193: Fairy Bai, you misunderstood

Elder Fu Cheng led the two of them to a clean and elegant quiet room.

The furnishings in the room were simple: a jade table, a few futons, and a wisp of calming sandalwood incense burning in the censer in the corner.

“Please, come in, both of you.” Elder Fu Cheng, his face wreathed in smiles, personally opened the door for them.

Bai Yaoyi nodded slightly to him, and with light steps, walked in first.

Lin Feng, however, stopped at the doorway and did not follow.

He flipped his hand and took out an ancient wooden box, handing it to Fu Cheng.

“Brother Qinglian.”

Elder Fu Cheng was startled, and subconsciously took it.

Lin Feng’s voice, transmitted through Divine Thought, clearly echoed in his mind.

“Bai Fairy and I still have some private matters to discuss. Brother Qinglian should have important matters to attend to, so perhaps we can meet again another time.”

Elder Fu Cheng’s heart stirred, and his Divine Thought probed the wooden box.

It turned out to be two Materials from a transformed Yao Beast.

His breathing hitched, and the joy in his eyes almost overflowed.

Two more portions!

This Brother Qinglian is simply too generous!

When he heard Lin Feng’s words again, how could he not understand?

This was a hush-money and also a dismissal.

Brother Qinglian wanted to be alone with the Fairy from Xiao Ji Palace.

Elder Fu Cheng immediately understood, his smile becoming even more sincere, and he called out loudly towards the elegant room.

“Bai Fairy, there’s an urgent matter within the sect that requires my immediate attention, so I shall take my leave first!”

He had intended to leave then but suddenly remembered something, and quickly sent a message to Lin Feng via Divine Thought.

“Brother Qinglian, when shall we depart for the Yin Zhi Ma Secret Realm?”

Lin Feng’s gaze passed through the door curtain, falling upon Bai Yaoyi’s dignified and quietly seated back, his thoughts racing.

“There’s no hurry for this matter.”

“That Secret Realm is far more dangerous than you or I imagine. Brother Qinglian still needs to make more preparations. In my opinion, it would be safer to depart several decades later.”

“If the time is right, I will naturally inform Fellow Daoist Fu Cheng, and we will meet at the usual place.”

Upon hearing this, although a hint of doubt flashed in Elder Fu Cheng’s heart, it was quickly suppressed by the wooden box in his hand.

This Brother Qinglian has always acted mysteriously. Since he said it was dangerous, it must not be baseless.

Several decades, for a Nascent Soul Cultivator like him, was merely the time for a few closed-door Cultivations.

Moreover, he had gratuitously obtained two top-tier Materials this time, so he had already made a huge profit. What more could he be dissatisfied with?

“Good! Everything will be as Brother Qinglian arranges!”

Elder Fu Cheng readily agreed, cupped his hands in the direction of the elegant room, and then transformed into a streak of light, departing contentedly.

At the entrance of the elegant room, silence returned.

Only then did Lin Feng turn and walk inside.

Bai Yaoyi sat upright, her hands placed on her knees, her posture elegant.

She could sense Fu Cheng’s departure and could guess that this mysterious Fellow Daoist Brother Qinglian had sent him away.

For a moment, only the two of them remained in the quiet room.

The atmosphere seemed to become somewhat subtle.

She couldn’t help but feel a sense of wariness, her spiritual Qi secretly circulating within her body.

A man and a woman, alone in a room, what did this unfathomably powerful Cultivator intend to do?

Lin Feng paid no attention to her subtle movements, walking directly to the futon opposite her and sitting down.

Then, under Bai Yaoyi’s nervous gaze, he slowly raised his hand and removed the wide hood from his head.

As the black robe fell, a handsome face, almost too young, appeared in Bai Yaoyi’s sight.

Sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes, a high nose bridge, and a faint smile playing on his lips.

Those deep eyes seemed to contain a sea of stars, making anyone who looked into them unconsciously fall deeply into them.

“…”

Bai Yaoyi’s beautiful eyes widened, and her entire body stiffened.

She had imagined countless possibilities in her mind.

Perhaps he was an old man with an aged face and an imposing Aura.

Or perhaps he was a gaunt, strange person who had Cultivated some Demonic Technique.

She had never imagined that this mysterious great Cultivator, who had spent money like water at the auction and whose Aura had suppressed many Nascent Soul Cultivators into breathless silence…

Would turn out to be such an exceptionally handsome young man!

She just stared blankly at him, for a moment forgetting how to speak, even casting her previous wariness to the winds.

Noticing her lapse, Bai Yaoyi’s cheeks instantly flushed crimson, and she quickly lowered her head.

“Brother Qinglian, I am truly… truly sorry, Yaoyi was impolite.”

Her voice was as faint as a mosquito’s buzz, tinged with a hint of panic.

“No matter.”

Lin Feng’s smile remained gentle, his voice carrying a soothing power.

“Bai Fairy, please sit.”

Bai Yaoyi felt her heart beating a little fast. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, and sat back properly, but dared not look directly into Lin Feng’s eyes again.

Lin Feng picked up the spiritual tea on the table, took a small sip, and then went straight to the point.

“Bai Fairy, may I ask if you have a Dao Companion?”

“Pfft—”

Bai Yaoyi had just taken a sip of spiritual tea to calm herself down when she heard this question, and a mouthful of tea ungracefully sprayed out.

Fortunately, she reacted extremely quickly and turned her head, preventing it from spraying onto the handsome face opposite her.

“Cough! Cough, cough…”

She choked, coughing repeatedly, her pretty face turning beet red, feeling both shy and embarrassed.

This Fellow Daoist’s way of doing things is truly… unexpected!

“No… I do not have a Dao Companion.” Bai Yaoyi finally managed to catch her breath, her voice trembling slightly, “Fellow Daoist… what do you mean by this?”

Countless thoughts flashed through her mind instantly.

Could it be… could it be that this Fellow Daoist Brother Qinglian is interested in her…

Lin Feng looked at her flustered appearance, the smile in his eyes deepening.

“Bai Fairy, please do not misunderstand.”

He put down his teacup, his tone carrying a perfectly appropriate hint of emotion.

“Qing only feels a bit of pity seeing Bai Fairy, with such peerless grace, traveling alone to Great Jin without even a protector by her side.”

Upon hearing this, Bai Yaoyi was abruptly startled.

Pity?

These two words, like fine needles, gently pricked the softest part of her heart.

She recalled the envious gazes of everyone in Xiao Ji Palace when the Senior Brother she had secretly admired for many years became Dao Companions with another Senior Sister.

She also recalled her own vexation, and how she had defiantly left alone, coming to this unfamiliar land of Great Jin.

The hardships and loneliness of this journey, only she knew.

No one had ever said the words “pity” to her.

For a moment, an unspeakable sadness swept through Bai Yaoyi’s heart, and her eyes even felt slightly warm.

The layers of defenses she had built up in her heart unconsciously crumbled under this one sentence.

Lin Feng keenly caught the change in her expression, knowing the time was right.

He no longer beat around the bush and directly stated his purpose.

“Bai Fairy, would you be willing to take me to Xiao Ji Palace?”

Bai Yaoyi was startled again, the calm in her heart rippling once more.

Go to Xiao Ji Palace?

Take him?

What does that mean? Could it be… could it be that he wants to…

Her cheeks grew redder, and her voice became stuttering.

“Fellow Daoist… this matter… can this matter be taken slowly? Yaoyi… Yaoyi is not mentally prepared yet…”

Lin Feng looked at her shy and bewildered expression, feigning confusion and raising an eyebrow.

“What do you mean by this?”

He said with a frank expression, “Qing has long admired Xiao Ji Palace and has had many spiritual connections with it. My purpose in coming to Great Jin this time is to visit the current Palace Master of Xiao Ji Palace and discuss the Dao with her.”

“Bai Fairy, would you be willing to introduce me?”

“…”

The air seemed to freeze.

The blush on Bai Yaoyi’s face faded at a visible speed, replaced by an indescribable embarrassment.

So… so she had misunderstood.

He only wanted to visit the Palace Master, and it had… nothing to do with her.

A faint sense of disappointment welled up in her heart.

She didn’t even know why she felt disappointed.

“So… so that’s it.”

Bai Yaoyi lowered her head, wishing she could find a hole to crawl into, her voice so small it was almost inaudible.

“Fellow Daoist wishes to visit this Palace, Yaoyi is naturally willing to introduce you.”

She composed herself and added, “However, this matter is of great importance. Yaoyi needs to first use a transmission talisman to report to the Palace Master in advance and obtain the Palace Master’s permission.”

“Naturally.”

Lin Feng smiled and nodded, seemingly completely unaware of her embarrassment.

“Since that is the case, there is no need to rush.”

He looked at Bai Yaoyi, his gaze gentle.

“How about Bai Fairy stays here for a few days and calmly awaits the Palace Master’s reply? Once there is a result, we can depart together, how does that sound?”

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Bai Fairy, would you like to vote~