Chapter 289: Chapter 6: Injected with Positive Energy
A group of people left Langgan Cave, and Lin Duanshan suggested:
“Every year, after the miasma disperses, the location of the Misty Forest is uncertain.”
“According to the usual practice, we will divide into two groups, one will continue the search in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, and simultaneously eliminate any Demon Path Cultivators, the other will return to Lixi Town to gather information from our returning fellow disciples.”
“Both parties must maintain regular contact. If either party discovers the location of the Misty Forest, they must promptly notify the other, and then find a place to meet.”
He lifted his gaze towards Ling Yunpo, and although he didn’t complete his thought, the implication was clear:
You gulped down a forty-year portion of the stone milk in one breath, and are surely in terrible shape now. Wouldn’t it be better to go back to Lixi Town to rest and refine the medicine’s power?
Ling Yunpo didn’t want to overexert himself, but since he needed to cultivate his persona’s Synchronization Value, he stubbornly insisted:
“It’s fine! I can still fight…”
Before he could finish, An Zhisu gently interrupted him:
“How can you fight looking like that, junior brother? Don’t make everyone worry about you. Behave, your Senior Sister An will accompany you back and take care of you, alright?”
Duan Fenhai suddenly felt an uncalled-for chill.
Indeed, no matter how many times he had seen it, the sight of the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal reverting back to her girly demeanor was always awkward!
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But Lin Duanshan’s brow furrowed slightly.
Searching the mountains required formidable strength, while gathering information in town required nimbleness of mind. Therefore, during past years when the three organized as a team, it was usually he and Duan Fenhai who stayed in the mountains, while Guan Shanyue would return to the town alone.
However, An Zhisu’s combat ability far surpassed anyone present. So, from the standpoint of optimizing resource allocation, she should remain in the mountains.
With this thought, Lin Duanshan immediately gave Guan Shanyue a meaningful glance.
Guan Shanyue knew very well that Lin Da-ge (Elder Brother Lin) was a bona fide “strategist type” with “perfectionist” tendencies, and liked to arrange everything in the best possible way.
Now that he was signaling her, it was clear he didn’t want An Zhisu’s exceptional combat strength wasted on taking care of Ling Yunpo back in town.
Thus, she cheerfully offered:
“It’s just looking after Junior Brother Ling. Why should Senior Sister An have to do it herself? Leave it to me. I was the eldest in the Guan Family estate and have taken care of many younger brothers and sisters before, and they all listened to me very well!”
The moment these words were spoken, An Zhisu’s entire countenance changed.
What? You, a crafty weasel spirit, actually torture younger brothers? Forcing them to listen to you?
She immediately went on high alert and declared resolutely:
“There’s no need! My junior brother is in such a condition, he needs constant, meticulous care! I’ll look after him myself!”
Everyone:……
Ling Yunpo almost couldn’t keep a straight face, as everyone’s gaze towards him resembled that which one might give a ‘momma’s boy’ in a TV drama.
But my relationship with Senior Sister An is purely that of fellow disciples!
Lin Duanshan also realized that after Guan Shanyue’s suggestion, An Zhisu had become vigilant, and there was no chance she would leave her junior brother’s side.
It was truly a case of outsmarting oneself.
So he could only sigh and remain silent.
Thus, it was quickly decided that An Zhisu would take Ling Yunpo back to Lixi Town to gather information.
Lin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, and Guan Shanyue would continue the carpet-search deep within the Hundred Thousand Mountains.
“Here.” Guan Shanyue took out a pen.
“What is this?” An Zhisu didn’t take it but asked warily instead.
“This strange object is called a ‘sand pen,’ they come in pairs,” Guan Shanyue said with a smile, “Place it upon a sand table and mutter ‘Paint with cinnabar, form with sand and stone,’ then write with the pen. I will feel the sensation here and the corresponding sand pen will produce the same writing.”
Ling Yunpo raised his eyebrows in surprise: What a pair of sand pens! Such a beautiful name.
An Zhisu looked doubtful and cautiously accepted it, as if she were handling a ticking time bomb.
Lin Duan Shan and Duan Fen Hai saw everything, thinking to themselves that this person really had a clear-cut nature when it came to love and hate.
She liked Junior Brother Ling, and even if Ling Yunpo casually fobbed her off (without even bothering to make up a reason), she would trust him completely; but she detested Guan Shanyue, so even if Guan Shanyue offered help proactively, she would become suspicious and paranoid.
Damn it, why didn’t I meet such a senior sister when I first joined Shushan!
With this thought, both of them felt a bit sour.
After An Zhisu took Ling Yunpo away, Duan Fen Hai slowly opened his mouth and said,
“Lin Duan Shan, if I remember correctly, you’ve always admired An Zhisu.”
He left his words there, implying without saying what was unsaid, “Now that she has given her affection entirely to the junior brother, what are your thoughts?”
Lin Duan Shan laughed it off and said,
“Indeed, but admiration is all it was.”
Duan Fen Hai was taken aback for a moment and fell into silence for a while before incredulously asking,
“Forgetting Love technique… Have you mastered it?”
Lin Duan Shan simply smiled without responding.
He had indeed harbored a secret love for An Zhisu in the past, and his feelings had been genuine.
He had also long known that An Zhisu had no feelings for him whatsoever.
Therefore, with the emergence of Ling Yunpo, Lin Duan Shan went with the flow, genuinely letting go of his feelings, and thus successfully mastered the Forgetting Love technique.
From then on, he would never fall in love with anyone again, nor would he be distracted by anything else.
What remained was an immaculate Daoist Heart!
Duan Fen Hai marveled, while Guan Shanyue stood behind with his arms folded, the corners of his lips curving ever so slightly in a smirk.
Secretly in love with An Zhisu… If it worked out, he’d win the belle, and if not, he’d neatly master the Forgetting Love technique—a sure bet, either way, eh?
Wait, that’s not right. The lineage of the Myriad Forms Sword of Mount Guan always cultivates the Forgetting Love technique; Lin Duan Shan knew from the start that the other party would never reciprocate his feelings, which is why he decided to invest his emotions there.
So he had it all calculated from the beginning. Ha, men.
Setting aside what these three would do next, An Zhisu led Ling Yunpo out of the Hundred Thousand Mountains and found an inn to stay in at Lixi Town.
Gathering intelligence was completely forgotten.
“Junior Brother, it’s time for your medicine.” She had cooked up a dose of herbal potion, patiently blew it cool in a celadon bowl, scooped some with a spoon, and fed it to the bedridden Ling Yunpo.
Ling Yunpo: ……
Truthfully, if it were his own mother doing this, and it was shown on a TV drama, he would definitely be labeled a mama’s boy.
But with the gentle and amiable Senior Sister An doing it, the audience wouldn’t find it annoying.
Upon careful reflection, it’s not hard to notice that most of the commenters are young female viewers; they could imagine themselves as An Zhisu, but they would never see themselves in the role of Ling Yunpo’s mother.
The natural opposition between mother-in-laws and daughter-in-laws is what this alludes to.
Oh right, I just remembered, I don’t have a mother in this world…
As Ling Yunpo lost himself in these random thoughts, An Zhisu noticed his somber expression and thought his mood was low due to his physical condition, so she gently said,
“Don’t overthink it. Are you not happy to have gained forty years of cultivation? Sister only has ten years.”
Forty years? My Jade Mansion has already accumulated three hundred and sixty years of cultivation! Ling Yunpo thought morosely to himself, but he did not forget to maintain his persona, resolutely saying,
“Sister, I’m fine.”
“As long as you’re fine.” An Zhisu, not suspecting anything, hesitated for a moment before blushing, leaning in to hug him, and gently kissed his forehead, shyly saying, “Don’t worry, sister will stay by your side without leaving.”
Ling Yunpo: ?
Wow, this surge of positive energy, injected just in time, is making me feel full of strength!