Chapter 45

Surprised.

Cheng Ying didn't know how many times she had been surprised today, but she knew that in this short time since dusk, her heart had been stirred many times.

And now, this was the most shocking moment for Cheng Ying.

In front of her, the door opened, and the person who came out was her cousin, Lu Wushuang, whom she had been searching for a long time.

Especially after learning from the disciples of the Beggar Sect that Lu Wushuang had stolen the secret manual of the Crimson Flame Fairy Li Mochou, Cheng Ying's concern for her cousin had grown even more. In the afternoon, the main reason for her intense travel with Yang Guo and Wan Yanping was due to Lu Wushuang's situation.

Because Cheng Ying knew that if Lu Wushuang were to fall into the hands of the Crimson Flame Fairy Li Mochou, it would be a fate worse than death.

Cheng Ying didn't expect to find her cousin at this inn. She had knocked on the door to discuss music with Yue Yuan, particularly the leaf flute melody she had heard earlier, which she couldn't help but want to understand better.

After informing Yang Guo and Wan Yanping, Cheng Ying came out. Initially, she was pondering how to find the golden-robed Taoist when she heard a cheerful whistling sound from a nearby room.

The melody was very lively. After listening in the corridor for a while, Cheng Ying, deep in thought, knocked on the door.

As the door opened, Cheng Ying was instantly shocked by the figure that emerged.

She was even more surprised to see her cousin, who was pouting and whistling a different tune.

"..."

Lu Wushuang raised her head slightly, sizing up the slightly taller woman in green before her. The woman, dressed in green, stood gracefully, exuding a reserved and unique elegance. However, her face was unexpectedly ugly!

While trying to figure out who this woman was, Lu Wushuang heard a surprised exclamation from the other side, and she was also taken aback, the whistling abruptly stopping.

"Cousin!?"

Cheng Ying was usually calm and rarely showed such surprise, but at this moment, she was indeed surprised. If not for the human skin mask covering her face, Lu Wushuang would have seen the shock on the young woman's face.

"Hmm?"

"Cousin?"

Lu Wushuang was initially stunned, but then she realized who the person was. She quickly poked her head out to look around the corridor, then pulled Cheng Ying inside and slammed the door shut.

"Cousin, what are you doing here?"

After Cheng Ying entered the room, Lu Wushuang looked at the woman in green with surprise and asked, "Your face?"

Lu Wushuang and Cheng Ying hadn't seen each other for a long time, but this "long time" didn't refer to the period since they were young. Cheng Ying had returned from studying on Peach Blossom Island and had met Lu Wushuang, who was a disciple of Li Mochou, many times.

However, facing the Crimson Flame Fairy, although Cheng Ying was skilled and had good martial arts, she was no match for Li Mochou.

Moreover, due to Lu Wushuang's own insistence, Cheng Ying didn't take her away.

It was impossible and not feasible.

Seeing her cousin, Cheng Ying was also very happy. She quickly removed the human skin mask from her face, revealing her gentle and beautiful features.

In an instant.

In the room with only the flickering candlelight, a touch of beauty appeared.

Her face was clear and her skin as white as snow.

Paired with her green attire, she was elegant and charming.

"Cousin, I came specifically to find you!"

"Ah! There's someone here!"

Just as she said this, Cheng Ying seemed to notice someone else's gaze and turned her head to look. She saw Yue Yuan, dressed in a golden Taoist robe, sitting on the side, intently observing her.

Instantly, Cheng Ying's face turned red.

Blushing like a rose.

"So, this is the true appearance of Miss Cheng!"

"Indeed, she has the grace of a southern lady!"

Yue Yuan couldn't help but admire Cheng Ying. Since coming to this world of the Divine Carving, Yue Yuan had seen most of the beautiful women. Now, he had only not seen Huang Rong and her daughter, as well as Gong Sun Lüe'e from the Valley of Absolute Affection. He had basically met all the other women.

Among these women, the most beautiful were the master and disciple, Xiaolongnü and Li Mochou. Huang Rong was also extremely beautiful, but she was already married.

Although Cheng Ying didn't match these three in beauty, she had her own unique charm.

Take Cheng Ying, for example; she exuded a rare calmness.

She was truly a lady of high birth.

No matter the situation, Cheng Ying stood gracefully, quietly listening, quietly watching, or quietly playing a melancholic flute.

Unlike other women, Cheng Ying had her own persistence.

Not forcing anything!

For others, and for herself, that was all.

Perhaps in old age, she would stand by the window, watching the rain beat against the parasol tree. Then, with the sound of the rain, she would play the flute, quietly recalling the past.

"..."

With a blush, Cheng Ying bowed to Yue Yuan, saying, "Greetings, Master Yue!" After greeting Yue Yuan, Cheng Ying turned her gaze to Lu Wushuang, her eyes full of confusion.

She was puzzled as to why her cousin was with Yue Yuan.

After all, her cousin had stolen the secret manual of the Crimson Flame Fairy, and logically, she should have been on the run. Even if she hadn't fallen into Li Mochou's hands, she should have been in a state of great distress.

Cheng Ying never expected to find Lu Wushuang whistling a cheerful tune as she opened the door for her.

This scene...

Was far from what she had imagined.

More importantly, it seemed that her cousin Lu Wushuang had been with Master Yue for quite some time! For a moment, Cheng Ying, who had originally intended to discuss music with Yue Yuan, had completely forgotten her original purpose.

Seeing Cheng Ying's puzzled expression, Yue Yuan naturally guessed her confusion.

He gestured to the limping girl, Lu Wushuang, and then sat drinking tea, quietly watching the two young women whisper in a corner, occasionally glancing his way.

Yue Yuan didn't use his skills to eavesdrop on the girls' conversation; that would have been too boring.

However...

Yue Yuan felt that Cheng Ying's gaze toward him was somewhat strange!

Could it be that the girl had seen through his plans in Yang Guo's room? Based on his understanding of Cheng Ying from the books, his previous words probably didn't have much impact on her, but they did affect Wan Yanping and Yang Guo.

Given Cheng Ying's non-competitive nature, it would be quite difficult for others to scheme against her.

While Yue Yuan was thinking, downstairs at the inn.

The Crimson Flame Fairy Li Mochou, accompanied by her senior disciple Hong Lingbo, came out with a somewhat hurried pace.

Beside them, Hong Lingbo was leading two donkeys.

"Master..."

"Why are we leaving in such a hurry?"

Hong Lingbo followed behind, looking at the Crimson Flame Fairy with confusion. After her master went to the roof, she returned to the room with a flushed face and a look of embarrassment. Moreover, Li Mochou insisted on leaving immediately, which made Hong Lingbo even more puzzled.

Could something have happened between her master and the person who played the melody on the roof?

Hong Lingbo, with her keen eyes, noticed that her master's hairpin was slightly askew, and her hair was a bit messy.

"Um!"

"I think your younger sister is likely heading to Xiangyang. That's where she would be safe!"

"To prevent the Five Poisons' secret techniques from falling into the wrong hands, we need to hurry to Xiangyang. If they fall into the hands of Huang Rong and her husband, it will be a problem!"

Turning around, Li Mochou's expression was very serious, as if she had come to this conclusion after much thought on the roof.

But Hong Lingbo was taken aback by her master's words.

Our younger sister Lu Wushuang is clearly in the inn, right next to us!

However, seeing the serious and earnest expression on Li Mochou's face, and considering her younger sister, Hong Lingbo swallowed and nodded in agreement, "Master, I think you are right!"

Lying!

Both master and disciple were lying.

And both were satisfied.

Thus, under the moonlight, the two of them rode the donkeys and left for the night.