Mysteries of Immortal Puppet Master-Chapter 404 - 49: All Are Fine Young Men of the World

Chapter 404: Chapter 49: All Are Fine Young Men of the World

Midnight.

The dense cloud cover momentarily obscured the moonlight.

Xiaoju hurried along the mountain path, cautious and apprehensive, frequently looking around. The lantern she carried was a Magic Artifact, serving the purposes of surveillance and alert.

The trees alongside the mountain path rustled in the breeze, and besides the sound of the wind, Xiaoju could only hear her footsteps and heartbeat.

The sound of the waterfall grew louder, drowning out other noises.

Soon, a deep pool appeared before her. Xiaoju quickened her pace, trying not to linger by the water.

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She reached the waterfall and ascended the mountain path. The roaring of the waterfall rang in her ears, particularly deafening at night.

The mist was thick, and the moss and vines on the rock walls were very damp.

The light from the lantern cast flickering shadows on the stone walls.

As Xiaoju proceeded, she saw the entrance to the Myriad Demons Cave and felt a slight joy in her heart.

But immediately, she remembered the mission entrusted to her by Lin Shanshan and felt an immense pressure.

She had reached the entrance but hesitated, lingering at the entrance, not daring to enter.

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Just then, Linghu Jiu’s voice came from inside the cave:

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“Reclining on a stone bed with the breeze gently warming,”

“In the depths of the cave, dreams are hard to fathom.”

“When awake, moonlight shadows the pines,”

“Footsteps approach, asking who is there?”

Knowing she had been noticed, Xiaoju braced herself and announced herself.

Linghu Jiu, of course, knew Xiaoju was Lin Shanshan’s personal maid and immediately called her in.

Xiaoju entered the cave, her heart full of apprehension.

Inside the cave, the lights were dim, and the cave walls bore many mottled patches of moss, as if narrating the passage of time and history.

Xiaoju soon saw the stone bed.

On the stone bed lay a lean Cultivator.

He reclined on his side, his posture carefree, reeking of alcohol, his eyes bleary, exuding an air of aloof independence as if all worldly troubles were irrelevant to him.

It was Linghu Jiu.

He smiled gently, asking Xiaoju, “So late at night, coming specifically to find me in the cave, does the little junior sister need my help?”

Xiaoju took a deep breath, bowed first, and then firmly conveyed Lin Shanshan’s request to Linghu Jiu.

Linghu Jiu simply stood there…

Xiaoju watched him anxiously.

Linghu Jiu frowned and sighed deeply, rising from the stone bed and pacing back and forth in the cave with his hands behind his back.

For a moment, Xiaoju felt that Linghu Jiu’s otherworldly grace had been dragged down by worldly concerns, losing its divine touch and gaining more human traits.

Xiaoju felt much sympathy for the thoughtful Linghu Jiu.

She decided that if Linghu Jiu showed even the slightest refusal to Lin Shanshan’s request, she would turn around and leave immediately.

Being a girl, she felt this matter was too distressing and harsh for Linghu Jiu.

Linghu Jiu suddenly stopped walking and sighed, “I have been in the cave for a long time, unaware of changes outside.”

“This time, even if the little junior sister didn’t ask for my aid, I should have intervened.”

“Xiaoju, take my waist token and go to the Library to retrieve the Gold Element and Fire-attribute Enlightenment Maps. Give everything available to the visiting Cultivators to Ning Zhuo.”

“When you give them to him, tell him that as a senior brother, I was a bit overeager to protect my junior sister, and ask Young Master Ning Zhuo not to take it to heart.”

“Consider these Enlightenment Maps as Ten Thousand Medicine Sect’s formal apology.”

Xiaoju, puzzled, didn’t understand why Linghu Jiu would say this.

Linghu Jiu smiled at her and waved his hand, “After you return, tell your junior sister that she need not pay anything this time; as the eldest senior brother, I’ll handle it.”

“Go first thing tomorrow; this task must be accomplished. And please report back to me after.”

“Yes, Xiaoju understands.” Xiaoju, carrying the waist token and filled with doubts, returned to Yuanlai Mountain.

After meeting Lin Shanshan, she relayed everything about Linghu Jiu’s reception.

Lin Shanshan was briefly puzzled, then her furrowed brow relaxed as she realized the crux, “Ah, I see.”

“Miss, what do you mean by ‘I see’?” Xiaoju couldn’t understand the puzzle.

Lin Shanshan explained, “It must be that the senior brothers like Lao De instigated the public opinion against Young Master Ning Zhuo, which led many Cultivators to challenge him.”

“The eldest senior brother, knowing this, instructed you to undertake this task as Young Master Ning Zhuo’s apology.”

“Ah? Why should our esteemed Ten Thousand Medicine Sect apologize to an outsider?” Xiaoju found it incredible and felt a lot of injustice for Linghu Jiu.

Lin Shanshan shook her head.

Having been nurtured from a young age, her perspective and awareness were naturally different from those of a maid.

“The eldest senior brother is doing the right thing.”

“The visiting Cultivators are a hallmark of our sect and a key strategy of its operation.”

“If this matter were exposed, the harm to the entire Ten Thousand Medicine Sect would be immense and invisible.”

“Since the eldest senior brother is willing to bear this cost, let him do it. As the eldest senior brother of Ten Thousand Medicine Sect, indeed, he needs to do so.”

Xiaoju finally somewhat understood.

The next day, she began her actions early in the morning.

First, using Linghu Jiu’s waist card, she spent a large amount of Sect Points to obtain the Fire-attribute and Gold Element Enlightenment Maps.

After that, she took those maps and entered the Transmission Array, appearing directly on Little Struggle Peak.

She slightly disguised her appearance, dressed as a stranger, and went straight to the Cave Mansion where Ning Zhuo was currently staying, released a Flying Message to express her identity and intention to visit.

Ning Zhuo was cultivating three skills inside the cave. Upon receiving the message, he immediately sent a sound transmission to invite Xiaoju into the cave.

Xiaoju had just sat down in the reception hall when she heard footsteps, and soon saw a young man turn around the screen and appear in front of her.

Xiaoju’s eyes brightened as she saw Ning Zhuo in a wide-sleeved robe, pure white like clouds.

His features were handsome, his eyes clear as day with distinct black and white areas, transparent like lake water, shining with sincerity.

He wore a smile, as gentle and soft as a spring breeze, naturally making people feel a sense of fondness.

“No wonder Miss Lin has such a favorable impression of him, going to great lengths for him!” Xiaoju thought to herself.

She hadn’t understood Miss Lin’s actions and felt resentment on behalf of their eldest senior brother, Linghu Jiu, before personally meeting Ning Zhuo.

But now that she had met Ning Zhuo in person, she greatly understood Lin Shanshan much better.

“I originally thought that as a son of a Cultivator Family, his status would be similar to that of the young mistress, yet unexpectedly, he dresses so simply.”

“So, this is the type that the Miss likes!”

“In fact, in my view, Ning Zhuo and Linghu Jiu are equally matched.”

Xiaoju compared the two men in her mind.

She felt that Linghu Jiu was like a refreshing breeze, elegant and unrestrained, free and gentle. Ning Zhuo seemed like the light of the early morning, pure and clean, sincere and warm.

The young man in white was graceful with clear and bright expressions like a full moon.

As the breeze and bright moon are both suitable, both are fine sons of the human world.

Xiaoju stood up, politely greeted Ning Zhuo, and her voice became much softer and tender.

Ning Zhuo, smiling, took the main seat and gestured for Xiaoju to sit down.

However, Xiaoju did not take a seat: “I am but a maid of the Miss, how dare I sit on an equal footing with Young Master Ning Zhuo.”

“This servant has come to deliver treasures to the young master!”

Xiaoju took out all the Gold Element and Fire-attribute Enlightenment Maps and handed them to Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo, curious, asked, “Miss Lin has been confined, how could she lend out so many Enlightenment Maps to me?”

After all, he had previously borrowed only three Wood Element Enlightenment Maps, and even then, he had to offer his own Proud Snow and Frost maps in exchange.

This time, the volume was much bigger.

It didn’t make sense that Lin Shanshan’s power and means could have increased after she was confined.

Xiaoju smiled: “I was just about to tell you about this matter.”

Then, she explained the origins of the Enlightenment Maps and Linghu Jiu’s apologies to Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo exclaimed, “So there was such a matter?”

“So, the reason I faced many challenges today was due to the disciples of the Ten Thousand Medicine Sect stirring things up behind the scenes.”

“I see, haha.”

Ning Zhuo pretended he had just found out, and laughed out loud.

He stood up, stuffed the Enlightenment Maps back into Xiaoju’s hands: “Since that’s the case, I cannot accept these Enlightenment Maps.”

Xiaoju was greatly surprised: “This servant dares to ask the young master, why is that?”

Ning Zhuo seriously said, “Previously, I had been much loved by Miss Lin and strongly supported by her, which helped this outsider quickly integrate into Ten Thousand Medicine Sect and Little Struggle Peak.”

“I have always remembered this kindness deeply, imprinted in my heart, and never dared to forget it, thinking if there’s a chance in the future, I must repay it.”

“How could I not know how much Miss Lin sacrificed to help me?”

“Hearing that she was confined further distressed me, I often went to Yuanlai Mountain, but was always stopped. I’m afraid my Flying Messages were also not delivered to Miss Lin’s hands.”

Xiaoju nodded. She knew about Ning Zhuo almost going to Yuanlai Mountain daily and how his letters were completely intercepted by Lao De and others.

Ning Zhuo said, “I once asked myself, if I had known beforehand that Miss Lin would be confined by helping me, would I still accept her help?”

“I would.”

Xiaoju couldn’t help but exclaim; she thought Ning Zhuo would deny it, but he affirmed it directly.

Ning Zhuo looked into Xiaoju’s eyes: “Because I understand that Miss Lin helped me completely from the bottom of her heart!”

“Such a sentiment, like the Mist Embroidery Orchid I sent to her, is a treasure of heaven and earth and needs to be cherished.”

“Where else in the world is there such a friendship that allows people to feel close at first sight and provide strong support within a short period of interaction?”

“If I rejected Miss Lin’s help, it would be like watching such a treasure slip away.”

“This would be a waste of heaven’s gifts.”

“She is helping me now, and I will come back to help her in the future. This is the symbol of friendship, the best way to maintain this treasure of the human world!”

Xiaoju was dumbfounded.

She hadn’t expected Ning Zhuo to speak in such a manner.

Looking at the young man in white robes, bright as the morning light, and seeing his clear eyes, Xiaoju could feel his sincere heart.

“So that’s how it is.” She was convinced.

She also vaguely understood why Ning Zhuo was now refusing the Enlightenment Maps.

“Is it just… friendship?”