Xiao Lie originally had great expectations for the people from the Xiao Sect. The son of the Xiao Sect’s master presumably should be like a celestial dragon god.
However, at first sight, he was instead greatly disappointed. He didn’t see the aura, grace, self-restraint, and appropriate loftiness that the direct disciples of a great sect should have. Rather, he only saw condescending arrogance and a tyrannical look in his eyes that left an uneasy feeling. It was just like that of a pampered and spoiled playboy that had grown up among sycophants. But upon thinking carefully, he was also relieved… After all, the Xiao Sect couldn’t possibly care about this small Xiao Clan. How could they send some “great person” over? The status of “the son of the sect master” was also merely to express a superficial respect to the dead Xiao Zheng.
“Daddy, I just heard them say that you and the clan master headed off to welcome the Xiao Sect’s people. How come you’re back so soon?” Xiao Lingxi had just happened to stop by to deliver food to Xiao Lie. With a face full of curiosity, she asked: “Have the people from the Xiao Sect already arrived? What kind of people are they? Do they have a really frightening aura?”
Xiao Lingxi’s questions reminded him of the elder standing behind Xiao Kuangyun. He nodded: “Of course, the people from the Xiao Sect are unfathomable. However, Xi Er, you should avoid the Xiao Sect’s people as much as possible in the few days that they’re here. The young man leading them isn’t some kind of benevolent person. If you can avoid them, then you should do so.”
“Ah?” Xiao Lingxi blinked her eyes in disbelief and then nodded lightly: “I know daddy. In fact, I was already a little bit afraid of them. After all, they are from the Xiao Sect. They must be super super powerful.”
“Even if you’re curious, you should try to stay away from them.” Xiao Lie once again warned. He lightly breathed in and, with a heavy load on his mind, walked into the courtyard.
“Daddy? Why do you look like you have something on your mind? Did something especially big happen?” Xiao Lingxi asked nervously. As a daughter who knew her father well, with just a glance, Xiao Lingxi could see through Xiao Lie’s facial expression.
Xiao Lie froze for a second, and then shook his head: “It’s nothing…” He paused for a moment as he realized that if he didn’t say it out loud, then this clever daughter of his may not feel at ease for the rest of the day. He could only slowly respond: “The Xiao Sect brought a gift called the “Profound Opening Powder”. From what that Xiao Kuangyun said, this Profound Opening Powder has a great restorative effect on damaged profound veins. So…”
“Ah! It can fix damaged profound veins? Is that true?” Xiao Lie hadn’t even finished talking, but Xiao Lingxi was already crying out in excitement. All of the sudden, her small hands tightly clenched the edges of her clothing. Fixing Xiao Che’s profound veins had always been her greatest wish. These past few years, she had nonstop diligently searched for every possible method with Xiao Lie. Xiao Lie’s words were no different to her than the celestial sound of heaven granting her wish.
“The effects of the Xiao Sect’s medicine can’t be compared to that of ordinary medicine. It may really be able to provide surprising results.” Saying this, Xiao Lie’s expression slowly dimmed: “However, the Profound Opening Powder’s most important use is to accelerate the speed of cultivation for a certain amount of time. Right now, the clan master and the rest of them all consider this ‘Profound Opening Powder’ as a treasure. To convince them to use the ‘Profound Opening Powder’ on the body of Che Er, who’s considered a good for nothing in their eyes… It truly was a slim hope.
Xiao Lingxi’s expression became sluggish. Xiao Lie’s words were like a pail of cold water that extinguished all of her excitement. She bit her lips and resolutely said, “No matter how, we must obtain the Profound Opening Powder. Little Che definitely isn’t a good for nothing! He’s the one that needs the Profound Opening Powder the most!”
“I’ll try with all my power to fight for it.” Seeing her daughter’s expression, Xiao Lie let out a long sigh. However, in his heart, he was perfectly clear how little hope there was of getting the Profound Opening Powder… In other words, it was absolutely impossible.
…………………………
Nightfall.
“I saw the Xiao Sect’s Xiao Kuangyun today.”
Candle light faintly swayed inside the room. Xia Qingyue sat at the side of the bed and lightly said.
“Oh… what kind of person is he?” Xiao Che yawned before casually asking with an indifferent look.
“He is like his name.” Xia Qingyue’s eyebrows drooped as she remembered the look in Xiao Kuangyun’s eyes as he looked at her. A look of disgust passed through her eyes. Her master had told her that of the Xiao Sect master’s four sons, the other three all could be considered as having dragon-like talent. Only the fourth son was an one hundred percent idiot. However, he nevertheless was doted on the most by the sect master, possibly because he was the youngest and was the legal wife’s only son.
(TL: Kuangyun translates to “wild/violent cloud”)
“That’s pretty normal. If you think about it, it’s pretty obvious what kind of people the Xiao Sect would send to this place. But either way, it still has nothing to do with me. At the most, I just have to go tomorrow as a formality.” Xiao Che shrugged as he spoke. His eyebrows suddenly twitched, and his expression sharpened slightly. He raised his head and asked: “Qingyue my wife, you said you saw him? Then did he also see you?”
“That’s right… why?” Xia Qingyue raised her eyebrows.
Xiao Che raised his hand to rub his chin, then suddenly said: “You said before that he was a piece of trash with an exceedingly bad reputation. This kind of trash… *sigh*, Qingyue my wife, if I haven’t guessed wrong, your master should be near Floating Cloud City, right?”
“… How did you know?” A trace of astonishment flashed across Xia Qingyue’s face.
Xiao Che didn’t explain. He said with a serious expression: “Since it’s like that, think of a way to communicate with your master. It’d be best to have her come to this place tomorrow…” After thinking for a moment, his expression once again relaxed: “Since your master is nearby, then I guess there won’t be any big problems. Let’s sleep.”
Xia Qingyue’s delicate brows raised slightly, and she then quietly pondered for a moment. She once again thought back to the expression in Xiao Kaungyun’s eyes as he looked at her this afternoon and finally understood the meaning behind Xiao Che’s words. Her expression suddenly spasmed, and she unconsciously reached out to pinch the icicle shaped sound transmitting device at her waist.
Seeing Xiao Che preparing to spread the blanket at the corner, her gaze faintly swayed. Her lips continuously moved quite a few times before she finally let out a voice: “Come sleep on the bed.”
“Ah?” Xiao Che turned his body towards her and said with wide eyes: “Qingyue my wife, what did you say?”
Xia Qingyue immediately turned her face away to hide her current expression. She coldly replied: “If you didn’t hear it, then forget it!”
“I heard it! How could I not have heard it?!” Xiao Che immediately nodded like a chick pecking rice. He threw the blanket in his hand away and quickly threw himself onto the bed, then looked at Xia Qingyue with a happy smile: “Qingyue my wife, will you sleep on the inside or outside tonight?”
“…..” Xia Qingyue didn’t reply. With a wave of her snowy hand, she extinguished all of the red candle in the space of a second. The room was immediately pitch black, and her heart also secretly let out a sigh. She reached out and pushed Xiao Che to the inside, pulled the blanket over, and covered both of their bodies with it. Laying down sideways with her back to Xiao Che, she said in a quiet and cold voice: “You don’t need to think about it too much. I’m only doing this to make it more convenient for you to treat my body at three in the morning… You’re not allowed to do forbidden things! Otherwise I won’t ever let you sleep on the bed again!”
“As you wish, my beloved lady wife!” Xiao Che elatedly spoke as he gave the blankets a tug and sniffed the remainder of the young lady’s fragrance that was still held in it.
Now, she was being called “wife” by Xiao Che several dozen times a day. From the initial sulking up to now, not only did hearing it feel incomparably natural, but also at the same time gave her a kind of indescribable feeling of “I am his wife”. This subtle change caused her to be flustered and more so left her at a loss. She closed her eyes and strove to avoid thinking about these things that set her heart into disorder. Not long after, she peacefully fell asleep.
It had unwittingly become three in the morning. This was the darkest time before dawn, and the entire Xiao Clan was peaceful. The only sounds that could be heard were the occasional buzzing of insects.
In the darkness, from Xiao Lingxi’s courtyard came a light *creak* sound and, following that sound, the securely closed house door slowly opened. A petite shadow slowly snuck out and, after peering at the surroundings for a while, quickly ran fled outside.
The shadow hadn’t been able to step outside the courtyard gate when a tall, gray figure suddenly dropped from the sky, landing in front of her. The sound of a girl’s cry of alarm rose up, then soon after came a solemn voice, lowered with great effort: “Xi Er, where are you going this late at night?”
“Ah! Da… daddy!” The greatly frightened shadow pulled down the shroud covering her face, revealing a lovely and touching girl’s face. It really was Xiao Lingxi. Looking at the Xiao Lie that had suddenly appeared in front of her, her soul shook momentarily. “I… I…