Chapter 310: Swayflower
When Tang Doudou saw his reaction, she knew that her guess was on the mark.
She poured Jun Xin a cup of water, then poured a cup for herself. After taking a sip, she continued, “How could there be so many nephews? And for them to all be in Flowing Clouds Palace?”
Jun Xin’s smile stiffened. This woman’s line of thought really couldn’t be classified as normal.
“This is the first part that’s abnormal and illogical.” Tang Doudou lifted a finger and shook it from side to side. “The second abnormal part was that Syndicate Leader He is only the leader of a second-rate syndicate, how could he have the guts to try and stop Flowing Clouds Palace, a first-rate power on the Jianghu?”
This was a pretty good reason. Jun Xin nodded with approval. “Perhaps he’s actually very righteous or wished to take advantage of this chance to establish his reputation?”
“With how uncouth he looks, would he really be that righteous or intelligent?” Tang Doudou sneered as she rapped the table.
Jun Xin said, “You shouldn’t judge people by their looks.”
“But the eyes don’t lie.” Tang Doudou was certain. It was said that the eyes were the windows to one’s soul. The lips and the face may lie, but the eyes wouldn’t.
Jun Xin laughed. “Then continue your analysis?”
Tang Doudou happily continued. She dipped her finger in the water, then started talking excitedly as she drew.
Jun Xin looked at the thing she drew in the hazy candle light, then watched her expressive gestures for a while, before fixating his gaze on her face.
Tang Doudou was absorbed in her thought process so she didn’t notice Jun Xin’s expression.
On the tree outside, Mu Ye stood in the shadows as he looked through the window at the two people inside. His cold eyes flickered, then he turned and left.
Early morning the next day, Tang Doudou said goodbye to Syndicate Leader He, then started climbing Dream Mountain with Jun Xin.
The scenery on the mountain was impressive. The mountain was luxuriously green and the flowing streams were beautiful and sparkled in the sunlight. The midsummer air on this mountain was refreshing and clean.
Tang Doudou felt like her entire body was becoming lighter as she walked along the path. She took a deep breath, then remarked, “It’s no wonder that those sons from rich families like coming here. If I had known earlier that there was a place like this, I would be enjoying myself here too.”
Jun Xin pillowed his head with his arms as he leisurely walked behind her. He remarked with a disdainful tone, “How is this anything special? Once this little master has time, I’ll bring you to Immortal Spirit Mountain and show you the true meaning of paradise on earth!”
“Haha, I’ll hold you to that!”
“This little master has always kept his world.” Jun Xin snapped off a twig and started gnawing on it. “Didn’t you say that you wanted to find a place where no one knew you and start a restaurant? There’s an Immortal Spirit Garrison at the foot of Immortal Spirit Mountain. It’s isolated from the world and filled with abundant folk customs. It’s very suitable for those who want to live in seclusion.”
Tang Doudou jolted slightly, then she nodded. “It’s worth considering.”
“Heh, if you’re interested, I’ll take you there right now!” When Jun Xin saw that she seemed interested, he hastily threw away the twig and started promoting this idea with even more enthusiasm. “To tell the truth, this little master is already tired of all the struggles for power on the Jianghu already. Why don’t we go to Immortal Spirit Garrison and live in seclusion together?”
Black lines appeared on Tang Doudou’s head. Lately, this guy has been suggesting that they elope every chance he got.
“Wait, isn’t that Mu Ye?” Tang Doudou didn’t feel like responding to him and just pointed in a direction in front before quickly turning a corner.
Helplessness flashed across Jun Xin’s face. Although he had been joking this entire time, he had actually been paying a lot of attention to the surroundings. There was no one in the direction Tang Doudou had pointed.
However, when he walked over, Tang Doudou was nowhere in sight!
There was no way she could’ve disappeared so quickly on her own.
There were also no traces of struggle, which meant that she had gone of her own free will. The only person that she would possibly go with willingly at this time in Dream Mountain was Mu Ye.
Since he knew it was Mu Ye that took Tang Doudou away, he wasn’t worried and just found a quiet place to lay down to enjoy the warm sunlight.
It was a very content day.
Jun Xin’s guess was correct, Mu Ye was the one that brought Tang Doudou away.
Without a word, he carried her as he moved rapidly through the mountain. In just a few moments, they had arrived at a bamboo forest midway up Dream Mountain.
There were a few peach trees at the edge of the bamboo forest that were still blossoming. Thus, petals drifted through the air as the leaves rustled softly in the breeze. After glancing around, Tang Doudou noticed the two gravestones beneath a peach tree.
“Those are…”
“Your parents’ graves.” Mu Ye glanced over. “Let’s go.”
Tang Doudou puffed up her cheeks and walked over awkwardly. She wasn’t the real Li Xueyi after all. If they had really been her parents, perhaps she would have been able to feel something for them, but she didn’t feel anything facing these cold gravestones. Hopefully they’d forgive her for not instinctively feeling sorrow.
When she got close, she saw that the writing on the gravestones were of the Wind Spirit Imperial Dynasty, so she couldn’t read it.
“On the right is your mother, Jun Yuner’s tomb. On the left is your father’s, Li Shaoqing. Back then, they were viewed as the match made by the Heavens. Countless people had envied them. As of now, they’re finally able to rest together in this Dream Mountain.”
Tang Doudou silently sighed. This was a prime example of: if you’re loveydovey in public, you’d die quick! What match made in Heaven and having a final rest together? Didn’t Xiao Bai say that Su Yi wanted to revive Jun Yuner?
There was no way he could revive her without her corpse, right?
So the grave next to Li Shaoqing was probably empty.
However, Tang Doudou didn’t plan to tell Mu Ye about this. Based on how much he seemed to respect them, if he found out that her grave was empty and that Jun Yuner’s remains were in Su Yi’s hands, he’d probably attack Cloud City for it.
Thus, she just went through the motions properly of kowtowing to the graves. Then she took the wine Mu Ye handed her and offered it to the dead. She knelt there silently for a few moments to mourn before getting up and looking towards Mu Ye.
Mu Ye naturally knew what she had come here for, so he turned and walked towards the bamboo forest.
Tang Doudou hastily followed after him.
After a little while, they arrived at a house made out of bamboo.
“This is?”
“The place where Senior Jun had once lived in seclusion.” Mu Ye walked up and pushed open the door. “Come in. Senior Jun had left something for you.”
“Mu Ye, can you tell me who exactly you are?” Tang Doudou felt like his actions had always been very strange. When exactly had it started?
It had probably started that time in the Plum Garden banquet when he caught her in the bathroom and offered a collaboration. Ever since then, it felt like he had been completely different.
Before that time, he had insisted on killing her.
Mu Ye’s movements paused for a second. “I’m a guardian, the guardian of the Xuanyuan Tribe.”
So it was like that. She had guessed that it might’ve been the case, but she hadn’t been sure.
“Then I’m a descendant of the Xuanyuan Tribe?”
“En.”
“What’s your goal? Is it only to protect?” Tang Doudou looked at him curiously. For some reason, she felt like it wouldn’t be that simple.
Mu Ye didn’t reply.
Tang Doudou tried a different question. “Why did you try to kill me before?”
“I didn’t know that it was you.”
“How did you find out later?”
“Su Yi.” Mu Ye glanced at her. “Aren’t you going to ask about Baili Yu?”
Tang Doudou smiled at him. “You’ve never lied. Since you said that he’s fine, he’s definitely still alive, so I’m not in a hurry. I’ll find him sooner or later.”
“En.” Mu Ye smiled softly as well. “Thank you.”
“What are you thanking me for? I haven’t even had a chance to thank you properly. You’ve saved me so many times that I can’t even repay you enough in this lifetime.”
If there a next life existed, hopefully she would meet him earlier and fall in love with him in order to make up for everything he had done for her in this life.
Mu Ye pressed his lips together. “I saw someone rescue and take him.”
“Who?” As expected, Mu Ye didn’t lie to her. She really was grateful that he had delivered those strands of hair to her. Otherwise, she’d still be bickering with Jun Xin craftily and looking for an opportunity to commit suicide.
Mu Ye didn’t reply and instead asked, “You don’t blame me for not stopping it from happening?”
“Mu Ye ah, Mu Ye. Though you’re the guardian of the Xuanyuan Tribe, that doesn’t make you my personal guardian, right? No matter what you do or how you do it, I wouldn’t blame you, alright?”
Mu Ye’s face remained cold and expressionless so Tang Doudou couldn’t tell if he really understood. He just gave a soft ‘en’ before saying, “Nangong Yan. She was the one that took Baili Yu away.”
When Tang Doudou heard this, she immediately exploded. “Why the heck didn’t yah stop them!?”
Mu Ye looked at her with slight mirth in his eyes as if he was laughing at her for forgetting what she had just said.
No matter how thick Tang Doudou’s skin was, she’d still feel embarrassed for going back on her word so soon. She furrowed her brows and said, “Ahem, I mean…”
“Liu Zhiyuan was following them.” Mu Ye walked into the house. “I suffered an internal injury when fighting with Shen Moru. If it had only been Nan Yansheng, I would’ve stopped her.”
Tang Doudou understood the picture and relaxed. Since Nangong Yan loved Baili Yu, she wouldn’t do anything to him.
On the other hand, that crazy Liu Zhiyuan might try to do something to Baili Yu. However, with Nangong Yan there, he probably wouldn’t be able to do much, so at the very least, Baili Yu’s life was safe for now.
Mu Ye led her into the house, then had her sit down while he went upstairs. He soon returned with a large chest in his arms.
That was a huge chest. Jun Yuner had left behind so much stuff?
Tang Doudou rubbed her chin and moved next to Mu Ye. He placed the chest on the table and opened it with a strange method. A strange stench immediately burst out. Tang Doudou hastily covered her nose. “What is that!?”
Mu Ye’s expression didn’t change at all, as if he didn’t smell anything.
He didn’t answer Tang Doudou’s question and just reached into the chest.
“What are you doing? What’s inside? It stinks!”
Mu Ye glanced over with a helpless expression. Tang Doudou smiled politely as she kept her distance from him.
As Mu Ye pulled it out, Tang Doudou peeked over and found that it was actually a potted flower…
Tang Doudou said with a laugh, “Did my mother leave me a flower to tell me not to forget my female identity?”
Mu Ye replied seriously, “No.”
“Then what does it mean? Speaking of which, this flower really stinks…”
Mu Ye didn’t answer and placed the pot on the table. Tang Doudou got a little closer, then her eyes lit up. This flower was actually really unique. It was black and red and looked like it had little hands. There was even a layer of small short fur on it that made it look pretty cute.
But, then stink seemed to be coming from it. It was was like the smell of rotting flesh.
Mu Ye calmly pulled out another object from the chest.
Tang Doudou glanced over, then hastily backed away. “Wh-why are you bringing out a snake!?”
“Watch carefully.” Mu Ye pinched the snake’s head firmly as he glanced over at Tang Doudou. “The Swayflower likes eating snakes.”
After he said that, he threw the snake at the flower. The snake struggled to escape but several sharp furs abruptly extended from the hand-like part of the plant and stabbed into the snake. The snake struggled hard to get free, but it was already too late.
Its body started rapidly shriveling up.
__________
Chapter 310: Swayflower
When Tang Doudou saw his reaction, she knew that her guess was on the mark.
She poured Jun Xin a cup of water, then poured a cup for herself. After taking a sip, she continued, “How could there be so many nephews? And for them to all be in Flowing Clouds Palace?”
Jun Xin’s smile stiffened. This woman’s line of thought really couldn’t be classified as normal.
“This is the first part that’s abnormal and illogical.” Tang Doudou lifted a finger and shook it from side to side. “The second abnormal part was that Syndicate Leader He is only the leader of a second-rate syndicate, how could he have the guts to try and stop Flowing Clouds Palace, a first-rate power on the Jianghu?”
This was a pretty good reason. Jun Xin nodded with approval. “Perhaps he’s actually very righteous or wished to take advantage of this chance to establish his reputation?”
“With how uncouth he looks, would he really be that righteous or intelligent?” Tang Doudou sneered as she rapped the table.
Jun Xin said, “You shouldn’t judge people by their looks.”
“But the eyes don’t lie.” Tang Doudou was certain. It was said that the eyes were the windows to one’s soul. The lips and the face may lie, but the eyes wouldn’t.
Jun Xin laughed. “Then continue your analysis?”
Tang Doudou happily continued. She dipped her finger in the water, then started talking excitedly as she drew.
Jun Xin looked at the thing she drew in the hazy candle light, then watched her expressive gestures for a while, before fixating his gaze on her face.
Tang Doudou was absorbed in her thought process so she didn’t notice Jun Xin’s expression.
On the tree outside, Mu Ye stood in the shadows as he looked through the window at the two people inside. His cold eyes flickered, then he turned and left.
Early morning the next day, Tang Doudou said goodbye to Syndicate Leader He, then started climbing Dream Mountain with Jun Xin.
The scenery on the mountain was impressive. The mountain was luxuriously green and the flowing streams were beautiful and sparkled in the sunlight. The midsummer air on this mountain was refreshing and clean.
Tang Doudou felt like her entire body was becoming lighter as she walked along the path. She took a deep breath, then remarked, “It’s no wonder that those sons from rich families like coming here. If I had known earlier that there was a place like this, I would be enjoying myself here too.”
Jun Xin pillowed his head with his arms as he leisurely walked behind her. He remarked with a disdainful tone, “How is this anything special? Once this little master has time, I’ll bring you to Immortal Spirit Mountain and show you the true meaning of paradise on earth!”
“Haha, I’ll hold you to that!”
“This little master has always kept his world.” Jun Xin snapped off a twig and started gnawing on it. “Didn’t you say that you wanted to find a place where no one knew you and start a restaurant? There’s an Immortal Spirit Garrison at the foot of Immortal Spirit Mountain. It’s isolated from the world and filled with abundant folk customs. It’s very suitable for those who want to live in seclusion.”
Tang Doudou jolted slightly, then she nodded. “It’s worth considering.”
“Heh, if you’re interested, I’ll take you there right now!” When Jun Xin saw that she seemed interested, he hastily threw away the twig and started promoting this idea with even more enthusiasm. “To tell the truth, this little master is already tired of all the struggles for power on the Jianghu already. Why don’t we go to Immortal Spirit Garrison and live in seclusion together?”
Black lines appeared on Tang Doudou’s head. Lately, this guy has been suggesting that they elope every chance he got.
“Wait, isn’t that Mu Ye?” Tang Doudou didn’t feel like responding to him and just pointed in a direction in front before quickly turning a corner.
Helplessness flashed across Jun Xin’s face. Although he had been joking this entire time, he had actually been paying a lot of attention to the surroundings. There was no one in the direction Tang Doudou had pointed.
However, when he walked over, Tang Doudou was nowhere in sight!
There was no way she could’ve disappeared so quickly on her own.
There were also no traces of struggle, which meant that she had gone of her own free will. The only person that she would possibly go with willingly at this time in Dream Mountain was Mu Ye.
Since he knew it was Mu Ye that took Tang Doudou away, he wasn’t worried and just found a quiet place to lay down to enjoy the warm sunlight.
It was a very content day.
Jun Xin’s guess was correct, Mu Ye was the one that brought Tang Doudou away.
Without a word, he carried her as he moved rapidly through the mountain. In just a few moments, they had arrived at a bamboo forest midway up Dream Mountain.
There were a few peach trees at the edge of the bamboo forest that were still blossoming. Thus, petals drifted through the air as the leaves rustled softly in the breeze. After glancing around, Tang Doudou noticed the two gravestones beneath a peach tree.
“Those are…”
“Your parents’ graves.” Mu Ye glanced over. “Let’s go.”
Tang Doudou puffed up her cheeks and walked over awkwardly. She wasn’t the real Li Xueyi after all. If they had really been her parents, perhaps she would have been able to feel something for them, but she didn’t feel anything facing these cold gravestones. Hopefully they’d forgive her for not instinctively feeling sorrow.
When she got close, she saw that the writing on the gravestones were of the Wind Spirit Imperial Dynasty, so she couldn’t read it.
“On the right is your mother, Jun Yuner’s tomb. On the left is your father’s, Li Shaoqing. Back then, they were viewed as the match made by the Heavens. Countless people had envied them. As of now, they’re finally able to rest together in this Dream Mountain.”
Tang Doudou silently sighed. This was a prime example of: if you’re loveydovey in public, you’d die quick! What match made in Heaven and having a final rest together? Didn’t Xiao Bai say that Su Yi wanted to revive Jun Yuner?
There was no way he could revive her without her corpse, right?
So the grave next to Li Shaoqing was probably empty.
However, Tang Doudou didn’t plan to tell Mu Ye about this. Based on how much he seemed to respect them, if he found out that her grave was empty and that Jun Yuner’s remains were in Su Yi’s hands, he’d probably attack Cloud City for it.
Thus, she just went through the motions properly of kowtowing to the graves. Then she took the wine Mu Ye handed her and offered it to the dead. She knelt there silently for a few moments to mourn before getting up and looking towards Mu Ye.
Mu Ye naturally knew what she had come here for, so he turned and walked towards the bamboo forest.
Tang Doudou hastily followed after him.
After a little while, they arrived at a house made out of bamboo.
“This is?”
“The place where Senior Jun had once lived in seclusion.” Mu Ye walked up and pushed open the door. “Come in. Senior Jun had left something for you.”
“Mu Ye, can you tell me who exactly you are?” Tang Doudou felt like his actions had always been very strange. When exactly had it started?
It had probably started that time in the Plum Garden banquet when he caught her in the bathroom and offered a collaboration. Ever since then, it felt like he had been completely different.
Before that time, he had insisted on killing her.
Mu Ye’s movements paused for a second. “I’m a guardian, the guardian of the Xuanyuan Tribe.”
So it was like that. She had guessed that it might’ve been the case, but she hadn’t been sure.
“Then I’m a descendant of the Xuanyuan Tribe?”
“En.”
“What’s your goal? Is it only to protect?” Tang Doudou looked at him curiously. For some reason, she felt like it wouldn’t be that simple.
Mu Ye didn’t reply.
Tang Doudou tried a different question. “Why did you try to kill me before?”
“I didn’t know that it was you.”
“How did you find out later?”
“Su Yi.” Mu Ye glanced at her. “Aren’t you going to ask about Baili Yu?”
Tang Doudou smiled at him. “You’ve never lied. Since you said that he’s fine, he’s definitely still alive, so I’m not in a hurry. I’ll find him sooner or later.”
“En.” Mu Ye smiled softly as well. “Thank you.”
“What are you thanking me for? I haven’t even had a chance to thank you properly. You’ve saved me so many times that I can’t even repay you enough in this lifetime.”
If there a next life existed, hopefully she would meet him earlier and fall in love with him in order to make up for everything he had done for her in this life.
Mu Ye pressed his lips together. “I saw someone rescue and take him.”
“Who?” As expected, Mu Ye didn’t lie to her. She really was grateful that he had delivered those strands of hair to her. Otherwise, she’d still be bickering with Jun Xin craftily and looking for an opportunity to commit suicide.
Mu Ye didn’t reply and instead asked, “You don’t blame me for not stopping it from happening?”
“Mu Ye ah, Mu Ye. Though you’re the guardian of the Xuanyuan Tribe, that doesn’t make you my personal guardian, right? No matter what you do or how you do it, I wouldn’t blame you, alright?”
Mu Ye’s face remained cold and expressionless so Tang Doudou couldn’t tell if he really understood. He just gave a soft ‘en’ before saying, “Nangong Yan. She was the one that took Baili Yu away.”
When Tang Doudou heard this, she immediately exploded. “Why the heck didn’t yah stop them!?”
Mu Ye looked at her with slight mirth in his eyes as if he was laughing at her for forgetting what she had just said.
No matter how thick Tang Doudou’s skin was, she’d still feel embarrassed for going back on her word so soon. She furrowed her brows and said, “Ahem, I mean…”
“Liu Zhiyuan was following them.” Mu Ye walked into the house. “I suffered an internal injury when fighting with Shen Moru. If it had only been Nan Yansheng, I would’ve stopped her.”
Tang Doudou understood the picture and relaxed. Since Nangong Yan loved Baili Yu, she wouldn’t do anything to him.
On the other hand, that crazy Liu Zhiyuan might try to do something to Baili Yu. However, with Nangong Yan there, he probably wouldn’t be able to do much, so at the very least, Baili Yu’s life was safe for now.
Mu Ye led her into the house, then had her sit down while he went upstairs. He soon returned with a large chest in his arms.
That was a huge chest. Jun Yuner had left behind so much stuff?
Tang Doudou rubbed her chin and moved next to Mu Ye. He placed the chest on the table and opened it with a strange method. A strange stench immediately burst out. Tang Doudou hastily covered her nose. “What is that!?”
Mu Ye’s expression didn’t change at all, as if he didn’t smell anything.
He didn’t answer Tang Doudou’s question and just reached into the chest.
“What are you doing? What’s inside? It stinks!”
Mu Ye glanced over with a helpless expression. Tang Doudou smiled politely as she kept her distance from him.
As Mu Ye pulled it out, Tang Doudou peeked over and found that it was actually a potted flower…
Tang Doudou said with a laugh, “Did my mother leave me a flower to tell me not to forget my female identity?”
Mu Ye replied seriously, “No.”
“Then what does it mean? Speaking of which, this flower really stinks…”
Mu Ye didn’t answer and placed the pot on the table. Tang Doudou got a little closer, then her eyes lit up. This flower was actually really unique. It was black and red and looked like it had little hands. There was even a layer of small short fur on it that made it look pretty cute.
But, then stink seemed to be coming from it. It was was like the smell of rotting flesh.
Mu Ye calmly pulled out another object from the chest.
Tang Doudou glanced over, then hastily backed away. “Wh-why are you bringing out a snake!?”
“Watch carefully.” Mu Ye pinched the snake’s head firmly as he glanced over at Tang Doudou. “The Swayflower likes eating snakes.”
After he said that, he threw the snake at the flower. The snake struggled to escape but several sharp furs abruptly extended from the hand-like part of the plant and stabbed into the snake. The snake struggled hard to get free, but it was already too late.
Its body started rapidly shriveling up.
__________
