Item 206: Xiang Qiao's Love; Reunion with the Dream Centipede (6k!)

Even if Qiao Xiuying is just a dried-up corpse, Ji Lingruo help this little sister find her older sister.

Ji Lingruo didn't mind the little girl's somewhat messy hair; she reached out and ruffled Qiao Xiuyun's hair.

"It shouldn't have cost that much money to come here from Black Rock City, why didn't you buy some food or clothes?"

Qiao Xiuyun was surprised that such a glamorous Fairy would act so intimately towards her, a little village girl, and her face turned bright red.

She reached out and drew a line on the missing person poster, which read "A generous reward will be given."

"I don't dare to spend money recklessly. I'm afraid people won't be satisfied with the compensation I can offer. If the compensation is higher, the person helping me find my sister will be more dedicated."

Ji Lingruo was touching her head, froze for a moment; the girl's determination to find her sister was beyond her imagination.

"How long have you been looking for your sister here?"

Today is the third day.

"Has anyone provided any clues?" Ji Lingruo asked tentatively.

However, after looking at the illegible handwriting on the paper and at Qiao Xiuyun in her tattered clothes, she knew that it would be incredibly difficult for a girl like her to find someone who was deliberately hiding in such a large city.

It could even be said that the fact that she can still hold up the sign here unharmed is a stroke of good luck amidst misfortune.

"Yes." Qiao Xiuyun nodded unexpectedly. "A kind person told me before that the person my sister admires is the eldest young master of the City Lord's Mansion in Moxie City. So I think my sister must have been redeemed by him, right?"

"You..."

Ji Lingruo glanced at Qiao Xiuyun with surprise and suspicion. She thought the girl didn't know that Qiao Xiuying's so-called 'female worker' was actually prostitution.

It turns out that this eleven or twelve-year-old girl understands everything, but this doesn't affect her admiration for her older sister in the slightest.

"Have you gone to the City Lord's Mansion to look for him?"

Upon hearing this, Qiao Xiuyun's expression darkened, and she said with a hint of dejection:

"I've been to the City Lord's Mansion and explained my identity, but the guards there seemed to dislike me and chased me away every time. They said if I wanted to find prostitutes, I should go to a brothel and not cause trouble at the City Lord's Mansion. They said if it happened again, they would punish me for disrespecting the City Lord's Mansion..."

By the end, Qiao Xiuyun was trembling with tears. A cold wind whistled past, and she kept sniffling as the snot dripped from her nose.

"My sister isn't a prostitute, sob... She's my sister, a very good person, sob..."

The girl could no longer contain her grievances and began to sob and cry out her grievances.

Ji Lingruo, feeling a pang of reluctance.

The fact that Qiao Xiuying, a woman of the night, fell in love with the city lord's son was undoubtedly an unacceptable stain on the City Lord's Mansion. Even if Qiao Xiuying's body was indeed hidden in the City Lord's Mansion, the little girl who had traveled thousands of miles to find her sister could not cross that threshold of social status.

"Little sister, don't cry, I'll help you find your sister."

Ji Lingruo squatted down and handed her a light green handkerchief.

"Really?"

Qiao Xiuyun was still sobbing. She opened her misty eyes and looked at the kind fairy sister.

Behind Ji Lingruo stood a fairy in a purple dress whose face was veiled by a light gauze, and a handsome young man in a black brocade robe.

It was none other than Zi Yiyi and You Su, who had rushed over because of the crying.

She had never seen such beautiful people before, especially three of them.

Before she knew it, she was mesmerized, standing there stunned, her tears finally stopping.

Ji Lingruo:

"Real."

Before heading to the City Lord's Mansion, Ji Lingruo first took Qiao Xiuyun back to the inn where they had stayed the previous night.

She let the girl take a hot bath by herself and prepared a thick new coat for her.

After washing up, the girl looked much cleaner and fresher. Apart from her still somewhat rough skin, her features were already showing signs of becoming a beauty.

She thanked Ji Lingruo, but Ji Lingruo only smiled gently, not daring to accept Qiao Xiuyun's thanks with a clear conscience.

Although she was determined to help the girl find her sister, she didn't know whether finding a mummified corpse would be a good thing or a bad thing for the girl.

However, putting aside the girl's purpose of finding her sister, Qiao Xiuyun's arrival was indeed an opportunity that came knocking on her door.

In order to further investigate the matter of the Ghost Mite, it is necessary to find Qiao Xiuyun's body. And the most likely place to hide her body is the City Lord's Mansion in Moxie City.

You Su was worried about what identity to use to approach the City Lord's Mansion, especially without revealing that he was a member of the Evil Warding Department, which made things even more difficult.

Now that they had Qiao Xiuyun as an excuse, they had a perfectly legitimate pretext.

Qiao Xiuyun followed behind Ji Lingruo, walking step by step towards the city center.

"Sister Yiyi, does this City Lord Xiang have any background?" You Su suddenly asked.

"Moxie City is a city under the jurisdiction of the Spiritual Treasure Sect of Shenshan. The city lord of Moxie City is named Xiang Bogu, and he comes from the Spiritual Treasure Sect. He is over a hundred years old and his cultivation has reached the lower stage of the Transformation Realm. Such cultivation would make him quite competitive even in Shenshan, but he still chose to become the city lord of Moxie City simply because his Xiang family has been the city lords of Moxie City for generations. In Moxie City, the surname Xiang is almost equivalent to a symbol of status, which is why the City Lord Xiang is so determined to suppress the news City Lord Xiang his son, Xiang Wenting, falling in love with a courtesan."

Zi Yiyi was completely open with the information she could share. If it weren't for her, You Su alone would probably have had a hard time uncovering such secrets.

"And what about his son?"

"His name Xiang Wenting, and he is a very upright person, but his talent is not as good as his father's. He cultivated in the Spiritual Treasure Sect to the Condensing Water Realm, but left due to old age. He returned to his Lineage and worked as a helper for his father in the affairs of the city lord while cultivating, hoping to pass the Spiritual Treasure Sect's examination for the position of city lord and inherit his father's position in the future."

You Su nodded in agreement, then turned to the timid girl following behind him and said:

"Xiuyun, remember what I told you. To investigate whether your sister is at the City Lord's Mansion, you need to be firm. Just think of us as chivalrous heroes standing up for you. With us here, they won't dare to chase you away again."

Upon seeing that incomparably handsome face, Qiao Xiuyun was slightly taken aback, then nodded vigorously.

The three continued on their way, and the closer they got to the City Lord's Mansion, the more luxurious the clothes of the passersby became.

However, the distinguished appearance of You Su and his companions attracted a lot of attention, which made the little girl a little timid, as if she had returned to the time when she was dressed in rags and walking among the rich.

Although she had changed into new clothes, she still felt out of place in this bustling city center. But seeing the resolute and composed demeanor of the three people in front of her, she couldn't help but straighten her back a little.

They were looking for his sister, so he couldn't refuse these three kind people.

Who is it?

The guards stopped You Su and his two companions; each of them was wearing armor and helmet, demonstrating the strict security of the City Lord's Mansion.

You Su frowned slightly. Compared to Chuyun City, the City Lord's Mansion did indeed seem too unattainable.

As the political center of a city, the City Lord's Mansion would inevitably attract many people from the city to conduct business. Although a certain degree of authority is necessary for maintaining order and stability, the City Lord's Mansion of Moxie City completely lacked that down-to-earth, human touch.

"Does this family really think they're the local tyrants of Moxie City?"

Ji Lingruo muttered under her breath, "Emperors are ancient figures from history books. Before the five immortal ancestors appeared, the human race was ruled by various emperors, leading to endless chaos. But ever since the immortals of the divine mountain came to rule the mortal world, such a situation of one power dominating has never occurred again."

"Hello, we need to speak with Mr. Xiang Wenting."

"I'm asking you who you are!"

The guard snorted coldly again.

"We are this young lady's guards." You Su humbly stepped back, making way for the newly transformed Qiao Xiuyun.

The guard frowned, looking at the pretty girl with a strange familiar expression. "What is your young lady's identity?"

"My young lady's name is Qiao Xiuyun, the younger sister of Qiao Xiuying, the former top courtesan of the Xiaoxiang Pavilion. Her sister has gone missing, and we've heard that she has a close relationship with Xiang Wenting, so we've come to inquire with him."

"What do you mean? How could my young master have such a close relationship with a courtesan? If you continue to slander me, don't blame us for not warning you!"

The guards all glared angrily, looking as if they would even consider beating their master before beating his dog.

To everyone's surprise, You Su stood even more upright, exuding a faintly intimidating aura that made the arrogant guards' attitude weaken somewhat.

"These are letters your young master wrote to Qiao Xiuying, hidden under the bed in the Elegant Bamboo Pavilion. They were so well concealed that you probably searched for a long time without finding them, right? With this evidence, do you still think we're slandering him?" You Su swiftly pulled two letters from his robes, threateningly saying, "If you don't want these letters to be made public, then lead the way. We only want to know Qiao Xiuying's whereabouts; we have no other intentions."

The guard paused noticeably, looking at the yellowed letter in You Su's hand with a surprised expression:

"It's just normal correspondence, don't worry, I'll go and check on my young master first."

You Su waved his hand dismissively, "We won't have to wait too long."

The guard glared angrily at You Su before rushing into the mansion.

Soon, the guard returned, his expression grim. He gave his companions a look, and the guards obediently made way for him.

"Come with me, the young master wishes to see you."

Qiao Xiuyun stared in disbelief at the letter in You Su's arms. She hadn't expected that two blank sheets of paper that her brother had casually made could have such an effect.

Xiang Wenting was dressed in an off-white scholar's robe. He had a handsome face with well-defined features, making him a strikingly handsome young man. His lowered eyes added a touch of melancholy to his appearance. Coupled with his illustrious background and status, it was no wonder that the most beautiful courtesan would be so fond of him.

He was sitting at his desk, drawing something.

You Su and his group of four were seated at the coffee table, quietly waiting for him to finish his painting.

The three of them were bored, but Qiao Xiuyun was carefully examining Xiang Wenting's face, wondering if this was her future brother-in-law.

After a long while, Xiang Wenting finally let out a long sigh and put down his brush.

He looked up, his eyes slightly red.

"Ying'er kept all our correspondence hidden in a lining of her jewelry box, as if it were a precious treasure. I've checked them all; there's no way she could have left any letters hidden under the bed. So those letters are fake. Who are you people?"

"The wandering cultivators saw the young girl's arduous journey to find her sister and thus offered their assistance."

Xiang Wenting nodded, but his gaze couldn't help but linger on Ji Lingruo. Unlike the guards outside the door, with his cultivation at the Condensing Water Realm, it wasn't difficult for him to detect Ji Lingruo's Demon Qi.

Ji Lingruo took out a token from her bosom. Since she had not yet passed the public notice period, what she received was just an ordinary nameplate from the Xuanxiao Sect.

Xiang Wenting's eyes widened slightly. He hadn't expected that these three people were from the Xuanxiao Sect, the number one sect in the Central Continent. He couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and didn't dare to question their identities anymore.

His gaze swept across the crowd, finally settling on Qiao Xiuyun was sitting in the center.

"You... are Xiuyun?"

The voice of this seven-foot-tall man was surprisingly choked with emotion.

Qiao Xiuyun was clearly flattered and nodded stiffly.

Xiang Wenting gave a bitter smile, as if reminiscing about the past. "You and your sister really look alike."

"She's the only child here. If it's not Qiao Xiuyun, then who else could it be?"

Ji Lingruo instinctively disliked this man, which is why she was so merciless in her sarcasm.

In her view, Qiao Xiuying's predicament was entirely due to Xiang Wenting's lack of courage and responsibility. If he couldn't give her a resolution, why provoke her in the first place?

Xiang Wenting's expression faltered slightly, then he picked up the still-wet ink scroll in front of him. His painting skills were superb; the scroll depicted a beautiful woman in flowing robes, even her delicate eyebrows and eyes were vividly portrayed.

Upon closer inspection, she does indeed bear a striking resemblance to Qiao Xiuyun was still developing.

"Elder sister..."

Qiao Xiuyun recognized the person in the painting at a glance, and her nose suddenly stung with tears.

She was actually quite clever; she had sensed something was wrong in the somber atmosphere long ago. Her sister had likely not been redeemed, but was dead.

Xiang Wenting's actions were undoubtedly a way of proving to her that he recognized her not because of her age, but because of her appearance.

The girl was deeply moved. A man who could etch his sister's appearance into his very bones was truly the 'good man' his sister had described.

"Your sister often talks to me about you, saying that she has a younger sister who is still a child back in her hometown. She rarely talks about our parents, but she especially favors you, her younger sister. She always tells me that you are the only reason she left her hometown, because she wanted to take you away from that dark, rocky place."

Xiang Wenting withdrew his gaze and instead looked deeply into the eyes of the person in the painting, wishing he could break through the constraints of the paper and ink and lean against the beauty.

Even Ji Lingruo hearing this, realizing the injustice fate had inflicted on everyone.

She had learned from Qiao Xiuyun that Black Rock City was a small city by the sea, and as its name suggests, it was situated on a patch of dark sand and gravel.

These black sands and pebbles are lava particles formed when volcanic magma meets seawater, and their source is the volcano-rich Eastern Ying Continent of Toyo-on-the-Sea.

It's difficult to grow crops in this fine black sand, and its proximity to the sea often leads to strange and supernatural disturbances. Due to the regulations issued by the sacred mountain, people from different cities cannot move freely, making it difficult for ordinary people to escape. They can only eke out a living on that barren land. Qiao Xiuying, however, is unwilling to accept this fate. She sneaks away and willingly enters the world of prostitution, just so that her younger sister will no longer be trapped in the black rocks.

She was a great sister, but she died at the hands of evil spirits.

Qiao Xiuyun could no longer hold back her tears and burst into tears.

"Is my sister... still alive?"

Xiang Wenting froze, his lips trembled slightly, and he shook his head:

"It's my fault, it's all my fault... I failed to protect her, I shouldn't have helped her clear her meridians..."

Qiao Xiuyun received the answer she least wanted to hear, and her heart sank into despair. She slumped forward and was about to faint, but fortunately, Ji Lingruo caught her in her arms.

"When did this happen...?"

The only thing sustaining the broken girl was the belief that she could see her sister with her own eyes.

"Counting the days, it's been eight days already..."

Xiang Wenting rubbed his reddened eyes, unwilling to make a fool of himself in front of everyone; it was a matter of respect for his guests.

"Eight days?" Qiao Xiuyun burst into tears, unable to believe she had even missed her sister's seventh day memorial. She cried out emotionally, "Where's the body? Where's the body?"

Xiang Wenting sighed bitterly, "I also want to find Ying'er's body, even if it costs a thousand gold pieces, I'm willing!"

Even the body can't be found?

Qiao Xiuyun felt utterly hopeless, as if she had lost the will to continue living.

"Sixteen days ago Qiao Xiuying sent a letter home with a large sum of money, saying she had found a perfect husband and would never go back. Is that perfect husband you?"

A cold voice broke the atmosphere of utter despair.

"It was me..." Xiang Wenting sighed, without denying it.

"Xiuyun, are you sure that's your sister's handwriting?" You Su asked again.

Qiao Xiuyun was suddenly called upon, and nodded blankly.

"Young Master Xiang, just a few sentences ago you said that Qiao Xiuying is a good older sister, working so hard to help her younger sister escape Black Rock City. Do you really think a sister like that could say something as resolute as 'I'm getting married and I'm never coming back'?"

You Su toyed with the exquisite teacup in her hand, completely ignoring the sorrowful-looking young man.

Xiang Wenting paused for a moment, as if genuinely considering the question, "She wouldn't say that... Even if she really were to get married, she would find a way to take her sister away, instead of never going back."

You Su nodded solemnly, his eyes sharp:

"It's already extremely difficult for an ordinary person to send a letter to the coast thousands of miles away, let alone send a large sum of money. It's practically a pipe dream that most of that money would even end up in Xiuyun's family's hands, let alone be untouched. If it weren't for your help, I find it hard to imagine where she, a weak woman, found a messenger who was so trustworthy."

Xiang Wenting's sorrowful expression softened slightly, and he sighed, "It was indeed through my connections that I found a way for her."

"So, every letter she sends home goes through your hands?"

As soon as the question was asked, even Ji Lingruo realized the problem and frowned.

"Why did Ying'er's letter pass through my hands?"

"She's a courtesan kept in the Xiaoxiang Pavilion, never leaving the house. How could she possibly send a message? As far as I know, she doesn't get along with her maid, because her maid once tried to seduce you. Who else could she entrust this message to besides you?"

Xiang Wenting took a deep breath:

What exactly are you trying to say?

"I would say that for a cultivator at the Condensing Water Realm with keen hearing and eyesight, remembering someone's appearance is actually easier than you might imagine, and imitating someone's handwriting is even easier."

Xiang Wenting's hands, which were spread out on the table, suddenly clenched. "You mean that letter was forged by me?!"

"No matter how well it's imitated, it's still not written by the person herself. As long as the letter is brought back to the sacred mountain, there are powerful experts who can identify it. The life of a mere mortal woman may be as insignificant as a feather, but to me, life is life, regardless of status or wealth. I can cover all the authentication fees, just to Qiao Xiuying's death to light."

You Su spoke with conviction, Ji Lingruo looked at his profile with deep admiration, as if she had just said that this was the man she had chosen, not only wise but also compassionate.

You Su's act of searching for Qiao Xiuying's body was not only to help Ghost Mite and Qiao Xiuyun, but also to fulfill her wish.

Even Zi Yiyi, who had been silent all along, had an unusual glint in her eyes hidden behind her veil.

Xiang Wenting's expression darkened. "That's right... I forged that last letter."

"Why?"

Xiang Wenting looked troubled, as if deflated, and said:

"Every letter Ying'er sends home does pass through my hands. I can't help but want to know more about her, so I secretly read each letter."

Until that letter half a month ago, she confessed that she earned money in a brothel, but she had saved enough to buy her freedom, so she didn't want to stay in Moxie City any longer. She wanted to use her savings to buy a house for her sister in a city near the mainland, so that their whole family could move away from Black Rock City. That money was for her family's travel expenses, and she would leave once they found her.

But whether it was the money she used to buy her freedom or the money to buy the house, it was all given to her by me! I was afraid she would leave me, so I was momentarily blinded by greed and altered that letter, just to let her know that her family wouldn't come looking for her, so she could stay in Moxie City forever..."

Ji Lingruo was furious. "You rotten person!"

Qiao Xiuying mustered up a lot of courage to choose to reveal her identity. She had given everything for her family, but Xiang Wenting altered the letter, causing this anxious woman, who was waiting for her family, to mistakenly believe before her death that her family disliked her identity as a prostitute, which was why they refused to come looking for her.

"You want your sister to feel that nobody loves her, and only you do, right? That way, she'll never leave you..."

Qiao Xiuyun looked at Xiang Wenting in disbelief, unable to understand why such a refined gentleman would do something so obsessive for love.

"I'm the one who wronged her!"

Xiang Wenting beat his chest and stamped his feet, overcome with grief.

At this moment You Su appeared unusually calm, but his tone suddenly turned dangerous:

"Young Master Xiang, is that really the case? But I have a feeling..."

It seems that Young Master Xiang knew she was going to die half a month ago, which is why he said goodbye to her family on her behalf.

You Su sat up straight; this was only the second time he had properly examined this truly noble young master since entering the room.

The first thing he saw when he entered was a seven-colored centipede crawling on the young nobleman's neck.

This centipede had once appeared on his neck, but it was severed by the Dream-Eating Ghost's sword. It was—

Dream Centipede.