Liu Zhuang Xian

“Young Master! You shouldn’t speak ill of him! Lord Wutian likes pretty young boys. Looking at your bright eyes and white teeth, so lively and cute – you better be careful not to be seen by him!” The old woman lowered her voice nervously.

“Thank you, Granny!” Lu Xiaochan thought to himself, ‘I’ve already been seen by that Lord Wutian!’

Lu Xiaochan blew on his food and eagerly took a bite. The pork blood was smooth and tender, and the noodles were well-seasoned.

He finished one bowl while Shu Wuxi had only eaten half of his, maintaining an unhurried pace that was pleasing to watch.

Lu Xiaochan rested his chopsticks and watched as Shu Wuxi’s lips parted and his tongue flickered briefly. Suddenly, memories of their kiss in the chamber at Pengyuan Mountain flooded his mind.

His heart pounded loudly, as if it would burst from his chest.

Lu Xiaochan curled his own tongue, thinking about how Shu Wuxi had kissed him that night.

“Xiaochan, are you still eating?” Shu Wuxi asked.

“Yes! Yes!” Lu Xiaochan snapped back to reality and called out to the old woman, “Granny, please make me another bowl of noodles!”

The old woman smiled, “Certainly.”

“Granny, didn’t you say grandfather used to sell pork blood noodles with you? Where is he?”

“He… his leg bones were crushed by Lord Wutian’s horse. He can never stand again… he can only lie at home.” The old woman’s expression darkened.

Lu Xiaochan’s cheeks puffed up. “I regret it!”

“I know,” Shu Wuxi replied.

“You know what I regret?”

“Regret not breaking Zhang Wutian’s legs.”

Lu Xiaochan immediately nodded: “Big brother Wuxi really understands me!”

“I regret too.”

“What do you regret?” Lu Xiaochan asked curiously.

“Not taking his eyes.”

Shu Wuxi’s voice sounded calm but carried a certain force.

“Huh?”

“Those filthy eyes kept staring at you. But since you don’t like me taking people’s eyes, I didn’t do it.”

The implication was that if Shu Wuxi had taken Zhang Wutian’s eyes, Lu Xiaochan wouldn’t have minded.

The old woman brought over the pork blood noodles, with even more blood than before.

“Young Master probably won’t stay for many more days. Since you like it, eat more. We don’t get many customers anyway,” the old woman said.

“Thank you, Granny!” Lu Xiaochan looked up with a smile, “Granny, why are your pork blood noodles so fragrant?”

“Haha, my old man loves to eat them, so I often make them for him. After making them so many times, I learned just the right timing to make the blood smooth and tender without any gamey taste. My old man is skilled at making noodles – his noodles are smooth and absorb flavors well!”

“How long have you been making pork blood noodles?”

“Let me think… it’s been thirty years!”

“This isn’t just pork blood noodles – it’s thirty years of love between you two elderly folks!”

“You sweet-talking young master!”

After finishing this bowl, Lu Xiaochan truly couldn’t eat anymore.

While rubbing his stomach, he said lazily, “Brother Wuxi, pay up!”

“Mm.” Shu Wuxi took out a gold leaf from his belt, turned sideways, balanced it on his fingertip, and handed it to the old woman.

The old woman was stunned and immediately waved her hands saying, “This is too much money, I can’t make change!”

“No need for change.”

“It’s just three bowls of pork blood noodles! How could it be worth so much money?” The old woman refused to take it.

“As long as Xiaochan likes it, it’s worth thousands in gold,” Shu Wuxi replied.

Lu Xiaochan looked at Shu Wuxi, suddenly feeling that his attitude toward the old woman was different from how he treated others they had met before.

“Thank you both for your kindness. But such a gold leaf would be too conspicuous for an old woman like me to have, and it would surely cause trouble. That you enjoy our pork blood noodles is worth thousands in gold to this old woman.”

Lu Xiaochan stood up and went to Shu Wuxi’s side, deliberately reaching to feel his belt while saying, “Hey, where did the silver pieces go? The ones Kunwu gave shouldn’t be used up yet! Where did they go? Where did they go?”

Shu Wuxi sat stiffly upright, and Lu Xiaochan knew he was even holding his breath.

The more he reacted this way, the longer Lu Xiaochan “searched” for the silver pieces.

“Young Master, it’s alright! It’s just a few coins worth of noodles, consider it my treat!”

“Found it!” Lu Xiaochan pulled out some silver pieces and solemnly placed them in the old woman’s palm, “Granny, you must accept this. How could we not pay after eating such delicious noodles?”

“Oh my, Young Master, this is too much!”

The old woman turned back and handed Lu Xiaochan an entire bag of copper coins.

Lu Xiaochan pushed it back. “Granny, carrying so many copper coins would be inconvenient for my brother and me, all that jingling! When we finish our business and pass by here on our way home, you can make us noodles then.”

“Ah, you two… then you must come back to eat my noodles, or this old woman will keep waiting for you!”

The night had grown deep, and the old woman started packing up her stall.

But Lu Xiaochan hadn’t expected Shu Wuxi to suddenly say, “We’ll escort her home.”

“Really?” Lu Xiaochan’s eyes lit up.

Indeed, the old woman was different from others in Shu Wuxi’s eyes!

“Mm. If I don’t accompany you to escort the elderly lady home, you’ll sneak out at night to find her anyway.”

“I’m full from the pork blood noodles, I don’t need a midnight snack!” Lu Xiaochan said, looking up.

“You want to heal grandfather’s leg,” Shu Wuxi replied.

“…How… how did you know?”

Instead of answering Lu Xiaochan, Shu Wuxi turned around, rolled up his sleeves, and helped push the old woman’s cart.

“This won’t do! This won’t do!”

“What won’t do? Granny, hold onto me, I can’t see!”

“Young Master, you can’t see?” The old woman was surprised, “How could such beautiful eyes not see?”

“But my heart sees clearly!” Lu Xiaochan smiled, holding the old woman’s hand while following behind Shu Wuxi.

They arrived at the old woman’s home, which was a very humble dwelling.

As soon as they reached the door, they heard the old grandfather coughing.

The old woman hurried inside, calling his name and helping him breathe easier.

“Old man, today I met two kind young masters. They specially helped push my cart home!”

The old grandfather tried to sit up and bow in apology, but Lu Xiaochan quickly supported him.

His wise eyes immediately noticed the grandfather’s leg – the tibia was shattered, muscles and blood vessels all damaged. If he and Shu Wuxi hadn’t come, such injuries would likely prove fatal within three days.

Lu Xiaochan raised his hand and felt the old grandfather’s forehead – indeed, he was burning with fever.

“Brother Wuxi, what should we do?” Lu Xiaochan looked in Shu Wuxi’s direction.

Surprisingly, Shu Wuxi took out an incense burner from his storage bag. “Let’s see what the medical classics say about treatment.”

Lu Xiaochan’s eyes widened. “When… when did you sneak out the Tailing Pavilion medical classics?”

“I didn’t sneak them out. I packed them in front of Kunwu.”

Lu Xiaochan could almost imagine Kunwu’s expression at that time – it must have been like he’d swallowed a large mouthful of fly droppings.

Angry but not daring to speak.

Shu Wuxi lit the incense burner with spiritual energy, and the medical classics appeared page by page before Lu Xiaochan.

When the old woman and old man saw this, they tried to kneel down.

“So it turns out immortal lords have graced us! This old woman failed to recognize such honored guests!”

Lu Xiaochan raised his hand, spiritual energy flowing out, lifting the elderly couple up.

“Found it! This medical incantation can reconnect broken bones and join muscles and blood vessels! But it requires six hundred years of cultivation to perform!”

Lu Xiaochan’s eyes crinkled with concern.

“Your cultivation is sufficient,” Shu Wuxi replied.

“Huh?” Lu Xiaochan tilted his head, then lowered his eyes with a smile, “I suppose that’s true.”

He rubbed his hands together and sat down beside the old grandfather. “Grandfather, my skills are limited. Let me try – if I succeed, we’ll all be happy. If not… well, you won’t lose anything!”

“An immortal lord wants to treat my leg injury! This old man is thrice blessed!”

The old man tried to kneel again, but Lu Xiaochan quickly supported him. He held his breath, concentrated, and circulated his spiritual energy for a complete cycle. Energy flowed from his fingertips, forming a ring of medical incantations that wound around the grandfather’s ankle and gradually moved upward.

They could hear the soft sounds of bones reconnecting, broken tissues joining together. The old man’s pain gradually subsided, and even his toes began to move.

“Grandfather, does it still hurt? Why don’t you try standing?”

Lu Xiaochan was nervous – this was his first time treating an injury, and he started with reconnecting broken bones. He wasn’t very confident in himself.

The old man shifted and stood up, taking a few steps with his wife’s support.

They looked at each other, crying with joy.

“Old man, your leg is healed!”

“Thank you, immortal lord! Thank you…”

When the elderly couple turned around, Lu Xiaochan and Shu Wuxi had already vanished.

The two arrived at their inn, where Shu Wuxi opened the window to let Lu Xiaochan get some fresh air.

“Brother Wuxi, I still don’t understand. You never care about others’ business… why did you help grandfather and grandmother this time?”

“I want… you to still be by my side thirty years from now.”

Shu Wuxi said while looking out the window.

Lu Xiaochan’s heart tightened, and that feeling of wanting to hug Shu Wuxi tightly and bite him returned.

“I’ll cultivate diligently! Not just thirty years, but three hundred years, three thousand years, I’ll stay by your side!”

Shu Wuxi turned his face and rubbed Lu Xiaochan’s head.

“I would be willing to be a mayfly, living and dying in a day, as long as during that brief dawn and dusk, you’re by my side.”

Lu Xiaochan froze, then suddenly lunged forward and bit Shu Wuxi’s ear hard.

Shu Wuxi didn’t struggle, just raised his hand to stroke Lu Xiaochan’s cheek.

“What’s wrong? Still want to eat something?”

Lu Xiaochan’s eyes reddened and his nose stung.

“You’re not raising pigs! Why do you always ask if I want to eat something!”

“Xiaochan? What’s wrong?”

“Because you said the wrong thing!”

“What?”

“I’m very, very greedy! I don’t want just a brief moment together!”

“Alright.” Shu Wuxi’s fingers lifted to brush Lu Xiaochan’s eyelashes.

That night in bed, Lu Xiaochan tossed and turned in Shu Wuxi’s embrace.

He would sigh one moment, then lift his head to look at Shu Wuxi’s chin the next.

Shu Wuxi stroked the back of his head. “What’s wrong? Can’t sleep?”

The warm breath fell on Lu Xiaochan’s forehead, making his blood rush downward. Lu Xiaochan immediately turned away from Shu Wuxi, curling up into a ball.

“What’s wrong?” Shu Wuxi’s voice was cool and clear.

But to Lu Xiaochan’s ears, it was like a burning fire.

Lu Xiaochan curled up even tighter.

“No… nothing!”

He fidgeted with the blanket, his heart itching terribly, his mind full of memories of how Shu Wuxi had kissed him that night.

He licked his lips, then suddenly turned around and burrowed into Shu Wuxi’s embrace, nuzzling his chest with his nose.

Lu Xiaochan thought the scent there was wonderful and desperately wanted to kiss it.

“Xiaochan, are you hot?” Shu Wuxi asked.

“Mm… dying from heat!” Lu Xiaochan lifted his leg and kicked off the blanket.

He just wanted to press against Shu Wuxi, but the tighter he held him, the more unsettled he became. What flowed through his body wasn’t blood, but scalding steam.

“A calm heart brings natural coolness,” Shu Wuxi’s fingers gently brushed Lu Xiaochan’s forehead.

“Who says you can stay calm with a beauty beside you! Who says that!”

Lu Xiaochan suddenly sat up, looking at Shu Wuxi with puffed-up cheeks.

“Beauty?” Shu Wuxi slowly sat up, his voice carrying a hint of confusion.

His hair slowly slid down his neck, and Lu Xiaochan felt his throat was so dry it could smoke. He just wanted to bite open Shu Wuxi’s neck and drink his blood in big gulps.

“I’m uncomfortable, I can’t sleep! My heart is racing wildly! And I’m itchy!”

I want you to kiss me!

Just like… just like at Pengyuan Mountain!

Better use more force! And longer!

“Perhaps there was some yang ginseng in the pork blood noodles. You ate two bowls and drank all the soup, so it’s stirred up your inner fire.”

Shu Wuxi gently patted Lu Xiaochan’s chest, like an adult comforting a crying child who had bumped into a table corner.

Looking at Shu Wuxi’s refined appearance, especially his gentle and elegant features half-hidden in the shadows, Lu Xiaochan wanted to pounce on him… see him flustered, see him at a loss… best if he cried!

“You’re the one with inner fire! You’ve got evil fire!”

Lu Xiaochan didn’t know if he was angry at Shu Wuxi’s reaction or his own lack of self-control, but he lifted his foot and kicked Shu Wuxi’s shoulder.

“Xiaochan?” Shu Wuxi turned his face, his eyes showing complete confusion.

He didn’t know what he’d done to upset Lu Xiaochan, and just raised his hand to hold Lu Xiaochan’s ankle, not daring to grip too hard.

“What’s wrong?”

When he spoke, his breath brushed Lu Xiaochan’s foot, making Lu Xiaochan so angry he nearly cried!

“Didn’t you also eat a big bowl of pork blood noodles? Why aren’t you hot!”

“I didn’t drink the soup.”

Oh! So you knew about the ingredients in the pork blood soup! Then why didn’t you say anything at the time!

Lu Xiaochan looked expectantly at Shu Wuxi, his large eyes gleaming in the darkness, “Brother Wuxi…”

Shu Wuxi’s throat moved, and his fingers gripped Lu Xiaochan tighter.

But after Lu Xiaochan waited for a long time, Shu Wuxi actually channeled spiritual energy through Lu Xiaochan’s ankle, trying to help him calm down.

Lu Xiaochan nearly jumped up, quickly pulled his foot back, climbed down from Shu Wuxi, and put on his shoes.

“Xiaochan, where are you going!” Shu Wuxi grabbed him.

“Drank too much soup! Need to relieve myself!”

“I’ll accompany you.”

As Shu Wuxi was about to get up, Lu Xiaochan ran out.

“I don’t need that!”

“Xiaochan!”

Shu Wuxi chased after him, tightening the Immortal-Locking Ribbon.

Lu Xiaochan was pulled back, angry and frustrated.

“If you keep pulling me, I’ll undo the Immortal-Locking Ribbon!”

“Xiaochan.”

Shu Wuxi’s voice became gentle, with a hint of innocence.

Lu Xiaochan felt like he had somehow wronged Shu Wuxi.

“Don’t mind me! I’ll be back in half an hour! Go back to the room and wait for me!”

“There’s a chamber pot in the room.”

“Don’t want it!”

I’m not really going to pee, what chamber pot!

Shu Wuxi still wouldn’t let go, and Lu Xiaochan could barely hold back anymore. He pushed the other person hard.

And then… he couldn’t hold it in, it came out.

A chill surged up, and Lu Xiaochan shuddered.

Following that, embarrassment and frustration struck, and Lu Xiaochan thought how hateful Shu Wuxi was! He wouldn’t let go of him!

Well, this is great! Are you going to wash my pants for me!

Lu Xiaochan’s eyes suddenly turned red. “Get away!”

Shu Wuxi saw that he was truly angry and loosened his grip for just a moment, and Lu Xiaochan ran far away.

Lu Xiaochan felt like he was dying of shame and just wanted to find a river to jump into – if his whole body was soaked, then that spot wouldn’t be so noticeable.

He ran frantically, not caring whether Shu Wuxi was following behind him or not.

The night breeze carried dewy moisture, cool and chilling, making Lu Xiaochan inexplicably think of Shu Wuxi’s kiss, and his lips and tongue.

After walking for a while, he calmed down and closed his eyes to sense spiritual energy, knowing that Shu Wuxi was following several zhang behind him.

He somewhat regretted losing his temper earlier.

But then he thought – Shu Wuxi, you deserve it, would it kill you to kiss me once!

That tiny bit of guilt instantly vanished.

Before, whatever he did, Shu Wuxi was always by his side, and he had behaved properly. Now that Shu Wuxi only dared to follow from afar, Lu Xiaochan rubbed his chin and decided to have some fun.

He closed his eyes and spread his spiritual energy outward, filtering through all the living beings here layer by layer, until he finally found that big pig-head Zhang Wutian.

The pig-head seemed to have several people accompanying him, all twisting and turning… ah, the pig-head really never learns! As long as there’s life, there’s pleasure!

The sword formation he had placed on Zhang Wutian probably hadn’t dispersed for even two hours, and instead of going home to sleep, this pig had gone to the pleasure quarters again?

Lu Xiaochan hummed a little tune as he walked along the wall.

It seemed Zhang City was indeed prosperous, with an entire street dedicated to pleasure establishments!

Lu Xiaochan sniffed and sneezed heavily at the scent of powder and rouge.

As he walked, he saw many couples – men and women… and men with men – nestled together, whispering intimately.

A man holding a young official passed by Lu Xiaochan, then immediately turned back, wanting to approach.

Before he could speak, Lu Xiaochan directly cast a medical spell, helping him “purify his heart and fire.”

The man fell to the ground, curling up in pain with sweat streaming down his face.

Lu Xiaochan continued walking forward, surrounded by the sound of various musical instruments and sensual tunes, but he could still clearly hear Shu Wuxi’s footsteps following him from afar.

The footsteps sounded calm and detached, but slightly different from his usual way of walking.

When he got too far from Lu Xiaochan, he would take an extra step closer.

When he got too close, Lu Xiaochan would turn back to glare at him, and Shu Wuxi would stop, waiting until Lu Xiaochan had walked several steps away before following again.

Lu Xiaochan arrived at a pavilion with three characters “** Pavilion” on the signboard.

The pavilion was filled with the fragrance of wine, without the heavy scent of powder and rouge, but rather a fresh fragrance wafted over.

Lu Xiaochan listened carefully to distinguish the layers of sound, determining that the pavilion had three floors.

The first floor naturally had the most people and was the noisiest.

Sounds of toasting, clinking cups, and playful banter overlapped and intertwined.

The second floor was relatively “quiet” – it seemed to be private rooms where people were mostly “conducting business,” and the various sounds made Lu Xiaochan feel a bit itchy inside.

As for the third floor, it was considerably more refined.

There were elegant sounds of zither, brushes crossing paper, and people reciting poetry…

The only thing missing was women’s voices.

And that Zhang Wutian was on the second floor, getting angry at the pavilion’s manager.

“This Immortal Lord said I want someone with big eyes, and when they smile, they should have two little tiger teeth! Looking innocent, but when they smirk, they should be enticingly wicked! What kind of person have you found for me!”

The manager was bowing and apologizing to Zhang Wutian!

“Immortal Lord, look at this Young Master Wushuang, aren’t his eyes big enough?”

“The eyes are big, but he looks impure, mind full of worldly desires! Thinking of hooking up with me to become a phoenix perched on a high branch!”

When Lu Xiaochan heard this, he almost burst out laughing.

Even if someone hooked up with you, they wouldn’t be a phoenix on a branch – at most a crow on a pig’s back!

And what’s wrong with having worldly desires? If not worldly desires, should they be filled with Buddhist scriptures?

Lu Xiaochan tilted his head back, knowing if he entered through the front door, he would surely be mistaken for a pleasure-seeker, and then he’d be too surrounded by people to watch Zhang Wutian’s misfortune!

While he was pondering this, Shu Wuxi had somehow appeared behind him.

“You’re not allowed to go in,” Shu Wuxi’s voice fell coldly.

If you tell me to go east, I’ll deliberately go west.

Besides, this “not allowed to go in” was exactly what I wanted to hear.

“No! I want to go in!” Lu Xiaochan turned around, raising his chin to look at Shu Wuxi.

“Can’t you see that every man in there is like Zhang Wutian. If they see you, they will surely…”

“So, two choices.” Lu Xiaochan held up his fingers, “Either you wait here while I go up to watch that pig’s show! Or, you come up with me. We’ll watch that pig’s show together!”

Shu Wuxi slightly turned his face, as if remembering something.

“You did this on purpose. When you left Zhang Wutian, besides leaving a sword formation to suppress him, you also…”

“I added something extra!” Lu Xiaochan squinted and smiled, “Kunwu’s special made! Originally meant to use on you…”

Realizing he had said something wrong, Lu Xiaochan quickly covered his mouth.

But Shu Wuxi wouldn’t be fooled, forcefully moving his hand away.

“Why did you want to use it on me?”

His eyes fell directly on Lu Xiaochan, making Lu Xiaochan’s heart flutter again.

“Come up with me, and you’ll know what Kunwu’s medicine powder is for?”

“You’re doing this on purpose.” Shu Wuxi held Lu Xiaochan tighter, “Your sudden anger towards me wasn’t because of the yang ginseng in the pig blood soup, nor because I did something wrong…”