Edited by Ea and Rose

  When he finished this sentence, he saw that Big Miss frowned slightly.

  Lin Shu consciously reflected on whether he had said anything wrong.

  He didn’t think so.

  Fortunately, after a brief moment, her frown gradually turned smooth. Ling Fengxiao returned to her normal expression. “You were isolated from the world since childhood, and you don’t know the world…… It’s understandable.”

  Lin Shu, “Hmm?”

  Just then Big Miss gave him a deep look and said, “Let’s go back.”

  Due to the accident in the academy, most of the disciples had to stay in the bamboo houses. On the way back from Hexu Heaven to Jade Heaven, there were only a few people left, and the chill of late autumn was everywhere.

  In the desolation, Ling Baochen saw that the atmosphere was too cold and said, “Although no one walks around now, the martial arts arena is very lively.”

  Big Miss replied to her, “Confucian Institution is making trouble in the martial arts arena again?”

  Ling Baochen: “Exactly, they were ordered to stay in their bamboo houses, unable to argue face-to-face, so they all wanted to enter the martial arts arena. Mr. Meng was soft-hearted and let them in again. At present, Xie Zishe’s faction supports battle while Ping Runing’s faction supports peace, they were quarrelling with each other, and the arguing was so intense that the martial arts arena was almost in chaos.”

  Big Miss said, “Xie Zishe is learning from Zhong Xiang, and Ping Runing is learning from Qu Gong. Whether to go to battle or make peace—there is also a lot of quarrel in the imperial court.”

  Ling Baoqing said, “I’d rather be defeated—I’m determined not to see the imperial court begging for peace.”

  Ling Fengxiao said faintly, “Once the keeper of Huandang Mountain ascends, the Southern Xia will be isolated and it would be difficult to make peace.”

  Ling Baochen sighed and stopped talking.

  Listening to what they said, Southern Xia was indeed at a time of turbulent wind and rain—there was still the “mountain keeper” sitting in town right now, but once the mountain keepers ascended, the situation would be even worse.

  Lin Shu didn’t know what to say about this. Although he drifted away from people and stayed near the edge of the crowd in modern times, he grew up in a peaceful age, he had not experienced this kind of scene personally.

  Ling Baoqing asked, “Then what should we do?”

  Ling Fengxiao: “As long as the mountain villa is still there, you can study martial arts with peace of mind.”

  Lin Shu felt a little uneasy when he heard the speech. If there was really going to be chaos and one didn’t have any cultivation, it would make people feel different after all.

  Although Big Miss said that he didn’t have to care about the problem with his meridians, Ling Fengxiao was not always around him, like what happened with the living corpse in the library. If Ling Fengxiao didn’t help him in time, it would be questionable whether there will still be Lin Shu in the world.

  Therefore, he must go to Huandang Mountain. Even if there is no secret script to change his meridians, he should try to find a martial arts skill that can protect himself.

  As he was thinking, he arrived at the place where he was going to go up the steps again. After the rain, a layer of moss grew on the stone steps, which was slippery. Ling Fengxiao held his wrist again, went up the steps first, and then waited for Lin Shu to come up.

  With this move, Lin Shu naturally did not have any risk of slipping, but he felt that something was wrong in his heart.

  Big Miss takes great care of himself.

  Remembering that day he had just arrived at Shangling Academy, Ling Fengxiao took him to Jade Heaven and led the way in front of him, ignoring whether he could keep up with her. It seemed that it had been a matter of previous life.

  Things are so unpredictable.

  Back to Jade Heaven, Ling Fengxiao said that there was a Dreamland in Huandang Mountain, which was the most difficult to pass through. There was a book about all kinds of illusions in ancient times and she wanted to show it to him.

  Ling Baochen and Ling Baoqing looked at each other and said goodbye with a smile to the Big Miss, leaving Lin Shu alone to be taken to a tutor.

  Usually, Ling Fengxiao came to his room. Lin Shu had never entered Big Miss’s boudoir.

  Through the cluster of peony flowers, came the door. Ling Fengxiao pushed the door and let Lin Shu inside.

  ——Everyone’s house has the same appearance, but inside it is a world of its own, which is not what Lin Shu had imagined.

  The walls were glittering and translucent. Facing the door, there was a picture of a phoenix, dotted with many pearls. On the wall in the west, there were beautiful flowers like waterfalls, and on the east, there were colorful treasures. The tables and chairs in the room were elegant and luxurious. Needless to say, the small door connecting the bedroom was equipped with a red gauze screen, and it was faintly possible to see the high bed and soft curtain inside. The whole room was full of a rich aura, which was quite different from Lin Shu’s rough room.

  \r \r \r

  White smoke curled in the incense burner, and the fragrance floated in the room. If it was spearmint, it would be too light. If it was sandalwood, it was not so heavy. It was the kind of ethereal cold fragrance that was often smelled on the Big Miss.

  After he walked in, Ling Fengxiao came in, but said a little unnaturally, “I don’t like the house that Baochen and the others changed into.”

  Lin Shu said, “It’s beautiful.” A beautiful girl like the Big Miss should live in such a beautiful house no matter what her temper is.

  “Do you like it?” Big Miss asked. “Your room is really too plain.”

  Lin Shu: “No need.”

  The room had already been cleaned up by Baochen’s girls. If it is even more magnificent, he’s afraid it will violate his sect’s admonition and make the old man angry from the coffin.

  Big Miss chuckled and said nothing else. She came to the small door and said, “Come in.”

  Lin Shu was a little nervous.

  First time entering a girl’s bedroom.

  There was a bookcase in Big Miss’s bedroom. There was a desk in front of the bookcase, and a large copper mirror on the opposite side. Beside the copper mirror, there was a slightly smaller treasure rack, which looked like a dressing table.

  Ling Fengxiao sat down in front of the mirror and took down a wooden box from the shelf.

  Lin Shu watched her putting on make-up quietly.

  Scarlet rouge was gently spread on the lips.

  But the person in the mirror was dressed in red, with black hair, bright eyes, and bright teeth; charming and attractive.

  Lin Shu had never seen such a beautiful young lady.

  When the book says that an extremely beautiful person can’t be compared with anything, it was talking about Big Miss.

  The Big Miss saw him looking at herself in the mirror, and the hand which was drawing her eyebrows stopped for a while. She smiled and said, “Come here.”

  Her smile was ill-intentioned, which made Lin Shu become alert.

  He approached warily and leaned slightly. The fine tip of the brush in Ling Fengxiao’s hand dipped in the eyebrow ink and lightly tapped under his eyes. At this point, a small mole appeared under the eye.

  Ling Fengxiao motioned to Lin Shu to look in the mirror, and said, “This way, you will have some fire on your face.”

  Lin Shu looked at himself in the mirror carefully. Except for the black spot, he didn’t see any difference.

  After seeing his face, Ling Fengxiao examined herself again, put away the rouge and water powder, and said, “I have to go out to meet people today, otherwise I won’t draw on makeup.”

  After that, she went to the bookshelf to pick up a book, and said softly, “I sometimes think, it’s just skin. Whether it’s beautiful or ugly; man or woman—in fact, it doesn’t really matter.”

  Lin Shu pretended to agree, but in fact he didn’t agree.

  Although there was no problem in theory, only the Big Miss, who already has a good-looking skin, has the confidence to say it.

  After taking the book describing the dreamland in ancient times, Ling Fengxiao told him about some important points again and Lin Shu went back.

  He read through the book in his own room. After feeling that he already understood those points, he took out the Jade Talisman and went into the dreamscape to practice his sword.

  As usual, Mr. Meng stood against the wind in the pavilion on the top of the mountain. Seeing him coming, he turned around and said with a smile, “Taoist friend, long time no see.”

  Lin Shu said, “Long time no see.”

  “The academy is in a troubled time. I’m afraid there will be no classes in the near future. Taoist friend might as well come to the dreamscape more.”

  “Okay,” Lin Shu said.

  Mr. Meng stopped talking and stood quietly in the pavilion.

  Lin Shu saw the great National Advisor several times these days. At this time, he looked at Mr. Meng again to confirm that the resemblance of their facial features was not an illusion.

  He couldn’t help looking more.

  Mr. Meng then said with a smile, “Taoist friend, why are you looking at me?”

  Although he knew that he was not a real person, Lin Shu felt a little embarrassed. He took out his sword and planned to practice basic sword techniques.

  Suddenly he saw Mr. Meng looking at him, his eyes were pale and distant, and he said softly, “Taoist friend, I resemble a flower in a mirror and the moon’s reflection in water. As for all sorts of things outside of this dream, forget them when you come here.”

  Lin Shu let out an “En.”

  There must have been many people in the Academy who have seen the great National Advisor. They must have noticed the similarity in appearance between him and Mr. Meng. Mr. Meng must have been asked a lot, so he knew why he had just looked at his appearance. He said that Lin Shu should not be curious about it.

  Since Mr. Meng said so, he stopped thinking and concentrated on practicing sword.

  After practicing, Mr. Meng said, “Taoist friend, you want to go to Huandang Mountain. You should know the situation on the mountain.”

  Lin Shu stepped forward. Mr. Meng sat down in front of the stone table in the pavilion. With his right hand brushing the stone table, a shadow of a fairy mountain appeared on the table.

  “Huandang Mountain is the place where Emperor Ye lived in the past. There are numerous treasures in the Floating Heaven Immortal Palace. Anyone who can climb the Huandang Mountain Heavenly Road will surely gain something. If you can get the favor of the mountain protector, the harvest will be even greater. It’s extraordinary.” Mr. Meng explained the situation of Huandang Mountain, and his finger moved to the foot of the mountain. “This is the Gate of Heaven, there is a barrier of Qi. Only those who hold the token can enter.”

  After that, Mr. Meng moved his finger up and said, “When you enter the Gate of Heaven, first there are ninety-nine heavenly steps leading to the sky. There are Qi flowing on it, so you need to cultivate yourself to be able to resist it. You will know many mysterious things after you have been there.”

  Lin Shu felt slightly suffocated.

  He didn’t have a cultivation base to resist it—however, on second thought, since Big Miss had asked him to go to Huandang Mountain, there must be a solution.

  The unreliable people in the world have all lost their chains, and the Big Miss has never had anything to do with unreliable characters, so he doesn’t need to worry.

  Mr. Meng continued, “After passing the Heavenly Staircase, you have passed the test of cultivation. Along the mountain road, there are illusions of thousands of things in the world. Be sure to keep your mind. When you see the road monument halfway up the mountain, you will reach the ‘maze’. In the maze, there are many illusions, and it is very difficult to get out. Most disciples can’t move forward at this point.”

  Illusion.

  Lin Shu only heard this name in his last life, but never saw it. It was a virtual holographic world similar to Shangling Dreamland.

  “Although you can’t move forward, the illusion sharpens your mind and nature, which is extremely helpful to the cultivation base, and you won’t return empty-handed. If you can walk out of the maze and go up again, it will be an exquisite cave to test the mind. You can climb to the top of the mountain after you pass this level. The mountain keeper lives in the Floating Celestial Palace on the top of the mountain all the year round. Because of the rules, I can’t account for the affairs of Huandang Mountain. Everything depends on the chance and opportunities of Taoist friend.”

  Lin Shu said, “Thank you very much, sir.”

  “No need,” Mr. Meng said with a smile. “You just need to remember the words ‘make a decision when it’s time to decide’ and ‘when you get lost, you know how to return’, and the trip will be completed. You don’t have to miss the academy on the road. When you have nothing to do, you can also return to the dreamscape through the Jade Talisman.”

  Lin Shu nodded.

  After a day’s hard work, his life returned to the peace and quiet. Ling Fengxiao sent a Dragon Guard to guard him in the garden, but she herself appeared and disappeared all day long. She only went to eat with him every day, or to serve as a heater before going to bed. Lin Shu did not ask Big Miss what she was busy with recently, and Ling Fengxiao did not tell him. After three days, it was time to go to Huandang Mountain.

  Yue Ruohe and Yue Ruoyun have taken the quota allocated to Dream Hall, and they were also going to go. They are very much looking forward to the newly developed flying boat of the Academy. They have to get up early in the morning and set out in the atrium.

  Lin Shu was waiting for Big Miss in the room.

  Last night, the light in Big Miss’s room was not on at all. It seemed that there was no one in the room, which made him uneasy.

  When the time came, Big Miss didn’t come, instead, he saw Ling Baochen.

  She said: “Little Lin Shu, Big Miss was summoned to return to the capital city last night by His Majesty’s urgent order. She really couldn’t get away. This time she couldn’t go to Huandang Mountain.”

  Eh.

  Big Miss can’t go?

  He is going to hit the road alone?

  Lin Shu lost the hamster owner’s lead and suddenly panicked.

  ——————-

  TL’s corner:

  A little backtrack story. When I picked up N1PB a couple of weeks ago, I ‘lured’ our awesome editor, Ea, to work with me with the promise (while crossing my fingers at my back) of a ‘once-a-week’ release. I was really happy when she said “Yes”, (I have this silly happy grin like those guys in You Tube doing those marriage proposals thingy in the street when the girl said “Yes” while flapping her hands and kicking her shoes all over the place).

  Then…… when I started translating, I became excited and impatient…… and looking forward to the next chapter and the next…… and the next. So then I kept thinking, ‘if this is how I feel, the readers feel much the same too’ so again, I told Ea, “my dearest awesome and kind hearted Ea, maybe I can do twice-a-week release for this”.

  While waiting for her reply, I lit some incense candle and prayed to the God of Editors (I searched google for the name but couldn’t find) that Ea would say ‘yes’.. and she said ‘Okay’.

  Yaayy, (short of lighting some fireworks, I was really glad)……then I pushed my luck (coz’ I just like courting death) and asked her again…… ‘My dearest awesome, kind hearted, sweet and lovely Ea, maybe I can do a three-times-a-week release for this’ ……and that’s when I saw her wiping and sharpening her knife.

  With trembling fingers and scared soul, I had to call reinforcement and ask another awesome editor to alternate with Ea in cleaning up my messy translation so I can release N1PB three times a week (and escape my untimely death from Ea’s knifus)……

  And so…… we now welcome our other editor…… *drumroll*…… ROSE. clap!clap!clap!…… Thank you so much for coming on board and making it happen. *releases thunder and lightning*

  She is really nice and sweet and I hope that she can influence Ea on giving up the knives and those sharp stuff she uses to poke me……

  But then I forgot…… these two knew each other (I’m really sure they belong to the House of Flying Daggers and Axe Pavillion)…… So I once again peeked over on the corner and saw both of them sharpening knives and axes……so yeah guys…… I’m doomed.!!