect; slaying demons and protecting the Dao is our duty."

"With a crip—" Huo Lu began, then caught himself with a cough, his smile not quite a smile: "Since you have such intentions, of course that's good — I'm sure Father would be very pleased to hear it."

Lu Xingzhou smiled: "Then I wish your esteemed father a smile that never fades."

Huo Lu asked, seemingly casually: "Do you have a place to stay? Want to lodge at your elder brother's place?"

"I was staying at an inn before, already checked out," Lu Xingzhou glanced at the sky outside the hall — dusk was near — and smiled: "I've often heard literati lodge in temples, watching the mountain temple's moonlight, listening to the midnight bell — quite elegant. My little brother has long admired it. If Hongfa Temple still has guest quarters, I'd like to stay the night."

A monk stood nearby, listening to the "two brothers'" every word bristling with hidden barbs, his heart trembling with fright. Hearing this line, he hurriedly said: "Of course there are guest quarters — if Seventh Young Master would…"

"Don't," Lu Xingzhou waved his hand, smiling: "My mother only gave birth to one child."

The monk was somewhat embarrassed. Huo Lu said lightly: "This younger brother of mine has been naughty since childhood, doesn't know propriety — Master, please don't take offense."

Lu Xingzhou didn't argue, just chuckled: "Would Master kindly lead the way?"

The monk hurriedly said: "Please follow this little monk."

A-Nuo pushed the wheelchair away. Lu Xingzhou turned his head and smiled: "Want to come along, Fourth Brother? Have a vegetarian meal?"

Huo Lu smiled: "I have my own matters, so I won't go. Out on the road, be careful in everything — don't provoke those you shouldn't provoke."

"Thank you for the reminder, Fourth Brother." Lu Xingzhou turned back, and the wheelchair disappeared behind the hall.

An old man beside Huo Lu said quietly: "Young Master, this really does seem to be Seventh Young Master — no one else would have this attitude…"

The smile Huo Lu had been wearing vanished, killing intent naked in his eyes: "Even if he really is that bastard, does he really think we don't dare kill him?"

The old man quietly advised: "It's not appropriate… so many people listening. If he suddenly died, the Huo family's reputation would suffer greatly. Moreover, he now enjoys the Chaohuang Princess's great trust — the Princess may yet rise in the future. Truly tearing faces like this would be very disadvantageous."

So the Huo family wanted to collude and suppress Shen Tang's rise — pity it was utterly useless, instead gifting away the Fenxiang Tower, making Heaven's Edge Sword Sect even stronger. The future political situation was even more bewildering; no one dared place bets lightly.

Huo Lu said coldly: "Who said we'd kill him ourselves? Didn't he just say publicly — he wants to slay demons and protect the Dao… overestimating himself and dying at the hands of demonic cultivators — what does that have to do with us?"

The old man's heart stirred slightly, and he nodded: "Young Master grows more and more mature — worthy of someone about to become a Commandant."

Over there, Lu Xingzhou entered the guest quarters, sat in the courtyard watching the mountain temple's evening glow, silent for a long time.

Pei Chuyun sat at the stone table in the courtyard, chin propped on her hand, with A-Nuo making tea before her. She felt the scene — this elegant young master sitting in his wheelchair, full of unspoken thoughts, watching the mountain temple's evening glow, with a young attendant making tea beside him — was very poetic.

From afar the temple's bell drifted on the wind, adding beautiful accompaniment to this already poetic, picturesque scene.

Just as she was thinking this, she heard Lu Xingzhou say: "Does Miss have a poem?"

Pei Chuyun's heart skipped a beat, thinking: this man is truly strange. When Shen Tang is with him, at a moment like this wouldn't she sweetly think this is called a soulmate? But as an enemy, it only sends a chill down the spine…

If Shen Tang knew her thoughts, she'd probably tell her: before they got together, she, Shen Tang, had also felt that chill several times.

But really there's nothing chilling about it — whether enemy or friend, essentially this is what a soulmate is.

She steadied herself and laughed awkwardly: "How could a poem come in an instant?"

Lu Xingzhou said, "I do have a poem, though. Would Miss like to hear it?"

Pei Chuyun was quite curious: "I would gladly hear the Young Master's fine work."

Lu Xingzhou gazed at the sunset on the horizon and said softly, "What business has the setting sun, drawing so close to dusk—nor does it know that among the living there are still souls yet unclaimed."

Pei Chuyun stared blankly for a moment, then fell silent and looked at him, saying nothing more.

Lu Xingzhou instead turned his head and smiled: "What, does Miss think the skill isn't good enough?"

Pei Chuyun sighed: "No… it's just that the Young Master has a great many things weighing on his heart…"

As for the skill… putting aside whether it was good or not, in any case it exceeded Pei Chuyun's expectations. But within that line there were also certain things that resonated with something in Pei Chuyun's heart, and so she drifted into a reverie.

Nor does it know that among the living there are still souls yet unclaimed.

Lu Xingzhou turned his wheelchair back around. A-Nuo's tea was already brewed, and Lu Xingzhou lifted the pot to fill three cups for them all: "Who among us doesn't have things weighing on our hearts? Surely Miss too is full of them."

Pei Chuyun gave no answer.

Everyone's burden is the desire for revenge—only my list of enemies also includes you.

Lu Xingzhou, however, said at this moment: "Once you've had this tea, Miss should go to the courtyard next door. I already spoke with the receiving monk earlier and arranged it."

Pei Chuyun smiled charmingly and said: "I know the Young Master asked for two courtyards… but I'm quite curious—hasn't the Young Master's attentiveness along the way been for the sake of tonight? Why the sudden gentlemanly restraint?"

"Sigh, if I said what it was really for, wouldn't that just be awkward?" Lu Xingzhou laughed freely: "Miss must have seen it already—I have enemies. Touring the sights by day with a beauty in tow, drinking tea and discussing poetry, has already given this journey of mine some fine memories. The dangers ahead can't be allowed to drag Miss into them as well—let it end here. If fate allows, we can naturally pick it up again in the future."

Pei Chuyun looked at him deeply, then raised her teacup in a toast of tea standing in for wine: "What the Young Master says is right, and it is also this young woman's fine memory of coming to Menggui City."

The two drained their cups in one go. Pei Chuyun set down her teacup, turned, and left: "If the Young Master wants to continue this bond, you'll have to be careful—don't die here."

Lu Xingzhou smiled: "What if I survive?"

Pei Chuyun glanced back with a smile: "Then that depends on your ability."

(End of this chapter)