The Elixir is for You, The Poison is for Me

#700 - Quite lively

Lu Jing felt something was off after hearing what Huo Xingsun said.

Reading М

“You want me to pretend to be you and meet your pen pal?”

“Yes,” Huo Xingsun said. “I’ve been thinking a lot these past few days, and I feel like this is the best way.”

Lu Jing shook his head. “I’m not going. This is your business. If you want the girl to come live here, you should go and talk to her yourself.”

Huo Xingsun became anxious. “If I could explain it clearly, would I still be looking for you? It was wrong of me to lie in the letters, but the most important thing now is to ensure her safety first.”

Seeing Huo Xingsun so anxious, Lu Jing couldn't help but feel a little suspicious.

“Why do you want her to move away so quickly? Don’t tell me it’s because of the war or something. Mr. Ji hasn’t even reached Yu Province yet, right?”

A flicker of panic flashed in Huo Xingsun's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.

“No… it’s nothing.”

Lu Jing stroked his chin. “I understand now. It’s a trap.”

“It’s not!” Huo Xingsun said angrily. “You’re insulting me! I said that since I’m living here with you, I won’t work for Mr. Ji anymore!”

“Hard to say. I see that you all admire him quite a bit, even willing to sell your lives to him. A little dignity shouldn’t matter then.”

Huo Xingsun's face turned red upon hearing this, and he looked like a burning iron furnace, with hot air puffing out of his nostrils.

He knew that Lu Jing was using reverse psychology on him, but after a long while, he couldn't help but say, “It’s the Demonic Path! The Demonic Path’s activities in Xia Yi County are very frequent! That’s why I want to bring her over quickly.”

Lu Jing was taken aback. “The Demonic Path? Which sect?”

“The Heavenly Fragrance Sect, the Withered Wood Cliff, the Golden Snake Gate… and also the newly emerged inheritor of the Myriad Demons Palace who has mastered the Whale Breath Art should be there too.”

“Since it’s a matter of the Demonic Path, why didn’t you tell me before?” Lu Jing frowned, then suddenly realized, “Is Mr. Ji in contact with one or even several of them?”

“Damn it!” Huo Xingsun couldn't help but swear.

This was why he didn't like dealing with Lu Jing. This kid was too cunning. As soon as you showed a little flaw, he would seize it.

Huo Xingsun grabbed his hair. Now he regretted it. If he had honestly told Lu Jing about the appearance of the Demonic Path in Xia Yi County from the beginning, Lu Jing wouldn't have associated it with Mr. Ji.

Lu Jing's interest was piqued by his words, and he continued to ask, “What is Mr. Ji planning to do there this time?”

“There is no evidence to show that what is happening in Xia Yi County now is related to Mr. Ji,” Huo Xingsun couldn't help but remind him. “I only know that Mr. Ji had contact with one of the sects, and that was two years ago.”

Lu Jing remained noncommittal. “The Demonic Path can’t be ignored. I’m still a righteous hero.”

Huo Xingsun was speechless.

After a moment, he spoke again, “So, are you willing to go to Xia Yi County with me to meet my little sister?”

“No,” Lu Jing still shook his head. “I’ve recently realized a universal truth that I’d like to share with you: If you like someone, don’t make excuses to deceive yourself. In the end, you’ll be the one who regrets it. The more you go around in circles, the easier it is to go in the opposite direction from your goal.

“Sometimes, you’re the one who complicates things. Being simple and direct might be the best way. Goodbye.”

After Lu Jing finished speaking, he patted the stunned Huo Xingsun and turned to walk down the mountain.

By the time Huo Xingsun came back to his senses, Lu Jing had already disappeared.

… … … …

Lu Jing first returned to the academy, placed his Zen staff in the courtyard, then changed his clothes, put on Feng Jiulang's human skin mask, and headed straight for Xia Yi County.

Although he refused Huo Xingsun's proposal to impersonate him to fool his pen pal's sister, it didn't mean he wasn't interested in what was happening in Xia Yi County.

Lu Jing hadn't forgotten that Mr. Ji had previously tried to kill him. The two sides had already formed a grudge. If there was an opportunity, Lu Jing would certainly want to give Mr. Ji some trouble.

In addition, just like he told Huo Xingsun, even if what happened in Xia Yi County had nothing to do with Mr. Ji, with so many Demonic Path sects gathered together, as a righteous expert, he had an obligation to investigate.

Not to mention that Xia Yi County was less than three hundred miles away from Azure Dragon Mountain, and could be reached in a day by fast horse.

People were causing trouble right at his doorstep, and it was impossible for Lu Jing to remain indifferent.

So, Lu Jing didn't even have time to taste the fake Zhao Zong's Taixue steamed buns, and he had already arrived in Xia Yi County.

By this time, it was almost mealtime, so Lu Jing simply found a roadside tavern, ordered a few side dishes, asked the waiter to slice two pounds of beef, and listened for information while eating.

He didn't even need to ask deliberately. With his current internal strength and hearing, as long as he channeled his inner force into his ears, the sounds from both upstairs and downstairs of the tavern would be captured by him.

However, it must be said that these people of the Demonic Path, after being hunted down by the Righteous Path for so many years, had been trained to be cautious and alert enough.

Especially in places like restaurants and teahouses, their clothes and attire were no different from ordinary Jianghu people, and they almost never talked about anything related to their identities.

Fortunately, there were a bit too many Demonic Sects in Xia Yi County now, and not everyone was an old fox. There were also many young Demonic Path disciples whose behavior was not so experienced.

Lu Jing noticed a table of people to his left.

Three men and two women, all of whom looked no older than twenty-six or twenty-seven, were whispering while eating.

They kept their voices very low, but they still couldn't hide it from Lu Jing's ears.

He only heard one of the men, dressed in a wide purple robe and looking very much like a musician, speak first, “It seems that everyone is here for that treasure trove.”

“Nonsense, otherwise why would I leave the senior and junior sisters in the palace and run to this ghostly place?” Another handsome young man, but whose eyes looked somewhat evil for some reason, yawned and said, “Senior Brother Lu, if you have something to say, say it quickly.”

The musician-like man surnamed Lu was not annoyed, but nodded and continued, “I know that everyone’s martial arts are not weak, and you are all highly valued by your masters and uncles in your respective sects.

“But our competitors this time are not ordinary people, and there are even experts who have been wanted by the Imperial City Division for a long time. Everyone ask yourselves, if you fight alone, how confident are you in getting something from that treasure trove?”

“Senior Brother Lu, do you mean you want us to join forces?” a woman said from the side.