Chapter 81: Li Mo Chou

Even after becoming a Daoist nun, Li Mo Chou remained a person who valued appearances; otherwise, she would not have spared Yang Guo time and again in the original story.

Lin Fan's handsome and elegant appearance, combined with his graceful demeanor, left a favorable impression on Li Mo Chou. Of course, this favor was not liking, let alone love; it was merely an appreciation for something beautiful.

Thus, she stopped downstairs from Lin Fan and began to converse with him.

Upon learning that Lin Fan did not know why his reputation had spread so quickly, Li Mo Chou gave him a strange look, but she still explained it to him.

"The Beggar Sect assembly at Apricot Forest was already attention-grabbing. Later, Western Xia sent people to capture the Beggar Sect members using poisonous smoke, which involved diplomatic relations between the two countries, so the matter became a huge sensation. You were a fountain of knowledge regarding martial arts secrets at Apricot Forest and stole the spotlight, so naturally, people are talking about you. You didn't know?"

She had been wondering where such an elegant young master had come from—in terms of looks, even the renowned Jade Lang Jiang Feng could not compare to him—yet she did not recognize him. So, it was the newly emerged and already famous Heaven's Secret Young Master, Lin Fan.

"Oh? Western Xia sent people to capture the Beggar Sect members? And who stepped in to save them?"

"I heard it was the previous Beggar Sect leader, the Nine-Fingered Beggar, Hong Qigong!" Li Mo Chou replied.

"So it was him; that is not surprising."

"It was Elder Qigong? Lin Fan, it seems we missed him. If we had left a little later, perhaps we would have run into him!" Huang Rong suddenly spoke up.

Huang Laoxie and Hong Qigong were equally famous, and Hong Qigong had visited Peach Blossom Island many times, so Huang Rong was quite familiar with him.

"The Jianghu is as large as it is small. There is no need to force things; perhaps one day we will happen to meet him!" Lin Fan said nonchalantly.

"Daoist Li, why not come up for a chat? Gazing at each other from afar like this, Lin feels it is somewhat strange!"

At this moment, Lin Fan was looking down from the second-floor window with several young ladies, while Li Mo Chou was looking up with her two disciples. This strange scene had already attracted the attention of many people.

"I shall respectfully obey. Then I will intrude!" Li Mo Chou followed the flow, took Hong Lingbo and Lu Wushuang into the restaurant, and headed straight for the second floor.

By now, the food Lin Fan had ordered was being served, so Lin Fan pushed two tables together and invited the three of them to sit.

Li Mo Chou did not decline and sat down directly, but her two disciples did not dare to sit immediately. Instead, they stood behind her, occasionally stealing glances at Lin Fan; they had never seen a young master so handsome.

"Daoist Li, you and your two beloved disciples have traveled a long way. May I ask where you have come from and where you are headed?"

Lin Fan spoke first, asking with a smile.

"For those who have left the secular world, the four seas are home. Naturally, I come from where I came and go to where I am going."

Li Mo Chou picked up the teacup on the table, took a light sip, and replied.

Lin Fan did not know if Li Mo Chou was speaking in riddles or if she truly enjoyed drifting about.

"Is it worth becoming a nun for Lu Zhanyuan? Drifting like this, where can the heart find peace, and where is the journey's end?"

The two were silent for a moment before Lin Fan suddenly asked.

"A settled heart is the destination. Heaven's Secret Young Master truly lives up to his reputation; it seems few things in the Jianghu can escape your ears. However, have you heard the saying that disaster comes from the mouth, or that it is hard to be muddled?"

Mentioning Lu Zhanyuan made Li Mo Chou somewhat agitated; this name was her reverse scale and the one she least wanted to hear.

So, even as a person who valued appearances, Li Mo Chou could not help but warn Lin Fan.

"Oh? I wonder if Daoist Li intends to use your Five Poisons Divine Palm or your Ice Soul Silver Needles to make me hold my tongue?"

Lin Fan did not take Li Mo Chou's expression of a beauty's slight anger to heart; instead, he spoke freely about her two martial arts.

"Daoist Li's Five Poisons Divine Palm and Ice Soul Silver Needles are terrifying to hear of, but these two martial arts are powerful because of their toxicity. If you encounter an opponent who does not fear poison, with Daoist Li's First-Rate martial artist strength, how would you respond?"

"Lin Fan, you and I have no grievances from the past and no grudges in the present. Why must you provoke me? Could it be that you, like those Jianghu self-proclaimed righteous people, want to eliminate demons and defend the Dao?" Li Mo Chou said with dissatisfaction.

"What is righteous, what is evil—Lin has no interest in distinguishing between them, and even less interest in eliminating demons and defending the Dao. I simply feel that for a young lady of such beauty and in the prime of her life to become a nun and drift about for the sake of a heartless man is too much of a pity!"

"Oh? Is Young Master Lin looking at this poor Daoist's beauty and wanting to take me into your chambers, just like this group of warblers and swallows behind you?"

Li Mo Chou thought Lin Fan was harboring designs on her and felt somewhat uncomfortable, unable to resist retorting with sarcasm.

Hong Lingbo and Lu Wushuang behind her widened their eyes in admiration as they looked at Lin Fan. To think there was actually someone who dared to have designs on their Master (Li Mo Chou)?

"I only wish to persuade you to let go of your obsession and return to your true self. Have you never questioned yourself—is the Red-Lian Fairy truly who you want to be?"

"Back then, Master Yideng stopped me from killing Lu Zhanyuan and He Wanjun. I was no match for him and could only set a ten-year pact. Now you want me to let go of my obsession and return to my true self. Do you high-level experts all like to preach to others?"

"To let go—it is easy to say, but how difficult is it to do?"

Li Mo Chou felt somewhat dejected. She thought again of Lu Zhanyuan and He Wanjun being together, and the feeling of wanting to kill them but being powerless to do so.

"South of the river are the trees, one cannot stop thinking; in the Han are the wandering women, one cannot seek them. To let go is to let yourself off, not to let Lu Zhanyuan off. I have said all I can; I hope you will ponder it carefully!"

Lin Fan said this last sentence and spoke no more, instead inviting Huang Rong and the others to eat. ===== CHAPTER 83 =====