Translator – Xiao He Lian
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Chapter 67.2
Lu Yan paused, glanced sideways, and saw a man in a blue robe through the crack in the door. He said confidently, “Yes!”
“Is Taoist Master Ge really as magical as Brother Zhu said? Not only is he omniscient but he can also cure a hundred diseases?” someone asked.
The man in blue curled his lips and said disdainfully: “Curing a hundred diseases is nothing. Master Ge is very capable. Let me tell you another secret.”
Secret.
The fastest spreading thing in this world is secrets.
After everyone nodded in agreement, the man in blue said, “Taoist Master Ge looks only in his early thirties, but his actual age is not as old as he looks. Some people speculate that he is already a hundred years old…”
After hearing this, an old man in the room said with trembling hands: “Don’t be so arrogant, kid. Is there really a way to achieve immortality in this world?”
The man in blue shook his head and said, “At first, I thought the same as you. I didn’t believe there was any secret to immortality in this world, but until I saw that painting…”
“What painting?”
The man in blue took out a painting from his arms and slowly unfolded it – in the painting there was a Taoist priest standing in front of the 63-meter-long Buddhist pagoda and setting up a formation.
“The man in the painting is Taoist Master Ge. The most amazing thing is that if you saw him in person, you would know that he looks exactly like the one in the painting. He hasn’t changed at all.”
“What’s so new about this? I can find any painter to draw the same picture.” Someone questioned.
The man in blue smiled, tapped the bottom of the scroll with his hand, and said, “See the time? It’s the twenty-seventh year of Yuanshe1(name of an era).”
At this time, someone raised his hand to calculate the time, and suddenly exclaimed: “This is a painting from more than 40 years ago?!”
“That’s right.” said the man in blue.
The old man shook his head frantically and continued to refute: “What painting from forty years ago! I’m telling you today, this is absolutely impossible! Maybe the handwriting in this painting was forged by you!”
“This painting was indeed copied by me.”
As soon as these words were spoken, people around couldn’t help but let out a sound of “sigh”.
Immediately, the man in blue patted the table and said word by word: “The original of this painting is hung on the top floor of the Buddhist Pagoda in Luzhou. If you don’t believe me, you can go and have a look. I copied this painting just to keep it as a treasure. Last year, I went back to Luzhou to visit my friends. I heard that forty years ago, there was an earthquake in Luzhou, which should have caused heavy casualties. It was because Master Ge had a divine eye and calculated the date in advance that the people of Luzhou escaped the disaster!”
As soon as the voice fell, someone murmured: “I seem to have heard my grandmother mention this earthquake… During that time our family moved from Luzhou to Chang’an…”
Everyone sighed.
The old man who kept refuting the man in blue suddenly fell silent.
Lu Yan has always been dismissive of such stories about ghosts and gods. In his opinion, things like immortality and omniscience are all just nonsense.
Their purpose is mostly to defraud money.
But these three words, Taoist Master Ge, made his heart tighten suddenly…
——
It is summer now, and the temperature in the house is as if there are a dozen braziers, turning it into a big steamer.
Shen Zhen was afraid of heat and wished she could take a bath three times a day. In the evening, she stepped out of the bathtub and simply wiped her body with the towel.
Wearing a goose yellow skirt as thin as a cicada’s wing, she returned to the inner room with a gait as light as a willow branch.
Before her hair was wrung out, her small hands, white and tender as catkins, grasped a palm-leaf fan.
After fanning it, it was still hot.
It had to be said that the seventeen year old Shen Zhen was indeed a bit more delicate than the sixteen year old Shen Zhen. Her collarbone was faintly visible, and the eye-catching mountains could no longer be concealed no matter how hard they tried
After bathing, she lay with her chin propped up, her white feet exposed, shaking her wrists intermittently and closing her eyes to enjoy the coolness brought by the palm-leaf fan.
Soon, she suddenly felt thirsty, so she got down barefoot, walked to the table, and took a sip of herbal tea.
Tang Yue couldn’t help but remind her: “Miss, the Heir Apparent told you not to drink cold drinks…”
Shen Zhen’s cheeks dimpled and she made a “hush” gesture to her, “I’ll just drink one glass, discreetly.”
After saying that, she added, “Besides, it’s already this late, he probably won’t be back tonight.” The little girl’s implication was: If you don’t say it, how is he going to know?
Tang Yue was about to persuade her again when she heard footsteps at the door.
A trace of panic flashed across Shen Zhen’s eyes. She immediately drank the herbal tea in her hand and calmly greeted Lu Yan, “My Lord.”
Lu Yan stood at the door, arms folded, looking her up and down, his gaze stopped on her bare feet, and the corners of his mouth curled up.
Seeing this, Tang Yue tactfully retreated.
Shen Zhen held the edge of the table with her hands and blinked her beautiful eyes.
Don’t panic, the herbal tea on the table is finished.
Lu Yan walked in, without saying a word, raised his hand, pinched her chin with two fingers, and pressed it down.
Only then did she realize that she was still barefoot.
Then, Lu Yan placed his index finger on the rim of the cup, rubbed it, then poured another glass of water and took a sip.
It’s cold.
It was obviously just a small matter, but Shen Zhen felt as if there were suddenly two big stones on her shoulders.
After a while, the man turned her body over and slapped her on the buttocks, saying in a deep voice: “Sometimes you really deserve to be punished.”
This slap was obviously different from the one used for flirting at night. It was a little heavier, with a loud snap and it had a strong sense of punishment.
Shen Zhen turned around and pulled his sleeve and said, “But My Lord, it’s summer…”
“Oh.. so your stomach hurts in winter but not in summer?” Lu Yan frowned and said coldly, “It’s best not to consume cold things in summer, so you can drive away your body’s cold constitution. How many times do you want me to tell you? Or do you think I have so much free time to stare at you every day?”
“Is it that hard to remember?”
The little girl blushed at what he said.
Seeing that he was about to speak again, Shen Zhen hurriedly took a step forward, placed her white feet on his shoes and wrapped her arms around his waist.
Lu Yan was frozen by her sudden action and was speechless for a moment.
Maybe some people are born to act like a spoiled brat.
This is a talent.
He stared at her little head for a while, then sneered softly.
He put her back on the couch, pinched her slightly cold soles, and asked in a dark voice, “Will there be a next time?”
“No more.” Shen Zhen shook her head.
However, such quick promises are always half-hearted.
“You’re getting more and more capable ah. Have you even learned to become perfunctory with me?” Lu Yan lowered his eyes and looked at her.
Shen Zhen leaned over, kissed his chin, and whispered, “How dare I…”
Lu Yan met her bright eyes and his Adam’s apple moved slightly.
The lights were bright, the breeze was intoxicating, and the man’s big hand suddenly clasped her neck. He leaned over and kissed her forehead, then moved down inch by inch, touching her nose and sucking her lips.
