The girl had clearly saved her, but hadn't left her face or name. She had done a good deed without expecting anything in return; perhaps she was just a passing heroine. Xue Qing still wanted to thank her, so she ran in the direction the girl had disappeared, calling out, "Heroine, wait! Can we exchange contact information?"
The female knight failed to catch up, but unexpectedly encountered the man in white. The man in white was also frightened, and the situation escalated, turning into a riot in the whole street. He frantically dodged the flying iron spoons, but unfortunately, he was not as athletic as Xue Qing and was hit several times.
Seeing that the fight had escalated to the point of drawing blood, Xue Qing grabbed the man in white and said, "Let's go."
The two men fled in panic during the melee. The white-clad man was surprisingly light-bodied and was pulled around like a puppet by Xue Qing. They barely managed to escape the blast radius. Xue Qing herself had a hard time escaping, let alone with the white-clad man as a burden. It was truly a relief that both of them managed to get away.
"Huff...huff...that was close..." Xue Qing bent over, panting heavily, her hair so disheveled it was practically flying in the wind.
"Thank you for saving me, young lady," the man in white said wearily. "May I ask your name?"
"Xue Qing...and you?"
"My surname is Bai, and my given name is Xichen," the man in white replied, smiling slightly, as serene as a woman.
Bai! Xi! Chen! If Xue Qing were a character from a comic book, a lightning bolt would be added to her background right now. The name Bai Xi Chen, coupled with his androgynous appearance, makes Xue Qing believe that such an oddity is unparalleled in the world. This person is definitely Bai Xi Chen, the Dao Lord of the Heavenly Dao among Yan Ming's six Dao Lords! Have Yan Ming's claws already reached the Central Plains so quickly? Or perhaps they weren't sent by Yan Ming. Bai Xi Chen is a very free-spirited person, with little loyalty to the Underworld; he might just be here for a casual trip. Of Yan Ming's six Dao Lords, two are utterly loyal, two are adept at changing sides depending on the wind, and two are elusive and unpredictable. Bai Xi Chen belongs to the elusive group. What kind of person he is isn't detailed in the novel; he's just a minor character.
"Young Master! Young Master! We've finally found you!" A beautiful young woman ran up to Bai Xichen, her face full of anxiety.
Xue Qing looked at the girl curiously. This was the maid Bai Xichen had mentioned who had taken his money pouch but got lost. No, Xue Qing thought it should be Bai Xichen who got lost.
"I told you to stick close to me, but you lost me again, almost making me suffer," Bai Xichen complained.
"Young master, didn't you say you were going to eat at Xiangman? I even came early to wait for you, but who knew you went to Koufu instead." Zhi Qiu had a gentle and graceful face, but was surprisingly quick-witted.
"I wanted to try something different, is that not allowed?" A blush appeared on Bai Xichen's pale face; her expression was that of a shy young girl! Was she really not a girl disguised as a boy? Was she really not?
"Young master has taken the wrong path," Zhi Qiu said relentlessly. OMG, girl, you're a master of witty remarks. Xue Qing is impressed.
At this moment, a group of people arrived at the scene of the battle. Their clothes were mostly blue and gray, and all of them had the Bagua pattern embroidered on the back. This was the symbol of the Wudang Sect. Very good, the Wudang Sect has finally decided to manage the chaotic order.
The maid in the bedroom of the master's nephew
Seeing Qiao Yijun leading the group, Xue Qing became even more certain that this group came from the Wudang Sect. No matter how fiercely the cooks fought, they were still just ordinary people without any martial arts background. The Wudang Sect could easily suppress them. The current scene reminded Xue Qing of nightclubs in the city, where no matter how fiercely the thugs fought, they would still walk out with their hands behind their backs when the police arrived.
"These two liquors have to be smashed every month, it's endless, might as well just be torn up." A female Wudang disciple standing with Qiao Yijun said indignantly. Xue Qing was speechless. Isn't Wudang known for its gentle Tai Chi? This is too fierce.
Hearing what the Wudang girl said, the cooks showed no fear. Although their bodies calmed down, their hearts still seemed wild. Xue Qing had a strange feeling. She felt that the people in this town were not like the civilized people who lived peacefully under the protection of the Central Plains sects. Instead, they were like desert people, bold, warlike, and with an unusually bad reputation for law and order. The town was bordered by Kunlun Palace to the east and Wudang Sect to the west, and was under the jurisdiction of two sects. How could it have become like this?
"Wenbin, take a headcount and send all the wounded to the infirmary," Qiao Yijun instructed a Wudang disciple behind him.
"You people, clean this place up!" the Wudang female disciple shouted at the cooks.
"It's getting late, Miss Xue, are you still going to stay here and watch?" Bai Xichen asked nervously, seeing Xue Qing engrossed in watching the excitement.
Bai Xichen was from the Desert Wilderness camp, so it's no wonder he was in a hurry to leave when he saw so many people from Wudang. Xue Qing understood and didn't make things difficult for him: "I'll stay a little longer, Young Master Bai, you go first."
"Alright, my maid and I will go back to the inn to rest. Miss Xue, you should also go back early. This town is probably not safe at night. I will repay your life-saving grace another time." As Bai Xichen spoke, he and Zhi Qiu had already begun to retreat. What a pair of masters and servants who valued their lives.
"Young Master Bai, please be careful on your journey!" Xue Qing waved goodbye to him, not knowing if he could still hear her. She had to get along well with Bai Xichen because he was known as the "Immortal Healer" in the martial arts world. No matter what game you play, having a row of healer characters in your friend list is always an unspoken rule.
After Bai Xichen left, Xue Qing also planned to leave. Bai Xichen was right; a large-scale brawl had broken out before sunset, and who knew how many demons and monsters would roam the town by nightfall. Fate seemed to be playing a trick on her; just as she was about to leave, another dramatic turn of events occurred. Another group of people arrived, all dressed in white robes embroidered with gold thread. The cranes on their sleeves were embroidered with silver thread, their eyes accented with gold. The people of Kunlun Palace clearly knew how to enjoy life far more than the Wudang Sect.
The moment the Kunlun Palace people arrived, the atmosphere immediately became tense. The Wudang Sect members stopped what they were doing and became fully alert. The onlookers all began to retreat in unison, with some urging, "Quick, move back! Swords have no eyes!"
"Qiao Yijun, we have already stated that Changsheng Town is under the jurisdiction of our Kunlun Palace. What are you Wudang Sect doing here again!" The leader of Kunlun Palace was a tall woman with a dignified appearance and an imposing presence.
"What a joke! This is clearly our Wudang territory, what are you Kunlun Palace doing getting involved?" The female disciple standing with Qiao Yijun retorted first.
"Words are useless. As always, let's settle this with our actions," the woman from Kunlun Palace said calmly, showing no intention of arguing.
As soon as the words were spoken, disciples from both sects drew their weapons. Xue Qing noticed that the fighting cooks were exchanging strange glances, seemingly plotting something. Xue Qing hid behind two onlookers to peek, assuming that with two sects maintaining order, things would be peaceful. She was surprised to find that...
Go to a brothel to compete in chrysanthemums
Having decided to eat Bai Xichen's giant ginseng, Xue Qing barely ate anything that evening, almost like she was preparing for a buffet.
Liu Ying took out a pill and gave it to Xue Qing: "It contains silver powder, which will turn bitter when it comes into contact with poison."
Xue Qing pushed the pill back: "No need, he wouldn't poison me." Although Bai Xichen is skilled in using poison, he hates trouble. Why would he poison someone for no reason? If he really wanted to poison someone, a mere pill wouldn't be enough to stop him.
"Does your martial uncle trust him that much?" Liu Ying asked softly.
"I trust myself. Don't worry, your uncle is so popular, who would dare to harm me?" Xue Qing said jokingly. The only one who would dare to kill her is that bastard Xiao Guiying.
Liu Ying had no choice but to put the pills away, feeling that Xue Qing was becoming increasingly unfathomable, like a charlatan who liked to create mystery. After dinner, as dusk fell, Zhi Qiu came to pick up Xue Qing and Liu Ying with a lantern. The three of them went to the open-air inn, which had four floors. In ancient times, when most houses were only one or two stories high, it was considered a skyscraper. From the fourth floor, one could see the surrounding streets clearly.
Several tables were already occupied, each laden with mooncakes, fruits, tea, and wine. Xue Qing and her group sat at a corner table, a spot with a great view near the railing. It was unclear whether Zhi Qiu had been won over through her beauty or money. Bai Xichen sat alone, waiting. He gazed at the street beyond the railing at a 45-degree angle, dressed in pristine white, holding a white jade cup and drinking alone—a sight as pleasing as the paintings of beauties drinking alone sold on the street.
"Young Master Bai~" Xue Qing greeted him and sat down opposite Bai Xichen.
Bai Xichen nodded slightly, her gaze shifting, seemingly tinged with a faint sorrow, yet also possessing a delicate and alluring charm. Only after sitting down did Xue Qing notice that Bai Xichen had a rope tied to her other hand, the other end of which was fastened to the table leg. No wonder Bai Xichen had been obediently waiting there; it turned out she was completely forced.
"Pfft..." Although it was very impolite, Xue Qing couldn't help but laugh. Was he really Bai Xichen? What kind of miracle doctor was he?
"Miss Xue, you flatter me." Zhi Qiu chuckled as she untied the rope binding Bai Xichen's hands.
This was Xue Qing's first time seeing an ancient town at night. Changsheng Town was already a large town, and it happened to be the Mid-Autumn Festival, so rows of lanterns were lit along the streets, which were bustling with pedestrians. Vendors selling all sorts of snacks and trinkets took advantage of the night to hawk their wares. Most of the guests staying at the inn had come to Sishangyue. Several tables of burly,江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the martial arts world) men were drinking and talking loudly. Bai Xichen frowned slightly; he hated hearing such noise.
"Young Master Bai, let me toast you to thank you for your hospitality tonight." Xue Qing used a toast to attract Bai Xichen's attention, afraid that he might suddenly become enraged and try to drug someone else.
"It is my honor that Miss Xue would do me the honor," Bai Xichen replied politely.
"Young Master Liuying, I want to toast you. Thank you for helping me find my young master." Zhi Qiu also toasted Liuying.
Liu Ying smiled slightly and drank the wine in one gulp. Bai Xichen blushed again. Really, now you know how to be ashamed? Why can't you just behave and not wander around?
"Young Master Bai, the color of this wine is quite unique." Xue Qing said, looking at the wine in her cup. Most of the people admiring the moon were drinking baijiu (white liquor), and a few of the women were drinking huangjiu (yellow wine). Only the wine at Xue Qing's table was reddish-brown, like soy sauce.