Translator: Cinder Translations
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"Delicious tea!" Cui Huo set down his teacup.
"Then Brother Cui should have a few more cups!" Song Wen quickly refilled Cui Huo's cup.
"Brother Cui, I'm new here and don't know much about Yaotai City. You've lived here since you were young, could you introduce me to some of the more interesting places in the city?"
As he spoke, Song Wen's expression looked somewhat lecherous.
Cui Huo immediately understood the meaning behind Song Wen's words. He lowered his voice and replied.
"If we're talking about the most delightful place in Yaotai City, it would have to be Xiaoyao Pavilion. The young ladies there... they are truly..."
Song Wen raised his eyebrows, his interest piqued.
"Looks like Brother Cui is a regular there. Could you tell me more about it?"
"Get him out of Biluo Mountain!"
Suddenly, the voice of Xu Geng echoed in Cui Huo's mind.
"There are Nascent Soul cultivators on Biluo Mountain, so I can't make a move there. If I do, the Nascent Soul ancestor from the Cui family will notice. But once we leave the mountain, I can secretly control him with soul power and force him to hand over the Heavenly Soul Stone and the secrets of body tempering—without harming him."
After hearing Xu Geng's words, Cui Huo immediately came up with a plan, his face filled with a thoughtful smile.
"The charm of Xiaoyao Pavilion is something one can only understand but not describe in words."
Song Wen's face lit up with longing.
"If I could experience it firsthand, that would be great."
"Indeed."
Cui Huo's gaze became hot, with an air of impatience.
"Brother Wei, how about we..."
Song Wen's expression showed expectation.
"Go there?"
The two exchanged a meaningful smile.
Their smiles held deep, unsaid meaning.
"But we're both still in the Qi Refinement stage, and it's not allowed for us to leave Biluo Mountain freely. That might be difficult." Song Wen said with a hint of hesitation.
Cui Huo frowned. "This matter is indeed tricky. We need to find a Foundation Establishment cultivator to take us out."
"Do you know any Foundation Establishment cultivators?" Song Wen asked.
Cui Huo shook his head. "How about you?"
"I only know Cui Xinyi," Song Wen replied.
"Cui Xinyi? She won't work. If she's with us, we can forget about going to Xiaoyao Pavilion." Cui Huo said dismissively.
"Don't worry. When the time comes, I'll figure out a way to send her away." Song Wen assured him.
A teasing smile appeared on Cui Huo's face. "Seems like Brother Wei is quite skilled at dealing with women. Just two days at Junxiu Peak, and you've already managed to handle the well-known difficult woman from the Cui family."
Song Wen smiled faintly.
He looked up at the sky. The sun was beginning to set.
"There's less than an hour before nightfall. Brother Cui, please rest here for a while, I'll go look for Cui Xinyi."
"Alright!" Cui Huo nodded in agreement.
After Song Wen left the small courtyard, the voice of Xu Geng sounded in Cui Huo's mind.
"Search this courtyard. See if you can find any secrets."
Hearing this, Cui Huo began searching the courtyard but found nothing.
...
"Fairy Xinyi, are you home?"
Outside Cui Xinyi's courtyard, Song Wen called out loudly.
After a moment, Cui Xinyi opened the door.
"What brings you here?"
"I'd like to invite Fairy Xinyi for a night tour of Yaotai City. I wonder if you would honor me with your presence?" Song Wen smiled, his eyes filled with anticipation.
Cui Xinyi was taken aback at first, then a slight blush spread across her face.
She lowered her eyelids, somewhat shyly avoiding Song Wen's gaze.
"Yaotai City... what's there to see..."
Despite her words, a strange feeling of anticipation surged in her heart.
She secretly lifted her eyes and glanced at Song Wen, only to find him gazing at her intently, his eyes full of tenderness.
At that moment, Cui Xinyi's heart fluttered like a startled deer, a feeling she had never experienced before in her life. "Well... then let's go." Cui Xinyi softly responded, her face flushing deeper. "When shall we depart?"
Song Wen's expression brightened, and he hurriedly said, "That's great! I'll be waiting for you in front of the mountain gate in one hour."
After finishing his sentence, Song Wen turned and walked toward his courtyard.
Just a few steps away, he suddenly turned back around.
"Fairy Xinyi, you must come, we won't meet again if you don't!"
"I know!" Cui Xinyi replied, a smile dancing on her face.
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One hour later.
At the Biluo Mountain gate.
Cui Xinyi arrived on time.
When she saw that Cui Huo was standing next to Song Wen, her previously excited expression immediately sank.
"Why is he here too?" Cui Xinyi asked Song Wen.
Song Wen quickly explained, "Brother Cui and I have already reconciled after some past conflict. He has something to handle outside the mountain and wanted to join us."
Cui Xinyi's expression softened slightly. "Alright then."
With Cui Xinyi's agreement, the three of them easily exited the mountain gate and headed toward Yaotai City.
At night, Yaotai City remained brightly lit. However, apart from the main street, the alleys were almost empty.
The three of them flew through the air over Yaotai City.
"As I'm new to the Cui family, I have the honor of being accompanied by both Brother Cui and Fairy Xinyi. Tonight, I'd like to treat you both. How about we go to Xianyuan Dining Hall for a spiritual feast?" Song Wen suggested.
Cui Xinyi responded, "Why go to Xianyuan Dining Hall? The food there is decent, but the location is a bit out of the way, almost at the outskirts of the West City."
Song Wen looked somewhat uneasy, "The costs at Xianyuan Dining Hall are relatively low, and I'm not very wealthy. If we go to another place, it might be..."
"Alright, let's go to Xianyuan Dining Hall then."
After Cui Xinyi agreed to Song Wen's suggestion, she turned to Cui Huo.
"Cui Huo, didn't you have something to do? Why haven't you left yet?" she asked.
Cui Huo glanced at Song Wen, unsure of what plan Song Wen had to get rid of Cui Xinyi. He could only follow Cui Xinyi's lead and replied, "Then I shall take my leave now. I hope you two enjoy yourselves."
Just as Cui Huo was about to turn and leave, Song Wen urgently called out.
"Brother Cui, wait a moment."
Song Wen then continued speaking to Cui Xinyi.
"Since there's still time, why don't we all finish the feast and then take a walk around Yaotai City? What do you think?"
Cui Xinyi furrowed her brows slightly, her face showing clear displeasure, but she ultimately relented.
"Alright then."
Song Wen was elated, leading the way and flying westward.
Cui Huo watched Song Wen's back, feeling a sense of hesitation.
Song Wen's actions didn't seem like he was headed to Xiaoyao Pavilion.
"Let's go!" Cui Xinyi suddenly urged, her tone far from friendly.
With this reminder, Cui Huo had no choice but to follow, flying after them.
Song Wen and Cui Huo used flying techniques, but their speed was much slower compared to Cui Xinyi's sword flight technique.
To accommodate both of them, Cui Xinyi slowed her pace.
As the three of them neared the outskirts of the West City, Cui Xinyi's expression suddenly changed to one of fear.
She sensed something and immediately saw a small black insect darting out from Song Wen's body, heading straight for her face.
She was very familiar with this insect; it was the Shadow Gu, a nightmare she'd had countless times in the dead of night, a terror that still haunted her so much she couldn't bring herself to enter the deep sea alone anymore.
The Shadow Gu's speed was too fast, and the distance between Cui Xinyi and Song Wen was too short. Before she could react, the insect collided with her forehead.
Everything went dark, and she lost consciousness.
She didn't fall from the sky, though; instead, the Shadow Gu held her and continued flying forward.
Cui Huo, who had noticed the strange change on Cui Xinyi's side, didn't have time to react before Song Wen seized him by the neck.
A surge of black killing intent poured from Song Wen's hand into Cui Huo's body.
Cui Huo immediately realized that he had lost control over his body.
He couldn't move, nor could he speak.
(End of the Chapter)
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