The moment Lu Qiancha stepped out of the hot spring pool, he felt completely off.
From head to toe, from the sensitive base of his tail to his delicate little ears… every inch of his skin seemed thoroughly cleansed by those “sinful” hands.
Especially when those slender fingers brushed along the inside of his ear, the faint electric-like tickling sensation was unforgettable!
And, on top of that, while soaking in the bath, that Xuanya Shigu kept staring at him; he really didn’t understand what was so interesting about him…
But compared to all this, what annoyed him more was his own body.
He had just taken a simple tumble, and it was a close call that he didn’t cry in front of Xuanmo (though, in fact, he already had).
His body reacted wildly whenever touched, making him feel utterly uncomfortable all over.
Lu Qiancha circulated his spiritual power, causing the fine droplets around him to evaporate instantly.
He glanced around and asked with a subtle awkwardness, “Shigu… where are my clothes?”
“There, take them yourself from the cabinet.” Xuanmo, fully dressed, pointed to the cabinet with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
Lu Qiancha nodded and pulled out the pale pink ruqun from the cabinet.
Oh no! This thing… he had no idea how to wear it.
Last time… it was because of the Ying Poison; Gantang had fiddled with him to put it on properly…
Ahem, that’s right—actually, when afflicted by Ying Poison, Lu Qiancha’s mind was very clear; he was just acting purely on instinct.
Watching this little wolf cub standing dumbfounded, clutching the skirt, Xuanmo couldn’t help but burst into a soft laugh, “Little Qiancha? What are you staring at, dazed, like that?”
“….I don’t know how to wear this kind of clothing.”
After hesitating for a while, Lu Qiancha chose to tell the truth; after all, he had just witnessed the consequences of pretending to be capable…
He probably would get all dizzy from the dress’s ties and end up binding himself up.
“Puhahaha!”
Xuanmo laughed heartily at this.
“No laughing!!” Lu Qiancha blushed furiously, claws subconsciously clutching the hem of the skirt as he shouted at Xuanmo, “I’m a guy! It’s perfectly normal that I don’t know how to wear this kind of clothing!”
“Ahem, okay, I’ll teach you how to wear it.”
Xuanmo suppressed her laughter, her shoulders shaking slightly. She stepped forward, took the dress, and began hands-on instruction.
How the smooth silk lining should fit the skin; how to leave a gap for the fluffy tail behind; how the overlapping collar should be adjusted; how to tie the soft ribbons into a natural bow at the waist; even demonstrating how to wear the cotton inner shirt and the ice-silk socks… all done with gentle but precise movements.
“How’s that? Got it?”
Xuanmo stepped back a bit and tilted her head, looking at the newly transformed little blue-haired figure before her.
“Mm.”
Lu Qiancha nodded blankly. Wearing clothes wasn’t really that difficult… at least his brain understood it; his paws, though… that was another matter.
“Oh, right,” Xuanmo suddenly remembered something and pointed at the jade token Lu Qiancha had placed nearby.
“Your Jade Token has been buzzing and flashing non-stop just now; someone must be urgently looking for you.”
Hearing this, Lu Qiancha blinked, took the Jade Token in hand, and extended his spiritual sense into it.
In an instant, several unread messages appeared before him.
Xun Xue: “Is my daughter there? Your shimei is looking for you.”
Gantang: “Senior brother! Where have you gone? Master is going crazy looking for you!”
Xuanya: “Qiancha, return quickly if you have time. Your Shibo Xuanya has urgent matters to discuss.”
What is this, a game of hot potato? Lu Qiancha looked at the endless string of delegated search messages and couldn’t help but grumble.
Still, he obediently replied to each one, assuring them not to worry; he had only gone to take a bath.
No sooner had he sent the messages than many replies came flooding back.
Xun Xue: “Bath? Why didn’t you invite mom to bathe together and get all clean?!”
Seeing this, Lu Qiancha couldn’t help but groan and vow that next time he bathed, he’d hide from everyone.
Gantang: “What a coincidence, I’m bathing too.”
Gantang was still as silly as ever, which made Lu Qiancha feel at ease.
Xuanya: “Good that nothing’s wrong. Don’t forget to meet your Shibo.”
Lu Qiancha replied with a simple: “Yes, Master.”
“What’s up? Why is he looking for you?” Xuanmo asked casually as she watched Lu Qiancha put down the Jade Token.
“My Shibo Xuanya has something to discuss with me. Master told me to go meet him.”
Lu Qiancha thought for a moment and decided not to hide it; after all, he’d been caught lying before.
“Senior brother? What does she want with you?”
Xuanmo raised an eyebrow, a hint of puzzlement in her voice.
“I don’t know.”
Lu Qiancha shook his head, and his tail swayed from side to side.
Xuanmo thought for a moment, then said, “I’ll take you to see him. Change out of that disguise first, don’t let anyone spot any flaws.”
“Mm.”
Lu Qiancha nodded, agreeing to Xuanmo’s suggestion.
Before setting off, Xuanmo added, “If he bullies you, tell Shigu. Shigu will get revenge for you.”
Lu Qiancha’s mouth twitched. He felt that… Senior Brother Xuanya probably wasn’t that idle.
***
A moment later, inside Xuanya’s cave residence.
The heavy stone door slid open silently, revealing Xuanya in her Bagua Dao Robe, smiling warmly at the entrance.
“Oh, my nephew is here! Please come in!”
Her enthusiasm was like welcoming an honored guest.
“Disciple greets Shibo Xuanya.”
Lu Qiancha bowed respectfully.
“We’re family here, don’t be so formal.”
Xuanya smiled and pretended to support Lu Qiancha as she led him deeper into the secluded stone chamber.
Inside was a natural stone table with four stone stools. On the table, a small stove brewed Lingquan water, emitting a faint fragrance.
Xuanya skillfully picked up a jade pot and poured a cup of spirit-infused tea for Lu Qiancha.
“Sit and drink some tea.”
“Thank you, Shibo.”
Lu Qiancha sat down as instructed, sipping the tea lightly. The clarity of the tea was refreshing, but his tense nerves dared not relax for a moment.
“I called you today mainly to ask you about a few things.”
Xuanya put down her tea and got straight to the point, her smile still as gentle as a spring breeze.
“Shibo, please ask without hesitation. I will answer all truthfully.”
Lu Qiancha set down his cup and straightened his back, ready to listen attentively.
“The pill your master took, you refined it yourself, didn’t you?”
Xuanya leaned forward slightly, her worldly-wise eyes sparkling with a smile, fixed on Lu Qiancha.
At these words, Lu Qiancha was momentarily shocked but quickly pieced together the reason. His pill had caused quite a stir, and with only four people on Tianquanfeng, it wasn’t surprising they had guessed it.
But out of curiosity, Lu Qiancha asked, “How did you find out?”
“How did I find out?”
Xuanya paused, her smile growing wider as she said, “Of course, you just told me yourself.”
Caught in the trap…
Lu Qiancha felt helpless hearing this and cursed inwardly: “Old fox.”
“Oh, right, do you remember when we went to Bei Juluzhou, there was a general traveling with us?”
Xuanya shifted topics and looked at Lu Qiancha, continuing her questioning.
Lu Qiancha nodded but said no more, knowing that the more he spoke, the more mistakes he’d make. Talking with this old fox, you never knew which sentence would be your undoing.
“Well… you killed that general at the Heavenly Union Stage, didn’t you?”
Xuanya’s smile was still charming, but it sent a chill creeping down Lu Qiancha’s spine.
Summoning courage, Lu Qiancha said, “You could say that.”
“Oh?”
Xuanya looked at him with interest.
“That general… ultimately died after falling into the Snow Wolf Tribe’s Mountain-Guarding Killing Formation,”
Lu Qiancha carefully weighed his words, half-truth, half-false, “I merely took advantage of the situation. It was by no means… solely my doing.”
“Tsk tsk…”
Xuanya emitted a sound of ambiguous admiration, the smile disappearing from his lips, replaced by a profound solemnity. “But some say it was you alone who personally took the field and killed the general.”
Lu Qiancha swallowed nervously and stared at Xuanya, thinking to himself: Is he trying to trap me again?
“Shibo, you must be joking. My strength is only Divine Transformation Early Stage; how could I fight against a Heavenly Union Stage expert, much less kill one alone?”
Lu Qiancha gave an awkward smile and said.
Xuanya said nothing. Her deep gaze, like an icy probe, scanned Lu Qiancha’s tense face inch by inch.
Two seconds…
Felt like a century.
“Ha ha ha——!!!” Xuanya suddenly burst out into a booming laugh! Her laughter instantly dispelled all the lingering chill!
“That’s right!” Her face resumed a kindly smile, as if the earlier severity was just an illusion. “You’re only Divine Transformation. How could you have possibly defeated that general from the Aolai Kingdom?”
“I’d heard rumors before and almost took them seriously!”
She stood up and patted Lu Qiancha’s stiff shoulder firmly.
Xuanya really treated this as a harmless misunderstanding. After some casual chit-chat, he warmly sent the still shaken Lu Qiancha out of the cave.
Lu Qiancha almost fled from that deep cave.
Outside the stone door, Xuanya’s smile quickly faded like a receding tide.
She stood silently for a moment, her profound gaze seeming to pierce through the thick mountain walls.
Her fingertips lightly tapped the stone wall at the entrance, producing a steady rhythm.
After a long while, a faint, detached smile curved on his lips, filled with the understanding of all things.
“Heh… Divine Transformation Peak, huh?
This disciple is quite… interesting.”