Having new goals energized Hua Qian Gu. She walked down Mount Mao, asked people for directions to KunLun then walked west. Strangely, evil spirits stayed away from her. She did not know if this was because of Tian Shui Di or the hook jade.
Hua Qian Gu came upon a clear stream one day. Feeling dirty, she took off her clothes and jumped into the water, swimming happily like a fish. She suddenly felt Tian Shui Di heating up. Lately, the pendant sometimes glowed and became hot.
Hua Qian Gu ran out of the stream and sat under the sun to dry off. When she put on her clothes, she heard someone yelling out in surprise. She looked and saw a scholar with his back to her. He probably saw everything when he came to get water.
The scholar apologized profusely. Hua Qian Gu said it was nothing. She was only 12 years old so there was nothing to see anyway. The scholar appeared earnestly innocent and had a captivating voice. He asked if she was betrothed to someone, and after Hua Qian Gu said she was not, he insisted that he would marry her after he was done taking the examination at the capital.
Hua Qian Gu tried to run away, but the scholar followed her everywhere. He said his name was Dong Fang Yu Qing. When night came, Hua Qian Gu started a fire and sat down to rest. She tried to ignore Dong Fang Yu Qing, who sat down next to her.
“Do you want this?” Dong Fang Yu Qing handed her a pastry, Hua Qian Gu looked at his warm smile and accepted it against her will. It was hard not to deny that his smile was soothing and had a healing effect, if he could not speak he would be perfect, oh how unfortunate……
“What’s your name?”
“Hua Qian Gu……” She put the savory pastry into her mouth, muttering discontentedly. It was so soft and sweet!
“How old are you?”
“Twelve.”
“Are you betrothed to someone?”
“No.”
“Where are your parents?”
“…… There’s only me left.”
Hua Qian Gu suddenly felt lonely. She thought if she could find a teacher, she would have a place to live. She did not expect things to turn out this way.
“It’s just you?” Dong Fang Yu Qing frowned, “Where are you going by yourself? Are you looking for your relatives?”
“No, I don’t have any family or friends. I went to Mount Mao to look for a teacher but was not successful. I have to go to Mount KunLun now.”
“Mount KunLun? That’s very far from here. Sounds dangerous!”
“I have to go to the Qun Xian feast.” After she said that, Hua Qian Gu covered her mouth, why was she telling a scholar going to the capital to take the examination everything?
“The Qun Xian feast? You said you wanted to study at Mount Mao but couldn’t. Why not? What happened?”
“Mount Mao was destroyed, Taoist priest Qing Xu asked me to go to the Qun Xian feast and tell the immortals there what happened.” Hua Qian Gu looked at Dong Fang Yu Qing in surprise, it was not that she had a loose tongue, for some reason she felt compelled to answer Dong Fang Yu Qing. Oh heavens, is it because of his voice?
“Mount Mao destroyed? Has it started already?” Dong Fang Yu Qing frowned and muttered to himself, “Did Taoist priest Qing Xu say anything else before he died?”
Hua Qian Gu covered her mouth and shook her head. She should not talk so much to a stranger!
Dong Fang Yu Qing slid closer, anxiously gripping her hands.
“What happened afterwards? Mount Mao’s holy instrument, the Shuan Tian chain, was it protected?”
Hua Qian Gu was surprised and pulled her hands away, staring at him with wide eyes: “How do you know about that?”
Was he not just an ordinary scholar going to the capital to take the examination?
“Of course I do know, I’m well-educated, I know the history of the six realms. You think I’m a bookworm who only read the classics?”
“Are you cultivating to become immortal?”
“No, but I know some immortals well, I’ve been interested in these things from when I was little so I’ve read a lot of history books. What’s happened to the Shuan Tian chain?”
“It was stolen……” Hua Qian Gu bowed her head, in the end, what is this instrument that so many people died to defend it?
“How unfortunate.” Dong Fang Yu Qing reluctantly shook his head, it seemed that his trip this time was for nothing, he would have to return.
“Hua Qian Gu, no one has noticed you yet so you shouldn’t be in danger, but your constitution is special so you must be more careful. I need to go back home to take care of an urgent matter, it appears I can’t go with you to Mount KunLun.”
“Who wants to go with you! Don’t you have to go to the capital to take the examination?” Hua Qian Gu tilted her head and looked critically at him, how could he know about her unique physique? Also, why is he nervously rushing home, is there also a holy instrument in his home he is afraid demons would steal?
“……That’s not important, I’ll take care of everything and try again.”
“What happens if a holy instrument is lost? Why are you so nervous?”
“Taoist priest Qing Xu didn’t tell you?”
“There wasn’t enough time, he only spoke a little bit and then gave me a manual about the six realms to read.”