Chapter 208: The Heartless Person

Until his gaze fell upon Xuanqing Daozhang, who looked like a corpse, Luo Liang's complexion drastically changed.

Don't think that Xuanqing Daozhang, though living in seclusion in the woods beside Hutou Gou, never emerges; he has a record of slaying demons and eliminating evil.

When a powerful dragon intrudes on his territory, how could he not know Xuanqing Daozhang's background?

Not to boast, but at least he is one step stronger than him.

Otherwise.

Back when an evil cultivator caused trouble in Qingyang County, he wouldn't have thought to ask Xuanqing Daozhang for help.

He never imagined……

Now Xuanqing Daozhang actually met his death here!

Luo Liang's complexion turned extremely grave, and he felt a urge to retreat; as the Immortal Official of Qingyang County, he had the duty to guard the land, and if he allowed monsters to run rampant in Qingyang County, he would face reprimand or even punishment from the court.

But.

Whether it's a reprimand or punishment, how could that compare to his life?

As long as the green hills remain, there's no fear of running out of firewood!

That old saying is his motto.

Luo Liang was about to turn around, drive his spirit boat away from here; as for Liu Dongzhu and Wang Ping'an, mother and son below, they could only blame their bad luck.

Even Hutou Gou……

If blame is to be assigned, blame Liu Dongzhu and her son for attracting the monster.

He knows his own limits; even if he risked his life, he might not resolve this disaster, and sacrificing his life would be pointless.

He is now fleeing—no, it's a tactical withdrawal; although he still cannot save the people of Hutou Gou and the surrounding area, he will seek powerful help to avenge Hutou Gou and the surrounding populace.

"Immortal Official, where are you preparing to go?"

Luo Liang drove his spirit boat, not having gone far, when a sweet voice exploded in his ears; startled, he quickly channeled his mana, unleashing a powerful defensive spell around himself.

Afterward.

Luo Liang's gaze wandered the surroundings, seeking Hu Meiniang's trace; he unleashed a powerful offensive spell, not hoping to slay Hu Meiniang, nor even to inflict any injury.

This was to delay Hu Meiniang, preventing her from stopping his departure.

But.

What he never expected was that Hu Meiniang was not nearby, but still below, in the Wang family's courtyard.

Obviously.

Hu Meiniang used special means, which allowed her voice to reach his ears.

Upon thinking of this, Luo Liang breathed a sigh of relief, about to exert all his strength to leave, when his peripheral vision suddenly noticed that Hu Meiniang below looked familiar; after a moment's thought, a flash of insight sparked in his mind and then vanished.

"Is it her?"

Luo Liang's mind immediately conjured the person he constantly thought of; his voice trembling, he exclaimed in panic, "Lady Hu, how could it be you?"

He is a Dao cultivator of the Luo family in the prefectural city, having grown up in the Luo household since childhood; he dares not claim to know every plant and tree of the prefectural city.

But how could he possibly not know someone as famous as Hu Meiniang?

He once had a fleeting romance with Hu Meiniang!

Don't look at his current position as merely a petty Immortal Official of Qingyang County; the court's immortal examination is always a single-plank bridge crossed by tens of thousands.

Most end in failure; how many actually succeed?

He once had a reputation as a Dao cultivation prodigy!

But in the prefectural city, talent abounds; he lacks outstanding talent, and in that city he shows nothing remarkable.

His fleeting romance with Hu Meiniang occurred because she took his virginity.

Afterward.

No longer a virgin, he holds no interest for Hu Meiniang, and can no longer enter her chambers.

He does not hate Hu Meiniang for her heartlessness; he only hates his own inadequacy, treating that episode as a dream, a beautiful dream he can endlessly savor.

He never imagined he would encounter the goddess he constantly thinks of at the Wang family's Hutou Gou outside Qingyang County Seat.

He was both excited and doubtful.

"I came to accompany my lover on a mountain outing!"

Hu Meiniang casually replied, looking at Luo Liang's excited appearance; as if they had once had a romantic affair, she showed no surprise or indifference, saying, "Who are you?"

She is of monster origin, with a long lifespan; her growth period differs from that of humans.

Her youth may correspond to human old age!

Having lived many years in the prefectural city, the number of people who have had a fleeting romance with her is unknown; except for a few outstanding or distinctive individuals, others merely meet her a few times before parting ways completely.

Don't mistake her for a sentimental person; she is actually heartless.

"I, I am Luo Liang, the Immortal Official of Qingyang County!"

Luo Liang's excitement on his face instantly cooled; not only did he know why Hu Meiniang appeared here, but she was accompanying a man on an outing—something she rarely does.

Moreover, Hu Meiniang didn't even know who he was!

No, she had forgotten who he was!

This novel you have reached

His whole being felt as if plunged into a thousand-year ice cellar; hateful that he still daydreams about Hu Meiniang.

"It was my misunderstanding; just now someone came to report that monsters were appearing in Hutou Gou, and I thought you were here to do harm."

No, I didn't even know that monster was Lady Hu; if I had known it was Lady Hu, I wouldn't have come.

"Anyone might do wrong, but Lady Hu, you would certainly not do wrong!"

Luo Liang offered a flattering remark.

Although he wanted to act cold toward Hu Meiniang to counter her heartlessness toward him.

But Hu Meiniang is ultimately the goddess he has longed for day and night for years; how could one say she's cold and just be cold?

"I didn't expect my reputation to be this good?"

Hu Meiniang smiled charmingly, making Luo Liang dazed, and teasingly said: "Although I'm ultimately of demonic descent, Immortal Official Luo, you'd better not think too highly of me, or you'll regret it one day!"

"No, Madam Hu, this is already me thinking of you in the worst possible way!"

Luo Liang spoke righteously, about to continue praising a few more sentences; perhaps his long‑held dream might be fulfilled again, but when he caught sight of Dai Zhishang out of the corner of his eye, his brow furrowed slightly and he exclaimed in surprise:

"This scholar, I feel I know you; I wonder if we've met before?"

"Immortal Official Luo, I'm Dai Zhishang—have you really forgotten me?"

Dai Zhishang asked instinctively; as soon as he finished speaking, seeing Luo Liang's puzzled look, he realized that before, they had never taken him to heart, and said:

"My father is Dai Tong!"

His family could at least be considered influential in Qingyang County; he was also one of the county's most prominent scions, and at several important banquets in Qingyang County, his father had once introduced him to Luo Liang.

Who would have thought Luo Liang could actually forget who Dai Zhishang is.

Let alone recognizing him!

"So it's you!"

Hearing Dai Zhishang's detailed self‑introduction, Luo Liang immediately recalled who he was, turned to look at Hu Meiniang, and couldn't help asking:

"Madam Hu, how did you come up with the idea of touring Qingyang County together with Little Dai?"

Dai Zhishang, he's practically one of the most notorious playboys.

Although he holds the rank of a scholar, on the imperial examination list he's merely at the bottom.

He scraped through by the narrowest margin, and in the years that followed he failed every time.

From then on he gave himself over to depravity, becoming a loafer who frequented the pleasure quarters, and was no longer a chaste youth.

Who would have thought Hu Meiniang would actually set her sights on Dai Zhishang.

And even go sightseeing with him!

This had never happened before!

Logically, a dissolute good‑for‑nothing, even if he held the rank of a scholar, Hu Meiniang wouldn't give him a second glance, let alone accompany him on an outing.

(End of chapter)