Chapter 368: Aunt, entrusting my sister
The setting sun slowly dipped behind the mountains, and a light snow began to fall. The Youren Pavilion remained lively. Within a short while, the patrons in the main hall on the first floor had forgotten about the presence of a Core Formation Stage cultivator among them, engaging in drinking games and dice.
As the restaurant didn’t have many waiters, Xu Xiyue exchanged a few pleasantries with Ye Anping. Upon hearing someone order wine, she bowed respectfully and took her leave, hurrying off to serve other guests.
Meanwhile, Ye Anping pretended to savor the roasted chicken and wine. His gaze would occasionally flick towards the busy Xu Xiyue, his lips slightly pursed, a subtle smile gracing his face, as if to say, “This wine is quite good!”
However, in his heart, he felt a touch of regret.
Ye Anping had actually hoped to witness a scene often depicted in various books: perhaps a drunken patron causing a scene and bothering Xu Xiyue as she carried dishes, allowing him to show off his prowess.
Alas, the local customs here were simple and honest, and the patrons frequenting this establishment were all regulars.
After a considerable time, the patrons in the Youren Pavilion gradually departed, leaving only Ye Anping’s table and Li Longling’s at the first floor.
The female shopkeeper of the Youren Pavilion had been observing Ye Anping throughout the past hour. Initially, she was merely worried that he wasn’t eating well, always ready to approach and apologize.
But gradually, she noticed that whenever Xu Xiyue walked past him, his gaze would linger on her.
At this point, the female shopkeeper suddenly recalled rumors from the Southern Domain. It was said that Sect Master Yun of the Moon Shadow Sword Sect particularly favored visiting remote places. Relying on his high cultivation, he would lure attractive young women and later either take them as concubines or dismiss them with a few Spirit Stones.
As for the young girl who entered with him, carrying a birdcage, the shopkeeper suspected she might be one of his concubines.
With this thought, the shopkeeper felt troubled. If it were a cultivator at the Late Foundation Establishment stage, she would have directly asked them to leave. But that “refined scoundrel” was a Core Formation Stage cultivator.
After some deliberation, the shopkeeper decided to call for backup.
She stealthily went to the back door of the restaurant, retrieved a specially made Jade Slip that Xu Xiyue’s sister had given her, and inscribed a message into it with her spiritual sense. Then, with a flick of her finger, she sent it flying.
The Jade Slip instantly transformed into a golden light and sped towards Tianfeng Immortal City.
Ye Anping didn’t notice anything. However, Li Longling saw the shopkeeper’s actions.
She pondered for a moment and said, “Young Master Ye…”
“What is it?”
Li Longling pouted, thinking it wasn’t a big deal, and shook her head slightly, changing the subject. “…Never mind, it’s nothing.”
“?”
“Longling, if you have something to say, just ask…”
“It really is nothing.” Li Longling smiled, picked up the wine pot, and poured herself a drink. She tilted her head back and drank, “This wine is quite good… I’ve never tasted it before.”
“It can warm the body, brewed from spiritual herbs.”
They chatted aimlessly for a while. Approximately two quarters of an hour later, a sudden gale swept through the area outside the restaurant.
Xu Mulan, clad in silver armor and holding a spear, descended before the restaurant’s main entrance with three Late Foundation Establishment Snow-clothed Guards, her face etched with anger.
Xiyue, who was carrying several empty plates and passing by the counter, turned around. Seeing her sister approaching with such aggressive energy, she was utterly bewildered.
“Sister? Why are you…”
“Hoo…”
Seeing that her sister was unharmed, Xu Mulan finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Just a moment ago, she had been at the Commander’s Mansion in Tianfeng Immortal City, contemplating a case of “missing children in the vicinity.” Suddenly, a Jade Slip flew through the window, carrying the message: A refined scoundrel of the Core Formation Stage is harassing young Xiyue.
Terrified, she immediately grabbed her spear and, along with her accompanying guards, flew to the scene.
Ye Anping was also startled by Xu Mulan and her entourage entering the establishment. He was momentarily stunned and quite confused. It was one thing for Xu Mulan, Xu Xiyue’s sister, to visit, but why was she carrying a spear?
To his surprise, Xu Mulan patted Xiyue’s head and then walked to the counter, exchanging a few words with the female shopkeeper.
Afterward, the shopkeeper pointed in their direction.
Xu Mulan immediately turned and glared at them.
“?”
“What did I do?” Ye Anping was utterly confused.
Xu Mulan stared at Ye Anping. Upon seeing his face, she was also taken aback. After exchanging a few more words with the shopkeeper, she sheathed her spear and walked towards him and Li Longling.
Ye Anping quickly stood up, cupped his hands, and asked, “Commander Xu, has something happened?”
Xu Mulan narrowed her eyes and asked with some confusion, “Someone reported you for harassing my sister in public?”
“?”
Ye Anping’s eye twitched, and he glanced at the female shopkeeper behind the counter. The shopkeeper then stepped forward and said, “Yes, Commander Xu, he’s been peeking at Miss Xu the whole time, for over an hour…”
“…”
Ye Anping was speechless. He had only glanced a few extra times; it wasn’t that exaggerated, was it?
Li Longling, seated at the opposite table, couldn’t help but cover her mouth and chuckle. Smiling, she explained to Xu Mulan, “Pfft— Commander Xu, Young Master Ye just told me that the young girl carrying the plates looked a lot like you, so he was just looking a few extra times. When he asked about her, he learned she was indeed your sister.”
“So that’s how it is.”
After hearing Li Longling’s explanation, Xu Mulan turned to look at Xu Xiyue, who was still looking bewildered. She then somewhat awkwardly introduced to the shopkeeper, “Shopkeeper Huang, this young lady is the Mansion Lord of the Chi Long Mansion in the Western Regions. This young master is her accompanying guard; he is not a scoundrel, so you don’t need to be so vigilant.”
“Ah… Chi Long Mansion…” The shopkeeper turned pale upon hearing this. She cast a wary glance at Ye Anping and the others and quickly bowed, “Two seniors, this junior was blind and ignorant. I hope you will forgive me.”
“…It’s alright.”
It was a false alarm. Xu Mulan breathed a sigh of relief and told the shopkeeper to return to her post. After a moment of thought, she instructed the Snow-clothed Guards to take a nearby table and then sat down with them.
“Xiyue, please serve Resident Lord Li and Young Master Ye another pot of good wine.”
“…Okay.”
Xu Xiyue nodded and scurried off to the back to fetch more wine.
After Xu Xiyue had left, Xu Mulan asked, “Resident Lord Li, why have you come to this remote place? If you needed lodging, wouldn’t it be better in Tianfeng Immortal City? If not, you could have just told me, and I could have arranged for you to stay in the guest halls of the Commander’s Mansion… This Northern Region is so cold and snowy…”
Ye Anping chuckled awkwardly and replied, “It’s rare for us to come to the Northern Region, so we wanted to experience the local customs! The roasted chicken here is quite delicious.”
Li Longling smiled wordlessly, stroking the feathers of the Fire Phoenix, and nodded.
Xu Mulan looked somewhat surprised and raised an eyebrow. “Young Master Ye, you are already at the Core Formation Stage. Have you not yet begun to abstain from grains?”
Ye Anping smiled, picked up a wine cup, and poured a glass for Xu Mulan. “I haven’t tasted enough of the world’s flavors yet. If I were to abstain from grains now, wouldn’t that make life less flavorful?”
“Haven’t tasted enough yet?” Xu Mulan fell silent for a moment. “Young Master Ye, how old are you?”
“My age?” Ye Anping gave a wry smile and said, “I am twenty-two this year.”
What?!
His words caused Xu Mulan’s eyes to widen. He had reached the Core Formation Stage at twenty-two?
Even the three Snow-clothed Guards at the nearby table couldn’t help but glance over at Ye Anping, whispering amongst themselves, “Young and promising?” “So young!” “No wonder he looks so good…”
Xu Mulan couldn’t help but scrutinize Ye Anping, suspecting he was exaggerating. She had cultivated for many years and had heard of those who reached Core Formation in their twenties, but this was the first time she had met one.
For a normal cultivator, reaching Foundation Establishment at twenty was considered excellent. Core Formation cultivators were typically in their sixties or seventies.
Seeing her look, Ye Anping smiled slightly. “Is it that exaggerated? I was lucky and stumbled upon a few fortuitous encounters.”
“…Since Young Master Ye has such exceptional aptitude, you must have formed a Rank One Golden Core, correct?”
“Um… almost.”
Ye Anping hadn’t boasted before, but since she was his sister-in-law, he decided to show off a little. With a slight wave of his hand, a stream of Golden Spiritual Energy flowed from his fingertips, condensing into a ball of light hovering there.
It was like meeting one’s partner’s parents; if you immediately presented property deeds and bank statements, your approval rating would surely skyrocket.
“Commander Xu, what Rank do you think my Golden Core is?”
“…”
Xu Mulan narrowed her eyes, seemingly defeated. She took a gulp of wine and cupped her hands. “I concede defeat. I shall punish myself with a drink.”
“Let me reciprocate.”
Ye Anping clinked glasses with her. Li Longling, however, couldn’t help but sigh. “Young Master Ye, this is the first time I’ve seen you show off like this.”
“Longling, Commander Xu is an upright person. There’s no harm in being frank.”
“Oh…”
Xu Mulan looked at Li Longling beside her, a flicker of jealousy crossing her mind. This pair of a man and a woman, roughly the same age, had traveled thousands of miles from the Western Regions together to the Northern Region. Their relationship was likely quite close.
And that was without even mentioning Ye Anping’s handsome face.
Just the fact that he had reached Core Formation at twenty-two, and was a Heavenly Dao Golden Core, was enough. Any great family with daughters would be scrambling to marry their daughters off to him.
“Alas…”
“Commander Xu, why the sigh?”
“It’s nothing…”
Xu Mulan shook her head. She was simply lamenting her many years of singlehood, only to finally encounter a seemingly decent man, only to discover he was much younger than her and already taken.
Forget it. He was just handsome and exceptionally talented. She resolutely put the thought aside and looked out the window at the waning moon. Suddenly, she remembered the “child disappearance case” and tentatively asked, “Will Young Master Ye and Resident Lord Li be staying around Tianfeng Immortal City?”
“Our original plan was to stay for half a month… What is it?”
“Will you be staying in Baiyue Town? Or…”
Li Longling, sensing a hidden meaning in Xu Mulan’s words, smiled and nodded, spreading her hands. “Commander Xu, if there’s anything you need our help with, please don’t hesitate to ask. As long as it’s within our power, we won’t refuse.”
“…Mm.” Ye Anping also nodded. “Commander Xu, please tell us.”
“Then I won’t beat around the bush.”
Xu Mulan let out a long sigh and took out a case file from her Storage Bag. “In the past few months, someone around Tianfeng Immortal City has repeatedly kidnapped young girls around ten years old. So far, twenty-two have fallen victim.”
Upon hearing this, Ye Anping’s initially languid gaze sharpened instantly. He narrowed his eyes and asked, “…What?!”
Xu Mulan was startled by Ye Anping’s sudden stern demeanor and asked, “Young Master Ye, what’s wrong?”
Li Longling, observing Ye Anping through the vision of the Fire Phoenix, also frowned. She could tell that this matter of the missing children had clearly caught Ye Anping off guard. She spread her hands. “Commander Xu, please elaborate.”
“Well… it’s not that I shouldn’t tell you, but the truth is, despite months of investigation, the Snow-clothed Guard has found not a single clue. We’re completely at a loss. I’ve already dispatched Snow-clothed Guards to patrol every town, but our manpower is insufficient, and the culprit has still managed to slip through the cracks…”
“So, you wish to ask us to help investigate this matter?”
“No!” Xu Mulan shook her head, interrupting. “Actually, I want the two of you to look after my sister.”
Li Longling tilted her head, confused. “Then why don’t you bring Miss Xu to the Commander’s Mansion?”
“Firstly, I can’t possibly bring all the young girls in the vicinity to the Commander’s Mansion. I am the Commander of the Snow-clothed Guard, the shield of Tianfeng Immortal City. How could I play favorites for my own sister? If the cultivators around here found out, what face would the Snow-clothed Guard have?
“Secondly, my sister has a rather stubborn personality. She never wants to trouble me, her older sister. Although I always tell her it’s not a trouble, she still… The clothes I buy her, she wears them until they’re tattered before changing them, mending them herself…”
“I see.” Li Longling nodded. “No wonder your sister, the Commander’s sister, is working as a waiter in a restaurant…”
“She wants to earn Spirit Stones herself. All the pocket money I give her, she saves it all. It’s really… alas…”
As they were conversing, they noticed Ye Anping lowering his gaze, seemingly deep in thought. His brows were furrowed, and his expression was not good.
Li Longling whispered, “Young Master Ye?”
“Mm… It’s nothing.” Ye Anping came back to his senses and smiled. “Resident Lord Li and I will be staying here, and we will definitely take good care of your sister.”
“Then I thank Resident Lord Li and Young Master Ye in advance.” Xu Mulan stood up and cupped her hands in a bow to the two of them. “Once I catch that scoundrel, I will surely reward you handsomely.”
As they were talking, Xu Xiyue returned from the back with a pot of warmed wine. She carefully tiptoed and placed the wine pot on the table.
“Please enjoy, sirs. Call me if you need anything else…”
She turned to leave, but Xu Mulan stopped her.
“Xiyue.”
“Yes, Commander. What are your orders?”
“These two are esteemed guests of Tianfeng Immortal City and will be staying in Baiyue Town for a while. You will be responsible for looking after their daily needs during this period.”
Xu Xiyue glanced at Ye Anping, then at her blind sister beside her, and nodded. “…Yes, I understand.”
Afterward, Xu Mulan bowed to the two of them again and, with a nod to the three Snow-clothed Guards beside her, led them out of the restaurant.
After seeing the four of them leave, Xu Xiyue pondered for a moment, then looked at Ye Anping and said, “Senior, my sister has a rather strong personality and has no cultivation partner yet. So her tone might be a bit harsh, but she’s actually quite kind.”
Li Longling smiled and asked, “Why would you mention to Young Master Ye that your sister doesn’t have a cultivation partner?”
“…I’m just saying casual things, Senior.” Xu Xiyue pursed her lips and smiled. “Seniors, shall I take you up to see the rooms?”
