The Lan River was flanked by towering mountains, its channel mostly narrow, with rapid currents in some stretches.
Lu Zheng and Guangyue stood at the bow of a fishing boat, which, under the fisherman’s skilled handling, glided smoothly through the river, with only occasional jolts, as if sailing on a calm, broad waterway.
Moreover, the fisherman cast a net into the river during the journey. As the boat exited the Lan River and merged into the Wanyuan River, he pulled up the net, and Lu Zheng saw several plump, large fish inside.
Taking the fish, the fisherman said ingratiatingly to the two, “Immortals, I’ll make a pot of fresh…”
He stopped mid-sentence, realizing one of them was a monk.
The fisherman’s face stiffened, but Lu Zheng laughed and patted his shoulder. “Fresh fish soup, right? Make it. It’s nearly noon!”
“But this master…”
Lu Zheng chuckled. “We’ll eat. What’s it got to do with him?”
“Amitabha!”
Guangyue chanted, “Don’t mind this poor monk. I brought my own dry rations.”
“Oh! I’ve got some pickled vegetables on the boat to add flavor for the master,” the fisherman nodded eagerly.
So, the fisherman went to the boat’s canopy, fetching a stove, clay pot, knife, and bucket. He scaled and gutted the fish by the boat’s edge, sprinkled salt and dried vegetables, and set it to cook on the stove.
Soon, a savory aroma wafted out.
“Immortal, try this!” The fisherman served Lu Zheng a bowl of fish soup, the fish tender and white, the broth clear yet creamy, rich and fragrant.
“Master, pickles!” The fisherman cautiously offered Guangyue a plate of neatly cubed, dark, salty pickles.
Lu Zheng nodded approvingly, slurping a sip of hot soup, exhaling contentedly, then picking up a piece of fish with chopsticks. “Good! Fresh!”
Guangyue took a piece of coarse grain flatbread from his pack, eating it with the pickles, bite by bite.
“Master, no bowl for you?” Lu Zheng asked, raising his soup. “Wine and meat pass through; the Buddha sits in the heart, right?”
Guangyue’s eyes lit up. “Amitabha! Taoist brother has a Buddhist nature!”
Lu Zheng: =_=#
Damn my big mouth!
After the soup, the boat reached a dock on the Wanyuan River.
“Immortals, follow this road east a short way, and you’ll reach the main road to Yizhou.”
“Good, thanks!”
“No trouble, no trouble!”
Lu Zheng leaped ashore, his figure darting away swiftly.
Guangyue followed closely.
“Monk, you’re not seriously following me home, are you?” Lu Zheng was genuinely shocked.
“Amitabha!” Guangyue said, “This poor monk wishes to persuade that fox girl to release you and entrust you to me.”
“Monk, looks like your wounds are nearly healed!”
“Amitabha!”
“Bang! Bang! Bang!”
…
Tonglin County.
Lu Zheng and Guangyue fought and paused along the way. The monk was like sticky candy, dead set on making Lu Zheng abandon romance and travel the world with him.
Guangyue’s cultivation wasn’t weak, and he wasn’t a bad person. Lu Zheng could defeat him but couldn’t kill him.
So, he needed another plan.
…
“Lu Lang?”
Liu Qingyan opened the door, saw Lu Zheng, gasped softly, and flew into his arms.
“Ami—”
Glared at by Lu Zheng, Guangyue blinked his nearly swollen-shut eyes and held back from ruining the moment.
“Oh? Who’s this?” Liu Qingyan looked at Guangyue behind Lu Zheng, blushing and stepping back.
A sturdy monk in grey robes, but that face…
Who was so cruel?
“An annoying monk,” Lu Zheng said casually, taking Liu Qingyan’s hand and entering the house.
In the front courtyard, not only were the Liu family and Huangfu Xu present, but Shen Ying hadn’t left either.
“Lu Lang!” Shen Ying approached, smiling brightly.
“Hm? You are…” Guangyue’s swollen eyes strained to open a sliver, looking at Shen Ying, then Lu Zheng.
Shen Ying glanced at Lu Zheng, signaling with her eyes for an introduction.
“He’s Guangyue, a monk from Rizhao Temple,” Lu Zheng said, stepping aside, then introduced the others in the courtyard to Guangyue.
“Amitabha, greetings to all!” Guangyue bowed with clasped hands, dignified and solemn, despite his face…
“Greetings, Master Guangyue!” The others cupped their hands in return.
They sat in the front hall. Shen Ying glanced at Guangyue and asked Lu Zheng, “How did things go?”
Lu Zheng nodded. “Killed Leng Jian. Since I was in Wanfu County, I went to Wild Wolf Mountain and took out Mao Jiu and another demon, likely a monkey spirit.”
“That was Yuan Fei!” Huangfu Xu said immediately.
“Right, then I visited the Huangfu manor.”
Lu Zheng recounted the trip to the Huangfu manor. The group learned Huangfu Ru and Huangfu Ning had been planning to bring the matriarch out, and they were now back home.
They also learned Lu Zheng and Guangyue met at the Huangfu manor.
But… though their meeting wasn’t exactly pleasant, Lu Zheng had the upper hand, and Guangyue wasn’t unreasonable. They hadn’t come to blows, so how did Guangyue end up with those injuries?
Were they from an enemy before meeting Lu Zheng?
But with his cultivation, such superficial wounds shouldn’t linger for days, right?
“Amitabha!” Guangyue chanted, “This poor monk and Taoist brother hit it off. Hearing of his affairs, I couldn’t bear to see his talents wasted, so I came here…”
All eyes turned to Guangyue.
Lu Zheng looked at him too.
Guangyue paused, then said, “…to occasionally spar with him.”
Everyone: ???
Something’s not adding up here.
This was Lu Zheng’s trap for Guangyue. You say I’ll be held back? Want me to travel with you?
Fine, I’m stronger now. When you can beat me, it’ll prove I’m weakened by romance. Then you’re right, and I’ll travel with you.
If you never beat me, your judgment’s wrong, so go back where you came from.
Guangyue considered for a while. His Great Sun Radiance Sutra was close to a breakthrough, so he agreed, planning to stay in Tonglin County for months before taking Lu Zheng on the road.
Lu Zheng, meanwhile, had gained over two hundred strands of fortune’s light from the black jiao, Leng Jian, and his minions. After boosting his cultivation and skill proficiency, in less than three months, he’d make Guangyue question his life.
Plus, with such a skilled monk around, Lu Zheng might glean some benefits in daily interactions.
Each with their own schemes, the matter was settled.
