Chapter 85: If You Have the Guts, Go After Qing Li

Shen Tang didn't know what to make of herself.Clearly, when they talked last night, she had told him "no scandals." By rights, she should have been more careful to avoid suspicion, especially since the loyalty of Zhang Shao You and the others was not yet fully reliable. In front of them, she should have been even more cautious.Yet, because they kept up the pretense of being injured and needed to share a carriage, they were still alone in the small space of the carriage.That was one thing. Being alone was fine; it wasn't like they had never been alone before.But she couldn't figure out how they had gone from sitting opposite each other to sitting side-by-side, pressed together. Shen Tang thought for a long time about how it had changed, and finally remembered that she had been the one to lean closer first...And it wasn't even Land Xing Zhou who provoked her. Land Xing Zhou had been neatly sorting rings the whole way, and then he handed her several rings: "These are spoils from the secret treasury. I'm keeping some that A Nuo and I can use, and the rest will go back to the Tian Xing Sword Sect's public treasury."Shen Tang hadn't even considered this batch of items, having long assumed they all belonged to Land Xing Zhou... After all, they had plenty of other spoils, like the Incense Burning Tower's money vault, spirit stone vault, and basic resource storage, as well as the storage rings confiscated from defeated strong practitioners. The good things inside those might even be better than what was in the sect's treasury. Zhang Shao You and the others had taken things themselves, and Shen Tang hadn't made them hand them over, implicitly agreeing that whatever they took belonged to them.Following this pattern, the items Land Xing Zhou and A Nuo had personally handled from the secret treasury should naturally belong to Land Xing Zhou.Yet, Land Xing Zhou actually returned most of them to the public treasury...Shen Tang was a bit confused for a moment and didn't take them: "These are your and A Nuo's spoils."Land Xing Zhou chuckled: "Everyone fought hard on the battlefield before. I just went to pick up scraps. These are public spoils."Shen Tang's gaze gradually softened: "Is it because of me?""This is how it should be. I am a member of the Tian Xing Sword Sect and have no intention of splitting. Theoretically, anything I want still needs your permission. I'm omitting that step, keeping some for myself, and that's because of you."Shen Tang felt a little like laughing hearing that. So, giving things wasn't because of personal feelings, but keeping things was.She bit her lower lip and said charmingly, "Then... do you want a reward again?"Land Xing Zhou blinked, and his gaze fell on her foot again.Shen Tang instinctively shrank back a bit, feeling a little shy and annoyed: "You... do you have a problem or something..."We're already at the point of kissing, so why are you still thinking about my foot?Is it because you lack something that you desire it? But your foot is fine now!Land Xing Zhou also didn't know why he was particularly interested in Shen Tang's small feet. Perhaps it was because his heart had stirred the first time he saw them while treating her leg, or perhaps it was because his name, 'Xing Zhou', meant a boat?Thinking that he could perhaps ask for more now, and that there was no need to test the waters by just touching a foot, he deliberately said: "Then what does Sect Master Adult want to reward me with?"Shen Tang half-stood up, looking left and right like a thief. The carriage curtains were pulled very tight. Then she quickly leaned over and pecked Land Xing Zhou on the face: "That's all it's worth..."Just as she was about to pretend nothing happened and sit back, her hand was grabbed, and her whole body was pulled to his side and held tight."You... don't..." Shen Tang pushed a little but couldn't push him away, feeling a bit panicked: "There are so many people outside..."Land Xing Zhou slowly took out a set of array flags and set them up around the small carriage: "At least it's soundproof."Before Shen Tang could refuse, her cherry lips were kissed again.It only took a second for Shen Tang to go from slight struggle to completely closing her eyes and enjoying it.At this time, Yuan Mu Yu was just proclaiming "that's impossible."After all, there were still people outside. Even with soundproofing, it was still too stimulating, and both their hearts were pounding. Besides kissing, their hands and feet were also stiff, not daring to move randomly.When they separated, Shen Tang's eyes were already like silk, and her whole body leaned powerlessly against his shoulder: "You really are a lecherous thief... How did I get tricked by you..."Land Xing Zhou gently held her, sniffing the fragrance of her body up close: "Why don't you say that I was tricked by Princess Hall..."Shen Tang raised her voice: "How did I trick you!"Land Xing Zhou's left hand pulled out a silk handkerchief: "It started from here."Shen Tang immediately stopped talking, her pretty face flushed. Clearly, it was just a silk handkerchief wrapped around medicinal herbs at that time, but now it had vividly become a token of their feelings, and it was still being used to tease her.But it was very likely... that Land Xing Zhou's heart was touched because of this one time. Before this, Land Xing Zhou clearly still had many calculations and uses, but after this, there were none.Seeing her delicate and charming appearance, Land Xing Zhou felt a strong urge and kissed her again.This time, their emotions were fervent, and they forgot even more that there were people outside. Land Xing Zhou's hand almost unconsciously began to explore her soft body.Shen Tang was startled, nervously pressing down on his palm, quickly glancing outside.Just then, a gust of north wind brushed past, and the window curtain slightly rolled up, revealing a gap. Outside, Du Gu Qing Li's side glance flashed past.That gaze was simply indescribable... Shen Tang felt her whole body burning up, as if it was about to explode."Cough." Land Xing Zhou was also a bit awkward and carefully moved his hand away.Shen Tang angrily patted his hand: "Taking an inch and wanting a mile! Taking an inch and wanting a mile! You stinky lecherous thief!"Land Xing Zhou's face was tense and he didn't speak.Shen Tang patted him for a while, and finally leaned back into his shoulder, saying faintly: "Even if it's not the occasion... I can't respond to you. Xing Zhou, will you feel unfair to me?"Land Xing Zhou didn't think about these things, shaking his head: "What are you thinking about?""No, I was reminded when I saw Qing Li..." Shen Tang hesitated for a moment, still speaking in a low voice: "You don't... you don't like Qing Li and me..."Land Xing Zhou's eyes widened: "What do you want to say?"Shen Tang bit her lower lip, wanting to speak but unable to for a long time.How could Land Xing Zhou not understand her meaning with his intelligence? His expression was extremely strange.Does she mean she doesn't mind him pursuing the little white-haired girl, and even intends to encourage it?So, the biggest benefit of transmigrating to ancient times is this? The first nineteen years were only filled with bad experiences, and now the benefits are finally coming?If she thought carefully, Shen Tang's idea might not be purely expressing generosity. Perhaps there was a faint political consideration. Qing Li is a direct descendant of a holy land. If...She didn't know if Shen Tang herself had thought so much. Seeing Land Xing Zhou's strange expression, she also felt that her current state was not quite right. She hummed and hawed for a long time, unable to say a word.Finally, she sat up indignantly: "Anyway, Qing Li will definitely not find a man. It's useless no matter how much you like her! If you have the guts, go ahead. I'd like to see if she can still maintain that icy face."Land Xing Zhou's mouth twitched, and he finally said: "What you need to consider now is how to keep her here, not these things that may or may not happen – if you still want to keep her, that is."Shen Tang was startled for a moment and fell silent.Du Gu Qing Li had expressed her desire to leave several times before. She didn't know if it was related to the accident in the secret realm... In any case, because of the impending war with the Incense Burning Tower, and the need for her strong combat power and background from a holy land, Shen Tang had made up a bunch of crooked reasons about cultivation breakthroughs to forcefully keep her.Du Gu Qing Li was not an idiot. Now that the war with the Incense Burning Tower was over, there were really no matters that could endanger safety in the short term. She could propose leaving at any time. What reason could be used to keep her this time?Should she really tell her to find a relationship to refine her heart?If she dared to say that directly, the little white-haired girl might even dare to draw her sword and chop her.Moreover, always keeping people like this, wasn't it a bit too selfish... Du Gu Qing Li wanted to seek the immortal dao, the sword dao, and become a peerless sword master. Why keep pulling her to stay here?The group returned to Dan Xia Mountain. With the might of annihilating a sect, Shen Tang had a lot of sect affairs to handle. Land Xing Zhou did not follow them up the mountain, returning instead to the small house he built by the pond behind the Huo residence mountain.Du Gu Qing Li emotionlessly pushed Shen Tang, who did not even glance at the mountain path. Shen Tang had specifically sent Zhang Shao You and the others up the mountain first, appearing to have something private to say to Du Gu Qing Li. As a result, the two remained silent almost until halfway up the mountain.Finally, Du Gu Qing Li broke the silence first: "You sent them away, what do you want to say to me?""Cough." Shen Tang said: "You... how much did you see?""I saw something that even animals wouldn't do."Shen Tang: "?"Du Gu Qing Li said: "I've seen animals since I was young. There's no such strange expression between males and females. Aren't other people's saliva disgusting?""We didn't use our tongues... Wait, no..." Shen Tang was so angry she was incoherent: "That's a kiss! Human males and females all do that!""Is that so?" Du Gu Qing Li said lightly, with an expression that said no matter what you say, I just won't believe it.You actually wanted to use your tongue... tsk.Shen Tang was so angry her teeth itched. The little bit of shame she had originally felt had long since disappeared. She said hatefully: "One day, you will know whether that's disgusting or not... At that time, you might even beg for it yourself!"Du Gu Qing Li's tone was pitiful: "No wonder cultivating the sword emphasizes a heart free of杂念. This is why people must cultivate, I finally understand. As for some cultivation techniques... alas."Shen Tang opened her mouth, then opened it again, but found that she had lost the ability to speak and completely didn't know how to respond.She now extremely regretted sending the others away and saying anything private to this person. She had originally wanted to get a few words of encouragement and blessings, but now this intimate friendship was gone!In fact, she didn't know that Du Gu Qing Li's mood wasn't as indifferent and detached as her face suggested. The little white-haired girl didn't know what that instant strange feeling in her heart was when she glimpsed them. Besides satirizing a few sentences, it seemed she had nothing else to say.After satirizing and seeing Shen Tang so angry that she couldn't even speak, her heart inexplicably felt a little refreshed.Then she said leisurely: "You want to hold a sect meeting, I just won't participate. Now I want to wander and gain experience. You shouldn't have anything to stop me."Shen Tang still said that sentence: "Then go ask Land Xing Zhou."Du Gu Qing Li still didn't know what her resignation had to do with her man. Strangely, she also felt that it was appropriate to say something to Land Xing Zhou.After sending Shen Tang to the main hall, Du Gu Qing Li drifted away, heading straight for the mountain behind the Huo residence.This mountain behind the residence might have had a name in the early years, but it had been circled by the Huo family as their backyard for several decades. Its early name was no longer known to anyone. Now, Land Xing Zhou had named this mountain himself, calling it Spirit Spring Mountain, corresponding to the spirit spring on the mountain.Land Xing Zhou had just returned and was sitting by the pond, taking out the medicinal herbs and fruits he had obtained from the secret treasury to study.He felt that his leg recovery was still a bit slow. Walking was not a problem, but when he wanted to exert force, he always felt like something was missing. He was quite regretful that he couldn't showcase the effect of his recovered leg in this battle and slap someone in the face. He had only played a minor leader role... although he didn't have much need for solo combat and always planned and assisted, he didn't want a staff officer who stood up and drew people's faces to not be a good alchemist.The Incense Burning Tower was a good alchemy sect. The medicinal materials specifically collected in the secret treasury were obviously a type of heaven and earth treasure, not ordinary. He wanted to see if they would be beneficial to his leg recovery and speed it up a bit.As a result of his study, he was a bit surprised.He didn't recognize the name of this medicinal herb, but he could analyze that it was a very terrifying strong poison, not for alchemy.He could collect it first and maybe it would be useful later.The fruit, on the other hand, was a good thing. It could nourish qi and blood, and grant dragon and elephant-like strength. It was an extremely good treasure for martial cultivators, especially those who forged their bodies.However, it didn't match well with sword cultivators like the little white-haired girl or with his own Yin-Yang harmonizing cultivation techniques. The most suitable person was A Nuo. She wanted energy without reason. She looked small but was oddly strong, quite suitable for this.Next was Shen Tang. Her fierce and overbearing Huang Ji Jing Shi Jing had a certain degree of compatibility with this, but it needed to be refined with other things, otherwise, eating it and becoming a muscular Tang would be a joke.Since he was considering harmonizing, Land Xing Zhou himself and Du Gu Qing Li could also consider using it. With different medicinal combinations, they could highlight different directional roles. Then, if there was any surplus, he could also give some to the new body cultivator Zhao Gui Shan. His direction was also quite suitable.However, with Land Xing Zhou's current alchemy level, it was best to wait until he leveled up before refining, otherwise, it would be a bit of a waste of heavenly materials.No wonder the Incense Burning Tower collected these medicinal materials separately and didn't refine them. They were not very suitable for their alchemy sect. They didn't know who to refine them for, so they collected them. But in fact, it was very stupid. This kind of thing could create several different types of martial cultivators. What was the point of hiding them...When Du Gu Qing Li arrived, Land Xing Zhou had just tied the fruit and put it in the spirit spring to soak. Du Gu Qing Li curiously poked her head over and looked: "What is this?""Oh, it increases qi and blood strength. I'll refine it into pills later for everyone to use for body forging. You also need to temper your muscles and bones, you can use it too.""Me?" Du Gu Qing Li was silent for a moment: "You are so smart, you should know I came to resign. Why are you still considering me? Anyone else can use it, that's fine."At this moment, Du Gu Qing Li suddenly understood why she was unwilling to truly leave several times.It was because she had trekked alone on the glacier for over ten years and had never cooperated or joined hands with anyone to face danger. No one had ever considered "you can use it" after getting something.And this point, in the two months of living here, she had seen and experienced it moment by moment, including now.Land Xing Zhou finally turned his head to look at her and smiled slightly: "Wait a moment, A Nuo is in the room researching something. I think you will definitely be very interested."