Chapter 121: The Cliffside Meeting

First, a brief note: from now on, I will not miss any updates, though the frequency and timing of my posts may be delayed or reduced. However, I guarantee a minimum of three thousand words per day. Finally, I would like to thank the twenty-five readers who have followed my book and those who have voted for me. It is you who have given me the motivation to keep writing. I thank you all sincerely.

"What?!" Upon hearing the old doctor’s words, a look of surprise and astonishment appeared on Lu Zhe’s face.

The old doctor patted Lu Zhe on the shoulder and said with a hint of fatigue, "Time is running out. We must absorb the 'Polar Mountain Fire Sunflower' soon. Go back and get some good rest today; we shall gather here at this same time tomorrow." Seeing the hesitation on Lu Zhe’s face, the old doctor smiled. "You should feel happy and honored. At your age, let alone absorbing a miraculous herb, even catching a glimpse of one is an immense stroke of luck. Go back and rest well today. Do not worry; your master is here to handle everything."

Watching the old doctor’s tired expression, softened by a smile, a pang of sorrow suddenly surged in Lu Zhe’s heart. He nodded and turned to walk out of the hall.

As he watched Lu Zhe walk away, the old doctor suddenly felt a wave of dizziness. He stumbled, his body swaying unsteadily.

"Doctor!" Old Oil-Six lunged forward, catching him before he could fall.

"It is nothing, it is nothing," the old doctor said, waving his hands repeatedly to dismiss the concern.

Helping the old doctor into a chair, Old Oil-Six looked at his exhausted appearance and hesitated before saying with a pained expression, "Doctor, you are suffering from extreme fatigue. Perhaps we should postpone the absorption of the herb? It would not be too late to proceed after you have recovered."

The old doctor sat in the chair, his right hand resting on the table to support his head. Upon hearing this, he shook his hand weakly and replied, "I—I am fine. This matter cannot be delayed; the longer it drags on, the more complications may arise." After catching his breath, he added in a frail voice, "I will be fine once I rest. Brother Xuefei, you must also rest well. Tomorrow, when Zhe’er absorbs the herb, we will need your ice-attributed spiritual energy to assist from the side." With that, he braced himself against the table and stood up shakily.

Seeing the old doctor’s struggle, Old Oil-Six hurriedly stepped forward to support him, accompanying him all the way back to his guest room.

Lu Zhe left the parlor, but instead of returning to his room, he followed a small path up to the mountain behind Old Oil-Six’s house.

Standing at the edge of the cliff, a cool mountain breeze blew past, causing the hem of Lu Zhe’s robes to dance. The wind swirled gently, rustling the leaves, then shifted to brush through the grass, creating waves of green that rolled across the hillside. Finally, it carried fallen leaves away into the distance.

Taking a deep breath of the crisp mountain air, a chill washed over him, making him shiver involuntarily.

"Hah," Lu Zhe sighed softly. Gazing at the overlapping mountain ranges ahead and recalling the old doctor’s weary face, his mind was flooded with a thousand thoughts.

Indescribable and tangled. It was the sorrow of parting, a unique bitterness lingering in his heart.

"It is just a wager. Why must my masters rack their brains and exhaust themselves so?" Lu Zhe’s eyes flickered as he looked into the distance. After a long silence, he whispered to himself.

"Brother Zhe." A soft, gentle voice came from behind him.

Lu Zhe started, surprised that Xue Ling’er had come here. He turned to look at the beautiful woman standing behind him. A breeze caught her robes, making them flutter, and her long, dark, lustrous hair danced in the wind. A few strands of hair clung to her snow-white cheeks, adding a breathtaking touch of beauty to her appearance.

Looking at her, Lu Zhe asked, "Ling’er, why did you come here?"

Xue Ling’er did not answer his question. She took a light step toward him, looked at him, and asked with a smile, "And what about you, Brother Zhe? Why are you here?"

Lu Zhe took a deep breath and said with a touch of melancholy, "Nothing. I just wanted to get some air."

Xue Ling’er smiled sweetly, stepped to his side, and looked out at the towering mountains. "You have something on your mind, don't you?"

Lu Zhe did not deny it; he simply nodded.

She brushed back the hair that had been tousled by the wind, her eyes filled with tenderness as she gazed into the distance, remaining silent.

Lu Zhe turned to look at her. Seeing the beautiful woman standing quietly by his side, he noticed the chill in the mountain breeze, now that it was afternoon. Seeing her lightly dressed, he took off his outer robe and draped it over her shoulders.

"Ah," Xue Ling’er gasped as she felt the garment being placed on her. She turned to look at the young man standing half a head taller than her—the dashing, heroic youth smiling down at her. A blush suddenly bloomed on her cheeks.

The blush did not escape Lu Zhe’s notice. Startled, he asked hurriedly, "Ling’er, why are you blushing? Are you running a fever?" He reached out to touch her forehead.

"It’s nothing," Lu Zhe muttered to himself after feeling the temperature of her skin.

Seeing Lu Zhe’s puzzled expression, Xue Ling’er let out a soft laugh, pulled the robe tighter around herself, and turned to look at the mountains ahead, leaving Lu Zhe standing there in confusion.

The two remained quietly at the cliff’s edge until the moon climbed into the sky and the night was filled with stars.

The firmament was like ink, enveloping the earth. The bright moon was like water, spilling its light for thousands of miles.

The sky was dense with stars, which, alongside the pale, white moon, adorned the desolate night. A night breeze blew, making a whistling sound; the leaves rustled, and the grass waves rose and fell. On the cliff stood a man and a woman.

As the wind blew, bringing a chill, Xue Ling’er suddenly gave a soft sneeze.

Hearing this, Lu Zhe said with concern, "It’s getting cold. Let’s head down."

"No," Xue Ling’er shook her head. Looking up at the white jade disc hanging in the sky, she whispered, "I want to take this opportunity to look at this beautiful moon with you for a while longer."

Lu Zhe was taken aback. He scratched his head and asked, "Why say it like that?"

Xue Ling’er did not speak; her eyes were as soft as water. After looking at the moon for a while, she lowered her head, then suddenly looked back at him with a smile.

That smile was impossibly beautiful. From Lu Zhe’s perspective, it felt as if Xue Ling’er were standing upon the moon itself. The silvery moonlight highlighted her graceful form, making her snow-white skin appear flawless and translucent, as if she were as beautiful and moving as Chang’e of the moon.

"Uh..." Watching her, Lu Zhe was momentarily entranced.

Xue Ling’er, seeing him dazed, gave a faint smile, stepped toward him, and then, with a sudden motion, threw herself into his arms.

This sudden action brought Lu Zhe back to reality. Startled and flustered, he stammered, "Li—Ling’er, what—what are you doing?"

Xue Ling’er did not speak; she buried her face deep in his chest. After a long while, she whispered softly, "Brother Zhe, I like you."

"Huh?!" Lu Zhe’s jaw nearly hit the ground. For a moment, he was frozen, completely at a loss.

Suddenly, he felt a burning passion surge deep within his heart, filling every limb and bone. His heart grew warm, and he blurted out, "I—I like you too."

As soon as he said it, his face turned as red as a burning coal.

Xue Ling’er let out a soft laugh and buried her head even deeper, but this time, a joyful smile graced her beautiful cheeks.

Lu Zhe tremblingly raised his right hand, swallowed hard, and clenched it into a fist as if making a resolution. He then wrapped his arm around Xue Ling’er, pulling her tightly into his embrace.

This embrace clearly surprised her. She gave a small gasp, and a pink flush appeared on her face, but it was overshadowed by a radiant, happy smile.

The night deepened, and the moon began to set.

Lu Zhe held Xue Ling’er as they stood at the edge of the cliff, watching the moon in silence for a long time. Finally, Lu Zhe spoke: "I have to absorb the miraculous herb tomorrow."

Xue Ling’er’s brows flickered, and she said softly, "Is that so?"

Lu Zhe moved his lips, as if weighing his words. After a moment, he said slowly, "My master said that this herb is a rare treasure of heaven and earth, seldom seen in this world."

"Isn’t that a good thing? Once you refine it, won’t you become very strong?" Xue Ling’er said, sounding happy.

"But..." The words reached his lips, but he swallowed them back.

"What’s wrong?" Xue Ling’er asked.

Lu Zhe looked down at her, his expression complex. He opened his mouth, wanting to speak but hesitating, as if harboring a hidden burden. After a long time, he sighed. "My master once said that the success rate of absorbing and refining this herb is only one in ten."

"Ah?!" Xue Ling’er gasped. She looked up at him, her eyes searching the young man’s shifting expressions.

The wind blew softly.

In the vast, dark sky, the stars twinkled, as if watching the pair standing on the cliff.

"Only one in ten?" Xue Ling’er repeated his words in a whisper.

Lu Zhe nodded, unable to deny it.

"I didn't think that even with that lord present, the success rate would only be one in ten," Xue Ling’er murmured to herself, her voice no louder than a mosquito’s hum.

"What?" Lu Zhe asked, failing to catch her words.

The mountain breeze blew, and their robes swayed.

Both fell silent. Lu Zhe regretted his words deeply. He had not intended to tell her, but he had let it slip before he knew it. He could only blame the overly intimate atmosphere for his lapse. After all, no man wants to hide anything from the woman he loves, especially when she is a peerless beauty.

Lu Zhe stood silently for a long time. He looked up at the star-filled night sky, let out a bitter laugh, and began to turn away.

However, before he had taken many steps, he felt someone tugging at his hem. Surprised, he turned to look at Xue Ling’er. She was looking down, her body trembling slightly, her hand gripping his robes tightly.

Lu Zhe felt a sense of unease. Just as he was about to speak, she looked up. He saw faint tear tracks on her face. Before he could say anything, she whispered, "You will be alright, won't you?"

Looking at her face filled with worry, Lu Zhe suddenly found a surge of courage. He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly, saying with absolute conviction, "Yes, I will definitely be alright."

Xue Ling’er smiled and nodded.

Lu Zhe loosened his grip slightly so they were not so close, but kept his arm around her slender waist. They looked into each other's eyes, their gazes filled with tender affection.

Looking at her, he saw infinite softness in her eyes, like flowing water that pulled him in and cradled him, leaving him intoxicated.

Lu Zhe tightened his hold on her waist, pulled her closer, and leaned down, pressing his lips against her soft, delicate ones.

The mountain breeze blew, the grass swayed, and the moonlight, like water, shone upon the pair as they kissed passionately on the cliff...