Chapter 62 - Both Parties Depart
"Ready?"
It had rained all day yesterday; today should be a clear and sunny day.
The colors of spring had not yet faded, all things were moist and glossy; streams of rainwater flowed slowly through the gradually thinning piles of snow, like hands caressing a lover.
Luo He walked silently across the shallowly exposed grassy ground and, by the faint morning light, saw Su Huanhuan sitting to one side.
At this moment, she had also taken off her trademark long, bright red dress and changed into a rather inconspicuous gray hooded long robe.
Even the flower imprint on her forehead was concealed, and her red pupils had been made up to look black.
At this moment, she carried a traveler's pack on her back and looked just like a young female Xu Xiake.*
[N: Xu Xiake was a Chinese explorer, geographer, and travel writer of the Ming dynasty, known best for his famous geographical treatise, and noted for his bravery and humility.]
Facing Luo He's question, she lifted her chin and hummed in agreement, then said with a smile:
"These past few days, I went to the surrounding areas to get myself an identity. From now on, I am a wandering cultivator who set out from the foot of Tianyuan Mountain, come to Yedu to visit the famous scenic spots and historical sites of the world. Have you remembered that?"
"Mm."
Luo He nodded his head.
Although he didn't think there was any use in him remembering it.
It was just faint dawn at this moment. Su Huanhuan took a deep breath of the slight morning light peeking through the clouds, as if wanting to exhale all her previous gloom along with it.
Afterwards, she stretched lazily, like a cat acting spoiled, and once again looked towards Luo He.
"How come you've changed your clothes?"
"A gift from someone else."
"...A gift from someone else?"
"Yes."
"No, how can you wear them?"
"I can't wear them, but I can transform my own attire to a certain extent."
Luo He switched between his two sets of clothes.
Mm, the one-click outfit change function has been implemented.
At least a spirit body was not bad in this regard.
But Su Huanhuan's gaze turned strange.
"That is to say, although you can't wear them, you transformed a set for her, to make someone happy?"
"That's right."
Is there a problem?
"......"
Speaking of which, Su Huanhuan also seemed to have always been very fond of red-colored things.
Luo He looked at himself, then asked her:
"What do you think of this outfit?"
"This type of clothing doesn't suit you. You don't look obedient at all."
"Is that so?"
It seems the difference in aesthetic tastes between people really can be very large.
"...How come you still haven't changed back?"
"? Why should I change back?"
Su Huanhuan said in shock:
"You can change into a set of clothes to make someone else happy, but you can't change for me?"
"?"
What a strange question.
But Luo He was a very earnest person. After thinking about it seriously for a moment, he decided to answer seriously:
"Before, I felt it didn't matter what I wore; after all, not many people could see me. So since changing clothes could make someone happy, I didn't really mind."
"But I quite like this set of clothes, so now I must prioritize my own feelings."
"So, I'm not changing."
"......"
Su Huanhuan's happiness vanished in an instant; the meaning conveyed by the curved corners of her mouth rapidly changed from sunny to cloudy, cloudy to overcast.
Now it was like the wind of late winter, damp and chilly.
"You're cuter sometimes when you don't talk."
"Perhaps."
Luo He himself also thought so.
"By the way, Liu Miao said before that Boss Hua from her side came up the mountain looking for you... Did you run into her?"
"...She came up the mountain looking for me? When did that happen?"
Su Huanhuan's heart instantly became alert.
"It just so happened to be these two days you were out."
"......"
Good.
It's a good thing she had run far enough for her errands these two days, and her own ability to handle her tracks was top-notch; even Gu Jing hadn't managed to find her.
For her to suddenly come looking for her, there was a ten out of ten, or at least nine out of ten, chance it wasn't for anything good.
But, damn it, could it be that Luo He was exposed?
No, it's not likely an open exposure; it must be that something made her suspicious... Tsk, it's over, it must be that little girl Liu Miao...
Su Huanhuan thought to herself.
Of course, at this moment she didn't have the time to guess that the one who gave Luo He this set of clothes was also her (Gu Jing).
Otherwise, her mood would have been even worse.
"Didn't see her, but it's not any important matter either."
"Mm."
Luo He nodded his head and didn't ask any more questions.
After this reminder from Luo He, Su Huanhuan didn't dare to stay a moment longer. She crossed the back mountain, passed through Deer Drinking Creek, and at this moment, stood on the other side of the mountainside, looking down towards the north.
Range upon range of peaks, where clouds and birds roosted together.
The winding road below connected to a vast, indistinct town in the distance.
That was the path they would take next.
...
"Boss Hua, are you leaving?"
"Mm."
The Gu Jing of this moment was no longer the same as she was in the flower room.
She had tied her hair up high, a hairstyle she often showed people when she was still at the Tianchen Sword Sect.
She carried two swords: one was a crude iron long sword that could be bought anywhere, and the other was the broken sword on her back.
After all, that sword no longer belonged to her.
Liu Miao looked at her, only feeling a somewhat strange emotion rise in her heart.
These past few days, it clearly seemed like nothing had happened, yet she felt that great changes had occurred around her.
She had met some new people, gotten to know Boss Hua anew, and now, the three parties were all going to leave this place.
She still remembered that the former Boss Hua spoke very little.
Every time she opened her mouth, she wouldn't say more than a few sentences, quickly ending with "mm," "mm."
Now, she always felt that Boss Hua's words had become more numerous... uh, alright, it was just a feeling.
But she could still be certain that some parts of Boss Hua had changed.
As for the reason...
Just as mentioned before.
She, Liu Shuishui, was a bit dense, but not stupid.
She could tentatively guess a little; perhaps, probably, it should be, possibly...
it was related to Mr. Luo...
Of course, as for what the specific relationship was, she was completely baffled.
But having kept that secret for High Immortal Luo He was probably a good thing...
Uh, it should be.
Because they really didn't look like they could have a good relationship.
Liu Shuishui was always unexpectedly sensitive in these areas.
"Do you have any plans for after this?"
Gu Jing stood up and asked Liu Miao.
Her figure at this moment was visibly somewhat haggard and thin, but her eyes and brows seemed to have found a bit of their former appearance again.
Like a vase that should have shattered, but had been glued back together.
That sense of being broken was even more obvious, yet not to the point where one couldn't see a single trace of hope.
Facing Gu Jing's question, Liu Miao, for once, fell into deep thought.
"......"
Gu Jing looked at her, her eyes full of an inscrutable expression.
This girl before her had very good talent; of course, no matter how good the talent, it held no meaning for her.
What was important was, she knew his sword... Although she didn't know if it was really him, but...
Gu Jing unconsciously clenched her fists.
"If you're willing, I can take you somewhere.”
"It is a very formidable sect. Its name is... the Tianchen Sword Sect."
"Ah..."
The Tianchen Sword Sect again?
Liu Miao was stunned for a moment, then nodded her head.
It seemed that whether it was Boss Hua or Mr. Luo, their relationship with that place was very close.
Going there might really be able to help her clarify many facts.
Holding such a muddled vision, Liu Miao made the second most important choice on her path of cultivation.
As for the first, she had already chosen.