Chapter 22: Steamed Buns
“Too slow, too slow, too slow! What are you doing!” Ling Xiaoxing put her hands on her hips and pointed at Ye Changsheng indignantly.
Ye Changsheng yawned lazily, “I’m here now, and before the appointed time too.”
“You’re too slow! Don’t you know you should arrive two hours early when meeting a girl?” Ling Xiaoxing said, puffing out her cheeks.
“This isn’t a date, we’re going on a mission together,” Ye Changsheng replied. “If Senior Sister Xiaoxing is unhappy, I can arrange a separate date after the mission as compensation.”
“What nonsense are you spouting! Don’t try to sweet-talk me, you stinky Cultivation Cauldron!” Ling Xiaoxing averted her face in a hurry, as if trying to hide something.
On the day of the mission to trade pills with the Soul Refining Sect, Ye Changsheng and Ling Xiaoxing gathered at the sect.
The two passed through the Peach Forest Sea and arrived at Peach Town outside.
Peach Town was within the sphere of influence of Wuhua Palace, mostly inhabited by ordinary residents living under the protection of the sect.
In reality, Peach Town should have belonged to the Great Chu Kingdom, but it was too far from the capital, and coupled with intense conflicts within the Demonic Path, the Great Chu Kingdom was naturally disinclined to govern it.
Wuhua Palace, being a major sect, took on the responsibility of its administration.
Despite being part of the Demonic Path, the people of Peach Town held Wuhua Palace in high regard, as they were the ones who repelled Demonic Beasts and cleared out bandits, while the Great Chu Kingdom paid no mind to the local populace.
This situation led not only Peach Town but also other nearby towns to willingly accept Wuhua Palace’s jurisdiction.
“I haven’t been to town in a while,” Ye Changsheng looked around. “I kind of want to go to Peach River at the entrance of the village to see my brothers who joined the sect with me.”
“Do you think we’re out sightseeing or on a mission?” Ling Xiaoxing glared at Ye Changsheng. “Be serious, and put on your mask!”
“Alright, alright.” Ye Changsheng took out a mask and put it on.
Cultivation Cauldrons of Wuhua Palace were required to wear masks in cities within nearby territories.
On one hand, it was a symbol of abandoning one’s past identity and willingly acting for Wuhua Palace, showing loyalty.
On the other hand, it was naturally to prevent those who were ugly from damaging Wuhua Palace’s reputation for beautiful disciples.
“You’re so ugly, what if you scare the children in Peach Town? What if Wuhua Palace’s reputation suffers? Can you bear the responsibility?” Ling Xiaoxing mumbled.
“Senior Sister Xiaoxing, I feel hurt when you say that.”
Ye Changsheng felt a little wronged.
Although he wasn’t exactly striking, he wasn’t that bad either.
The last time he helped the farmers in Peach Town drive away a tiger, they had praised him for being incredibly handsome.
With Ling Xiaoxing’s looks, she would attract a lot of attention walking outside; everyone considered the beauties of Wuhua Palace to be fairy-like descending to earth.
They just didn’t know how much like wolves and tigers these women truly were in their daily lives…
“Why are you staring at me like that?”
“It’s nothing, Senior Sister Xiaoxing, you’re up quite early today.” Ye Changsheng noticed Ling Xiaoxing’s lips.
“Hmph, of course. I must complete this mission well this time to make the Young Palace Mistress look at me with new eyes.”
Reaching the center of the street, Ling Xiaoxing suddenly stopped and stared at a signboard.
“Senior Sister Xiaoxing, what’s wrong?”
“N-nothing, let’s go quickly!” Ling Xiaoxing hastily covered up.
“I’m going somewhere, wait for me.”
Before the girl could agree, Ye Changsheng darted into the crowd, much to Ling Xiaoxing’s displeasure.
“This guy, I must teach him a good lesson when he gets back!”
…
After a while, Ye Changsheng returned, wearing his mask carelessly, revealing his relaxed face.
“Stinky Cultivation Cauldron, you’ve already forgotten what I told you!” Ling Xiaoxing stomped her foot in anger. “Wear your mask, wear your mask! Are you a child? Do I have to keep telling you?”
“Sorry, sorry. It was obstructing my vision a bit, so it ended up like this.”
Ye Changsheng was also carrying a paper bag from which steamy white vapor was rising.
“Did you go buy food?”
“Mm, I was hungry.”
Ye Changsheng nodded and took out the buns.
A tempting aroma wafted from the soup-filled steamed buns. Ling Xiaoxing paused, biting her lip as if restraining herself.
As Ye Changsheng was about to take a bite, Ling Xiaoxing snorted.
“I’m going to tell the Young Palace Mistress about your disgraceful behavior outside, and the Elders too, so you can receive your due punishment!”
Ye Changsheng smiled slightly, as if he had been waiting for this, and offered the buns to Ling Xiaoxing.
“Senior Sister, I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful next time. This is a bribe.”
“Huh?”
“Don’t tell the Elders and the Young Palace Mistress. Please spare me, considering it’s my first offense.”
Ye Changsheng had noticed earlier that Ling Xiaoxing’s lips were dry; she probably hadn’t eaten anything since morning.
She was just pretending, too proud to say anything.
“F-fine, I suppose I have no choice. Since you’re begging me like this, I’ll be a bit merciful and reluctantly help you out!” Ling Xiaoxing took the steamed buns.
She was quite surprised in her heart. All men should be bad, so why was this particular man so…
In the end, Ye Changsheng only ate two, and Ling Xiaoxing ate the rest.
“You eat so much, why so regretful?” Ye Changsheng’s quiet mutter was heard by Ling Xiaoxing.
The good impression she had built up for him was completely destroyed.
“Stinky Cultivation Cauldron, you, you, you! Don’t think I didn’t hear you,” Ling Xiaoxing, protecting her flat chest, said angrily. “You are indeed a scoundrel! A pervert!”
…
Leaving Peach Town, Ye Changsheng paid his respects to his former brothers by the clear Peach River.
“Brothers, I hope you are happy in the riverbed…”
“Alright, alright, let’s go. It’s time. I’ll use artifact riding, get on quickly.”
Ling Xiaoxing summoned her spirit wood staff, took Ye Changsheng onto it, and prepared to head to Feng Hua City, their trading destination.
After flying for a while, Ye Changsheng spoke up, “Senior Sister Xiaoxing, before we go to Feng Hua City, can we make a detour to Fengluo Village?”
“Fengluo Village? What for?” Ling Xiaoxing asked curiously.
It was a slight detour on the way to Feng Hua City, but they could pass by Fengluo Village.
As its name suggested, it was said to be a village where phoenixes once resided.
Ye Changsheng explained, “In the next few days, a celestial phenomenon of five-colored aurora is said to appear in Fengluo Village. We could go take a look.”
“I’ve heard about that, but our main objective is the mission…”
“Senior Sister Xiaoxing, given the current situation, we’ll likely have to wait for several days even when we reach Feng Hua City. We might as well take a detour to Fengluo Village. It’s said that a fortuitous encounter always appears there during the aurora phenomenon.”
“Fine, you make some sense. It can’t be helped.” Ling Xiaoxing seemed tempted and agreed.
Fortuitous encounters, such ethereal things, were a favorite of cultivators.
However, in reality, Ye Changsheng was fabricating most of it.
He had a purpose for going to Fengluo Village.
Under the cover of the celestial phenomenon, he intended to unleash a world-shattering supreme divine ability he had learned from his Master, Mo Baizhi.
