Chapter 423: The Unfeeling Flowing Water

Nie Qianyu forced a smile and said: “It’s said that this Yue Lao Shrine is where Lady Mo Chou once knelt and made her wish. After she met Ye Feng, she came here with her beloved to fulfill her vow. It caused quite a stir at the time, and the incense here at the Yue Lao Shrine flourished. However, after Lady Mo Chou was suppressed beneath the Frowning Brow Pagoda, the Yue Lao Shrine gradually fell into ruin.”

“I see,” Zhang Xiaohua frowned slightly.

Nie Qianyu continued: “When I was little, I came here with my mother. Looking at the kindly old man above, I paid my respects a few times. My mother said I was fated with this Yue Lao Temple, so I have always worshipped this Yue Lao.”

“Aren’t all Yue Lao Temples in the world dedicated to Yue Lao? What’s the difference?” Zhang Xiaohua asked in confusion.

Nie Qianyu said meaningfully: “All the Yue Lao in the world look the same, but in my heart, there is only this one.”

Zhang Xiaohua hesitated for a moment, then smiled and said: “I think I’ll pass. I still believe in the fate decreed by the heavens.”

Nie Qianyu let out a gentle sigh and said: “Brother Ren, do as you please. This is nothing more than a wishful thought.”

After speaking, she silently walked to the side.

Little Orange glared fiercely at Zhang Xiaohua and said: “Hero Ren, could you help me carry some bedding from the carriage outside? Also, I’ll have to trouble you to find some dry straw. The ground here is very damp. Even if you do not care for Miss, you wouldn’t just watch her catch a cold, would you?”

Zhang Xiaohua rubbed his nose and didn’t argue with her. He simply followed her out of the temple, carried everything from the carriage inside, and then went out again to look for dry straw.

But where could one find dry straw on such a pitch-black night?

Clearly, Little Orange was making things a bit difficult for him. However, this was nothing to Zhang Xiaohua. He released a bit of his divine sense and soon found a farmhouse not far away. Wasn’t there a pile of straw behind the house? With a hand seal, he used an earth escape technique to burrow beneath the straw pile, and within it, he found perfectly dry straw.

It had to be said, Zhang Xiaohua’s use of divine sense had improved greatly, no longer as erratic as it once was.

Returning to the Yue Lao Temple, seeing a few pieces of straw stuck in Zhang Xiaohua’s hair, Nie Qianyu burst into laughter, bending over with mirth. She stepped forward and gently helped Zhang Xiaohua remove the straw from his head, as if the resentment from earlier had already vanished into thin air.

Zhang Xiaohua did not avoid her, letting her remove the straw from his head. Then he helped the two of them spread out the straw for bedding. After thinking for a moment, Zhang Xiaohua said: “Though it’s already spring, the nights are still chilly. I’d better fetch some dry firewood and light a fire.”

Watching Zhang Xiaohua’s hurried figure as he left, Nie Qianyu let out a deep sigh, feeling an indescribable emotion. She wondered how long this fleeting happiness could last.

Zhang Xiaohua was very capable. In no time, he returned with a large bundle of dry branches and started a fire right in the middle of the Yue Lao Temple.

Outside the shrine, the night gradually deepened and grew colder. Inside, the bonfire burned brightly, its flames casting a rosy glow on the faces of the three people. No one spoke; they simply sat there quietly, letting the crackling of the burning branches in the fire seem to tell their own tale of loneliness.

As the night wore on, Nie Qianyu and Little Orange’s eyes grew drowsy. Zhang Xiaohua stood up and walked out of the temple. Nie Qianyu was startled and called out: “Brother Ren, what are you doing? The Yue Lao Temple is quite large—there’s more than enough room for us. Why go outside?”

“Come on, Little Fish Nie, men and women shouldn’t be so close.” Zhang Xiaohua said in mock surprise.

Hearing Zhang Xiaohua’s slightly exaggerated tone, Nie Qianyu couldn’t help but spit and said: “Little Orange is here too, it’s not as if it’s just a man and a woman alone together. I’m not afraid, so what are you afraid of?”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said: “Even with the three of us, it’s still not quite proper. We need some other proof.”

Little Orange laughed and said: “You and Miss are both upright, I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Doesn’t Brother Ren always say, ‘Heaven is watching what we do’? What are you worried about now? It’s cold outside, be careful of your health. My Miss will…”

Before she could finish, Nie Qianyu kicked her on the rear and said: “Little Orange, say one more word and I’ll kick you just like Brother Ren did.”

“Kicked me?” Little Orange asked in confusion, “When did Brother Ren ever kick me?”

“Hehe,” Nie Qianyu covered her mouth and laughed: “Not you, the black horse pulling the carriage.”

“Miss, you…” Little Orange was speechless. She was only voicing her mistress’s feelings, yet she was “mistreated” like this.

Seeing the two of them joking, Zhang Xiaohua didn’t delay any longer and walked out.

N ie Qianyu saw this and quickly got up to follow. As she reached the doorway, she witnessed an astonishing scene: Zhang Xiaohua, with both hands supporting the wheels of the carriage, actually leapt lightly over the wall and walked toward the temple.

How much strength must that take?

Nie Qianyu was dumbfounded.

She had seen Zhang Xiaohua kill an enemy with a single sword stroke before, but that was in combat and didn’t give a direct sense of his strength. Now, seeing him effortlessly lift the massive carriage and use his lightness skill to leap over the high wall, the tangible display left her utterly amazed.

As Zhang Xiaohua walked over, she quickly stepped aside and asked: “Brother Ren, you’re really strong!”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said: “Little Fish, don’t be fooled by how big the carriage is. It’s actually quite light—it’s all wood.”

With that, he placed the carriage at the entrance of the Yue Lao Temple. After checking, he found it was just wide enough for the carriage to pass through. With a push, Zhang Xiaohua rolled the carriage inside and placed it in a corner.

At this moment, the Sibu Xiang Huanhuan also drove the black horse through the courtyard gate. Zhang Xiaohua waved at Huanhuan, and the two animals trotted over to him. Seeing this, Little Orange couldn’t help but ask: “Brother Ren, you—you’re not planning to let these two animals stay in the Yue Lao Temple too, are you?”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said: “That is exactly my intention.”

“But—but their smell is really unpleasant.” Little Orange said, her face full of confusion.

Zhang Xiaohua replied seriously: “Little Orange, you mustn’t be discriminatory. These two animals have worked hard all the way, pulling us for thousands of miles. The night is so cold—can you really bear to let them freeze outside?”

“But…” Little Orange protested anxiously, “Don’t they usually stay in the stable? Isn’t it just as cold there? Why not just let them stay in the courtyard?”

Zhang Xiaohua still shook his head and said: “Didn’t I just say it? A gentleman does not deceive in the dark. Staying together with you two beautiful girls, I really feel uneasy. After all, I’ve read a few months of the ‘Three Character Classic.’ Though some might say expediency is acceptable, I think it’s better to let these two fellows serve as witnesses.”

“Ah?” Little Orange gaped, pointing at the two animals. “Just them? Are they up to the task?”

Zhang Xiaohua said: “If you say they’re up to it, then they are. If you say they’re not, then they’re not. Whether they’re up to it or not, it’s all the same.”

Nie Qianyu laughed and said: “Brother Ren is truly a gentleman. Let’s do as Brother Ren says.”

Little Orange was truly speechless and muttered under her breath: “Isn’t this just deceiving oneself?”

Zhang Xiaohua ignored her, led the two animals to a corner and tied them up. Not long after, he even managed to gather a pile of fresh grass, tossing it on the ground for them to eat at their leisure. Only then did he turn around and gently close the door of the Yue Lao Temple.

Watching Zhang Xiaohua’s skillful way of feeding the horses and his almost magical ability to find straw, Nie Qianyu and Little Orange couldn’t help but think: “Brother Ren said at first that he grew up in a mountain village—turns out it was true. Among all the people of the Jianghu, who else could have such practiced movements?”

Nie Qianyu even thought: “If I grow old and can no longer roam the Jianghu, finding a manor to raise sheep and horses would also be a very promising future.”

Zhang Xiaohua turned around and, seeing the two girls staring intently at him, felt rather shy and said: “Ladies, don’t look at this young hero so intently. I’ll get embarrassed.”

Nie Qianyu and Little Orange both pouted, then turned and went back to the bedding that had already been laid out on the dry straw.

Nie Qianyu asked shyly: “Brother Ren, where… where are you going to sleep? You didn’t bring anything, and you didn’t even get any straw for yourself.”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said: “No need. I’ll go behind the Yue Lao statue. It’s quiet there, so I’ll leave this spot for you two.”

Nie Qianyu, unwilling to accept this, said anxiously: “Brother Ren, it’s cold at night. You’d better stay by the fire. Besides, there’s no straw in the back, and the ground is very damp.”

Zhang Xiaohua waved his hand and said: “It’s fine. I’ll just meditate and practice outside. I’m not afraid of the cold.”

Nie Qianyu got up and moved half of the straw from under herself, saying: “Brother Ren, even if you’re meditating, you should have straw to sit on. Take mine.”

With half the straw gone, there wasn’t enough bedding left, and half of it was now spread on the ground.

Seeing this, Little Orange quickly got up as well, wanting to move her straw over. Zhang Xiaohua was delighted in his heart but forced a wry smile on his face and said: “No need. I just remembered there’s a meditation cushion in the carriage. I’ll use that.”

With that, he quickly walked to the carriage, and while they weren’t paying attention, he took out the emerald-green meditation cushion from his money pouch. Holding it up, he said to Nie Qianyu: “This will do. I’m just sitting, so I don’t need much.”

Nie Qianyu and Little Orange had never seen a meditation cushion in the carriage before, and found it odd, but since they were not familiar with such things, they assumed it had just been under the carriage and didn’t ask further.

Zhang Xiaohua went behind the Yue Lao statue and sat down. The cushion was extraordinarily soft and warm, very comfortable to sit on. Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but smile—he really had found a treasure.

Nie Qianyu and Little Orange saw Zhang Xiaohua go behind the statue and not return, so they knew he was meditating and practicing. They didn’t dare disturb him and just lay in their bedding, silently watching the bonfire burn. Neither wanted to speak, both full of thoughts. Watching the fire, their eyes grew heavy, and they gradually drifted off to sleep.

After some time, as the night deepened, Zhang Xiaohua finally opened his eyes, moved to the front, and saw the two girls sleeping peacefully. He smiled, then took several emerald-green jade slips from his robe and placed them in various spots around the Yue Lao Temple. Forming a hand seal, he sent energy in all directions. In his divine sense, he could feel faint waves of Yuan Qi emanating from the jade slips. An invisible barrier slowly formed from each jade slip, gradually converging to create a semicircular shield within the Yue Lao Temple, covering everything inside. The formation was remarkably similar to the previous Three Talents Array!