Chapter 75: Run Quickly, She’s Back (1)
“If Fairy Hong Ling has already left the HongHua Sect, won’t I be coming here for nothing?”
Huang Qi realized the seriousness of the situation. He no longer cared about the silver and was pacing anxiously.
“Why don’t I chase after her and ask her properly?”
Huang Qi impulsively ran towards the door, but his feet stopped before crossing the threshold. He understood that his survival so far was purely due to blind luck, and actively engaging with them now would be suicidal.
Huang Qi returned to the room and began to pace. After a moment, he suddenly slapped his head and cursed, “How could I be so stupid? Why would I believe the words of a few human traffickers? Didn’t those fairies from the HongHua Sect make it clear that their Junior Sister is in seclusion!”
Indeed, between human traffickers and fairies, only a fool wouldn’t know who to believe! Moreover, those human traffickers had just admitted that the information was hearsay.
Thinking this, Huang Qi felt a great sense of relief. He then packed the silver and walked towards the door.
By this time, the waiter was no longer at the door; he had likely been scared away.
Huang Qi stood in the corridor for a moment. Onlookers gradually arrived, discussing the events, completely unaware of what had happened.
Soon after, the waiter returned with the shopkeeper, who was clutching his bleeding shoulder. He had clearly been injured outside.
Huang Qi pondered for a moment, then threw him two taels of silver. Although the young man had protected him out of duty, his intentions were still good.
“Miss, what just happened?”
The shopkeeper asked cautiously, and everyone else also revealed their curiosity. They had hidden after hearing the commotion and couldn’t understand why those people had left empty-handed for no apparent reason.
“Don’t ask what you shouldn’t ask.”
Huang Qi dismissively replied, then returned to his room. He didn’t want to escalate the situation.
The shopkeeper thought the same, so he acted as if nothing had happened and ushered the guests back to their rooms.
Huang Qi sat down on the bed to cultivate again, but the last words of the “ruffians” kept replaying in his mind: “Fortunately, we came late and met her on the way!”
Huang Qi felt that there was more to this sentence than met the eye, but he couldn’t figure out what it meant no matter how much he thought about it.
The next morning, as dawn broke, Huang Qi set off energetic and refreshed.
After a day of travel, at sunset, Huang Qi had reached the territory of Huang Tian Prefecture. In at most half a day, he would arrive at the HongHua Sect.
Although Huang Qi was burning with anxiety, for safety reasons, he decided to find a place to stay for the night. Since he had been rushing to get here, he had missed the towns, so this time he would have to make do with a village.
Huang Qi knocked on the gate of a house and stated his intentions.
When the homeowner heard it was a “girl,” he unhesitatingly welcomed Huang Qi in, completely without suspicion.
“It’s quite ironic. During the day, I was refused even a drink of water, but now that I’ve changed my appearance, I’m treated like a VIP even late at night.”
Huang Qi thought this, feeling a mix of amusement and disbelief.
“You’re alone?”
The middle-aged male homeowner who opened the door was stunned for a moment, then kept looking behind Huang Qi.
“Yes, why?”
Huang Qi asked back.
“You’re quite bold for a little girl. It’s surprising your parents would allow this.”
The male homeowner shook his head speechlessly.
Huang Qi didn’t bother to explain and walked into the courtyard. A pair of man and woman met his eyes. The woman was over fifty, dark-skinned, and likely the mistress of the house. The man was in his twenties, thin as a monkey, presumably the couple’s son.
The male homeowner introduced himself as Mr. Zhang, and next to him were his wife, Mrs. Liu, and their son, Ah Ming.
Huang Qi took out a few coins of silver and gave them to the homeowner, hoping he would prepare some food for him.
The homeowner politely declined at first, then accepted the silver, as no one was wealthy in these times.
Huang Qi was welcomed into the main hall by the family. The couple went to prepare dinner and arranged for their son to accompany Huang Qi, the intention being all too obvious.
Unfortunately, Ah Ming was not up to par and didn’t dare to look at Huang Qi or find any topic of conversation. He eventually fled shamefully.
Huang Qi didn’t mock him, as he knew he wouldn’t fare any better if he were facing Fairy Hong Ling.
Half an hour later, the couple brought out the food: a few potatoes and two dried vegetable dishes, cooked whether by boiling or stir-frying was indistinguishable from their appearance, and it was unclear if there was any oil.
“My child, I apologize! This is all we have at home. Please make do with it.”
The female host explained apologetically.
“It’s fine.”
Huang Qi shook his head, indicating he didn’t mind, as he wasn’t a pampered young lady and often ate such food at home.
“By the way, you’re from out of town, aren’t you?”
The female host asked tentatively. Since they were both “women,” she wasn’t shy.
“How did you know?”
Huang Qi asked casually.
“It’s simple. Where in Huang Tian Prefecture would you find such tall girls?”
The female host said with a proud smile, seemingly quite pleased with her own cleverness.
“Let alone girls, there aren’t many boys like that either. Look at our Ah Ming; he’s probably only as tall as your chin.”
The male host chimed in, glancing at his son with a hint of “disdain.”
Ah Ming, being teased by his father, felt even more embarrassed.
“Where are you going, an out-of-town girl? Why are you traveling at night? Where is your husband’s family? Why are they so irresponsible?”
The female host asked indirectly.
“I… I don’t have a husband’s family.”
Huang Qi replied awkwardly. He had originally planned to lie and say he had a husband’s family, but that would disgrace the Huang family.
“So you’re not engaged yet? How do you like our Ah Ming?”
The female host asked eagerly. It wasn’t that she was impatient, but that the opportunity was fleeting. Ah Ming (II) San Si Ba IV. Tomorrow morning, the “girl” in front of them would be leaving.
Huang Qi was taken aback, wondering if he had come to borrow lodging, not to find a spouse.
“Don’t look at his height, he’s diligent and hardworking, and our family is also quite well-off…”
The female host began to praise herself, looking around.
“This is considered well-off?”
Huang Qi subconsciously looked at the food in his bowl again. He doubted if he had seen it wrong, and that it was actually filled with delicacies, otherwise, where did the female host get her confidence?
“Mother! Stop talking!”
Ah Ming, who was beside them, couldn’t bear it any longer and said reprovingly.
“Shut up!”
The female host scolded him with a hint of disappointment in his lack of ambition.
“I’m sorry, but I already have someone I like.”
Huang Qi lied, wanting to avoid further entanglement.
Upon hearing this, the family’s faces all showed disappointment. Ah Ming, in particular, had some self-awareness, but it didn’t mean he didn’t have any inappropriate thoughts.
Huang Qi didn’t want to linger, so he took the potatoes and returned to his room. Eating in front of them would require him to remove his veil, and he didn’t want any unforeseen complications.
The night passed without incident. The next morning, Huang Qi bid farewell to his hosts and, under their reluctant gazes, began to rush again without stopping.
An hour later, Huang Qi entered the passage leading to the HongHua Sect, and his nerves began to tighten.
Huang Qi’s plan was simple: take advantage of Fairy Hong Ling’s seclusion, impersonate her, enter the HongHua Sect, borrow the Tooth Token and Tongming Comb, and promise to return them and repay them with the utmost sincerity.
“With my current cultivation speed, I should be able to help them with something!”
Huang Qi thought to himself.
Huang Qi traveled north, passing through several villages. Previously, he could occasionally see farmers at work, but today the villages appeared exceptionally quiet. He didn’t know why.
Huang Qi felt a sudden, inexplicable heaviness in his heart. Just then, he saw a figure stumbling towards him not far away. Judging by his clothing, it should be a disciple of the HongHua Sect.
Huang Qi took a deep breath and, steeling himself, walked towards the person. They soon met.
Upon seeing the disciple clearly, Huang Qi was utterly shocked. The disciple’s hair was disheveled, and he was covered in blood, looking like an evil ghost emerging from hell.
“What in the world is going on?”
Huang Qi was bewildered. This was the territory of the HongHua Sect; there shouldn’t be any demons or ghosts.
“What happened to you?”
Huang Qi quickly asked. He had already planned to disguise himself as Fairy Hong Ling, and now that he had reached the entrance of the HongHua Sect, he was no longer afraid of being recognized.
“Hong… Junior Sister Hong Ling?”
Hearing Huang Qi’s voice, the disciple seemed to have found a lifeline. He calmed down, propped himself up with his sword, and panted excitedly, “Huu… haha… you… you really didn’t leave the HongHua Sect!”
“What exactly is going on?”
Huang Qi was stamping his feet in his anxiety.
“Now… tens of thousands of evil spirits are attacking the HongHua Sect!”
The disciple said, word by word.
