“I’m not giving them back.” Chi Huang shrank back slightly and winked at her Honored Master, attempting to gloss over the situation with a pitiful look so she could keep the jewelry.
“Hand them over!” Chi Hong clearly was not buying it.
She reached out toward Chi Huang, her beautiful eyes narrowing as she maintained her authoritative stance.
Seeing that acting pitiful failed, Chi Huang sighed.
She had no choice but to pull out the jewelry and place it on the table.
She looked at Chi Hong longingly, her eyes shimmering like rippling water as she said softly, “Then at least give me half.”
There was a pair of red earrings and a hairpin with a coiled dragon design.
The hairpin was not only exquisitely carved but also made of extraordinary materials.
Chi Hong usually did not care much for jewelry, so she could not discern its true value.
Her eye for such things was not as sharp as the fashion-conscious Chi Huang.
“I want this one.” Chi Huang’s eyes flickered as she reached for the hairpin, but Chi Hong was faster, snatching it up and tucking it away.
“I’ll reward you with the earrings, but you’re not getting the hairpin,” Chi Hong said, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips.
How could she not understand her own disciple? This hairpin was definitely better than the earrings.
“Honored Master, I knew it…”
Chi Huang could only accept the earrings.
She put them on her earlobes and took out a mirror to examine herself carefully, feeling that Jiang Huai had quite good taste.
She glanced at the hairpin in her master’s hand, feeling lucky that she had given her gift to Jiang Huai ahead of time.
That way, even if her master did not give her anything, Jiang Huai would eventually have to give her a return gift, right?
She had given him a Jade Belt, so he could hardly give her a Spirit Tool or something similar in return; it would likely be jewelry.
Furthermore, if her master misjudged and Jiang Huai did not intend to return soon, he would still have to come back at least once to deliver the return gift.
Thinking of this, Chi Huang could not help but feel she was a genius, and her mood brightened instantly.
“Honored Master, do you think he’ll come back?” she asked Chi Hong, who had already put on the hairpin.
Chi Hong lowered her head in thought for a moment before nodding.
“He will. He’ll be back, and probably quite soon. Over the next few days, if he returns, do not go out to report it. Announce to everyone that you have also gone into seclusion.”
Jiang Huai held the Jade Belt Chi Huang had given him as he stood in a lush, green meadow. He and Qin Xuange stood staring at each other, both at a loss for words.
“What do you think we should do?” He stowed the Jade Belt into his ring and gave Qin Xuange a wry smile.
Qin Xuange looked back toward the palace of the Red Dragon Clan and asked softly, “Are you in a great hurry to see Clan Leader Chi Hong, Young Lord Jiang?”
“I suspect Clan Leader Chi Hong is indeed in seclusion, or perhaps she simply doesn’t want to see outsiders?”
As she spoke, she shared her theory with Jiang Huai.
“If you are determined to see her, perhaps I could ask my Clan Leader to think of a way. We might be able to get a meeting that way,” she asked tentatively.
Jiang Huai waved his hand dismissively, declining the offer. For the time being, he did not want the Black Dragon Clan to know about this matter; it was better to resolve it himself.
White Dew had not yet returned, and if Su Yingman stepped in, the result would likely be the same as his own attempt.
“We’ll wait until tomorrow and see what the situation is.”
“By the way, what is your relationship like with the Saintess of the Azure Dragon Clan?” Jiang Huai asked, pretending to be casual. “Now that I think about it, I’ve rarely heard anything about her.”
At the mention of Ao Yao, Qin Xuange laughed and teased, “Ao Yao? She’s a total gambler.”
“Her reputation isn’t as prominent as the other Saintesses, especially compared to people like Chi Huang.”
Jiang Huai observed that the smile on her face did not seem fake; she likely had a good relationship with Ao Yao.
Qin Xuange’s tone carried a hint of nostalgia.
“The Azure Dragon Clan is actually much better than the other clans. Their minds are relatively simple, and they aren’t as snobbish. Years ago, when I hid my strength and had no reputation, and the Black Dragon Clan was a laughingstock, she was the only one among the Five Great Dragon Clans who became my friend.”
She let out a cold laugh, seemingly remembering a certain Red Dragon Saintess.
“Anyway, Ao Yao is much better than certain dragons. At least she won’t kick you while you’re down.”
The nature of the Azure Dragon Clan was relatively simple and lively.
They did not have many enemies and had not mocked the fallen Black Dragon Clan.
Qin Xuange had no good feelings toward the other clans, especially Chi Huang, who used to consider herself the number one among the five dragons.
Jiang Huai remained silent after hearing this, unsure of how to respond.
After a long pause, he asked, “What about her strength? How strong is she?”
He still needed the mark of the Azure Dragon, so he had to gather intelligence from Qin Xuange first.
“Strength? How should I put it… if you look at the surface, she should be at the bottom among the Saintesses of the Five Great Dragon Clans.”
Qin Xuange paused, then leaned mysteriously toward Jiang Huai’s ear and whispered, “But I’ll tell you something, Young Lord Jiang. I’m only telling this to you.”
Jiang Huai felt the warmth near his ear.
Seeing that face, which was almost identical to Qin Qingyue’s, so close to him made his heart race uncontrollably.
With the distance between them so small, a blur formed in his mind, and for a moment, it felt as though the real Qin Qingyue was leaning in close to share an intimate moment.
“What is it?” He could not help but lean closer to Qin Xuange.
Her red lips were almost touching his ear, and her fragrant, warm breath drifted inside.
The corners of Qin Xuange’s mouth curled into a smile.
“Actually, she has a very powerful Gongfa. If she were to use it, she would be even stronger than me.”
“Have you fought her?” Jiang Huai suppressed his excitement and turned his head slightly.
Their cheeks were inches apart; if they leaned any further, they would be touching.
Qin Xuange nodded and said mysteriously, “Yes, I fought her once. Once she used that move, I was no longer her match.”
Seemingly realizing how close they were, she shifted her leg slightly, intending to step back and create space.
However, Jiang Huai suddenly grabbed her wrist. The man and the dragon were now nearly pressed against each other.
“Young Lord Jiang?” Qin Xuange asked with a faint smile, appearing slightly surprised.
Looking at the face that looked exactly like his wife’s, Jiang Huai suppressed the turmoil in his heart. He slowly released her hand and stepped back to distance himself. “It’s nothing.”
Qin Xuange touched her face, where a lingering warmth and a slight dampness remained from the breath Jiang Huai had left behind.
Jiang Huai’s mind was a mess.
A sense of willful emotion that shouldn’t be there surged in his heart.
He constantly told himself that she was not Qin Qingyue, that they only looked alike, were both from the Black Dragon Clan, and had similar auras.
But he still could not help but look at Qin Xuange’s face often, observing her closely.
He knew this feeling should not be directed at her, so he decided to stop provoking it, yet he could not suppress the thoughts in his mind.
‘Is this a form of selfishness? If I take the initiative, would it be a form of betrayal?’
He did not know. Jiang Huai had no answer; perhaps in this world, there were no correct answers to begin with.
“Let’s go back. We’ll try again tomorrow,” Jiang Huai said softly. He turned and left as if he were trying to escape.
Qin Xuange was still lightly touching her cheek.
Seeing Jiang Huai leave, she transformed into a streak of black light and followed.
“Why are you back? Did you not see anyone?”
In the courtyard, near a stone table, Zhu Siyao was sitting and drinking tea with Su Yingman.
Seeing Jiang Huai and Qin Xuange return, Zhu Siyao could not help but ask.
Su Yingman glanced over, resting her face on her hand as she looked at Qin Xuange behind Jiang Huai, and let out a light cough.