Chapter 385: A Quiet Night, Intimate Conversation
“Hu—”
Mao Ruoyu quietly moved a few inches away, protectively covering her chest, lest she be subjected to another sudden attack.
But thankfully, Yang Chanzhen didn’t do anything untoward, simply sighing and changing the subject.
Mao Ruoyu touched her cheeks, calming herself slightly.
After a moment of silence, she pondered and then asked softly: “Miss Yang, are you truly planning to continue living in seclusion on Mount Min?”
Yang Chanzhen’s expression remained unchanged, and she nodded: “I have no interest in the mortal world. I grew up on Mount Min and am quite attached to this place.
And compared to the constant struggles and conflicts in the outside world, only the peace and quiet here can allow me to truly relax and sleep soundly.”
“But in this mountain…”
Mao Ruoyu hesitated, not continuing.
Perhaps Miss Yang truly enjoyed the peace and quiet here.
It would be rude and intrusive of her to press the matter further.
“I understand your concern, Madam Mao.” Yang Chanzhen seemed to have anticipated her thoughts, her voice softening: “But to me, a moment of peace is more valuable than a thousand bustling scenes. There’s no need to worry about me being lonely in the mountains.”
She continued: “If I were truly lonely, there are the villagers of Min Village at the foot of the mountain, but even now, I only have a close relationship with that Auntie, which proves that I’m not very good at socializing.”
“I was being overly concerned.”
Mao Ruoyu sighed shamefully: “I presumptuously assumed that your life here must be lonely and difficult, Miss Yang, I even wanted to invite you to live with us in Changling County.”
Yang Chanzhen’s eyes softened slightly, a hint of a smile appearing: “You know about my mother and Master Lin’s past from fifty years ago, and you still want me to live in Changling?”
“That way, I can also take care of you, Miss Yang.” Mao Ruoyu smiled shyly: “And if my husband has free time, he can also chat with you and keep you company.”
“So you’re…”
Yang Chanzhen tilted her head slightly: “Treating me like Master Lin’s daughter?”
“Cough!”
Mao Ruoyu’s face flushed slightly, and she said awkwardly: “I just thought, since Master Lin and your mother had such an… unresolved connection, and you carry her memories and feelings, perhaps I could… make up for it somehow.”
Yang Chanzhen blinked her purple eyes: “So you want your husband to take another concubine, madam?”
“N-No, that’s not it.”
Mao Ruoyu blushed, hesitating, her voice filled with embarrassment: “I just wanted to…”
Seeing her hesitation, Yang Chanzhen suddenly whispered:
“Madam, as Master Lin’s wife, seeing him surrounded by so many beauties, do you… resent him?”
This sudden question made Mao Ruoyu pause slightly, a ripple appearing in her heart.
But she quickly shook her head: “Perhaps I had some reservations at first, but knowing that fate is unpredictable, and my husband is so kind-hearted, being together is a blessing, so I gradually let go of those thoughts.”
“…Your generosity is truly admirable, madam.”
Yang Chanzhen’s eyes flickered, a look of emotion on her face: “No wonder you became Master Lin’s wife, so loved and cherished by him.”
Mao Ruoyu murmured in a daze: “You carry your mother’s memories and feelings, Miss Yang, could it be that fifty years ago—”
Yang Chanzhen smiled faintly, lowering her eyes.
Calm and elegant, yet serene like a blooming lotus.
“Now, I will honor the name ‘Chanzhen’ and stay on Mount Min, watching over Master Lin.”
“Do you… also feel any resentment, Miss Yang?”
“‘I’ also have no regrets.”
“…”
Mao Ruoyu’s expression turned serious, and she gently took Yang Chanzhen’s cold hand.
She was about to speak when a strange sensation suddenly came from her palm, making them both instinctively pull their hands back, as if they had been shocked.
“Eh?”
This sudden change surprised Mao Ruoyu, and she blinked her beautiful eyes repeatedly: “What was that just now—?”
“The heavenly soul and the life soul, although they share the same origin, after tens of thousands of years, they are no longer the same.”
Yang Chanzhen clenched her right hand and said softly: “But after we get used to it, it should be fine.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Mao Ruoyu took her hand again, her expression serious.
A tingling sensation, like an electric shock, reappeared, but this time, the beautiful woman didn’t let go, simply pressing her lips together tightly and enduring it silently.
After a while, the numbness gradually subsided, replaced by a sense of connection, as if they could understand each other’s thoughts without needing words.
Their eyes met, Mao Ruoyu’s beautiful face serious and solemn, and she whispered:
“Miss Yang, let’s have a heart-to-heart talk.”
…
Late at night.
Inside the secret library, Lin Tianlu was still reading.
This “Collection of Strange Tales” contained many stories about the conflicts and power struggles of ancient times. Although it seemed to be a collection of folk tales, mostly vague and roughly written, it still offered a glimpse into that era.
The only difficulty was… the language.
After tens of thousands of years of change, the written language had also evolved.
Although the library contained countless ancient books, finding easily readable historical documents was still quite difficult.
No wonder Yang Chanzhen, despite having lived on Mount Min for so many years, didn’t know much about the events of millions of years ago. After all, to truly understand the past, one would have to learn the unique writing systems of different eras from scratch and then cross-reference and verify the information from hundreds of thousands of books, a tedious and time-consuming process.
This wasn’t something that could be accomplished by a single person in a few years, or even decades.
Judging by Yang Chanzhen’s leisurely and secluded lifestyle, she clearly wasn’t a dedicated scholar or archaeologist. For the successive generations of Azure Ladies to have mastered the techniques and secret arts recorded within these books was already a testament to their hard work over hundreds or even thousands of years.
However—
“Roughly speaking, there were three distinct periods during these past twenty thousand years.”
Lin Tianlu compared several ancient books, his brows slightly furrowed: “The first period was tens of thousands of years ago, when immortal sects flourished, and countless realms existed.”
The world tens of thousands of years ago was vast and boundless, containing a mystical archipelago called ‘Xuanyu,’ divided into four celestial islands and four realms: the Eastern, Southern, Western, and Northern Domains.
“Miss Chi’s Northern Yu Divine Palace was located in the Northern Domain, its status transcendent.”
Lin Tianlu frowned and mused: “And according to Xuanling, this Xuanyu archipelago suffered a great calamity and fell from the heavens, shattering upon impact, and the Cang Bei Realm, after tens of thousands of years, gradually became the various countries of the Fengchen Kingdom.”
“And the same is probably true for most of the other realms. Immortals perished, dynasties changed, even the mighty Wan Sheng Immortal Sect, recorded in these ancient texts, couldn’t escape this fate, eventually entering the second period.”
But what surprised Lin Tianlu the most was…
That the records of the second period were vague and unclear.
It wasn’t just a single book, but most of the ancient texts he had chosen described that period very briefly and vaguely, many of them even damaged and incomplete.
He could only vaguely understand that during this period, civilization was recovering, everything was being rebuilt, mortal humans gradually appeared, and the world was still in a state of primordial chaos.
Until a few thousand years ago, the ancient eight clans gradually emerged, using their earth-shattering powers to reshape the world, creating the demon and ghost world. Eventually, humanity declined, and demons and ghosts prevailed, establishing the current order, which had continued to this day.
Even though a great war had erupted a thousand years ago, with various factions fighting and killing each other, turning the demon and ghost world into a living hell, a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, after hundreds of years of recuperation, peace had gradually returned.
Lin Tianlu searched for a long time and only found a few mentions of the ‘Moon Soul Sacred Sect’ in a few books.
A thousand years ago, this sect was rumored to be a place of evil, capable of bewitching even demons and ghosts, and everyone wanted to destroy it. Its fate was truly tragic, the sect completely destroyed, its disciples slaughtered, its name quickly fading from history.
As for the Wan Sheng Immortal Sect, there were many praises in the ancient texts recording the events of tens of thousands of years ago.
Dazzling praises and eulogies filled the pages, as if one could feel the author’s reverence and admiration. It seemed that the Wan Sheng Immortal Sect was a sacred land, a cultivation sect, revered by all beings tens of thousands of years ago, its disciples all virtuous and compassionate.
After reading a few books, Lin Tianlu couldn’t help but feel goosebumps all over, a subtle expression on his face.
The grandeur of the Wan Sheng Immortal Sect, he had glimpsed it through the secret realm in Lunar Valley, it was truly extraordinary, almost like the heavenly court in myths and legends.
But for even the disciples of this immortal sect to be praised as saints was a bit too much.
“Are you still reading, husband?”
A soft and gentle voice suddenly echoed beside his ear, a refreshing fragrance filling the air.
Lin Tianlu looked up slightly and saw Mao Ruoyu, dressed in a water-colored dress, sitting gracefully beside him, her beautiful eyes blinking curiously: “Did you find any interesting information in these ancient texts?”
“Quite a bit, actually.”
Lin Tianlu chuckled, pointing at one of the books piled up beside him: “This book even records Yue’er’s heroic deeds from a thousand years ago. Back then, she was like an unstoppable god of death, feared by all, keeping the various demon and ghost factions in check. It was only through great effort that she was finally sealed in the Netherworld.”
“Eh?” Mao Ruoyu was even more surprised: “These books even record such battles?”
“This book was probably written by the Azure Lady of Mount Min from a thousand years ago.”
“I see…”
Mao Ruoyu nodded in understanding.
She quickly exclaimed softly: “But, husband, did you find any information about the Wan Sheng Immortal Sect?”
“That’s where the problem lies.” Lin Tianlu scratched his head and chuckled awkwardly: “These books practically deify the Wan Sheng Immortal Sect. After reading several thick volumes, they’re all filled with praises, but there aren’t many records of important events, nor anything about the sect’s origins or history.”
Mao Ruoyu couldn’t help but cover her mouth with a chuckle: “It seems you’ll have to work a little harder. I wonder if your seventy-year-old body can handle it, husband.”
Lin Tianlu couldn’t help but smile: “Are you surprised by my sudden increase in age, Ruoyu?”
“Indeed~”
Mao Ruoyu blinked her beautiful eyes, playfully wagging her finger like a young girl: “I was worried that I was too old for you, husband. Now that I know the truth, it’s me who’s too young, practically your junior.”
Lin Tianlu pretended to stroke his beard like an old man: “Would you dislike this old man, Ruoyu?”
“Pfft—”
As if amused by his expression, Mao Ruoyu rolled her eyes playfully: “Even if you were a hundred years old, it wouldn’t matter to me, my husband. Besides, you still look like a young man.”
And with a thousand-year-old fox demon at home, what was there to be concerned about age?
“That’s… something I didn’t expect either.”
Lin Tianlu flexed his arm: “Although fifty years have passed, I’ve become stronger and taller these past six months, I still look like a young man.”
After all, his appearance hadn’t changed at all since he went up and down Mount Taiyi.
If it weren’t for this, he wouldn’t have overlooked this matter.
Mao Ruoyu blinked her beautiful eyes: “Perhaps, those fifty years of meditation in the mountain not only made you fall asleep, husband, but also… preserved your body?”
“That must be the reason.”
Lin Tianlu scratched his head: “But I still don’t know the origin of my cultivation.” To say that he had suddenly gained enlightenment in the mountains was a bit too much of a “coincidence.”
And Yu Xuanling clearly knew him, and there was also that unseen immortal figure in his dreamscape… Could it be related to something from tens of thousands of years ago?
“But judging by your expression, husband… you don’t seem to care much about this?”
“Since there are so few clues, there’s no point in worrying.”
Lin Tianlu carefully closed the books on his lap and smiled frankly: “Whether I can uncover the truth or not won’t affect my current life. Being able to chat and laugh with my wives is enough.”
Mao Ruoyu smiled gently and said softly: “But it wouldn’t be good if it delayed something important.”
“Nothing in this world is more important than you.”
Lin Tianlu smiled and gently tossed the ancient books into the air.
Then, drawn by the secret technique of the library, they flew back to their original shelves.
Mao Ruoyu blushed slightly, a sweet and shy warmth spreading through her heart. But a sudden thought made her exclaim softly: “Since you cultivated in the mountains for fifty years, husband, how did Mother Tan’s servants manage to find out about your background?”
“Miss Yang helped.”
“Miss Yang?” Mao Ruoyu tilted her head slightly, puzzled: “How could she…?”
“She vaguely sensed my identity when we first met.”
Lin Tianlu spread his hands and explained: “When we returned to Changling, she used a secret technique to conceal my past and create a diversion. It would have been quite troublesome for others to do this, but Miss Yang is skilled in such techniques, creating false information is easy for her, enough to deceive everyone.”
“I see…”
Mao Ruoyu nodded in understanding, a look of emotion appearing on her face: “So, Miss Yang truly cares about you, husband.”
Lin Tianlu paused slightly and asked softly: “Did you just… spend some time alone with Miss Yang, Ruoyu?”
“Yes.”
Mao Ruoyu smiled gently: “Chanzhen is truly a good person.”
“It seems you two had a pleasant conversation?”
“Indeed, quite pleasant~”
The smile on Mao Ruoyu’s lips became more ambiguous, and she leaned closer, whispering seductively: “With you as the topic, my husband, Miss Yang and I naturally had a lot to talk about. I even heard her ‘lament’ about her unrequited love for the past fifty years.”
“Uh—”
Lin Tianlu leaned back awkwardly: “I just remembered those events from fifty years ago, it wasn’t my intention to… disappoint Miss Yang back then.”
“Then now, my husband…”
Mao Ruoyu pursed her lips slightly, her ambiguous smile becoming even more seductive and tender, and she changed the subject playfully: “Well~ I won’t pry any further. However—”
She narrowed her beautiful eyes, a playful glint within, and gently tapped his chin, saying softly: “If you remember any other… ‘forgotten matters’ in the future, my husband, you must tell me first, so I can be prepared~ You can’t keep secrets from me anymore~” Her eyes, like silk, were filled with a seductive smile, her tender and affectionate gaze making his body tingle and his lower abdomen burn with desire.
And her ample bosom, straining against the fabric of her dress, almost spilling out, was incredibly alluring.
Lin Tianlu suppressed his desire with an awkward chuckle and was about to speak when he suddenly noticed a change in Mao Ruoyu’s hair.
Her previously pure white, silver hair was now streaked with black, like ink, a few strands falling over her chest, like a seductive veil.
“Ruoyu, your hair…”
“Eh?”
Mao Ruoyu blinked her beautiful eyes, looked down at her hair, a mix of silver and black, and couldn’t help but smile wryly: “It seems my emotions are a bit… unstable, causing an imbalance between my Yin energy and the Moon Shadow Breath.”
Lin Tianlu’s expression turned strange: “So, your thoughts are easy to read, my wife. Silver hair means you’re calm and peaceful, and black hair means… you’re overthinking?”
Mao Ruoyu chuckled softly and playfully punched his chest: “I’m not that childish.”
After a moment of silent eye contact, the beautiful woman lowered her head shyly, opening her arms and embracing him.
Feeling her soft body against his chest, Lin Tianlu’s heart calmed down, his hands gently caressing her hair and back, the thin gauze of her robe feeling like a second skin, her smooth and delicate skin incredibly soft and supple under his fingertips, the curve of her back like a beautiful bridge, her alluring flesh overflowing.
“Husband,” a soft murmur echoed in his ear: “Something just happened at the foot of the mountain. I accidentally injured Yishi and Sister Yun.”
Lin Tianlu raised an eyebrow slightly and asked gently: “Are you feeling guilty, Ruoyu?”
“I… I don’t know how to face Yishi tomorrow.”
“Apologize sincerely, and she’ll forgive you.”
“You seem to have known about this already, husband?” Mao Ruoyu raised her head slightly from his embrace, a worried look on her face: “I thought you would scold me.”
“I knew something might happen at the foot of the mountain after seeing Miss Yang being possessed by that remnant soul.”
Lin Tianlu chuckled: “But I trust Yue’er to take care of you. And with your personality, Ruoyu, no matter what happens, you wouldn’t harm your family.”
Mao Ruoyu pursed her lips slightly, her nose tingling, her eyes slightly red as she buried her face in his chest again, remaining silent.
Lin Tianlu gently caressed her back, sighing inwardly, and whispered comforting words in her ear, telling her some funny stories from the past.
After a while, the previously silent woman shifted slightly in his arms, and looking down, he saw her trying to suppress a smile, her shoulders shaking slightly, her beautiful and slightly reddened eyes glancing up at him playfully, a mix of helplessness and sweet affection.
Soon, they were whispering and murmuring to each other, occasionally chuckling softly, like a loving couple.
…
The next morning.
The warm sun slowly rose in the sky.
Lin Tianlu, supporting Mao Ruoyu, walked out of the library. Glancing sideways, he saw Yang Chanzhen standing quietly in the distance.
The Azure Lady of Mount Min seemed to have been waiting there for a while. She gathered her hair and turned around, and even though her face was covered by a veil, a gentle smile could still be seen in her eyes.
“Miss Yang, are you…”
“I’m here to see you off.”
Yang Chanzhen glanced at Mao Ruoyu and continued: “After the Spring Festival, if there’s a chance, I’ll come and visit you in Changling, Master Lin.”
Lin Tianlu looked surprised and quickly glanced at Mao Ruoyu.
Mao Ruoyu seemed to have already known about this, a satisfied smile on her face.
“I’ll be sure to welcome you, Miss Yang.”
“Ruoyu, did you and Miss Yang… last night…”
“We’re so connected, naturally, we have to spend some time together.”
Mao Ruoyu winked playfully: “I spent quite a bit of effort persuading Miss Yang, my husband, you should cherish this opportunity.”
