As the hurried footsteps of County Magistrate Lin grew nearer, Bai Lixin felt a warm sensation flowing through his body. He turned his head while the maid wasn’t looking and noticed the slightly protruding hem of his dress gradually shrinking, and his tail, which had been concealed behind him, was disappearing at a visible rate.
By the time County Magistrate Lin reached the doorway, the tail had completely vanished. The timing was perfect.
Initially, Bai Lixin had thought that County Magistrate Lin was entertaining guests in the front courtyard and would send a servant to escort him. He never expected the Magistrate to come himself. A word from the Immortal Master could make the arrogant County Magistrate personally invite him, it highlighted the Qingcheng Sect’s influence in this town.
Magistrate Lin’s arrival was abrupt, catching the maid off guard. She had forgotten to tell Bai Lixin to cover himself, and by the time County Magistrate Lin reached the doorway, she realized her mistake. But it was too late.
County Magistrate Lin stood boldly at the doorway, unceremoniously pushing the maid aside and walking in.
“Hey, the Immortal Master said he wants to meet…” He spoke impatiently while walking forward but upon seeing the person sitting on the bed, his voice abruptly stopped, and his eyes widened in shock. “Who are you?!”
The maid stood frozen at the doorway, nervously wringing her hands, unsure of what to do.
She knew that the plot of the proxy marriage would be exposed but she didn’t expect it to be so soon. She was now at a loss. What could she say?
‘If I had known earlier, I might as well have left earlier. If I had left earlier, I wouldn’t have had to face this kind of thing.’
She reached out her hand, intending to say something to salvage the situation, but the “bride” on the bed raised her eyebrows coquettishly. “You old ghost, you don’t recognize me? Am I not your bride?”
The maid: “???”
What did she just hear?
County Magistrate Lin stared at the person in front of him in a daze. After a moment of trance, he stiffly nodded. “Yes, yes, you are my bride.”
The maid: “???”
Bai Lixin shifted his position casually. “Old ghost, what are you here for?”
County Magistrate Lin beamed with joy, his previously impatient tone now gentle enough to wring out water. “The Immortal Master from Qingcheng Sect wishes to see you. My dear, shall we go out to meet him?”
Bai Lixin sized up County Magistrate Lin. He appeared to be in his thirties, with a slight beard. He was tall and had a fairly handsome appearance. He must have been a good looking scholar when he was younger.
Not bad. He wasn’t the despicable villain Bai Lixin had imagined.
Bai Lixin: “What if I don’t want to go?”
County Magistrate Lin suddenly looked a bit distressed. “The Qingcheng Sect protects our Qingcheng County. The Immortal Master is an elder of the Qingcheng Sect. It’s not appropriate to refuse.”
“Fine, let’s go then.” Bai Lixin stood up after contemplating a bit . “Lead the way, County Magistrate.”
He had used “Charm” on County Magistrate Lin earlier, but when he asked if he could avoid going, Magistrate Lin’s answer had been a definite negative. It seemed that the Qingcheng Sect Elder’s “influence” overruled his “Charm.”
In this regard, his “Charm” ability was at a disadvantage.
The monk had given him a pill to hide his tail, but his “Charm” ability hadn’t disappeared.
From this point of view, it seemed that the pill only helped him conceal his aura and didn’t diminish his abilities.
Without covering his head, Bai Lixin followed County Magistrate Lin’s guidance to the front hall.
The thin maid followed, looking somewhat dazed.
As they got closer to the front hall, the noise of clinking glasses and dishes grew louder. However, amid the clinking sounds, there was an undercurrent of caution.
They turned another corner, and Bai Lixin finally saw the bustling front hall with tables filled with food.
He was dressed in a crimson robe, and the moment he walked in, he immediately drew everyone’s attention. The people who were dining all turned to look, and upon seeing Bai Lixin’s face, gasps of astonishment filled the room.
‘So beautiful.
Could there really be such a beautiful woman in the world?
Where did the County Magistrate find such a beauty?
No, she’s not just a beauty, she’s clearly a celestial maiden descended from the heavens.
No, even the celestial maidens in the sky probably can’t match the beauty of this bride.’
Upon hearing the gasps from the guests, County Magistrate Lin visibly swelled with pride.
He cleared his throat, straightened his back, and casually picked up a wine cup from the side, drinking it in one go. “Everyone, this is the bride I, Lin, am marrying today. Please forgive us for any inconvenience.”
‘Forgive?
I think you’re mocking us!’
The guests all raised their cups and drank, but their eyes remained fixed on Bai Lixin.
County Magistrate Lin quickly found the position of the Qingcheng Sect Elder in the courtyard.
Bai Lixin saw him too.
In fact, finding the Qingcheng Sect Elder was easy. All the other tables were occupied, but only one had three people in matching attire at that table and there was only one person sitting at the front.
The man exuded an air of Daoist elegance. His clothes billowed with the wind, and his long white hair tied with a pale blue ribbon fluttered naturally.
He raised a white jade cup, drinking.
His raised his eyes and they happened to fall on Bai Lixin.
In that split second of eye contact, Bai Lixin saw a hint of amazement in the man’s eyes.
County Magistrate Lin hurriedly led Bai Lixin over. “Esteemed Master, this is my humble wife. Madam, haven’t you met Esteemed Master yet?”
Bai Lixin bowed lazily, his gaze fixed on the man’s face.
Beside the man was a round disk with words like “A, B, C, D” written on it. It seemed to be used for capturing spirits and ghosts.
The white-haired man glanced at the unresponsive disk indifferently, then nodded faintly at Bai Lixin. “Please, have a seat.”
County Magistrate Lin immediately wiped his forehead with sweat. “Isn’t this, perhaps, a bit disrespectful?” It’s the first day his wife has come out to meet people, and now she has to sit down directly in front of a large audience? Where was his face?
“Disrespectful?” The white-haired man gave County Magistrate Lin a sidelong glance. “You let the madam enter on her own in the morning, without worshiping the heavens and earth or meeting her parents. Moreover, you just threw her into the wedding chamber. Isn’t that even more disrespectful?”
“I’ve said it before; there’s a connection between me and this bride. In the eyes of us cultivators, there’s no distinction between genders. County Magistrate, you should sit too.”
County Magistrate Lin realized he had misspoken and turned pale. He nodded anxiously, bending down and murmuring, “Esteemed Master, please forgive my impertinence! Please, please, have a seat.”
“Um, Madam, please take a seat and talk with Esteemed Master.”
“Esteemed Master, I still need to attend to my guests. I won’t sit for now, you two can talk. If you need me, just call.”
County Magistrate Lin rambled on until the white-haired man, who had been wearing a cold expression, finally gave a reluctant nod. Only then did he leave quickly.
Bai Lixin sat across from the Immortal Master. On a table originally meant for ten people, now only the two of them were seated.
He scrutinized the man in front of him. “You mentioned a connection between us? What kind of connection is that?”
“When you entered this morning, my disciple said he detected the aura of a monster on you—a strong one. He was afraid he couldn’t subdue it, so he asked me to come. However, when I arrived and saw you, there was no demonic aura around you. It seems my disciple made a mistake.”
“Master, I didn’t make a mistake, the compass really moved.” A cultivator behind him suddenly spoke up.
The white-haired man glanced at the man behind him, then focused his gaze back on Bai Lixin. “If my disciple didn’t make a mistake, and you are not a monster, may I ask, have you encountered anything strange these past few days, Madam?”
Bai Lixin’s eyes landed on the compass next to the white-haired man. “There was indeed something strange.”
“When my sedan chair crossed the bridge this morning, I saw a woman in red clothes, holding a white umbrella, jump into the river.”
“But what’s odd is that there were splashing sounds when other people entered the water, but I heard nothing when she jumped. I stuck my head out to look and only saw a white umbrella floating on the water’s surface. I was worried it might be a water ghost looking for a substitute, so I hurriedly asked the matchmaker to leave with the entourage. Those who jumped in to save the woman quickly came back ashore.”
White-Haired Man: “Red clothes, white umbrella, blocking the bridal sedan. Usually, evil spirits wouldn’t dare interfere with a bridal sedan. If she’s not human, she must be harboring immense malevolent energy. I see, we misunderstood you, Madam. It seems the aura my disciple sensed was coming from that person in red.”
“Besides this, have you encountered any other peculiar incidents, Madam?” The white-haired man’s indifferent eyes suddenly sharpened, locking onto Bai Lixin’s gaze.
Bai Lixin shook his head earnestly, meeting the man’s eyes head-on. “Nothing else.”
The white-haired man retracted his gaze, took out two yellow talismans from his sleeve and handes them over. “Madam, take these. Since the woman in red and white stopped your sedan, she must be attached to you. She might come for you again. These two talismans can help you resist two attacks. If these talismans can’t subdue her, come to the Tongfu Inn to find me. I will personally deal with it.”
Bai Lixin reached out to take the talismans.
The moment his fingertips touched the talismans, he felt a burning sensation. He instinctively quickly took the talismans and retracted his hand.
It seemed these talismans were meant to attack monsters within their range. Although he no longer had demonic energy, he was still a monster. Touching the talismans momentarily burned his finger.
The white-haired man looked at Bai Lixin thoughtfully. After a moment, he spoke again, “What happened just now?”
Bai Lixin didn’t blush even when speaking nonsense, “My fingers brushed against the Esteemed Master and I was awe-struck. I was naturally startled.”
The white-haired man coughed lightly. “Although I am a cultivator, if Madam wishes, it’s not impossible.”
Bai Lixin: “?”
‘Wish? Wish for what?
Not impossible? Even if you can do it, I can’t!
Get lost! Don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you’re using my old gong’s face. Sooner or later, I’ll slash your face and turn you into a hideous monster so you won’t flaunt my old gong’s face and use it to deceive!’
Bai Lixin thought to himself, and his expression became even more gentle.
S419m shivered: [Lord Host, you’re so terrifying.]
The white-haired man’s eyes seemed to linger on Bai Lixin’s face, “It’s quite a coincidence. I feel like I’ve seen Madam somewhere.”
Bai Lixin smiled softly, “Oh? Where might you have seen me? I’ve been confined in my budoir since childhood and rarely went out.”
“It might have been in a dream.” The white-haired man spoke lightly, deliberately lowering his voice, and giving his words a suggestive tone. “Perhaps we have some connection from a past life.”
“Oh?” Bai Lixin propped his chin with one hand. “What kind of connection would that be? Esteemed Master, what did you dream about?”
The white-haired man pondered seriously. “I dreamed of some strange scenes. The buildings there were different from here, towering and magnificent. I was an actor, but in that kingdom, the actors there were different from the ones here. And you became a monster hunter. We coincidentally met due to some odd circumstances.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
He must be talking about the “Sleep Tester” copy.
If he wasn’t Dijia but he still knew about copies, then he might be a player role-playing.
But there was another possibility. This person might be just a puppet created by the master of the copy. Since the master could control the copy, it would be easy to insert a memory into this body.
Was he testing him by telling him these things?
If he acts repulsed or remains unresponsive, the other person would get suspicious.
Bai Lixin pondered for a moment and quickly made an exaggerated expression.
He looked at the other person with an expression of amazement and caution, “How could you dream of these things? Didn’t you drink Meng Po’s soup? How is it possible? It’s so strange. Apart from dreaming about this, do you recall anything else? Any other scenes?”
The white-haired man hesitated for a moment, then cautiously asked, “I just suddenly dreamt of it. Is my dream wrong?”
Bai Lixin waved his hand dismissively, “Esteemed Master, your consciousness belongs to you. You dream what you want to dream. However…”
“However?” The white-haired man asked.
“Ah,” Bai Lixin sighed, “it’s just a bit surprising. By the way, Esteemed Master, I still don’t know how to address you.”
White-Haired Man: “Everyone respectfully calls me ‘Elder Qingcheng’.”
Elder Qingcheng? Doesn’t that mean he has no name?
Bai Lixin glanced at the white-haired man across from him. “What a nice name, Elder Qingcheng. Please, enjoy your meal.”
For the next couple of hours, only the two of them remained at the table. They engaged in a deep conversation, discussing life and cultivation, with fewer conversations about important matters.
The man didn’t rush the conversation, and Bai Lixin didn’t press him.
As the banquet neared its end, Bai Lixin deliberately took off his hairpin and placed it on the table, feigning drunkenness as he prepared to leave.
With the hairpin on the table, whatever the white-haired man thought or did was his own business.
After reaching a corner, Bai Lixin stopped and glanced toward the table when he was out of everyone’s sight. He saw the white-haired man silently examining the hairpin before casually putting it into his sleeve. A shallow smile appeared on his composed face. It was a smile saying he was destined to win.
Bai Lixin observed everything and then turned to leave.
The thin maid couldn’t stand such male gatherings and had left earlier.
By now, it was dark outside. Bai Lixin, wearing a red outfit, walked alone in the brightly lit backyard.
Halfway through, he noticed a figure standing beneath a peach tree.
The person had their back turned, dressed in a large red robe, and was busy with something on the tree.
Bai Lixin glanced at the figure and walked away through a side path.
After a while, he saw another red-clad figure standing under a tree ahead, still tugging at the branches, seemingly engrossed in something.
Bai Lixin slowed down his steps.
It wasn’t that he encountered two red-clothed women consecutively; rather, he seemed to be lost.
More precisely, he had fallen into some kind of maze, like a ghost hitting a wall. He had taken a side path without any turns, yet he ended up back here.
This was extremely bizarre. This red-clothed person probably wasn’t human either.
Bai Lixin glanced at the red-clothed figure and came to a halt. “Miss, who are you?”
Just after he asked this question, he suddenly heard a low chuckle.
The laughter was barely audible. It didn’t come from the red-clothed woman in front of him, but from somewhere farther away. If one didn’t listen carefully, they wouldn’t notice it at all. Unfortunately, they met him who had heightened senses.
Laughter?
Could this ghost hitting the wall phenomenon be caused by the person producing this laughter?
To mock him? Or to assert their dominance over him?
Bai Lixin glanced at the place where the laughter was coming from the corner of his eye, and saw a sneaky shadow behind a rockery.
Want to mock him?
Then he would give them a show!
To make the red-clothed woman frightening, the appearance should be somewhat repulsive so as to create a visual impact.
Did this person think they could scare him?
Just as Bai Lixin was about to pat the woman’s shoulder, something unexpected happened.
The sound of staff and iron rings clashing suddenly rang out. Bai Lixin paused for a moment and saw petals fly past his cheek and pierce straight into the back of the red-clothed person in front of him.
Before the red-clothed person could turn around, a purplish-blue smoke emerged from their body.
In the next moment, the red-clothed person turned into a paper figure, floating lightly in mid-air for a moment before gently landing on the ground.
Bai Lixin glanced at the paper figure and noticed a thin red mark on its shoulder.
This hypocritical monk. He’s always talking about “equality for all” but couldn’t help but save him every time.
There was another sound of iron rings clashing, and Bai Lixin felt the air in front of him ripple like waves. The next second, the scene in front of him changed.
Unexpectedly, right in front of him, almost within arm’s reach, was a pond.
If he had taken one more step forward just now, he would have fallen into the pond.
As the hurried footsteps of County Magistrate Lin grew nearer, Bai Lixin felt a warm sensation flowing through his body. He turned his head while the maid wasn’t looking and noticed the slightly protruding hem of his dress gradually shrinking, and his tail, which had been concealed behind him, was disappearing at a visible rate.
By the time County Magistrate Lin reached the doorway, the tail had completely vanished. The timing was perfect.
Initially, Bai Lixin had thought that County Magistrate Lin was entertaining guests in the front courtyard and would send a servant to escort him. He never expected the Magistrate to come himself. A word from the Immortal Master could make the arrogant County Magistrate personally invite him, it highlighted the Qingcheng Sect’s influence in this town.
Magistrate Lin’s arrival was abrupt, catching the maid off guard. She had forgotten to tell Bai Lixin to cover himself, and by the time County Magistrate Lin reached the doorway, she realized her mistake. But it was too late.
County Magistrate Lin stood boldly at the doorway, unceremoniously pushing the maid aside and walking in.
“Hey, the Immortal Master said he wants to meet…” He spoke impatiently while walking forward but upon seeing the person sitting on the bed, his voice abruptly stopped, and his eyes widened in shock. “Who are you?!”
The maid stood frozen at the doorway, nervously wringing her hands, unsure of what to do.
She knew that the plot of the proxy marriage would be exposed but she didn’t expect it to be so soon. She was now at a loss. What could she say?
‘If I had known earlier, I might as well have left earlier. If I had left earlier, I wouldn’t have had to face this kind of thing.’
She reached out her hand, intending to say something to salvage the situation, but the “bride” on the bed raised her eyebrows coquettishly. “You old ghost, you don’t recognize me? Am I not your bride?”
The maid: “???”
What did she just hear?
County Magistrate Lin stared at the person in front of him in a daze. After a moment of trance, he stiffly nodded. “Yes, yes, you are my bride.”
The maid: “???”
Bai Lixin shifted his position casually. “Old ghost, what are you here for?”
County Magistrate Lin beamed with joy, his previously impatient tone now gentle enough to wring out water. “The Immortal Master from Qingcheng Sect wishes to see you. My dear, shall we go out to meet him?”
Bai Lixin sized up County Magistrate Lin. He appeared to be in his thirties, with a slight beard. He was tall and had a fairly handsome appearance. He must have been a good looking scholar when he was younger.
Not bad. He wasn’t the despicable villain Bai Lixin had imagined.
Bai Lixin: “What if I don’t want to go?”
County Magistrate Lin suddenly looked a bit distressed. “The Qingcheng Sect protects our Qingcheng County. The Immortal Master is an elder of the Qingcheng Sect. It’s not appropriate to refuse.”
“Fine, let’s go then.” Bai Lixin stood up after contemplating a bit . “Lead the way, County Magistrate.”
He had used “Charm” on County Magistrate Lin earlier, but when he asked if he could avoid going, Magistrate Lin’s answer had been a definite negative. It seemed that the Qingcheng Sect Elder’s “influence” overruled his “Charm.”
In this regard, his “Charm” ability was at a disadvantage.
The monk had given him a pill to hide his tail, but his “Charm” ability hadn’t disappeared.
From this point of view, it seemed that the pill only helped him conceal his aura and didn’t diminish his abilities.
Without covering his head, Bai Lixin followed County Magistrate Lin’s guidance to the front hall.
The thin maid followed, looking somewhat dazed.
As they got closer to the front hall, the noise of clinking glasses and dishes grew louder. However, amid the clinking sounds, there was an undercurrent of caution.
They turned another corner, and Bai Lixin finally saw the bustling front hall with tables filled with food.
He was dressed in a crimson robe, and the moment he walked in, he immediately drew everyone’s attention. The people who were dining all turned to look, and upon seeing Bai Lixin’s face, gasps of astonishment filled the room.
‘So beautiful.
Could there really be such a beautiful woman in the world?
Where did the County Magistrate find such a beauty?
No, she’s not just a beauty, she’s clearly a celestial maiden descended from the heavens.
No, even the celestial maidens in the sky probably can’t match the beauty of this bride.’
Upon hearing the gasps from the guests, County Magistrate Lin visibly swelled with pride.
He cleared his throat, straightened his back, and casually picked up a wine cup from the side, drinking it in one go. “Everyone, this is the bride I, Lin, am marrying today. Please forgive us for any inconvenience.”
‘Forgive?
I think you’re mocking us!’
The guests all raised their cups and drank, but their eyes remained fixed on Bai Lixin.
County Magistrate Lin quickly found the position of the Qingcheng Sect Elder in the courtyard.
Bai Lixin saw him too.
In fact, finding the Qingcheng Sect Elder was easy. All the other tables were occupied, but only one had three people in matching attire at that table and there was only one person sitting at the front.
The man exuded an air of Daoist elegance. His clothes billowed with the wind, and his long white hair tied with a pale blue ribbon fluttered naturally.
He raised a white jade cup, drinking.
His raised his eyes and they happened to fall on Bai Lixin.
In that split second of eye contact, Bai Lixin saw a hint of amazement in the man’s eyes.
County Magistrate Lin hurriedly led Bai Lixin over. “Esteemed Master, this is my humble wife. Madam, haven’t you met Esteemed Master yet?”
Bai Lixin bowed lazily, his gaze fixed on the man’s face.
Beside the man was a round disk with words like “A, B, C, D” written on it. It seemed to be used for capturing spirits and ghosts.
The white-haired man glanced at the unresponsive disk indifferently, then nodded faintly at Bai Lixin. “Please, have a seat.”
County Magistrate Lin immediately wiped his forehead with sweat. “Isn’t this, perhaps, a bit disrespectful?” It’s the first day his wife has come out to meet people, and now she has to sit down directly in front of a large audience? Where was his face?
“Disrespectful?” The white-haired man gave County Magistrate Lin a sidelong glance. “You let the madam enter on her own in the morning, without worshiping the heavens and earth or meeting her parents. Moreover, you just threw her into the wedding chamber. Isn’t that even more disrespectful?”
“I’ve said it before; there’s a connection between me and this bride. In the eyes of us cultivators, there’s no distinction between genders. County Magistrate, you should sit too.”
County Magistrate Lin realized he had misspoken and turned pale. He nodded anxiously, bending down and murmuring, “Esteemed Master, please forgive my impertinence! Please, please, have a seat.”
“Um, Madam, please take a seat and talk with Esteemed Master.”
“Esteemed Master, I still need to attend to my guests. I won’t sit for now, you two can talk. If you need me, just call.”
County Magistrate Lin rambled on until the white-haired man, who had been wearing a cold expression, finally gave a reluctant nod. Only then did he leave quickly.
Bai Lixin sat across from the Immortal Master. On a table originally meant for ten people, now only the two of them were seated.
He scrutinized the man in front of him. “You mentioned a connection between us? What kind of connection is that?”
“When you entered this morning, my disciple said he detected the aura of a monster on you—a strong one. He was afraid he couldn’t subdue it, so he asked me to come. However, when I arrived and saw you, there was no demonic aura around you. It seems my disciple made a mistake.”
“Master, I didn’t make a mistake, the compass really moved.” A cultivator behind him suddenly spoke up.
The white-haired man glanced at the man behind him, then focused his gaze back on Bai Lixin. “If my disciple didn’t make a mistake, and you are not a monster, may I ask, have you encountered anything strange these past few days, Madam?”
Bai Lixin’s eyes landed on the compass next to the white-haired man. “There was indeed something strange.”
“When my sedan chair crossed the bridge this morning, I saw a woman in red clothes, holding a white umbrella, jump into the river.”
“But what’s odd is that there were splashing sounds when other people entered the water, but I heard nothing when she jumped. I stuck my head out to look and only saw a white umbrella floating on the water’s surface. I was worried it might be a water ghost looking for a substitute, so I hurriedly asked the matchmaker to leave with the entourage. Those who jumped in to save the woman quickly came back ashore.”
White-Haired Man: “Red clothes, white umbrella, blocking the bridal sedan. Usually, evil spirits wouldn’t dare interfere with a bridal sedan. If she’s not human, she must be harboring immense malevolent energy. I see, we misunderstood you, Madam. It seems the aura my disciple sensed was coming from that person in red.”
“Besides this, have you encountered any other peculiar incidents, Madam?” The white-haired man’s indifferent eyes suddenly sharpened, locking onto Bai Lixin’s gaze.
Bai Lixin shook his head earnestly, meeting the man’s eyes head-on. “Nothing else.”
The white-haired man retracted his gaze, took out two yellow talismans from his sleeve and handes them over. “Madam, take these. Since the woman in red and white stopped your sedan, she must be attached to you. She might come for you again. These two talismans can help you resist two attacks. If these talismans can’t subdue her, come to the Tongfu Inn to find me. I will personally deal with it.”
Bai Lixin reached out to take the talismans.
The moment his fingertips touched the talismans, he felt a burning sensation. He instinctively quickly took the talismans and retracted his hand.
It seemed these talismans were meant to attack monsters within their range. Although he no longer had demonic energy, he was still a monster. Touching the talismans momentarily burned his finger.
The white-haired man looked at Bai Lixin thoughtfully. After a moment, he spoke again, “What happened just now?”
Bai Lixin didn’t blush even when speaking nonsense, “My fingers brushed against the Esteemed Master and I was awe-struck. I was naturally startled.”
The white-haired man coughed lightly. “Although I am a cultivator, if Madam wishes, it’s not impossible.”
Bai Lixin: “?”
‘Wish? Wish for what?
Not impossible? Even if you can do it, I can’t!
Get lost! Don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you’re using my old gong’s face. Sooner or later, I’ll slash your face and turn you into a hideous monster so you won’t flaunt my old gong’s face and use it to deceive!’
Bai Lixin thought to himself, and his expression became even more gentle.
S419m shivered: [Lord Host, you’re so terrifying.]
The white-haired man’s eyes seemed to linger on Bai Lixin’s face, “It’s quite a coincidence. I feel like I’ve seen Madam somewhere.”
Bai Lixin smiled softly, “Oh? Where might you have seen me? I’ve been confined in my budoir since childhood and rarely went out.”
“It might have been in a dream.” The white-haired man spoke lightly, deliberately lowering his voice, and giving his words a suggestive tone. “Perhaps we have some connection from a past life.”
“Oh?” Bai Lixin propped his chin with one hand. “What kind of connection would that be? Esteemed Master, what did you dream about?”
The white-haired man pondered seriously. “I dreamed of some strange scenes. The buildings there were different from here, towering and magnificent. I was an actor, but in that kingdom, the actors there were different from the ones here. And you became a monster hunter. We coincidentally met due to some odd circumstances.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
He must be talking about the “Sleep Tester” copy.
If he wasn’t Dijia but he still knew about copies, then he might be a player role-playing.
But there was another possibility. This person might be just a puppet created by the master of the copy. Since the master could control the copy, it would be easy to insert a memory into this body.
Was he testing him by telling him these things?
If he acts repulsed or remains unresponsive, the other person would get suspicious.
Bai Lixin pondered for a moment and quickly made an exaggerated expression.
He looked at the other person with an expression of amazement and caution, “How could you dream of these things? Didn’t you drink Meng Po’s soup? How is it possible? It’s so strange. Apart from dreaming about this, do you recall anything else? Any other scenes?”
The white-haired man hesitated for a moment, then cautiously asked, “I just suddenly dreamt of it. Is my dream wrong?”
Bai Lixin waved his hand dismissively, “Esteemed Master, your consciousness belongs to you. You dream what you want to dream. However…”
“However?” The white-haired man asked.
“Ah,” Bai Lixin sighed, “it’s just a bit surprising. By the way, Esteemed Master, I still don’t know how to address you.”
White-Haired Man: “Everyone respectfully calls me ‘Elder Qingcheng’.”
Elder Qingcheng? Doesn’t that mean he has no name?
Bai Lixin glanced at the white-haired man across from him. “What a nice name, Elder Qingcheng. Please, enjoy your meal.”
For the next couple of hours, only the two of them remained at the table. They engaged in a deep conversation, discussing life and cultivation, with fewer conversations about important matters.
The man didn’t rush the conversation, and Bai Lixin didn’t press him.
As the banquet neared its end, Bai Lixin deliberately took off his hairpin and placed it on the table, feigning drunkenness as he prepared to leave.
With the hairpin on the table, whatever the white-haired man thought or did was his own business.
After reaching a corner, Bai Lixin stopped and glanced toward the table when he was out of everyone’s sight. He saw the white-haired man silently examining the hairpin before casually putting it into his sleeve. A shallow smile appeared on his composed face. It was a smile saying he was destined to win.
Bai Lixin observed everything and then turned to leave.
The thin maid couldn’t stand such male gatherings and had left earlier.
By now, it was dark outside. Bai Lixin, wearing a red outfit, walked alone in the brightly lit backyard.
Halfway through, he noticed a figure standing beneath a peach tree.
The person had their back turned, dressed in a large red robe, and was busy with something on the tree.
Bai Lixin glanced at the figure and walked away through a side path.
After a while, he saw another red-clad figure standing under a tree ahead, still tugging at the branches, seemingly engrossed in something.
Bai Lixin slowed down his steps.
It wasn’t that he encountered two red-clothed women consecutively; rather, he seemed to be lost.
More precisely, he had fallen into some kind of maze, like a ghost hitting a wall. He had taken a side path without any turns, yet he ended up back here.
This was extremely bizarre. This red-clothed person probably wasn’t human either.
Bai Lixin glanced at the red-clothed figure and came to a halt. “Miss, who are you?”
Just after he asked this question, he suddenly heard a low chuckle.
The laughter was barely audible. It didn’t come from the red-clothed woman in front of him, but from somewhere farther away. If one didn’t listen carefully, they wouldn’t notice it at all. Unfortunately, they met him who had heightened senses.
Laughter?
Could this ghost hitting the wall phenomenon be caused by the person producing this laughter?
To mock him? Or to assert their dominance over him?
Bai Lixin glanced at the place where the laughter was coming from the corner of his eye, and saw a sneaky shadow behind a rockery.
Want to mock him?
Then he would give them a show!
To make the red-clothed woman frightening, the appearance should be somewhat repulsive so as to create a visual impact.
Did this person think they could scare him?
Just as Bai Lixin was about to pat the woman’s shoulder, something unexpected happened.
The sound of staff and iron rings clashing suddenly rang out. Bai Lixin paused for a moment and saw petals fly past his cheek and pierce straight into the back of the red-clothed person in front of him.
Before the red-clothed person could turn around, a purplish-blue smoke emerged from their body.
In the next moment, the red-clothed person turned into a paper figure, floating lightly in mid-air for a moment before gently landing on the ground.
Bai Lixin glanced at the paper figure and noticed a thin red mark on its shoulder.
This hypocritical monk. He’s always talking about “equality for all” but couldn’t help but save him every time.
There was another sound of iron rings clashing, and Bai Lixin felt the air in front of him ripple like waves. The next second, the scene in front of him changed.
Unexpectedly, right in front of him, almost within arm’s reach, was a pond.
If he had taken one more step forward just now, he would have fallen into the pond.
