vstars Chapter 229 Ruins
Chapter 229 Ruins
Xie Yan remounted his horse and walked inside with Chu Ling.
The horse trotted forward, struggling through waist-high grass. Along the way, it encountered occasional bushes that Xie Yan cut them down one by one.
Occasionally, one or two crickets would flit past the two of them, making rustling sounds in the grass.
After walking for almost the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, their view gradually opened up.
As they ventured deeper, the surroundings were no longer just weeds and bushes, and the two finally saw the village they had imagined.
The setting sun cast its last rays as it slowly disappeared behind the distant mountains.
Under the glow of the setting sun, the entire village was bathed in a dark red light.
But it was more like a ruin than a village.
As the two looked around, all they could see were broken walls and ruins.
Jagged pebbles were scattered everywhere, and collapsed tiles and wooden stakes were everywhere. Over the long years, all kinds of weeds and vines had grown rampant, leaving behind only a desolate and ruined scene.
The houses had collapsed so completely that they were unrecognizable from their original state.
If it weren't for the map and the stone tablet at the village entrance, one would never guess that a village once existed here.
A gust of wind swept through the dilapidated village, stirring up a cloud of dust and gravel.
Because it was so empty, the wind even howled, adding an eerie atmosphere to the already tranquil ruins.
The two men dismounted.
"Be careful."
Chu Ling whispered a reminder, then took the lead and walked into the ruins one after the other with Xie Yan.
Underfoot were scattered, broken stones of varying sizes, some covered with thick moss.
Even someone as skilled in martial arts as Chu Ling had to walk very carefully to avoid the pits covered by weeds and gravel.
The two hadn't walked far when Chu Ling suddenly stopped in front of a pile of ruins.
He drew his long sword from Xie Yan's waist and used the blade to cut off the weeds and vines on the ground one by one.
After the weeds were cleared away, Chu Ling squatted down again and brushed aside the pebbles.
A corner of the eaves extends out from the ground.
Like the stone tablet at the village entrance, it wasn't broken and lying on the ground, but rather it was completely buried deep in the ground.
"It seems that this place has experienced a very violent earthquake."
Chu Ling straightened up and sighed deeply.
"Such a terrifying earthquake that buried houses underground... it must be the earthquake from more than ten years ago."
Upon hearing this, Xie Yan looked up again. By this time, the sky had completely darkened, and the ruins that could still be seen clearly by the glow of the sunset were now just blurry outlines.
Even if it were as bright as day now, they would probably find it difficult to discover anything else.
"Looks like our trip was a waste of time."
Xie Yan also let out a helpless sigh.
Although they had some suspicions before they arrived, they did not expect it to be so thoroughly destroyed, leaving them without even a trace.
"Let's look again."
Chu Ling shook his head and stepped deeper into the area again.
Compared to the daytime, the night in the wilderness feels even more desolate and lonely.
In this deathly darkness, only the small fire burning beneath a giant tree deep within the ruins made the place seem less eerie and terrifying.
The firelight flickered and danced, casting dappled shadows on the two men's faces from time to time.
Chu Ling frowned and said very seriously, "I think it's time."
"Yes, I think so too." Xie Yan nodded with a serious expression.
The moment he finished speaking, he swiftly pulled a bright red pill from his pocket, crushed it into powder without hesitation, and then threw it forward!
With a "sizzle," the fire in front of them suddenly leaped up a little higher.
And Xie Yan's powder, without missing a single grain, was scattered all over their only result after searching for several hours—
On top of an exceptionally plump rabbit.
The sizzling oil from the roasting oil, mixed with a spicy aroma, wafted through the air. Xie Yan took her sword and made a few more cuts on it.
"Barbecue really does go better with chili peppers."
As he skillfully flipped and roasted the rabbit, he exclaimed, "My carefully crafted 'spicy and pungent pill' has finally come in handy."
Chu Ling, against his will, praised, "It's a very fitting name."
No one knew exactly how much chili pepper Xie Yan had put in these specially made pills, but they made people break out in a cold sweat, and their faces contorted in pain.
Chu Ling silently drank half a pot of water, finally managing to calm the numbness in his mouth.
But the chef himself was thoroughly enjoying his meal.
Cold sweat trickled down his forehead, clinging to his eyelashes, and his lips were red from eating.
Noticing a strong gaze, Xie Yan turned her head and saw Chu Ling holding a rabbit leg, thoughtfully examining her.
"how?"
Following his face, Chu Ling's gaze traveled downwards, finally settling on Xie Yan's waist and abdomen. He said meaningfully, "I'm just a little curious, just how much stuff can you fit inside?"
Xie Yan: "..."
Xie Yan choked, and a piece of meat got stuck in her throat, neither going down nor coming up.
After a long silence, he finally understood the meaning behind Chu Ling's words from his amused gaze.
"...Could you please not be so vague in the future?"
Chu Ling looked completely innocent. "What's wrong with what I said?"
Too lazy to argue with him, Xie Yan opened her outer garment and showed it to Chu Ling. "Not much, just a few hidden pockets sewn inside the clothes to hold some daily necessities."
Following Xie Yan's introduction, Chu Ling's gaze slowly swept back and forth across the hidden bags.
Looking around, just as Xie Yan said, there really wasn't much in each of the hidden bags.
However, there were an unusually large number of hidden pockets sewn inside.
No wonder sometimes when I hold him, I feel a little uncomfortable.
Chu Ling couldn't resist flipping through them. "Digestive tablets?"
Xie Yan: "It's made from hawthorn, and it helps with digestion."
Chu Ling: "Itching powder?"
Xie Yan: "As the name suggests, it is a medicine that makes people feel itchy all over."
Chu Ling: "...Beastly Arousal Pill?"
Xie Yan: "Don't overthink it. This is the medicine I gave to the two elders during that night visit to the Cheng family. It simply makes people's blood rush to their head."
"And what is this?" Chu Ling took out a cloth bag.
"Oh, this isn't medicine."
Xie Yan reached out and took it, opening it in front of him. "This is half a steamed bun I had left over this morning. Do you want it?"
Chu Ling didn't reply to him, but silently rummaged through the items for a while, and then took the opportunity to rub his hands a few times before withdrawing his hand under Xie Yan's questioning gaze.
He clicked his tongue regretfully and said, "So there were no aphrodisiacs?"
Xie Yan coldly pulled her clothes back.