Chapter 38

"Is it you, Miss Shuixue?" Tanggu was somewhat incredulous.

Veil, a young girl...

This black-cloaked girl, who had come to the mountain peak to collect dew, was none other than the blue-clothed girl Shuixue who, more than two months ago, had bought his last lantern, "The Peony Pavilion," for a hundred stone coins in Fulanjiao Market.

However, at that time, she was accompanied by a man and a woman, walking among the crowd like a star surrounded by lesser lights, and she was dressed in blue, which was completely different from her current attire. Given the long time that had passed and their brief encounter, Tanggu had momentarily forgotten who she was.

"It's me."

Shuixue smiled slightly. Tanggu, who had sold lanterns in Fulanjiao Market and was clearly different from ordinary vendors, was still vividly remembered by her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked in return.

Clearly, although she was not bothered by it, she was somewhat puzzled and curious about Tanggu, who lived alone on such a tall and remote mountain peak.

"Me?"

Tanggu was slightly taken aback, then smiled and said, "Nothing much, just practicing here."

"Practicing? Oh!"

Shuixue blinked, not asking further, clearly afraid of touching on any taboo. Tanggu looked at the white jade silver bottle in Shuixue's palm and asked curiously, "And you? Are you collecting dew?"

"Yes, I'm collecting moon dew."

Shuixue nodded gently, her eyes filled with a clear sorrow, "My father has always been in poor health. It is said that for every ten drops of moon dew, combined with saffron, one can refine a 'Nine-Transmutation Mystic Pill,' which would greatly benefit my father's health."

"I want to refine 180 'Nine-Transmutation Mystic Pills' to ensure his longevity, so I often come here to collect moon dew. The Moonblade Peak is the highest and most secluded, closest to the moonlight, and rich in spiritual energy, which is why I come here at night."

"Oh."

Tanggu nodded, suddenly understanding. He then remembered that Shuixue had another identity as a first-grade intermediate alchemist, the only true first-grade alchemist in Shiyantown.

It was no wonder she came here at night to collect materials for refining pills for her father.

This moon dew has a yin attribute and cannot touch the ground; once it does, it loses all its spiritual energy. Therefore, it must be collected during the peak of the moon's radiance using special methods, and only a small drop can be collected at a time. During the day, it is impossible to collect.

To collect ten drops, it would take at least half a night. Ten drops of moon dew can refine one 'Nine-Transmutation Mystic Pill.' Considering the possibility of failure, it would take at least three to four months to collect all 180 drops.

Shuixue's filial piety was truly far beyond that of ordinary women. If it were someone else... even if they truly wanted to refine pills for their father, they wouldn't come here at night in the cold. They could simply send a subordinate or a maid. But she wanted to do it herself, and the patience required for three to four months of continuous effort was also far beyond that of ordinary women.

It was still early, and Shuixue clearly needed to collect more moon dew. Both of them were not sleepy, so they sat side by side on the open ground in front of the thatched cottage, chatting casually.

Tanggu noticed that she was holding the silver bottle, and although the process was not complicated, maintaining that posture for a long time must be tiring. He immediately gave her a suggestion.

He reached out and picked up a few branches, casually setting up a triangular frame on the ground. Then, using a red string, he hung the silver bottle in the air, placing the jade bead lightly at the mouth of the bottle.

Although this method was clearly not as fast as using inner energy to rotate the jade bead to generate moon dew, it was much more relaxed, and Shuixue no longer had to hold the bottle all the time.

As time passed, as long as someone was there to watch, the jade bead would continuously generate more moon dew, which would drop into the silver bottle. Every half an hour, one or two drops would fall.

The two of them sat on the ground, chatting about various topics. Gradually, the conversation turned to the lanterns Tanggu had made last time.

"Zoumalamp, also known as Panchilamp, Fairy Sound Candle, Rotating Egret Lamp, or Horse Riding Lamp, and some call it a Magic Lamp. It is a traditional toy from my hometown, a type of lantern commonly seen during the Lantern Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and other holidays."

Tanggu slowly recounted the history of the zoumalamp from his memory and explained its construction and operating principles to Shuixue, who listened with rapt attention.

She asked curiously, "Your hometown? So you're not originally from Shiyantown? What are the Lantern Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and other holidays?"

Tanggu smiled slightly, but his expression suddenly became somewhat absent-minded. He didn't say much, but Shuixue, seemingly intrigued, continued, "The 'Legend of the White Snake' zoumalamp you made attracted many people. I was so captivated that it felt like watching a play. Your zoumalamp was well-made. Bai Suzhen imprisoned Fahai in the Leifeng Pagoda, and they became immortals in heaven. Unfortunately, it was bought by someone else early on, so I could only buy the last 'Peony Pavilion.' But that one was also very good. I often get lost in the zoumalamp, thinking about the flow of life and the world. Why does it keep spinning, trying to capture that fleeting moment of happiness in the orange light?"

"Ha ha," Tanggu smiled, "Perhaps that's their destiny. If they don't spin, the lamp dies, and the story stops flowing. It's precious because it spins and because it can't be captured."

"Is that so? The characters in those stories, coming and going, chasing each other, never stopping, just like this long life, no one knows where the end is, until the candle burns out and the people disperse."

"Actually!"

Tanggu smiled and said, "Not just the zoumalamp, Miss Shui. If you have the chance, the next time you come, I'll make you another type of lantern. I promise it will be even more beautiful than the zoumalamp."

"What kind of lantern? Great, great... let's make it a deal."

"Sure."

Tanggu didn't tell Shuixue what kind of lantern it was, but in his memory, there were lanterns that looked simple but, when they flew into the sky, shone like stars, far more beautiful than the zoumalamp.

They fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts.

Suddenly.

Shuixue turned her head, her eyes like rippling water, and softly asked, "Big Brother Tang, can I ask you a question?"

"Hmm?"

Tanggu was jolted out of his thoughts by her voice. Seeing her suddenly downcast mood, his heart softened, and he gently said, "What question? Go ahead and ask."

"What is love?"

Lifting her head, Shuixue gazed at the stars in the sky, as if asking Tanggu, but also as if talking to herself.

The moonlight shone on her hair, turning it a deep blue.

"Hmm?" Tanggu was taken aback. What is love? He really didn't know.

There are countless types of love in the world... but which one was Shuixue asking about?

He probed, "Which type do you want to know about?"

"Which type?"

Shuixue's eyes moved, and after some thought, as if making a great decision, she slowly said, "My father clearly loves me, treating me like a precious pearl, giving me everything I want. But he can also arrange my marriage to someone I've never met for political alliances. So I want to know, what is love?"

"Hmm?"

Hearing this, Tanggu instantly understood the meaning behind Shuixue's question.

Perhaps she wasn't really asking him, maybe she was just talking to herself, asking herself.

Maybe it was just that, being usually so lonely, she finally found someone who had no significant ties to her but was willing to listen to her heart.

He was silent for a moment, then smiled and asked, "It's said that the young city lord is handsome and charming, and a demon hunter, with a bright future ahead. Is that not good?"

"No, it's not that he's bad, but marrying someone I've never met is too rushed."

Tanggu understood everything.

After some thought, he looked at Shuixue and said very seriously, "Miss Shui, we are not close, and perhaps I don't have the answer to your question. However, I can tell you a very old, very distant story from my hometown."

"This story is called 'Liang Zhu,' and some call it 'Butterfly Lovers'!"

PS: Second update, please give me 1 recommendation.

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