Before long, the man had eaten and drunk his fill. He sucked the grease off his fingers and laughed toward the sky.
"Ah, what bliss! What bliss! If you ask me, why spend every day fighting and killing? Isn't the Dao of Fine Food the true Great Dao?"
Nie Qingcheng had also arrived. Cool and aloof, she was like a snow lotus atop a lofty mountain, to be admired from afar but never handled irreverently.
Her moon-white skirt fluttered, graceful and otherworldly.
The mere sight of her back had already left the saber-wielding man spellbound, tears of admiration spilling from the corner of his mouth.
"Well, I'll be! The beauties from other factions sure have some elegance!"
Up in a large tree behind them, Ye Wushuang watched this rather surreal scene with interest.
On one side was a beautiful, aloof fairy; on the other, a burly man who had eaten and drunk his fill. It was a living portrait of beauty and the beast.
Nie Qingcheng seemed to have noticed the saber-wielding man as well, but said nothing and simply continued forward.
Hers was a peerless beauty that even a veil could not conceal. Just those eyes, a single glance, could make someone lose themselves in them.
Ye Wushuang's eyes lit up as he silently rated the woman before him.
Below, the saber-wielding man walked forward with a silly grin. Chuckling, he struck a pose he thought was very handsome.
"Beauty, please wait. I'm Xie Qianli. Though I'm not known to everyone, other people don't know me either. My Lineage is the Xie Family in the southern Azure Cloud Realm Domain. I cultivate the Dao of the Saber, I like fine food, and at home I have..."
His torrent of introductions left even Nie Qingcheng bewildered, and she looked at Xie Qianli in confusion.
The corner of Ye Wushuang's mouth twitched too, and he nearly laughed aloud.
Good thing your world doesn't have ID cards, or I'd be afraid you'd recite yours to her.
It was practically a scene of early humans courting.
Nie Qingcheng ignored Xie Qianli and instead turned her gaze toward the ancient tree.
"Friend up there, why not come down for a chat?"
Ye Wushuang had made no attempt to hide. Xie Qianli was simply too much of a fool to notice him.
Holy Maiden Qingcheng, however, had noticed someone in the tree as soon as she arrived.
In a flash, Ye Wushuang descended and appeared before the two.
Xie Qianli jumped at Ye Wushuang's sudden appearance.
"How was there another person behind me? You northern geniuses are too scary. One after another, I can't even sense your presence."
In truth, his luck was off the charts. The moment he ventured into the world, he had encountered Nie Qingcheng, the holy maiden of Heavenly Demon Mountain, who belonged to the top tier, and Ye Wushuang, the divine son of the Ye Lineage, who stood at the absolute ceiling.
At the sight of that conspicuous head of white hair, Nie Qingcheng recognized Ye Wushuang at once.
Although she had already heard outside of the bearing of this Son of Heaven from the Ye Lineage who had emerged into the world, when she saw that face in person...
Nie Qingcheng could not help staring dazedly for a moment, her heartbeat quickening.
Nie Qingcheng did not consider herself someone who coveted looks, yet before that stunning face, she still could not resist stealing a few more glances.
"I'm Ye Wushuang." Ye Wushuang cupped his hands.
Xie Qianli, however, showed no reaction. He had arrived at the very last moment and then entered the Heavenly Sword Secret Realm, without even knowing what had happened before it opened.
Naturally, Xie Qianli did not know who Ye Wushuang was either.
Xie Qianli casually planted a hand on Ye Wushuang's shoulder.
"Little brother, my elders told me that beautiful women out in the world are all snakes and scorpions. I just like looking at them."
"I feel like only someone with your looks is suited to stand beside this young lady."
At Xie Qianli's haphazard matchmaking, Nie Qingcheng shot him a cold look.
Ye Wushuang also smiled faintly and teased, "Ignore your elders' words, and you'll suffer before your eyes. Since beauties are snakes and scorpions, I naturally don't have the good fortune to enjoy one."
Nie Qingcheng, who was always composed within the Heavenly Demon Palace, now widened her eyes slightly.
Xie Qianli scratched his head and chuckled.
Ye Wushuang merely curled his lips slightly and paid no further attention. He was well versed in the art of flirting from his previous life.
Constantly trying to make conversation was what simps did.
Being overly agreeable would only have the opposite effect, hindering the development of a relationship instead.
"In that case, let's travel together. Once we pass through this Ten Thousand Beasts Sword Forest, we'll reach the Ten Thousand Swords River."
Ye Wushuang made the suggestion in passing and walked forward calmly.
Nie Qingcheng gave a cold snort without answering, but followed closely behind him.
Sensing a stir from the Heavenly Book of All Things within him, Ye Wushuang also learned of Nie Qingcheng's bloodline. His sword-like brows rose. "Little phoenix, quite the tsundere."
You actually called me a snake-and-scorpion beauty. Don't think I won't hold a grudge just because you're good-looking!
Nie Qingcheng grew angry for a moment in her heart in a fit of anger, grumbling petulantly.
What a divine son teasing a holy maiden.
Had the other youths of Heavenly Demon Mountain seen this scene, their jaws would surely have dropped in shock.
Everyone knew that if someone provoked this little ancestor, her temper was to throw caution aside and fight. She would never let the matter rest without giving them a savage beating.
With the formidable power of the Phoenix Clan behind her, coupled with her own solid strength, many of the younger generation had ended up with bruised noses and swollen faces.
Behind them, Xie Qianli looked at their retreating figures and revealed an honest, simple smile.
"I told you two were a good match. Just look at this scene."
Xie Qianli followed too, saying thoughtlessly, "Why aren't you two talking? It's so quiet. Speaking of which, do you eat meat?"
At this miraculous change of subject, Nie Qingcheng cast Xie Qianli a sideways glance. Her anger faded, and she suddenly felt at ease.
Even Ye Wushuang, who would not budge before an enemy, stumbled at Xie Qianli's miraculous train of thought and nearly lost his footing. (Author, stop making Xie Qianli an idiot. It doesn't look like acting.)
Xie Qianli, who all but had "honest fellow" written across his face, said nothing and simply kept grinning foolishly.
"Slow down! Wait for me!"
A group of people had long since laid an ambush on the road ahead.
Many factions had entered the Heavenly Sword Secret Realm. Most disciples of the top orthodoxies and supreme clans disdained wasting much thought on this first stretch.
They generally released their presence to warn off the petty scoundrels nearby and hurried toward the Ten Thousand Swords River.
As for the more ordinary powerful clans and factions, their geniuses had naturally come for opportunities too.
Some middling disciples, believing themselves incapable of claiming the inheritances within the secret realm, had turned their minds toward crooked schemes on this first stretch instead.
If they were lucky enough to encounter fellow clan disciples, they gathered together and hid along the road to swindle a little money and seize some resources.
"I didn't plant this mountain, I didn't open this road. If you want to pass this way, leave behind the resources in your storage rings."
Several unknown disciples jumped out and clamored.
Seeing Nie Qingcheng's voluptuous figure, they could not help secretly swallowing. "And leave the beauty among you behind while you're at it."
Seeing what they had come for, Ye Wushuang rubbed his brow with a wry smile.
Were you people even watching properly outside?
I caused such a commotion before entering the Heavenly Sword Secret Realm, and you've come to rob me?
At those offensive words, a trace of killing intent appeared in Nie Qingcheng's phoenix eyes.
The unknown disciples ahead suddenly burst into flames, letting out a succession of anguished howls. In the blink of an eye, they vanished into the void.
Xie Qianli, who had still been chattering away, immediately fell silent.
His legs trembled. "Th-this... just like that... not even... ashes left! The Lineage elders truly didn't deceive me. You really can't provoke an angry woman."
Forcing down the urge to give Xie Qianli a smack, Nie Qingcheng continued forward.
Ye Wushuang could not be bothered with that fool Xie Qianli either and followed her straightaway.