I… I’m just a scholar…” Meng Hao gaped, his mouth wide, unsure of how to respond. When he had bought things back in Yunjie County, he had never encountered a situation like this. To have a beautiful girl smiling sweetly at him, looking so charming, caused the red flush to suddenly fill his face once again.
Seeing Meng Hao’s embarrassed expression, the young woman covered her mouth and laughed softly. She turned, her waist swaying enchantingly as she walked over to the Pill oven. She lowered her head to speak to the middle-aged man who sat there in meditation.
When she returned, she winked at Meng Hao. “How about one hundred seventy Spirit Stones?”
“Many thanks, Fellow Daoist,” said Meng Hao, sucking in a breath. Looking pleased at having saved a few Spirit stones, he quickly saluted with clasped fists.
“You can call me big sis,” she said, holding the jade slips out to Meng Hao.
He accepted them, then cast some spiritual power into them. Immediately a vast tableau appeared in his mind. Glancing over it eagerly, he already noticed three of the pills that were contained in his bag of holding. He pulled out the one hundred seventy Spirit Stones and gave them to the girl, then cupped his hands together as he made to leave. The girl sighed and escorted him all the way to the door.
“My name is Qiao Ling,” she said, her eyes filled with an interesting look. “Remember to ask for me next time you come.” She looked him up and down as she spoke, her eyes charming and filled with poise. Meng Hao, face scarlet, saluted her and retreated as quickly as possible.
His heart pounded as he left, and didn’t calm down for quite some time. He looked back at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion and caught sight of Qiao Ling standing there smiling softly at him.
He felt even more embarrassed. She had taken liberties with him!
He had never experienced a feeling such as this before. It wasn’t a bad feeling, and he actually enjoyed it a bit. Coughing again, he lowered his head and continued walking.
About this time, a group of people emerged from the second floor of the Hundred Treasure’s Pavilion. There were about seven or eight of them, including men and women. As they walked, they chatted with each other. Among them was a young man wearing a light blue robe, walking in the back. He didn’t look like he belonged, as if he were an attendant.
As the group left the pavilion, the young man happened to lift his head and catch sight of Meng Hao.
“Meng Hao!” he cried, staring. This caught the attention of the other men and women, as well as Meng Hao, who stopped walking and looked back to see all of them looking at him.
His expression did not change, but in his heart he felt conflicting emotions. The young man was none other than Zhou Kai, former disciple of the Reliance Outer Sect. His Cultivation base was at the fifth level of Qi Condensation. On the day of the Sect’s dissolution, he had been rolled out by the red fog, and here he was today.