Under the moon, the white-robed cultivator stepped onto the roof, and Gu Pinglin followed suit and turned sideways. Suddenly, the thin white gauze headband was lifted up by the wind, and the end gently brushed across his face, with a faint scent of osmanthus. Gu Pinglin was startled.
"What a pity, the osmanthus flowers have already bloomed." Duan Qingming sighed.
Gu Pinglin came back to his senses: "You followed me secretly and now you are testing me with the scent of osmanthus. What do you want to say?"
Duan Qingming laughed and said, "You are wronging me again. I just saw that you were so absorbed in your gaze that I thought you must like osmanthus flowers, so I just wanted to make you smile."
"That's a good excuse," Gu Pinglin sneered, "Brother, you are really thoughtful. You have everything I like."
"No, I just happen to have everything you like."
"Except for you, this statement is not wrong."
Duan Qingming was used to being ridiculed by him, so he didn't take it seriously. Instead, he said meaningfully, "You've been a little too impatient these days."
The cultivation matter could not be hidden from him. Gu Pinglin said in a calm tone: "So what?"
"You're too persistent."
"Before the Great Dao, who is not attached?"
Who is truly free from desires when one is on the path of life? Who is not attached to what one desires
Duan Qingming did not refute and smiled slightly.
The two of them had always had disagreements about the Dao, so Gu Pinglin simply changed the subject: "It's a beautiful day, why bother to dwell on the Dao? You came at the right time, I have something to ask you."
"It's not the right time to talk about the beautiful scenery, so you come to me to settle the score?" Duan Qingming disagreed, as if he had already guessed what he was going to say, "Wan Lai, I'm surprised that he is not a complete waste. Don't you find it interesting?"
Gu Pinglin said sternly, "Whether he is a waste or not is not a reason for you to intervene. You are willing to ruin his career."
"It is not my power to ruin other people's paths," Duan Qingming said, "I just want them to recognize themselves earlier."
Gu Pinglin said: "Your ideas are different from those of ordinary people."
"You are the ones who don't want to admit the truth," Duan Qingming said coldly as he faced the wind. "Only losers would be shaken by a single sentence. The only value of their existence is to become a burden to others."
The gentle exterior faded, and the cold side finally revealed. Gu Pinglin couldn't help but tighten the cloak around his shoulders: "In my opinion, protecting what you want to protect, taking on the responsibilities you want to take, and doing what you want to do in this life is also a way, not the way of heaven, but the way of man."
"Well said," Duan Qingming clapped his hands, turned around and faced him, chuckling, "But what can a piece of trash protect, Gu Xiaojiu? I'm not interested in others, but I know you. You yearn for the way of heaven, but you are restrained by the so-called responsibility. You want to break through the realm and ascend, but you still invest your mind on those pieces of trash, trying to take care of everything, so that your progress is slow. Are you really not in a hurry?"
The magnetic voice is extremely seductive and gently pierces the heart.
Gu Pinglin turned aside and said, "My progress is slow for a reason. It's not what you think. There are more people in the world like you, Duan Qingming, who can take care of so many things."
Duan Qingming stared at him for a long time, then suddenly reached out and lifted his chin, causing him to turn his face to the side: "You... are really disobedient."
Really disobedient.
Gu Pinglin trembled all over and his heartbeat suddenly accelerated.
Deep in my soul, in a flash, the same person's voice rang in my ears. There was no gentle smile, nor such a hidden helplessness, only a chill as cold as ice.
——You are so disobedient.
- You give up just like that. I'm really disappointed.
The sound coming from nowhere caused Gu Pinglin's soul to be in turmoil. His face turned pale and he couldn't help but press his chest gently, his breathing became rapid.
When? Was it him
At the moment of unconsciousness, someone suddenly grabbed his pulse, and the fierce and domineering true energy invaded his body and rushed straight to his dantian!
Almost instinctively, Gu Pinglin violently waved away the hand, and the true Qi in his body circulated to the extreme, completely strangling the Heaven-Repairing True Qi!
When he finally reacted, Gu Pinglin's heart sank.
On the opposite side, Duan Qingming looked at him with a smile and did not move.
Since he had fallen into the trap, Gu Pinglin no longer concealed the truth: "Do you really want to force me to turn against you?"
"You are afraid of me," Duan Qingming said, "I am just curious, what did I do in my previous life? You said I harmed your sect and ruined your path, well... maybe I harmed your sect, but what about ruining your path?"
Since he dared to test it, he must have guessed a lot. Gu Pinglin said coldly: "Don't you already know it?"
"I roughly guessed it, and just confirmed it." Duan Qingming paused, "It's really unexpected that we had this kind of relationship in our previous life."
"A surprise?" Gu Pinglin said grimly, "We have always had this kind of relationship, and it's still the same now."
"I thought that we should be fighting with Han Ying's double swords now..." Duan Qingming dodged the stabbing sword and reached out to cover the hand holding the sword.
With his hands folded, Gu Pinglin kept his mind focused and raised his foot to kick.
Duan Qingming suddenly raised his legs and entangled with him, and his toes gently and very ambiguously rubbed against him. Before Gu Pinglin could get angry, he quickly retreated, put away his playful look, and said in a gentle and kind tone: "Okay, if you fight again, it will alert the people inside."
He took the initiative to give in and appease Gu Pinglin, who was a little unprepared and angry. The rapid change of this person's attitude was due to his ability to control people's hearts and his better understanding of himself than in his previous life. He was judging his next move based on his reaction: "Are you teasing me?"
Duan Qingming smiled: "Aren't you the one who minds it?"
It is said that you should not hit a smiling person, but this person is probably the only exception who still makes people want to hit him when he smiles. Gu Pinglin gripped the hilt of the sword again and again, weighed the pros and cons for a moment, and finally put away the sword.
Duan Qingming immediately forgot that they were on edge just now and walked towards him as if nothing had happened: "Is it here?"
Gu Pinglin said: "You have guessed it, what else do you want to say."
Duan Qingming looked at the osmanthus tree and said, "I never like this kind of boring thing. Since you are my opponent, shouldn't it be more interesting for you to keep fighting me?"
Gu Pinglin did not answer. He first gave people hope, then gradually destroyed their will and played with their hearts. This was the game he loved the most, not destroying their spiritual path and completely ending their spiritual path.
"Not many things can anger me," Duan Qingming retracted his gaze, "What exactly happened?"
The voice was light and soft, but Gu Pinglin felt as if two pairs of scrutinizing gazes were fixed on him, as cold and sharp as ice blades.
Gu Pinglin finally spoke: "Have you ever lost someone important?"
"Important people?" Duan Qingming turned his head and said in a long voice, "Oh - for a heartless person like me, who is important enough for me to make an exception? Let me think... Are you talking about me?"
Gu Pinglin has calmed down: "You also said that we don't need to be too obsessed with the past. Now you already know what you want to know, so let's stop here."
"It's Qu Lin." A certain tone.
Gu Pinglin found the past boring and even a little embarrassed when he recalled it, as if he had once again exposed his former embarrassment in front of this old enemy. Gu Pinglin lowered his head slightly and was about to leave.
There was a chuckle from behind.
Gu Pinglin suddenly stopped and turned back: "What are you laughing at?"
“Isn’t this joke funny?” Duan Qingming lifted his chin and shook it gently, “You think you know me, so you think I would be interested in Qu Lin…” He paused, his mouth corners curved up, as if he wanted to laugh again.
Seeing him like this, Gu Pinglin was stunned and a little shaken. The fact proved that there were many misunderstandings in the previous life. Could it be a mistake again? But if it wasn't for Qu Lin, what other reason was there? Gu Pinglin shook his head secretly and tried to break free: "This is the fact."
"That's the truth," Duan Qingming did not let go for the first time. "If it's not Qu Lin, then you angered me. What did you do?"
What did you do? Gu Pinglin couldn't help but think of that night. He was drunk and things happened in a muddle. Afterwards, he was more upset and didn't have a deep impression of that absurd □□. Looking back at the source, he was prejudiced because of old grudges. Not only did he fail to investigate and wrongly blame Bu Shuihan's death on him, but he also easily fell into Nanzhu's conspiracy. Gu Pinglin felt even more ashamed and embarrassed and avoided his sight.
The smile faded slightly, and then became more gentle and charming. Duan Qingming lowered his head and said softly: "You took good care of Qu Linduo before, what is your relationship?"
The force on his chin suddenly increased, and Gu Pinglin felt pain and broke away from him: "It has nothing to do with you..." He paused halfway through his words. How could Qu Lin's affairs have nothing to do with him? Gu Pinglin also felt guilty, and his anger instantly disappeared a little. After a while, he said: "The past is over, why bother talking about it again."
Duan Qingming seemed not to hear what he said and continued to stare at him.
Gu Pinglin said decisively, "The past is over. There is no point in talking about it. This is my fault. I was careless for a moment and fell into the trap. I am sorry to you and Miss Qu, but you destroyed my Dao lineage without knowing the truth, so it is fair. Now Miss Qu and Senior Brother Bu are doing well, I hope you don't cause trouble."
Duan Qingming looked at him for a while and smiled slightly: "That's right."
"Thank you." Gu Pinglin breathed a sigh of relief, but he was suddenly met with those eyes again. The smile did not reach the bottom of the eyes, so Gu Pinglin could not help but pause.
Noticing his vigilance, Duan Qingming patted his shoulder soothingly: "As long as you concentrate, I will naturally abide by this agreement."
There was an imperceptible weight on his shoulders than usual. Gu Pinglin knew this man and knew what this abnormality meant, but he couldn't figure out what was mad about him. Looking at the man in front of him who looked so happy, Gu Pinglin didn't dare to relax at all.
"Gu Xiaojiu," Duan Qingming said in a gentle tone, suppressing the rage that had not yet been extinguished in the depths of his black eyes, "Your path does not need anyone other than your opponents, including women." He paused, and reached out to smooth the wrinkles on Gu Pinglin's shoulders: "I don't like dirty things either, including my opponents."
It's dirty.
Gu Pinglin's expression changed and he stared at him with sharp and cold eyes.
"I destroyed your Dao meridians, is this what you are obsessed with?" Duan Qingming's eyes softened slightly, "So that's why you came to me, wanting to compete with me in everything?"
His hands were shaking violently in his sleeves. Gu Pinglin lowered his eyes and looked at the hand with slender knuckles on his shoulder. His voice was calm and a little stiff: "It's getting late. We should go back."
Duan Qingming didn't force him: "Let's go."
It was past midnight and the flower market was still bustling. Gu Pinglin had just walked to the door of Wangxian Tower when a large group of playboys came out.
Wan Lai drunkenly escorted them to the door. He put his arm around Cheng Yi's shoulder and asked Xin Ji with a thick tongue, "Wang... Senior Wang, did Qi Shisanniang really run away from her marriage?"
Following this silly young master, Xin Ji got a lot of good things and was in a good mood. He said with a smile: "Of course it's true. Why, Young Master Wan wants to find him?"
"Tsk, why are you looking for... him! If it weren't for him, I... wouldn't be called a waste," Wan Lai snorted aggrievedly, and suddenly his eyes lit up, "When I learn sword, I will definitely beat him..."
"Qi Wan'er," Cheng Yi turned around, "Don't even think about it. You'll never be able to beat him in your life."
Wan Lai was furious: "Bullshit, if you keep talking nonsense, I will beat you to death!"
Cheng Yi said seriously: "You can't beat me, so forget it. I don't want to beat you."
…
"Master Gu is back," Xin Ji greeted Gu Pinglin with a smile when he saw him come in. Then he saw Duan Qingming behind him. Xin Ji's face twitched and his smile became a little stiff. "Master Duan is here too. Did you two go out to the night market?"
Gu Pinglin nodded and walked straight to the small pavilion in the clouds. Duan Qingming stopped in front of Xin Ji and said with a smile: "Yes, the moonlight is very beautiful, let's take a walk."
Xin Ji looked at Gu Pinglin's back and asked, "Master Gu, do you look unwell?"
Duan Qingming said, "Hmm," "It's probably my fault."
Nonsense, who would be in a good mood with you here? Xin Ji complained in his heart, but smiled on the surface: "Mr. Gu is usually the most reasonable and steady person. What made him angry?"
Duan Qingming asked with a smile: "Senior, do you want to know?"
“I am old and don’t have the energy to take care of the younger generation’s affairs, haha…” Xin Ji immediately became alert and walked away with a wry smile.
Everyone had planned to stay in Liuxiang Flower Market for a few days, but Gu Pinglin suddenly changed his mind and was leaving the next day. Wan Lai could not stop him and had to escort everyone out of the flower market ten miles away. He said goodbye reluctantly, as he would have to wait until the Lingxin Sect election next year to join. Yan Sen still had to stay in Liuxiang Flower Market to do some things, and Duan Qingming didn't need him for the time being, so he just let him go.
Wan Lai specially brought a few magical cranes, and the four of them rode on them, saving time and effort. Xin Ji patted the cranes on their backs and praised them, "Wan's magical cranes are indeed extraordinary."
Duan Qingming was half lying on the crane's back, reading a book while agreeing, "Does it feel like riding a crane to heaven?"
Xin Ji twitched his beard and chuckled, "Master Duan, you are joking."
Duan Qingming smiled and said, "I mean, within three days, you will probably really be riding a crane to meet the Queen Mother of the West."
Xin Ji stopped laughing immediately. He was experienced after all, so he calmly asked, "What do you mean?"
Duan Qingming said slowly, "I have learned a little bit of divination, and I have calculated that you will have a great disaster in the near future. I am afraid it will be very troublesome."
Xin Ji was surprised: "Do you know divination?"
"The secret of heaven cannot be revealed." Duan Qingming seemed a little sleepy. He put the book on his chest and closed his eyes. "It's up to you whether you believe it or not."
Xin Ji was confused and stared at him for a while, but couldn't make out anything, so he laughed and said, "Thank you, Mr. Duan, for your reminder. I have always known my fate. If this is God's will, there is nothing I can do about it." As he spoke, he glanced at Pinglin.
Gu Pinglin ignored it.
The Way of Heavenly Secrets is a great way to see through the heavens. It requires one to be selfless and desireless, so there are very few people who practice this way. In the past, I also tried to study it, but I could never get it right. What's more, Duan Qingming is arrogant and conceited. It's better to say that he follows his nature than to say that he follows his heart. He is completely unsuitable for the Way of Heavenly Secrets. He is just bored and deliberately makes a mystery to trick Xin Ji.
To say it's just a joke... isn't it entirely true.
Gu Pinglin's heart moved.
For the next few hours, Xin Ji pretended to be calm, but he was actually on pins and needles. After arriving at the post station, he finally couldn't help but come to find Gu Pinglin.