Chapter 28

“He should be called the kind of scumbag who hides needles within soft cotton.”

After Wen Wanxi said that, Song Qi seemed to realize something important.

Back then, Xu Yan had betrayed Wen Wanxi because he feared Wu Ye.

But even that did not seem enough to justify describing him as someone who hid needles beneath softness.

“What else happened between the two of you?”

Wen Wanxi looked at Song Qi, the corners of her lips curved in a smile that was not quite a smile.

She did not immediately answer the question.

That look made Song Qi’s skin crawl.

Wen Wanxi seemed to be telling her:

You’re asking too many questions.

People who know too much generally don’t meet good endings.

Song Qi shrank her neck. Her lively eyes lowered, then secretly glanced at Wen Wanxi again.

“Fine. Stop looking at me like that. I won’t ask, all right?”

In any case, Cheng Ying had promised that if she could withstand thirty of his moves in a month, he would reveal some of the hidden details from back then.

Fine. She would not ask.

Song Qi stopped looking at Wen Wanxi and walked toward the pillar, intending to pull out the silver needle.

However, the needle had embedded itself so deeply that it seemed to have grown roots. It did not move in the slightest.

Fine.

Her internal force was apparently quite good.

The needle absolutely refused to come out.

“Don’t bother pulling it.”

Wen Wanxi found Song Qi’s foolishness amusing.

Since the needle had been driven into the pillar with internal force, she could simply force it back out using internal energy.

Yet Song Qi had chosen the stupidest possible method.

Sometimes, this person was exceptionally intelligent.

At other times, she was unbelievably foolish.

“You should return.”

Wen Wanxi generally did not allow anyone to remain in this room.

Letting Song Qi stay even briefly was already an exception.

“But the needle… Fine, fine. I’m leaving.”

Song Qi felt that this woman truly gave people cold looks without warning, complete with an obvious threat behind them, as though afraid others might forget she was capable of murder.

Song Qi was about to step through the doorway when she seemed to remember something and stopped.

“City Lord Wen, thank you for the wine. It was delicious.”

After saying that, Song Qi dashed away, as though afraid Wen Wanxi would glare at her if she moved even a moment slower.

Wen Wanxi watched her leave with light, cheerful footsteps and suddenly became lost in thought.

When Song Qi claimed to fear her, that fear was genuine.

Yet when she acted unafraid, that was also genuine.

She was far too strange.

Song Qi prepared to head downstairs and leave.

Unexpectedly, just as she reached the stairs, she nearly collided with someone coming up.

Fortunately, her movements were swift. She dodged sideways and avoided the collision.

The approaching woman, however, almost instinctively wrapped an arm around Song Qi’s waist.

The two stood at the top of the staircase, staring at each other.

What kind of clichéd romantic-drama encounter was this?

Hutu: 【That criticism is surprisingly accurate.】

Song Qi looked at the person before her.

Her long hair fell loosely around her shoulders. Light makeup decorated her face, with pale-red shadow outlining her eyes and making her features even more alluring and seductive.

Perhaps because it was summer, she was dressed extremely lightly.

She wore thin, gauzy clothing that revealed a considerable amount of the scenery across her chest.

Mm…

A little too lightly.

She truly was beautiful.

She was also genuinely seductive.

Beautiful and bewitching, with a faint fragrance of pear blossoms surrounding her.

Only one person in the novel fit that description.

“Miss Ning?”

Ning Yunmeng froze.

This little girl, whom she had never met, actually recognized her?

Ning Yunmeng smiled and released Song Qi.

Her fingers, painted with crimson nail dye, slowly moved upward from Song Qi’s waist [Read on BaiLianTales]until they covered her cheek.

“What a lovely little beauty. Why don’t you stay and have a drink with this older sister?”

Song Qi: “…?”

This was not the Miss Ning she knew.

Song Qi knew exactly how cold Miss Ning had been toward Song Tianxing in the novel.

Why was she touching Song Qi now?

Song Qi pulled away from Ning Yunmeng’s hand.

“Miss Ning, please let go of me first.”

At present, Ning Yunmeng had one arm around Song Qi’s waist while the other hand tried to stroke her face.

Had Ning Yunmeng not been beautiful, Song Qi would already have shouted that she was being molested.

Hutu: 【Is this what it means to live in a world ruled by appearances?】

Song Qi: 【Yes. Exactly.】

“If you don’t let go, don’t blame me for being rude.”

Seeing no intention of retreating, Song Qi warned her.

However, Ning Yunmeng’s eyes curved with amusement.

Not only did she refuse to release Song Qi, but her smile became even brighter.

“How will you be rude to me? Will you hit me? Or do you want to…”

Song Qi sucked in a sharp breath.

Using a careful burst of force, she struck Ning Yunmeng’s wrist and broke free without making the woman lose her balance and tumble backward.

No, no, no.

This was not the Miss Ning she knew.

There had to be some misunderstanding.

“Ning Yunmeng.”

Wen Wanxi’s voice sounded.

Only then did Ning Yunmeng’s smile recede slightly.

“Are you finished playing?”

Ning Yunmeng sighed and glanced at Song Qi once more, her eyes filled with seductive charm.

But it was only one glance.

Then she walked toward Wen Wanxi.

Song Qi fled downstairs as though she had received a pardon.

She had clearly heard Wen Wanxi call her “Ning Yunmeng,” so [unauthorized copy]this woman had to be the “Miss Ning” from the novel.

Yet her behavior was completely different from how the book had described her.

Had the characters in the novel begun acting out of character?

Hutu: 【She isn’t acting out of character. She was always like this.】

Song Qi: 【…Fine. My mistake. Apparently, I read a fake novel.】

After Song Qi descended the stairs, Wen Wanxi did not allow Ning Yunmeng into the room.

She merely stood in the doorway and asked, “What is it?”

“The Taixu Sect leader has already rushed to Wucheng. You should return.”

“Mm.”

That old Daoist had finally lost his patience.

Wen Wanxi turned to enter the room, but Ning Yunmeng spoke again.

“You know, if only you hadn’t fallen for Xu Yan back then.”

“What’s so good about men? Women are better—soft and fragrant.”

Wen Wanxi: “…”

“I think that little girl just now was quite good. Cute and adorable, like a tiny hamster.”

Wen Wanxi slowly closed the door.

Just before only a narrow crack remained, her quiet voice drifted out.

“Don’t touch her.”

**

After leaving Yunmeng House, Song Qi immediately returned to the Divine Sword Sect.

While the other disciples were still practicing swordsmanship, she went to the rear mountain to train with concealed weapons.

Unfortunately, it was not autumn, so there were no fallen leaves.

She also had no desire to harm small animals.

For a while, she had no idea what to use as a target.

Song Qi thought for a moment.

It seemed she would have to create her own practice materials.

She tapped the ground with one foot, used her lightness skill, and stepped heavily against a tree trunk several times.

A few leaves drifted down from the branches.

As she flipped back toward the ground, she used the silver needles she had borrowed from Qiao Qian as concealed weapons and launched them.

Whoosh—!

The sound of air being pierced was faint, but Song Qi still heard it.

She was clearly dissatisfied with the result.

She landed steadily and went to search for the needles.

She had fired three silver needles but struck only two falling leaves.

The targets were moving, and she had also been in motion.

Both factors greatly reduced her accuracy.

Still, managing to hit two leaves while both she and the targets were moving was already fairly good.

Her control over internal force, however, still needed improvement.

Concealed weapons were called concealed precisely because they were meant to take an enemy’s life silently and without warning.

If too much internal force was infused and the attack created too much noise, the weapon would lose its original purpose.

Song Qi retrieved the needles.

Then a familiar, irritating voice sounded behind her.

“Song Qi! So you’re hiding here slacking off! I’m going to tell Master!”

Chang Yueyue turned to leave.

Looking at her retreating back, Song Qi suddenly had an idea.

She pinched a silver needle between her fingers and flicked it toward Chang Yueyue’s carefully styled hair.

Chang Yueyue’s martial arts were weak, so she naturally failed to notice the concealed weapon.

The green jade hairpin holding her hairstyle in place was knocked free.

Her elaborate hair instantly fell apart, becoming a complete mess.

“How did this happen?!”

Chang Yueyue’s shrill voice was filled with despair.

How was she supposed to face anyone now?

“Junior Sister Chang, why didn’t you properly arrange your appearance?”

Seeing Chang Yueyue’s breakdown made Song Qi feel refreshed from head to toe.

This minor cannon-fodder character truly needed to be taught a lesson from time to time.

Chang Yueyue hurriedly gathered her hair together.

Her eyes and nose had already turned red, and the disarray of her appearance nearly drove her into complete collapse.

Song Qi quietly gathered force in another silver needle and aimed at the clasp of Chang Yueyue’s belt.

Snap.

The belt dropped to the ground.

The robes around Chang Yueyue’s body immediately loosened.

Only an idiot would refuse to use a practice target delivered directly to her!

“Ahhh! How did that happen? It was you, Song Qi!”

Chang Yueyue pointed at Song Qi with one hand.

Because she was holding her hair with only the other, even more strands fell loose.

Her expression was vicious, and she genuinely resembled a madwoman.

Song Qi raised both hands innocently.

“I’ve been standing here the entire time. How could it be me?”

The Divine Sword Sect did not teach concealed weapons.

Therefore, Chang Yueyue did not immediately consider the possibility of an unseen attack.

She became both humiliated and furious, stamping bailiantales.comher feet in place and perfectly demonstrating what powerless rage looked like.

Song Qi shrugged and walked toward her.

Using her body to block the silver needle lying on the ground, she kindly picked up Chang Yueyue’s belt while quietly retrieving the needle.

She handed the belt over.

“Put your clothes back in order first. It wouldn’t be good if someone saw you like this.”

“Stop pretending to be kind!”

Although Chang Yueyue rejected her goodwill verbally, she still reached for the belt.

Just as her fingers were about to touch it, Song Qi released her grip.

The belt fell to the ground again.

Chang Yueyue: “…”

Song Qi gave a cold snort.

“Since you don’t appreciate my kindness, pick it up yourself. I won’t keep you company.”

After speaking, Song Qi left Chang Yueyue with a carefree view of her back.

“I’m furious! I’m absolutely furious!”

Chang Yueyue sat down on the ground in anger and nearly began crying.

Unfortunately, on the silent rear mountain, no one would have the chance to pity and comfort her.

The following day, Song Qi returned to the rear mountain to practice concealed weapons.

This time, she ventured deeper into the woods to avoid being discovered.

She continued tormenting tree leaves.

After repeatedly practicing for four hours, she finally became exhausted and sat down to rest.

Song Qi said, “Hey, Hutu. Let me see what the luck shop looks like. I’ve never opened it before.”

Hutu: 【All right. Let me open the shop interface.】

An interface appeared inside Song Qi’s mind.

It displayed numerous pictures, each with an item name and price written beneath it.

Song Qi read them aloud in confusion.

“…Spicy chicken legs, fried chicken pieces, crushed-mango shaved ice…”

Hutu hurriedly interrupted.

【Wrong one, wrong one! I opened the wrong shop. This is the snack shop where I trade with other systems.】

Song Qi: “…As expected of you.”

The interface disappeared from her mind.

It was quickly replaced by another trading panel.

Song Qi looked at her pitiful twelve luck points, then at the prices of the items.

The Canghai Sword cost three hundred luck points.

The Moon-Swallowing Art cost two hundred and eighty.

A clue for the main mission cost eighty luck points.

Huh?

What was this?

A random fragment of Wen Wanxi’s memories cost fifty luck points.

That item seemed interesting.

However, the word “random” was somewhat discouraging.

What if she purchased an ordinary, insignificant memory from Wen Wanxi’s daily life?

Wouldn’t she suffer an enormous loss?

Song Qi continued browsing.

Most of the products were weapons and cultivation techniques.

However, one particular item caught her attention.

“You even sell the Yellow Springs and Azure Heavens cultivation method!”

It was the strongest cultivation technique in the entire story.

Its price was also the highest in the whole shop: five thousand luck points.

With her stingy system, she would not be able to save that much even after a hundred years.

【Of course. Whether a cultivation technique exists in this world or not, we sell it.】

After saying that, Hutu added:

【Complete more missions and slowly save your points. Eventually, you’ll have enough.】

Enough, my ass.

A single side mission rewarded only ten luck points.

Wasn’t that absurd?

“Can we negotiate something?”

【What?】

“Give me more luck points for future missions. Otherwise, with this poverty mode, I don’t even know when I’ll reach one hundred.”

【…That isn’t something I can decide. My superiors determine it.】

Song Qi rolled her eyes and cursed inwardly:

This system was ridiculous.

The people above the system were even more unbelievably ridiculous!

Author’s Note

Another update!

Sister Wen: Warning—touch her again and I’ll cut off your hand.

Miss Ning: Trembling in fear.