landbeastnovel Chapter 214 Oh, it's the Celestial Venerable's disciple who's here.
Chapter 214 Oh, it's the Celestial Venerable's disciple who's here.
Chapter 214 Oh, it's the Celestial Venerable's disciple! (4200)
Lu Yuan took a deep breath and, amidst the grateful whispers of the woodcutter and the pilgrims, stepped through the crowd.
Lu Yuan's steps were unhurried, yet they instantly attracted the attention of the Wuqing Temple disciples around him.
The disciples who were originally engrossed in Shen Shulan's sermon were slightly taken aback when they saw Lu Yuan's face.
Many people immediately recognized Lu Yuan, and for a moment they showed expressions of surprise and uncertainty.
"That's... Lu Yuan?"
"Why would he come to Wuqing Temple?"
"Last time in Fengtian City, wasn't he with the Abbot—"
Whispers spread like wildfire, carrying with them obvious apprehension and curiosity.
The fact that Lu Yuan seriously injured Shen Jizhou at the previous Fengtian City Heavenly Venerable Ceremony was already known to everyone outside the pass.
That was the biggest "family scandal" of Wuqing Temple in recent years, and a taboo that all disciples kept to themselves.
Some of the disciples of Wuqing Temple were confused as to why Lu Yuan had appeared at Wuqing Temple.
Lu Yuan seemed oblivious to these gazes; his eyes remained fixed on the figure in pure white, right in the center of the lectern.
Shen Shulan had obviously already discovered him.
The moment Lu Yuan stepped out of the crowd, her eyes, as cold as a deep pool, had already subtly swept over his figure.
However, unlike when facing the young disciple, the old herb gatherer and even the honest woodcutter, he always answered questions and patiently resolved doubts.
The moment Shen Shulan saw Lu Yuan, the icy aura surrounding her seemed to freeze slightly.
She did not speak immediately, nor did she nod as she would to worshippers; she simply stood quietly on the dark platform.
She let the mountain wind blow through her plain white Taoist robe, and the tiny arcs of electricity around her body still danced, but they seemed to have lost the sharpness that had previously torn everything apart.
There was an added, almost imperceptible, element of disorder.
Lu Yuan stopped three steps away from her, respectfully clasped his hands in greeting, and said in a deep voice, "Lu Yuan of Zhenlong Temple greets Senior Sister Shen."
The way she called out "Senior Sister" was so natural, as if the grudges in Fengtian City and Shen Jizhou's injuries had left no trace between the two of them.
Shen Shulan's gaze finally and completely fell on Lu Yuan.
In that instant, Lu Yuan clearly caught the change in her eyes.
Those beautiful eyes, usually as cold as stars and untouched by the world, seemed to crack open like a tiny fissure in an ancient glacier the moment they met his figure.
There was no awkwardness, no alienation, and certainly no "awkwardness" or "coldness" in Lu Yuan's heart as he walked along the way.
Rather, it was a kind of—a sense of relief, an almost overflowing joy.
The joy was extremely subtle and fleeting, so fleeting that it was almost imperceptible to others, but Lu Yuan saw it clearly.
Shen Shulan's lips even curved upwards very slightly.
It wasn't a clear smile, just a very brief, relaxed arc, fleeting and so fast that it seemed to Lu Yuan's eyes were blurry.
But then, she immediately reverted to her aloof and solitary demeanor.
However, most of the coldness in those eyes had dissipated, leaving only a deep, calm pool.
"Uncle-Master, when did you arrive?"
Shen Shulan spoke, her voice still cold and aloof.
But it no longer carried the detached, instructive air he had towards the woodcutter; instead, it held a familiarity that only Lu Yuan could understand.
Shen Shulan made no mention of Shen Jizhou or Fengtian City, as if Lu Yuan's arrival was just an ordinary event on this lecture platform.
The weight that had been hanging over Lu Yuan's heart for so long finally lifted.
On the way here, Lu Yuan was still worried.
Although the two had a very good relationship before, the incident where I seriously injured Shen Jizhou last time—
Although Lu Yuan was acting against his will, Shen Jizhou and Shen Shulan were ultimately father and daughter.
Lu Yuan was afraid that after what happened last time, their relationship would become awkward or even develop into a rift.
But looking at it now, there's no barrier, no awkwardness at all!
Shen Shulan treated him the same as always.
It's as if what happened in Fengtian City never happened at all.
"Just now, at the beginning of the sermon."
Lu Yuan bowed respectfully again, and when he looked up, his face was adorned with that familiar smile.
"I've come specifically to pay a visit, and I have important matters to discuss with my senior sister privately."
Shen Shulan nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the thousands of eyes below the stage, some filled with curiosity, some with awe, and some with complex emotions. His voice was clear and resonant, echoing through the cliffs: "Today's sermon is now concluded."
"Gentlemen, step back."
As soon as she finished speaking, her white figure turned around before everyone else, looked at Lu Yuan, and gestured for him to enter, saying, "Uncle-Master, please."
The two walked one after the other towards the hall behind the preaching platform, disappearing into the clouds and ancient buildings leading to the deepest part of Wuqing Temple.
Only the disciples and pilgrims who had been left on the mountainside stared at the two figures with curiosity.
Shen Shulan led Lu Yuan through several quiet moon gates to a separate side hall called "Ting Lei Xuan".
Far from the hustle and bustle of the main hall area, this place offers views of sheer cliffs and a sea of clouds churning below.
The wind howled like waves, with occasional faint rumbles of thunder coming from afar; it was indeed an excellent place for quiet contemplation and philosophical discussions.
The interior furnishings were extremely simple and elegant, with only natural wooden tables and chairs, spotless and dust-free.
Shen Shulan gestured for Lu Yuan to sit down, then turned and walked towards the bronze tea stove on the side.
With her back to Lu Yuan, the hem of her plain white Taoist robe swayed slightly as she walked.
She picked up the copper kettle and poured boiling water into the purple clay teapot, releasing a refreshing aroma of tea.
Lu Yuan didn't waste any words and got straight to the point: "Senior Sister, I've come here on important business!"
Afterwards, Lu Yuan briefly recounted to Shen Shulan everything he had seen and heard in the past few days, including the Xu Denghu family, the Yu Gui Liu family, and the evil god.
After briefly explaining, Lu Yuan added seriously, "Although Liu Xuanyin has been executed, his hundreds of years of operation of the outer corpse-raising grounds, the Yin-gathering pools, and the places where evil gods are offered sacrifices are now leaderless and scattered throughout the border regions, which may cause great disaster."
"I would like to ask Wuqing Temple to step in and help with the cleanup."
Shen Shulan turned around with her teacup in hand, her face still cold and aloof, but when her beautiful eyes fell on Lu Yuan, they were not as indifferent as they were to strangers.
She gently placed the teacup in front of Lu Yuan, her movements impeccably elegant.
However, just as she withdrew her hand, Lu Yuan keenly caught the extremely subtle pause in her fingertips.
And in those clear, cold eyes, a fleeting, gentle light, like the thawing of spring ice, flashed by.
Shen Shulan did not answer immediately, but lowered her eyes to look at the tea leaves floating in the cup, and said softly, "Uncle-Master is still the same as always, so impulsive, always expecting people to work for him."
Even so, her hand reached for the teapot again.
This time, when she refilled Lu Yuan's tea, she pressed the spout very low, and the water flowed like a thread, silently pouring into the cup without splashing a single drop.
But just as the cup was about to be full, a crack appeared in her eternally aloof expression—
She seemed a little distracted, and a tiny bit of tea spilled from the pot, wetting her fingertips.
As if burned, Shen Shulan quickly withdrew her hand, her fingertips lightly wiping her cuff.
Although her expression remained icy, the sight of her fingertips dampened by hot water, and her subtle, instinctive avoidance of Lu Yuan's gaze, betrayed the turmoil within her.
It wasn't disgust, nor embarrassment, but rather a kind of indescribable shyness and joy.
Lu Yuan understood.
It seems that although he seriously injured Shen Jizhou in Fengtian City last time, it did not become a huge obstacle between the two of them in Shen Shulan's heart.
"Since Martial Uncle has spoken, Wuqing Temple will naturally offer its assistance."
Shen Shulan raised her head again, her gaze returning to calm, but the tenderness deep in her eyes could no longer be hidden.
"Besides, this is also for the sake of peace and tranquility outside the Great Wall."
Looking at her, who was clearly happy but pretending to be aloof, Lu Yuan couldn't help but smile slightly.
This was the Shen Shulan he knew—a cold exterior concealing a passionate and sincere heart.
Seeing that Shen Shulan nodded in agreement, Lu Yuan felt relieved and continued, "Since Senior Sister has agreed, let's hurry up and discuss it."
"Right now, Li Guanqi, Fu Yuanshan, and Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable have all arrived at True Dragon Temple, presumably waiting for me to return."
"Ten days left."
Lu Yuan continued, his fingers unconsciously rubbing together on the rim of the teacup, as if calculating the itinerary and time.
"Ten days later, Li Guanqi promised Fu Yuanshan that he would compile a complete map of the distribution of the corpse-raising grounds, Yin-gathering pools, and evil god offering places of the Yu Gui Liu family."
"With this detailed map, we will be able to conduct our cleanup more effectively and efficiently."
"Just like the Demon-Nourishing Diagram of the King of Destiny back then."
After saying that, Lu Yuan raised his eyes and looked at Shen Shulan, his gaze carrying a hint of discussion: "So, what I mean is, how about in a couple of days, Senior Sister, you come back to Zhenlong Temple with me?"
"Once the distribution maps of Li and Fu arrive in ten days, we will discuss with Uncle He Xun, the Li family of Du'e, and the Fu family of Beiyin at Zhenlong Temple how to allocate manpower for targeted elimination."
"What does Senior Sister think?"
After listening, Shen Shulan nodded slightly without any hesitation or even symbolic thought.
"it is good."
Her voice remained clear and crisp, yet decisive and efficient.
"When to set off is up to my martial uncle."
She didn't even ask a question, as if in her opinion, since Lu Yuan had invited her, it was only natural for her to go.
This unwavering trust warmed Lu Yuan's heart.
He knew that Shen Shulan agreed so readily not only because cleaning up the land where the evil god made offerings was the duty of the righteous path—
"Then... in three days."
Lu Yuan thought for a moment and said seriously, "Senior Sister must have some matters to explain and arrange in the temple."
"Three days later, at dawn, I will come to pick up my senior sister and we will return to Zhenlong Temple together."
Shen Shulan responded, picked up the almost untouched cup of tea in front of her, and took a small sip.
As she put down her teacup, her long eyelashes trembled slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she only said, "Uncle-Master, you've had a long and tiring journey."
"Take these three days and rest well at the temple."
"Please let me know if you need anything."
Although Shen Shulan still maintained that aloof tone, the warmth contained within it was like the occasional faint rumble of thunder outside the window.
Though not intense, it is real and tangible.
Whether or not Lu Yuan needs to rest, he doesn't really have much to rest.
I slept the whole way in the carriage.
The most important thing now is —
I have to go see Shen Jizhou!
Last time in Fengtian City, Shen Jizhou made such a mess of things for me—
Of course, Lu Yuan was in a worse situation at the time, but Lu Yuan was young, while Shen Jizhou was already quite old.
I don't know what's going on right now.
Now that they've already entered the gates of Wuqing Temple, they naturally want to see Shen Jizhou.
It wouldn't really count as a formal apology.
After all, Lu Yuan didn't think he was wrong about what happened in Fengtian City.
However, no matter what, Lu Yuan still felt somewhat indebted.
Besides, from both a moral and logical standpoint, let's not get into all that nonsense.
As a junior, I should naturally greet my seniors.
Lu Yuan picked up the teacup, then put it down again, rubbed his fingers along the rim of the cup a couple of times, and finally looked up at Shen Shulan.
Her tone was no longer as crisp and decisive as before, but rather carried a hint of consideration: "Senior Sister, there's one more thing."
Shen Shulan was looking down at the tea leaves floating in her cup when she heard this and looked up.
"I came here not only to discuss cleaning up the remaining influence of the Liu family, but also to see Uncle Shen."
Lu Yuan looked directly at Shen Shulan, his tone sincere.
"Last time in Fengtian City, although we each had our own stances, we still—disturbed our elders."
"Now that we have come to your door, it is only proper and reasonable for us to inquire about your well-being and check on your injuries."
He spoke frankly, neither as humble as "coming to apologize" nor as arrogant as "taking it for granted."
It was simply an expression of proper courtesy and concern from a junior.
After all, regardless of right or wrong at the time, the fact remains that an elder was seriously injured. Visiting now without offering greetings would seem petty.
Moreover, Lu Yuan didn't want the relationship between the two sides to become too strained, not for any other reason than that he didn't want Shen Shulan to be caught in the middle and put in a difficult position.
After listening, a faint, elusive gentleness flickered in the depths of Shen Shulan's beautiful eyes, like a glimmer of light as ice and snow begin to melt.
"Father is doing well."
Shen Shulan's voice was still clear and crisp, but her speaking speed was slightly slower than usual, revealing a rare—calmness.
"The turmoil that Fengtian City suffered last time has now subsided, and I am simply resting quietly in the temple without going out."
"Since Uncle-Master wants to see you, then let's go now."
95
Shen Shulan stood up, her plain white Taoist robe drawing a flowing cloud-like arc in the dim light.
"My father is recuperating in the 'Listening to the Waves Pavilion' on the back hill; he should be here now."
As she spoke, she took the lead and walked out of the hall. Her steps were unhurried, but she did not walk as quickly as usual. Instead, she seemed to be waiting for Lu Yuan to catch up.
Lu Yuan quickly got up and followed.
He followed behind Shen Shulan, watching the hem of her plain white Taoist robe sway slightly with her steps, casting a slender shadow on the bluestone ground.
The two walked one after the other through several quiet corridors, passing several ancient and vigorous pine trees, the air filled with a faint fragrance of medicine and pine resin.
This road clearly leads to the most secluded and tranquil part of Wuqing Temple.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the two arrived at a pavilion built on a cliff.
The attic wasn't very tall, but it had an excellent view. Opening the window, you could see the sea of clouds surging and hear the faint rumble of thunder in the distance and the real sound of the pine trees nearby.
Shen Shulan stopped in front of the pavilion, but did not go in directly. Instead, she turned to look at Lu Yuan and said softly, "Father is stubborn, so Uncle-Master, you don't need to pay too much attention to his attitude later."
This statement is almost an explicit indication.
Shen Jizhou might still be angry, and Lu Yuan needs to be mentally prepared.
Lu Yuan nodded slightly: "I understand."
Shen Shulan then gently pushed open the door to the attic.
Inside the attic, the light was dim and the furnishings were simple, with only a faint scent of calming incense burning quietly.
On a rosewood couch, Shen Jizhou was resting with his eyes closed, covered with a thin quilt.
Although his face was still somewhat pale, his breathing was deep and even, and he was clearly no longer in danger of dying.
Shen Jizhou slowly opened his eyes only after hearing Shen Shulan open the door.
Those once majestic eyes, though less sharp now, remain as deep and unfathomable as an abyss.
"Oh, it's the Celestial Venerable's disciple."
Lu Yuan:
Hey!!
That old bastard!
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