Chapter 156 : The Saintess’s Entanglement
Chapter 156: The Saintess’s Entanglement
Because Xiao Ying had returned to Weaving Shadow Peak, the Long family temporarily no longer had a private Cloud Vessel.
However, after staying within the sect for quite some time, they had already grown accustomed to the lifestyle and rhythm here.
They no longer needed Long Tao to lead the way; they knew on their own to go to Qixia Town and take a public Cloud Vessel back home.
Seeing that his family no longer required his care, Long Tao gave them a brief farewell before heading alone to the lounge.
After locking the door, he took out the “Mirror of Joyful Reunion” mirror from his Storage Pouch.
The pink gemstone embedded in the mirror’s surface was emitting a soft and steady glow, indicating that the other side was in a state suitable for communication.
But… should he tell her or not?
After weighing the pros and cons over and over, Long Tao finally made his decision.
He no longer hesitated and infused a thread of spiritual power into the mirror.
The mirror’s surface rippled like water.
Soon, Saintess Yaxi’s peerlessly beautiful face—carrying a hint of laziness and curiosity—appeared within it.
“Oh? We only just parted. Missing me already, huh? Hi… fellow townsman!” She narrowed her captivating peach-blossom eyes, her gaze flowing like water as she waved at him with a smile.
Long Tao instinctively blushed and felt his heart race.
After calming himself for a moment, he spoke with a grave expression, getting straight to the point.
“I’ll keep it short. The bastard who stole your Destiny Luck that you mentioned before… I may already have a lead.”
In the mirror, Saintess Yaxi’s smile instantly froze, replaced by disbelief and astonishment.
It was clear she did not believe that a mere Qi Refining disciple like Long Tao could obtain information of that level so quickly.
“You’d better not be joking with me. This is one of the things giving me the biggest headache right now. If you’re teasing me about this, even if you’re a fellow transmigrator, I’ll get angry!”
On the other side of the mirror, Yaxi puffed up like a little girl pretending to be angry, looking both adorable and pitiable.
Long Tao even felt that if not for the Dao Heart Oath, he might already have spilled everything—what he should and shouldn’t say alike—under such a charm offensive.
“I’m not lying. But this matter is indeed confidential on our end. I can’t tell you directly.”
“You really are teasing me?!”
“Hey, don’t be impatient. I can give you a hint. Go find True Lord Luohong and tell him about what you’ve experienced. If he believes you, he’ll tell you everything.”
Yaxi’s face in the mirror was filled with unconcealed suspicion.
Was he joking?
True Lord Luohong was no ordinary figure.
Even at the Hehuan Sect’s headquarters, he had countless fanatical admirers.
Among the sect’s upper echelon alone, there were plenty who openly or secretly harbored feelings for him.
He consistently ranked within the top five of the “Hehuan Sect Female Cultivators Most Want to Dual Cultivate With” list.
Moreover, among all Nascent Soul cultivators, he firmly sat within the top ten in strength, even capable of contending for the top five—a contemporary powerhouse who had lived for nearly three thousand years.
How could such an existence possibly have any connection to Long Tao, a minor Qi Refining cultivator? And just so happen to possess the information she urgently needed?
Fake.
It was simply too fake.
At this moment, Yaxi already felt an impulse to ruthlessly strike Long Tao off her list of “potential collaborators.” They had only just met, and he already dared to fabricate such an absurd lie.
His character was truly questionable; not someone to be deeply involved with.
If not for the fact that they were fellow transmigrators, she might have already closed the mirror.
Yet Long Tao seemed to see through her thoughts and spoke directly,
“I know you won’t believe me for now. I understand. Given my status, saying this does sound ridiculous. But just try asking. With your status as an honored guest, requesting an audience with True Lord Luohong shouldn’t be difficult. If you want to cut ties with me afterward, I won’t say a word.”
Yaxi’s expression shifted repeatedly.
Her fingers unconsciously twined a strand of pink hair.
After a moment of silence, she finally replied awkwardly,
“Fine! I’ll thicken my skin and pay him a visit. But if you’re lying to me…” She deliberately widened her eyes and puffed out her cheeks.
“I’ll really get angry!”
After hanging up—uh—ending the communication, Long Tao held the mirror, a massive question mark rising in his heart.
This Saintess Yaxi… had she truly been a man in her previous life? Why did every smile, every gesture of hers, carry more feminine charm than any woman he had encountered across both his lifetimes? That final tone of coquettish complaint had sounded exactly like a girlfriend acting spoiled in the midst of passionate love.
But upon further thought, perhaps precisely because she had once been male, after obtaining such a perfect female body, she unconsciously—even excessively—performed the image of the “perfect young maiden” she imagined in her heart.
To the point that she appeared even more vivid and womanly than real women.
Wasn’t there a saying? The most perfect wife might just be the gender-swapped version of your best brother.
Men often understood better than women how to attract men.
From this perspective, Yaxi’s configuration of “male soul in a female body” truly seemed tailor-made to be the Saintess of the Hehuan Sect.
…
At the same time, on Yaxi’s side.
She casually tossed the small mirror aside and collapsed onto the soft bed.
Her long legs lifted casually, resting against the wall, opening and closing restlessly.
“Ah…” she sighed.
Her hesitation lasted only a short while.
In the end, she flipped over and sat up, moving to the dressing table.
Facing the mirror, she carefully applied a light touch of makeup.
Only after her appearance was properly arranged did she call out to the maid outside the door and instruct,
“Go inform Nine-Xia Heavenly Sect. Tell them that Yaxi has long admired True Lord Luohong and wishes, in the capacity of Saintess of the Hehuan Sect, to pay him a visit.”
The maid was momentarily startled, but well-trained as she was, she immediately lowered her head in acknowledgment and departed swiftly.
Not long after, her Dao Protector Shen Qinghuan pushed open the door, a trace of helplessness on her face.
“True Lord Luohong has agreed to your visit. Prepare yourself. We depart immediately.”
“Oh my!” Yaxi instantly put on a sweet, cloying smile and leaned closer.
“Aunt Shen wouldn’t happen to be… jealous, would she? I heard that in your youth, you also once admired True Lord Luohong?”
“In the Hehuan Sect, which woman in her youth hasn’t harbored a few feelings for him?” Shen Qinghuan rolled her eyes, her tone calm.
“It was merely a young girl’s admiration for the strong. I’m only worried about you. Meeting him at this time—will it disturb your heart and affect your ‘love threads’ and Dao path?”
“It’s not that exaggerated.”
“Perhaps.” Shen Qinghuan glanced at her, her tone faintly sardonic.
“Compared to you being captivated by a man, I’m more afraid you’ll harass some female disciples here and stir up trouble. If that happens, we won’t have an easy time explaining ourselves.”
Her tone shifted, her gaze sharpening slightly.
“But tell me honestly—this visit, is it truly just ‘admiration’?”
“Uh…” Yaxi hooked her arm through Shen Qinghuan’s and shook it in a spoiled manner.
“Nothing can be hidden from Aunt Shen. But I promise you, once I’ve met True Lord Luohong and asked what I need to know, I’ll tell you everything exactly as it is, alright?”
“Sigh… do as you wish.” Shen Qinghuan let out a soft sigh.
Though doubt still lingered in her eyes, it ultimately softened into indulgence.
…
Just as Saintess Yaxi left the small courtyard where she had been staying, Nan Yuchen, who had just finished treating his competition injuries at the Martial Arena, was preparing to head to Qixia Town to get something to eat before returning.
On the way, however, he ran into someone unexpected.
“Junior Brother Nan? What a coincidence. Today’s match was truly splendid. Advancing through two rounds at Foundation Establishment Third Layer—you certainly live up to the name of genius!”
“Senior Brother Zhou flatters me. Judging by your expression, is there something you need?”
The visitor was none other than Zhou Qingshu—the same Senior Brother Zhou who had once framed Nan Yuchen with underhanded tactics.
At that time, Nan Yuchen had followed Long Tao’s advice and had not torn their relationship apart, so on the surface they still appeared to be on good terms as fellow disciples.
However, after obtaining the Yaoguang Azure Phoenix, Nan Yuchen had stopped going out on missions, and their “friendship” had faded considerably.
Looking at the other’s face now—especially the fact that he had even applied makeup around his brows and eyes—Nan Yuchen felt a wave of disgust, wishing he could punch him outright.
Yet he had to endure it.
As Senior Brother Long had once said, it was best to maintain relations with this person for now and not fall out.
“Ah! It’s just that I haven’t had a meal or gone on a mission with Junior Brother Nan in quite some time. Now that you’ve won again, could you give this Senior Brother some face and let me treat you to a meal?”