Everyone was concerned upon hearing Han Yunxi’s idea to threaten her icy, emotionless biological father. Long Feiye glanced at her stomach and said coldly, “You shouldn’t be running up mountains all the time. I’ll talk with him personally; I should be able to convince him.”
While everyone grew curious, Han Yunxi asked outright, “How are you going to convince him?”
“By making a deal!” Long Feiye declared.
“What deal? I’ll come with you!” Gu Qishao said quickly.
“No need. Just wait for my news.” Without a word of explanation, Long Feiye leveled Han Yunxi with a careful look to warn her to stay put. She wasn’t to climb the mountain under any circ.u.mstances.
Knowing his temper, Han Yunxi could only say helplessly, “Alright. Help me check on little Yu’er at the same time. Tell her to come back soon if she’s not taking a master.”
After Long Feiye departed, Han Yunxi didn’t rest, but started discussing the list of medicines with Gu Beiyue. Neither of them were pharmacists by trade, so they could only buy up the ingredients and have others track down the rare or un-purchasable ones.
“Qishao, what other carnivorous plants do you know? Let’s test all of them,” Han Yunxi said.
Seeing Poison la.s.s’s eyes s.h.i.+ning with seriousness, Gu Qishao felt as if he had come out of a dark tunnel into the suns.h.i.+ne. The very fact that Poison la.s.s could turn serious for his sake for once was enough to satisfy him for a lifetime, no matter how long that was.
His eyes curved into crescents as he grinned. “Alright, I’ll go find them right away!”
While the trio were busy collecting plants, Long Feiye quickly arrived at the maze. He entered the canyon full of arrowheads and knocked on the entrance to the sealed dimension. After awhile, the entrance was unsealed and a black-robed guard emerged.
“East Qin crown prince, our sect leader isn’t accepting any visitors,” the guard said brusquely.
“This crown prince isn’t here to see your sect leader. Where’s Su Xiaoyu? Have her come out,” Long Feiye was equally rude.
If he said he was here to make a deal, he’d never see Han Chen. However, Su Xiaoyu still hadn’t come back after all this time. Either she had already accepted her new master or was forced to stay behind by him. As Han Yunxi’s subordinate, she had to get her master’s consent and release before she could go seeking another one! Of course, Long Feiye’s actual proposal had nothing much to do with the girl, who was only a convenient excuse to meet Han Chen.
Shaken by Long Feiye’s att.i.tude, the guard’s response softened. “Please wait a moment,” he said.
Soon enough, Han Chen’s oldest subordinate came to personally lead Long Feiye underground. This meant that this “son-in-law” had quite the status in Han Chen’s eyes. Whatever the case, true power only respected power in turn. However, Long Feiye ended up seeing only Su Xiaoyu in a stone room. She had no fear when it came to the lofty sect leader Han Chen, but she didn’t even dare to raise her head in front of Long Feiye.
After the doors shut behind them, Su Xiaoyu said timidly, “Your Highness, save me…”
Surprised, Long Feiye only asked coldly, “Why?”
Su Xiaoyu immediately told him how she’d tricked Han Chen into giving her three more days to consider his offer after getting to torture Bai Yanqing.
“That doesn’t count as cheating him,” Long Feiye observed.
“Your Highness...this servant said I wanted to go back and think it over, but he wants me to stay here and consider. Then he left without a word,” Su Xiaoyu added.
Over the past two days, she had requested the various subordinates to let her out, but all of them said that was impossible without the sect leader’s orders. She then asked to see senior Han Chen, but got the response that he was too busy cultivating to see anyone. She began to suspect that the man had seen through her intentions long ago and was keeping her here on purpose.
“Looks like he really wants to take you as his disciple,” Long Feiye intoned.
“Your Highness, this servant still wants to go back and serve master...may Your Highness show mercy!” Su Xiaoyu fellt to her knees in terror. She already felt that it was strange His Highness had come alone this time.
Long Feiye walked over and bent down by her side, his voice cold. “Su Xiaoyu, how about taking Han Chen as your teacher so you can stay in the Wolf Sect and Mysterious Continent to gather intel for your master?”
Su Xiaoyu’s body seized up as she realized Long Feiye’s ambitions stretched as far as the Mysterious Continent. She didn’t want to take this teacher, but when she really thought about it, her eyes shone bright. If Han Chen was her teacher, she might even end up on the battlelines taking down the Mysterious Continent one day!
“This servant is willing to serve and work hard!” Su Xiaoyu revealed a cunning smile.
Long Feiye was privately satisfied. He never intended to let Han Yunxi keep Su Xiaoyu by her side. Although this child had kindness, she lacked forbearance. He did want her poisonous tendencies affecting their future children.[1] Since Han Chen was fond of this child, it wasn’t a bad idea to leave her with him! Su Xiaoyu was too well-suited for the battle-hungry lands of the Mysterious Continent.
As Su Xiaoyu was very intelligent, she understood Long Feiye’s intentions after he said two to three lines. In a low voice, she murmured, “Your Highness, don’t worry. This servant knows what to do.”
Very soon, Su Xiaoyu called over the black-robed man and said, “Tell your sect leader that I’ve made up my mind. My master and I want to see him.”
Soon eough, the guard was leading them back to the platform of bones. Once they entered the familiar hall, a faint fragrance of tea a.s.saulted their nostrils.
Long Feiye smiled and said, “To be able to drink Winterflake tea here, I expect the leaves must have come from the black tea on the sh.o.r.es of the Ice Sea.”
Han Chen was sitting right by the tea table. He didn’t speak, but personally poured another cup and invited Long Feiye to join him. Long Feiye cupped his fist in thanks before easily taking a seat. He slowly savored the tea and didn’t speak much. Neither did Han Chen.
The subordinates around them only felt doubt in their hearts. Their sect master had a secret hobby of collecting his own tea leaves. He disliked drinking tea bought from the outside or tea leaves gifted by outsiders. This East Qin crown prince could tell the origins of the tea leaves just by taking a sniff? Isn’t that too professional? Is he a tea fanatic too?
Su Xiaoyu stood where she was and stole a peek at Han Chen, then a more timid one towards Long Feiye. She didn’t feel like these two were father and son at all. Rather, they seemed like longtime tea friends.
After finis.h.i.+ng a cup, Long Feiye said, “These were picked a month and a half ago and set out to dry in the hot sun. They’ve also been mixed with freshly picked osmanthus from this autumn. This cup was from the first brew, but I’ve heard the second brew has the best flavor. May I try another cup?”
Han Chen’s indifferent eyes suddenly lit up as he arched a brow at Long Feiye. “I didn’t expect you to be an insider as well!”
Long Feiye only smiled wordlessly.
Han Chen immediately brewed a second cup. After tasting it, Long Feiye shook his head. “It’s the wrong type of water. Water from the Ice Sea can’t compare to spring water. If senior doesn’t might, try brewing it with that next time, it’ll improve the taste.”
Han Chen smiled, a wordless quirk of his lips identical to Long Feiye’s. He immediately had his subordinates bring over fresh tea leaves and spring water. Like that, the duo began to discuss the Way of Tea in detail. They took so long that Su Xiaoyu’s legs were getting sore from standing around. She secretly crossed her legs and sat down.
If it was just Han Chen alone, she would have piped up ages ago, but she didn’t dare with His Highness around. The two taciturn men were actually getting more and more into their conversation despite their lack of smiles. At last, Han Chen actually gifted Long Feiye a tin of Violet Tea. Long Feiye might turn up his nose at typical tea leaves, but he was extremely happy with Han Chen’s present.
Su Xiaoyu listened to them talk while reviewing her conversation with His Highness. She had no idea how much of His Highness’s actions towards Han Chen was sincere, but she was sure that His Highness would definitely screw Han Chen over in a game of schemes!
Finally, Han Chen looked over at Su Xiaoyu and said, “Girl, you’ve decided?”
Bolstering her spirits, Su Xiaoyu declared, “I have!”
Han Chen didn’t ask any more, but waited for her answer.
Su Xiaoyu only adopted a hesitant air and said, “I can take you as my master, but I have one condition.” She wanted to see Han Chen’s reaction, but he didn’t do anything. Thus, she went on, “I beg senior to return the nine toxic teardrops and Bai Yanqing to my master. For the sake of hunting those teardrops down, my master underwent countless dangers and brushes with death. For the sake of capturing Bai Yanqing, she almost had a miscarriage and lost her baby…”
“And if this Honorable One isn’t willing?” Han Chen cut her off.
“Taking others’ belongings isn’t the conduct of a gentleman! It’s even worse if you’re stealing their hard work! I, Su Xiaoyu, will never take such a person to be my master!” Su Xiaoyu declared.
Han Chen fell silent. After a while, he said emotionlessly, “A single Ning Jing was exchanged for Bai Yanqing and 20 years of peace in Cloud Realm Continent’s northern borders. How is taking the nine toxic teardrops any example of stealing others’ hard work?”
“Even if it isn’t, it’s like robbing a burning house!” Su Xiaoyu huffed.
Han Chen’s gaze swept towards Long Feiye as he gave a cold snort. “Su Xiaoyu, even your family’s master has no objections, so why are you bothering with all this effort?”
“I can’t stand to see my family’s master be wronged or unhappy! Especially when the one bullying her is her own father!” Su Xiaoyu smiled coldly. “First Han Congan picked on her, then Bai Yanqing, and even a birth father like you! Even a monkey born out of a stone with no parents[2] has a better life than she does! As I see it, she won’t even acknowledge you as her father in 10 years!”
Despite Su Xiaoyu’s lecturing, Han Chen remained unmoved. He only said calmly, “These terms are impossible. Change it to something else.”
Just how steel-hearted can he be? Su Xiaoyu was beginning to wonder whether he knew what emotions were at all, much less desires! Provoking him had no effects whatsoever!
“I won’t! If you’re not sincere about taking a disciple, then forget it! I’ll have to trouble you to let me out!” As Su Xiaoyu turned to leave, Long Feiye spoke up.
His voice was mild as she suggest, “I believe Yunxi’s been in low spirits these days because of this very matter. Senior, how about this? This junior will draw up some terms for your consideration.”
1. This is exactly what one of you readers pointed out in an earlier chapter comment. Kudos to you for reading LFY’s mind ahead of time!
2. This sounds like an oblique reference to the Monkey King, a character in the Chinese cla.s.sic Journey to the West, who was indeed born from a stone.