Chapter 135 – Moon Shadow Sect, Lu Jing, Airport

“Two of these pastries, please.”

Lu Yuan stood in front of a stall, pointing at the golden pastries sizzling in the oil pan.

While the vendor was busy fishing out the pastries, draining the oil, and bagging them, Lu Yuan took out his mobile phone and recorded a video of the oil pan and the alleys on either side, then sent it to Zheng Qiuling.

“Twenty.”

Lu Yuan paused slightly when he heard the price, but he still scanned the code to pay.

Receiving the hot pastries through the paper bag, Lu Yuan took a casual bite. The filling of egg, green pepper, and pork provided some comfort.

“Well, it is a tourist spot, so a bit pricey is understandable.”

He was currently at Xiaoximen, located in the west district of Weishan.

This area featured several bustling pedestrian streets, interspersed with old city walls and ancient buildings, a semi-commercial, semi-tourist zone.

Lu Yuan tried to walk toward less crowded areas.

Weishan’s tourism highlights were “ancient history and martial arts culture,” with old houses from the last century visible everywhere.

In the narrow alleys, all the shops on both sides had been renovated. Signboards resembling martial banners displayed names like “King Pastry,” “Li’s Sugar Figure,” “Longmen Restaurant,” and “The Best Noodles in the World.”

Lu Yuan had just bought a King Pastry, a traditional snack unique to Weishan.

The preparation and ingredients were quite ordinary, with the real charm lying in its historical anecdotes.

Lu Yuan wasn’t particularly interested in the history. After finishing the last bite, he took a photo and sent it to Zheng Qiuling—Delicious! (Thumbs Up)

Scrolling through their chat history, Lu Yuan realized he had already sent quite a few videos and photos to Zheng Qiuling this morning, enough to keep her updated.

He planned to find a place to grab a quick meal, post something on Moments, and then head back.

Suddenly, a new message popped up on his mobile phone—

From Lu Jing.

“Xiao Yuan, I’m on the plane now. I’ll be in Suchuan soon, and I’ll transfer to Jiaoyan tomorrow, arriving around 9 am.”

Lu Yuan’s eyes widened slightly as he read the message.

Lu Jing was coming back?

Wasn’t she supposed to return later this month? Why the early arrival?

However, Lu Yuan felt more at ease knowing that Lu Jing would be back sooner.

“Suchuan… Suchuan isn’t that far from Weishan…”

Lu Yuan thought for a moment and then dialed a number on his mobile phone.

“Uncle Liu, could you please book me a ticket to Suchuan as soon as possible?”

…

3 PM.

Suchuan Airport.

A plane had just landed not long ago, and a stream of passengers flowed out near the security gate at the airport exit.

Among the crowd were three figures, burdened with large bags and pushing suitcases, slowly making their way out.

Two women and one man.

One of the women was dressed in a light blue windbreaker and a brown explorer hat. She was slim and dark-skinned, yet her features were quite delicate.

The other woman wore a tight black tank top, her body curvaceous, with healthy, sun-kissed skin.

Her hair was slightly wavy, and she had sunglasses perched on her forehead, giving her a more cheerful and lively appearance.

Most of the tank top girl’s luggage seemed to be carried by the glasses-wearing man with dark skin behind her.

She only had a backpack and kept glancing around, as if searching for someone.

“Forget it, let’s wait here.”

The tank top girl led the two to a spot away from the crowd at the exit and sighed, “My boyfriend is probably not here yet.”

The glasses-wearing man, heavily laden like a big turtle, put down the various pieces of luggage and heaved a sigh of relief. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and muttered, “Finally back.

For the next half month, I don’t want to see any sand; I swear I’ll throw up.

I think I’ve developed ‘desert trauma stress syndrome’…”

The man rambled on, seeming a bit soft-hearted.

Lu Jing, who had been glued to her mobile phone the whole way, put it down and hesitantly said to the tank top girl, “Xinlei, maybe I shouldn’t stay an extra day in Suchuan…”

Before she could finish, the tank top girl interrupted anxiously, “Didn’t we agree on this already? Why are you changing your mind again? Are you still thinking about what happened in Xixu?”

The tank top girl, Wu Xinlei, stared into Lu Jing’s eyes.

Lu Jing lowered her eyes, her gaze evasive, as if she was reminded of something. She tightly pressed her lips together and shook her head in denial. “No…”

“Don’t say no.”

Wu Xinlei sighed and took a step forward, gently hugging Lu Jing to comfort her. “Don’t be afraid. We’re not in Xixu anymore. There isn’t sand everywhere, and there are no monsters suddenly emerging from the sand… Those things have been resolved. It’s all in the past. We’re in Suchuan now, in the city. We’re safe.”

“But didn’t they say… two of them escaped? You were there; you heard it too.”

A flash of anxiety crossed Lu Jing’s eyes, and her gaze darted nervously to both sides, as if on guard against something.

“Actually… I have a strong psychological shadow too. I’ve been having nightmares every night, can’t even sleep…”

A weak voice came from the glasses-wearing man beside them.

“Shut up. You were snoring the loudest on the plane just now.”

Wu Xinlei scolded him impatiently, then turned to Lu Jing with a serious look. “That’s why I want you to stay with me for a few more days.

Remember I told you my boyfriend’s family runs a martial arts gym? They have a traditional acupuncture technique handed down through generations. It’s great for calming the mind and easing anxiety, perfect for your situation right now…”

“Xinlei, your boyfriend practices martial arts?”

The glasses-wearing man clicked his tongue in amazement. “No wonder your skin has improved since you started dating him…”

“Xue Jian, do you want to get hit?”

Wu Xinlei raised her hand threateningly, and the glasses-wearing man immediately shrank back, falling silent.

“My boyfriend has a professional ninth-rank certificate…”

Wu Xinlei’s face showed a faint pride as she gestured with her hands. “I’ve seen him bend a solid steel rod about this thick with his bare hands…”

“A professional ninth rank, huh.”

The glasses-wearing man pushed his glasses up on his nose, his expression exaggerated. “That’s really impressive. The coach at the martial arts class I signed up for is only a professional first rank…”

“That’s nothing. He said he can dodge bullets too.”

“Now that’s a bit of an exaggeration. Why doesn’t he say he can rip apart mechas with his bare hands, like the ones we saw in the desert…”

“Can’t be bothered to talk to you.”

Wu Xinlei rolled her eyes and continued to comfort Lu Jing, “Listen to me, stay with us for a couple of days. Don’t rush home. You’re afraid those monsters might come after you again, right? Staying with people who practice martial arts is definitely safer than being home alone…

Wait until you’re absolutely sure everything is settled, then go home.”

Lu Jing hesitated, then her mobile phone beeped. She looked down to check it.

Wu Xinlei was about to say more when a gentle voice came from behind, “Xinlei.”

Turning around, she saw a tall young man standing behind them, though she wasn’t sure when he had arrived.

The young man had a neat short haircut, a strong build, and wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses.

The eyes behind the clear lenses were as sharp as knives, making one’s skin prickle when he looked at them.

Even standing still, there seemed to be an invisible force field emanating from him.

In the bustling airport hall, everyone who passed by him instinctively moved aside, creating a noticeable empty space around him.

“Zhihua!”

Wu Xinlei’s eyes lit up the moment she saw the young man. She quickly darted into his arms like a swallow returning to its nest.

The young man smiled and hugged her tightly.

After a brief moment of intimacy, they parted slightly.

With one arm around Wu Xinlei, the young man extended his hand to Lu Jing and the glasses-wearing man with a smile.

“Hello, I’m Sun Zhihua, Xinlei’s boyfriend.”

“Hi… Hi.”

Lu Jing and the glasses-wearing man were clearly taken aback by the young man’s imposing presence, both suddenly becoming nervous.

After a brief introduction, Sun Zhihua immediately invited them to leave and naturally took most of their luggage.

“I suddenly kind of believe Xinlei when she says her boyfriend can dodge bullets…”

The glasses-wearing man was watching Sun Zhihua, who was carrying several heavy suitcases effortlessly while walking ahead with Wu Xinlei, chatting and smiling.

Leaning closer to Lu Jing, he whispered in awe, “Xinlei’s boyfriend has such a strong presence. It feels like he’s not even the same species as us. Meeting him for the first time gave me a similar feeling to when I first saw those monsters in Xixu…”

“Lower your voice, it’s not good if he hears you.”

As Lu Jing reminded the glasses-wearing man, she suddenly noticed that the footsteps in front of them had stopped.

Both instinctively looked up to see that Sun Zhihua, who had been chatting and laughing with Wu Xinlei, had now halted.

He had placed the luggage down and was squinting in a certain direction, exuding a dangerous aura like a predator.

“…What’s wrong?”

The glasses-wearing man, puzzled, looked at Wu Xinlei, and so did Lu Jing.

Wu Xinlei, however, shook her head without saying a word.

“There’s an expert,” Sun Zhihua suddenly said. “A quite formidable one… and it seems they’re coming for you.”

“What?!”

The three of them were startled.

They quickly followed Sun Zhihua’s gaze.

Amid the bustling crowd, a figure was walking towards them at a leisurely pace.

A young man, dressed simply in a white T-shirt and khaki casual pants.

He was tall, well-proportioned, and handsome, with a calm expression.

With just one glance, the three of them identified him as the “expert” Sun Zhihua had referred to.

Because his entrance was almost identical to Sun Zhihua’s.

That overwhelming sense of pressure immediately made them think this person is definitely of the same kind as Sun Zhihua!

“Interesting…”

Sun Zhihua squinted at the young man walking towards them.

He smirked, slowly took off his glasses, and said softly, “I didn’t expect to come across such a young martial arts expert in Suchuan… It’s been a long time since I’ve had a match. Looks like today is my lucky day…”

As he spoke, Sun Zhihua casually handed his glasses to Wu Xinlei, instructing her to stand back.

Wu Xinlei looked a bit tense and couldn’t help but remind him, “Be careful.”

Sun Zhihua smiled and patted the back of her hand, an immense sense of calm and confidence emanating from him.

“Don’t worry, when I fight, it’s usually the other side that needs to be careful…”

With that, Sun Zhihua lightly stretched his limbs, his robust body emitting a series of crisp bone-cracking sounds.

Seeing that the legendary duel between martial arts experts was about to commence, the glasses-wearing man eagerly took out his mobile phone to record the moment.

Just then, a slightly panicked voice suddenly rang out.

“Wait! Don’t fight! He seems to be here to pick me up!”

“Uh…”

…

“Moon Shadow Sect, Sun Zhihua.”

Lu Yuan looked calmly at the short-haired youth in front of him who extended his hand in a friendly gesture. After a moment’s hesitation, he also reached out to shake his hand, responding, “Crane Style, Lu Yuan.”

Is this how people in the martial arts world greet each other?

It was Lu Yuan’s first time, and he hadn’t discussed it with Liu Daoyuan and the others beforehand.

Mainly, he hadn’t expected that coming to pick up Lu Jing from the airport would lead to an encounter with a legitimate martial artist with a legacy from a martial arts style.

Judging by his strength, he seemed to be a bit stronger than Xiao Mubai from before.

“Crane Style? Which Crane Style?”

Hearing Lu Yuan’s response, Sun Zhihua couldn’t help but frown slightly, “The Crane Style from Chuandong? Or the Crane Style from Zhongbei Wangjiang?”

Lu Yuan, however, didn’t bother to explain in detail and casually replied, “More or less… either one is fine.”

Then he left behind a bewildered Sun Zhihua, turning to look at Lu Jing, who was being berated by Wu Xinlei with remarks like “How can you not recognize your own younger brother?” and “Did the sun in Xixu bake your brain?” Lu Jing’s face was flushed red with shame.

In a calm and decisive tone, Lu Yuan said, “Lu Jing, I’m here to take you home. Now.”