Chapter 297: Chapter 297: Meeting Yan Hongxia Again
Yinan Dao, Hui State, Jueshui County.
Lu Zheng descended from Jinhua Mountain, traveled all the way west, and when the sun reached its peak, he arrived at Jueshui County next to Jinhua County.
While debating whether to return to the present to have lunch or try the local specialties of Jueshui County, Lu Zheng saw a familiar face in a tavern.
"Brother Lu!"
Yan Hongxia’s eyes lit up as she saw Lu Zheng, and while her right hand was holding a pair of chopsticks delivering noodles to her mouth, her left hand quickly waved to greet Lu Zheng.
"Miss Yan?"
Lu Zheng blinked and quickly approached the tavern, sitting beside Yan Hongxia, "How did you end up here?"
"What would the guest like to eat?"
The tavern owner came over with a smiling face and said, "Our chicken soup noodles and beef noodles are both excellent. Which would the guest prefer?"
"Beef noodles, please." Lu Zheng replied.
"Alright! Please wait a moment!" The tavern owner responded, shouted to her husband in the kitchen, then collected the next customer’s payment and tidied up the tableware before returning to greet more guests.
Lu Zheng glanced at Yan Hongxia, who slightly tilted her head.
Lu Zheng turned back, following Yan Hongxia’s gaze across the street, where a couple was drinking together on the second-floor balcony of a tavern.
The tavern was opulent, with five floors, intricately carved beams, decorative lanterns, curtains, and abundant food and wine.
The couple was a stunning pair, the man was handsome, the woman captivating, dressed elegantly with gracious manners.
Seeing Lu Zheng and Yan Hongxia looking over, the couple raised their glasses in salute from afar before finishing their drinks in a gulp.
Lu Zheng blinked, then looked around at the street-side tavern he and Yan Hongxia were in, feeling the breeze coming from three directions amidst worn-out tables and chairs.
He looked at Yan Hongxia again, adorned in simple attire with a natural face, while he himself wore a scholar’s long robe that hadn’t been washed for several days.
"Boom!"
"Please enjoy!" The tavern owner cheerfully exclaimed, placing a large bowl of beef noodles in front of Lu Zheng, with thin slices of beef on top of the clear soup and white noodles.
Lu Zheng, "..."
Damn it, outdone!
Lu Zheng couldn’t help but bare his teeth, asking Yan Hongxia, "Who are these people?"
"The man is a disciple of the Flower Cloud Sect, the woman belongs to the Divine Maiden Sect." Yan Hongxia replied.
"Hmm?" Lu Zheng blinked.
To be honest, he had indeed heard of these two sects.
Once, while searching for Ji Zizhen with Hu Cai Niang, he stumbled upon You Che and Du Huanzhen from the Yizhou Anomaly Suppression Bureau, who mentioned the Divine Maiden Sect.
Another time, at Five Beauties Manor, he encountered an old monk from Mist God Valley and heard the name Flower Cloud Sect from him.
Both were evil sects from the Southern Border, not good people.
"Didn’t you contact the Anomaly Suppression Bureau?" Lu Zheng asked.
Yan Hongxia blinked, "Why would I contact the Anomaly Suppression Bureau?"
Lu Zheng blinked as well, "Evil sects from the Southern Border causing trouble, isn’t it customary to contact the Anomaly Suppression Bureau?"
Yan Hongxia, "..."
Lu Zheng, "..."
"Why contact the Anomaly Suppression Bureau when they’re all the way in the state capital of Hui State? If I went to find them, wouldn’t those two have already run off?" Yan Hongxia argued.
Lu Zheng blinked, although Yan Hongxia’s reasoning was sound, he felt she wasn’t speaking her true thoughts.
"Three days ago I was traveling in Xuzhou when I encountered them Absorbing Yin and Yang, causing harm to several men and women. Thus, I intervened and followed them all the way south, only just arriving here."
"I can handle them one-on-one, but together I can’t defeat them." Yan Hongxia said, "Brother Lu, you arrived just in time. Let’s join forces and eliminate them once they leave the city!"
"Quick to fight, aren’t you..."
Lu Zheng smacked his lips and nodded, "Sounds good to me, I like it!"
Since Yan Hongxia encountered them causing harm, it was clear they weren’t honorable people. As guardians of justice and order, Lu Zheng had no psychological burden dealing with them.
Lu Zheng didn’t have the inclination for heroics, but since he stumbled upon them and was invited by Yan Hongxia, there was no reason to turn away from this opportunity, right?
However, those two across the street were almost as formidable as Yan Hongxia, so Lu Zheng didn’t underestimate them and asked, "What abilities do they have?"
"The Divine Maiden Sect has strong Spiritual Cultivation, beware of her Illusion Technique and Charming Skill. She also has formidable Spirit Secret Techniques." Yan Hongxia explained, "The Flower Cloud Sect mainly practices the Hundred Flowers Cloud Technique, which is very tricky, and they have considerable skill in the way of spells."
Lu Zheng nodded, "Not a big issue."
...
The four individuals, separated by a small street, each with their thoughts, quietly ate their meals.
None seemed inclined to have a battle in the middle of the street.
With numerous guests in both the tavern and the restaurant, Lu Zheng and Yan Hongxia worried that, when cornered, those two might run amok and harm innocents. Meanwhile, those two didn’t want to escalate the situation and attract the Anomaly Suppression Bureau or the military, preventing their escape.
...
Lu Zheng finished his beef noodles, and the couple in the tavern also finished their meal before coming downstairs leisurely.
Giving Lu Zheng a once-over, he suddenly felt a delicate fragrance appear at his nose, and then the woman’s features began to blur.
Lu Zheng’s eyes flashed brightly, and the next moment he snapped back to clarity.
The fragrance dissipated, his vision cleared, and that couple had already turned and, seeming slow yet swift, headed out of the city.
Yan Hongxia looked at Lu Zheng, "How was it?"
"The spell is strong." Lu Zheng nodded, asking Yan Hongxia, "How did you counter it?"
"Of course, with Sword Qi." Yan Hongxia replied matter-of-factly.
"You’re awesome!" Lu Zheng gave a thumbs up, placed down more than twenty Copper Coins, and left with Yan Hongxia.
Jueshui County was not large, and they quickly approached the city gate.
"These two have some nerve acting so carefree even with my support?" Lu Zheng and Yan Hongxia followed the couple from behind.
Having tested him just now, the couple should realize Lu Zheng wouldn’t be easy to deal with, yet they seemed so leisurely?
The moment Lu Zheng finished speaking, the couple reached the city gate and then, with feet like the wind, swiftly distanced themselves.
Lu Zheng: ???
"Follow them!" Yan Hongxia shouted, leaping forward at high speed out of the city.
Lu Zheng applied a Divine Movement Technique to himself, and almost effortlessly, he left the city gate, rapidly pursuing along the official road.
...
Four shadowy figures flashed through the woods beside the official road, two ahead and two behind, flying swiftly.
"Yan Hongxia, will you ever give up? Don’t force us to take you down!" The woman ahead shouted in a sweet voice.
"Hmph! As if you could kill me, if you have the skill then come at me!" Yan Hongxia retorted from behind.
The woman said, "If you have the skill, tell your lover not to interfere!"
"Brother Lu just..."
Lu Zheng reached out and gathered the Cloud Qi swiftly, pressing it onto the couple.
"Huh? Using Cloud Technique as well?" The man exclaimed in surprise, then gazed at Lu Zheng cautiously, dispersing the Cloud Qi with a wave before speeding up with the woman again.
Both fought against Yan Hongxia using magical combat and could hold their own, but with Lu Zheng added, they didn’t have the means to fight back and just hoped to flee south. As long as they reached fellow disciples or returned to the Southern Border, they would be safe.
Thus, the two sped quickly, with notable cultivation, while Lu Zheng and Yan Hongxia followed closely from behind, frequently probing each other without a clear victor.
Though the two kept fleeing without pause, Lu Zheng gradually increased his effort, slowly gaining an advantage until the couple’s pace slowed.
Soon, as the sun slanted westward and the forest dimmed, a manor came into view ahead.