Chapter 19: It's Better Not to Meet Again 9

  Jian Nanlan hastily walked straight out the door. Hua Que hurriedly shouted: "Hey, where are you going? Can't you understand what I'm saying?"

  Nalan Xixiao seemed to have not heard and walked out. Hua Que was furious, jumping up from the bed, and hastily chased after him.

  "Hey, I told you not to run around wildly. Young master wants you to stay here quietly. Where are you going?" Huā Què closely pursued without letting up.

  Nalan Xixi ignored her and walked out of the courtyard. Next to the large tripod, the giant lion was originally resting. Seeing Nalan Xixi walking out, its eyes lit up. Its huge body slowly stood up. Its thick tail swept back and forth on the ground, sweeping up waves of fierce wind.

  "Where is Shangguan Hongye?" Nalan Xinnuo asked.

  "You think our young master is someone you can see whenever you want... Ah, stop right there." Hua Que thought Nalan Xinnuo was asking her and said with a bad temper. However, the giant lion in front of them was very enthusiastic and kept gesturing towards one direction to Nalan Xinnuo.

  Nalan Xixi looked into the distance and then rushed in the direction that the giant lion was pointing.

  Nalan Xinnuo walked in front, while Hua Que rode the giant lion behind her in pursuit. The giant lion could cover dozens of meters with a single stride, and Nalan Xinnuo was not far behind. With her abundant physical strength, she leaped forward with incredible speed, her small figure darting through the mountains and forests.

  The temperature in the mountains is just right, not like the scorching sun of summer, nor the cool breeze of early autumn. The temperature here seems to be adjusted to a moderate level, just right, neither hot nor cold, giving people an indescribable feeling of comfort.

  A gentle breeze blows by. The branches and leaves sway lightly. Nalan Xiong rushes through the thicket, with a giant lion hot on his heels. The earth shakes and the mountains tremble.

  Nalan Xixiao furrowed her brow, gazing forward for a moment. Ahead of them was a mountain precipice. On the cliff, a green figure flickered in and out of sight. Nalan Xixiao's eyes lit up, and she suddenly stopped in her tracks. Turning around to face the giant lion, she said, "Let's go back."

  Jù shī tīng dào nà lán xī nuò lěng rán de jǐng gào, jiǎo bù zhàn ér zhǐ. Huā què yī gè bù wěn xiǎn xiē zhuì xià lái.

  Before the finch could react and scold, the giant lion turned around and ran back obediently, without any hesitation or delay.

  "You stupid lion! No talent! No talent!" The clear and crisp curse of the flower sparrow echoed through the mountains.

  Watching the giant lion walk away, Nalan Xinnuo turned her head and flew towards the place where Shangguan Hongye was located.

  Approaching the cliff edge, Nalan Xiong stopped in his tracks. This was a precipice, where the mountain road that had been continuous suddenly broke off steeply. The distance between the two peaks wasn't great, but it was shrouded in mist and fog. Looking down from the cliff, there was no bottom in sight, extremely perilous.

  Shangguan Hongye was dressed in a green robe, his hair scattered randomly. His pale skin shone brightly under the soft black locks. He didn't look as refined as Nangong Jin, but rather slightly gaunt, with a slender figure that seemed like a green butterfly, ethereal and dreamy.

  Such a peerless beauty, at this moment is unattractively clinging to the opposite cliff wall, one foot treading on a protruding rock, one hand grasping a rope, and the other hand probing a strange flower on the cliff.

  All it takes is one misstep and he'll fall to the bottom of the cliff, smashing his body into pieces, not even leaving a corpse behind. Yet, he's walking with ease, swaying from side to side as if strolling on flat ground, playing around like he's swinging on a swing.

  Nalan Xinnuo walked over and he turned his head around, stretching out his hand to wave at her. "You're here."

  Suddenly, he shifted his center of gravity and the rope swung violently from side to side due to his movement. He was then swung back and forth on the cliff wall by the rope. Nalan Xinnuo subconsciously leaped onto the opposite peak, grabbing the rope with one hand to stabilize his strength.

  Shangguan Hong laughed dryly and pretended to be calm. "It's nothing, it's nothing. She's very light, she won't fall."

  People... family...

  Nalan Xixi's mouth twitched slightly. She loosened the rope. "You go up first. I have something to ask you."

  "Wait a minute! I've finally managed to get myself hung up here, how can I give up halfway?" Shangguan Hongye completely disregarded his image, his hands tightly grasping the rope, his two legs also clinging to the rope, just like a monkey.

  Nalan Xixi rubbed his forehead. From the time he left the courtyard to now, at least two hours had passed. During these two hours, he simply hung himself here.

  "Aren't you a descendant of the Shangguan family? You should know how to tame beasts. Why don't you let them help you?"

  Not to mention others, even that white snake can get this medicine by poking its head out.

  Nalan Xixi's words fell. The mountain cliffs were silent for a few seconds. Then, Shangguan Hongye said in a low voice: "Oh... really..."

  "......" Nalan Xixi took a deep breath and pulled on the rope. "Come up."

  Shangguan Hongye grasped the rope and started climbing up, his feet treading on the cliff wall. Nalan Xinnuo watched him with a helpless shake of her head as he climbed with no regard for how good or bad he looked. Such an appearance was one-of-a-kind in the world. At first glance, he seemed to have a gentle and calm temperament. Who would have thought that his true nature was actually so...unrestrained?

  "Eh? Why are you looking at me with a disgusted gaze?" Shangguan Hongye saw the emotions flashing in Nalan Xianyu's eyes and asked sharply.

  "What do you think?" Nalan Xixi looked at him with a smile that was not quite a smile.

  Shangguan Hong stopped and pulled out a small mirror from his waist, smoothed his hair, and examined himself left and right. "There's nothing dirty on my face either..."

  Nalan Xixi took a deep breath. "Bring it up immediately."

  Shangguan Hongye put away the mirror, pursed his lips, and continued to climb up. Just as he reached the edge of the cliff, one of his hands grasped the ground. A heavenly face, Nalan Xianyin's, was inches from his, her eyes fixed on him as she pulled the rope taut. He blinked, his long eyelashes fluttering, sending two wisps of wind across her face.

  Nalan Xixi's expression solidified for a moment. Then she immediately let go of the rope and stood up straight.

  There was no longer any strength in Nalan Xiong's body to hold on. The rope suddenly loosened. Shangguan Hongye's heart moved slightly. In order not to let his own body be pulled away by the rope, he immediately released it. Both hands were grasping at the ground, with a sorrowful expression.

  Nalan Xixi saw that he had loosened the rope, and her heart skipped a beat. She hastily bent down to grab his hand, but unexpectedly, this Upper Official Hongye looked slender, yet was extremely heavy. Even Nalan Xixi couldn't budge him an inch, she could only barely prevent him from falling off.

  Nalan Xixiao was somewhat perplexed, but the weight in her hands left her no time to doubt anything. Xiang Gong Hongye's body slid down by half a fraction. Nalan Xixiao used all her strength, her face turning slightly red from being held back. However, Xiang Gong Hongye's body didn't budge an inch.

  "Don't mind me..." Shang Guan Hong Ye's entire body strength was concentrated in his hands, speaking was extremely laborious.

  Nalan Xixi held his hand tightly. The joints of both hands were white from the force. "Don't let go."

  Shangguan Hongye looked at Nalan Xinnuo's furrowed brow and slightly hooked up the corner of his mouth. "You don't want me to die."

  Nalan Xixi was taken aback, looking at Shangguan Hongye's smile, she seemed to understand something. She let go of his hand, and Shangguan Hongye stood firmly on the ground, completely unlike just now when he looked like he was about to fall down.

  Nalan Xixi's expression turned slightly cold. Ah, yes. He was Shangguan Hongye, a descendant of the Shangguan family. Whether it was martial arts or internal energy, he was thousands of times stronger than her. How could he be stumped by such a thing? And yet she still wanted to save him. How foolish.

  Watching Nalan Xinnuo's expression turn cold, Shangguan Hongye jumped up lightly. "Don't be angry, it was just a joke. However, it seems that you still care about me. Otherwise, with your personality, how would you care about others' life and death."

  "I'm afraid you'll die and no one will be there to save you." Nalan Xixi replied coldly.

  "Oh." Shangguan Hongye walked in front of her with interest after hearing the words, looking at her. "So you're concerned about Dugu Han?"

  Nalan Xixi turned her face away and refused to acknowledge him again. Upper Official Hong smiled faintly at night, "What brings you to find me?"

  As soon as the words fell, Nalan Xiono threw something at him. He stretched out his hand to catch it, and saw that it was a white jade flute.

  He slightly raised an eyebrow. "Ling Xiao, it was given by the monkey."

  "This should be something from your superior's household." Nalan Xixi looked at him.

  Shangguan Hongye nodded slightly. "Yes."

  Nalan Xixi nodded slightly, implying a meaning of returning things to their original state.

  Shangguan Hong Ye seemed to smile but didn't quite smile. "You're not thinking of asking them why they gave it to you."

  "I'm waiting for your answer." Nalan Xiong's face was expressionless, as if he were talking about something insignificant.

  Shangguan Hongye smiled and shook his head. "I suppose you already have an answer in your heart."

  Nalan Xixi furrowed her brow. Indeed, she couldn't hide any of her thoughts from him.

  Arrived here, originally without so many doubts. If she was seeing these strange beasts for the first time, it would be fine. She wouldn't think much of it. But last time, in the same forest, that ice sword, that ferocious beast, those fragmented memories of broken instructions, all made her have to doubt.

  She was very familiar with this place, although she couldn't be certain if she had ever been here before. But that familiar feeling always left her puzzled. This was the residence of the Shangguan family. The handprint on the painted wall should be the secret key of the Shangguan family. If the handprint didn't match, even with immense energy, one wouldn't be able to enter this place. The friendly monkey that listened to her, the giant lion that obeyed her, and this short flute... what did they mean?

  Also, all the beasts here should obey the people of the Shangguan family. This short flute should also be a possession of the Shangguan family. Why did those monkeys give it to her again? Who was it that made her kneel and bow to Shangguan Hongye?

  She matched the secret palm print of the Shangguan family. She could command the giant beast. The monkey let her take charge of that short flute belonging to the Shangguan family...

  These signs are hinting that she... has a relationship with the Shangguan family, or rather, she is a member of the Shangguan family.

  Nalan Xixi's mouth corners moved slightly, but she didn't say anything. She cast him a shallow inquiring glance.

  Shangguan Hongye smiled at night. "You think you are?"

  Nalan Xixi was taken aback. The expression on Shangguan Hongye's face seemed very profound and unfathomable. She couldn't tell what kind of emotions he was feeling. And this question, certainly wasn't as simple as it appeared on the surface.

  Is she?

  At that moment, the scenes on the wall of the cave flashed back in Nalan Xiong's mind, and a strange sense of sorrow filled his heart.

  Is she?