I found Lao Qin’s self-recommendation quite interesting, so I reserved two hours of his time with three spirit stones.
But when I was about to leave, Lao Qin told me: “You’re leaving? The time has already started counting. You’d better hurry back.”
“You’re timing this?”
“We provide paid services. Once you’ve paid, the service naturally begins.”
“Then refund me first, and I’ll pay again when I come back.”
“Our special services are non-refundable.”
I pointed at Lao Qin. “You’re a scammer, aren’t you?”
Lao Qin waved his folding fan, covering half his face, with only his fox-like, charming eyes smiling at me: “Clearly priced, no cheating young or old.”
Damn it…
I left Cuihu Terrace cursing under my breath, but still didn’t forget to instruct Lao Qin to prepare four stunning fox women for me.
I thought that, hopefully, they could enchant Xie Xuanqing at first sight. If they couldn’t, then they could bring Xie Xuanqing to see my “debaucherous” appearance…
After all, I was still a leader of the Defense Army. I still wanted to maintain my dignity. Unless necessary, I shouldn’t use my trump card.
After arranging these matters, I finally arrived at the cave in Snow Bamboo Forest.
Before entering, I replayed Xie Zhuo’s irritating face in my mind a hundred times. Only when I was sure I felt extremely annoyed by this face did I step into the cave.
Even during the daytime, the cave was somewhat dark, with an indelible dampness. Strange sounds faintly emanated from within the cave—”creak, creak”—making one’s ears slightly uncomfortable.
“Xie Xuanqing?” I called his name, finally walking to his front.
In the dim light and shadow, Xie Xuanqing sat against the stone wall. In his arms was a nearly completed snow bamboo flute. He was still drilling holes in it…
I had completely forgotten about this… How was he still…
“Jiu Xia, wait a moment. It will be done soon.”
Looking at his serious expression, my heart was about to soften, but another part of me called rationality harshly gripped my heartstrings.
No! Stay firm! You don’t want to soften!
Money has been spent! Time is ticking! Take him there quickly!
I pursed my lips, snatched the snow bamboo flute from his hands, and placed it on the ground beside him. Amid Xie Xuanqing’s slightly startled expression, I grabbed his hand and pulled him up.
“Can’t wait anymore. I’m taking you to play something fun!”
Without giving him a chance to speak, I dragged him out of the dark cave.
Xie Xuanqing didn’t resist and was dazedly pulled by me to the East Market.
However, upon reaching the crowded East Market, Xie Xuanqing’s demeanor changed. He no longer allowed me to pull him around aimlessly, but stood beside me, following step by step, his expression guarded and cold, constantly scrutinizing the immortals and demons brushing past us.
This state of his…
Suddenly, he seemed a bit like Xie Zhuo.
I was puzzled, but pressed for time, I didn’t ask him much. I directly brought him to the corridor bridge in front of Cuihu Terrace’s main entrance.
On the corridor bridge, fox demons were already lounging here and there, both male and female. Each fox demon was half-dressed, with exposed shoulders. Their loosely tied hair made even the broad daylight seem somewhat enchanting and ambiguous.
Xie Xuanqing and I stood before the corridor bridge. I glanced at Xie Xuanqing’s face.
His expression was as dark as his name, completely black.
I didn’t explain and stepped forward. Xie Xuanqing finally held me back, his fingers gripping my wrist. I could feel the painful pressure.
“What are you doing here?”
The three words “taking you to play” were on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed them back. I guarantee, if I dared say these words now, my seven spirit stones would go down the drain! No question about it.
I thought quickly: “I’m here on business.”
Xie Xuanqing frowned and turned to look at me.
I made up a story on the spot: “Aren’t I part of Kunlun’s Defense Army? We routinely come here for inspections. Today I’m here incognito, pretending to have fun, infiltrating to see if any messed-up immortals or demons are conducting any messed-up business inside.”
Xie Xuanqing didn’t even blink: “You can see from outside.” He said coldly, “They do.”
At this moment, that Xie Zhuo-like quality emerged from him again.
I cleared my throat and continued to fabricate: “Of course, there are messed-up businesses. Kunlun theoretically permits fox demons to conduct this business, but today I’m mainly here to see if they’re harboring any evil spirits or demons.”
I didn’t want to give him more time to think, so I pulled his hand in the opposite direction and dragged him inside. “Let’s go, let’s go. Come with me and take a look.”
Xie Xuanqing frowned, with a cold face, as I dragged him onto the corridor bridge.
Perhaps his aura was too intimidating, because those fox demons chatting on the bridge, upon seeing him and me approaching, involuntarily pulled their clothes tighter and assumed somewhat proper postures.
Until Lao Qin came out to greet us, a thousand-year-old fox, not at all intimidated by Xie Xuanqing’s cold face.
He smiled and approached us: “You’re here?”
Lao Qin held a folding fan, gently waving it, blowing his loose hair strands, making his face appear even more enchanting. “Jiu Xia, is this your distinguished guest?”
I turned to look at Xie Xuanqing. Compared to Lao Qin’s spring breeze-like demeanor, he was like Kunlun’s towering snow mountain—his face so deep and cold it made it hard to breathe.
I was determined to ignore it.