Chapter 185
Chapter 185: First Meeting with Xiao Zi An, Fourth Senior Brother
After Rong Shu knocked a few times, the door opened from within. Wu Hua, dressed in white with ebony hair, appeared before her.
Rong Shu shifted aside to let him step out, saying: senior brother, the alchemy conference will begin in two days.
Wu Hua arched his brows slightly, saying: what is it, nervous?
These days, Rong Shu had been refining pills in an orderly way, buying spirit herbs and then refining again, needing no oversight or reminders from Wu Hua at all; she was very self-disciplined.
Rong Shu shook her head and rubbed the Little Hamster in her hands, saying: not really. But when I went to the Alchemists’ Guild sub-branch to take the certification exam, I happened to hear that people from the Central Continent would attend this time.
She looked at Wu Hua with curiosity, saying: senior brother, you are from the Central Continent too. Do you know any inside news?
Wu Hua truly did not, so he answered frankly, saying: I am not sure about that. I am not an alchemist, so I do not pay much attention to these things.
He thought that if Zi An were here, he could ask him. The greatest backer behind the alchemy conference was the Alchemists’ Guild, and Xiao Zi An, the guild’s young master, ought to have the authority to know the internal situation.
Rong Shu stroked the Little Hamster out of habit and said: mm, I just wonder whether it will cause any upheaval. As for those lords from the Central Continent, she was a little curious but did not really care. She only wanted to obtain the Qingjue Six Spirit Flower and hoped nothing would go wrong along the way.
Wu Hua suggested, saying: the conference has not started yet, but the organizers are hosting banquets these two days. Shall we go take a look?
Rong Shu said: all right.
After leaving the inn, the two went straight to the banquet venue for the alchemy conference. Because Rong Shu was a competitor, she could bring an extra person inside. After squeezing through the crowd at the entrance, they entered the tavern where the banquet was being held.
Rong Shu looked at the many delicacies all around and tapped the Little Hamster’s head, saying: so many people… and so much food. Want a bite?
The Little Hamster rubbed its small belly and nodded excitedly, chirping: gu!
Just as Rong Shu was about to find a place to sit, a flash of purple appeared ahead and blocked their way. She furrowed her brows on reflex. The one blocking them was a man whose whole person exuded noble bearing and the scent of wealth. His face was striking and fair, and his peach-blossom eyes blinked in a way that drew every gaze. In his hand he held a flamboyant paper fan; each lift and fall carried a hint of rakish charm.
The purple-robed man’s eyes fell on Wu Hua. Suddenly his face bloomed into a wide smile, saying: third senior brother, I caught you, didn’t I! You told me not to come to Nanhuang, so I insisted on coming!
Wu Hua sighed and asked: what are you doing here? You left Gu Chen at home?
The purple-robed man waved his fan carelessly, grinning roguishly, saying: we still have the eldest senior brother and the second senior sister, don’t we? And you came here without telling me?
He laughed, saying: I wanted to surprise you. Unexpected enough? Hahaha.
Rong Shu stared a little blankly at the scene before her, saying: senior brother…
Hearing her voice, the two turned their heads. Wu Hua was about to introduce them when Xiao Zi An, smiling with narrowed eyes, spoke first, saying: so this is little junior sister.
Wu Hua tried to stop him, but it was too late. Xiao Zi An, carrying a paper fan whose handle was carved from fine jade, strolled up to Rong Shu. The corners of his lips were smiling; his gaze was bright with excitement yet held a measure of restraint and propriety. He cleared his throat, saying: hello, little junior sister.
Rong Shu looked at Wu Hua, then at the very familiar purple-robed man before her, and cupped her hands, saying: greetings, senior brother.
Judging by the situation, Senior Brother Wu Hua knew this person. He was probably also a student of Heart’s Reflection Academy, which meant he would be Rong Shu’s senior brother before long.
Xiao Zi An said: hello, hello. With a snap he closed the fan in his hand, saying: my surname is Xiao, given name Zi An. You may call me fourth senior brother, little junior sister.
Wu Hua added from the side, saying: he ranks fourth in our sect.
Rong Shu nodded in understanding and said: greetings, fourth senior brother. My name is Rong Shu.
At that, Xiao Zi An’s peach-blossom eyes curved, looking particularly charming. He said: a first meeting deserves a meeting gift. He casually unfastened a Storage Pouch from his waist and, without allowing any refusal, held it out to Rong Shu.
Seeing this, Rong Shu hesitated and looked to Wu Hua. Wu Hua nodded, saying: take it. Your fourth senior brother is lacking in nothing except that he has an excess of Spirit Stones.
Rong Shu reached out with both hands to accept the Storage Pouch and offered thanks, saying: thank you, fourth senior brother.
As she received it, her gaze happened to sweep over the deep gold trim lining the mouth of the Storage Pouch, and she paused. This was… the highest-grade Storage Pouch currently sold by the Alchemists’ Guild. The space inside this pouch was absurdly vast, enough to hold several mountains. She had thought Xiao Zi An had merely pulled a pouch at random from his belt and that it would not be too precious, but unexpectedly… this single Storage Pouch alone was worth five hundred thousand Spirit Stones. Moreover, even with Spirit Stones you could not necessarily buy it; you needed high-level internal authorization from the Alchemists’ Guild to purchase one.
Rong Shu thought to herself, [This fourth senior brother’s background is a bit too grand.]
At this moment, seeing Rong Shu accept the Storage Pouch he had carefully selected from among his darling treasure pouches before setting out, Xiao Zi An’s mood grew even more delighted. Suddenly he looked closely at Rong Shu several times, the corners of his lips lifting as he said: little junior sister… you are in disguise, aren’t you?
Rong Shu’s heart skipped. [How did this senior brother see through it?]
Wu Hua glanced around at the flow of people and said to the two of them: there are too many people here. Not a good place to talk.
Xiao Zi An flicked open his paper fan with a crisp snap and fanned twice, saying: all right then, come with me.
He led them to a private room where no one else was present. He said: sit down, both of you. The room was already laid with all kinds of wine and delicacies. Rong Shu set the Little Hamster on the table, then took her seat.
With no outsiders present, Wu Hua asked directly, saying: why did you come?
Xiao Zi An closed his fan and placed it along the table’s edge, still wearing that careless smile, saying: third senior brother, what kind of look is that? I came on serious business.
Wu Hua paused, then said: the alchemy conference? Are you the rumored lord from the Central Continent?
Xiao Zi An nodded, saying: that is right.
Wu Hua chuckled, clearly unconvinced, saying: just an alchemy conference in Nanhuang’s main city, and you went to the trouble of coming all this way to meddle?
Once seen through, Xiao Zi An admitted frankly, saying: I came to meet little junior sister. If it were left to you, who knows when you would manage to bring her back.
He turned to look at Rong Shu, and those charming peach-blossom eyes blinked twice at her, saying: little junior sister, there are no outsiders here, so you do not need the disguise, do you?
Rong Shu was still full of doubts. [How did this fourth senior brother see through my disguise?]
Wu Hua explained then, saying: the Disguise Pills I gave you were all refined by him. He likes to keep one card up his sleeve. I imagine he feared that if I used a Disguise Pill, he might not recognize me, so he took in advance a Seventh Grade Visage Revealing Pill that pierces disguises. He formulated that pill himself, and no one else has it.
Rong Shu’s eyes widened at once, saying: oh, oh… huh? A seventh-grade Disguise Pill and a Seventh Grade Visage Revealing Pill? They were refined by Senior Brother Xiao Zi An? Wouldn’t that mean he is at least a seventh-grade alchemist? Yet judging from his appearance, he was very young, in his early twenties, handsome and debonair, a true young master. So this fourth senior brother is not only a seventh-grade alchemist, but must also have formed a Golden Core in his early twenties and thus fixed his appearance?
Xiao Zi An made a show of modesty, waving a hand, saying: a mere seventh grade, not worth mentioning.
Wu Hua nodded in agreement, giving him no chance to boast, saying: indeed. You have been stuck at seventh grade for years without advancing an inch, so it is time to apply yourself. Little junior sister is already fourth grade now. If you do not work harder, she may surpass you in a few years.
Xiao Zi An’s expression collapsed, saying: third senior brother, do not lecture me. I finally came out; can I not relax a little? Truly, this third senior brother. He would not even let him brag in front of little junior sister.
He brightened at once, saying: but little junior sister is already fourth grade? It has only been three or four years since you entered the cultivation world, hasn’t it? You have remarkable talent for alchemy.
Rong Shu smiled shyly, saying: just good luck, nothing worth mentioning.
Since her disguise had been seen through and there were no outsiders here, Rong Shu dispelled the effect of the Disguise Pill. Winter had already set in. Although cultivators had spiritual energy to protect their bodies and did not need heavy padded coats like mortals to keep out the cold, Rong Shu had dressed in padded clothing so as not to stand out, with a ring of soft white muffling scarf around her neck. The twin buns she had worn earlier had been let down; a red ribbon tied her black hair back and knotted in a bow. The thick yet tender green dress set off the fifteen-year-old young lady’s fresh beauty. Her clear, lively eyes were like a pool of sweet water. On her fair cheeks bloomed two faint petals of rosy color, like plum blossoms falling by chance on snow-laden boughs. When the young lady smiled, the stillness of a painted scroll seemed to spring to life, becoming bright and lovely without losing clever charm.
Looking at the well-behaved, adorable Rong Shu before him, Xiao Zi An felt most pleased. Little junior sister was indeed lovely and pretty. Not bad at all. This was exactly the little junior sister he had in mind. [Third senior brother’s taste is finally much higher this time.]
Wu Hua spoke again, saying: you came at just the right time. When little junior sister was seven, someone may have dug out her spiritual root. Take a look and see whether it is true and if there are any aftereffects.
The smile faded from Xiao Zi An’s face. His slightly lifted lips pressed into a straight line with a chill to them, saying: what? Little junior sister had her spiritual root dug out?
Rong Shu hurried to add, saying: it is only a guess. It has not been confirmed.
Xiao Zi An turned to her again. A faint smile returned as he spoke in a soothing tone, saying: do not be afraid, little junior sister. With your senior brother here, if anyone else lacks eyes, your senior brother will beat him up.
He took out a root-testing Spirit Stone from his Storage Pouch and placed the fist-sized stone on the table. Rong Shu set her right hand upon it.
In less than two seconds, the Spirit Stone reacted. Azure and crimson lights flared to life, their brightness so intense that even her hand resting on the stone was hard to see.
Xiao Zi An’s eyes narrowed at the strength of the glow, saying: Wind-Fire Spiritual Root… and of the Heavenly Spiritual Root grade? Third senior brother, did you not say little junior sister’s wind-fire spiritual root was mid-grade?
Wu Hua was puzzled as well. Both of them turned their eyes to Rong Shu, who blinked and withdrew her right hand, saying: it should be that I once took the Wind Spirit Tribulation Fruit and the Fire Spirit Tribulation Fruit, so the grade of my spiritual root improved.
No sooner had she finished than Xiao Zi An exclaimed, saying: damn, the Wind Spirit Tribulation Fruit and the Fire Spirit Tribulation Fruit? You took both? Where did you find them? If I go now, could I still scavenge anything?
Rong Shu shook her head, saying: there is no more Wind Spirit Tribulation Fruit. As for the Fire Spirit Tribulation Fruit, I am not sure. I found it in the herb garden of the Scorchfire Secret Realm. It may be there, or it may not. Most likely, it is not. She had privately asked the Fire Spirit as well; it had never seen another Fire Spirit Tribulation Fruit in the secret realm’s herb garden. The Fire Spirit said that in all these years, it had seen only one, and some other cultivator took it away.
Xiao Zi An looked disappointed for a moment, but soon thought of another matter and said: little junior sister, you must not tell others that you have taken the Wind Spirit Tribulation Fruit and the Fire Spirit Tribulation Fruit, understood? Even if you truly do not have any Spirit Tribulation Fruit on you, others will not necessarily believe you.
Rong Shu nodded, saying: mm, I will remember. She would not casually tell just anyone. Because Xiao Zi An was close with Wu Hua, and she trusted Wu Hua, she naturally extended some of that trust to Xiao Zi An as well.
Wu Hua glanced at Xiao Zi An and said: do not frighten little junior sister. You do not even have a Wind-Fire Spiritual Root, so even if you were given the Wind and Fire Spirit Tribulation Fruits, you could not use them.
Xiao Zi An pouted, saying: I was just curious.
Wu Hua said: curious about what? As if you have never seen Spirit Tribulation Fruit, never eaten any. He knew Rong Shu was wary by nature, so he let slip that Xiao Zi An had also taken Spirit Tribulation Fruit before.
Xiao Zi An coughed twice and grew serious, saying: ahem, back to the main topic. Even though little junior sister now has a spiritual root, it does not rule out that someone once dug out her spiritual root. There is a recorded case of someone whose spiritual root was removed, and years later, a new spiritual root grew again.