CHAPTER 101: CHAPTER 101: SENDING WINE TO WHITE CLOUD TEMPLE

Lin Wan was not Shen Ying, so she wasn’t qualified to have Lu Zheng support her waist as they left home.

Lu Zheng returned home in high spirits and then traveled back to ancient times.

"Brother Lu, are you home? My sister told me to invite you over for dinner!"

"Sure, I’m coming!"

"Young master, I’ve prepared a fish tonight and a bowl of steamed meat," Aunt Liu said mysteriously, poking her head out of the side door.

"You and Uncle Li keep half, and send the rest next door."

"The fish won’t look good if it’s divided, and Old Li and I can’t eat that much. Just leave a few pieces of meat," Aunt Liu shook her head, then retreated.

Lu Zheng grabbed a bottle of wine, leisurely went next door, and was welcomed by Elder Liu with a joyful smile as he was led to his seat.

"Stop always giving him wine; once he starts drinking, he stays drunk all night!" Madam Liu shot Elder Liu a glare.

"I’ll drink less today, less." Elder Liu replied with a grin, pouring himself a small glass. "Hey, this wine is different from the previous ones?"

Lu Zheng nodded, "Recently, people from the Anomaly Suppression Bureau came because a Scorpion Demon was causing trouble in the county, so I helped, and received a medicine pouch as a reward."

Lu Zheng roughly explained the situation of the case to the Liu Family.

Both Elder Liu and Madam Liu exchanged glances, looking astonished, "Green Scorpion and Ghost Python, absorbing people’s Yang Qi to cultivate evil skills, aren’t they afraid of death!"

Liu Qingyan asked with concern, "Were you hurt?"

Lu Zheng shook his head, "Of course not!"

Elder Liu blinked, "So, is this Scorpion Wine?"

Lu Zheng nodded, "Its medicinal properties are strong, you indeed shouldn’t drink too much at one time."

Elder Liu nodded, took a small sip of the medicinal wine in his cup, "Certainly quite replenishing!"

"Aunt, Qingyan, you can also drink a little. My senior said this Scorpion Demon’s medicine pouch can brew ten jars, I’ll bring one to our home later."

Elder Liu’s face turned red, "Good, that’s great!"

Hearing Lu Zheng directly refer to it as ’our home’, Liu Qingyan blushed, then snatched a piece of chicken from Liu Qingquan’s chopsticks and passed it to Lu Zheng.

Liu Qingquan smacked his lips and switched for another piece.

...

After dinner, Liu Qingyan saw Lu Zheng to the door.

"Lu Lang."

"Hm?"

"I want to discuss something with you."

"What’s up?"

"Well, I want... I want to see patients at Renxin Hall," Liu Qingyan said cautiously.

Lu Zheng looked confused, "And then?"

Liu Qingyan blinked, "Is that okay?"

Lu Zheng blinked, "Why are you asking me? Why wouldn’t it be?"

Liu Qingyan lightly bowed her head, speaking shyly, "Aren’t we... Would you still allow me to be seen in public?"

At that moment, dusk had fallen, the setting sun’s glow dyed Liu Qingyan’s delicate face with a layer of golden light. Her shy yet hopeful expression left Lu Zheng awestruck.

"Lu Lang, what, what are you looking at~"

"Hehe, you look pretty," Lu Zheng chuckled.

"I’m asking you a question!" Liu Qingyan lightly stomped her foot and looked up at Lu Zheng.

"Oh, oh!" Lu Zheng only then realized Liu Qingyan’s earlier question.

Though the Great Jing Dynasty was indeed open, generally, any esteemed family wouldn’t let their women be publicly seen and watched.

Lu Zheng had assets, cultivation, and could aid the Anomaly Suppression Bureau; even if he wasn’t immensely rich, he was still a prominent figure, which is why Liu Qingyan asked such a question.

Then Lu Zheng laughed.

He looked at Liu Qingyan and softly said, "Your wish is the direction of my efforts."

Liu Qingyan’s face suddenly turned crimson.

"I... I..."

"I can tell, you love treating people, seeing patients recover under your care makes you happier than anyone else."

Liu Qingyan’s gaze wavered, did she make it that obvious?

"That kind of brilliance and radiance makes your beauty transcend appearances; it’s an aura that radiates from inside out."

Liu Qingyan swallowed.

"So, why would I stop such beauty and kindness?" Lu Zheng glanced towards the courtyard and, seeing no one, swiftly kissed Liu Qingyan on the cheek, "Go ahead and see patients at Renxin Hall, showcase your medical skill, and heal more people, I support you!"

Lu Zheng felt he was seeing things; why did smoke start coming off Liu Qingyan’s head?

Liu Qingyan jumped up like a rabbit and sped back into the house, closing the door.

"I got it, thank you, Lu Lang. It’s getting late, you should head home and rest,"

Lu Zheng shook his head with a smile, then headed home.

...

The next day, Lu Zheng hired a donkey cart, loaded five jars of Scorpion Wine, and headed up Shaotong Mountain to White Cloud Temple again.

"Yuan Zheng, Junior!"

Upon seeing Lu Zheng disembark, the Guest Daoist greeted him with clasped hands.

"Yuan Ning, Senior, Senior, lend a hand, let’s get these wines into the temple."

Yuan Ning stepped forward, picked up a jar in each hand, and entered the temple with Lu Zheng.

"What kind of wine is this? The temple doesn’t lack such things."

So Lu Zheng recounted the story of the Anomaly Suppression Bureau, the Scorpion Demon, and the brewing of the wine.

Then Yuan Ning’s mouth nearly watered, "The Scorpion Wine of a century-old Scorpion Demon?"

"Not quite a century old; Lord Duan said this Scorpion Demon has only eighty to ninety years of Dao practice."

"Not very old, has quite the attitude," a jesting voice chimed in.

Lu Zheng turned his head and saw a Daoist in his fifties standing nearby.

This Daoist wore a gray robe, his hair bun was crooked, he looked plain, with slightly curved lips, and his expression carried a hint of humor.

"Greetings, Daoist Yuting!" Yuan Ning quickly put down the wine jar and saluted.

Lu Zheng saw this and knew it was a senior figure, likely a friend of Daoist Mingzhang, so he also lowered his jar, "Junior Yuan Zheng, greets Daoist Yuting."

Daoist Yuting raised his eyebrows, "You’re Yuan Zheng, huh? I heard Ming Zhang mention you, said you have extraordinary talent, are good material for cultivation."

"Master praised too much!"

"Really?" Daoist Yuting suddenly grinned, "Whether it’s praise, let me see for myself."

Lu Zheng suddenly felt his vision blur; he found himself in the sky.

Blue skies and white clouds surrounded him, the breeze brushed by, nothing beneath him, suspended mid-air.

"Holy crap?" Lu Zheng cursed loudly.

What the heck!

His feet turned weak, knees nearly buckling.

Looking down, he saw mountains and waters with a city and people. On a mountain halfway to the town, there stood a small Daoist temple.

Is this... White Cloud Temple?

Huh? How can I see myself in the temple?

No, at this height, I shouldn’t be able to see anyone clearly!

The realization dawned on him; Lu Zheng immediately figured it out.

Swallowed, he cautiously stepped forward.

Solid footing!

Calming his mind, gathering his energy in his eyes, he looked around.

Well, couldn’t make out anything.

Lu Zheng understood it was because his cultivation was much inferior.

"Daoist Yuting, dismiss the spell please, don’t joke with the junior any longer."

Shush!

Lu Zheng’s vision blurred again, returning to the front courtyard of White Cloud Temple.

"Discovered the trick so quickly; indeed, not bad," Daoist Yuting nodded, pointed at the wine jars by Lu Zheng’s feet, "Bring them along."

"Alright."

Lu Zheng nodded, about to bend over when he suddenly noticed Yuan Ning beside him.

In the next moment, Lu Zheng couldn’t hold back a bitter smile, pleading again, "Daoist Yuting, your illusion technique is too powerful, please don’t tease the junior anymore."