Ex-Wife is a Big Villainess
Chapter 677 - 336: Conflict in the Mountains

Chapter 677: Chapter 336: Conflict in the Mountains

The mountain path was long and rugged.

Even though they no longer had the carriage, they had Niuniu.

Yelü Miaomiao and Qu Hongling, tired from walking, decided to sit comfortably on the cow’s back and leisurely enjoy the scenery along the way.

This made the attendant student envy them greatly.

The attendant student originally wanted to squeeze in with the two fairy sisters on the cow’s back for a ride, but a single sharp glare from Yelü Miaomiao sent him scurrying back beside Fang Ziheng to walk.

Looking at the spirited Niuniu, Jiang Shouzhong couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

How was it that this Cow Demon, after being away from the Zodiac Map for so long, remained completely unaffected?

Back then, the Rat Demon nearly perished from being away for too long.

Could it be that this cow ate something special?

Or perhaps it’s due to some mutation?

Unfortunately, this dumb cow only knew how to "moo moo" and couldn’t speak human words, leaving Jiang Shouzhong unable to uncover anything.

Seeing Dugu Luoxue remain silent all the way as if weighed by some thoughts, Jiang Shouzhong slowed his pace down to walk shoulder to shoulder with her and asked, "Master, we’ve safely arrived at Zhenxuan Mountain. What are you still worried about?"

"Something’s wrong."

"What?"

Dugu Luoxue’s pure and spotless eyes turned to Zhenxuan Mountain as she softly said, "I’ve calculated a fortune. It’s not good."

Jiang Shouzhong looked at the woman in surprise. "Master, you know fortune-telling?"

Dugu Luoxue replied, "It’s all just a bunch of tricks."

The man’s expression immediately turned odd. "Then why believe it?"

The woman smiled gracefully, like a spring breeze passing by, "Fortunes lie in the heart; a good fortune brings cheer, while a bad fortune brings unease. Even if it’s just a trick, it’s still about setting one’s mood."

Jiang Shouzhong gave a thumbs-up, "Insightful."

The man suddenly grabbed the woman’s delicate hand, pried open her five slender fingers, and began pointing at her joints while muttering something under his breath, the words unintelligible.

As the man held her hand, Dugu Luoxue’s heart trembled uncontrollably.

She instinctively tried to pull it away, but seeing his actions weren’t meant to take advantage of her, she endured the discomfort and let him do as he wished.

They say the fingers are connected to the heart.

And the fingertips are the most sensitive.

In daily life, couples often find intimate moments in the intertwining of fingers, holding hands.

At this moment, the touch and warmth transmitted from the man’s fingertips made Dugu Luoxue, whose Taoist School was polluted and struggling with a broken Tao Heart, feel deeply uncomfortable.

It was as if a spark ignited within her, instantly setting her world aflame.

She inconspicuously took a small step forward.

The friction between her legs allowed her to catch her breath, making the moment less unbearable.

Fortunately, Jiang Shouzhong quickly ended his movement, laughing as he said, "This is a type of fortune-telling technique from my hometown. I predicted supreme good luck, so there’s nothing to worry about—we’ll be just fine."

Dugu Luoxue took the opportunity to withdraw her delicate hand and smiled, "That’s good to hear."

"Master, I’m serious."

Jiang Shouzhong said earnestly.

The faint sunlight shining through Zhenxuan Mountain illuminated the man’s warm, sunny smile, which seemed like a vibrant painting in soft tones. For a moment, Dugu Luoxue was lost in thought.

Her heart trembled.

At that instant, it felt like a strand of hair fell into the lake of her heart.

It didn’t stir up large ripples, but it always left behind a trace.

Dugu Luoxue gazed at the man’s profile, his features outlined by the glow, and instinctively wanted to reach out and touch him. But halfway through, she regained her senses and instead adjusted her hair.

Her heartbeat quickened slightly.

She didn’t understand what was happening—perhaps it was her Heart Demon at work.

Her fair, porcelain cheeks flushed with a faint, captivating pink.

Dugu Luoxue tried hard to suppress her emotions, looking back at the man’s warm smile, and inexplicably felt a sense of calm wash over her.

"Yes, I believe we’ll find good fortune."

Dugu Luoxue said softly.

Seeing the woman finally abandon pretense, Jiang Shouzhong chuckled and said:

"So then, since fortunes arise from the heart, as long as we dwell on good things, naturally, it’ll result in supreme luck. Master, does this count as your disciple giving you, the female master, a lesson?"

"You cheeky rascal."

Dugu Luoxue lightly knocked him on the head.

Even when debating philosophy, this eloquent disciple couldn’t be outtalked—much less when he was spouting such nonsense.

Jiang Shouzhong scratched his head with an impish smile.

...

About two hours later, the group finally reached Zhenxuan Mountain’s gates.

Even the always-amiable Qu Hongling couldn’t help but complain, "Just because you isolate yourselves up in the mountain doesn’t mean you can’t build a proper road. Do they really think everyone can control swords to fly?"

Qu Hongling wasn’t actually complaining out of exhaustion.

It was because, along the way, she had seen many ordinary townsfolk struggle to climb the mountain—even some who had fallen and hurt themselves—which left her with a sense of frustration.

Fang Ziheng hesitated for a moment and then said:

"Cultivators appreciate tranquility, especially Taoist practitioners. Perhaps the lack of a proper road is intended to discourage too many visitors. But as the mountain isn’t completely sealed off, only those with sincere hearts would climb all the way up."

"Utter nonsense!"

Yelü Miaomiao scoffed, her cherry lips curving disdainfully.

No one expected a girl of such breathtaking beauty to suddenly blurt out such vulgar language. Fang Ziheng froze for a moment, unsure how to respond, and chose to pretend he hadn’t heard, continuing to admire the scenery instead.

Jiang Shouzhong found himself with no comment to offer.

Though he did agree somewhat with Fang Ziheng’s reasoning.

After all, it was a Taoist orthodoxy. If access were too convenient, countless people would come flocking to worship.

At that point, the Taoists of Zhenxuan Mountain wouldn’t be able to cultivate anymore—they’d spend all their time hosting pilgrims instead.

And outright sealing off the mountain? That would surely draw criticism. Taoists are still human—they need food, water, and other necessities. Without offerings from worshippers, surviving on nothing but air from the northwest winds would be impossible.

So they deliberately devised this "test."

If you truly wish to come worship, then ascend step by painstaking step.

This is known as a feature.

It’s how the orthodoxy of Taoism asserts its prominence.