SFS Chapter 110 They Came to Our Door
Chapter 110 They Came to Our Door
At the age of twenty-three, he had reached the seventh level of Qi Refining. With a superior spiritual root and Su Wanqing's dedicated cultivation and abundant resources, this speed was extremely rare among independent cultivators.
If it weren't for the golden ancient tree mark as a guarantee, it would be flawless and unaffected by erysipelas.
Aside from the bottleneck, his progress in Qi Refining has been consistently fast, and he has probably already been left far behind.
The two sat down.
Soon, waiters filed in, and a dozen or so exquisite dishes, each with its own unique color, aroma, taste, and presentation, filled the sandalwood round table.
The dishes made from rare birds and animals, exotic flowers and fruits are filled with spiritual energy, and just smelling them makes one's mouth water and feel refreshed.
"Come, come, Brother Changsheng, try this 'Jade Marrow Hibiscus Soup.' I heard it's stewed with century-old jade marrow mushrooms and snow mountain spring water; it's incredibly nourishing for your meridians!"
Ye Qingxian enthusiastically introduced the dish and personally served Yang Changsheng a bowl.
She picked up a crystal-clear shrimp dumpling herself and savored it in small bites, her posture elegant yet youthful and lively.
The two ate and chatted.
The conversation ranged from the current situation in the market to interesting stories about their respective cultivation practices.
Ye Qingxian complained about the embarrassing incident of the furnace exploding while refining pills, while Yang Changsheng casually mentioned some setbacks in switching cultivation techniques.
When talking about news from Liuyun Immortal City, Ye Qingxian seemed to understand more clearly from Su Wanqing's letters that the competition there was more intense, and at the same time, the resources were more abundant.
Thanks to their eight-year friendship and both being in the late stage of Qi Refining, the two got along very naturally and harmoniously, without the awkwardness of a significant age difference, more like longtime friends.
During the meal, Ye Qingxian's bright eyes kept glancing at Yang Changsheng.
The more she looked, the stronger the strange feeling in her heart became.
Yang Changsheng's gentle, jade-like, and vibrant temperament made her feel inexplicably comfortable and at ease.
He spoke in a calm tone, with deep and bright eyes, and the occasional faint smile he revealed had a unique charm.
Especially when he picked up the spirit tea and took a sip, his slender fingers and calm demeanor made her heart skip a beat and her face flush slightly.
"Strange...why didn't I ever think Brother Changsheng was...hmm...so handsome before?"
A subtle feeling of affection, which she herself was not fully aware of, quietly sprouted like a tender bud in early spring.
After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,
Ye Qingxian put down her jade chopsticks, remembering the important matter, and said, "By the way, Brother Changsheng, Sister Su sent me a message a few days ago."
Yang Changsheng paused slightly and looked at her.
"She said she would personally come to Qianxue Market in about three months to attend the grand auction meticulously organized by the Lu family! It's said that this auction is of extremely high standard, with treasures like Foundation Establishment Pills, Longevity Pills, and top-grade magic artifacts appearing as the grand finale!"
Ye Qingxian's eyes shone with anticipation, her pretty face filled with expectation.
"Is Su Wanqing coming?" Yang Changsheng's heart skipped a beat.
This childhood friend, with whom he had frequent interactions and collaborations since his early days, has indeed been someone he hasn't seen for a long time.
Yang Changsheng nodded and said, "Fellow Daoist Su is coming? That's great. It's been many years since we last met; we should have a proper get-together."
Among the people he knew who came from humble backgrounds, this person was both talented and hardworking, and had the potential to achieve success within the age of fifty, like a fish leaping over the dragon gate.
Once you actually take that step, you'll have a much stronger network of connections.
"Brother Changsheng, when Sister Su comes, you must put in a good word for me! Don't mention to her that I exploded while refining pills, or that I secretly went to the arena to watch the fight!"
Ye Qingxian winked mischievously, leaned forward slightly, and lowered her voice.
She made a shushing gesture, her face pleading with him.
Yang Changsheng smiled at her quirky and clever appearance: "Of course, but..."
He changed the subject, adding a serious reminder, "Qingxian, Fellow Daoist Su is a refined and composed person who values rules and regulations above all else. When you are in front of her, you should also restrain your impetuous nature and not be too... well, too lively."
Yang Changsheng carefully chose his words and said, "Be more dignified and proper in your words and actions, so that Fellow Daoist Su will not think you are frivolous and unreliable, which will affect your image in her eyes."
Upon hearing this, Ye Qingxian immediately sat up straight, placed her hands on her knees, and tried her best to appear dignified and composed, saying earnestly, "Brother Changsheng, don't worry! I will definitely behave properly and will never embarrass you!"
She patted her chest to assure them, her full curves undulating slightly with her movements, a truly enchanting sight.
However, a sly glint flashed in the girl's lowered eyes.
"Image? Hehe... Brother Changsheng, are you so concerned about my image in front of Sister Su? Something's fishy!"
A bold idea arose in her mind, like a kitten scratching its paw, which aroused great curiosity.
"Could it be... that there's something more than friendship between Brother Changsheng and Sister Su? No, no, I have to test them properly when Sister Su arrives!"
Ye Qingxian readily agreed, but in her heart she was already planning how to observe the interaction between the two without making a sound.
But at the same time, she was also worried about how she would deal with things if something really happened.
The gathering quickly ended in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.
Yang Changsheng escorted Ye Qingxian to the entrance of the Jade Palace, watching her disappear into the crowd of people in the market like a fluttering pale yellow butterfly, before turning and leaving.
Instead of returning directly to Qingzhu Residence, he headed to a relatively quiet materials market on the outskirts of the market to purchase some special guiding materials needed to craft the Flowing Fire Archer Puppet.
Then they went to buy waste fish balls and fish fry.
……
Two months later.
In the southwest corner of Qianxuefang City, near the old city wall, the flow of people is relatively sparse.
The shops here are mostly low-level materials and recycled old magical artifacts, and the environment is somewhat messy.
Yang Changsheng had just come out of a small shop called "Lin Yuxuan". He hadn't gained much from the trip, only managing to buy two small pieces of barely usable red fire copper, but it was still a cost-saving measure.
Wanbaoge's materials are indeed of high quality, but they are also very expensive.
Although I still dislike haggling because of habits from my previous life, I still try to find ways to reduce expenses.
He walked along the somewhat secluded gravel path, preparing to take a shortcut back to Green Bamboo Lane.
Just then, two people walked out unhurriedly from the corner of the alley ahead, blocking their way.
The man was tall and thin, like a bamboo pole, with unusually long arms and unusually large knuckles on his hands. He had two strangely styled, strangely curved short swords hanging diagonally at his waist, with dark, dull scabbards.
His face was expressionless, but his eyes were as cold and sinister as he sized up Yang Changsheng.
The other person was completely shrouded in a large gray cloak, with the hood pulled low, revealing only the lower half of his slightly pale face and thin, tightly pursed lips.
His entire aura was sinister, like a ghost, and he moved silently.
"Buzz!"
At this moment, a chilling divine sense, like a venomous snake, silently swept across Yang Changsheng's body.
"Oh, fellow Daoist, you look unfamiliar?"
The tall, thin cultivator, Wu Gou, wielding the Mantis Blade, spoke first. His voice was hoarse, carrying a hint of deliberate frivolity.
He took a slight step forward, seemingly casually moving closer to Yang Changsheng, until the distance between them was less than five feet.