SWDnovel Chapter 61 Becoming a Carefree and Genuine Fox Fairy
Chapter 61 Becoming a Carefree and Genuine Fox Fairy
"In that case, I won't bother you any longer." Mei Qianqian said, taking out a warm white jade pendant from her sleeve and handing it over.
The jade plaque is about two fingers wide, with a delicate "plum" character engraved on the front, along with mysterious broken wave patterns.
"This is my younger sister's keepsake jade pendant. If you have any needs in the future, you can contact her directly with this. The market is just ahead; you may proceed on your own."
"In that case, thank you for your kindness, Steward Mei." Xu Changqing accepted the jade token. It was slightly cool to the touch and had a delicate texture, clearly indicating that it was not an ordinary item. He held one palm up in front of his chest and nodded slightly.
Mei Qianqian curtsied again, then turned and left. The hem of her moon-white ruqun swayed gently with her steps, and she soon disappeared into the corner of the crowd in the inner hall of Ruyi Tower.
"That's thoughtful," Xu Changqing muttered to himself, stroking the smooth surface of the jade pendant with his fingertips.
Mei Qianqian acted with impeccable skill, both giving face to Qi Qinzi and showing goodwill to this new guest.
He put the jade pendant into a hidden pocket in the sleeve of his monk's robe, glanced again in the direction where the figure had disappeared, straightened his robe, and turned to walk towards the bustling market ahead.
......
A quiet room on a high floor of Ruyi Building, elegantly furnished and overlooking the entire central market.
Mei Qianqian pushed open the door and entered, raising her hand to brush her temples, as if a layer of water rippled out, revealing a pure and otherworldly beauty.
Immediately, a voice tinged with a hint of coquettishness and curiosity rang out.
"Sister Qian, that fat monk has such a slick and cunning look on his face. What's so special about him? Is he worth giving away your personal jade pendant? That pendant is worth a lot of money if you exchange it for it."
The speaker was a woman leaning against the window. She appeared to be around sixteen years old and was wearing a pale yellow dress. She had a slender figure.
She didn't turn around, still gazing at the bustling crowd below. Only her pair of fluffy red fox ears twitched slightly, and her large, bushy tail swayed lazily behind her.
Mei Qianqian walked to the table, poured herself a cup of tea, took a sip, and then spoke slowly.
"This person is no ordinary person. Ah Li, do you remember that incident that caused such a stir not long ago? The ancestor of the Zhen family in Ningzhou, whose title is Qianlong, sent a divine thought to Black Wind Mountain, which is eight hundred miles away."
The fox woman, known as Ahri, finally turned around, revealing a bright and beautiful face. Her eyes were slightly upturned, exuding a natural charm, but she was filled with doubt at this moment.
"Of course I remember. Wasn't it said that everyone on Black Wind Mountain, including the divine consciousness of the Zhen family patriarch, eventually vanished without a trace, leaving no one behind? It's said that some strange celestial ritual occurred... Could it be related to this monk?"
Her eyes suddenly widened. "Impossible! That kind of commotion would at least be..."
"It was him who did it," Mei Qianqian interrupted her speculation, putting down her teacup.
"This man's Taoist name is 'Xu Ming,' and he is the abbot of the Qingyang Temple. He is a disciple of the heretical sect, the Seven Fiends Sect, and the only one to have survived Black Wind Mountain. As for that 'Joyful Monk' downstairs today..."
She paused slightly, "According to my information, they went to Qingyang Temple the day before yesterday and never came down. Also among those who went to Qingyang Temple was Tan Chan of the Seven Fiends Sect. You should know the reputation of the Seven Fiends Sect..."
Ahri pouted and smacked the ground impatiently with her tail.
"Sister Qian, that man is so murderous, he's no good. Why did you give him the jade pendant?"
Mei Qianqian gently flicked Ah Li's forehead: "You, you're still so impulsive. Let me ask you, since we met that sage, in all these years, has he ever actively introduced any wicked or malicious people to me for money or favors?"
Ahri rubbed her forehead, thought for a moment, and hesitated before saying, "It seems... there really isn't. Although the people he brought are all eccentric in their own way, I haven't heard of any of them abusing their connections."
"That's it." Mei Qianqian put away the silk. "Although that immortal's memories were chaotic, his intuition was very accurate. The fact that he could travel with this Joyful Monk and bring him here is itself a kind of implicit endorsement. Furthermore..."
She walked to the window, looked at the various scenes in the market, and spoke slowly.
"To survive the deadly trap created by the Zhen family patriarch's divine will and those bizarre rituals, no matter what methods were used, one must be no ordinary person. It's better to make a good relationship than to create an enemy for no reason. We're in business to make money."
Mei Qianqian took out a roll of silk as thin as a cicada's wing from her sleeve and gently unfolded it. On it, a portrait was outlined in spiritual ink, with clear and gentle features and calm eyes.
"Furthermore," she said, lightly tapping the portrait with her fingertip, a hint of amusement in her eyes, "according to intelligence, the true appearance of the Qingyang Temple Master, Xuming... is that of a rare and handsome man."
Ah Li's previously drooping fox ears suddenly perked up, and her tail wagged involuntarily. She leaned closer, staring at the portrait on the silk for a few moments, her eyes brightening slightly, her earlier complaints long forgotten.
"Really?" Her tone revealed a hint of curiosity, but she cleared her throat to try to remain calm. "Ahem... I'm not judging by looks, I just think... if she really is that kind of person, perhaps she is indeed worth your time, Sister Qian."
Seeing her like this, Mei Qianqian couldn't help but chuckle, carefully putting away the silk: "Alright, I know you have this problem. But this person's true nature is hard to fathom, and physical beauty is the least reliable indicator."
Ah Li pouted and stopped arguing, only muttering, "Fine, you have a point. I know you're not just aiming for management, Sister Qian, you want to achieve something and compete with your brothers and sisters for the position. You'd better be careful, and don't drag me down with you in the end."
As she spoke, her tail drooped down again, her tone half-joking and half-serious: "After all, you know that my biggest dream in this life is to one day achieve enlightenment, shed my demonic form, and become a carefree and genuine fox spirit. I don't want to die with you halfway through."
Upon hearing this, Mei Qianqian smiled and reached out to rub Ali's fluffy fox ears, feeling their warmth and softness: "Don't worry, if it really comes to a life-or-death situation, I will definitely push you out to take the hit first."
"Sister Qian!" Ahri angrily slapped her hand away, but her ears twitched honestly, and the tip of her tail quietly curled up.
......
The market downstairs was bustling and noisy, with a cacophony of sounds and stalls of all kinds, dazzling with their colorful lights.
Xu Changqing mingled among them and felt his eyes were opened. The gathering of Qianjinfang was indeed as famous as it was. People from all walks of life, demons and monsters, all gathered here, making it a small otherworldly martial arts world.
He strolled around leisurely, his gaze sweeping over the rows of stalls. A large crowd had gathered around one stall, chattering amongst themselves.
Xu Changqing leaned closer and saw that the stall owner was a burly tiger demon with a "king" character stripe on his forehead. He was shirtless, revealing his strong muscles, and was shouting in a booming voice: "Top-quality tiger blood, very fresh. And this tiger penis, a great tonic, nourishing yin and strengthening yang, don't miss it if you pass by."
On the stall, several rough earthenware jars were filled with dark red blood, the stench of which was mixed with faint fluctuations of demonic energy.
There was a thick, long object next to it, tied with a red rope, placed neatly.
Xu Changqing's lips twitched as he watched, thinking to himself, "This tiger demon... sells the blood and whip of its own kind? How ruthless."
He shook his head and chuckled, muttering to himself, "Wow, if you don't get rich, who will?"
The tiger demon had extremely keen ears. Upon hearing the sound, it looked up and stared at Xu Changqing with its large, copper-bell-shaped eyes. Seeing that he was a fat monk, it grinned and revealed its sharp teeth.
"Master, wanna have some? I guarantee you'll be virile and powerful, able to sleep with ten women a night!"
Xu Changqing quickly waved his hand and chanted a Buddhist prayer: "Amitabha, forgive me, forgive me. This humble monk practices pure meditation and does not associate with women."
But he didn't slow down, quickly moving away from this place of trouble, behind him came the tiger demon's loud laughter and the commotion of the other onlookers.