Chapter 53

**Early Morning.**

Yue Yuan and the limping girl Lu Wushuang each rode a small donkey, swaying gently as they set off toward the rising sun. Their destination was Xiangyang.

The reason they started so early was that Yue Yuan did not want to travel during the scorching midday. Under such hot weather, braving the blazing sun was pure torture. Especially when riding a comfortable donkey, traveling in the midday heat was even more unbearable.

If they were riding tall horses, traveling in the midday wouldn't be a problem. After all, with the speed, it would feel like a breeze.

Unfortunately, Yue Yuan preferred a leisurely journey. When there was no urgent matter, he absolutely wouldn't ride a horse.

"Facing this new rising sun, what are your thoughts, Miss Wushuang?"

Facing the sun, Yue Yuan leisurely propped his head on his hands and lay on the donkey's back, asking the limping girl Lu Wushuang, who was riding alongside him, in a not particularly difficult posture.

"Ah?"

"Thoughts?"

Lu Wushuang was taken aback. She had been lost in the grandeur and vitality of the rising sun, which gave a sense of vastness and vigor. Suddenly, Yue Yuan's question made her pause.

After a long moment, Lu Wushuang replied seriously, "Grandeur and vitality! It can broaden one's heart!"

The limping girl's words were absolutely sincere. Since the massacre of her family, Lu Wushuang had lived in fear under the tutelage of the Immortal Red Snake, Li Mochou, harboring deep-seated hatred. It was only during the time she spent with Yue Yuan that she felt the most relaxed.

Although sometimes Yue Yuan would have strange thoughts and would tell ghost stories in a somber tone...

However, this period was indeed the most relaxed and comfortable time for Lu Wushuang. No one bothered her, Li Mochou didn't cause her any trouble, and Yue Yuan had agreed to help her practice the Five Poisons' secret techniques and teach her lightness skills. Wasn't that a happy thing?

In such a mood, riding on the donkey and looking at the rising red sun, her heart felt much more at ease.

Her usually furrowed brows and occasional temper tantrums had also eased considerably.

"Hmm, not bad!"

Yue Yuan nodded, very satisfied with Lu Wushuang's current state, and said, "This state of yours is more suitable for practicing martial arts! If you had your previous anxious personality, it would be very easy to go down the wrong path!"

"Ha ha..."

Hearing Yue Yuan's praise, Lu Wushuang was delighted. Her face was full of joy, and after a while, she asked, "What are your thoughts on this sunrise, Brother Yue?"

Brother Yue?!

Turning his head, Yue Yuan's gaze fell on the limping girl bathed in the red sunlight beside him. His face first showed a hint of surprise. In the past, Lu Wushuang had called him either "you" or "Daoist," but now...

Yue Yuan felt a sense of replacing Brother Yang.

He was very satisfied, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

Then, Yue Yuan addressed Lu Wushuang's question. He immediately sat up from his lying position on the donkey, his eyes bright as he gazed at the distant morning sun and said with deep emotion, "Looking at the morning sun, I am reminded of that sunset, riding leisurely on a donkey under the golden sunset, when I met... Hey? Why are you turning your head, Wushuang?"

"..."

Having spent many days with Yue Yuan, Lu Wushuang knew that the Daoist beside her was about to start his strange and unrestrained musings.

I am so foolish!

Foolish enough to ask such a question!

How could looking at the morning sun make one think of the sunset?

The limping girl Lu Wushuang really couldn't understand where these thoughts came from.

But fortunately, Lu Wushuang was well-prepared. She took out two white cotton balls from her sleeve, rolled them into balls, and stuffed them in her ears. Then, turning her head, she smiled and nodded continuously, as if she was deeply impressed by Yue Yuan's musings.

"..."

Yue Yuan's words came to an abrupt stop. He looked at the limping girl beside him with a blank expression, pointed to her ears, and said, "I saw what you just did!"

"Uh..."

Seeing Yue Yuan's gesture, Lu Wushuang's face turned red.

The limping girl Lu Wushuang felt that she had been influenced by him to become strange.

...

Time passed quickly.

As Yue Yuan and the limping girl Lu Wushuang leisurely traveled south, it soon reached noon.

It had to be admitted that the weather was good, with clear skies, but even in the autumn, the midday sun was still scorching. Although Lu Wushuang didn't mind traveling, having endured much hardship during her time with the Immortal Red Snake, Li Mochou, this small heat was nothing to her.

But Yue Yuan was different. His love for comfort and dislike of the sun were fully displayed. After all, what kind of person was Xiang Shuai? Even though he was called the Thief King, he was actually a refined thief.

More importantly, thieves mostly preferred to act at night, and Chu Liuxiang was no exception.

Combined with Yue Yuan's own habits, he had a strong aversion to the scorching sun.

Therefore, at noon, Yue Yuan and Lu Wushuang found a quiet and secluded place to rest and decided to continue their journey when the sun was less intense in the afternoon.

While resting, with nothing to do, Yue Yuan began to study the Five Poisons' secret techniques with Lu Wushuang and started formally teaching her martial arts.

"Wushuang, I think relying solely on that saber is not enough!"

Looking at Lu Wushuang, who was focused on the secret manual, Yue Yuan thought for a moment and said.

"Hmm?"

Raising her head, Lu Wushuang closed the Five Poisons' secret manual. After hearing Yue Yuan's words, she pondered for a while and agreed that her offensive power was insufficient. Moreover, with her leg problem, even if her lightness skills improved, she would still be at a disadvantage when facing normal people, especially when facing experts, her leg would definitely be a weakness.

Thinking of her leg, Lu Wushuang felt a deep resentment.

Although her leg was not fully healed due to her senior sister Hong Lingbo, Lu Wushuang blamed the Immortal Red Snake, Li Mochou. If Li Mochou hadn't destroyed the Lu family, her leg would not be like this.

"What do you think, Brother Yue?"

Faced with Yue Yuan's suggestion, Lu Wushuang thought for a moment and agreed. Since Yue Yuan could point this out, she believed he had a solution.

"..."

"Even if your lightness skills improve, you still have a disadvantage when facing experts!"

At this point, Yue Yuan's gaze fell on Lu Wushuang's limping leg, and he continued, "If you use your saber and combine it with the Five Poisons' palm, you must fight at close range, but with your leg problem, this is a significant issue!"

"..."

Lu Wushuang remained silent, her face slightly darkening. Although her skills were not high, she understood this.

"So!"

"From this morning until now, I have been thinking about your fighting style. To solve this problem, there is only one method!"

Seeing Lu Wushuang's sad expression, Yue Yuan knew that mentioning her limp had touched a sore spot, so he quickly moved on to the solution.

"What method?"

Lu Wushuang's eyes widened, looking at Yue Yuan with great anticipation.

"Ha ha..."

Smiling with his eyes half-closed, Yue Yuan was very satisfied with Lu Wushuang's anticipation and said, "That is to increase your attack range!"

"Attack range?"

Murmuring Yue Yuan's words, Lu Wushuang lowered her head in thought. When she looked up, she saw Yue Yuan take something out of a pocket on the donkey's side and shake it.

Crack!

The air crackled, and Lu Wushuang could even see ripples in the air, a black lightning flash.

Her eyes widened as she realized it was a black whip, about two zhang (about 6.6 meters) long, now held by Yue Yuan, hanging to the ground.

The weapon Yue Yuan had found for Lu Wushuang to increase her attack range was a long whip.

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