Chapter 71 New Dress (Part Two)

Xiao Ming walked out of the room first, feeling refreshed. He had only taken a few steps when he nearly collided with a figure stumbling out of the neighboring room.

Lu Ming's face was as pale as paper, his eye sockets were slightly sunken, and his footsteps were so unsteady that it felt like he was walking on cotton. He was slightly hunched over as he walked, one hand subconsciously pressed tightly against his lower back, looking thoroughly drained and severely depleted of his Origin Qi.

His hair was a mess, with strands stuck to his forehead by sweat. Although his robes had been thrown on in a hurry, the collar was crooked, the belt was loosely tied, and there was even a faint, bright red lipstick mark on his lapel that clearly did not belong to him—all of which testified to the fierce "battle" that had just taken place in the room.

When Lu Ming looked up, he saw the dashing and handsome Xiao Ming, whose robes were even crisper and neater than when he had arrived, without a single wrinkle to be found.

Lu Ming opened his mouth, his throat parched. After a long while, he managed to squeeze out a broken voice: "Brother Xiao... Brother Xiao... my heart is suffering!"

Xiao Ming took in Lu Ming's miserable appearance, secretly feeling delighted, but his face wore a perfectly timed look of "concern" and worry. He stepped forward to steady Lu Ming's swaying figure and said in a low voice: "Brother Lu? What is this...? How did you end up like this?"

Lu Ming felt even more ashamed by Xiao Ming's "concerned" question. His face flushed a mix of green and red as he stammered: "It's... it's nothing... just... just a bit tired..." He truly couldn't bring himself to say that he was "over-exhausted."

Xiao Ming chuckled inwardly, though his face remained "concerned." He patted Lu Ming on the shoulder and said sincerely: "You've worked hard, Brother Lu! But... what about that information...?"

Xiao Ming's pat was unintentional, but it happened to land right on Lu Ming's sore lower back. Lu Ming gasped in pain, his legs giving way, and he nearly collapsed to the ground, but fortunately, Xiao Ming was quick to catch him.

"Brother Lu, be careful!" Xiao Ming said in a 'concerned' tone, his hands moving extremely fast.

Lu Ming grimaced as he steadied himself, his face full of pain and lingering fear. He panted for a few breaths before stuttering out the information he had obtained through his hard labor: "The woman said that thing is called... Black Silk, yes, it's called Black Silk! She bought it a month ago from the stall of a strangely dressed, mysterious Loose Cultivator, and that Loose Cultivator even claimed it could boost a man's combat effectiveness or something."

Xiao Ming listened carefully, but the more he heard, the more speechless he became. Didn't this amount to saying nothing at all? However, seeing Lu Ming rubbing his waist with such exhaustion, he forced a look of sincere gratitude onto his face, clasped his hands together, and said solemnly: "Brother Lu! I really owe you this time! I, Xiao Ming, will remember this favor!" He paused, as if suddenly remembering something, and added: "When I return, I will open the furnace to refine a few more batches of high-quality Medicinal Pill for Senior Sister Qingzhu to help her stabilize her Realm. This will be a small token of my appreciation for Brother Lu's hard work!"

To the physically and mentally exhausted Lu Ming, who was full of grievances, these words were like music to his ears! His previously dull eyes instantly lit up, and a warm current surged through his heart—all his fatigue and humiliation seemed worth it! 'Lord Saint! He truly is a man who values relationships and righteousness! He knew it! His efforts were not in vain! This is a true good brother! This is true brotherhood!' Lu Ming was so moved that he was almost on the verge of tears. He quickly waved his hand, his voice choking with emotion: "Brother Xiao! You shouldn't! You really shouldn't! This is all what I should do! Being able to share the burden for Holy Son Xiao is my honor! Please, do not mention the Medicinal Pill again, do not mention it!" Although he declined, the gratitude and excitement on his face could not be hidden.

At this moment, Xiao Ming suddenly noticed the shopkeeper, who had been standing respectfully nearby with his hands down, walking slowly over. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something.

Lu Ming waved his hand with great effort, signaling for him to go ahead and speak. The shopkeeper then cautiously interjected: "Young... Young Lord... Holy Son Xiao... the thing you two are asking about is Black Silk, right?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Ming's eyes instantly sharpened, and he asked with a dark face: "You know? Then why didn't you say so earlier?" His tone carried a hint of Evil Qi. If the shopkeeper had spoken up earlier, he wouldn't have had to suffer like this!

The shopkeeper shuddered in fright at Lu Ming's shout, breaking out in a cold sweat. He quickly bowed and said: "Replying to the Young Lord, I... I didn't know at first that Holy Son Xiao was asking about this 'Black Silk'! It was only after hearing you mention it just now that I realized! Actually, I don't know much either. It seems this Black Silk was passed down from a vast Dynasty on the side of the Righteous Path... it seems to be called something like the Great Qin Dynasty." His voice grew quieter as he spoke, fearing he might be blamed.

After hearing this, Lu Ming felt his vision go dark, and blood rushed to his head! After all this, this information wasn't unique? The shopkeeper actually knew about it too? Then his "sacrifice"... hadn't he suffered all this for nothing? His chest heaved violently, and he pointed at the shopkeeper, his lips trembling with anger, but he couldn't say a single word, left only with a heart full of grievance and a sense of absurdity!

Seeing this, Xiao Ming laughed inwardly and almost clapped in approval, but he kept a calm face and offered timely comfort: "Brother Lu, do not be angry, do not be angry! I see that the shopkeeper's mistake was unintentional, and it is always good to have provided the clue!" With Xiao Ming speaking up, Lu Ming had no choice but to suppress the anger in his heart.

The nervous and fearful shopkeeper, upon hearing this, felt as if he had been granted amnesty and instantly breathed a sigh of relief, looking at Xiao Ming with gratitude.

Xiao Ming comforted Lu Ming once more. As his gaze swept over Lu Ming's pale face, it suddenly stopped near the corner of Lu Ming's mouth. He frowned slightly, as if he had discovered something.

"Brother Lu, you have something here..." Xiao Ming said, reaching out his finger to point at the corner of Lu Ming's mouth.

Lu Ming looked bewildered. He reached up to where Xiao Ming was pointing, and upon his fingertip, there was a tiny, about half-an-inch long, dark-colored, slightly curled, and coarse short hair!

Xiao Ming was, after all, a transmigrator; how could he not recognize what this was? The moment he saw this hair, he couldn't help but be shocked internally: 'Oh my god, people in this cultivation world really know how to play wild!'

His face wore a perfectly timed look of confusion and bewilderment (he couldn't make his brother look bad, could he?): "Brother Lu, what is this? Stuck to the corner of your mouth... it doesn't look like hair, does it?"

The appearance of this short hair was like triggering a lethal switch; the scene instantly became incomparably silent.

Lu Ming stared at that black curly hair, his pupils constricting sharply. He instantly recalled certain unbearable details and the female cultivator's incredibly excessive behavior. His face instantly turned from pale to green, then from green to purple. His stomach churned, and a strong sense of nausea and shame almost drowned him! He frantically flicked it away as if it were some highly toxic filth, and then began to wipe the corner of his mouth fiercely with his sleeve like a madman, his voice sharp and distorted, no longer the gentle and refined person he was before:

"I don't know... I don't know, where did this dirty thing come from!"

Just then, the door of the next room was gently pushed open.

Mo Qingzhu, who had changed into a brand-new white long dress, stepped out gracefully. The new dress was different in both style and color from her previous one, and wearing it now made her appear even more elegant and otherworldly.

After she came out, her gaze first landed on Xiao Ming with love, and a faint smile unconsciously appeared on her lips. However, when her gaze turned to the disheveled and furious Lu Ming standing nearby, that faint smile instantly froze, then turned into undisguised coldness, contempt, and deep disgust!

The shopkeeper nearby, seeing Mo Qingzhu's new attire, flashed a subtle look of confusion in his eyes and subconsciously muttered to himself: 'Huh? Young Mistress... when she went in, wasn't she wearing a green dress? How come when she came out...' He stole a glance at the livid and furious Lu Ming, shuddered, and buried his head even lower, thinking to himself: 'It's an illusion! It must be an illusion! My old eyes must be failing me! I dare not say anything!'