Chapter 185: The Mysterious Man at the Auction

Xiu Qingcheng’s appearance and temperament were already enough to draw attention, and with her carrying a large basket of flowers while walking down the street, there wasn’t a single person around who didn’t look her way.

Fortunately, Xiu Qingcheng never cared for the gaze of the mundane world.

To put it bluntly, she was thick-skinned.

Ignore how much sense she tried to make when she initially refused Meng Yingxing’s gift; considering how “reluctantly” she accepted them later, her current mood was as good as it could possibly be.

She almost wanted to say to those looking at her: ‘The flowers look good, don’t they?’

‘My disciple gave them to me; do you have any?’

She was so giddy that she didn’t even stop to consider the fact that she, as a former man, was receiving flowers from another man.

Following behind her, Meng Yingxing could clearly sense his master’s jubilant mood; after all, her bare feet, which seemed to skip with every step as if they barely touched the ground, didn’t lie.

Meng Yingxing’s mood brightened along with hers, and a faint, subtle smile played on his lips.

Carrying this massive basket of flowers, Xiu Qingcheng gave up on wandering the streets and returned immediately to the Shen residence.

As soon as she pushed open the main gate, she saw Shen Xu, who was busy chatting about something with Mother Shen.

A “Flower Immortal” suddenly barging into her home startled even the bold Shen Xu.

She turned pale with fright, shielding her mother while drawing her sword to point it at the monster with a head made of fresh flowers.

“Halt! Where did this flower demon come from? How dare you act wildly in my home!?”

As soon as she spoke, Xiu Qingcheng’s head popped out from behind the enormous basket.

Shen Xu froze.

Seeing the basket overflowing with delicate, dripping-wet flowers, Mother Shen was delighted.

She pushed down Shen Xu’s raised sword and, with a joyful expression, reached out to stroke a few of the tender blossoms in the basket.

“Oh my, look at these flowers; they’ve grown so well.”

“They’re much prettier than the ones I plant.”

Realizing it wasn’t some flower demon, Shen Xu breathed a sigh of relief and sheathed her sword.

She also leaned in toward Xiu Qingcheng, looking exceptionally interested in the blooms.

“However, none of these flowers can compare to your beauty, Immortal Xiu.”

Shen Xu’s tongue was as sweet as ever, teasing the flower-bearing Xiu Qingcheng with a smile.

Xiu Qingcheng tilted her chin up, her face beneath the veil seemingly carrying a hint of smugness.

She nudged the basket slightly toward the two women.

“These flowers are indeed quite good.”

Xiu Qingcheng spoke nonchalantly, likely unaware of how narcissistic her expression looked.

Even Xiu Qingcheng herself didn’t realize that her lingering male soul seemed to be drifting further and further away from her.

“Miss Xiu, did you buy these?”

Mother Shen asked with a harmless smile.

“No. My disciple gave them to me to show his filial piety.”

As Xiu Qingcheng spoke, she turned her face slightly.

Meng Yingxing was right behind her, and seeing Mother Shen’s gaze, he gave her a polite smile.

Looking at the master and disciple before her, Mother Shen gave a meaningful “Oh,” and immediately began winking at her daughter.

“See, I told you, these two are different.”

“What kind of normal master and disciple relationship involves the disciple giving the female master flowers?”

“In the customs of Jintian Kyushu, male disciples don’t give flowers to their female masters.”

Shen Xu nodded to her mother and gave her a big thumbs up.

What sharp eyes!

Xiu Qingcheng didn’t understand what kind of strange riddles this mother-daughter duo was speaking in.

But then again, she didn’t care.

Over the next few days, Xiu Qingcheng and Meng Yingxing continued to share the same room in the vast Shen residence.

Shen Xu was still so busy that she didn’t return home at night, but in the early mornings, Xiu Qingcheng would still see her rushing around Yelan City, helping people resolve various trivial matters like a human dynamo.

Xiu Qingcheng didn’t know where Shen Xu got all that inexhaustible energy.

She had even curiously asked Shen Xu if she ever got tired of constantly helping people with menial and exhausting tasks.

Shen Xu answered without a second thought.

“I don’t get tired. I’m part of the City Guard, so helping everyone in Yelan City is my duty.”

“Besides, I really like the feeling of helping others. Seeing a smile on everyone’s face in Yelan City and knowing they feel happy makes me very happy too.”

After hearing Shen Xu’s words, Xiu Qingcheng felt a heartfelt admiration for her.

She was truly moved.

This girl was practically the Superman of Yelan City!

Since Shen Xu had been so busy lately, Xiu Qingcheng rarely ran into her, so neither she nor Meng Yingxing knew if the recent issue of monsters proliferating in Yelan City had been resolved.

In any case, the day of the Blood Kong Flower auction arrived in the blink of an eye.

Early that morning, Xiu Qingcheng and Meng Yingxing prepared to set out, but before they could leave, Shen Xu specifically rushed back.

“The Blood Kong Flower is being auctioned today, don’t forget!”

Shen Xu had rushed back specifically to remind them, and she also handed them a money pouch.

“Consider this a small token of my gratitude for your help with the City Guard and the neighbors.”

“It’s not much… it probably won’t help much with buying the Blood Kong Flower, but please, you must accept it.”

Xiu Qingcheng weighed the pouch in her hand, feeling no embarrassment whatsoever about taking it.

“Master.”

Meng Yingxing glanced at Xiu Qingcheng from the side, calling her name in a heavy tone.

Xiu Qingcheng acted as if she hadn’t heard him, so Meng Yingxing was forced to persuade her in her mind.

‘Master, we shouldn’t take this money.’

‘This is payment for our services!’

‘Master.’

‘Oh, fine, I get it! You’re so silly, refusing money!’

On the surface, Xiu Qingcheng gave Shen Xu an ethereal smile and handed the pouch back.

“What we did before was just part of our duty. You should take this money back.”

“No, you must take this money today!”

Shen Xu quickly backed up two steps, her expression turning solemn.

She had expected Xiu Qingcheng to push back and forth with her, and she had already prepared a speech to convince her, but to her surprise, Xiu Qingcheng stopped arguing and took the money with incredible decisiveness.

“In that case, we shall accept it.”

Xiu Qingcheng stuffed the money into Meng Yingxing’s interspatial bag.

“My dear disciple, it would be impolite to refuse any further.”

Afterward, the two of them said their final goodbyes to Shen Xu and Mother Shen.

Regardless of who ended up with the Blood Kong Flower, they would be leaving Yelan City.

After receiving Shen Xu’s blessings, Xiu Qingcheng and Meng Yingxing arrived at the entrance of Anqing Auction House.

At this moment, people were streaming in and out of the auction house, forming a sharp contrast to the previous few days.

“It seems many people are here for the Blood Kong Flower, including quite a few spiritual cultivators.”

Xiu Qingcheng sensed the bustling crowd, her beautiful brows knitting together.

She turned her head to see Meng Yingxing beside her, his brows furrowed just as deeply as hers, looking troubled.

Xiu Qingcheng smoothed her own brow and patted Meng Yingxing.

“Don’t worry, my disciple. According to the Theory of Relativity, the more people there are, the fewer people there are.”

“We still have a chance.”

Meng Yingxing didn’t know what kind of weird things his master was saying again, but he nodded anyway.

“Oh, right. Later, take those protective artifacts Nan Feixue gave us to be registered for auction. I don’t know how much they’ll sell for, but it’ll give us a bit more money.”

Xiu Qingcheng suggested.

Since these artifacts were obtained from Nan Feixue by Xiu Qingcheng, she naturally had the right to decide their fate, so Meng Yingxing agreed.

Xiu Qingcheng then took a few protective artifacts with mediocre appearances and went off to register them alone, acting mysteriously behind Meng Yingxing’s back.

As soon as she finished the registration, she rushed back to Meng Yingxing’s side.

Midway, she brushed past a man.

From this man, Xiu Qingcheng felt a slight sense of familiarity.

She stopped in her tracks, looked back at the man, and blurted out, “Master?”

Seeing Xiu Qingcheng stop and look back as she walked toward him, Meng Yingxing walked up curiously and looked in the direction she was gazing.

It was a man dressed in purple silk robes. He had a slender build with a somewhat scholarly air, and he carried a red sword in his hand.

Likely noticing the gazes of Xiu Qingcheng and Meng Yingxing, the man also slowly stopped and looked back.

He had a pair of peach-blossom eyes that were extremely demonic yet clear as a mirror, reflecting the figures of Xiu Qingcheng and Meng Yingxing.

“Do we know each other?”

The man’s voice was cold as he questioned the veiled woman before him.

“We don’t.”

Xiu Qingcheng also stared back at the man coldly, her expression beneath the veil devoid of joy or sorrow.

Hearing this, a look of confusion flashed in the man’s eyes, and he subsequently turned to stride away, heading deep into the auction house.

After the man left, Meng Yingxing saw that Xiu Qingcheng was still staring at his retreating back.

He pursed his thin lips and moved to block Xiu Qingcheng’s view.

“Master, you know him.”

“Otherwise, why would you keep staring at him?”

Xiu Qingcheng met Meng Yingxing’s gaze and nodded.

“I don’t know him.”

“So do you know him or not?”

Xiu Qingcheng waved her sleeve and said honestly, “Fine, he just looks a bit familiar.”

“I don’t know if I actually know him or not.”

That man did indeed look very familiar to Xiu Qingcheng; he reminded her of an old acquaintance.

Hearing this only made Meng Yingxing more confused.

People familiar to Xiu Qingcheng… wouldn’t they all be people who had lived for a very, very long time?

If that was the case, he certainly wasn’t an ordinary person.

Meng Yingxing’s expression turned solemn.

Was that man… also here for the Blood Kong Flower?

Perhaps, but Meng Yingxing was more concerned about the relationship between that man and Xiu Qingcheng.

He couldn’t be a former master of the Ting Tian Sword, could he?

Thinking of this, Meng Yingxing’s fists clenched tightly.

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