Hidden family? "Female thief" Bai Yufei (60K character chapter)

Chapter 48: Hidden Family? "Female Bandit" Bai Yufei (6.0K words - Long Chapter)

Xiao Jie had earned merit.

And Qin Yi'er's words had awakened Ning Xuan from his daze.

Ning Xuan decided to fulfill Xiao Jie's wish and keep this Tea King well-tended in his back quarters. In this way, he would have a great general guarding his rear.

Thus, he took a concubine.

Xiao Jie became his concubine.

Having become a concubine, Xiao Jie no longer spoke of going far away. She held Ning Xuan's face, looking at him affectionately, and then asked, "Sometimes, concubines in wealthy households have to entertain guests. When guests stay over and can't sleep alone, they need a concubine to warm their bed, to 'dance with the guest' and 'enjoy the pleasures of fish and water.' Will my lord send me out to the guests?"

Ning Xuan pondered for a long time, then murmured, "That will cost extra."

Xiao Jie bit her lip, her eyes moist. She tapped his chest with her small foot and said, "You're so mean, always bullying me. I was originally planning to play a new game with you, but you've truly broken my heart."

Ning Xuan looked at her.

Among flowers, there is a leader; one branch surpasses all others.

In the past, Ning Xuan had dismissed this notion.

But in recent days, he had become a General, and no one could control him anymore. He had moved into the house opposite Chenxiang Pavilion, giving him the advantage of proximity. He had truly enjoyed himself for a very, very long time, rolling around in a field of flowers, and only then did he realize that this saying was not untrue.

Simply put: the pleasure Xiao Jie alone could bring a man was greater than that of all the courtesans in Chenxiang Pavilion combined.

It was like climbing a hundred small hills, yet it was far less than climbing a mountain bathed in spring light, ablaze with vibrant colors, and filled with fragrance.

She could always surprise him, bring him joy.

She always made herself fragrant, making him feel that the young lady in his arms truly lived up to the name "soft jade and warm fragrance."

When she slept in his embrace, she was like a light dove returning to its nest. She didn't put any pressure on him; instead, it made his masculine pride swell.

Now, Ning Xuan heard her speak and asked curiously, "What is it?"

Xiao Jie did not answer.

She was angry.

You could see her entire body radiating anger.

Her eyes were angry, her slender waist was angry, and even her delicate, full toes were curled up in anger.

Yet, you also knew that her anger was merely to lure you, to bring you greater pleasure.

Therefore, you simply couldn't stay angry with her.

Ning Xuan began to coax her.

As he coaxed her, Xiao Jie was finally appeased.

She hopped off the bed mysteriously, pulled a silk ribbon from the sandalwood stand, and tossed it lightly towards the beam. After it passed through, she stood on tiptoe and, as if by magic, tied herself up.

She swayed like a pitiable little flower in the wind, delicate and charming, full of allure.

Ning Xuan looked at Xiao Jie at this moment and chuckled, "I'm truly at your mercy."

He walked over and went behind Xiao Jie.

He looked at her petite and exquisite body and approached without hesitation.

Xiao Jie had her own story.

Her previous actions were one thing, but the methods she used to drive Qin Yi'er out of the harem battle were unlike those of an ordinary woman. Moreover, the way she tossed the silk ribbon just now was very unique.

The ribbon was extremely light. Not to mention women, even men would have to try many times to successfully toss it over a beam. Yet, Xiao Jie did it in one try, and her movements possessed an indescribable elegance.

Ning Xuan had plenty of patience.

He would patiently await his concubine's story.

After Xiao Jie's "promotion," she was like a "new official taking office with three fires."

Ning Xuan's life also began to change; he no longer went to Chenxiang Pavilion across the way.

Because Xiao Jie was more fun than Chenxiang Pavilion combined, and he never tired of her, she was truly an uncommon little enchantress.

He liked little enchantresses.

Anything weaker than a little enchantress, he wouldn't even look at.

It was like if he could easily run faster than a horse, he would no longer like riding a horse; if he could easily hunt fierce beasts in the mountains, he would no longer like hunting dogs; as for cockfighting, what was the point?

It was the same principle.

Thus, Ning Xuan felt a sense of "Wangyue Prefecture is vast, yet there is little to play with." He resumed his simple daily routine.

He went to the wilderness.

To a place amidst towering mountains and rugged ridges.

He first summoned the Heavenly Demon Scroll of the Stealing Incense Rat, raising his spirit to "5.5." Then, he swallowed the "Stealing Incense Rat Pill" refined by the Yaozhen Immortal Aunt using "Dragon Fire from a Prefecture."

Half a day later, he had completely digested the pill.

How did he know he had digested it?

He had gone from a mental stat of "1" to "5" after removing the Heavenly Demon Scroll.

The "start strong, then get stronger" method was clearly quite effective for Pill Cultivation as well.

Afterward, he directly summoned Master Baiyue's Heavenly Demon Scroll and began training.

Long-distance running, weight training, push-ups, sit-ups.

Ning Xuan underwent rigorous training every day.

By dusk, he would return.

Every time, Xiao Jie would prepare a comforting medicinal bath for him.

It not only washed away the stench of sweat but also relaxed his muscles, invigorated his blood, and vented his emotions.

Many beautiful Young Ladies would help him bathe, some from Chenxiang Pavilion, and others from who knows where.

These were all arranged by Xiao Jie.

Xiao Jie was constantly proving her worth, making Ning Xuan understand: having her was equivalent to having countless women.

In the blink of an eye, over a month had passed.

The cicadas' chirping sounded like a sudden downpour, growing increasingly noisy.

Today, Ning Xuan did not go out.

Because he had nothing left to train.

He had already digested all the strength he could.

At this moment, he lay lazily on a rattan chair, while Xiao Jie sat opposite him, her bare thighs exposed, on another rattan chair.

The rattan chairs swayed back and forth, and two maids fanned the General and "Madam Jie" from behind.

Although Xiao Jie was a concubine, everyone in the manor called her "Madam Jie" because almost nothing in the manor had bypassed "Madam Jie," not even the manor itself, which "Madam Jie" had bought.

The creaking of the rocking chairs, the rhythmic fanning of the round fans, the cicadas' chirping, and the maids' breathing created a scene that induced drowsiness in the afternoon.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the lush green leaves, casting dappled shadows that swayed onto Ning Xuan.

Ning Xuan suddenly thought of Yaozhen Immortal Aunt. It seemed he hadn't seen her for a while since she gave him the Demon Core and spoke the secret decree that day. He moved his lips and asked through the "Whisper Chain," "Where are you busy?"

After asking, there was no response.

After a long while, an angry reply came from the other side.

"Of course, I'm acting as external support, guarding and suppressing demons outside the Hell of Cold Ice!"

Ning Xuan was not surprised.

He had learned a lot about Yaozhen Immortal Aunt over this time.

Although Yaozhen Immortal Aunt was his partner, her identity as the Son of Heaven's Emissary took precedence over being a "partner." The Dragon Qi required for her cultivation was directly allocated by the Son of Heaven, so she was naturally loyal to him.

However, he was quite amused.

When he first met Yaozhen Immortal Aunt, he thought she was a cold and aloof immortal. But now, it was clear she was just a pushover, always puffing up with anger. Even now, her words carried resentment, as if blaming him for lounging in Wangyue Prefecture and doing nothing.

Ning Xuan grabbed the chilled sour plum drink on the table and took a large gulp, then let out a comfortable yawn.

He was lounging in Wangyue Prefecture, not risking his life. So what?

He casually glanced at his status panel:

[Ning Xuan]

[Life (Physique): 10]

[Mind (Spirit): 5]

Everything had reached its current peak.

As for why Master Baiyue's White Mountain Bear demon needed a weapon, he understood now.

The reason was simple.

After his physique reached 10, he felt an indescribable "clumsiness."

This clumsiness wasn't that he was slower or less reactive than ordinary people.

On the contrary, his speed and reactions were already god-like in the eyes of ordinary people.

But this was far from enough, at least not befitting a body with "Physique 10."

It was like a child suddenly possessing the body of a strongman; you could wildly swing your fists, but you couldn't unleash your true power. Therefore, a weapon was very necessary.

"An inch longer, an inch stronger" suddenly applied again.

Of course, weapons that could accommodate a powerhouse with "Physique 10" were not ordinary either. Just like Ning Xuan's flying dagger, it could at least traverse the sky like a flying sword.

But Ning Xuan felt that even with a weapon to compensate, the inherent "clumsiness" had not been resolved. It was like a couch potato unable to exert his strength, so he chose to carry two handguns.

"Have Liu Shirong come see me once," Ning Xuan commanded.

Ever since he got entangled in a series of events, his former dissolute friend had gone off to trade. Now that he had settled in, it was time for that friend to return.

Several days later.

To Ning Xuan's extreme surprise, he didn't wait for Liu Shirong, but instead received a group of uninvited guests.

They were a group of people exuding the aura of the common folk from the martial arts world, yet possessing a certain inexplicable arrogance.

Leading them was a young man, dressed in a very traditional martial artist's tunic. A piece of green jade hung from his waist. The jade was as warm and smooth as congealed ice, and as it swayed, it actually emitted a wondrous luster, calming the mind even upon observation, indicating it was no ordinary item.

Though the young man carried an air of pride, he was not arrogant. Instead, he introduced himself according to etiquette, claiming to be a disciple of the reclusive noble family, the Qiao family, and stated he had important matters to discuss with General Anyuan.

Ning Xuan then received this disciple of the Qiao family.

In the reception hall.

Ning Xuan sat in the central seat. It was the first time he had ever formally received a guest like this.

Behind the young Qiao family disciple stood four burly men. All four were clad in animal skins, standing with their hands behind their backs, heads held high. Though their eyes were calm, they were filled with a certain madness.

Ning Xuan knew at a glance that these four were Demon-Plague Warriors.

The fact that a young man could have four Demon-Plague Warriors as servants, willing to stand behind him, immediately piqued Ning Xuan's interest.

After all, he wanted to explore the outside world.

Such a reclusive noble family appearing at his doorstep was naturally an excellent opportunity.

The Qiao family disciple saw "interest" in Ning Xuan's eyes. He smiled faintly and said, "The Qiao family's name is not well-known; we often dwell in the mountains and wilderness. General has likely never heard of us. However, our Qiao family has existed for longer than Wangyue Prefecture.

Wangyue Prefecture was only named when the late Emperor redrew the administrative boundaries sixty years ago, yet our Qiao family already existed then. Speaking of which, our two places are not far apart; we can be considered neighbors."

Ning Xuan narrowed his eyes and watched him, his lips moving as he whispered directly into his ear, "Have you heard of the Qiao family next to Wangyue Prefecture?"

Yaozhen Immortal Aunt's voice quickly responded.

"Never heard of it. It's quite dangerous here, and your sudden speaking startled me."

Ning Xuan asked curiously, "You really haven't heard of it?"

Yaozhen Immortal Aunt thought for a moment, "Perhaps it's a minor family from the martial arts world, scattered across the mortal realm, nothing remarkable."

This "whispering" was clearly a high-level technique, and the Qiao family disciple did not see through it.

He rose with elegant grace. Seeing him stand, the four Demon-Plague Warriors straightened even further.

The Qiao family disciple said, "Roll on the ground."

Hesitation appeared on the faces of the four Demon-Plague Warriors.

The Qiao family disciple suddenly grabbed the green jade at his waist and flicked it with his finger.

A crisp ringing sound spread out.

The four Demon-Plague Warriors immediately ceased their hesitation. The four burly men stepped forward and rolled on the ground without any regard for their dignity, then stood up and returned behind the Qiao family disciple.

The Qiao family disciple smiled and said, "I've heard that although the General is brave, he has no useful soldiers under him. Consider these four servants of mine a token of my esteem for the General. We can have more exchanges in the future."

Ning Xuan said, "I don't accept rewards without merit. What do you want?"

The Qiao family disciple replied, "It's nothing much. General has a concubine named Xiao Jie. If the General hands this woman over to us, that would suffice.

Speaking of which, this woman harbors ill intentions and has been deceiving the General."

Ning Xuan said, "Oh?"

The Qiao family disciple continued, "Her original name is Bai Yufei. She is a cunning female thief, infamous in the martial arts world and pursued by our noble families.

Surely the General cannot tolerate such a cunning female thief. Why not do us a favor and hand her over for us to deal with?"

Ning Xuan asked, "Who told you Xiao Jie is the 'female thief' Bai Yufei?"

The Qiao family disciple replied, "A Madam Jie from the General's mansion. That's enough for us to investigate."

Ning Xuan naturally didn't believe this nonsense.

He closed his eyes and tapped his fingers on the armrest.

Soon, a name popped into his mind—Qin Yi'er.

Xiao Jie had been fine for so many years. The only person who could have offended her recently and had the means to investigate her background was the third daughter of Great General Qin's mansion—Qin Yi'er.

With these thoughts, Ning Xuan opened his eyes.

The Qiao family disciple smiled politely, "General, this woman appears kind, but she is actually cunning. Keeping her by your side is like a farmer warming a snake; you never know when you'll suffer a backlash. Has anything important gone missing from your mansion?"

His politeness was accompanied by a deep-seated arrogance.

He was aggressively pressing his point in a very proper manner.

He had clearly learned about the General through certain channels.

An unranked martial artist, timid and fearful, who had requested to govern a region to avoid demons.

Ning Xuan said, "Then I must thank you."

The Qiao family disciple replied, "No need for that. We have all suffered harm before, and a neighbor is better than a distant relative."

He emphasized the word "neighbor" heavily.

Ning Xuan said, "She is my concubine after all, and she has done many things for me. If you want to take someone, shouldn't you at least test your strength first?"

The Qiao family disciple frowned slightly and said, "General, didn't I tell you, this woman is cunning."

He emphasized the word "cunning."

Ning Xuan chuckled and ignored the nonsense.

The Qiao family disciple stood with his hands behind his back, facing him directly.

Ning Xuan said politely, "It's impossible to take someone from my General's Mansion without reason. No matter the circumstances, it's impossible. Let's spar. Did you bring anyone today?"

The Qiao family disciple glanced at the four Demon-Plague Warriors behind him and asked, "I have four people, is that enough?"

Ning Xuan said, "Then let's try."

With that, he leaned back slightly, looking down at the four Demon-Plague Warriors, locking his aura onto them. His fingers began to tap the armrest.

Tap. Tap-tap.

With each tap of the armrest, his suppressed vital energy spread out layer by layer.

When his vital energy spread to the standard of "Constitution 2.5," the four Demon-Plague Warriors tensed up, their faces stiff. They looked like wolves seeing a tiger, their eyes filled with a frantic "outwardly strong but inwardly weak, putting on a brave front" madness.

When his vital energy expanded to the standard of "Constitution 3.5," the four were completely unable to bear the pressure. Their backs hunched, their heads lowered, they fidgeted nervously, afraid to look at him.

Ning Xuan roughly understood that the "Constitution" of these four Demon-Plague Warriors was likely below 2.

To be infected by demon power and still not reach 2, they were truly useless.

He withdrew his aura, glanced at the Qiao family disciple, and chuckled, "Young Master Qiao, it seems that's not quite enough."

The Qiao family disciple was stunned for a moment, then bowed and said, "I am Qiao Ying. It seems the General is not as the outside world claims."

Ning Xuan said, "Rumors stop with the wise, Young Master Qiao. Do you wish to try again?"

Qiao Ying thought for a moment and said, "I will visit the General again in a few days."

With that, he stood up, fiddled with the jade pendant for a moment, hesitated, but still placed it on the table, then said, "Since you say it's a meeting gift, then it is a meeting gift."

Ning Xuan stood up and said, "You are a guest from afar, and moreover, we are neighbors. Stay for a drink."

Qiao Ying sighed, "The General doesn't trust me, so drinking this wine would be pointless. I'll visit another day."

With that, he bowed again.

Ning Xuan made a "please" gesture.

Qiao Ying retreated.

After they left, Ning Xuan glanced at the four Demon-Plague Warriors and said, "Follow me."

The four quickly followed.

They arrived at a secluded spot in the backyard of the General's Mansion.

Ning Xuan suddenly flicked his finger at the jade pendant and asked, "Qiao Ying, what exactly is the reason for his visit?"

One of the Demon-Plague Warriors said, "It's for the female thief Bai Yufei. She stole many things in the past and offended many people."

"Oh."

Ning Xuan nodded, then pointed at the warrior and said, "Kill yourself."

The Demon-Plague Warrior was stunned.

Ning Xuan flicked the jade pendant.

Although the Demon-Plague Warrior's face still showed struggle, he reacted extremely quickly. He raised his hand, clenched his fist, and slammed it into his own heart.

Clearly, the jade pendant seemed to have complete control over him.

But in Ning Xuan's eyes, this punch, though seemingly fierce, was actually... not enough to kill him, at most it would injure him.

Snap.

Ning Xuan caught his hand.

The Demon-Plague Warrior breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thank you, Master."

Ning Xuan said, "No need," then looked at the other four and said, "Kill yourselves, all of you."

With that, he suddenly made a move that surprised everyone. Without waiting for the four to speak, he quickly flicked the jade pendant.

The four stood there stunned.

Ning Xuan flicked it too quickly; they didn't have time to react.

They didn't react, but Ning Xuan did.

Ning Xuan unleashed his aura, not to its fullest, just casually reaching a six or seven. The four immediately fell to their knees with a "thump."

Ning Xuan said, "Tell the truth."

One of the Demon-Plague Warriors said repeatedly, "Spare us, General, spare us! Young Master Qiao promised us benefits, that's why we agreed to be inside informants for the General's Mansion."

Ning Xuan continued to increase his aura.

The smell of urine began to permeate the air, and the pants of the four Demon-Plague Warriors were soaked.

Immediately, all four confessed.

The truth was simple: there was no Qiao family at all. Qiao Ying was just an alias. He was actually Ma Yingxiao, the young master of the Flying Eagle Tower, a well-known force in the martial arts world. The reason he was putting on such a show was indeed for Xiao Jie.

Xiao Jie was indeed the "female thief" Bai Yufei, but whether she had stolen anything, or even if she had stolen anything at all, they didn't know.

The Flying Eagle Tower was an underground force in the martial arts world. Its base was not in Wangyue Prefecture, but in an unclaimed wilderness nearby. From this perspective, perhaps the term "hidden family" was a bit of an exaggeration, but they could indeed be considered a "hidden clan."

The four of them were bound to the Flying Eagle Tower as retainers because the Flying Eagle Tower possessed a method to "suppress the inner demons of Demon-Plague Warriors." They had come here as inside informants.

Afterward, Ma Yingxiao would create a diversion outside to lure Ning Xuan away, while these four would take the opportunity to abduct Xiao Jie.

Originally, Ma Yingxiao had told them that "Ning Xuan's strength was unranked, and even if he was stronger than them, he wouldn't be overwhelmingly so," which was why they had agreed to come.

In the face of an overwhelming powerhouse, the weak could not hide anything.

Soon, Ning Xuan knew everything.

Following that, he separated the four of them and questioned them individually to verify minor details. Once he felt he could ask no more, he casually pointed his finger.

His fingers, which he considered incredibly clumsy, were like lightning to these four Demon-Plague Warriors.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Four corpses fell to the ground.

Golden light surged from the ground, revealing a masked figure.

"Brother, give me a hand."

With that, Ning Xuan went to pick up the shovel in the corner, preparing to bury the bodies.

Ugly Slave trembled and said, "Does this still require the General to act? I will handle these four corpses. I guarantee no one will know they are dead."

Ning Xuan said, "That young master is truly bold and skilled."

Ugly Slave said, "I heard everything.

This matter does not require the General's intervention. On this territory of Wangyue Prefecture, he cannot escape."

He thought for a moment, then pondered and reminded him, "General, Madam Jie's background was investigated not long after Madam Qin Yi'er left. It's hard to say that someone from Great General Qin's mansion isn't secretly causing trouble."

"I already guessed that," Ning Xuan chuckled. "Compared to that, I'm more curious about what exactly Xiao Jie has that makes people so obsessed.

Xiao Jie has been with me for nearly three years. After three years, a mortal force knows she's in my prefecture, knows she's Madam Jie, and still dares to take such a risk to scheme.

Is my Ning family so weak that any Tom, Dick, or Harry dares to provoke us and cause trouble?"

Ugly Slave said coldly, "General, you can ask your wife about this matter. I will take people to handle the Flying Eagle Tower."

His tone was calm, yet it carried an unspoken ruthlessness, clearly indicating he had dealt with such matters many times.

Ning Xuan nodded and said, "Be careful."

At this moment, he felt a slight resentment towards the Emperor in his heart.

Why did he have to write his strength as "unranked"?

Wouldn't writing "first rank" have been better?

Hiding too much will inevitably attract trouble.