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Join the ServerSo what exactly happened? Why had Yun Xueshang and her party gathered at the inn, only to run into Hua Yan there?
To understand this, we must go back to this morning.
***
“099, quickly locate Mother’s position. She should be far away by now, right?”
Inside the guest room, Hua Xiangrong, who had been meditating cross-legged on the bed, furtively opened one eye.
“Reporting, Host. Hua Yan has already left our immediate area. According to our scans, she is currently heading towards the market district in the eastern part of the city.”
“That’s wonderful! She’s finally gone!”
The pink-haired girl instantly tumbled out of bed, stretching languidly.
“What about the female lead? Where is she now?”
Hua Xiangrong continued to inquire, rummaging through the contents of her personal satchel—a bag she had coaxed Hua Yuheng into making for her back in Hundred Flowers Valley.
“The female lead and her team members have also arrived at the North City Gate of Fulong City.”
099 responded in her mind, having searched for the female lead’s location, before eagerly adding, “Wow, Host, you’re truly incredible! You actually managed to get us and the female lead to Fulong City on the same day!”
It was well-known that when Hua Xiangrong had reincarnated, she had specifically requested to enter the novel’s plot during its mid-stage.
At the time, 099 had been somewhat perplexed, as conventionally, reincarnating earlier was always more advantageous.
However, Hua Xiangrong’s goal had always been the precise moment when the female lead’s party arrived in the Great Chu Nation to eliminate evil.
Her aim was to ensure Hua Yan brought her along for a ‘chance encounter’ with the female lead and her companions in Fulong City.
“Hmph, naturally!”
Hua Xiangrong placed her hands on her hips, her small chin raised in triumph.
“With your help calculating Mother’s airship speed and the distance from Hundred Flowers Valley to Fulong City, combined with my coaxing Great-grandmother in the valley to adjust our departure date to the most opportune time—and then my insistence on spending a day playing in a mortal town halfway here—didn’t that perfectly calibrate our arrival with the female lead’s?”
“That way, our simultaneous arrival in Fulong City with the female lead’s group is simply logical!”
“And on the very first day in this grand city, Mother will undoubtedly go to gather intelligence to find the female lead’s whereabouts and complete the task Great-grandmother assigned her. Won’t that be the perfect timing for us to act?”
“Mhm! To ensure Hua Yan confidently left you alone at the inn today, Host, you’ve been diligently cultivating these past few days, acting all well-behaved in front of her. You truly worked hard!”
099 added, chirping with delight.
“Oh, none of that counts for anything!”
Hua Xiangrong waved her small hand, her expression one of righteous indignation.
“After all, everything I do is to bring the female lead together… bah, it’s all for the sake of saving this cultivation world!”
‘Host, what you *really* wanted to say was definitely not ‘saving the world’!’
Ignoring 099’s teasing, Hua Xiangrong meticulously checked the contents of her bag one last time, slung it over her shoulder, and dashed out the door with a determined patter.
“Let’s go! Time for an adventure!”
***
“Oh, this branch of the Heavenly Dao Pavilion in Fulong City is truly terrible!”
In the bustling market of the northern city, a black-haired loli, carrying a large box on her back, emerged from a street stall, shaking her head and sighing.
“They can’t even manage the most basic ‘material reduction for efficiency increase’ principle. It’s an utter disgrace to our Heavenly Dao Pavilion!”
“Um, Fellow Daoist Qu, I think cutting corners isn’t really a good thing…”
The female cultivator with a green-braided hairstyle waved to the shopkeeper and quickly hurried to catch up with her.
“How is it not a good thing?”
Qu Linglong retorted, her arguments sound and well-reasoned.
“If materials are saved, costs are lowered. If costs are lowered, profits are higher. With higher profits, for tasks like eliminating evil, our Heavenly Dao Pavilion can exert more effort, can’t we?”
She spread her hands, her face filled with anguish. “This is all for the sake of the common people!”
“R-really?”
Lin Qianqian was somewhat bewildered by her words, unconsciously twirling a strand of her hair. “But I always feel like something isn’t quite right.
Besides, Fellow Daoist Qu, I remember your Heavenly Dao Pavilion didn’t send many people for this evil-eliminating mission…”
“Didn’t we provide the supplies?”
Qu Linglong’s face was filled with righteousness, and with a swift change of topic, she aimed her criticism at others.
“Those mechanical puppets, spirit energy cannons, and airships—they were all sold to you at a discount! How can you say we didn’t contribute? Fellow Daoist Yun, wouldn’t you agree?”
“It seems… that’s right?” Lin Qianqian hesitated further, turning to her side. “Senior Sister, what do you think?”
…
The space beside her was empty, with no one to answer.
“Wait, Senior Sister?”
Lin Qianqian’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly scanned her surroundings.
But amidst the bustling crowd, that figure, a beacon of white robes and white hair that should have stood out like a crane among chickens, was nowhere to be seen.
“Could it be—” x2
The two on the street exchanged a quick glance, shouting in unison, “—Senior Sister (Fellow Daoist Yun) is lost again?!”
***
Western City Market District.
‘Indeed, seeing the way that person wielded their sword, I surmised they must possess unique sword-flight techniques. Fortunately, I caught up to them and, for a few spirit stones, understood it clearly.’
On the lively street, a stunning woman with white robes, white hair, and a long sword strapped to her back walked with graceful steps.
A spiritual aura seemed to wreathe her, and her face remained serene, oblivious to the admiring gazes around her.
‘To envelop oneself and the sword in flames during sword flight, achieving a self-sacrificing tactical strike against an enemy? According to that person, this move is mostly for ‘showing off’?’
‘Hmm… this technique seems more suited for a Buddhist body cultivator. But if one is a body cultivator, why bother with a sword?’
‘I find it somewhat perplexing.’
Standing in the middle of the street, Yun Xueshang took out a jade slip and solemnly recorded this sword technique into her ‘To Be Studied’ list before looking up again.
‘Wait…’
‘Where am I now?’
The white-haired girl blinked her beautiful red eyes, surveying the completely unfamiliar streetscape around her.
‘It seems I’ve gotten separated from my junior sisters again?’
Just as she was about to take out her Sound Transmission Jade Slip to inquire about Lin Junior Sister and Qu Linglong’s whereabouts, an old man passed by her.
He carried a straw target bristling with bright red candied hawthorn skewers on his shoulder.
!
A single white ‘ahoge’ on the girl’s head shot up with a ‘swish.’ Immediately, she changed direction and followed him.
…
“Esteemed Immortal Maiden, this is my family’s ancestral sword art, never to be lightly passed on!”
Before a street stall, a loquacious middle-aged man gesticulated wildly, holding up a tattered booklet and spouting boasts, spittle flying.
“Very well. Since it is an ancestral treasure, I will not purchase it.”
Yun Xueshang looked at him, nodding earnestly, a half-eaten candied hawthorn skewer still in her hand.
“Hey! Wait, wait, wait!”
The middle-aged man quickly reached out to stop her.
‘Honestly, seeing how interested she was, and with such extraordinary looks and temperament, I thought she was a wealthy patron I could fleece.’
The man grumbled inwardly, but a fawning smile appeared on his face. “What I mean is, Immortal Maiden, we can still negotiate the price! How about this, I’ll take a loss: five hundred low-grade spirit stones. What do you say, Immortal Maiden?”
“No need. As an ancestral treasure, it should be carefully preserved.”
The white-haired girl’s voice was ethereal and clear, like a pebble striking deep water.
“Or perhaps, have you encountered some difficulty that forces you to sell your ancestral secret manual to get by?”
“Ah! Yes, yes, yes! That’s exactly it!”
“Then I will not take advantage of you.”
Yun Xueshang took another bite of her candied hawthorn, her cheeks slightly puffed out, her voice a little muffled. “Let’s stick to the seven hundred you initially mentioned. Live your life well.”
“Ah? Oh, oh…”
Now the middle-aged man was utterly dumbfounded. He had thought this Immortal Maiden wanted to haggle, giving him an excuse to lower the price. Who would have thought someone would actually believe his ‘ancestral secret manual’ nonsense?
Looking at the perfect yet emotionless cold face before him, he hesitated for a moment but ultimately gritted his teeth.
“Alright, then we’ll complete the—”
“Wait!”
A childish voice suddenly interrupted their transaction.
Both turned their heads simultaneously, only to see a small girl with pink hair, pink eyes, and twin buns, her hands on her hips, glaring at them indignantly.
“Mother!”
Hua Xiangrong took a few steps to Yun Xueshang’s side, naturally slipping her small hand into Yun Xueshang’s palm.
“Why are you buying sword manuals from a street stall again?”
She looked up, her small face filled with exasperation. “Didn’t I tell you many times that most of these are scams?”
You think this chapter was thrilling? Wait until you read Don’t Lay a Hand on Any Magical Girl Except Me!! Click here to discover the next big twist!
Read : Don’t Lay a Hand on Any Magical Girl Except Me!
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