Chapter 25: Fools Are Often Blissful

  Nalan Xixi was taken aback, a complex emotion of being both sad and amused stuck in her throat, leaving her mind momentarily blank. She turned around and grasped Nan Gongyin's hand, walking towards the outside of the cave.

  Although the cave was filled with smoke, Nalan Xino quickly walked to the entrance of the cave with his precise intuition. As soon as he came out, Nalan Xino turned back, ready to scold him and vent the annoying feeling similar to fear that had just been produced because he couldn't find him.

  Nalan Xixiao had just turned his head, only to see Nangong Jin's eyes widening slightly, and after being stunned for half a second, Nangong Jin suddenly burst out laughing. He had never laughed like that before, and Nalan Xixiao was shocked...

  It's indeed a shocking feeling, Nangong Jin can still smile like this? Normally, it's harder to see him smile than to kill a Cloud Spider. Now, he actually has the same pure and innocent smile as a big boy, how can it appear on his face...

  It was because Nalan Xixi didn't realize how ridiculous she looked at the moment, her originally pale skin now covered with a layer of black soot from crying, except for the tip of her nose which remained white, leaving only a patch of darkness and two bright eyes.

  Looking at Nan Gong Jin's unstoppable smile, Nalan Xianuo was furious. "Don't laugh!"

  It's clear that Nan Gong Jin is trying his best to endure, but the more he endures, the more he wants to laugh. His current appearance is simply too cute.

  Nalan Xixi's face turned red with rage as she clenched her fists, and in a swift motion, she drew the short sword from her waist and pressed its blade against his throat, warning menacingly: "Don't dare laugh! Laugh again and I'll kill you!"

  Nangong Jin stopped his loud laughter, because if he laughed a little louder now, his throat would be cut open. However, he still maintained a smile and easily pulled her wrist, holding her in his arms.

  "How can you bear to kill me, madam?"

  "Look at me, can I bear it or not!" Nalan Xixi raised his wrist again and pressed the knife to his throat.

  Nangong Jin let out a sigh and closed his eyes. "Since madam likes this life, then take it."

  Suddenly, he only heard the short sword 'swish' sound, but a pair of cold lips heavily covered his mouth. He opened his eyes in surprise, and Nalan Xianuo's small black face was close at hand. He couldn't help but almost laugh again, when suddenly there was a pain on his lips, and a faint bloody taste spread throughout his mouth. Nalan Xianuo warned him with a fierce kiss, sweeping away the red liquid from his lips.

  Nangong Jin's face was covered with a layer of crimson, he immediately counterattacked domineeringly, but suddenly felt amused, this woman, such a romantic thing she had to do as if it were a battle, not showing any weakness.

  But this is exactly what he likes about it.

  "Don't ever leave me half a step again, do you understand?!" Nalan Xianyu reluctantly let go of him, her eyes still burning with the lingering anger from just now when she couldn't find him.

  "Yes." Nangong Jin lightly kissed her small nose tip, and a gentle smile was drawn up.

  'Sha sha sha sha sha——' Suddenly, Nalan Xixi and Nan Gongjin's bodies simultaneously shook, they came, they arrived.

  Just as they had just arrived here, the spiders hiding around to scout had gone to find the main force. It sounds like this time there are at least twice as many as last time. It seems that they want to wipe them out completely.

  Nangong Jin slightly furrowed his brow, now it seemed they had reached a dead end. There was no path forward, and retreating was not an option either. This cave also had no exit. Although the spiders were weak and small, they were highly toxic and acted in groups, making it impossible for them to escape.

  If it were a battle with troops, he would have been confident of winning even if the enemy had an army of one million strong men today. But facing these strange insects and beasts that he had never seen or heard of before, he was completely at a loss.

  Nalan Xixi stood quietly, listening carefully to the sounds, but also didn't say a word for half a day, without any movement. The dense and numerous spiders' footsteps got closer and closer, and Nangong Jin's eyebrows furrowed tighter and tighter.

  He stretched out his hand, grasped Nalan Xinnuo's icy small hand, and gently squeezed it. Nalan Xinnuo also responded by gently squeezing his hand back. This was their promise to each other, a promise of life and death together, sharing honor and shame.

  Just as Nalan Xinnuo decided to temporarily retreat back into the cave, those increasingly close rustling sounds suddenly came to an abrupt halt!

  Just as they were puzzled, the rustling sound started again, but this time it was going back. Nalan Xianyu and Nan Gongyin exchanged a bewildered glance, having already arrived here, why return?!

  But in an instant, the two of them looked at each other with a knowing smile, naturally there was a greater enemy ahead.

  The entire Cloud Spider Valley was quiet, with Huo Zhe and He Xian carrying their respective items, slowly walking towards the entrance. Huo Zhe took out a bulging pouch from his bosom and tossed it to He Xian, saying: "Hold it in your hand."

  He Xian Zheng walked forward with his full attention, glanced at the bag and said somewhat impatiently: "What's this thing? Don't tell me it's for warding off evil spirits."

  He said with a faint smile, "It's for warding off evil." After finishing speaking, he glanced at the poisonous spider that had been hanging above his head and hadn't come close yet, revealing a triumphant smile. "Realgar."

  He's eyes lit up, he naturally knew about the realgar. Every year on Dragon Boat Festival, they would drive away the five poisons and drink realgar wine. And this spider was also one of the five poisons. He chuckled to himself. "No wonder it's a wild man's place, everything is here."

  Huo Zhe was too lazy to bother with him. Without the yellow powder, how could he catch those poisonous substances? Now his sack was full of frightening poisonous substances.

  Suddenly, two gusts of wind flashed by, and He unconsciously drew his sword to face them. However, it stopped with a 'ka' sound, and a figure swiftly dodged sideways. When he looked at his sword again, it had already been broken into two halves.

  He turned back in shock, and upon seeing that the arrivals were Nangong Jin and Nalan Xianuo, his face displayed a mix of delight, surprise, perplexity, astonishment, embarrassment, admiration, and adoration.

  In short, it's very complicated expression.

  "Is everything ready?" Nalan Xinnuo raised her eyes and looked at the poisonous spider that had retreated in fear, asking.

  Huo took out two more packets of cinnabar from his bosom and handed them to Nan Gong Zhen and Nalan Xianyu, then nodded and said: "Everyone has theirs."

  Nalan Xinxiao looked at the small cloth bag on Huo's back with a skeptical gaze and said, "Is that all you found?"

  Huo's face revealed a very sly smile, named 'I knew you didn't understand', and explained: "So many things can't be brought in a short time, I caught their ancestors, when the time comes to release them, those little ones will come uninvited."

  Nalan Xixi rarely showed a look of approval, which was undoubtedly the greatest affirmation. He Xian looked at Huo Zhe's triumphant expression and said discontentedly: "You just want to slack off! If you were the one going to get saltpeter, I'd like to see how you wouldn't come on your own initiative!"

  Listening to He Xian's words full of vinegar, Huo Zhe smiled and said: "Anyway, I won't run around with three big bags of stones on my back."

  He Xian heard this and didn't get angry, instead he smiled complacently: "Ah, so you're underestimating me, He Xian."

  As he spoke, he put down the three large hemp bags on his back. He opened one of them, and everyone saw that the bag was full of powder. Nalan Xianyu and Nan Gongyin both slightly raised their eyebrows in surprise.

  They were surprised to find that He Xian would also use his brain, only this time, he used it in a way that made him exert more effort, grinding three large bags of stone powder, which was no easy task.

  But this is indeed the way to get the most niter.

  Huo saw the powder and instinctively pulled He Xian's hand, then frowned and snatched the cinnabar bag from his hand, saying: "You silly boy, you had an injury on your hand, why didn't you say it earlier? It's been delayed until now, and you still dare to hold cinnabar in your hand, don't you want it anymore?"

  "What's wrong with you? You're the one who told me to pick up that thing, and now you're blaming me!"

  Huò's helpless bandaging of Hé Xiān's hands, which were injured from grinding stones, made him shake his head in pain: "You wouldn't be taking the stones and grinding them into powder one by one, would you?"

  "Of course it is, what else could it be?" He Xian looked at him as if he was looking at an idiot.

  Huo gave him a look of seeing an idiot. "If it were me, I'd go get the biggest stone, although it would take some effort, but with this one stone, I could smash half a bag of gravel."

  He suddenly widened his eyes, right! If he were to smash down a big stone, wouldn't that pile of saltpeter turn into powder in an instant? Why bother grinding it one by one?!

  Looking at He Xian's speechless appearance, Huo Zhi's eyebrows were tightly furrowed, as if he had a severe headache. Nan Gong Jin on the side also rarely showed a worried expression.

  Nalan Xixi cast a sympathetic glance. "Actually, being able to think of a way to turn it into powder and bring it back is already a huge breakthrough for He Xian, worthy of reward."

  Huo Zhi almost burst out laughing, Nalan Xianyu coughed lightly and turned around to say: "That... Nan Gong Jin."

  "Please instruct, madam." Nan Gong Jin also didn't hide the smile on his face.

  "Go back and reward him well, just give him... hmm, Zhì Duō Xīng, let's call him Zhì Duō Xīng He Xian!" Nalan Xixi suppressed a smile, her face serious as she teased.

  Nangong Jin nodded seriously. "Yes, Zhiduoxing, this is good. From today on, you will be the General Zhiduoxing of my Luotian Kingdom. Go back and I will reward you with this title."

  What a delightful nod of gratitude, it's the kind of joy that comes from the heart.

  Huo Zhe sighed on the side, "That's why I say, the happiest person in this world is a fool."

  "Right!" He Xian suddenly agreed with a sentence, then continued: "I have an aunt who has dementia, but she's happy every day."

  Nangong Jin and Nalan Xian'er couldn't help but burst out laughing, turning their heads to hide their smiles. Hou Zhe stared at He Xian's face for three seconds before slapping him on the shoulder and saying seriously: "He Xian, I think your identity is quite suspicious. Go back and investigate thoroughly, I think... this aunt of yours might not be your real mother!"