Luo Fuchun didn't understand Sang Luojiu's hidden meaning. He honestly and bluntly flicked Sang Luojiu's forehead: "You are just too simple-minded and easily fooled by him!"

Sang Luojiu rubbed his flicked forehead, smiling innocently: "Then I'll have to rely on Senior Brother's protection."

Luo Fuchun generously put his arm around Sang Luojiu's shoulders, assuming the air of an experienced elder earnestly teaching: "Of course. To deal with our petulant Master, you have to harden your heart. You don't need to obey everything he says..."

Just as he finished speaking, Ruyi and Feng Rugu walked over from the direction of the other courtyard.

Ruyi's demeanor was normal, not at all like he had just punished himself, so no one suspected anything.

But only Hai Jing noticed that the way Ruyi tied his belt had changed, as if he had just untied it and retied it.

...It seemed that whoever was with Lord Yunzhong would end up with loosened clothes.

It was like this with Lord Duanrong, and now with Junior Martial Uncle too.

Hai Jing didn't dare speak or ask more. He didn't even dare breathe heavily. Like a little quail, he lowered his head and stood to the side, leaving everyone with just a view of his bare green head.

As for the turbulent thoughts in his mind, no one knew.

Luo Fuchun, who had just been methodically teaching Sang Luojiu the secrets of dealing with their Master, was clearly someone who could only teach but not practice.

As soon as he saw Feng Rugu's face, his expression immediately softened involuntarily. The brilliant smile on his face couldn't be concealed at all. He took the initiative to present the sweets sent by Chang Boning with both hands: "Master!"

Feng Rugu took the paper package and weighed it: "Did Senior Brother come back?"

Luo Fuchun nodded: "Senior Uncle asked us to pass it to Master."

Feng Rugu opened the package, took out a small piece of snowflake crisp, and tasted it. He made an "um" sound, seeming satisfied. He casually picked up another piece and naturally fed it into Ruyi's mouth: "You try it too."

Caught off guard by being fed, Ruyi slightly frowned as he bit the sweet, looking a little displeased.

In the past few days of traveling together, Luo Fuchun had actually become a bit afraid of Ruyi.

He had a blank expression, spoke little and never smiled. Luo Fuchun really couldn't figure him out. Seeing his cold face, Luo Fuchun's heart inexplicably twitched. Without changing his expression, he reached out to grab his Master's sleeve and pulled him to his side protectively.

Ruyi's eyes flickered with several changes in emotion. He seemed to be considering whether to spit out this thing that was casually stuffed into his mouth. In the end, he still remained indifferent. He politely bit off the small piece of pastry that entered his mouth, brushed away the crumbs from the corner of his mouth, took out a handkerchief, wrapped the remaining snowflake crisp in it, and put it into his sleeve.

As he did this, his face was expressionless, showing no trace of joy or anger.

This pastry was bought by his adoptive father, so he couldn't throw it away and should keep it well.

In Ruyi's view, this was the most normal thing.

He could also see that Feng Rugu had no ill intentions in doing this, and was simply "being good to him".

It's just that for this inexplicable "goodness", Ruyi couldn't think of a very appropriate reason, except for one—

...He probably had some inappropriate thoughts about him.

Ruyi had walked in the world for many years. Because of this body, he had attracted quite a few scoundrels.

Although he didn't understand the principles of love and affection, he knew that people wouldn't be good to another person for no reason.

...When he spoke ill of Feng Rugu behind his back, Feng Rugu intentionally pretended to be drunk to help him make excuses.

...Feng Rugu folded a paper crane and let it stay on his shoulder.

...When they toured the streets together, Feng Rugu's gaze was too focused and serious when he drew on his forehead.

...Just now, when applying medicine for him, Feng Rugu leaned over and carefully sprayed a thin, pain-relieving mist on his injured area.

Adding up all these things, Ruyi couldn't help but read more into them.

And for this deep affection, he respectfully declined.

Ruyi believed that this would not lead to anything. As long as he didn't respond, this flirtatious Lord Yunzhong would find it boring and naturally go seek other amusements.

However, while he was thinking so restrainedly in his heart, his hands were carefully wrapping the bitten pastry. The faint bamboo fragrance from Feng Rugu's fingertips lingered in his nostrils, but his ears gradually turned scarlet.

Hai Jing was buried in his own thoughts, while Luo Fuchun and Sang Luojiu were only focused on Feng Rugu, so even Ruyi himself didn't notice this.

Luo Fuchun eagerly asked, "Master, where do you think we should go next?"

Sure enough, as Sang Luojiu said, Feng Rugu already had a plan in mind: "Luojiu, would you like to take us to visit your home?"

Sang Luojiu smiled and replied, "Luojiu will follow Master's wishes."

Feng Rugu casually placed a piece of snowflake crisp on the "Jianchuan" location on the map, tapping his fingertips lightly on the edge of the map, as if in thought: "Jianchuan..."

...

Jianchuan was located in the cold and gloomy region. Even by flying sword, it was still a long distance from Jiangling City, where the Thousand Mechanisms Court of Jing Sanchai was located. It would take a full day and night to reach it.

They rested for a night on the way and only arrived near Jianchuan the next day.

Three mountains embraced each other, resembling three unsheathed sharp swords pointing straight to the sky, hence the place was named "Jianchuan".

The mountains were surrounded by a large ancient marsh called "Sinking Water". The water was heavy and had no buoyancy to speak of. Goose feathers would sink to the bottom and small boats could hardly cross, forming a natural protective barrier around Jianchuan.

Mortals without magic power had no way to deal with this strange marsh, and Daoists with magic power couldn't use any abilities on the river either. If they rashly tried to cross the river by flying sword, they would be like birds with broken wings, plunging into this dark, bottomless deep pool, and it would be difficult to climb out.

The marsh was a yin-yang eight trigrams circular disc. The water also had yin and yang properties. The yang side was suitable for harvesting to refine Daoist elixirs, while the yin side was suitable for harvesting to refine Daoist magic tools. However, this place happened to be extremely dangerous. Even the disciples of the three Daoist sects cultivating in Jianchuan didn't dare to show off their abilities easily when they reached the river. They had to first obtain a pass token and get permission from the disciple guarding the water before being allowed to enter. They also had to tie a rope around their waists to avoid the misfortune of falling into the water.

To cross the river, one needed to know the secret mantra and recite it at the crossing point. Only then would an ice bridge condense out of thin air to carry people across the river.

It was now approaching summer. The group stood by the dark water, yet still felt a bone-chilling coldness assailing their faces.

Luo Fuchun had only heard of this natural barrier. Now seeing it with his own eyes, he couldn't help but be curious: "Will this water really suck in those who fly on swords?"

Feng Rugu just got off Ruyi's sword. Upon hearing those words, he excitedly put his arm around Ruyi's shoulder and urged him, "Fuchun, why don't you try riding the sword."

Ruyi's shoulder moved slightly, but he still didn't shrug him off.

Sang Luojiu good-naturedly smiled and dissuaded the eager Luo Fuchun, "Senior brother, there isn't much mystery in this water, it will only make those with magical powers temporarily lose their abilities, no different from mortals."

Luo Fuchun squatted by the water, studying the deep-colored black water, "Then what kind of barrier is this? Find someone who knows how to swim, pull a rope across, and swim over—wouldn't that do it?"

Sang Luojiu said, "Senior brother, why don't you try putting your hand in, you'll know with one try."

Luo Fuchun never doubted Sang Luojiu's words. He reached his hand into the water, but as soon as the water submerged his fingertips, he withdrew his hand as if bitten by a snake, grimacing.

He complained, "How is this water so cold!"

Even the glacial water in winter probably wouldn't be this cold.

Luo Fuchun's teeth chattered as soon as he touched the water, his fingertips numb with pain, and it was even a bit difficult to straighten them.

Sang Luojiu explained, "The cold in 'Sinking Water' is bone-chilling. Cultivators above 'Sinking Water' are no different from mortals, unable to use spiritual power, and can't even use simple water-avoidance techniques. No matter how good one's water skills are, it's impossible to swim across such piercingly cold water."

As he spoke, Sang Luojiu placed his hand above the floating bollard at the ferry crossing and silently recited an incantation.

Frost gathered, ice surged, and an arched long bridge emerged above the water surface, like a flying rainbow spanning the two shores. Under the interplay of water vapor and morning sunlight, the bridge body was adorned with a few extra dazzling rainbow hues, extraordinarily gorgeous.

"A thousand years ago, this place was a desolate mountain with treacherous waters. Later, a powerful master cultivated here. The few apprentices who accompanied his cultivation were the ancestors of the three sects here." Sang Luojiu said, "Before the master ascended, based on the apprentices' aptitudes, he left them each cultivation methods and secrets to aid their practice. He also left them this bridge connecting to the outside world. These are now the Hua family's Feihua Sect, the Zhu family's Baisheng Sect, and the Yan family's Qingshuang Sect. Only inner disciples can open this bridge and freely come and go; outer disciples who want to leave must report and apply before being allowed out."

Feng Rugu and Ruyi's gazes met.

...The one whose corpse was abandoned in Jianchuan was not a disciple of any of the three sects.

And that Tang saber swordsman who carelessly tossed the body around was obviously also unlikely to be a hidden tiger or crouching dragon in these small sects.

So, the question of which inner disciple, from which of the three sects, had crossed this chasm to lead a murderer or a corpse into Jianchuan was a matter worthy of much discussion.

This conclusion wasn't hard to reach, so the three sects were probably not as calm internally as they appeared on the surface.

The ice bridge was solid and wide. Crossing it felt like walking on flat ground.

To prevent Feng Rugu from accidentally falling into the water, Ruyi, like last time at the market, wrapped his prayer beads around Feng Rugu's wrist.

The way was smooth, with no obstructions.

But when they were halfway across the bridge, Sang Luojiu noticed something was off.

He leaned close to Luo Fuchun, one hand inconspicuously resting on his sword hilt, the other tugging Luo Fuchun's sleeve.

Luo Fuchun knew his junior brother had suffered a lot of bullying in his family. Seeing his junior brother rely on him like this, his protective instincts flared. He was on full alert. "Junior brother, don't be afraid. With your senior brother here, your family members won't dare bully you."

But Sang Luojiu said, "Something's not right."

Luo Fuchun: "What is it?"

Sang Luojiu: "The bridge watch rotates between the three families. At this time, someone should be patrolling. But now..."

In the morning mist, the bridge was deserted.

...This place seemed like a lifeless empty island.

Luo Fuchun's heart clenched. Cold sweat instantly broke out as he whipped his head around to look at Feng Rugu.

Feng Rugu didn't look worried, lazily raising his eyes to look at Ruyi.

Ruyi closed his eyes, lifting a hand to point at the distant mountains. "There is a large amount of spiritual energy gathered there, at least a thousand cultivators."

He paused for a moment, pinching a prayer bead between his fingertips, his voice turning cold: "...Weapons are unsheathed, the killing intent is extremely heavy."

...Judging from the situation, a battle reeking of gunpowder was on the verge of erupting in Jianchuan.

Author's Note:

The new story arc that I struggled with all night due to lack of inspiration is finally online!

Little Bald Pear experienced one of life's three great misconceptions: He likes me.