At this time, the competition on stage had already reached the final round. In the end, only the little girl and another man remained.
“Little girl, I advise you to go down. A little girl should just look for a man. If you’re really lonely, big brother can keep you company!”
“You…” The little girl was so enraged by the teasing that she flushed. “Fairy Yuxin wants someone from the Immortal Medicine Valley. I don’t know you at all. You’re a liar, trying to deceive people!”
The man sneered. “I’ve never even seen you before, little liar.”
“All right, you two. Let strength decide the outcome.” The steward stepped in to mediate and arranged the final round’s test. Two rabbits that were barely clinging to life were brought up. The steward said that both rabbits had been poisoned with exactly the same toxin, and the two competitors were to use their techniques to save the rabbits.
The little girl stepped forward directly, seriously extending her hand to probe. Immediately, a gentle green light enveloped the small rabbit. The green glow cast a soft, adorable warmth over the girl’s face, and the little rabbit under her hands seemed to visibly improve.
On the other side, however, the man’s expression turned unpleasant. Although his techniques were also decent, the rabbit under his hands recovered very slowly, and he himself looked far more strained than the little girl.
Watching this situation, the crowd was so shocked that their jaws nearly dropped. The focus was no longer on whether the little girl might truly be from the Immortal Medicine Valley, but on whether tonight it would really be a little girl who became Fairy Yuxin’s guest of honor. Everyone found it utterly absurd.
Gu Baiqing had been watching the little girl closely. She only had cultivation at the Foundation Establishment stage, which didn’t match the rumored talent of mixed-bloods. So there was indeed something like interference within her body. While it helped her conceal her bloodline, it also suppressed the progress of her cultivation. Only in the path of medical cultivation was she truly outstanding. Throughout the entire competition, the girl’s temperament seemed very good, she wore a smile at all times, yet faced the contest with earnest seriousness. She looked like a kind, good girl.
From this alone, one could tell that the girl lived quite well and had been well cared for.
At this moment, Ji Chuling beside him couldn’t help making some noise again. Gu Baiqing felt a bit helpless. From earlier on, Ji Chuling had been leaning her body and constantly stealing glances toward Li Xiuran in the distance. Her actions were sometimes really quite obvious. It probably wouldn’t be long before those two noticed. He really should avoid this.
“D*mn it, why is he sitting so close to that woman? And talking so much? Still looking, still looking, is she really that good-looking?” Ji Chuling was like a live broadcast. Even if Gu Baiqing didn’t dare look that way, he could roughly guess what the scene was like.
Suddenly, Ji Chuling let out an “eh.” “…He’s actually being so nice to that woman? I must tell Big Brother Gu!”
Gu Baiqing’s expression changed slightly. He was still stirred by curiosity and couldn’t help turning his head to look. He saw Mo Xuanli gently sending Yuxin onto the stage with a wind-type spell.
Gu Baiqing swept Mo Xuanli with a glance, but due to the angle, he couldn’t see Mo Xuanli’s expression at that moment.
“Maybe he just wanted to drive her away.”
As the abrupt voice came out, Ji Chuling immediately turned her head.
Gu Baiqing instantly realized that he had accidentally spoken his thoughts aloud. How could he make such a mistake? Fortunately, Luo Nianyi’s disguise pill altered even the voice.
Seeing Ji Chuling look at him with suspicion and wariness, she probably thought he was some lecher trying to strike up a conversation.
“My apologies. Your actions just now were too obvious, so I happened to notice,” Gu Baiqing quickly said.
Ji Chuling narrowed her eyes slightly. Probably because Gu Baiqing’s bearing gave off a rather upright, gentlemanly impression, and Ji Chuling herself lacked experience, she examined him briefly before speaking. “Then I should apologize. I disturbed you.”
“It’s no problem.” Gu Baiqing let out a sigh of relief, knowing that he had probably passed this hurdle with Ji Chuling. He didn’t want to say more and was about to stand up and leave, when unexpectedly Ji Chuling, looking somewhat embarrassed, called out to him, “Um, I won’t make noise anymore. You can keep staying. You don’t have to go.”
It turned out Ji Chuling thought he was leaving because he’d been annoyed by the noise. Gu Baiqing gave an awkward smile and was about to explain that he had something to attend to.
But suddenly, a wave of shocked cries erupted around them, something had happened on the stage.
Gu Baiqing looked up and saw the little girl’s face deathly pale as she held the small rabbit in her hands, while the rabbit had already completely collapsed, motionless.
The crowd was also astonished. It had clearly looked like it was about to be completely cured, yet suddenly it failed.
And the man beside her also stopped his treatment at the same time, breathing lightly as he smiled and said, “Since your rabbit is already done for, then I guess I win. My rabbit doesn’t need treatment anymore either, right?”
The little girl didn’t pay attention to what the man was saying at all, instead desperately trying to use her techniques to save the rabbit that was no longer moving.
Clearly, the girl cared far more about the life slipping away in her hands.
The man snorted coldly and looked toward the steward, but the steward instead looked toward Yuxin, who had just been sent back up. Although Yuxin hadn’t paid any attention to the situation here at all, she still walked over with a swaying figure and reached out to touch the little girl’s head.
Everyone thought Yuxin was comforting the girl. It seemed the girl had lost after all, what a sudden reversal.
However, no one noticed that Yuxin hadn’t spared the man a single glance. Instead, her gaze was fixed on the little girl before her, her eyes once again filled with greed and desire. The steward understood at a glance, Yuxin had chosen the little girl.
Just as the steward was about to announce it, a voice suddenly rang out. “Wait. There’s a problem with this round. The winner should be this young lady.”
Gu Baiqing was startled and turned to look at Mo Xuanli, who had suddenly spoken.
In fact, from the earlier situation, it was clear that the little girl had the advantage. As for why she had lost, Gu Baiqing couldn’t tell. But Mo Xuanli understood the medical path, so perhaps he had seen something and spoken up because of it.
But what surprised Gu Baiqing was that Mo Xuanli was actually not someone who would casually step in to right a wrong. Whenever he encountered injustice, he would usually think it over carefully before helping. This time, however, he acted much more decisively.
It seemed that Mo Xuanli was very likely to have seen through or at least suspected this girl’s identity.
“What nonsense are you talking about!” the man on the stage shouted.
Yuxin, on the other hand, looked at Mo Xuanli with interest and said, “Then I ask this young master to enlighten us.”
Mo Xuanli’s gaze turned slightly cold. He did not believe that with Yuxin’s cultivation, she had not noticed anything. Most of those with higher cultivation present had probably seen the problem, but none of them were willing to stand up for a little girl.
In fact, in such a setting and situation, neither he nor Li Xiuran would normally step forward. It was not a matter of saving a life, and there was no need to waste time and energy on something so boring. That was why when Mo Xuanli spoke up, Li Xiuran looked at him in surprise.
Mo Xuanli could only say softly, “She should be from the Immortal Medicine Valley. Helping her will be useful.”
Li Xiuran nodded.
But for Mo Xuanli, he did indeed intend to deliberately build some rapport with this girl. It could be considered an intentional act of goodwill. By helping her, he hoped to establish a connection, so that after he later revealed his identity to her, it would be easier to ask how she had hidden her mixed-blood lineage.
Mo Xuanli directly flew up onto the stage. Everyone had already seen how formidable he was earlier, and now they were even more curious about what he would do.
On the stage, the little girl was still struggling to save the rabbit, but her eyes were gradually dimming. She knew she could not save it.
Suddenly, a hand with well-defined bones extended toward her. “Leave it to me.”
The little girl looked up blankly at the person before her. Although he was wearing a mask, she suddenly felt that this person gave her a strange sensation, a kind of closeness that was hard to describe.
“It… it’s dead,” the little girl said hoarsely as she let go.
“It can live.” After Mo Xuanli spoke, he suddenly swept a sharp palm over the rabbit’s body. The motion stirred the white rabbit fur slightly. With a sharp whoosh, a tiny silver glint stained with blood flew out of the rabbit’s body and shot straight toward the man nearby who was both shocked and furious. The man had no time to dodge and was directly struck by the silver needle. He let out a scream and fell onto the stage.
In an instant, three figures flashed up from below, presumably the man’s companions rushing forward to protect him, but they were slashed away midair by a streak of sword intent.
Another figure in blue descended, holding a spiritual sword still in its sheath, standing steadily at the edge of the stage. From the scabbard held before him, a row of silver needles kept falling to the ground.
Clearly, these were the weapons the three had just prepared to attack Mo Xuanli with.
And those silver needles were naturally the same as the one taken from the rabbit’s body.
Li Xiuran let out a cold laugh and turned to look at the man retreating in terror nearby. Seeing him about to flee, he did not stop him, instead turning his gaze back to Mo Xuanli.
Mo Xuanli had not even lifted his eyelids. With both hands, he was gripping two streams of green light, not only saving the rabbit in the little girl’s hands, but also the rabbit that the man had abandoned. The rabbit that had taken so long to show any response earlier was hopping about in just a few moments under Mo Xuanli’s hands.
The little girl stared at the revived rabbit in disbelief, gaping at Mo Xuanli. The people below the stage were also stunned, mouths hanging open. They all thought to themselves what was going on with these two people, especially this man in white. Who exactly was he?
“Daoist friend, you’re amazing! Which medical lineage do you come from? You…” the little girl asked excitedly.
Mo Xuanli handed both rabbits to the little girl. “My medical dao is not better than yours. I simply used my cultivation and spiritual power to improve efficiency.”
The little girl immediately felt embarrassed. Her cultivation was indeed low, which was why she had not noticed the man’s small movements earlier.
“Thank you for helping me, daoist friend. You are truly a good person,” the little girl said happily. “I am from the Immortal Medicine Valley, Lou Zixiao.”
Mo Xuanli nodded. “I am Mo Bai, a rogue cultivator.”
Suddenly, laughter came from the side. Yuxin laughed with eyes full of amusement, though without malice, and said, “Then how should this be counted? According to the rules, should it be considered that this young master has won?”
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire venue erupted.
Mo Xuanli frowned slightly and said directly, “I only exposed the truth. I am not from the Immortal Medicine Valley. Sorry for the disturbance.” As he spoke, he was about to leave with Li Xiuran, but Yuxin waved her hand, and several people appeared to block them.
The crowd below the stage was also displeased at Mo Xuanli’s repeated rejection of the fairy in their hearts, and discussions broke out.
The two turned back and gave Yuxin a warning look. Yuxin’s eyes flickered, and she suddenly smiled and waved her hand. “Forget it. I’m not in the mood tonight. If the two of you wish to leave, then leave. But I believe we will meet again. When that time comes, we can slowly grow closer.”
Both of them remained expressionless.
Lou Zixiao, on the other hand, looked somewhat at a loss as she looked at Yuxin. Yuxin quickly noticed her, walked over, gently placed a hand on the little girl’s shoulder, leaned in, and whispered a sentence into her ear. Lou Zixiao froze, then looked at Yuxin with some delight.
Yuxin smiled and gently placed a kiss on Lou Zixiao’s cheek. The little girl was instantly stunned, her face flushing red with embarrassment, not knowing what to do.
After that, Yuxin no longer lingered and flew away directly. Below, sounds of regret rose from the men.
Lou Zixiao turned around and saw that the two people who had just helped her were about to leave. She hurried after them and said, “Thank you just now. You two look like you’re from out of town. If you don’t mind, I’ll treat you to a drink?”
Mo Xuanli and Li Xiuran exchanged a glance. Their objective had been achieved, so they left together with Lou Zixiao, seeking out a quiet place.
Seeing them leave, Ji Chuling immediately felt relieved. After thinking about it, she could not help but continue following them. When she turned her head, she realized that the young master who had earlier found her noisy was gone. She did not think much of it, stood up, and continued tracking them.
Gu Baiqing stood in the shadows, watching them leave one after another, before finally stepping out. After some thought, he decided to first find an inn to stay at. Since he already knew they were here, there was no need to follow so closely.
There were many places to stay in Xiayang City. When choosing accommodation, under normal circumstances one would unconsciously follow one’s own preferences, such as the exterior appearance, the name of the inn, whether it was clean, and whether there were convenient places to eat nearby.
At least for Gu Baiqing, when he traveled outside, this was how he chose places to stay. So he did not think much about it. When he spotted one that suited him in all aspects, he walked right in. The innkeeper was also very enthusiastic and said that Gu Baiqing was lucky, as there was only one upper room left.
Because of this small stroke of luck, Gu Baiqing was in a good mood, so he ordered some food as well as hot water for bathing.
The waiter led Gu Baiqing up to the second floor. From afar, one could see that the end of the corridor was not a wall but a terrace extending outward. One could hear the sound of flowing water from the river below and see several tables of people drinking and chatting happily under the moonlight. The waiter enthusiastically recommended that Gu Baiqing go there to drink when he had free time, saying that he could see the beautiful moon’s reflection in the river, and that the inn’s wine was also the kind cultivators drank, very nourishing.
After hearing the recommendation, Gu Baiqing planned to go to the terrace after settling into his room and eating his fill.
As the night breeze blew in from the entrance, Gu Baiqing felt even more relaxed. As soon as he stepped one foot in, he heard a voice.
“Brother Mo, are you planning to go to the Immortal Medicine Valley?”
Gu Baiqing’s steps stiffened. His good mood instantly froze. He did not even dare look in the direction the voice came from and silently took a step back, retreating into the corridor.
Only then did he finally let out a breath.
Oh heavens! Mo Xuanli is here!
On the terrace, the three were chatting when Mo Xuanli suddenly turned his head and glanced over.
“What’s wrong?” Li Xiuran asked in confusion.
Mo Xuanli’s gaze flickered for a moment. “Nothing.” Could it really be that he was thinking too much? Why did it always feel like… Clearly, the master–disciple bond sensed that person was at Zixiao Sect. Three Bean was still playing in the room and had no reaction either. Impossible…
Lou Zixiao also looked at Mo Xuanli in confusion. She always felt that this “Brother Mo Bai” gave her a very familiar feeling, like an instant sense of closeness at first sight.
She was just about to continue speaking when Mo Xuanli, as if possessed, suddenly stood up. The two looked at him in confusion.
Mo Xuanli froze for a moment. “I’ll go… ask the waiter for some more immortal fruit wine.” After saying that, he actually lifted his foot and walked out, his steps unconsciously speeding up.
At this moment, Gu Baiqing was standing at the entrance, taking a few breaths to calm his still-shaken nerves. Just as he was about to retreat quickly, he accidentally bumped into a waiter coming up from behind.
Gu Baiqing hurriedly turned around to apologize and continued walking away at a brisk pace.
His room was at the corner, close to the staircase leading from the first floor to the second.
Just as Gu Baiqing was about to rush back into his room, he ran into another familiar figure head-on. The other person was looking around, while Gu Baiqing was moving too fast, and the two nearly collided.
“Eh, aren’t you that young master…” Ji Chuling looked at the person in front of her in surprise.
Gu Baiqing’s heart jolted. What the h*ll is going on?!
At that very moment, the waiter’s voice came from the entrance to the terrace behind them. “Young master, you are…”
“Uh, add some more im—”
Mo Xuanli’s voice sounded extremely pleasant, like jade pieces striking one another, warm and clear. Now, tinged with a bit of drunkenness, it became even deeper and more magnetic.
But to Gu Baiqing, it inexplicably had the effect of a soul-summoning tune, frightening him so badly that his heart nearly stopped.
When he realized that, just over ten meters behind him, Mo Xuanli was standing there, and that with a mere lift of his eyes he would surely be able to see Gu Baiqing’s back, while in front of him was Ji Chuling who had not yet reacted, Gu Baiqing felt completely cornered. Cold sweat broke out all over his body, every cell screaming that a great enemy was at hand.
At this moment, Ji Chuling looked as if she was about to speak again.
Although his body should have perfectly blocked her, once she spoke, wouldn’t Mo Xuanli recognize him? He would definitely walk over.
F*ck! It’s over… it’s over… it’s over!
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