"Excuse me, are you Xiao Chen?"Suddenly, a man in his thirties or forties walked over to Xiao Chen and asked for his ident.i.ty in a quiet voice.
Xiao Chen looked at the man, a Foundation Building Realm cultivator, and nodded. "Correct."
"Someone told me to deliver this to you." The man retrieved a neat pile of letters from his sleeve and handed it to Xiao Chen.
Frowning, Xiao Chen opened the letter and found elegant handwriting on it. "I apologize for not being able to make it today due to some urgent matters. I have already ordered someone to have a word with the Immortals" League. Feel free to follow them when they come for you."
"I"ll excuse myself then." The man saluted him and disappeared into an alley.
Xiao Chen took a deep breath. Summoning True Qi in his palm, the letter in his hand swiftly turned into ashes. He returned the same way he came, all while wondering what business Xiaoyue had to attend to that she was in such a hurry.
While contemplating this question, he suddenly noticed someone tailing him. He entered a remote alley without a word and walked all the way to the end before turning around. He said icily, "Show yourself."
A silhouette came into view as a masked man appeared before him. Xiao Chen could sense that this man was in the mid-stage of the Core Forming Realm. He said placidly, "Why are you tailing me?"
The man chuckled. "I"m here to remind you not to choose the wrong side in such chaotic times. Xiaoyue"s motive isn"t as simple as you think."
"Who are you?"
The man laughed. "That doesn"t matter. What"s important is that..."
"I asked you a question. Who are you? Who sent you?!"
Xiao Chen looked grave and stern. He unleashed his Divine Sense as he spoke, quietly operating the Unity of Nature and Human skill that he comprehended yesterday.
The man"s heart sank, stunned at Xiao Chen"s imposing manner despite being just a Core Forming Realm cultivator. It was as if this alley was a separate world in which Xiao Chen was the ruler.
Inadvertently, cold sweat began beading on his back. It was his first time experiencing such great pressure from a peer. He chuckled. "I bear you no enmity. If you"re willing, you can come with me to meet my master."
"Sorry, not interested," Xiao Chen replied indifferently. He retrieved his Divine Sense and started walking out of the alley.
The man relaxed considerably as soon as that great pressure disappeared. He laughed. "What if I tell you that the one who wishes to see you is Xiaoyue"s former Senior Sister, who knows a lot of Thousand Feathers Sect"s secrets? Do I have your attention now?"
Xiao Chen stopped in his tracks. Turning around, he stared coolly at the man. In an icy voice, he said, "I"ll repeat myself. I don"t have time to partic.i.p.ate in the affairs between your master and Xiaoyue. Moreover, don"t attempt to threaten me." That said, he turned around no more and walked away.
Out of the alley, he heard many rumors about him on his way back. Due to recent incidents, he seemed to have been considered as a candidate for the list of one of the strongest youngsters in the Violet Manor.
"Have you heard? Recently, many disciples from hermit sects and clans have expressed their desire to challenge Xiao Chen. It seems that they"re trying to make use of this opportunity to get famous."
"That"s not all. I even heard that Zuoqiu Yang has returned to the Divine Mist Sect to cultivate in seclusion. He has apparently vowed to enter the Nascent Soul Realm before the Immortal"s Sword a.s.sembly in three months and have a life-and-death duel with Xiao Chen."
"Sigh! Times are changing. In the previous Immortal"s Sword a.s.sembly, the chosen ten strongest youngsters were all just in the Core Forming Realm, weren"t they? I remember there was even a peak of Foundation Building Realm cultivator among them. I really long for those times, when being in the Core Forming Realm means you"re as good as invincible. But youngsters these days are all insanely powerful. Perhaps not even a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator could claim to be the strongest one among them."
Listening to all the rumor-mongering as he walked, Xiao Chen could only shake his head and sigh. He had never thought of fighting to be number one or whatever. Neither did he want his name to be known for hundreds of thousands of miles. His only desire was to find his Master and figure out what happened back then.
However, it seemed that the trees long for peace, but the wind will never cease. Before the matter about the Immortals" League could be solved, new trouble was already knocking at his door. Immortal"s Sword a.s.sembly? He sighed and walked in the direction of the Xianyong Sect.
After returning to the sect, he found the twelve ladies from the Hidden Fragrance Wafting Under the Moon guarding the door to his courtyard. Surprised, Xiao Chen asked, "Do you... have business with me?" He paused for a moment before saying, "Let"s talk inside."
He walked inside the courtyard, lamenting to himself the endless trouble he got into and the chaos all around. Since these ladies were willing to stay with him, why shouldn"t he establish a group of elites exclusive for his use?
From now on, he could no longer do everything by himself as he had to focus on his cultivation. These ladies were well-trained and cooperated well. He couldn"t point out any issue with their fighting prowess or efficiency.
Considering this, he turned around and asked, "Do you have something to tell me?"
The leader, a lady who wore a headscarf, stepped forward. Hugging her fist in her other hand, she replied, "Master, I learned that the Immortals" League has sent two peak Core Forming Realm envoys for you. I estimate that they"ll be here at noon tomorrow."
Xiao Chen frowned. In the end, what must come would ultimately come.
"Do you need us to kill them? Please decide, Master."
Xiao Chen raised a hand. "Don"t take any reckless action!" These twelve ladies could easily a.s.sa.s.sinate two peak Core Forming Realm cultivators, but the matter at hand was so grave. If their involvement was revealed, the consequences would be too dire to even think about.
In the Violet Manor, a cultivator killing the envoys from the Immortals" League was equivalent to a commoner killing bailiffs from the government in the Human World. It was useless to kill the two envoys anymore. He couldn"t delay the inevitable forever.
Taking a deep breath, Xiao Chen said solemnly, "I have garnered countless enemies and face the threat of death at all times. You ladies are at the peak of your youth; there"s no need for you to risk danger by my side."
The twelve ladies replied in unison, "We have pledged to serve you as our Master. We won"t complain, come h.e.l.l or high water!"
"Very well." Xiao Chen flicked his sleeve. "I"m fortunate enough to have you ladies aid me. For as long as I live, I promise to protect you all!"
The breeze swept the twelve ladies, causing the hair that cascaded down their shoulders to flutter and a faint fragrance to permeate the courtyard. Xiao Chen looked at each of them before saying, "I don"t know what kind of lives you lived before this, but from today onward, I want you to forget your ident.i.ties. I, Xiao Chen, don"t have subordinates. I only have loyal friends and allies!"
The ladies exchanged glances before responding in unison, "We dare not!"
Xiao Chen took a deep breath. He understood that it would be impossible to make them change a philosophy ingrained deep inside them at such short notice. A gust of wind came, lifting the leader"s headscarf. A single glance at her face was enough to amaze him.
One could say that her face was utterly faultless. Unfortunately, there was a faint scar on the left side of her face. Sensing his gaze, the lady frantically adjusted her headscarf.
Xiao Chen sighed quietly. "If you have no other business, you may leave." He looked at the leader and the one standing behind her. "You two, stay."
"Yes, Master!"
The ladies retreated uniformly, leaving two behind. The one on the left was the leader while the one on the right was the youngest-looking lady, who looked uneasy.
"Your orders, Master?" the leader asked.
"Don"t be nervous." Xiao Chen smiled. "Now that I think about it, I still don"t know your names."
"I don"t have a name."
"You don"t have a name?" Xiao Chen frowned. Perhaps she was telling the truth. Perhaps in the past, they didn"t even know the reason why they were alive and no one had ever paid attention to their feelings. Perhaps they had only ever been treated as the strongest a.s.sa.s.sins of Xiyue State.
"Then your name will be Qingluan from now on."
She abruptly raised her head, looking stunned. She swiftly adjusted her expression and said, "Master, thank you for granting me a name!"
Xiao Chen smiled and said gently, "You don"t have to address me as your master from now on. You"re all living for yourselves, not for someone else." He turned to look at the youngest one. "Your name will be Ziyun"er."
The lady, who looked eighteen, appeared preoccupied since the beginning. She looked like she was thinking hard about something. When she heard Xiao Chen addressing her, she hastily looked up, and a fleeting blush colored her cheeks. Stammering, she said, "Thank you, Mas—"
Before the last word left her mouth, Xiao Chen pressed two fingers together and placed it at her lips. He shook his head at her, prompting her to lower her head and keep quiet.
"That"s all." Xiao Chen smiled at Qingluan. "Can you tell me how did you get that scar on your face?"