Chapter 119: Chapter 115: A Core Formation Lord’s Special Favor
This was a garden. In it stood a stone pavilion, which housed a round stone table and four stone stools.
Although it wasn’t the season for flowers, the garden was still in full bloom.
As Du Youqian observed, the flowers were mostly simple and elegant, soft and delicate, or coolly stunning—very few were of vibrant reds or purples.
Their scents were similarly fresh, light, and elegant, with none being overpoweringly fragrant.
"Yu Fei? Find a seat. I’ll be a little while. Hai Tang? See to his tea."
"Yes!" A petite and delicate woman set aside the Storage Treasure Pouch Du Youqian had offered and immediately began to prepare tea.
What was unusual was that she didn’t light a fire to boil the water. Instead, she cradled the kettle in her palms, and an Anomalous Fire surged from her hands.
Du Youqian didn’t recognize this type of Anomalous Fire, but he had heard that some Alchemists, in order to better control their flames, would refine specific types of Anomalous Fire into their bodies.
The process was excruciating and even life-threatening, and the outcome was never certain—success would grant an Alchemist superior control over their flames, while failure would actually diminish it.
Still, many were willing to take the gamble.
However, one had to be at least at the Foundation Establishment Realm to even have a chance of refining an Anomalous Fire into their body.
Du Youqian was genuinely surprised to see a Foundation Establishment Cultivator performing such menial tasks for a Core Formation Lord.
But on second thought, it made sense.
It was just like a Qi Cultivation Disciple performing Miscellaneous Tasks for a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.
But what he found even more difficult to believe was what Feng Xiaoyi was doing.
This Core Formation Ancestor, who typically presented herself with a smoky, flirtatious allure, was now dressed in a simple skirt with a plain hairpin. Her slender hands were dusted with clay as she sat on a stone stool in the pavilion, personally making pottery.
’Well, the hobbies of the powerful are certainly unique.’
Du Youqian respectfully sat on the stone stool opposite Feng Xiaoyi.
The woman called Hai Tang waited for the water to boil, then took some tea leaves, steeped a bowl, and handed it to him.
"Thank you." Du Youqian accepted it. He watched the few tea leaves bobbing in the brew, its fresh fragrance filling his senses. He knew this had to be a top-tier Spirit Tea, as just inhaling its aroma seemed to boost his Cultivation.
Hai Tang smiled, her cheeks blushing. "Junior Yu, you’re quite handsome. I hear you don’t have any Dao Companions yet. Are you looking for one?"
Du Youqian hadn’t expected her to be so direct and was taken aback.
But as an old soul who had lived several lifetimes, he quickly composed himself and smiled. "I am focused solely on the Dao, with little thought to spare for romance. However, if I were to change my mind in the future and seek a Dao Companion, I would certainly want a Kun Cultivator as deft and clever, as beautiful and graceful as Sister Hai Tang."
Hai Tang wasn’t offended by the rejection. She laughed and said, "Such sweet words. I bet you’ve charmed your fair share of girls."
Du Youqian just smiled without responding. A comment like that required no answer.
Hai Tang spoke again, "I’ll take my leave now. You don’t need to be too reserved with the Master. Her likes and dislikes are very clear, and she’s always more lenient with those she takes a liking to. And you, as it happens, are very lucky. The Master views you quite favorably."
Du Youqian lowered his head.
Hai Tang retreated from the stone pavilion, her figure quickly vanishing behind the flowering bushes.
Du Youqian observed Feng Xiaoyi for a long while, slowly sipping his tea and mentally rehearsing the conversation to come.
After a period of focused work, Feng Xiaoyi finally finished shaping a clay water flask.
Instead of placing it in a kiln to be fired, she simply pressed her fair, delicate palm against the flask, and orange flames erupted from it.
The flames were focused and didn’t dissipate; even from up close, Du Youqian felt no wave of heat.
This casual display of Feng Xiaoyi’s control over her Magic was nothing short of sublime.
"This still needs to fire for a while. We can talk in the meantime." Feng Xiaoyi finally looked up, her gaze landing squarely on Du Youqian.
Even though she was dressed plainly today, her movements dignified and graceful with a touch of noble elegance...
...her glistening, passionate eyes still made her look bewitching and sensual.
This strange fusion of elegance and sensuality could easily cause a man to lose himself completely.
Feng Xiaoyi could naturally tell that Du Youqian’s gaze was perfectly clear, without the slightest stray thought.
She continued to fire the flask in her palm as she said with a smile, "Did you know? Meng Xiao’s feelings for Xi Mengran aren’t so pure. They’ve long since transgressed the proper boundaries between master and disciple. It’s just that he’s a stickler for the rules, so he never lets it show, even though the emotion has been driving him mad."
Du Youqian hadn’t expected Elder Feng to drop such a bombshell right out of the gate.
But he had no interest in gossip, especially not romantic scandals. After seeing endless entertainment news back on Earth, he had long since become unfazed by such matters.
Still, he didn’t dare interrupt Elder Feng’s story, so he just watched her calmly and waited for her to continue.
"How boring." Feng Xiaoyi could read a great deal from Du Youqian’s expression. "Fine, I won’t elaborate. I’ll just warn you that Meng Xiao seems to have a contingency plan. Before your duel with Xi Mengran, he pulled a lot of strings and paid a heavy price to acquire some items for a Ghost Cultivator."
"Ghost Cultivator?" Du Youqian mulled it over for a moment. He was a little surprised but not particularly concerned.
’A Ghost Cultivator, then. So be it.’
’You couldn’t beat me as a human. Turning into a ghost will just give me an excuse to torment you even more.’
’Besides, the Cultivation of a Ghost Cultivator is scorned by heaven and earth, and their path is fraught with tribulations.’
’What’s more, the Ghost Cultivator Inheritances in Momenan are severely incomplete. Even if Xi Mengran converts, her Cultivation speed can’t possibly be that fast.’
’By the time I attempt Core Formation, she’ll probably still be a Ghost Cultivator equivalent to a Human Race member in the Qi Cultivation Realm.’
’Even if her Cultivation improves later on...’
’...that would be hundreds of years from now.’
’By then, I’ll probably have been reincarnated again.’
’Your enemy is Yu Fei. Go make trouble for Yu Fei. What does that have to do with me, Du Youqian?’
Still, he asked, "Elder Feng, may I ask the Sect’s view on this matter?"
Feng Xiaoyi’s full, red lips curved into a playful, girlish smile. "You personally promised to release Xi Mengran’s soul. And all of Xi Mengran’s possessions, her dwelling, and her status were given to you according to the rules. Therefore, Meng Xiao’s actions haven’t violated any Sect regulations, and we won’t be pursuing the matter. As for you, you can no longer use this as a pretext to go after them. You’ll have to find another excuse."
"I have no such intention," Du Youqian said, changing the subject. "Elder Feng, for what guidance did you summon me today?"
"Guidance? Heh," Feng Xiaoyi chuckled, her full, firm chest trembling slightly. "You’re not my disciple. Why would I bother teaching you anything? That said, would you be willing to become my disciple?"
Without a moment’s hesitation, Du Youqian dropped into a deep bow. "Master above, please accept this disciple’s obeisance!"
This was a scenario he had already considered.
If Feng Xiaoyi hadn’t brought it up, he would have let it slide.
But since she had taken the initiative, he couldn’t be so foolish as to refuse her favor.
’A wise man doesn’t fight a battle he knows he’ll lose.’
’If she decided to push her advantage, insisting on doing... certain things... well, he’d just have to bear the shame and humiliation.’
’In any case, the priority was to leave her dwelling alive. Then, he would run as far away as he possibly could.’
