"What is it?"
The man lowered his head and reported back, "There's news about the woman you're looking for, and it seems she's right under this troupe. Elder Su of the Sword Sect is by her side."
The refined middle-aged man's expression finally changed. He nodded slightly, then gently formed an orchid finger gesture with his right hand before him and sang softly in a theatrical tune, "Amidst ordinary faces, none compare to the fragrance of Lady Xiang alone... Of one alone..."
「 」
The troupe dispersed. Su Bei held the still softly weeping Sword Maiden in his arms, patting her smooth back.
She was a woman whose fate was fraught with hardships, but now that she has become my disciple, I will gradually help her forget those past sorrows.
Su Bei led her into a candied fruit shop. When they came out, Sword Maiden was holding a large gift box—the gift Su Bei had prepared for Key Smoke.
After all, meeting that woman empty-handed... wouldn't be polite.
Watching Sword Maiden carrying a box bigger than her head was a comical sight. Although Su Bei could have put it in his storage ring, the charming and delightful scene evoked a playful mood in him.
"Hmm, you can be your master's big porter!" he teased.
He had expected her to get angry or look aggrieved, but instead, her eyes suddenly lit up. She seemed to feel useful to him and happily took on the task.
I never thought there'd be a day when a woman would accompany me shopping and even carry things for me! Su Bei mused, then sighed. What a sinful world!
He stroked her soft hair. Her strands were as fine as silk, and her fair skin was like a doll's.
With a hint of mischief, he placed two cotton candies into her already full hands, then led her up to a restaurant.
Dusk had fallen. A crimson glow diffused across the sky, draping over Su Bei's shoulders. Dewdrops, remnants of a light rain, rolled down tender willow leaves, releasing a subtle, fresh fragrance.
Just then, Su Bei's brows furrowed. It feels like someone has been following me this whole time.
Especially now that they were in the restaurant, the gaze remained, unyielding.
He continued walking as if unaware, then abruptly turned around. His eyes met a nimble gaze.
She was a woman in a goose-yellow dress, her long, narrow eyes bright. She wore a shimmering Glazed Step Shake in her hair. Her slender fingers were like young onion shoots, her nails painted a deep red. Her wrists were as pale as snow, and in the breeze, she looked as ethereal as a drifting butterfly.
Su Bei looked puzzled. Then, the image of this strange yet somehow familiar woman gradually emerged from his memory. Isn't this the same odd woman who followed me that night in the rain?
When the woman realized Su Bei had spotted her, she shivered involuntarily and quickly turned her back. Not paying attention, her foot slipped, and she suddenly found herself airborne.
"Ah—" she shrieked.
SPLASH!
A sharp spray of water erupted.
Then, Su Bei saw the woman flailing her arms, tumbling in the river.
With a deadpan expression, Su Bei looked at the somewhat dazed woman. He quietly said to Sword Maiden, "Wait here for your master."
He told her to wait for him at their table in the restaurant and then ran towards the woman in the river.
Sword Maiden placed the large pile of items from her hands onto the restaurant table and let out a long sigh of relief. She raised a delicate hand to wipe the fine beads of sweat from her brow.
Yet, her expression held a hint of self-satisfaction; she was clearly feeling triumphant.
I finally helped him!
Just as Sword Maiden was carefully arranging the items on the table, one by one, a refined middle-aged man with a gentle smile approached her.
「 」
This woman seems a bit dazed, Su Bei thought. But her falling into the river might have something to do with me.
He pulled her out. Her wet clothes shimmered in the twilight. The water had soaked through her gauze dress, outlining her perfect figure. Her dark hair, spread out in the water like fresh seaweed, now clung to the fabric.
The dress was rather sheer. Without even looking closely, Su Bei could make out the pale white dudou she wore underneath. And... it looks like there's a duck embroidered on it. Of course, it might be a mandarin duck...
The sight of her curvaceous figure made Su Bei marvel. Perhaps all food in this world has the same effect as papaya.
COUGH. COUGH.
Die Yi coughed lightly. This body has no cultivation; it's no different from an ordinary person's. For a moment there, I thought I was going to drown. Fortunately, this man pulled me up quickly.
Her slender eyelashes fluttered, a crystal droplet of water landing on her delicate nose. Her legs rubbed together unconsciously, like a mermaid's tail. Her long, smooth hair lay scattered. Though her drenched appearance was somewhat disheveled, it only made her more exquisitely beautiful.
A light breeze swept by. Although it wasn't very cold, Die Yi shivered involuntarily due to her wet clothes.
Seeing this, Su Bei sighed. I'm not some lecherous devil, after all. He took a clean robe of his from his storage ring and draped it over her. Bending down, he looked at her with a gentle expression and said, "Put this on. It's very clean."
He added, "Be careful not to catch a cold."
Perhaps she's homeless. After all, her luck is red!
Although Die Yi didn't want to wear this man's robe, her body betrayed her thoughts. Her jade-like arms instinctively pulled the garment tighter around herself. Biting her thin lip, she gazed at the gentle-faced man before her.
He discovered I was tracking him, even though I hid so well! If it weren't for that little girl holding cotton candy, how could I have been distracted?
Her heart filled with increasing resentment towards him. If it weren't for him, how would I have ended up in this state? I gave up the noble position of Saintess just to become his disciple! But then again, what is my sacrifice compared to the well-being of the world and its people? I harbor the lofty ideal of saving everyone! Before this man can bring chaos to the world, I must complete my training and strike him down with a single slash of my sword!
Just as Die Yi was lost in these heroic thoughts, tears of emotion welled in her eyes, about to spill... but then she suddenly sneezed. Snot dribbled from her noble and sacred (or so she thought) delicate nose.
HAHAHA!
For some reason, Su Bei found the sight of this endearingly silly girl hilarious and burst out laughing without restraint.
He took a silk handkerchief from his storage ring and gently wiped her nose, chuckling, "Is there anything I can help you with?"
Die Yi stared blankly at the gentle scene unfolding before her, her eyes slightly downcast. Then, looking up at Su Bei, she murmured, "You... can you please die?"
She paused, as if realizing her tone was off. Lifting her head, her eyes glinting as she looked at him, she declared with utmost seriousness, "You absolutely must die!"
From the willow tree above, a small oriole poked its head out and chirped.
The mother bird, seeing the two people below and suspecting they were plotting to climb the tree and snatch its chicks, grew annoyed. With a slight turn of its body...
PLOP!
A dropping fell.
Luckily, Su Bei dodged quickly, flipping his wide sleeve just in time.
The poor, endearingly silly girl in front of him, however, was caught off guard. A fresh dollop landed right on her delicate nose.
A faint, unpleasant odor spread between them.
Su Bei was speechless.
I must have encountered an idiot, he thought.
He reached out and gently wiped the bird dropping from her nose. His movements were tender, his eyes filled with pity for the poor girl. Her family must think she's a bit slow, and that's why they let her wander around homeless.
"Where do you live?" he asked.
Die Yi, evidently aware of her own embarrassing state, blushed crimson and struggled to speak for a long moment.
I went to such great lengths to finally corner him here, and *this* is how our first real meeting goes? Feeling rather aggrieved, she took a deep breath. This must be a test for me!
"In... the Sacred Sanctuary," she finally said, then pointed towards a magnificent, imposing building in the distance.
In this life, Key Smoke hadn't taken Die Yi as her disciple but had, instead, acknowledged her as a foster niece. That didn't seem too bad, either.
"The Sacred Sanctuary?" Su Bei echoed, curious. Her home is the Sacred Sanctuary?!
"Saintess Key Smoke... is my aunt," Die Yi stated.
GASP!
Su Bei drew in a sharp breath, stunned. He stared at the woman before him, unable to react for a moment.