XIAO SHUXIANG'S
268 - Clashes
Hu Li and Liu Xi Ling frowned as they watched Xiao Shuxiang's lethargic countenance, even though the map of the Northern Continent was already in his hands.
"Young Master Xiao, what's wrong with you?"
Xiao Shuxiang looked at Liu Xi Ling briefly before exhaling a disappointed breath. He then said that ever since he got out of the sea, Lan Guan Zhi no longer sent him messages as often as he normally would.
".. I don't even know how Lan Xiao is doing right now. Lan Zhi had all this time just said she was fine.."
Xiao Shuxiang had never received a message containing Lan Xiao's voice, even though he had missed the Moon Tiger enough. Somehow he suddenly thought of Lan Xiao, as if something had happened to his friend.
Not wanting to think about it too far, Xiao Shuxiang looked back at the map of the Northern Continent in his hand. He could see that the Northern Continent was smaller when compared to the Eastern Continent.
As is known, the area here is divided into two. First was the White Snow Empire and the Eternal Ice Empire.
The location of Xiao Shuxiang and Hu Li was in the White Snow Empire. This place has four seasons, but it is not unusual if the snow can still fall in the summer.
In the map, Xiao Shuxiang could clearly see the location of the White Snow Emperor's palace, the place where his father's family lived.
"Miss Liu, thank you. You can keep this map now,"
?!
Liu Xi Ling gasped as Xiao Shuxiang returned the map he had given her earlier. The young man in front of him said he knew that a map of this detail must be a very important item. Liu Xi Ling gave him so casually the possibility of seeing them as business associates.
"Young Master Xiao, you don't have to"
"It's okay Miss Liu. Now that I know the first location I want to go to, that's enough."
When Xiao Shuxiang said that, Liu Xi Ling could no longer refuse him. After all it was true what this young man in front of him had said.
Such a detailed map of the Northern Continent was actually a secret thing and clearly could not be shown just like that.
He let Xiao Shuxiang have the map because to him this young man was a trustworthy person.
But who would have thought the map was returned to him again. Xiao Shuxiang did not even seem interested in anything other than asking when he was invited to board the train.
With this incident, his view and trust towards Xiao Shuxiang grew even better. He said he would take her on the train tomorrow.
Liu Xi Ling then said goodbye with the map of the Northern Continent in her hands. Xiao Shuxiang kindly wishes you a good night and a good dream.
After seeing that the door of his room was closed and Liu Xi Ling was gone, then Xiao Shuxiang took out a recipe book and asked Hu Li to give him a stationery.
He drew a map of the Northern Continent that he had seen before. He painted it on a blank sheet of recipe paper without losing any detail.
Hu Li was so amazed that his Master could remember the map of the Northern Continent in less than ten minutes and was able to draw it back without the slightest flaw.
"When the writing is bad, but why is the picture so good? My Lord is this weird,"
Xiao Shuxiang did not know the content of Hu Li's thoughts about him. He was too serious about drawing every detail of the map of the Northern Continent he remembered.
It didn't take long until Xiao Shuxiang finished, he now had his own map.
One of his abilities is indeed able to remember something in a short time including being able to practice it perfectly. But somehow he could not use his ability to remember the rules of the Heavenly Sword Sect.
Xiao Shuxiang began to discuss the possible location of one of the World Gates on Hu Li. What the Blind Grandfather had told the author of the Heaven and Earth Breathing Book to him was that there were two World Gates in the Northern Continent. It was likely that one of them was in the Snow White Empire.
Xiao Shuxiang did not inquire about the presence of the World Gate on Liu Xi Ling because he thought that the beautiful girl had only just arrived in this continent, it would be suspicious if he knew better than the original people of the Northern Continent.
Hu Li also agreed with the decision his master had taken. He then said he would find out the information and promised to get it before dawn.
Hu Li was actually suspicious of the one place in the White Snow Empire that there might be a World Gate there. It was a mountainous region that filled Demonic Beasts.
"Then we'll mark it,"
Xiao Shuxiang immediately signaled at the point Hu Li pointed at. His partner then decided to go looking for information.
*
*
As per his promise, Hu Li actually obtained accurate information about the World Gate. Apparently many warriors and cultivators were talking about this, including when they were walking around at night.
The location of that World Gate was not far from what Xiao Shuxiang had marked earlier. Hu Li then explained that many cultivators were now traveling to the place.
".. I heard many cultivators who were trying to open it, they were sure that it was the door to enter the ancient tomb. But there are also those who do prohibition, they feel there is an evil aura that seems to want to come out of the gate,"
"Clean yourself, Hu Li. We're leaving soon,"
Just as Xiao Shuxiang finished saying so, a knock on the door sounded. The knockers turned out to be Liu Xi Ling's servants, they delivered the clothes as well as invited Xiao Shuxiang and Hu Li to the main building for breakfast.
?!
Bafflement was seen on Xiao Shuxiang's face. It was too soon for him to get an invitation to have breakfast together, but Hu Li explained that people in the Northern Continent always woke up at three in the morning.
Hearing him made Xiao Shuxiang flick hard at Hu Li's forehead, it was fitting that this friend was so eager to find information that even promised him, it turned out that the activities of the citizens in the Northern Continent began before the sunlight was visible.
Xiao Shuxiang allowed Liu Xi Ling's servants to enter his room. He could see there were about three young girls dressed in kimonos with cherry blossom patterns.
Xiao Shuxiang felt like he had seen the model attire of these young girls, paying closer attention made him recall Tianqi Mao.
The Mayor of the Flower Dew City also has the same clothing model, but the skirts of these three servants are longer and look narrow. That condition requires them to walk slowly.
The three prepared all the toiletries on Xiao Shuxiang and Hu Li. You could say there are two bathtubs in this room and it has been filled with water.
Xiao Shuxiang was helped to take a bath by two maids even though he refused. She actually felt amused because the way of rubbing the backs of these two girls was too gentle, unlike what Yi Wen did.
?!
The painting of the Phoenix on Xiao Shuxiang's back jolted the two maids because of its sudden appearance. But they did not try to ask at all.
Hu Li, who had finished bathing earlier, was now wearing three layers of clothes. The first is black, the second is white, and the last is a hooded white robe with long arms, even more than his own hands.
Xiao Shuxiang also helped get dressed. The first layer is black, the second is red with a peacock pattern on the right side.
He wore a greenish-blue robe and a pair of trousers that the citizens of the Northern Continent called 'Hakama'.
If Hu Li's hakama color is black, then Xiao Shuxiang's 'Hakama' is gray. These clothes can protect them from the cold of the snow.
After they finished preparing, the two were invited to the main building. Xiao Shuxiang took out a White Jade Flute which he slipped on his waist belt.
Liu Min Jie and Liu Xi Ling were already waiting for his arrival. They enjoyed breakfast together while occasionally Xiao Shuxiang inquired about the whereabouts of the Ice Lotus Sect disciples.
Liu Min Jie said that currently most of his students went to the snowy mountains and Xiao Shuxiang knew what they were for.
In the Snow White Empire, the Liu family held the Ice Lotus Sect and the Peacock Stork Association. This makes them a highly regarded family.
Not only breakfast, Liu Min Jie apparently wanted to take Xiao Shuxiang along with him to the association's shareholder association, as well as use that way for his hidden purpose.
Liu Min Jie wanted to introduce Xiao Shuxiang as a close friend of her daughter. It was a pity that the plan could not be carried out because the young Alchemist in front of him first volunteered to say goodbye.
Xiao Shuxiang had already given up all responsibility for his shares to Hai Feng and Zhi Shu. This kind of business will lead him to politics and he obviously doesn't like it.
"Today Miss Liu promised to take me on the train. So I'm sorry for having to refuse,"
Liu Min Jie turned out to be delighted, not expecting her daughter to have taken the initiative first. He certainly would not force Xiao Shuxiang, even he immediately asked his beloved daughter to get ready.
Liu Min Jie did not seem to know that her daughter had been rejected by Xiao Shuxiang. Now this relationship between the two is just a friend, even if there is more, then it is because Xiao Shuxiang considers Liu Xi Ling as his 'Attractive Aunt'.
After bidding farewell to his father, Liu Xi Ling invited his two guests to board a train that had eleven carriages.
This carriage could carry Xiao Shuxiang and Hu Li around the five cities that existed in the White Snow Empire. Other than them, there were also some cultivators who had come aboard the carriage with them.
There was one moment that almost made Liu Xi Ling want to let out a laugh, that was when Xiao Shuxiang asked about the strength of the horse that pulled this carriage.
Hu Li was also curious, he had not come home for a long time and was now instead witnessing an unexpected change in his birthplace.
Liu Xi Ling asked these two young men to calm down, he then explained as he knew about the carriage called 'Ice Breaker' they were riding on.
The few passengers who were sitting in the back seat where Xiao Shuxiang was located were seen shaking their heads as they watched how enthusiastic the young man in front of them was.
"Who is that young man?"
"From what I saw.. He is a cultivator. But I can't read the practice,"
Xiao Shuxiang could hear the voices of some people who were talking about him, but he did not feel disturbed at all.
"I also acted like that the first time I rode this long snake,"
"Name as train,"
Hu Li turned his head back, the voice he had just heard came from two young purple-clothed cultivators clad in flames.
"They don't seem evil,"
Hu Li sat up well again. He could also hear the voices of the girls talking about him. Hu Li's look was indeed so adorable, it was not strange if there were some people who made him a target for kidnapping.
Xiao Shuxiang and Hu Li surrounded the two cities, before both chose to descend on the Moon Desert City, a place not far from the location of the World Gate's appearance.
Liu Xi Ling asked the reason they chose the Moon Desert City as a stopping place, her voice sounding like it was suspicious. Though not only Xiao Shuxiang and Hu Li were descending here, but some warriors and cultivators were also coming down.
"Miss, the Flower Desert City is close to the area where my people live. I want to take my Young Master there,"
"Miss Liu, do you want to come too?"
"Aa~ I thought you guys were going to the Ancient Gate. Um.. Have you heard from him?"
Xiao Shuxiang smiled and assented, he was indeed planning to go to that gate after his affairs at Hu Li's residence were finished.
"Then we meet at the Ancient Gate only,"
"All right,"
Xiao Shuxiang then said goodbye, he started to step away followed by Hu Li. At their departure, Liu Xi Ling mixed in with the cultivators and stepped towards the place of the gate that they considered to be the Ancient Gate.
The territory where the Demonic Beast lived in the form of a Fox was a small snowy hill filled with purple wisteria trees. Hu Li had come here for none other than to meet his sister.
".. We're just on the border. If they come in, they'll catch me and there's a chance I can't get out anymore,"
Xiao Shuxiang did not understand the problem Hu Li was facing, but he had no intention of asking her let alone to find out. According to him, this friend will definitely talk if he wants to.
When it arrived at the bottom of the hill, it was right on one of the wisteria trees.. Hu Li started to make whistling sounds. It didn't take long until a little fox ran over and jumped into his arms.
"D'err!"
Hu Li was so happy to see her sister again. It had been over a hundred years and his little brother still remained the same.
Pii..!
Hu Li introduced the little fox she carried to Xiao Shuxiang, "His name is O Zhan, but I often call him Pi'Er,"
Xiao Shuxiang was holding a fox that was the size of a kitten. Hu Li's younger brother has white fur and thick fur on his neck.
He did not expect it because O Zhan was wearing a small robe. This makes her look adorable.
O Zhan has always lived alone. Despite having a race, but he preferred to stay at the border of the Demonic Beast region and continued to wait for Hu Li's arrival.
Unlike his older brother, O Zhan has not been able to become a human. Nevertheless, he could understand what Xiao Shuxiang and Hu Li were talking about.
"Young Master Xiao, I want to ask your permission to take him. What can?"
"You don't have to ask for it. Pi'Er is too adorable to refuse,"
Pii~
After finding O Zhan, the two continued on their way. This time they climbed the flying sword and floated slowly towards where the World Gate was.
Since the distance was not too far away, Xiao Shuxiang and Hu Li could arrive in less than seven minutes. Both of them could faintly hear the sound of swords clashing against each other.
?!
Not far below Xiao Shuxiang and Hu Li, there were quite a few cultivators as well as warriors fighting fiercely. They appeared to be divided into two groups, one of which was the people who wanted to open the Ancient Gate, and the other chose to stop it from being opened.
TRANGS!
"Can't you feel it? There's a nasty thing inside that gate. Never open it..!"
"Say you want to keep it to yourself, right? I don't feel any Aura at all, except the envy of your heart..!"
TRANGS!
There were two cultivators whom Xiao Shuxiang looked at so seriously. The two had exchanged dozens of moves but there were no signs yet of stopping. Though their clothes and bodies had been filled with the marks of the sword incision.
TRANGS!
Xiao Shuxiang slowly floated down, he reinserted his high-level heirloom sword into the Universal Bracelet and began to take out a Scroll containing the 5,000 Rules of the Sky Sword Sect.
TRANGS!
TRANGS!
The sound of the fight was still heard, Xiao Shuxiang and Hu Li several times dodged the stray attacks of the warriors and cultivators.
One of the Rules of the Sky Sword Sect that Xiao Shuxiang read about was about breaking up the fights of two or more people who were at odds.
"Hu Li, do you think I should kill them all so that there will be no more fighting?"
!!
"Young Master Xiao, you must not misinterpret the writing. Take a good look,"
O Zhan who was on top of Hu Li's head also seemed to nod, he seemed to agree with his brother's words.
!!
Xiao Shuxiang and Hu Li immediately jumped up when a fairly strong attack pointed at them. The stray attack hit the ground and produced a thumping sound. Fortunately, they were able to escape in time.
Xiao Shuxiang stuffed his Paper Roll into the Spatial Ring, pulled out his flute and began to concentrate on playing it.
The song 'Funness' that he trained all this time can remove the impurities in the human heart. Some cultivators who came from the Black Stream instantly felt his stomach ache, as if something within his body was urgently wanting to come out.
!!
***
