Chapter 226 Meeting Yu Yifeng (1/2)

Qingluan raised her head. Her long years of cultivation had tempered her character to surpass that of an ordinary woman's, but there was still the slightest shift in her expression at this moment. For a long time, she didn't speak.

Xiao Chen smiled upon seeing her reluctance. ”It's alright if you don't wish to answer. You may leave now.”

”Yes, Master,” Qingluan whispered and then left.

The curtain of night was about to fall, bringing with it a gentle evening breeze. The wind carried the fragrance of the flowers down the mountain, refreshing one's mind and spirit. Before going down the mountain, Xiao Chen had sent Murong Xian'er to Fengxi's place. Thus, he and Ziyun'er were the only ones in the courtyard.

Both of them said nothing. Even the sunset fell in silence. Ziyun'er wounded her hands into tight fists. She lowered her head, afraid to meet his eyes. Her delicate face was as red as the sun setting over the horizon.

She was the youngest among the twelve ladies. Her mind was currently preoccupied with all sorts of thoughts. ”It's getting dark soon. Why did Master keep me here all by myself? Could it be… No, even though the ladies of the Hidden Fragrance must obey our Master at all times, we have always remained chaste. No, no way. I can't. But what if Master insists? No, no way…”

Noticing that she was distracted, Xiao Chen asked, ”What's wrong?”

”Ah!” Ziyun'er abruptly raised her head, revealing a pair of eyes that was welled up with tears. She shook her head. ”Master, please don't…”

”Huh? What's wrong? I just want to understand what's going on with you girls. Can't I even do that?”

”Ah. Is that so…?” She immediately told him everything about the origin of the Hidden Fragrance Wafting Under the Moon as well as their current circumstances.

Xiao Chen nodded quietly. He learned that these twelve ladies once belonged to the Crown Prince of the Xiyue State. The Crown Prince ended up offending None-flower Dust, who forced the former to release the ladies before killing him. Thus, they followed None-flower Dust all the way to Canglan City.

He had a general idea of their history now. None-flower Dust was pretty eccentric and had never acted according to norms. Nor had he ever paid attention to the rules set by the Immortals' League. He also never thought of accepting these ladies as his subordinates; he had simply made a spur-of-the-mind decision to free these ladies. Xiao Chen asked, ”Then can you tell me what caused the scar on Qingluan's face?”

”Um… When we returned from our mission thirteen years ago, the Crown Prince got drunk and wanted Elder Sister to… She wasn't willing, so he whipped her face. The whip was coated in the Thousand Spiders Poison, so the scar will never fade…”

Xiao Chen's gaze turned cold. ”Was that how the Crown Prince of Xiyue usually treated you all?”

Ziyun'er lowered her head, not answering. Xiao Chen sighed. ”That's all I need to hear. It's fine now. Things like that won't happen anymore. You may take your leave.”

Ziyun'er instantly looked up at him as if she was astonished. ”Is… that all?”

Seeing her red face, Xiao Chen recalled what she told him about the Crown Prince of Xiyue and how she had looked so out of it since the beginning. Realization finally dawned on him. He clapped a hand over his forehead and shook his head with a wry smile. ”Did you think…?”

”I… I'll excuse myself!”

Ziyun'er was panicking now and her face turned even redder. She hastily retreated out of the courtyard.

Xiao Chen shook his head with a smile. He looked deep in thought as he stared at the sun setting over the horizon.

Of the twelve, Qingluan's cultivation was the highest. She appeared to have reached the peak of the Core Forming Realm. He couldn't understand their cultivation methods, but he was sure that their cultivation would improve by leaps and bounds after he taught them some cultivation methods from the Mystic Cyan Sect.

But now wasn't the time. It was None-flower Dust who brought them here. He could trust Yi Tong with his life, but None-flower Dust was a mystery. Did None-flower Dust repeatedly lend him a hand just for Yi Tong's sake?

After Xiao Chen contemplated over this question for a moment, he saw two sword lights appearing at the horizon and flying toward the main hall of the Xianyong Sect. After some fifteen minutes, Qingluan entered the courtyard.

”Perfected Immortal Fengxi, Miss Murong, and two guests are here to visit you, Master.”

Xiao Chen nodded. ”Let them come in.” The two guests must be the sword lights he saw earlier. Who could they be?

Before long, Fengxi and Murong Xian'er walked in. Next to them were Yu Yifeng and Perfected Immortal Qing Chen.

”Perfected Immortal Qing Chen, Brother Yifeng!”

Xiao Chen never thought it would be them. He happily walked over to welcome them. Yu Yifeng was frowning. ”Xiao Chen, what happened? Have they already sent their people to watch over you?”