?
Xiao Yifeng felt a cold sweat break out under her piercing gaze. He offered a stiff, dry laugh. "Senior Sister, what are you doing here?"
"Why can't I be here? Did I interrupt your little pleasure trip? I knew there was a reason you insisted on returning to the Yuanhai Kingdom!" Su Miaoqing snapped, her cheeks puffing out indignantly.
"Senior Sister, what nonsense are you sprouting? There's no such thing! I was just hungry and went out to grab a bite," Xiao Yifeng smoothly lied, trying to cover his tracks.
Refusing to believe a word of it, Su Miaoqing marched right up to him. She leaned her exquisitely beautiful face close to his chest, her delicate, jade-like nose twitching as she took a deep sniff.
Xiao Yifeng swallowed hard. I'm dead.
Su Miaoqing snatched his hand, brought it to her nose, and then let out a sharp, chilling sneer. "Young Master Xiao is quite the romantic, isn't he? I wonder which lucky lady from Qingyuan you graced with your presence? Why even bother coming back before morning?"
"Senior Sister, you're completely misunderstanding this. I really just went out to eat," Xiao Yifeng forced another laugh.
"A misunderstanding? What were you eating, people? I could smell at least three different kinds of cheap rouge on you from down the hall! And how do you explain the perfume lingering on your hands?" she demanded, her eyes flashing with hurt and anger. This guy is so detestable! Does he think I'm an idiot?
Inwardly, Xiao Yifeng viciously cursed those demonic assassins for painting themselves in so much powder. He had only exchanged blows with them for a few moments, yet the scent had clung to him like a second skin.
He was also baffled by Su Miaoqing's absurdly sharp senses. Are you the reincarnation of an Undead Bird, or a bloodhound? he thought miserably. He made a mental note to acquire the Xu family's secret green-orange odor-removal technique the first chance he got.
"If you claim you didn't, then do you dare swear an oath? Swear that you didn't set foot inside Qingyuan or anywhere near that street today!" Su Miaoqing challenged, staring unblinkingly into his eyes.
Xiao Yifeng was left entirely speechless. He mentally strangled Zhang Tianzhi and his sister. Of all the places in the capital to set up your secret hideout, why did it have to be Qingyuan?!
Taking his guilty silence as a confession, Su Miaoqing's eyes welled with furious tears. She stomped down hard on his foot.
"You stupid jerk! You absolute pervert! Are you really that desperate? Always running off to those filthy places! I hate you! I'm going back to tell Mother!"
Without another word, she turned, sprinted back to her room, and slammed the door with a deafening crash.
Xiao Yifeng let out a long, heavy sigh, massaging his temples. It was over. Even if he jumped into the Yellow River, he wouldn't be able to wash himself clean of this misunderstanding. His reputation in her eyes was thoroughly ruined.
They had only just started acting normal around each other again after the long cold war caused by the Luo Yun incident. Now, he was right back to square one.
After a moment of reflection, he realized exactly why this was happening. This was undoubtedly the backlash from the Book of Destiny's Destiny is With Me secret technique. While the art could instantly reverse the tides of fate in his favor, the subsequent side effect was a guaranteed period of horrific luck.
His streak of misfortune had officially begun!
The next morning, Xiao Yifeng tried to coax Su Miaoqing out of her room for breakfast. She completely ignored him, treating his apologies like empty air.
Left with no other options, he spoke through the door, telling her he was heading out alone to search for the Sea Spirit Flower. Instantly, her door clicked open. Su Miaoqing stepped out and wordlessly trailed after him.
"Senior Sister, are you no longer angry?" Xiao Yifeng asked cautiously.
Su Miaoqing simply let out a cold snort and refused to look at him, maintaining her silent vigil. It was glaringly obvious she was acting as his warden to ensure he didn't slip back to Qingyuan.
Xiao Yifeng desperately wanted to point out that Qingyuan didn't even open its doors during the day, but wisely kept his mouth shut.
The two walked in stifling silence until they reached the outskirts of Lijing, arriving at a sprawling, magnificent estate known as the Hundred Flowers Manor.
Covering thousands of acres, the manor was one of Lijing's premier scenic attractions. It housed a breathtaking sea of blossoms, carefully cultivating a massive stock of Sea Spirit Flowers alongside countless other rare and precious flora. It was also the capital's central hub for the floral trade—the perfect destination for connoisseurs and buyers alike. Even before stepping through the wrought-iron gates, a sweet, intoxicating fragrance washed over them.
As Xiao Yifeng and Su Miaoqing strolled along the garden paths, a sharp-eyed maid quickly approached, warmly introducing the various exotic breeds.
When the maid realized they weren't just browsing but looking to purchase high-end stock, her smile turned radiant. Xiao Yifeng requested samples of every available seed and bloom in the manor's inventory. Recognizing the massive scale of the order, the maid immediately fetched the manager.
After Xiao Yifeng paid a hefty deposit, the manager respectfully invited them to wait in the private flower sea at the rear of the estate while the staff prepared their order.
The maid guided them up the manor's back mountain. Before them lay a vast, endless ocean of precious Sea Spirit Flowers. The vibrant blossoms stretched as far as the eye could see, their petals dancing gracefully in the gentle breeze.
This particular sector was strictly closed to the public, reserved only for the manor's most esteemed VIPs. The Sea Spirit Flowers bore a striking resemblance to the Higanbana, yet their petals were a translucent, crystalline blue. They emitted a serene, melancholic fragrance that instantly washed away anxiety, bringing a profound stillness to the mind.
Following a narrow, winding path through the blue tides, the maid led them to a quiet pavilion nestled in the heart of the flower sea. She served a pot of fragrant tea and tactfully excused herself.
Inside the pavilion, the silence returned. Su Miaoqing stubbornly turned her face away, sulking quietly on one of the stone benches. Xiao Yifeng didn't push her; he simply stood near the edge of the pavilion, silently taking in the breathtaking expanse of blue.
A few moments later, the soft crunch of footsteps broke the tranquility.
Turning around, they saw a man and a woman approaching the pavilion. Both groups froze in mutual surprise.
"Young Master Xiao? Fairy Su? Is it really you?" the woman asked, her voice trembling slightly.
The peerlessly beautiful woman walked gracefully toward them, accompanied by a man of imposing, heroic bearing. Though she wore a delicate veil, the visible contours of her bright eyes and elegant brows were enough to mark her as a rare, heaven-defying beauty. Dressed in a flowing white gown, she looked like a celestial maiden descending into the mortal realm.
"Miss Yuge, I never expected our paths to cross here!" Xiao Yifeng smiled warmly. Su Miaoqing also offered a polite, albeit reserved, nod in greeting.
Xiao Yifeng was genuinely surprised. By his calculations, Yuge should still be buried in the grueling aftermath of the palace's political upheaval.
He glanced at her companion. The man beside her was not Zhang Tianzhi. He was tall, robust, and possessed a commanding presence that bore a slight resemblance to Dai Yun, though it was tempered by a refined, scholarly elegance.
Seeing that it was truly them, Yuge couldn't contain her rising emotions. She quickened her pace, practically running the last few steps into the pavilion.
"I can hardly believe my eyes. I truly thought... I thought I might never see either of you again in this lifetime," Yuge murmured. The usual cool indifference of her expression melted away, replaced by an unmistakable, radiant joy.
Though she spoke to both of them, her gaze was fixed unblinkingly on Xiao Yifeng. The raw emotion swirling in her eyes was entirely unguarded.
Annoyed by the display, Su Miaoqing let out a sharp, pointed cough. She slowly stood up from her bench, making her presence very clearly known.
The man beside Yuge frowned slightly. It was the first time he had ever seen the traditionally aloof and untouchable Yuge act so flustered and emotional—and over a man, no less.
Yuge immediately snapped out of her daze, a faint blush creeping up her neck. She turned to Su Miaoqing with an apologetic smile. "Fairy Su, it has been a long time. You have grown so breathtakingly beautiful; standing before you makes me feel entirely inadequate."
Her words were born of genuine awe, not polite flattery. The two years apart had transformed both of them, but Su Miaoqing's change was staggering. Her features had fully matured into a devastating, peerless beauty. Paired with her inherently proud, transcendent aura, it was impossible to look away from her.
If, two years ago, Su Miaoqing had been a striking but unpolished bud, she was now in full bloom. It was enough to make even Yuge feel a flicker of insecurity, though Yuge herself had also grown in grace and poise.
"Miss Yuge is too modest," Su Miaoqing replied, her icy demeanor thawing slightly at the genuine compliment. Still, her eyes narrowed in slight curiosity; she could sense the faint ripples of spiritual energy emanating from Yuge. She wondered when the mortal girl had stepped onto the path of Cultivation.
Only then did the man beside Yuge truly register Su Miaoqing's presence. As his eyes landed on her, he froze, completely stunned. His breath hitched in his throat, his mind blanking for a long, heavy moment. He simply hadn't believed it was possible for a woman to exist in this world who was even more captivating than Yuge.
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