The Bamboo Chest Chapter Thirty-Seven: Them
Page 1 of 3
In a small tavern, An Luo and Lu Yun’s wine bowls touched.
“Bottoms up, Brother Lu! It’s been ages since I’ve enjoyed a drink like this!”
An Luo wiped the liquor from the corner of his mouth, deliberately refraining from using his cultivation to disperse the alcohol.
After all, how many chances did one get to become truly drunk in life?
“The people in Qianjing City drink with me too, Brother Lu, but they don’t use bowls. They use crystal goblets. Have you ever seen a crystal goblet? When the light shines through it—whoosh, it’s unbelievably beautiful! Those old lords seem to think wine tastes better when poured into crystal.”
Lu Yun simply watched An Luo ramble drunkenly, drinking bowl after bowl.
Unlike An Luo, Lu Yun was constantly dispelling the haze that clouded his mind.
He disliked confusion. In his heart, whatever needed to be done had to be done.
At first, it had been becoming stronger. Now, he had to travel to the Ten Thousand Mountains to rescue his elder sister and Shengge.
“Brother Lu, being a prince isn’t fun at all. It’s not nearly as easy as when I was city lord. Every day I have to deal with a whole pack of old men. That’s why I sent Shuize back. At least in An Luo City, she won’t be troubled by all those vexing matters…”
An Luo suddenly slapped the wooden table.
“But those old bastards actually want my sister to marry one of their sons! Why should she? Because of their pitiful cultivation, or because they’re as proud as ancient tortoises and can live just as long?!”
“Brother Lu, Yunmo is hesitating. I know he favors me because I’m on good terms with you, but when that is weighed against the stability of Qianjing City, our friendship suddenly seems much less important.”
“She’s my only sister. I can’t let her live an unhappy life—not even for a single day. That’s why I’ve restrained her cultivation all these years and kept her away from the affairs of the clan. I’ve shielded her for so long, but this time, even I—even my grandfather—can’t protect her…”
Lu Yun said calmly, “I’ll tell Yuanmo that Shuize will not marry anyone she does not wish to marry.”
An Luo gave a foolish grin, grabbed the wine jug beside him, and shouted at Lu Yun, “Brother Lu, from now on, my life belongs to you!”
“I don’t need your life.”
Lu Yun chuckled and pointed at the jug in An Luo’s hand.
“Just leave half of that wine for me today.”
An Luo froze. Then he abruptly lowered his head. He raised his arm, only to slowly lower it again, placing the jug between himself and Lu Yun.
“Then we’ll split it half and half. We drink until neither of us can stand!”
Some distance away, Deyue was gently propping up a small flower. She would never understand in this lifetime why An Luo, a young man who usually seemed so volatile, became so childish whenever he was in front of Lu Yun.
…
Everyone who lived in this city was happy. At night, they loved placing the paper boats they had made upon the river and letting them drift with the current.
But one day, the arrival of a ship prevented them from releasing their paper boats. Worse still, it caused them to lose the most sacred person in their hearts—their beloved Miss Fengfeng.
They were furious.
Why?!
The White Plains Kingdom had conquered their city and forced them into submission. None of that mattered…
But why had they taken Miss Fengfeng away?
No! They would never allow it!
They turned their fury toward the ship and charged at it as though they no longer cared whether they lived or died.
At last, they saw Miss Fengfeng.
They were overwhelmed with emotion, convinced that their bravery had enabled her to escape the clutches of Yuanmo, the emperor of the White Plains Kingdom.
But then someone’s appearance shattered that fantasy.
An Luo, prince of the White Plains Kingdom, made every young woman aboard the ship write her name and affix her mark before the eyes of the entire city, promising that she was willingly going to Qianjing City.
They were bewildered.
Willingly?
How could that be?
How could Miss Fengfeng willingly enter Qianjing City?
She loved this land so deeply. At dawn, she would smile and greet every person on the street. Whenever anyone faced hardship, she would offer a helping hand. She gave children the sweets they loved…
She was beautiful and kind, possessing every admirable virtue there was.
How could she willingly enter Qianjing City?
How could she deceive the people who revered her most?
Page 1 of 3
Page 2 of 3
Impossible. Absolutely impossible!
They refused to believe it. Thus, they decided to uncover the whole truth and clear Miss Fengfeng’s name.
In the end…
They came to stand outside a tavern.
Inside sat two young men. The older one was holding up his wine bowl and proclaiming grandly that he would one day become the strongest prince in the Great Wilderness, and that he would protect his very best brother.
The other, somewhat younger, had just set down his wine bowl and was looking at them.
…
“Rebels.”
An Luo spat out the two words, and the stench of alcohol vanished from him in an instant.
At last, the prince of Qianjing City revealed his edge.
He seemed like a lion newly awakened from sleep, stretching its claws and baring its fangs.
The people instinctively took a step back.
“Don’t act yet.”
Lu Yun stepped outside the tavern and looked at them.
“Why have you come?”
They did not answer.
Their eyes had already given him the answer.
They wanted the truth.
Before Lu Yun could say anything more, a sparse drizzle began to fall from the sky.
Beneath the tavern’s eaves, An Luo’s expression remained unchanged.
“I knew those two fools wouldn’t stay out of trouble.”
Miss Deyue had finally set one of the flowers upright. She exhaled in relief, but in the next moment, a raindrop landed upon its petals.
The flower began to wither. Petal after petal fell before Deyue’s eyes.
Deyue tilted her head, then looked upward.
A yellow talisman was suspended high in the heavens.
“I’m going to kill him,” Deyue said.
“Don’t be hasty,” Lu Yun replied.
Deyue narrowed her eyes in confusion.
What was going on?
This was not like him at all.
…
Atop the city wall, Miss Fengfeng watched the rain and frowned.
Kesa chuckled.
“Don’t worry. I promised you that I would never harm a single person in this city.”
Miss Fengfeng stretched out her hand. The rain fell upon her palm without causing the slightest reaction.
“Begin. I’ll support you. You make the attack,” Kesa said.
Miss Fengfeng nodded, then stepped through the falling rain.
Kesa watched her retreating figure, his eyes narrowing.
…
“What’s happening to this rain?!”
“Why do I feel as though my body is burning?”
“It hurts! It hurts!”
“…”
The rain fell upon them, and they cried out in agony.
Page 2 of 3
Page 3 of 3
Lu Yun extended his hand. The falling rain began to gather within his palm.
The rain, which had originally shimmered with an eerie yellow light, gradually became clear in Lu Yun’s hand. At its center, a glimmer of light appeared, as though a full moon were suspended within it.
Miss Fengfeng’s eyes held only Lu Yun. She was a decisive woman; once she chose a target, she would never let it escape.
“As long as I kill you and him, with the priest’s assistance, even that immortal will be powerless. This city will regain its freedom!”
Miss Fengfeng murmured, “As long as I kill you, everything will be resolved…”
As she drew closer to Lu Yun, she realized that he showed no surprise whatsoever.
“Break…”
Lu Yun parted his lips.
Miss Fengfeng had already reached him. As the woman drove her fist forward, Lu Yun’s body shattered in an instant.
Miss Fengfeng froze. She lifted her head, and her pupils suddenly contracted.
The bright moon hung high in the sky, like a sword suspended overhead.
When the moon in the well shattered, everything that had been hazy and indistinct revealed itself as either real or false.
As the illusion dissipated, Miss Fengfeng watched the sphere of water she had shattered scatter in every direction. Then she saw Lu Yun standing before her, smiling.
“Wrath.”
The sphere of water radiating pure moonlight mingled with the rain, gradually restoring it to its normal state.
“Make your move,” Lu Yun said to Deyue.
Deyue snorted coldly and reached up to seize something from the air.
…
Atop the city wall, Kesa’s expression changed. He hurriedly leapt down.
As long as he did not die here, there was no loss he could not accept.
He had to return to the Changxing Kingdom as quickly as possible!
…
Miss Deyue opened her hand and looked at the yellow talisman crumpled into a ball. Disgust showed on her face.
“I’ll leave you alive.”
She tossed the talisman to Lu Yun. The corner of his mouth twitched, but he caught it anyway.
Although it had suffered some damage, it was still a powerful magical treasure—better than having nothing at all.
…
The puddles on the ground reflected the bright moon. Beneath its light, the bodies of Lu Yun, An Luo, and Deyue slowly faded away.
The white glow in their eyes also gradually vanished.
Once the terrible pain had left them and their sight had returned, the first person they saw was Miss Fengfeng.
They stood rooted to the spot, tears filling their eyes.
“Miss Fengfeng never abandoned us, and she could never have betrayed us!”
“Miss Fengfeng! Miss Fengfeng!”
“…”
They surrounded Miss Fengfeng, cheering wildly.
…
In a pavilion some distance away, Lu Yun set down his teacup and asked with a smile, “Well?”
An Luo nodded in sudden realization.
Deyue merely snorted coldly.
Page 3 of 3