Going Down the Mountain Was Too Dangerous—He Ran into Xiao Xun'er, and Trouble Came Knocking

A teahouse buzzed with voices.

Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran sat facing each other.

"Miss, I don't believe I know you."

Xiao Yan lifted his teacup and took a sip with his head lowered.

Nalan Yanran smiled and said,

"Forgive my abruptness. Let me introduce myself—I'm Nalan Yanran."

"Nalan Yanran..."

Hearing that name, a trace of confusion flickered through Xiao Yan's eyes.

That surname was uncommon, and judging by the girl's looks and bearing, she was clearly not from an ordinary family. Yet there was no Nalan Family in Wutan City.

"It does sound familiar..."

Nalan Yanran extended her slender hand and politely refilled Xiao Yan's cup.

Her pale green sleeve rolled up slightly, revealing a section of smooth, jade-white wrist.

"The Nalan clan of the Jia Ma Empire. My grandfather and your grandfather were close friends."

"Hm?"

Xiao Yan raised a brow. He remembered now.

The Nalan Family and the Xiao Family had a marriage agreement. That meant... Nalan Yanran before him was his fiancée?

"What do you want with me?"

The expression on Xiao Yan's face quickly returned to calm.

Over the past few years, his talent had been utterly ruined, and he had endured countless cold stares. His temperament had become much tougher because of it.

Nalan Yanran opened her mouth.

Then she suddenly got stuck.

Ah, what did Senior Brother Changqing teach me to do next?

She lowered her head slightly and looked at the lines of tiny writing she had prepared on her left wrist.

"Ahem. Since this is our first meeting, I didn't bring anything particularly valuable. These spirit melons and beast milk are specialties of the Misty Cloud Sect in the Jia Ma Empire. I hope Young Master Xiao Yan won't find them lacking."

Xiao Yan stared blankly at the four boxes of local specialties on the table.

The corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.

This was way too familiar!

Wasn't this the Chinese art of social etiquette?

But honestly, Nalan Yanran's move really did win Xiao Yan over.

If Nalan Yanran had given him precious medicinal pills,

Xiao Yan would have felt that she was flaunting her wealth or treating him like a charity case, and he would have been displeased.

But local specialties were different.

She had clearly put real thought into this.

"Oh, you could've just come to discuss the matter. Why bring so many things?"

Watching Xiao Yan decline with his words while a smile appeared on his face, Nalan Yanran nodded inwardly. She could not help but feel a surge of admiration for Senior Brother Changqing.

Senior Brother Changqing really can predict everything.

He even anticipated Xiao Yan's reaction.

Then it's time to discuss the real matter.

A gentle smile rose on Nalan Yanran's pretty face as she said to Xiao Yan,

"To be honest with you, Young Master Xiao Yan, I did come to speak with you about something."

"I would like to peacefully dissolve our marriage agreement."

Xiao Yan had just begun to frown.

At that moment, Nalan Yanran refilled his cup and continued,

"I know the Xiao Family is a prominent clan in Wutan City. If I came to your door and spoke with Uncle Xiao, it would have a very negative impact."

"That is why I sought out Young Master Xiao Yan privately to discuss dissolving the marriage agreement."

"Our marriage agreement was arranged by our elders. Before this, Young Master Xiao Yan and I had never met. Even if we had, it would only have been when we were children."

"Neither of us knows the other. How could there be any feelings between us? Since there are no feelings, this marriage agreement is merely a restraint on both Young Master Xiao Yan and me. I believe Young Master Xiao Yan understands what I mean."

"I want to resolve this peacefully, in a way that will not negatively affect either the Xiao Family or Young Master Xiao Yan."

"What does Young Master Xiao Yan think?"

Looking at Nalan Yanran's sincere expression and how she considered the Xiao Family at every turn, Xiao Yan's furrowed brow gradually relaxed, and he slowly let out a breath.

Across from the teahouse was a restaurant.

On the second floor, in a corner seat, Ji Changqing carefully observed Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran across the street through a folding screen.

He had not gotten too close.

Because Yao Chen, that old bastard, might already have awakened by this point.

The farther away he was, the safer he would be.

Although he could not hear what Junior Sister Yanran and Xiao Yan were saying, through a small hole in the screen, Ji Changqing's sharp eyesight allowed him to see Xiao Yan's relaxed brow.

The atmosphere seemed fairly harmonious.

Ji Changqing breathed a slight sigh of relief.

After peeping for a while, he suddenly thought of something.

It wasn't easy to leave the Misty Cloud Sect for once. Let's see what reward I can get for checking in here.

"Check in!"

As soon as the words fell, the System Panel, visible only to Ji Changqing, materialized.

The panel began flashing at tremendous speed.

Spirit Grass, medicinal pills, Fighting Skills, and strange treasures dazzled the eye.

At last, the display froze on a triangular banner radiating golden light.

The gleaming golden triangular banner was so bright that Ji Changqing could barely keep his eyes open.

"Wow, a Golden Legend!"

[ Ding! Congratulations, Host, you have obtained the Blazing Banner! ]

[ This banner can draw in souls. Souls that enter the banner can be nourished, and it possesses a fatal attraction to souls! ]

"Nourish souls? What use is that?"

Ji Changqing frowned, looking somewhat disappointed.

There was no way he would allow himself to end up with his physical body destroyed and only his soul remaining.

This thing did not suit him at all.

As expected, only checking in at great sects or places abundant in spiritual essence would yield good rewards.

As Ji Changqing thought this, a faint fragrant breeze suddenly wafted toward him. A young girl as elegant as a lotus sat down across from him.

Ji Changqing looked over instinctively.

That one glance was enough.

His gaze seemed to slowly freeze in that instant.

Yet in the next moment, he returned to normal. Ji Changqing even picked up a bite of food with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth, but in truth, cold sweat instantly soaked the clothes on his back.

Xiao Xun'er?!

Why was she here?!

The Earth Tier Fighting Skill, Heaven Deceiving Art, could not only conceal one's own aura, but also sense the fluctuations in others' auras.

Wave after wave of heat radiated from the elegant girl across from him.

Even with the Bone Spirit Cold Flame within him, Ji Changqing still felt as though his face were being roasted.

At the same time, he became completely certain of her identity.

Going down the mountain is too dangerous!

I ran into Xiao Xun'er already!

Although Xiao Xun'er was looking toward the teahouse across the street, Ji Changqing still felt a deep sense of unease.

In his eyes, people like Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er were troublemakers tangled in dense webs of karma.

As long as one got even slightly close to them, countless disasters would come uninvited.

He had to get away as soon as possible.

At this moment, Ji Changqing had not concealed his face and was showing his true appearance.

Anyone wearing a huge black robe in a crowded public place was an idiot.

It was practically announcing to everyone...

Everyone, look over here! I'm fucking different from everyone else!

Xiao Xun'er has a cold personality. She probably hasn't noticed me. If I quietly leave now, there's still time.

Ji Changqing stood up without changing his expression.

But before he had taken two steps,

"Eh, isn't this Miss Xun'er?"

"Hehe, I didn't expect to run into you even while having a meal. We really are fated!"

A group of people crowded over. Amid them, a richly dressed young man was surrounded like the moon among stars.

The young man waved a fan inlaid with gold threads. A delighted smile spread across his somewhat pale face as he stared intently at the elegant girl.

But when he saw Ji Changqing seated at the same table as the girl, his eyes narrowed slightly. He snapped open his fan and said casually,

"This friend looks unfamiliar. May I ask which family's young master you are?"