Chapter 561: Chapter 552: Xuzhwu
Ding Ling was embarrassed:
"Senior..."
"Hehe."
Li Canghai, relaxed and at ease, smiled:
"You don’t need to be like this. Even without you, I would have eventually left the Shaolin Temple to take one last look at my senior brother and sister. It’s just a pity..."
She shook her head, seemingly regretful.
She then asked Ding Ling about Wu Xingyun and the others.
Ding Ling told her honestly.
Upon learning about Wuya Zi and Li Qiushui’s deeds.
Li Canghai sighed, not blaming Ding Ling, only saying:
"It’s unexpected that my senior brother would end up in such a state. You killed Ding Chunqiu, avenging him greatly. I think if he knew from the underworld, he would find peace.
As for my sister..."
Her expression was complex:
"I’m well aware of her personality; it’s normal for you, as an emperor, to dislike such a person. You didn’t kill her directly, just left her on Illusory Peak to fend for herself, which is already the best outcome for her."
Speaking of this.
She solemnly presented a salute to Ding Ling;
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for avenging my senior brother’s great enmity. And thank you, Your Majesty, for your softened heart at the end, allowing my sister to live out her days naturally, letting her go with some dignity."
She understood Wu Xingyun.
Although she hated Li Qiushui intensely, wishing to dismember her.
If Li Qiushui were truly powerless, and they met, Wu Xingyun might choose to let her die with some dignity.
Ding Ling was unaware of this, but seeing Li Canghai’s attitude, felt quite conflicted. But thinking of the Dali Eternal Spring Valley, Ding Ling felt stirred and said:
"If Senior doesn’t mind, you could accompany me to the Dali Eternal Spring Valley. Perhaps there you might find traces of your master, Master Xiaoyao."
Upon hearing this, Li Canghai said:
"Alright. With the influx of Aliens, the Shaolin Temple is no longer peaceful. I might as well take this opportunity to leave."
Even without Ding Ling.
Whether or not it was to take one last look at her senior brother and sister.
Or to avoid the endless Aliens near the Scripture Pavilion searching for her.
Li Canghai couldn’t stay long at the Shaolin Temple.
Staying at the Shaolin Temple before without leaving, partly because it wasn’t appropriate to leave for no reason, and partly due to the inertia of life, having lived there for forty-two years, having developed feelings for the Scripture Pavilion, without a suitable excuse or opportunity, in a complex state of mind, not leaving was quite normal.
Ding Ling’s clarity.
Immediately prompted her to consider leaving the Shaolin Temple.
At this moment, after agreeing to go with Ding Ling.
Li Canghai tore off the mask on her face, and simultaneously, her form and appearance quickly transformed.
Her previously emaciated frame, with barely any flesh, filled out.
In just a few breaths.
The former old monk transformed into a peerlessly beautiful woman, stunning and independent!
She stood in the moonlight, like Chang’e descending from the moon, with a gentle and charming demeanor, graceful and elegant. She glanced at Ding Ling, smiling faintly, a dimple appearing at the corner of her lips.
With this smile, Ding Ling felt as if his vision brightened, as if her smile caused countless flowers to bloom, turning the dark night into dawn, brilliantly magnificent.
"The women of Senior’s family truly all look alike."
Ding Ling, shocked, couldn’t help but exclaim.
If there’s anything distinguishing Li Canghai from Li Qiushui.
It’s that one has a dimple, the other doesn’t.
One has a beauty mark by her right eye, the other doesn’t.
Otherwise, they look exactly the same!
"Ever since I can remember, my mother used to tell me that the girls in our bloodline are all like this. But I don’t know why."
Li Canghai glanced at Ding Ling:
"Your Majesty, when do you plan to go to the Dali Eternal Spring Valley?"
Even Li Canghai didn’t know.
It seems the mystery of this bloodline is hard to truly resolve.
Ding Ling didn’t delve deeper, only mentioning that he must stay in Luoyang for a while first.
He solemnly invited Li Canghai to accompany him.
Li Canghai had no objections.
For her, she was already a person without a home; she could go anywhere in the vast territories of Jiuzhou.
They didn’t return to the Shaolin Temple anymore.
As they passed by the gate of the Shaolin Temple, Ding Ling saw a young, dazed, expressionless monk sitting on a stone step, looking up at the bright moon.
He had thick eyebrows, big eyes, upturned nostrils, prominent ears, and thick lips, an unattractive monk.
As Ding Ling passed by, a casual glance met the monk’s gaze.
The monk was startled and quickly stood up to pay respects.
Ding Ling smiled and walked alongside Li Canghai, his steps executing Ripple Step continuously, appearing slow but swift, like a wisp of smoke disappearing into the vast forest in just a blink, vanishing from sight.
The monk watched in shock and awe.
At this moment, Xuan Ji ran out from the temple. Seeing the monk, he said:
"Xuzhu, did you see the Emperor of the Great Ming?"
"Emperor of the Great Ming?"
Xuzhu was puzzled.
Xuan Ji explained carefully.
Xuzhu suddenly understood and pointed ahead:
"The emperor left gracefully with an extremely beautiful woman. They seemed shrouded in moonlight, and at a glance, I thought they were celestial companions walking on the moon."
"An extremely beautiful woman..."
Xuan Ji couldn’t make heads or tails of it.
Unsure of how Ding Ling, out for the night, got involved with a beauty!
Yet someone reported Ding Ling missing from the Scripture Pavilion.
Xuan Ji, fearing an accident, immediately sent people to search everywhere, even rushing outside the Shaolin Temple himself to see if there was news. Unexpectedly, he found useful information with Xuzhu.
Though perplexed,
Ding Ling had left.
Xuan Ji sighed with relief.
During Ding Ling’s stay here, he felt as if a mountain weighed down the Shaolin Temple, so oppressive that he dared not breathe deeply.
With his departure.
He felt invigorated, refreshed, surprisingly clear-minded and euphoric, even finding Xuzhu more pleasing to the eye:
"Xuzhu, why are you here at night instead of sleeping?"
"I miss my parents."
Xuzhu, innocent and straightforward, spoke honestly:
"I heard people say the deceased turn into stars in the sky. I want to stay and watch the stars, so they can get a good look at me too."
Xuan Ji, hearing this, was momentarily stunned, overwhelmed by a pang of bitterness.
He let out a long sigh, gazing at the bright moon and sparse stars, thinking:
"Abbot, if you have insight from the heavens, may you bless him."
...
...
Ding Ling returned with Li Canghai to the Imperial Study of the Luoyang Imperial Palace.
Soon after.
Li Qinglu hurried over.
Even at night, she could so accurately obtain Ding Ling’s whereabouts, one wonders how her maid manages to stay awake twenty-four hours a day!
"Your Majesty."
Li Qinglu arrived excitedly:
"It’s late today, would you come to my place? I will certainly take good care of you..."
