Du Gulingli was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Did you agree to be Shen Tang’s guest official with the intention of using her background for future revenge against the Huo family?”

Lu Xingzhou was startled. “You would actually think that.”

Du Gulingli said, “Normally I wouldn’t think about these things… but this person is you.”

Lu Xingzhou laughed wryly. “You’re not sensitive when you should be, but you’re sensitive about this… Is it because ‘protecting Shen Tang’ is the top priority in your directive set?”

“What is a directive set?”

“It’s nothing… The fact that the Huo family is now trying to resolve the grievances rather than just killing me is indeed related to Shen Tang. But if I told you that I never thought about this aspect when I decided to help Shen Tang, would you believe me?”

Du Gulingli said seriously, “I believe you.”

Lu Xingzhou was stunned again. “Why?”

“No reason, perhaps I just want to hear you say that, that’s all.”

“Would that make you feel a little better?”

“That would make Shen Tang feel a little better.”

Lu Xingzhou looked at her for a while, and finally said, “In fact, I have no certainty of helping Shen Tang achieve her goal; her goal is too grand. In this process, those extraneous matters should not be considered too much.”

Du Gulingli nodded.

Lu Xingzhou said, “What were you going to tell me just before Yang Dechang arrived?”

Du Gulingli answered very simply, “Nothing anymore.”

At that time, she also wanted to ask him if he was leaving, but it seemed there was nothing left to ask now.

“Then I have something to say.” Lu Xingzhou smiled mockingly. “Yang Dechang didn’t come here specifically for me.”

Du Gulingli was startled. “Why?”

“He definitely has to continue investigating the Huo Yu case… That’s a minor matter. Now Shen Yuanyao is the acting city lord, and she is deeply involved in this matter herself, and she’s smart. Yang Dechang won’t be able to find anything. The real major issue is…” Lu Xingzhou paused and whispered, “If the royal succession struggle leads to factions, which faction is the Huo family in?”

Du Gulingli thought carefully, but still shook her head. “I don’t know about such things.”

“On the surface, the Huo family are loyal officials to the emperor and won’t favor any prince, seemingly unrelated to this matter. But from the fact that the Huo family concealed the medicinal pills from the emperor, it can be known that the Huo family must also be looking for a fallback and must have secretly bet on other princes. No matter whose people they are, they will not want to see Shen Tang rise. Their goodwill towards me also has the meaning of paralyzing Shen Tang. In fact, they will definitely secretly suppress the Tianxing Sword Sect next, and it will start immediately.”

Du Gulingli’s heart clenched. Thinking about it carefully, this conclusion made perfect sense.

The Huo family had important matters to conceal from the emperor, so they definitely had to find a fallback.

“So Shen Tang, who now seems to be emerging from the shadows, will immediately be suppressed. And this suppression is not only from the maliciousness of the various princes, but also the vigilance of the local forces in Xia Zhou. They don’t know who Shen Tang is, but no one wants a powerful sword sect to rise up next to them without reason. This mentality can easily be exploited by the various princes, forming a situation where she is the target of everyone.” Lu Xingzhou shook the land deed in his hand. “Now with the ten-mile manor and the continuous mountains, the scene is magnificent enough to make the people of Xia Zhou look sideways…”

Du Gulingli gasped. “They gave you the land deed with the intention of provoking the people of Xia Zhou?”

“Of course they did, otherwise how could they be so kind… On the surface, they say they want to resolve grievances, tch.”

Du Gulingli really admired the shrewd minds of these guys. A simple little matter actually hid multiple meanings behind the scenes. What she admired even more was that Lu Xingzhou seemed to be entangled with Yang Dechang over grievances, but in fact, he saw through everything in an instant.

“You know this land deed is malicious, so you still accepted it?”

“Why not accept something that’s given to you? Development is inevitable, and development will definitely conflict with local forces. If you don’t even have this psychological preparation, what are you playing at…” Lu Xingzhou said indifferently, “I’ve wanted the Huo mansion for a long time. Under this temptation, anything is worth it.”

Du Gulingli said, “I secretly explored the Huo mansion. There really isn’t anything there.”

“How can secret exploration compare to open exploration? No matter how hard you try, you can’t dig three feet deep, and you can’t connect this entire area, including Danxia Mountain, and ponder this area as a whole, but now the conditions are in place.”

The overall terrain…

Du Gulingli was stunned there. She really hadn’t thought of this.

“I’ve been on Danxia Mountain for the past six months, observing and sketching from top to bottom every day. I have a rough idea in my mind, but it still needs to be verified.” Lu Xingzhou smiled. “Now I’m just waiting for Shen Tang to come back and see how her interaction with Liu Yan’er goes.”

After Lu Xingzhou finished speaking, he said no more, lowered his head, and quietly prepared his topical medicine.

The sky gradually turned to dusk. The two were quiet, one preparing medicine and the other guarding, without a word.

Du Gulingli was still in a daze. She didn’t know why, but she could actually see the shadow of her master in this mere seventh-grade fellow.

That overall perspective, that profound depth that seemed to see through the mists of time and space.

Moreover, this person was really strange. When there were people around, he would say frivolous things like “See you again, little white hair,” but when they were alone, he didn’t say anything teasing. It felt very disjointed. She was a bit unwilling to come protect him at first, but now it didn’t seem like much. He was more proper than Shen Tang and could even make people feel like there was something to learn from him.

If Lu Xingzhou knew her thoughts, he would probably tell her that chatting in a group and chatting privately are indeed different. If the relationship hasn’t reached that point, some words are jokes in a group chat, but harassment in a private chat, which isn’t good.

In the silence, who knows how long passed, when the cheerful laughter of A’nuo pushing a wheelchair came from a distance: “That man with the flowery name is so funny, he actually thinks he’s the leader of the Danxia Gang, hahaha…”

The wheelchair reached the door, and the laughter stopped abruptly.

The big one and the small one peered inside. In the twilight glow, the scene of Lu Xingzhou concentrating on simmering ointment and the white-haired girl quietly attending, made their hearts feel a little strange.

Lu Xingzhou didn’t even look up. “It’s done?”

“It’s done.” Shen Tang entered the door and smiled. “Say Liu Yan’er is stupid, but she’s really not stupid. In fact, the news of selling the Danxia Gang was secretly spread by herself. She had long wanted to shake off that man with the flowery name. When we came to her door, it was like hitting it off. She only made one extra request, and you even accurately predicted that request…”

Lu Xingzhou stifled a laugh. “Treat the flowery name.”

“Yes.” Shen Tang smiled. “I gave her the pills you had prepared, and she transferred the entire Danxia Gang to me without a word. She even gave me the gang leader token, and only asked for a stack of silver notes…”

A’nuo chimed in, “She was discovered by Bai Chi when she left, and Bai Chi shouted for the people of the Danxia Gang to stop her. Master, guess what?”

Lu Xingzhou thought for a moment. “I guess Bai Chi was beaten up by the people of the Danxia Gang instead.”

“Haha!” A’nuo laughed. “That’s right. The people of the Danxia Gang originally felt that life was very good for the past six months, and it was only after he came that things started to collapse. They already hated him to the core. He even put on airs and ordered others to chase the young gang leader, and was almost beaten to death.”

“As expected, his name is like his person, an idiot.” Lu Xingzhou smiled at Shen Tang. “You originally needed to recruit people. How about the manpower of the Danxia Gang?”

“At least there are enough people.” Shen Tang blinked. “We can evaluate them, absorb the excellent ones, and put the less suitable ones into the outer sect.”

“Then congratulations, Miss Shen, you don’t have to worry about being short of staff after occupying Danxia Mountain.”

“Similarly, congratulations to Mr. Lu, the chief alchemist of the Danxia Gang, for ruling his old territory as their master.”

A’nuo clasped her hands together and stood aside, while Du Gulingli held her sword. The two looked on expressionlessly. How about moving the Household Affairs Office here tomorrow and getting married on the spot?

“I’m the master? I’m just a guest official.” Lu Xingzhou smiled. “Oh, no, I’m the landlord.”

Shen Tang grumbled, “We don’t have to rent here anymore. Danxia Mountain is mine now, including the part of the land deed that belonged to you before.”

Lu Xingzhou took out the land deed for the Huo mansion. “Then do you want this? Including the farmlands and the back mountain.”

Shen Tang’s eyes widened. “Where did this come from?”

Lu Xingzhou snorted, his voice full of sarcasm. “I’m Huo Shang, you know…”

Shen Tang’s expression was extremely strange. When they first met, Lu Xingzhou casually painted a picture, saying it was an excellent direction for expansion. In less than a month, it had been realized as if in a dream.

Lu Xingzhou placed the freshly simmered ointment on the table to cool, then turned and smiled. “The evening glow is beautiful. Would the two of you be interested in exploring Danxia with me and overlooking the place that belongs to you and me?”

Shen Tang blinked and smiled. “It would be my honor.”

Du Gulingli glanced over and saw that A’nuo was still standing behind Shen Tang’s wheelchair. She was thinking about Lu Xingzhou’s so-called overall terrain and didn’t think much, so she casually grabbed the handle of Lu Xingzhou’s wheelchair and pushed it outside.

A’nuo: “?”

Which white-haired person said they wouldn’t compete with me for the position of pushing the wheelchair before?

It’s only been a few days, and she’s already openly snatching it!

She looked at her master eagerly, hoping he would say something, but Lu Xingzhou didn’t say anything and smiled as he leaned back in the wheelchair and went out.

Is it true that love will disappear?

A’nuo followed Shen Tang out in a daze, pushing her wheelchair. Along the way, she saw many Tianxing Sword Sect disciples and the previously accommodated Danxia Gang apprentices. Seeing the four of them and two wheelchairs, they were all smiling, and not a single person noticed that the person pushing the wheelchair was a bit off.

A’nuo was very angry. What kind of people are these, they have no eyesight at all!

It was really close to Danxia Mountain, and soon they returned to the mountains.

Lu Xingzhou pointed to the cliffside halfway up the mountain where they first met. “When you were watching the sunset here, did you notice that the sunset glow was blocked by the mountain over there a lot?”

Shen Tang pondered for a moment and understood Lu Xingzhou’s meaning. “You mean, the height of these two mountains is the same?”

“Not only the same, but exactly the same, and even the shape is similar. I observed for a long time before coming to this conclusion.” Lu Xingzhou gestured for everyone to continue upwards to the highest point. “Both of you should be able to float in the air for a short time?”

“Yes.” Shen Tang knew what he meant. She patted the armrest of the wheelchair and directly shot up, floating in the air and looking down.

Du Gulingli also followed. The two looked down for a while, their hearts shaking.

The so-called two mountains of the same height were not the breast shape they first thought of, but actually resembled the Yin-Yang fish, the shape of Yin and Yang embracing each other!

Even more surprisingly, these Yin-Yang fish also looked very much like a dragon and a tiger. The Danxia Mountain side was the dragon, and the back mountain of the Huo mansion was the tiger shape. The mountain坳 at the boundary between the two sides was the belly and heart of the dragon and tiger.