novelraw Chapter 36 : The Soft Rice That Wasn’t Eaten
Chapter 36 : The Soft Rice That Wasn’t Eaten
Chapter 36: The Soft Rice That Wasn’t Eaten
“Exactly so, which is why I want to ask for your opinion. If you can confirm this matter, then Han Yi has merely acted first and reported later.”
Qiu Yuehan understood the attitude of the three True Persons.
True Person Han Yi and True Person Han Qiu agreed to expel Xia Lianxue, but True Person Han Ze felt the matter still had some leeway.
That was why he came to ask Qiu Yuehan.
Since she was also a True Disciple of the Jade Palace, her testimony as someone directly involved was naturally of utmost importance.
Qiu Yuehan shook her head: “Junior Sister has grown up in the Palace since childhood, usually treating others with gentleness. That she was tainted by a Desire Demon this time may perhaps have other causes. Since Junior Sister has already been crippled of her cultivation, there is no need to strip her of her identity as a disciple. The Jade Palace, after all, can still be considered her home.”
True Person Han Ze revealed a smile: “No matter what, Xia Lianxue was left behind by True Person Hanshui. Since you say so, then let it be handled thus: strip Xia Lianxue of her identity as a True Disciple, and demote her to an ordinary disciple.”
True Person Han Yi’s expression was displeased, but she still did not speak.
Compared to Xia Lianxue, Qiu Yuehan actually suspected True Person Han Yi more.
But Qiu Yuehan could not directly question True Person Han Yi.
So.
Qiu Yuehan’s voice was soft: “Then, if Junior Sister should one day rebuild her cultivation and return, what should be done?”
True Person Han Qiu finally spoke her first words: “We’ll speak of it then.”
Though “rebuilding one’s realm” sounded easy, in reality it was so difficult that not even one success was seen in ten years.
Especially for those who had once been geniuses—once fallen to the mortal dust, most of their state of mind shattered away, leaving no hope of rebuilding for this lifetime.
True Person Han Ze added: “Yuehan, you may step down. Go adjust your breath well, the Dao Debate is about to begin.”
Thus, the three True Persons had already tacitly acknowledged that Xia Lianxue would not return.
Only Qiu Yuehan thought silently to herself.
With that kind of old monster by Junior Sister’s side, the day she returned was probably already on the schedule.
“Master, are we going back to the Palace?”
This Junior Sister whom Qiu Yuehan recognized—she herself actually did not really want to return.
Her mindset had shifted a little.
Lu Changyuan said: “Of course we must return. If you don’t go back, how can you defeat Qiu Yuehan?”
The Immortal Fairy bit her lip, though her thoughts were on something else.
When she had been bound by True Person Han Yi and nearly died, it was Lu Changyuan who had saved her.
Now that she had regained the power of the Fifth Realm, it was also all thanks to Lu Changyuan’s one sword that split open the blue heavens for her.
This debt of gratitude was piling up higher and higher.
A debt of saving one’s life could already require repaying with one’s head.
Then what of saving her life and also giving her the grace of returning to the Dao Realm?
This debt seemed as though it could never be repaid.
The first time she met Lu Changyuan, Xia Lianxue had still only been in the Fourth Realm.
At that time she thought Lu Changyuan was no more than a mere mortal.
But now that she herself had reached the Fifth Realm, when she looked again at Lu Changyuan, she found that she had instead become shorter by a head compared to him.
In no more than ten days’ time, how had things fallen to this point?
Xia Lianxue could not understand.
But she did not intend to keep thinking about it.
In this world there were already many things that could not be understood.
Oftentimes, being muddleheaded was better.
Oh.
Even that line had been taught to her by Young Master.
“Since it is so, before Eldest Brother returns, let Fourth Brother temporarily take the throne.”
Inside the resplendent golden palace, Su Youwan spoke so blandly.
The matter at Lake of Retained Affection had concluded.
Upper Jade Capital required time to restore its former peace.
Yet this millennia-old Glazed Dynasty no longer had an emperor.
The old emperor had passed away.
The Second Prince was missing.
Out of consideration for the ties of being a descendant of an old acquaintance, Lu Changyuan had brought Xia Lianxue to the imperial palace.
Unexpectedly, they happened upon Su Youwan arranging the succession of the throne.
Thus the Fourth Prince, Su Luo Qiu, picked up a bargain.
Never mind whether the Crown Prince would return or not.
Even if he returned, would Su Luo Qiu really hand over the throne so easily?
Su Youwan still had her eyes covered.
She turned back to look toward Lu Changyuan: “Young Master Lu, about the marriage matter…”
Before Su Youwan could finish, Lu Changyuan immediately said: “It doesn’t count.”
“In that case, let it be so.”
This Third Princess’ attitude toward the marriage arranged by the Ancestor was somewhat inscrutable.
If one said she disliked it, she still brought it up repeatedly.
If one said she liked it, every time she heard Lu Changyuan reject it, she remained expressionless.
Xia Lianxue instinctively asked: “What marriage?”
Lu Changyuan waved his hand: “Nothing.”
“Young Master?”
Seeing Xia Lianxue determined to dig to the bottom, Lu Changyuan said helplessly: “Just Noodle Granny’s joke.”
Only then did Xia Lianxue recall how Noodle Granny, upon first seeing them, had wanted to marry her third daughter to Lu Changyuan.
Now that Xia Lianxue knew that this third daughter was none other than Su Youwan, she could not help but give Su Youwan a strange look.
This Third Royal Highness… was not suitable to marry as a wife.
Xia Lianxue concluded firmly.
She was beautiful indeed, but it was obvious at a glance that she was pampered and delicate.
Marrying her home would surely mean suffering.
Thinking so, Xia Lianxue’s expression toward Su Youwan became even stranger.
Lu Changyuan patted Xia Lianxue’s shoulder: “Marriage matters are all unreliable. I once even had a fiancée.”
Su Youwan was not surprised in the least.
Lu Changyuan had already mentioned it once to her before.
But for Xia Lianxue, it was her first time hearing this, and her small lips parted in surprise: “Young Master had a fiancée?”
It was said to be something given when he was playing a game.
Lu Changyuan vaguely remembered—it seemed that in compensation for him being created talentless, they gave him a fiancée.
At the start, he had wanted to take the soft rice path.
Cultivating a few powerful female cultivators as lovers and then never working hard his whole life—that was one of the most enviable shortcuts in the cultivation world!
“But that was all long ago. I don’t even remember her name or appearance anymore.”
Xia Lianxue, without reason, began to stammer: “Th-th-this…”
Lu Changyuan smiled: “Back then I was just a small physician. She was favored by an Immortal, who said she had extraordinary talent and promised to take her as a True Disciple.”
Su Youwan asked softly: “And did she go?”
“No.” Lu Changyuan shook his head: “She cried and said she wouldn’t go. She said she only wanted to marry me, that ten thousand Immortal Paths were not worth a lifetime of accompanying me, that she only wanted to stay by my side.”
Xia Lianxue froze.
She was somewhat at a loss, not knowing what to say.
Lu Changyuan continued: “So I wiped away her tears and told her to follow that Immortal back to the Palace. If she had such talent, why shouldn’t she cultivate?”
The soft rice path was also one course of the cultivation world that had to be tasted.
Unfortunately, he hadn’t managed to eat it.
Haiz.
Su Youwan walked to Lu Changyuan’s side and looked at him: “Young Master Lu, what a ruthless heart you have.”
Lu Changyuan turned his back, gazing at the sun outside the palace.
Today’s sun was nice, warming him all over, making his body feel soft and drowsy.
“Longevity and everlasting vision are probably more important than mortal affairs of love. Back then I told her: when you succeed in your cultivation, you can also bring me some benefits. Who knows, maybe I too could step into the Immortal Path.”
Though he could no longer remember the girl’s name or appearance, he remembered the past experience with perfect clarity.
That was rather strange indeed.
Looking at Lu Changyuan in this state, Xia Lianxue felt a sudden ache in her heart.
She would rather see him with his mischievous smile and improper ways.
The Lu Changyuan just now did not seem like a man, but like the merciless Heavenly Dao.
“Young Master.”
Xia Lianxue tugged at Lu Changyuan’s sleeve.
“What is it?”
“Let’s go. It’s time to return to the Palace. Mm, to the Palace. Didn’t Young Master want to see whether I or Senior Sister was stronger?”
Xia Lianxue had grown a trace of an escaping thought.
She did not want to keep hearing Lu Changyuan speak of a fiancée right now: “I won’t lose!”
Lu Changyuan nodded with a smile: “Then let’s go.”
This trip was to return to the Jade Palace, to seek Drunken Red Luan to repair his Body of Five Deficiencies.
But for Lu Changyuan, it was far from being as simple as just returning to the Jade Palace.
After all, the sect that his fiancée had entered back then was precisely the Feather Moon Immortal Palace.
That was why Lu Changyuan remembered so clearly the clothes of the Feather Moon Immortal Palace.