Chapter 54
A couple of dancing girls, seeing that Xiaoxiao had not done her makeup, enthusiastically helped her with rouge, powder and other cosmetics.
However, whether it was out of fear that Xiaoxiao’s beauty would outshine them, when Xiaoxiao looked at her reflection, she was startled.
The makeup was… truly a mess, with the eyebrows and eyes not even aligning! It looked like a little girl had gotten into her mother’s cosmetics.
Those thick, dark eyebrows and excessive rouge were quite jarring!
Nevertheless, Xiaoxiao was quite satisfied with this unsightly appearance.
She was not actually going to participate in the courtesan selection, so she wondered if this crude disguise could evade detection by the clairvoyant heterochromatic eye.
But how would Wei Jie slip by unnoticed?
When the carriage reached the city gate and queued to enter, she found out.
The courtesans who disembarked first suddenly let out exclamations of surprise. Xiaoxiao poked her head out the window and also couldn’t help but gasp quietly.
Somehow, Wei Jie had also disguised himself as a dancer.
After all, opera troupes not only had singing and dancing courtesans, but also male dancers to enhance the performances.
However, such male entertainers could not outshine the dancing girls – they were merely foils.
But Wei Jie’s androgynous, handsome looks could hardly be concealed so easily.
He wore a Western-style robe with loose pants and a fitted top, his muscular arms and chest exposed. To match the upcoming flower carriage parade, his exposed skin was painted with tiger stripes, even extending to his face.
Those bold colors, combined with his tall, muscular frame, truly gave the impression of a magnificent tiger manifested in human form.
He must have used some technique to conceal his purple eyes, as with the face paint, his original features were completely obscured…
The dancing girls showed their discernment, whispering that this new dancer looked unusually handsome, but the thick body paint concealed his true visage.
When Wei Jie saw the meticulously “made-up” Xiaoxiao, even he was momentarily stupefied.
Xiaoxiao knew her current appearance was unsightly, so she didn’t bother listening to any jeers from Wei Jie. Instead, she playfully made a face at him.
Ordinarily, Wei Jie would have been amused by his mischievous master’s antics. But this time, when Xiaoxiao scrunched her face at him, his expression remained cold and indifferent as he turned his head away, no longer looking at her.
It seemed Xiaoxiao’s frank rejection earlier had wounded his pride, and judging by his demeanor, he was unwilling to speak further with her.
Xiaoxiao was also irritated by his attitude. As she fastened her belt while muttering, “Are all men so petty? Pouting after being rejected…”
She had only intended her grumbling to be sotto voce, but Wei Jie still caught the key words. Turning slightly, he gave Xiaoxiao a sidelong glance and said coolly, “Are you comparing me to Qin Lingxiao?”
Xiaoxiao pondered and raised her voice, “No, Qin Lingxiao is a bit pettier than you. Didn’t you see he even bought me pastries?”
Wei Jie curled his lip in a cold smile, “Indeed, being rejected yet shamelessly persisting – that is truly admirable thickness of face.”
However, his demeanor indicated he was determined to maintain clear boundaries with Qin Lingxiao and would never resort to such persistent pursuit.
According to Master Tang Youshu’s descriptions, after becoming demonized, Wei Jie had always been cold and apathetic – not out of arrogance or looking down on others, but simply lacking any human warmth.
Although there were reasons behind his demonization, it was also tied to Wei Jie’s innate tendency to shun the world and avoid closeness with others.
Unfortunately, the current Wei Jie seemed to lack any aura of a world-weary demonic lord, likely due to her arrival disrupting the course of events. He was simply a roguishly charming rascal!
But now that he was giving her the cold shoulder, this ambiguous situation would likely not progress any further down an inappropriate path.
Xiaoxiao did not feel like trading barbs with him. She handed the invisibility talisman she had drawn with the silver foil to Wei Jie. After applying the talismans to conceal their auras, they headed towards the Prince Can’s Manor.
Standing atop a large tree and surveying the manor, it appeared the same as before – its feng shui was designed to accumulate and gather energies.
Recalling Master Tang Youshu’s assessment that this place bore the aura of stealing others’ feng shui, Xiaoxiao could only inwardly admire her master’s profound mastery.
The Xia family had harbored a century-old grievance. Their original five-hundred-year imperial destiny had been deceived away, with two hundred years stolen.
Calculated from the present, not much of the Xia family’s prosperous destiny remained after being swindled by the celestial being.
As a descendant of the imperial Xia clan, if the Prince Can had learned of this from the Book of Life and Death, he might have become imbalanced, intending to likewise steal others’ feng shui to compensate his family’s loss!
However, for now, Xiaoxiao could not dwell on the Prince Can’s despicable nature, for atop the highest pavilion of his manor, there was a divine messenger statue capable of detecting ill intentions towards the residence’s owner, barring entry to anyone harboring malice.
Xiaoxiao did not know if her newly-crafted silver foil invisibility talisman would be effective against this divine messenger.
The moment the talisman was applied, she immediately felt her aura being suppressed, proving the enhanced efficacy of the talisman.
However, the invisibility talisman also had a limited duration of less than an hour. They had to leave the manor within that timeframe, or they would immediately be exposed.
Thus, they seized the opportunity when the manor gates were open to welcome guests, blending in with a few carriages of arriving nobles to brazenly enter the Prince Can’s Manor.
The lofty divine messenger statue embedded in the highest pavilion seemed to detect nothing amiss, remaining as still as an ordinary sculpture.
It was said that the guests entering the manor this time included the Prince Can’s nephew – the current crown prince.
Accompanied by a few close ministers and his crown princess, along with several consorts, they happened to be in the area on official business and had stopped to rest at the manor of their imperial uncle.
Although the Prince Can was the elder, as a subject he still had to come out and greet them respectfully.
It was said that the crown prince was around the same age as the Prince Can, and they used to play together in the palace when young. Although referred to as uncle and nephew, their relationship was more akin to brothers.
However, after the new emperor ascended the throne, following the late emperor’s decree, this younger imperial brother was enfeoffed to Luoyi.
Since then, the crown prince had been unable to meet with this younger imperial uncle for over a decade.
Now, after so many years, the reunion between uncle and nephew was a joyous occasion with much to catch up on.
However, upon seeing the Prince Can after disembarking from the carriage, the crown prince was momentarily stunned before bursting into laughter, “Uncle, you look quite different from when we were young!”
Before the Prince Can could finish his respectful greeting, the crown prince pulled him into an embrace, slinging an arm around his shoulders as they walked ahead.
Xiaoxiao and Wei Jie, concealed in the hallway of the main reception hall, were only a few steps away from the conversing uncle and nephew.
Xiaoxiao noticed that Wan Lianshi was still dressed as the steward, following closely beside the Prince Can. The scar from her “Defying the Heavens” sword had nearly healed, leaving only a reddish mark. This surprised Xiaoxiao greatly.
After all, her sword contained the power of divine punishment. Once inflicted, such a wound should not be so easily healed like an ordinary blade’s! It seemed Wan Lianshi truly possessed some demonic arts.
At this moment, the crown prince asked the Prince Can excitedly, “Uncle, do you still remember the big black hound you kept when we were young? This time I’ve brought an even better one than yours. Do you have any fine specimens in your manor?”
The Prince Can listened with a smile, narrowing his eyes in thought before probing, “Does the prince refer to the black hunting hound gifted by the late emperor? My manor does have a few guard dogs, but I fear they cannot compare to the prince’s beloved hounds.”
The crown prince waved his hand with a helpless smile, “Uncle, you’ve even forgotten that? Back then, grandfather didn’t know you were afraid of dogs and insisted on gifting you a hunting hound. You wouldn’t even look at it and cried until I traded you my talking parrot instead! The ‘big black general’ I mentioned was the black beetle with long antennae that you kept – the one that even bit me five times!”
Upon hearing this, the Prince Can finally seemed to recall, nodding in realization before saying, “Those were just childhood pastimes that occupied our time. This subject no longer indulges in such things…”
The crown prince pondered and felt his uncle had a point. After all, over twenty years had passed, and the seedlings of their youth had grown into robust middle age.
For instance, this uncle – if not for his resemblance to the late emperor in facial features, the man standing before him would be unrecognizable.
However, this uncle’s memory did not seem very good. The crown prince enthusiastically recounted their childhood antics, but the Prince Can only responded with vague acknowledgments, seemingly unable to recall most of them.
By the time they had walked halfway, the atmosphere had grown quite cold, and the crown prince had lost interest in reminiscing about the past.
As their entourage entered the main hall, Xiaoxiao, who had been listening to their conversation, felt an indescribable sense that something was amiss, though she couldn’t pinpoint what.
It was at this moment that Wei Jie, who had been holding her hand, gave it a tug.
He had noticed Wan Lianshi suddenly leaving the Prince Can’s side and heading towards the kitchen courtyard in the rear quarters.
The two of them followed, observing as Wan Lianshi directly entered the kitchen, dismissed the cooking staff, took out a pill from his lapel, and dropped it into a bowl of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup.
After the pill had dissolved in the golden broth, Wan Lianshi turned to a servant boy behind him and said, “Make arrangements to ensure this bowl of soup is served to the crown prince’s table.”
The servant, who appeared to be Wan Lianshi’s disciple, quietly asked, “Master, if the crown prince meets with misfortune at the Prince Can’s manor, we cannot escape implication!”
Wan Lianshi let out a cold laugh, “Do you have a brain? I’ve merely added a Seven Day Drunkenness pill. After consuming it, the crown prince will simply become as intoxicated as if he had drunk alcohol! He talks too much, and the king is weary of entertaining him. With this, he won’t be able to leave his bed for the next few days. Now go!”
Hearing this, the disciple no longer dared to delay and hurriedly carried the drugged soup bowl away.
After issuing his instructions, Wan Lianshi turned and headed towards the western gardens.
Once he was gone, Xiaoxiao and Wei Jie found a secluded spot in the rear gardens. Seeing no one around, Xiaoxiao spoke in a low voice to Wei Jie, “Although the crown prince’s chatter was a bit excessive, for the cunning Prince Can to drug him into silence seems more than just annoyance. What do you think is the reason?”
Wei Jie had also been pondering this question. After all, the other party was the crown prince. Even if this local monarch found him trying to be patient, he should not have resorted to such a crude method to silence the crown prince… unless he was afraid the crown prince would continue asking questions he could not answer.
So after some thought, Wei Jie said, “Did the crown prince mention anything important earlier?”
Xiaoxiao recalled, “He didn’t say anything particularly serious, just chatting about his and the Prince Can’s childhood amusements. Could it be that the Prince Can became impatient precisely because of the crown prince’s reminiscing about their childhood?”
For such casual conversation, one would not normally find it taxing. But now that she thought back carefully, the Prince Can did seem to be struggling, repeatedly giving the wrong responses and obviously trying to change the subject several times…
Could this be the reason why the Prince Can wanted to drug the crown prince into a stupor?
Wei Jie had clearly also noticed this point, so he finally pondered aloud, “Unless this Prince Can… is simply not the same Prince Can who played with beetles alongside the crown prince in their childhood!”
Xiaoxiao gasped in realization. In fact, her thoughts had unconsciously aligned with Wei Jie’s!
It was said that ever since arriving in Luoyi, this Prince Can had remained in seclusion for as long as ten years, never meeting people and claiming to have suffered a serious illness. However, the current Prince Can’s ruddy complexion resembled that of a man in his twenties, hardly appearing as someone who needed ten years of convalescence!
It seemed this Prince Can’s bizarre behavior had added yet another puzzling aspect.
After briefly discussing, they noticed Wan Lianshi heading in another direction and followed to see what other schemes the Ghost Sect cultivator was up to.
In the western garden’s rear pavilion, Wan Lianshi was meeting an old acquaintance in private.
Qin He, who should have returned to Soaring Cloud Pavilion, was currently arguing with his senior martial brother Wan Lianshi.
Qin He’s shoulder wound inflicted by Cui Xiaoxiao had been bleeding incessantly. With no other choice, he had come to the Prince Can’s Manor.
At this moment, he glared furiously at Wan Lianshi, grabbing his robe collar, “Back in that forest, you kept using me as a shield. What were your intentions?!”
Wan Lianshi looked at him with exasperation, shrugging off Qin He’s grip on his collar before coldly snorting, “If I hadn’t done that, we might have both perished in those woods. My death would be a small matter, but if you died alongside me, your posthumous reputation would not be so pristine!”
Qin He remained angrily indignant, shooting resentful glares at his senior brother, yet no longer spoke, as if his vulnerability had been exposed.
He was different from Wan Lianshu. Currently, his reputation was flawless, with a complete family. If not beholden to the Radiant King, he would be an enviable cultivator of great ability. He truly could not die alongside Wan Lianshi.
Wan Lianshi rolled his eyes before gently reassuring him, “We have both suffered injustice. The injuries I sustained were even worse than yours, yet have now healed. When the master returns from the banquet later, he will surely provide treatment for you. Besides, haven’t you noticed? The demonized individual our master has long sought has finally appeared!”
Qin He could no longer dwell on his pain and said in a low voice, “But… how did it become that Cui Xiaoxiao girl? Could it be a mistake?”
He had previously heard the master mention that Wei Jie would eventually become demonized. When it came to predicting the future, the Radiant King had never been wrong before. So why had it turned out to be the female demoness instead?
Wan Lianshi did not wish to dwell on such details and quietly told him, “This Cui Xiaoxiao is of utmost importance. However, to drive her deeper into demonization, we need to tarnish her reputation. The rumors about the Talisman Sect injuring people in nearby villages have already spread like wildfire. Combined with the high bounty, she will likely become a target for the orthodox sects.”
Recalling his encounter with the demonized Cui Xiaoxiao in the forest, Qin He could not help but shudder in lingering fear.
Upon hearing this, he instinctively looked around, as if suspecting the demoness might be lurking nearby, concealed.
Seeing his suspicious behavior, Wan Lianshi let out a cold laugh, “Rest assured, she cannot infiltrate the king’s manor! Even if she possessed such ability and managed to sneak in, her inferior invisibility talismans would inevitably leak her aura and could not be maintained for long. That Lingshan Talisman Sect, imitating my talismans yet failing to properly comprehend them, deserves to be utterly destroyed! When she becomes fully demonized, with your disciples as witnesses, make sure to spread word of Cui Xiaoxiao’s demonization among the four major sects. The more people revile and shun her, the deeper her demonic nature will become!”
Tarnishing Cui Xiaoxiao’s reputation was something Qin He would wholeheartedly pursue even without Wan Lianshi’s urging.
Cui Xiaoxiao had crushed his spirit bones, causing him to lose half his cultivation despite his physical wounds healing!
He vowed to take vengeance for this grievance.
What infuriated him the most was that his son Qin Lingxiao had actually been bewitched by that wild girl, secretly running off to seek her again and not returning.
Qin He was well aware of his son’s prideful nature. If Cui Xiaoxiao’s reputation was sullied, no matter how fond Qin Lingxiao was of her, he would be forced to abandon this infatuation!
With this in mind, Qin He felt slightly relieved, only awaiting the Radiant King’s arrival to treat his injuries.
Like Wan Lianshi, he was someone who had fortuitously escaped death and extended his lifespan with the Radiant King’s assistance.
The Radiant King had told them that since they were destined to die, they needed to change their names. Hence, Wan Lianshi now went by Master Cui, while he became Qin He.
From then on, Wan Lianshi became the manor’s steward, while Qin He transformed into a disciple of Soaring Cloud Pavilion, eventually marrying the former pavilion master’s daughter and rising to prominence.
As someone who should have died long ago yet miraculously survived, apart from concealing their true identities to evade heaven’s gaze, they could not leave the Radiant King’s side and needed his blood to extend their lives!
Unlike Wan Lianshi, Qin He had become weary of living under the Radiant King’s control.
He was now the pavilion master of Soaring Cloud Pavilion, with a complete family and respected reputation. Even if he could not achieve great cultivation, he lived quite freely and at ease.
Unfortunately, he had no choice but to obey the Radiant King’s commands. Pondering his dual existence, Qin He could only let out a gloomy sigh.
For now, he could only take one step at a time. He hoped that once the Radiant King successfully controlled the demoness, his freedom would be restored…