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Ch96.2 - Heavenly Maidens Scatter Flowers




Yuan Qian, Wu Baili, and Qifu Zhao exchanged uncertain looks, unsure whether they should say anything.
Zhuang Lingxiu made a dismissive sound: “Xiaoxiao knows how to gauge relationships. If he told you, he won’t hide it from me, and he won’t blame you for telling me. Just say it directly.”
The three thought about it and realized he had a point.
Since Su Hansheng didn’t hide things from them, he certainly wouldn’t from Senior Brother Zhuang. They spilled everything.
A Celestial Immortal’s son falling for his own uncle, and moreover the head of Buddhist cultivators—it was too shocking for words. Yuan Qian expected Zhuang Lingxiu’s first reaction to match theirs from back then: a sharp intake of breath and disbelief.
But unexpectedly, after hearing the story, Zhuang Lingxiu broke into a strange smile.
Only the Little Lord could accomplish what others couldn’t.
His boldness was truly impressive.
Zhuang Lingxiu expressed his admiration.
Everyone: “…”
They began to doubt whether telling Zhuang Lingxiu had been the right decision.
After waiting about half an hour outside, movement finally came from the quiet inner room.
Fearing Xu Nanxian might actually beat Su Hansheng, Yuan Qian secretly crouched in a corner to peek inside.
Xu Nanxian looked perfectly calm. He’d already withdrawn his spiritual energy from adjusting Su Hansheng’s meridians and was standing nearby, frowning as he wrung out a damp cloth.
Su Hansheng was drenched in sweat, but fortunately his fever had completely broken. He lay quietly with his eyes closed, though his hand was death-gripping Xu Nanxian’s sleeve, refusing to let go.
Xu Nanxian didn’t get angry. He gently wiped the sweat from Su Hansheng’s face with the damp cloth, his expression looking impatient, but his movements were incredibly tender.
Yuan Qian watched for a while, then quietly withdrew his head.
This Senior Brother Xu truly had a knife mouth and tofu heart.
Su Hansheng’s life was spared.
***
Su Hansheng had no idea he’d escaped a beating. He lay weakly all afternoon until nightfall, when he finally became fully lucid.
From that high fever, he’d sweated profusely, multiple times over. The first thing he wanted upon waking was to bathe in the back courtyard.
His companion tree clung to his clothes and followed him there.
Su Hansheng tossed a fire spirit stone into a spring pool, and the ice-cold water instantly warmed. He stripped off his damp clothes and threw them aside, then stepped into the water.
After soaking groggily for a while, Su Hansheng suddenly opened his eyes, finally understanding: “Senior Brother came back?!”
His companion tree brushed against his face, indicating yes.
Su Hansheng became fully alert and sensed that his previously turbulent internal meridians had been expertly straightened, with spiritual energy flowing smoothly through his channels without the slightest discomfort.
So when he’d been scolded by his senior brother and crawled around the bed in his dream—that wasn’t a dream?
The pool water was warm, but Su Hansheng involuntarily shivered.
It was over.
Completely over—Senior Brother definitely heard all those delirious things he said while feverish!
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“Ah,” Xu Nanxian said without lingering, turning to leave. “Then rest well. I’ll come see you again in a few days.”
Hearing this, Su Hansheng immediately dropped the act and bounded up from the chair, taking a few quick steps before launching himself at Xu Nanxian from behind, wrapping his arms tightly around his waist.
“Senior Brother! Senior Brother finally came back. I missed you so much.”
Xu Nanxian was squeezed so hard he could barely breathe. He forced Su Hansheng’s arms open, turned around, and steadied him by the shoulders, speaking irritably: “Missed me? I’d think you’d be constantly dwelling on your treacherous thoughts instead. Where would you find time to miss me?”
Su Hansheng froze.
Xu Nanxian had spent the entire afternoon recovering from shock at Su Hansheng’s wolfish words. He’d come intending to question him, but after just making that sarcastic jab, Su Hansheng stared at him blankly for a moment before two lines of tears suddenly fell.
Xu Nanxian panicked immediately, reaching out to clumsily wipe the tears, his voice softening unconsciously.
“What’s wrong? I haven’t even started saying harsh things yet.”
Su Hansheng sobbed: “Uncle… he said he’s going into seclusion for ten years. He doesn’t want me anymore.”
Xu Nanxian’s face went pale. He thought to himself: listen to what you’re saying—is that even human speech?
The World-Honored One has no blood relation to you. How could you expect him to follow you around all day? And “he doesn’t want me anymore”—it’s like the World-Honored One abandoned his wife and…
Pfft, never mind.
Normally Xu Nanxian would’ve cursed by now, but seeing Su Hansheng’s tear-streaked face and genuinely devastated expression, he could only pinch his nose and comfort him: “Ten years is nothing. It’ll pass in a blink. What’s there to fear?”
Su Hansheng nodded quietly, though tears continued streaming down his face.
Xu Nanxian truly felt like he’d gained a little junior sister who cried over every little thing.
He said helplessly: “Crying and whimpering—aren’t you ashamed? Stop crying. I’ll take you out to have some fun.”
Su Hansheng wiped his tears haphazardly, mumbling: “Where are we going?”
“To watch a good show,” Xu Nanxian carefully wiped the tear streaks from his face with his sleeve, casually saying, “Lingxiu went to Red Maple Forest. He should go directly to the celebration banquet at Shangshan Study Hall later.”
Su Hansheng didn’t quite understand, but he didn’t want to spend all his thoughts on the fact that Chongjue had left. He nodded along and decided to go watch the spectacle to pass the time.
As night fell.
When Xu Nanxian led Su Hansheng to Shangshan Study Hall, a crowd of students had already gathered outside, each holding lotus cups filled with willow-leaf wine.
Su Hansheng looked on in confusion.
Xu Nanxian explained: “When students return from their trials, everyone drinks willow-leaf wine, symbolizing the dispelling of bad luck and successful advancement. The student who receives the most wine offerings gets three extra points added to their advancement evaluation.”
Willow-leaf wine wasn’t particularly strong. It had a clean, sweet yet bitter fragrance of willow leaves. One could drink over a dozen cups without getting drunk.
As they walked, several students happily offered Xu Nanxian cups of willow-leaf wine to celebrate his safe return from the trial.
Xu Nanxian didn’t care about adding those extra points. He thanked them and drained each cup in one gulp.
Su Hansheng seemed half-understanding.
The interior of Shangshan Study Hall was packed, and while Wendao Academy students usually made every banquet lively and cheerful, this one resembled attending a funeral. Everyone wore heavy expressions, cradling lotus cups as if using wine to pay respects to the deceased.
Su Hansheng asked carefully: “Did someone die on this trial?”
“Nothing like that. It’s just Lingxiu…”
Xu Nanxian found it difficult to explain when a commotion suddenly erupted from the crowd, followed by the slow sound of wooden wheels rolling.
Su Hansheng turned to look.
Zhuang Lingxiu was being pushed in his wheelchair by Chu Fenghan.
In past banquets, Zhuang Lingxiu was always the most unwelcome, but this time the grief-stricken students swarmed forward, eagerly pressing their willow-leaf wine into his hands.
“Senior Brother Zhuang, have some willow-leaf wine! Dispel the bad luck so your path forward will be smooth!”
This was the first time Zhuang Lingxiu was surrounded by people not to scold him, but to offer him wine. Still draped in the black cloak concealing his missing limbs, he sighed and extended his intact left hand to accept the wine, murmuring:
“I’m already a cripple who can’t stand or wield a blade. What smooth path forward? This willow-leaf wine can’t dispel my bad luck anyway. You should give these to your other senior brothers and sisters instead.”
The students felt even more guilty and pressed the wine on him even more eagerly.
“Senior Brother Zhuang, just have one cup. We mean it sincerely.”
“Yeah, yeah, we shouldn’t have talked about you behind your back or called you Zhuang Dog.”
“Senior Brother Zhuang cares for us academy students. When the riverboat was attacked recently, if not for Senior Brother Zhuang protecting us with all his heart, we would’ve turned to dust long ago!”
A group of youths chattered away trying to coax Zhuang Lingxiu.
Zhuang Lingxiu sighed, acting as though he was overwhelmed by their kindness, and accepted and drank each offered cup.
Su Hansheng tilted his head, looking confused: “What kind of scheme is Senior Brother Zhuang plotting this time?”
It all felt like the calm before the storm.
Xu Nanxian said nothing.
Su Hansheng asked again: “Why did he call himself a cripple? Is he injured?”
Xu Nanxian nodded: “Yes. To save me, his right hand and left foot were eroded to bone by the Bone-Eroding Tree’s fluff.”
Su Hansheng was startled and immediately pushed through the crowd to rush forward: “Senior Brother Zhuang!”
Zhuang Lingxiu was happily drinking his willow-leaf wine, almost ready to secure those three extra points, when he caught sight of Su Hansheng rushing in with red-rimmed eyes. He immediately wrapped his black cloak tighter around himself.
He gave a dry laugh: “Xiaoxiao’s here, huh?”
Su Hansheng’s eyes were completely red: “Senior Brother said your hands and feet…”
The other students nearby desperately made signals at Su Hansheng, warning him not to bring up Senior Brother Zhuang’s painful subject!
Zhuang Lingxiu, unable to bear seeing him distressed, quickly comforted him: “It’s fine, it’s fine. So my hands and feet are gone—they can grow back!”
Su Hansheng: “?”
Those can grow back?
A student nearby holding a lotus cup choked up: “Yes, yes, they can grow back, wuwu—!”
After speaking, they covered their mouth and wept to the side.
Only then did everyone realize Zhuang Lingxiu was in denial. They quickly wept in agreement: “They’ll definitely grow back! Senior Brother Zhuang’s sincerity can move heaven and earth. The Heavenly Way is just, and will surely grant you the opportunity to regenerate bone!”
“That’s right, that’s right!”
Zhuang Lingxiu: “…”
Su Hansheng’s eyes grew even redder: “Senior Brother…”
Zhuang Lingxiu, hearing the seven or eight voices chattering at him, suddenly raised his left hand: “Enough.”
Everyone immediately fell silent.
Chu Fenghan, jade-like and elegant, held a lotus cup against the doorframe, drinking slowly while watching Zhuang Lingxiu with an ambiguous smile.
“Actually,” Zhuang Lingxiu gave a dry cough and spoke seriously, “I really did get a great opportunity. They actually can grow back.”
Everyone’s eyes showed only transparent stupidity. They didn’t believe him at all.
Zhuang Lingxiu made a nonsensical hand sign with his left hand, then suddenly let out a “Ha!” and right before everyone’s eyes, he pulled away the black cloak wrapped around his body and slowly stood up.
Everyone: “…”
The right hand and left foot that had been empty just at midday were now completely restored and intact. He slowly rose to his feet and nodded at everyone, presenting himself as a refined gentleman of clear virtue and serene manner.
“Children, this is a great opportunity indeed! Won’t you quickly thank the Heavenly Way on behalf of your senior brother?”
Everyone stared at him with their mouths agape.
Until the first person finally reacted, sharply inhaling—they’d been tricked by Zhuang Dog again!
Zhuang Lingxiu reacted with lightning speed, scooping up the still-confused Su Hansheng and taking off running.
In the next instant, countless lotus cups filled with willow-leaf wine came flying at his back like heavenly maidens scattering flowers.
Everyone’s hair stood on end as they cursed hysterically.
“Zhuang Dog! I believed your nonsense!”
“Ahhh I’m going to kill Zhuang Dog! Someone call the Zhuang Elimination Army! Kill him, kill him, ahhhhh!”
“I’m at odds with anyone surnamed Zhuang! You just wait—every time I see you I’ll beat you!”
Zhuang Lingxiu laughed heartily, nimbly holding Su Hansheng and jumping directly into the inner room of Shangshan Study Hall. He waved at Xu Nanxian and Chu Fenghan, who were already prepared.
“Quick, quick, shut the door hahahaha!”
Xu Nanxian rolled his eyes and slammed the door shut with a bang.
Blocking out a floor’s worth of curses and lotus cups.
***