141 - Douluo: Martial Spirit Blue Silver Grass

Upon receiving Fang Yuan Qing's suggestion, Fu Ling hurried to Xuanming Sect as soon as she left Tianwu Cliff. Fang Ke Yuan was troubled by the curse and had not been attending sect matters for days. Hearing that she needed to use the icy lake, Fang Si Jian promptly led her to the back mountain. "Why isn't Miss Jiu Ying with you?" In the past, this pair of senior sisters was always inseparable, so seeing Fu Ling alone today puzzled the young master of Qing Zhou. The two walked side by side, quickly arriving at the vicinity of the icy lake. With no outsiders around and Fang Si Jian being a trustworthy friend, Fu Ling did not hide the matter of the dragon egg from him. Rumors had long circulated in the demon and demon world, saying there was a heavenly cultivator and a dragon spirit hiding among the human race. After knowing Fu Ling was the heavenly cultivator in question, Fang Si Jian had long suspected that Jiu Ying was that dragon spirit, yet he never had the chance to verify his suspicions. Now, hearing Fu Ling's words, he finally confirmed his guess was correct. Being a dragon spirit that had returned to a fetal form and reincarnated, it was inevitable that Jiu Ying's strength, after rebirth, would surpass her former self. Such a heavenly blessing was bound to incite envy if it were to spread beyond. Fang Si Jian pondered for a moment before speaking in a lowered voice, "Only a few hundred individuals are known to have produced a dragon spirit over the centuries. With the dragon egg about to hatch, this must remain completely unknown to outsiders. In the coming days, I will have Tian Lian join me in guarding the rear mountain to ensure no one else approaches the icy lake." He initiated the offer of assistance with utmost sincerity, making even Fu Ling feel somewhat embarrassed. After all, she couldn't guarantee fulfilling such a grand promise of fame and recognition that Fang Si Jian desired. She carefully placed the white egg into the spring water at the edge of the icy lake, waiting until it was fully submerged before returning to stand in front of Qing Zhou, whispering a word of thanks. Fang Si Jian was keenly perceptive and immediately understood what she was thinking. Faced with her gratitude, he simply shook his head, saying, "Why bother with thanks? "Without your help on my journey to Yin Mountain, I would likely have died. "Today's aid is merely repaying your lifesaving grace from back then. You needn't bear any burdens from it. "Moreover, before helping you ascend to that position, I believe there remains a layer of friendship between us." Friends—a beautiful word indeed. Fu Ling bit her lip, feeling her heart lighten. In this world, only sincerity can be exchanged for sincerity. *** At the base of Tianwu Cliff, Fang Yuan Qing sat alone by the river. A colorful little parrot flitted around her, chattering incessantly. "Go home! Go home!" It seemed this little creature had followed Fu Ling all the way from Yuchun Hall to here. Outside of children, parents are always anxious. The words "go home" were likely taught by her mother. The parrot’s lively presence added a touch of liveliness to the quiet riverbank. Fang Yuan Qing helplessly chuckled, patting the parrot’s little head, "Alright, don’t cry out anymore." "When someone comes tonight, call for Yue Yue. When you see her, remember to call her that, okay?" The little creature was highly intelligent, able to pick out the most crucial words from a sentence. After hearing its owner, it nodded its head, flapping back onto a stone and mimicking the call, "Yue Yue! Yue Yue!" Such a clever little parrot—perfect for cheering up a girl. Recalling the delicate face of her benefactor, Fang Yuan Qing patiently taught the parrot a few more sweet phrases. The whole afternoon, the parrot’s praises echoed along the riverbank— "Yue Yue, beautiful!" "Yue Yue, cute!" "Yue Yue, kind!" Beyond those, there was even a faint whisper of "sister moon." The woman beneath the cliff focused on teaching the parrot to speak. Meanwhile, the girl on the cliff above blushed deeply with embarrassment. Meng Ji, at some unknown time, had also arrived and witnessed the scene. Undoubtedly, Ming Yue’s plan was about to unfold. She sighed, turning to glance at the person beside her, noticing the flush on their face, and shook her head, "Ash pollution has limited time, within half a month, you must acquire the icy lake water." Upon hearing this, Ming Yue lowered her eyes, her sight lingering on the woman by the river, a complex blend of feelings stirring within her. She and Fang Yuan Qing had an irreconcilable enmity. From their very first encounter, it was a charade, so why was she so troubled now? Meng Ji’s urging was akin to a knife against her throat, forcing her to move forward step by step. Her lips moved, emotions fluctuating wildly in her gaze, until after a long pause, she softly asked, "Meng Ji, did I do wrong?" "Should I not have deceived her?" The woman in yellow slightly knit her brows, momentarily unsure how to respond. What does it matter if it's right or wrong? Ash pollution is dying; Ming Yue has no choice. And Fang Yuan Qing is destined to pay for her father's actions. Given the circumstances, she could only have Ming Yue keep moving forward, "If there's blame, it's only because she's Fang Ke Yuan's daughter." Upon hearing this, Ming Yue’s eyes filled with more guilt, "But she's completely different from Fang Ke Yuan!" The more she interacted with her, the more she understood what a gentle and resilient person Fang Yuan Qing was. This protest moved Meng Ji slightly. Ming Yue was still young and new to matters of the heart. Her hesitation and retreat now were clearly signs of softness. Could there be any good outcome for a demon princess and the heir of a righteous sect being together? Impossible. Opposing identities were like a vast gulf, challenging to cross. Since that’s the case, it’s better to set your heart sooner rather than later. "How does it help if she's different from Fang Ke Yuan?" "Right now, only she can save ash pollution’s life. Are you willing to give up?" "If you truly feel guilty, take the icy lake water and leave her world forever, never to see her again." Deception, lies, and manipulation—those are the things that truly hurt. Disappearing forever would be the best outcome for Fang Yuan Qing. Ming Yue understood the implications of these words but was slow to reply. Uncertain whether out of spite or unwillingness, she turned and fled from there. Leaving only Meng Ji behind, staying by the cliff. Night soon fell. The night sky was as beautiful as ever, stars and the moon hanging high. Fang Yuan Qing, tilting her head to gaze at the heavens, her eyes lingered on the crescent moon until the chatter of the little parrot brought her back to the present— "Yue Yue!" "Yue Yue is here!" Her benefactor had arrived? Just hearing the name Yue Yue brought a smile to her face. Turning to look, sure enough, it was the blind young woman. Seemingly startled by the parrot’s voice, the girl hugged a bamboo basket and hesitated at the forest's edge, afraid to approach. Fang Yuan Qing nudged the little parrot, intending to silence it, but before she could, it burst into a plethora of words learned and not learned that afternoon— "Yue Yue, good!" "Beautiful!" "Kind!" "Yue Yue, the best!" It was truly embarrassing. Fang Yuan Qing’s expression froze. She quickly reached out and grabbed the parrot, pinching its red beak shut, instantly silencing the air. The young woman remained hesitant, not stepping forward. The atmosphere was slightly awkward. Fang Yuan Qing pursed her lips, softly calling out, "Yue Yue, it’s me." Compared to the parrot's monotonous squawks, this voice was far more gentle and pleasing. The girl's eyes remained closed tight, her entire person cocooned in shadows. Confident there was no one else around, she finally took a step forward. Besides food, this time she brought a wooden cane. Calling it a cane was generous; it was simply a roughly hewn piece of wood. Evidently, the wounds on her hands were from this. Taking the cane, Fang Yuan Qing felt even more tenderness for the person before her. The little parrot, its beak pinched, now free, knew to stay quiet. Curious, it fluttered around the girl, darting here and there inquisitively. As it seemed ready to voice itself again, Fang Yuan Qing could only admonish in a low tone, "Don't make a sound." The unexpected command startled the girl, causing her fingers to falter and the bun she held to fall to the ground. Seeing her flinch, Fang Yuan Qing hurried to reassure her, "Don't worry, it's just my parrot." Parrot? Groping, the girl retrieved the fallen bun, carefully peeling away the muddy skin before lowering her head with a gentle, "A parrot? My elder sister once had one. I saw it when I was young." "But later, my eyes were scalded by hot oil and I could never open them again, nor remember what it looked like." This was the first time the young woman mentioned her family and her blindness. Fang Yuan Qing listened intently, realizing at that moment that her benefactor wasn't naturally blind but had lost her sight due to an injury. She was about to say something when the young woman unexpectedly lifted her head, softly voicing a small request, "May I touch it?" Such a low, pitiable tone easily evoked compassion in a listener. How could Fang Yuan Qing bear to refuse? She held the girl's slender wrist, directing her fingers to gently brush against the soft, warm feathers. "Yue Yue, good!" "Yue Yue, beautiful!" The little parrot, feeling the gentle touch, began to chirp again. This time, the young woman finally smiled, "Who taught it to say these things?" The young woman turned her head, her breath brushing against Fang Yuan Qing's neck. Face flushed unexpectedly, her hand instantly withdrew from Ming Yue's grasp. This question, however it was answered, felt wrong. After some thought, she simply replied, "No one taught it." How could a parrot mimic words if no one taught it? The girl tilted her head and leaned forward, almost pressing onto Fang Yuan Qing’s upper body, "I don’t believe you." "It must be Sister who taught it." "Don’t lie to me." Their faces were separated by barely half an inch. Fang Yuan Qing could clearly observe the girl's lush, curled eyelashes and also see the faint scars on her pale face— Not frightening at all, not terrifying in the least. All she felt was heartache. Her gaze moved upward, to the eyes that had never opened since the first time they met. Yuchun Hall had medications for scar removal with excellent effects, surely capable of restoring her benefactor's appearance; the icy spring water could heal countless wounds in the world and should be able to cure her benefactor's blindness. Her thoughts were in disarray. In a momentary lapse, her fingers had already brushed against those closed eyes. She thought, perhaps it was time to head back. *** With the assistance of Gao Tian Lian and Fang Si Jian, Fu Ling settled down by the icy lake without worry. Fang Ke Yuan was nowhere to be found, not having appeared for almost half a month. Once again, it was time to harvest the spiritual herbs, and an acquaintance arrived at the back mountain— Xie Shuang. After months of recuperation, her complexion had greatly improved. Recently, she heard that Fu Ling came to Xuanming Sect, but hadn't seen her in person. Observing Fang Si Jian and Gao Tian Lian guarding the back mountain day and night, not allowing anyone to enter, she roughly guessed Fu Ling was at the icy lake. As for what she was doing, she didn’t know. She had sent someone to investigate yesterday but got no information, so today, seizing the opportunity of collecting spiritual herbs, she brought a basket and came over immediately. Fang Si Jian had stayed guard outside the previous night. At this moment, only Gao Tian Lian was standing outside. Since she was a guest of Xuanming Sect, he couldn't just turn her away. But remembering his friend's request, his stance remained firm. After a brief discussion, he still did not allow Xie Shuang to enter, only letting her wait outside while he carried the basket to the icy lake. Naturally, he wasn’t aware that as soon as he left, Xie Shuang also sneaked into the icy lake via another path. The dragon egg was about to hatch, and the surroundings of the icy lake were filled with a strong dragon aura. No matter how Fu Ling tried to conceal it, she couldn’t completely hide it. Gao Tian Lian, knowing the matter, crouched to examine the dragon egg closely before collecting the spiritual herbs. The two were absorbed in conversation, not noticing the silhouette standing outside the misty vapor. Xie Shuang’s hands were clenched, her face devoid of any expression. It was said those who went to the spiritual realm were blessed with fortune, but she never expected Fu Ling to bring back a dragon! A dragon spirit not seen for hundreds of years! Unclear whether it was jealousy or resentment, she couldn't stop comparing their situations, becoming increasingly unwilling with each comparison— Fu Ling was extraordinarily talented, naturally gifted with dual water and fire roots; Fu Ling had Jiu Ying, friends, and family; everyone liked her. And now, Fu Ling even had a dragon spirit! Whereas she had to bear the pain of losing her family alone, forever living a life dependent on others. Clearly, Fu Ling could rescue the demonic dragon! Her palms were clammy with sweat, and her face grew colder by the moment. When Gao Tian Lian, holding the basket, walked out, she hastily turned and fled back to her room in a hurry. In her disarray, she even forgot to take the spiritual herbs. Not seeing anyone when he came out, Gao Tian Lian assumed she left due to some urgent matter and didn’t give it much thought. Shortly after seeing Xie Shuang off, another friend arrived. Fang Yuan Qing also came. Her leg injury wasn’t fully healed, and she relied on a wooden crutch to walk. Seeing her injury, Gao Tian Lian immediately allowed her into the icy lake. Beyond their friendship, it was also because she was a descendant of the Fang family. Fu Ling sat by the lake, intently watching the white egg in the water. Only when Fang Yuan Qing approached did she realize someone had arrived. It had been four days since they last met. Like Gao Tian Lian, without saying a word, Fu Ling began unwrapping the white cloth on Fang Yuan Qing’s leg. Underneath the bandages was a large, deep wound still crusting over. The sight of it was difficult to behold. Thankfully, with the help of the icy lake’s water, after soaking for a moment, the wound gradually healed. Remembering the purpose of her visit, Fang Yuan Qing took a small bamboo tube from the pouch at her waist. She didn’t conceal her actions and walked directly to the spring to collect some icy lake water in front of Fu Ling. Icy spring water, forbidden to be taken outside. Everyone knew the rule, and Fang Yuan Qing couldn't possibly be unaware. Before Fu Ling could ask, she took the initiative to speak, "She has an eye injury. I’m gathering some spring water for her treatment." She? Naturally referring to the benefactor from Hehuan Sect. Fang Yuan Qing, usually cautious and prudent, surprisingly was willing to take such a bold step for someone she had known for less than a month. It was truly astonishing. The icy lake water was incredibly precious. Fu Ling felt something didn’t quite add up, but seeing the brief flash of joy in her eyes, she chose to remain silent. Fang Yuan Qing just left like that. This meeting was nearly a farewell. Fu Ling would never anticipate the tragic fate her sister Yuan Qing was about to face. Ever since learning about the dragon hidden in the icy lake, Xie Shuang couldn't stop thinking about it. Unfortunately, with Fang Si Jian and Gao Tian Lian being extremely vigilant, she couldn’t find another chance to sneak into the icy lake. As days passed, the day finally arrived for the dragon egg to hatch. That night, Fu Ling lay by the spring, sleeping soundly when she was awakened by a faint cracking sound. In her drowsy state, she opened her eyes. Inside the icy lake, it was dim and dark. She couldn’t see anything clearly. All she could perceive was something crawling onto her body, a cold, scaly tail brushing across her face. Utterly terrifying. She reached out, touching in the darkness, and a pair of round, glowing green eyes stared back at her. Instantly, her fingertip was caught by a small, soft mouth, tenderly sucking. Like a newborn seeking milk. Even without sound or sight, her eyes immediately felt hot, and before she knew it, tears rolled down her cheeks. She realized her senior sister had returned. Her forefinger still in its gentle hold, abruptly, she was bitten. The hatchling needed the energy from a bond, and blood was the best source for it. Trickles of blood flowed. Out of nowhere, a weak yet familiar voice echoed in her mind, "Ling Ling, is that you?" Ling Ling—how long had it been since she heard that name? Her nose stung with emotion, suppressed grievances rushing forth, and even as she spoke, there was a faint tremor in her voice, "If not me, then who else would it be?!" "Does Senior Sister wish to bond with someone else?!" ※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※ Senior Sister is back! The fires burning a bit hot for the Qingming couple *cough cough* A heartfelt thanks to all the little angels who cast votes or watered the nutrient solution for me between 2020-12-18 13:12:08 and 2020-12-19 18:13:49~ Thank you to the little angels who cast landmines: 1 each for Mu Qing Mu, Me, and Meeting You for the First Time; Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Xiao Guazi with 36 bottles; 351650813 with 4 bottles; Jin Ru Song, Xiaogong You Sa's Wallet with 20 bottles; Floating Sinking, Huang Tingting's Official Girlfriend with 10 bottles; Lightly Leaning, Meeting You for the First Time with 8 bottles; School's Open www with 6 bottles; Ying with 5 bottles; Don't Say You're a Single Dog with No Rights with 2 bottles; Zeng Ke Ni's Lover, Like Night as Illusion with 1 bottle each; A big thank you to everyone for your support, I will continue to work hard!