Immortal Reincarnation Tribulation

Chapter 24 Farewell Kiss

The next morning, Du Fan was still a little dizzy. He had indeed drunk quite a bit of alcohol at the small banquet that Guo Xiong had hosted for him the day before, unable to refuse the hospitality.

"From now on, unless absolutely necessary, you shouldn't drink like this anymore." Du Fan shook his head, got out of bed, and took a sip of warm tea.

"Is Mr. Du awake?" A pleasant female voice came from outside the door.

"May I ask who you are?" Du Fan asked in surprise.

"This servant is a maid from the General's Mansion. This morning, General Guo went to the front line to inspect the war. Before leaving, he specifically ordered us to take good care of Mr. Du. This servant, Xiao Huan, has prepared some food and toiletries for Mr. Du." A respectful voice came from outside.

"Okay, come in."

……

Du Fan stayed temporarily at the General's Mansion. A day later, the person who had been handling Du Fan's affairs returned.

In that clean, tidy, and somewhat ordinary living room, Du Fan looked worried, and Guo Xiong also frowned slightly.

"Have you investigated carefully?" Guo Xiong pondered for a long time before speaking solemnly.

"Reporting to the General, due to the war with the vassal state, and given that Xinghuo Town is a crucial military stronghold, to prevent spies and instigators, a month ago, all outsiders entering the city were subject to strict screening and registration. After entering the city, special personnel track them, and their whereabouts and movements are recorded. Therefore, if Mr. Du's friend is in Xinghuo Town, or has been here before, there is absolutely no way we wouldn't be able to find him." The guard replied solemnly and meticulously once again.

"Brother Du, it seems your friend really hasn't been to Xinghuo Town." Guo Xiong nodded and turned to Du Fan.

"That's probably it." Du Fan replied casually, but he was puzzled. It wasn't that he didn't trust Guo Xiong and his men, but he clearly remembered that when he parted ways with Ruoxi and the others, they had a lot of silver. If they had arrived in Licheng and found a carriage shop to go directly to Xinghuo Town, they should have arrived long ago. Could it be that their silver had also been stolen?

Du Fan then shook his head. How could that be? They were all true cultivators. If even they could have their things stolen, that would be a huge problem. However, he couldn't think of any other possibilities, and for a moment, he felt quite worried.

"Brother Du, I will continue to send people to search within a hundred miles of Xinghuo Town. However, there is something I must confess. I have just received an imperial edict from His Majesty, ordering me to bring the princess back to court on a chosen day. Firstly, His Majesty misses the little princess, and secondly, a great battle is imminent, and the court needs me to return to oversee the overall situation and make strategic deployments. I came here to inspect the border, and now that everything is normal, I have no choice but to depart for court in three days." Guo Xiong hesitated slightly before saying this, a hint of apology on his face.

"General Guo, there's no need for that. National affairs are of utmost importance. Just bring the princess back to the capital," Du Fan quickly stood up and advised.

"I have some suggestions, Brother Du, would you mind listening to them?" Guo Xiong's expression relaxed, and he spoke again.

"General, please speak freely."

"It would be best if we could find Brother Du's friend in these three days. If there is no news, we might as well set off together. When we reach the fork in the road, I will send a team to escort you to Kongsang Gate, while the princess and I will return to the capital first. As for the search, I will send someone else to keep an eye on the matter in Xinghuo Town. As soon as there is any news, it will be relayed to you and me. What do you think?" Guo Xiong thought for a moment and came up with a solution that would benefit both of us.

"That's wonderful, then I won't thank you any further." Du Fan's eyes lit up, and he readily agreed.

……

Three days later, a large contingent of soldiers slowly walked out of the gates of Xinghuo Town, accompanied by the cheers of the town's residents, and left Xinghuo Town, heading southeast.

After three days without any news of Ruoxi and Xiaohu, Du Fan had no choice but to leave Xinghuo Town with Guo Xiong's army.

A month later, a majestic mountain appeared in front of Du Fan's army, with two main roads branching off at its foot.

"Brother Du, this is the fork in the road I mentioned earlier. Let's part ways here. As for that matter, don't worry about it." Looking at the majestic mountains, Guo Xiong's face showed a hint of longing to return home, but he still didn't forget to reassure Du Fan.

"I've been bothering General Guo ever since I first met him. I'm truly sorry. I can't thank you enough. Goodbye!" Du Fan dismounted and clasped his hands in greeting.

"Alright, goodbye!" Guo Xiong also dismounted, clasped his hands in greeting, and smiled.

"Uncle Guo, I have something to say to Brother Du alone. Could you please leave for a moment?" At this moment, the curtain of the sedan chair not far behind them was lifted, and Han Xuan'er peeked out and spoke softly.

"Haha, of course! All soldiers, listen to my command! Turn right, advance ten zhang, cover your ears, and do not eavesdrop. Anyone who disobeys will be punished according to military law!" Guo Xiong laughed heartily and strode to the right first. The other soldiers naturally followed suit.

Upon seeing this, Han Xuan'er blushed slightly, but she seemed relieved.

Du Fan found it amusing and didn't let the little princess get out of the sedan chair, but instead walked over to her.

"This humble servant, Du Fan, greets the princess. May I ask what brings you here?" Du Fan, in a playful mood, bowed respectfully.

"You... Brother Du, please don't do this." Han Xuan'er was startled and panicked.

"Alright, what is it?" Du Fan chuckled, abandoning his teasing manner.

"Brother Du, could you squat down and close your eyes?" Han Xuan'er's voice was soft, and she lowered her eyes, not daring to look directly at Du Fan.

Du Fan smiled slightly, said nothing, and did as instructed.

A moment later, Du Fan felt something extremely soft touch his cheek. It felt warm and smooth, with a wonderful touch. He opened his eyes in surprise and saw Han Xuan'er pulling her lips back, her face flushed red like a ripe apple.

"What tricks are you playing, you little rascal?" Du Fan couldn't help but smile.

"I heard from a lady in the palace opera troupe that after a hero saves a beauty, the woman should marry the man who saved her and repay him with her body. I... I am willing to marry you." After a moment of unease, the little princess bit her lip and said the words that surprised Du Fan in a serious tone. Finally, she fluttered her long eyelashes and stared at Du Fan with her beautiful eyes.

"Hehe, you're a little beauty, but I'm not a hero." Du Fan finally couldn't help but laugh out loud. Thinking back to when he was on Earth, he was already close to thirty. Now, in this other world, he has lived from fifteen to eighteen years old. After more than three years, his real age is over thirty. He was actually confessed to by a five-year-old girl who even claimed that she wanted to marry him. He felt it was absurd and strange, but also a little funny.

Seeing Du Fan's expression, the little princess pouted, about to cry. Du Fan, quick-witted and eloquent, comforted her, saying things like "when she grows up," which finally made the little princess stop crying and start smiling.

Du Fan breathed a sigh of relief, a chill running down his spine. He glanced subconsciously at the group of armored soldiers standing neatly in the distance, still with their backs turned and covering their ears, and shrank back.

"It's okay for you to cry once, but if these loyal soldiers see me, they'll tear me to pieces in an instant," Du Fan thought to himself with lingering fear.

……

Three months later, a continuous mountain range came into Du Fan's view. Armored soldiers behind him told him that it was where Kongsang Sect was located, and it seemed that they would arrive in a few more days.

Du Fan was quite looking forward to becoming a disciple of the immortal sect. After becoming a true cultivator, he could practice cultivation techniques and immortal arts. At that time, he could take the opportunity to conduct research and see what cultivation was all about, and why Ruoxi's cloud and rain technique could create rain out of thin air.

On the other hand, he also had to find a place to settle down and make a living in this chaotic world. This was the situation, and it was also what he desired in his heart. Having lived two lives, Du Fan had no desire for money or fame. If he were not bound by close relatives, he would only want to find a quiet place where he could study the biological sciences he loved, and that would be enough for him.

If it weren't for the misfortune that befell the Yao family, his life in the Yao family's medicinal herb garden would have been the most fulfilling. Every day, while studying the herbs, he would watch the flowers bloom and fade in the courtyard, gaze at the clouds drifting in the sky, watch his little tiger stuffing himself with chicken legs, see Ruoxi bringing him a basket of delicious food, and watch the acacia tree that grew a little bigger every day... This was the simplest of lives, yet he couldn't enjoy it.

The saying "Looking at a mountain makes a horse run itself to death" is absolutely true. Even though I felt that the mountain range was already close by, it still took me more than ten days to ride a horse to reach the foot of the mountain where the mountain gate was located.

"Mr. Du, we can only take you this far. We are not capable of ascending the immortal mountain, otherwise the consequences would be severe," a soldier dismounted and said politely to Du Fan.

"Thank you all for escorting me all the way. This is not something I can decide on my own, so I cannot host a banquet for you. I hope you understand." Du Fan clasped his hands in a gesture of apology.

"Mr. Du, there's no need for that. We were just following the general's orders and are now returning to report." The armored soldier bowed, then mounted his horse again and led a small squad of more than ten cavalrymen back the way they came.

Gazing at the billowing dust kicked up by the Crimson Feather Cavalry, Du Fan fell silent. After a long while, he exhaled deeply, a resolute look appearing in his eyes, and strode up the mountain.