Xu Xian pushed the door open and stepped out, only to run straight into Wen Qingxue. She was standing at an angle, her ear tilted as if she were eavesdropping...
Meeting the youth's gaze, she nonchalantly looked up at the sky.
"The moon is quite beautiful tonight!"
Xu Xian glanced up. The world was filled with silent, shimmering stars, but there was no moon to be seen.
"Ahem!"
"I’m going out to eat!"
Wen Qingxue’s gaze was intriguing. Since when did he have to report to her when he went out for a meal? She simply gave a casual "Oh."
The youth strode away, leaving the courtyard. He muttered under his breath as he walked, grumbling quietly.
"Chaos."
"Total chaos."
"Who said ancient girls were conservative?"
"Either they want to have your babies, or they want to offer themselves in marriage."
"I can't handle this. I really can't handle this..."
After Xu Xian left, Nangong Ning also walked out of the room. She gently closed the wooden door and saw Wen Qingxue.
Unlike the awkwardness of seeing Xu Xian, Wen Qingxue took the initiative to step forward and ask, "How did it go?"
Nangong Ning shook her head, looking a bit dejected. "Not great."
"Were you rejected?"
Nangong Ning thought for a moment and said ambiguously, "Not exactly."
Wen Qingxue grabbed Nangong Ning’s hand and pulled her toward the old tree to sit down, pressing curiously, "Tell me about it. I’ll analyze it for you."
Nangong Ning hesitated slightly.
Wen Qingxue tugged on Nangong Ning’s arm, swinging it back and forth. Breaking from her usual demeanor, she acted like a young girl, wheedling, "Tell me, tell me! I want to hear!"
Nangong Ning felt a bit embarrassed. "Do you really want to hear?"
"Mm-hmm!" Wen Qingxue nodded like a chicken pecking at grain.
Nangong Ning gave in. "Fine."
Just as she was about to speak, Wen Qingxue interrupted her.
"Wait a second."
"Hmm?"
With a wave of her white gauze sleeve, a pot of hot tea appeared on the table. She poured a cup for Nangong Ning and one for herself.
Then, from somewhere, she produced a handful of melon seeds. Cracking them open, she said, "Alright, you can start now."
Nangong Ning stared at the eager Wen Qingxue and suddenly asked, "What are you doing?"
"Nothing!" Noticing the change in Nangong Ning’s gaze, she quickly explained, "Hee-hee, doesn't this make the atmosphere better? You talk, don't mind me."
Nangong Ning was truly speechless. With a sigh, she began to recount everything that had happened in the room.
Wen Qingxue listened intently, her eyes filled with gossip.
However, her expression shifted along with the story—sometimes worried, sometimes happy, sometimes distressed—and occasionally she put on a look of deep, serious contemplation.
She took small sips of tea, and the ground was soon littered with melon seed shells.
Nangong Ning said the Little Grand-Uncle didn't blame her.
Wen Qingxue said the Little Grand-Uncle was reasonable and worth entrusting oneself to.
Nangong Ning asked if she wasn't pretty enough.
Wen Qingxue stated firmly, "How is that possible? You're the most beautiful."
Nangong Ning said she wanted to offer herself in marriage, but the Little Grand-Uncle said he wasn't eighteen yet and asked her what he meant.
Wen Qingxue said with an air of seniority, "The Little Grand-Uncle was trying to tell you that you're old."
Nangong Ning wanted to cry. She was only a bit over three hundred years old; how was that old?
"Then what does 'underage' mean?"
"What 'underage'?"
"I don't know. The Little Grand-Uncle said it. He said something about how underage people can't get married?"
Wen Qingxue took a small sip of tea. After a moment of pondering, she analyzed with a straight face:
"'Underage' might be an ancient race. The Little Grand-Uncle comes from the underage race, and that race isn't allowed to marry, so the Little Grand-Uncle can't get married..."
"Ah!" Nangong Ning was thrown into a panic. "Then what should I do?"
Wen Qingxue cracked a melon seed and said, "You could forgo the official title and simply sleep with him. The underage race might not allow emotional entanglements or marriage, but that doesn't mean they can't play around with women. Otherwise, how would they have children, and where would the Little Grand-Uncle come from?"
Nangong Ning’s eyes widened. She said indignantly, "Are you really my sister?"
"Of course!" Wen Qingxue’s expression was beyond doubt.
"Then listen to the terrible advice you're giving! Am I that kind of loose person?"
Wen Qingxue asked calmly, "Let me ask you, why do you want to be the Little Grand-Uncle's Dao companion?"
"Because the Little Grand-Uncle saved me. I want to offer myself to him to repay his kindness," Nangong Ning said without blinking.
Wen Qingxue curled her lip.
"I want the truth."
Nangong Ning pursed her thin lips, her face flushing crimson and her eyes shimmering. She whispered, "Um... because when the Little Grand-Uncle stood in front of me to protect me, he was really incredible. It felt like his whole being was glowing. Besides, he's so knowledgeable, smart, brave, and talented. But most, most, most importantly... the Little Grand-Uncle is really handsome!"
Wen Qingxue said coolly, "Then let me ask you: if you sleep with him, who’s the one losing out?"
Nangong Ning blinked. "Well, I certainly wouldn't be losing out."
Wen Qingxue spread her hands. "There you go."
Nangong Ning suddenly had a realization. "Little Wen, I understand now."
Wen Qingxue brushed the melon seed dust off her hands. Looking at Nangong Ning, she said seriously, "So, Senior Sister, don't hesitate. While the cabbage is still young, go ahead and uproot it. If you get it, you win."
"Alright, I'll uproot him!" Nangong Ning was full of drive, no longer wavering.
Wen Qingxue stood up, pumping her fist in an encouraging gesture.
"Good luck!"
Nangong Ning, completely swayed by the nonsense, followed suit and pumped her delicate fist.
"Good luck!"
Wen Qingxue turned and retreated into her room.
Nangong Ning remained seated at the table, psyching herself up.
"Good luck!"
"I'm not the one losing out anyway!"
"While the cabbage is still young, I'll uproot it..."
Her voice trailed off. Nangong Ning suddenly realized what she was saying. Her face turned various shades of red and white. She turned around and shouted at Wen Qingxue’s retreating back:
"Wen Qingxue, you're the pig!"
However, the only response she got was the heartless sound of a door closing.
Inside the room, Wen Qingxue gave a mischievous smile. "That silly girl... her chest might be bigger than mine, but her brain certainly isn't as smart. Hmph..."
On the other side.
After leaving the small courtyard, Xu Xian aimlessly climbed a small peak.
He arrived at the place where he used to practice his sword.
With a flick of his finger, he lit a fire.
He took out the pangolin meat he had saved from his storage bag, cut off a piece, skewered it on 'Wait', and began roasting it right then and there.
After breaking through to the core formation stage, Xu Xian could go long periods without drinking water or eating food.
However, practicing his cultivation techniques consumed a relatively large amount of spiritual energy.
Eating the meat of demonic beasts was beneficial for replenishing spiritual power.
It was precisely because of this that the Spirit Food Workshop of the Merchant Hall could stay in business.
Otherwise, if they only relied on new disciples eating porridge, they would have gone bankrupt long ago.
That said, many disciples in the mountains chose to be self-sufficient. It wasn't because they were picky, but simply because they were poor.
Cultivation was an expensive endeavor.
Spirit stones and elixirs were both major expenses. One had to save wherever possible.
Of course, Xu Xian didn't lack the money for food now. He was simply afraid that if he went there, that fat guy would secretly spit in his bowl.
After all, Zhou Tao had invested quite a bit in that mission to find him.
Not a huge amount, but Xu Xian certainly wasn't going to pay him back.
Back then, for three spirit stones worth 300 merit points, that fat guy had only given him 120. He had blatantly swindled him out of more than half.
Xu Xian held a grudge. Now that he finally had this opportunity, how could he miss it?
Given the fat guy's personality, he would probably lose another layer of fat from the stress. The thought alone made Xu Xian happy.
As he was roasting the meat, a figure appeared on the branch of an old pine tree in front of him.
Amidst the starlight and the firelight, the person looked utterly relaxed and said leisurely:
"Using an immortal sword to roast meat... you really are a piece of work!"
Rate on N.U.
