That very night, Lu Qingyun, Shen Yufeng and all the other maidens chatted throughout the night. There was a free flowing of wines and everyone had their own recount of their lives. There were no seniority and no celestial titles to restraint them. They were just friends and everyone just chatted freely.
Lu Qingyun shared with them his life in the mountains before he had joined the Heavens Ridge Villa.
Ouyang Xue and Leng Qiuyue shared with them their constant rivalries in the past but they were now friends now.
Lie Xingyuan shared with them her old life at the Heavens Ridge Villa and the Heavenly Fragrance Villa.
Yin Shisi shared with them her quarrels with Qiuxiang Mei and her brother.
Qian Jingjing shared with them her days at the Spirit Sword Manor.
Zhao Riyue, Zhao Xingye, Feng Xiaoxiao, Tang Xuefeng and Shen Yufeng shared with them the interesting details of their lives in the Heavenly Fragrance Villa.
Afterward, everyone was either dead drunk or had fallen into a deep sleep.
The next morning, several female protégés of the Heavenly Fragrance Villa had arrived in Lu Qingyun's tent to check on Fragrance Herald Yufeng and the other senior protégé sisters.
What they saw, shocked them; the whole tent was extremely messy and there were wines everywhere. Lu Qingyun and the rest of the maidens were all lying on the ground with their robes loosened.
"This…what is going on here?"
Then they took a look at Lu Qingyun who was holding onto to Qian Jingjing and Tang Xuefeng's bosom.
And they were gasping with shock.
Actually it was Qian Jingjing who was holding onto to Lu Qingyun and not the other way round but these were not what the female protégés of the Heavenly Fragrance Villa were all thinking.
As for Tang Xuefeng, Lu Qingyun had fallen drunk on her while they were sharing the secret alchemy receipt that she had discovered. They had actually chatting on other alchemy receipts until they were too drunk and tired to continue.
Then the female protégés were all gasping with shock and had misunderstood.
"Did Senior Lu Qingyun and they…"
The female protégés quickly exited the tent hurriedly, pretending that nothing had happened but the image of Lu Qingyun that was upon Tang Xuefeng was extremely vivid in their minds. Nothing could convince them that nothing had happened between the two of them.
Of course, nothing had happened except that everyone was too drunk but in the eyes of these female protégés, everything had happened when they saw the loose robes, shoes, belts, gloves and messy attires.
Actually Tang Xuefeng was not too drunk to realize that her junior protégé sisters had just entered the tent and was only pretending to be asleep.
She did not drink as much as the rest of the maidens as she had spent more time talking to Lu Qingyun about her alchemy discoveries that could be used for her cooking. She was not afraid that her alchemy secrets would be leaked out because she had suddenly realized that only Lu Qingyun could make a sense on what she was talking about.
Lu Qingyun was actually a good drinker but because all the maidens were offering toast after toast, he was now the most dead drunk among everyone.
So when he had collapsed onto Tang Xuefeng and had used her as a pillow, she did not dare to move as his head and hand rested on her soft bosoms. Instead she had spent the whole night thinking of him…
When all the maidens slowly regained their consciousness, everyone pretended that nothing had happened and quietly put Lu Qingyun on his bed before they hastily left his tent.
Shen Yufeng muttered before she left, "Who pulls my belt when I am drunk…" Actually she had removed her own robe when she was feeling too hot when she had taken too much of these spirit wines that were actually powerful enough to knock off even a golden celestial.
"No one must leak out what has happened here." Shen Yufeng warned everyone with a flustered look.
And every one of them had their own lame excuses as they exited the tent in great haste.
So when Lu Qingyun had regained his consciousness with a big headache, he was not aware of what had happened. His first thought was, "Everyone is not here…I must be as drunk as a dead pig…"
But he was smiling because he had finally got Tang Xuefeng's secret alchemy receipt that could make water boil without a fire. He had thought that this was going to be an uphill battle to persuade her to share with him but he did not expect that it would be so easy.
"I'm right to give the Heavenly Relics to the Heavenly Fragrance Villa. She must be so touched by this gesture, that's why."
But he did not know that ever since he had accidentally made her cry, Tang Xuefeng's sentimental heart had been awakened and she was now looking at Lu Qingyun in a different light.
–
–
–
Lu Qingyun and Qian Jingjing were now bidding farewell to Lie Xingyuan, Leng Qiuyue, Ouyang Xue and Yin Shisi now.
Lu Qingyun had firmly decided to go to join the fight against the Devil Goddess and the three dark divine realms.
Lie Xingyuan sighed softly, "It is so good to see you again, senior brother. Please take care and I hope to see you again soon."
Leng Qiuyue was saying to Qian Jingjing, "You are more fortunate than I am." Then she lowered her voice to whisper to her. "At least you have a chance to fight for your happiness."
Qian Jingjing averted her eyes shyly before she whispered quietly, "Thank you."
Yin Shisi said quietly to Lu Qingyun, "Senior brother, Grand Elder Ouyang Xue and I have decided to return to the Heavens Ridge Villa. Please come back when you have found sect leader and tells her that we miss her."
Lu Qingyun nodded with a heavy sigh, "I will."
Actually he had no idea where Qin Keqin was now. She had left in such a great haste. But he was determined to find her and to kindle their romances again.
Ouyang Xue sighed softly, "We have only want to escort you to the Moon Demon Forest and didn't think that senior brother you will be going to the other divine realm." In her heart, she had wanted to follow him but she had her own responsibilities to the Heavens Ridge Villa.
Lu Qingyun laughed jovially, "I will be fine, don't worry."
Originally Yin Shisi and Ouyang Xue had accompanied Lu Qingyun to the Moon Demon Forest to persuade him to give up the trip while there was time. They did not think that Lu Qingyun would make it out of the final trial alive.
When Lu Qingyun was inside the ancient celestial ruin, they were extremely anxious for him and thought that the worst had befallen him.
When they saw him again, they were extremely relieved.
In their hearts, they wished that they could accompany him in his search for Qin Keqin and to join him in the fight against the Devil Goddess.
But they could not. It was because they just had a breakthrough in their cultivation realm and would need to further solidify their inner cultivation sea with some quiet meditation.
Lu Qingyun patted Lie Xingyuan and Leng Qiuyue on their shoulders as he sighed heavily, "It is so good to see Xingyuan and Qiuyue again in such a short time. I was actually hoping to see you soon but was disappointed when I did not see you at the first outpost camp."
Lie Xingyuan lowered her glances, "I am glad that senior brother didn't forget about us."
Leng Qiuyue nodded lightly, "Senior brother, you will surely be able to find Sect Leader Keqin."
Lu Qingyun felt a little guilty toward Leng Qiuyue and he mustered his voice to say, "Actually Qiuyue, I…"
Leng Qiuyue interrupted softly as smiled, "Actually protégé sister Xingyuan had already told me about you and sect leader…"
Lu Qingyun smiled weakly, "Oh really. That is good…"
Qian Jingjing looked at Lu Qingyun and Leng Qiuyue curiously, "What about it?"
But all the other maidens were all laughing jovially as they said to her, "It is for you to find out."
They did not tell her directly but were sincerely praying for her instead. It was because the way Lu Qingyun had looked at Qin Keqin was completely different when he was looking at them.
Lu Qingyun was already thinking of Qin Keqin now. "She said that she is traveling incognito with her sister saintesses to assist Saint Gao Tianshou. I just need to be more alert and to pick up the clues along the way…Keqin, do you think that I will wait in the Heavens Ridge Villa for you till next year? No! I will look for you now and to give you a surprise!"
------------------------------------------------
(I didn't want to write a story about two ill-fated lovers that have misunderstandings on the way but instead they are ill-fated lovers due to their different alignments.)