Chapter 89: [Harsh Words] (8200 characters)
Gu Qingyi sneered and looked at Chen Yan, saying, "Didn’t you just say that there were no spirit monsters in your hometown?"
Chen Yan hesitated for a moment, looked back at Lu Sisi in the car, and thought for a moment before saying, "Tomorrow I’ll go up the mountain to the temple and take a look."
Gu Qingyi nodded, "Okay, I’ll go with you. If there are spirit monsters here, it would be just the right opportunity to relieve my urge to kill."
Chen Yan shook his head, "His fate doesn’t come with violence. Even if there’s demonic qi, it hasn’t harmed him. Don’t be so quick to shout for killing; what if it’s a kind-hearted demon instead."
Gu Qingyi smiled sarcastically, "Do you think there are so many Nie Xiaoqian and Bai Suzhen in this world?"
The two returned to the car and drove home.
"The family of three" busily cleaned and organized the house, and sorted out the groceries they bought.
Chen Yan cooked a lot of dishes, prepared smoked fish, and some New Year’s food.
Lu Sisi and Gu Qingyi didn’t know how to cook, so they only helped Chen Yan from the side. The three were busy until nightfall.
In the evening, Chen Yan heated some water and brought three basins over. The three sat in a row, soaking their feet.
The girls’ feet were pink and adorable, but Chen Yan only glanced at them twice before he didn’t dare to look anymore.
Lu Sisi was shy, making Chen Yan embarrassed to look further.
After just one glance, Gu Qingyi exposed a murderous intent with a fierce look cast over, making Chen Yan shiver and quickly turn his head away.
Gu Qingyi’s face slightly reddened, coldly snorting.
That guy named Zhao Shanhe, what did he say when he fell for my enchanting technique...
This kid likes tall girls with long legs, or is he a foot fetish!
Hmph, a grown man liking women’s feet?
Southeast of the city, near the old city wall, there was an area of old residential estates. Originally, the paths here were winding, and the alleys intertwined. In recent years, due to extensive official renovations, they turned it into a folk culture area and tourist attraction and repaired a batch of imitation ancient buildings—thus making it one of the lively spots in Jinling City.
Daily crowds swarmed, with travelers from all over the country coming to Jinling, and old Jinling residents during their leisure time considered this place a must-visit spot for recreation and entertainment.
About two or three kilometers away from this bustling district, by the banks of the Inner Qinhuai River, there stood a small courtyard with architectural styles mimicking ancient designs. However, if any expert was to walk in and take a closer look, they’d see the artistry.
The bricks, tiles, eaves beams—none were short of materials salvaged from genuine old houses and restored here. Even the carved wood on the window frames would be, at least, a century or two old.
Looking at a garden not considered very large, with merely a two-entry courtyard, if evaluated for actual value, the price just for this location and area would be in the eight digits.
If counting those old items, based on actual value, the price would probably be ten times higher!
The two crimson doors at the courtyard’s entrance were adorned with festive New Year pictures and couplets, and the guardian beasts at the door were cleaned thoroughly, even their eyes were freshly painted.
A plaque hung high above the door, inscribed with two large characters:
Ordinary folks, unaware, might think this place was either a tea house or a study.
Those versed in mystical techniques, however, knew this quaint yet lavish "Cloud House" was the stronghold of Jinling Prefecture’s mystical community leader "Elder Zi." It also served as the sect leader residence of the Cloud Sect.
Around seven in the evening, Chu Keqing sat in her study, spreading out brush and ink on her desk.
Chu Keqing donned a gray-white robe, loosely belted at the waist. Her original hair bun was untied, with long black slightly wavy hair draped over one shoulder. Under the glow of the lamp, the woman appeared exceptionally languid and charming.
With slender fingers, she held a fine wolf-hair brush, writing in neat small script on the paper.
Chu Keqing wrote engrossedly, until her wrist began to ache, she sighed, put the brush down, and picked up the finished writing to inspect it twice before nodding in satisfaction.
She was inscribing a book, turning the cover, revealing four large characters: "Cloud Sect Cultivation Technique."
On the front page, there was also a remark:
Gratefully refined by a senior expert, transcribed respectfully by Cloud Sect disciple Chu Keqing!
Over the past few days, she had transcribed into three volumes the Cloud Sect Technique after guidance and refinement from Chen Yan.
This involved the sect’s technique, so how could she take it out for printing? If any leak occurred during the process, it would be her fault.
Furthermore, using print would seem less devout, disrespecting the ninety-one-year-old senior expert Chen Yan.
After much thought, Chu Keqing decided it would be handwritten.
Having practiced calligraphy from childhood within the sect, she was capable of writing beautifully. In these days of transcribing the cultivation technique, she was meticulous and cautious, finally having handwritten three volumes.
She planned to keep these three volumes. One for her daily study and reference, one for future disciples inheriting her teachings, and the last carefully preserved within the sect as a treasured artifact.