Срывание цветов и улыбка

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That afternoon, Bai Qianqian and her group strolled along these unique alleyways, their main purpose, of course, being to sample the various international snacks! From afar, the aroma of food filled the air; nothing could feel more like paradise. A bright smile spread across Bai Qianqian's face, a smile as radiant and dazzling as the sun breaking through the clouds…

"This must be the light of the sun..." Flying Eagle's heart suddenly quickened. This was a feeling he had never experienced before. Thinking back to when he was with Qiu'er, when he thought he could spend his life with her, when he thought she was the rising sun pulling him out of the mire, he had never felt this overflowing of emotion. What... what was this feeling? Flying Eagle sighed inwardly, deciding to stop thinking about it. Everyone's safety was the top priority. There were quite a few spies around, including some highly skilled ones.

"Gentlemen, come and try our freshly baked specialty, Dongpo ham! You'll never forget it!" "Gentlemen, stop by our shop for a rest and a pot of our finest Longjing tea!" "Our freshly baked four-color steamed buns, crab meat buns, and assorted fried flower buns are all available for you to try!" As soon as they entered a snack street, the shouts from both sides drowned out their own voices, and the crowded pedestrians almost separated them.

"Wow, this is a bustling area, there are so many people." Bai Qianqian didn't feel crowded at all, because Liu Xiao and Fei Ying next to her were struggling to keep the pedestrians out.

"Luckily I had the foresight not to eat too much, now I'm in for a treat." Bai Qianqian bought so-called local snacks from almost every food shop or stall, which startled the other three.

"Qianqian, there's so much...can we finish it all?" Mei'er is usually very frugal.

"It's okay, I'll keep them safe, and we can eat them anytime." Why not just put them in compression bags? That will solidify the food's current state, and they'll be just like freshly baked when we take them out. To make Mei'er understand better, Bai Qianqian added, "Just like the chilled watermelon we ate last time, but this is a secret recipe from the Palace Master."

"Oh, I see. That's amazing!" Mei looked at Bai Qianqian with admiration.

Bai Qianqian smiled elegantly and curtsied. Hehe, it's embarrassing to be stared at like that, so she'll have to maintain her ladylike demeanor.

After strolling through the food street, at Liu Xiao's insistence, they went to various herbal medicine shops and purchased a lot of precious medicinal herbs, which they then put into compression bags.

After half a day of sightseeing, Bai Qianqian was fine, but Mei'er was exhausted. So they found a place called Yunlai Inn to stay.

Chapter Fifteen Talent Selection Conference

The next day, the group leisurely continued to explore the places they hadn't visited the day before, and Bai Qianqian bought a lot of food and snacks, including pastries, candies, dried plums, melon seeds, and popcorn. (Popcorn did exist in the Song Dynasty, though it was somewhat different from what we have today.) Before the talent selection competition began in Qingyang City, they went into a nearby restaurant and chose a seat with a clear view of the competition.

Before the competition began, as usual, local officials read out the competition details, flattering the high-ranking officials present, boasting about the local's long history and culture, and touting their own achievements. However, the official was somewhat capable; just when everyone was about to lose patience, he timely announced, "The talent selection competition officially begins!"

The first to step forward was a tall, slender man wielding a knife in one hand, with fairly handsome features. However, his opponent was… well, let's just say he was a tough guy. He had a face full of fat, was burly and imposing, and carried two large iron hammers; he seemed to rely on brute force. After seeing him, the person before him suddenly looked frail and weak.

"It seems this big man relies on brute force. He'll probably lose quickly." Liu Xiao could tell at a glance that the two were mismatched in strength. "Flying Eagle, what do you think?"

Flying Eagle took a closer look and said with certainty, "That man's brilliance is concealed; he should not be underestimated." He needed to observe his fighting style carefully to see if he would reveal any flaws.

With a loud "dong!" of the gong, the two people on the field immediately sprang into action.

The burly man, his muscles bulging, raised his iron hammer and swung it at his opponent with lightning speed, attempting to overwhelm him with sheer force. But the tall, muscular man sidestepped, took a step forward, and leaped into the air. With a swift, spinning side slash, his blade was already at the burly man's neck. Everything happened in just three or four seconds. The speed was astonishing; few on the scene could even see what was happening.

Seeing the familiar figure, the way he spun around, and the faint killing intent that inadvertently emanated, Flying Eagle was certain of the man's identity. "Wind Leopard! He's the fourth-ranked assassin of the Hall of Death, and he's in disguise." After this brief explanation, Flying Eagle carefully searched the other people in the room.

"Zhang Bao wins the first round! Wang Wei vs. Jiang Kun in the second round!" the referee announced loudly. With the sound of a gong, two more people began to fight. However, they were clearly not as strong as Zhang Bao in the first round.

After twenty matches, the semi-finals began.

"The first round of the semi-finals, Zhang Bao versus Hong Feng, the match begins!" The referee had just finished announcing when the gong sounded.

"This Hong Feng isn't bad!" Bai Qianqian thought highly of him, considering he could hold his own against the fourth-ranked assassin of the Absolute Kill Hall for so long.

"Yes, and his moves are more honorable, unlike Zhang Bao's ruthless ones." Liu Xiao watched intently, his eyes glued to the screen. No wonder, Zhang Bao is a former assassin; his every move is a kill. If it weren't for the rules against killing, he probably would have gone on a killing spree long ago.

"Wow!" The audience shouted when they saw the tense moment.

On the stage, Zhang Bao's attacks grew increasingly rapid. He wielded his sword with fluid grace and lightning speed, making it impossible for the audience to see the blade's trajectory. Hong Feng, on the other hand, was finding it increasingly difficult to defend himself. Although his longsword provided powerful parries, its speed was insufficient, and he was on the verge of being overwhelmed.

Less than thirty seconds later, the outcome was decided.

"Zhang Bao wins the first round!" the referee announced loudly, and the two men left the arena. Their expressions, however, were quite different; one chuckled softly, while the other sighed and shook his head.

On the other side of the arena, in a luxurious inn's private room, sat a handsome man exuding a cold aura. "Left Envoy, among the four people who entered the city yesterday, one is the renowned physician Liu Xiao, and the woman is Mei'er, an ordinary commoner from Xiangyang. The identities of the other man and woman cannot be ascertained," a scout reported, bowing behind the man.

"Hmph, is there anything our Wuya Sect's intelligence network can't uncover?" Wuya Sect's Left Envoy, Xiao Ruoshui, scoffed. "Hasn't that renowned healer, Liu Xiao, been living a solitary life as a widow for the past few years? How could he be traveling with someone? Investigate the mysterious person who saved Liu Xiao from the Three Evils of Jizhou five years ago!" If he remembered correctly, the mysterious person who saved Liu Xiao five years ago was probably the only person Liu Xiao would associate with. And judging from the circumstances of the Three Evils of Jizhou's deaths at that time, there are very few people in this world with such skills and such methods of killing. "As for the other woman, she seems to have some background as well. Investigate further!"

"Yes!" The scout accepted the order and left with incredible speed.

"Today's talent selection conference was truly spectacular! There were quite a few experts, but it's a bit of a pity about that Hong Feng guy. If Feng Bao hadn't infiltrated, he would definitely have been in the top three." Qianqian was very dissatisfied with the Death Hall's practice of sending assassins to infiltrate the inner circle of political figures and steal secrets. All the downfall of a country is nothing more than the open and covert struggles in the officialdom, but in the end, it is the common people who suffer the most.

"Yes, it's really unfair," Mei said with emotion. "This world is just so unfair; good people are always bullied by bad people." Thinking of her mother's tragic death, Mei became sad.

"It's not that retribution won't come, it's just that the time hasn't arrived yet. Lin Bao didn't have a good ending either. Don't worry about it, I think your mother would also want you to live happily." Liu Xiao gently comforted Mei'er.

"Thank you, Brother Liu." Mei looked at Liu Xiao gratefully, a blush appearing on her face. "Brother Liu is always so gentle and humble."

"Hehe, that's because of you, Mei'er." Liu Xiao laughed nonchalantly.

"Hey, Liu Xiao, don't say things like that! Are you really interested in Mei'er?" Bai Qianqian glanced at Liu Xiao mischievously, then turned to look at Mei'er. Both of them blushed. Hehe, it was her turn to play matchmaker.

"To be honest, I really do have a good impression of Mei'er. She's so gentle and delicate, so thoughtful and kind. Mei'er, what do you think of me?" Liu Xiao confessed for the first time, looking so serious and focused.

"I...I also admire Brother Liu very much." Mei'er said with a blush, and quickly hid behind Bai Qianqian.

"Hmm, it seems there's something to celebrate after the establishment of Xiaoyao Palace. We need to build a headquarters soon. Hehe." Bai Qianqian laughed happily.

For a moment, happiness enveloped them.

Chapter Sixteen: Robbery at the Inn

Night fell, and the moonlight was hazy. The inn was quiet, save for the occasional chirping of insects and croaking of frogs.

The people in the inn slept particularly soundly tonight, and a faint fragrance permeated the entire inn.

"Not good!" The usually dormant eagle smelled the unusual fragrance and cried out inwardly. Suppressing a strong feeling of dizziness, it got up, intending to run to Bai Qianqian's room. But it was more of a dragging gait; its body was utterly weak.

"This is a bewitching incense!" The door was kicked open, and Liu Xiao took out a green pill and fed it to Flying Eagle. "You calm down first, I'll go check on them." Before Liu Xiao finished speaking, he had already rushed out the door.

Having only taken a few steps outside, before he could even notice the person behind him, Liu Xiao felt a sharp pain in his neck and back, and his vision went completely dark.

"Who are you people!" Flying Eagle struggled to his feet. Damn it, the drug hadn't even taken effect yet.

"The Wuya Sect has invited you as guests, so you'd better know your place." The man in black sneered, and a palm strike came down...

The headquarters of the Wuya Sect was a fortified building, named Wuya Fortress, its overall style dominated by black, giving it a cold and solemn appearance. It was located atop Shuanglang Peak, 73 li outside Qingyang City. Shuanglang Peak was a treacherous location, with a rushing river in front and a continuous mountain range behind. To the left was a steep cliff, and only a narrow path on the right, overgrown with strange and poisonous plants, was passable. The government once sent 10,000 troops to eradicate this evil sect, but the entire army was wiped out, and Song Ting was short of manpower. Therefore, the matter was dropped and no longer pursued. Under the leadership of its new leader, An, the Wuya Sect grew stronger, but its methods became increasingly cruel, completely abandoning its former benevolent ways.

The council hall inside Wuyabao was quiet at the moment, but it would soon become lively again.

On the black iron throne above the main hall, leaning against a young man with an eerie, effeminate appearance, was a seductive woman. Beside him was a woman with half-exposed breasts, her body draped only in a thin veil. She was boldly teasing the man before her, but he remained unmoved, coldly watching the four people in the hall, Bai Qianqian and her companions, who were still unconscious.

"Achoo! It's so cold!" Bai Qianqian was the first to wake up, unfortunately waking up from the cold. Before she even opened her eyes, she started complaining, "I'm going to catch a cold again, ugh!" Bai Qianqian feared nothing but catching a cold. Although her constitution had improved considerably after exercising, she was still not immune to colds, and each time she caught one, it took her seven or eight days to recover. The thought of having a runny nose for days, ruining her image as the palace mistress, filled her with endless regret for not keeping warm.

"Why is the bed so hard and so cold?" Bai Qianqian opened her eyes in surprise, facing the dark and empty hall with flames dancing on both sides. She exclaimed in surprise, "Wow! This place is so unique!"

The moment those words were uttered, the entire audience collapsed to the ground...

"Hehe." A hearty laugh, barely suppressed, escaped from the few people present. "This girl is really interesting!" The one who spoke was Nangong Xiao, the Right Envoy of the Wuya Sect. He was an elder in the Wuya Sect in charge of laws and affairs within Wuya Fortress. Although only 26 years old, he was straightforward and fair in his dealings, showing no mercy to offenders.

The sudden sound made Bai Qianqian turn her head to look. There were several figures standing about 70 or 80 meters away. Because the hall was relatively dark and Bai Qianqian had just woken up, she did not notice their almost silent breathing at first.

These sounds also woke up Flying Eagle and Liu Xiao, but Mei'er, who had only recently started practicing, was still asleep.

Flying Eagle stood up and shielded Bai Qianqian, fully alert. Liu Xiao gently picked up Mei'er to keep her warm.

"Achoo!" A chill swept over her, and Bai Qianqian couldn't help but sneeze again.

"Qianqian, this is a cold-relieving pill. Take it quickly." Liu Xiao handed over a pill at the right time.

"Thank you." After swallowing the pill, Bai Qianqian looked at the man who had sent a chill down her spine. What kind of person was he? Exquisitely handsome eyebrows, bewitching peach blossom eyes carrying an arrogant air of disdain. A straight nose, sensual thin lips, a beautifully shaped chin, and a lean, muscular physique. My god, there were actually such beautiful men in ancient times! Bai Qianqian was somewhat mesmerized. (Sigh, why did my infatuation act up now?)

Flying Eagle felt Bai Qianqian's ardent gaze fixed on the man above him, and his heart felt heavy, as if it were suffocating him.

"Hmph, women." Leaning back on his throne, he gave a cold snort. Why did women look at him with either infatuation or fear? He glanced disdainfully at Bai Qianqian, whose face was covered in filth. (After such a long journey and being left on the ground, all four of them were covered in dust and dirt.)

Bai Qianqian then realized her lapse in composure and was furious at being looked down upon. Her eyes blazed with anger as she silently thought, "So what if you're handsome? I've seen plenty of handsome guys. I'll kill you with my eyes!"

An then looked at Liu Xiao, his voice cold yet magnetic. "Master Physician, I've long admired your reputation. I'm sorry, but I have a small favor to ask of you. If you help me, you and your friends can leave unharmed. If you can't, I'm afraid you'll have to stay. As for whether your friends will be able to leave this world peacefully, that remains to be seen. What do you say?"

"Heh, is there any need to consider it?" Liu Xiao gave a helpless bitter laugh.

"Take him to see Xue'er," An said emotionlessly. "The other three, lock them in the dungeon!"

Several henchmen of the Wuya Sect came over and held knives to Bai Qianqian and Feiying's necks. "Could you please take the knives away? I can walk by myself," Bai Qianqian muttered, but the men didn't react. Bai Qianqian didn't want Mei'er and the others to get hurt; those men were all experts, otherwise she would have already taken out her laser gun. Now she had no choice but to endure it.

Several others stepped forward to pull Mei'er out of Liu Xiao's arms.

"Fine, she can stay with you then." Seeing Liu Xiao's reluctant gaze at the frail woman in his arms, An mercifully gave the order. It seemed she was his biggest weakness; a person with a weakness is much easier to control. As for the other two, he'd deal with them after finding out their backgrounds. Now, An finally turned his attention to the alluring woman who had been working so hard beside him.

"You may leave now." With a command from An, only he and the woman remained in the hall.

Soon, the sound of heavy breathing filled the hall, a sound that would make one blush and their heart race...

Chapter Seventeen: First Kiss

Several angry curses echoed from the dark and damp dungeon.

"Are you kidding me? How can the Wuya Sect be so poor? If it's so poor, it should just shut down. And the dungeon isn't even properly renovated; how are they supposed to hold people?" (Sweat, do they really need such good conditions to hold prisoners?) "And that so-called leader, so what if he's handsome? Can't people even look at him? Did you get plastic surgery and are afraid people will notice? Humph, I bet that's the case. You're an ugly monster!" Exhausted from her tirade, Bai Qianqian sat on the pile of straw that Feiying had just laid out for her, still panting angrily.

Flying Eagle stared intently at Bai Qianqian, who was completely unaware, a hint of sadness in his eyes.

Qianqian, you've never been this angry before. Could it be that you've developed feelings for him? Are you angry because he's ignoring you? He… he really is very attractive to women. Thinking of this, Feiying's heart suddenly ached terribly.

At this moment, Liu Xiao was led to a woman's room. Mei'er had already been placed in another room.

Liu Xiao glanced at the woman lying on the bed, clearly poisoned, and frowned. This seemed to be a difficult situation…

A maidservant, her voice trembling with tears, explained, "This is Miss Murong Xue'er, the half-sister of the Dark Cult Leader. She's a master of pharmacology in our Wuya Cult. However, during her last trial of the medicine, she encountered interference, rendering the pre-prepared antidote ineffective. She's been unconscious for several days. Please, you must save her! She's the kindest person in the world. Waaah…" The maidservant burst into tears as she spoke.

A good person? She's the one who concocted all those evil poisons of the Wuya Sect, isn't she? Sitting down and taking her pulse for a while, Liu Xiao's brows furrowed. The poisons she concocted were indeed potent; if it weren't for the antidote she prepared having a certain delaying effect, she'd probably be a dried-up corpse by now.

"Take me to where she makes medicine." Understanding the ingredients first will make it easier to prepare the antidote, but based on what he'd just learned, it would take at least a month to prepare it. He was afraid she wouldn't last that long. Thinking of everyone's safety… sigh, he had to do it! Preparing the antidote day and night should still be enough time!

Inside the cell, Bai Qianqian's anger had subsided considerably. At this moment, she and Fei Ying discussed how to leave.

"How can we escape unscathed? It's easy if it's just the two of us; I can blow up the wall and use a supersonic boat. But how do we rescue Liu Xiao and Mei'er?" I'm afraid that as soon as we get out of the prison, they'll be holding knives to Mei'er's throats.

"It all depends on Liu Xiao. I wonder what he'll be doing. It should be related to alchemy." Flying Eagle was a little worried, wondering about Liu Xiao and Mei'er's situation.

"Hmm, I need to talk to that ugly cult leader. Maybe I can help Liu Xiao. Perhaps we can leave here sooner. Yes, that's it!" Having made up her mind, Bai Qianqian thought of An's face. Ah, he really is even more handsome than her 32nd-century idol, Keli! Oh no, she's a little confused again.

"No, how can I go like this? That jerk will definitely mock and humiliate me again. I don't want to lose face again!" Bai Qianqian tried hard to think of a solution. "That's it! It must be because it's the first time I've seen it, so I'm confused. Once I get used to it, I'll be just like a normal person. Like Xiao Ke." (Ugh, Xiao Ke is a robot after all.)

Bai Qianqian's face was full of smug satisfaction at having come up with a solution, and then she turned her gaze to Flying Eagle with eager anticipation.

Flying Eagle's heart tightened. He looked at Bai Qianqian with suspicion, studying the smile on her lips, and finally concluded that something was about to happen!

"Um... Flying Eagle, could you please change your clothes again?" Bai Qianqian looked at the disguise device on Flying Eagle's wrist.

"Yes." How could he refuse her request, even though he knew in his heart that she wanted him to become "him," and even though he was extremely unwilling.

After Bai Qianqian made some adjustments, the flying eagle turned into a dark form.