Chapter 321: You Shouldn't Have Come Back

On the second floor of the teahouse.

Lin Yu and his companions had already left the teahouse to return to the outer city. They didn't have the qualifications to live in the inner city, so all they could do was feel secretly envious of the rich spiritual energy that the residents of the inner city enjoyed.

Not long after they left, a graceful figure ascended to the second floor and sat across from Jue Wudi. She had snow-white skin and eyes that shimmered like stars.

"Brother Jue, I heard that Xia Ji has returned. He's spreading rumors about you. What do you plan to do?" The woman spoke softly. "If you don't object, I can have someone shut him up."

"Lingxing, Xia Ji is just a mere fourth stage Qi Refining Realm cultivator. You don’t have to worry too much about him. He can spread all the rumors he wants, it isn’t a big deal to me," said Jue Wudi, laughing lightly.

Fang Lingxing furrowed her brow, then said, "But I absolutely won't allow anyone to smear your name.”

Jue Wudi smiled ambiguously without agreeing or disagreeing, then changed the subject. "Have you heard? There's a member of the Fang Family who has returned to acknowledge his ancestry. He's friends with Xia Ji."

"Acknowledge his ancestry?" Fang Lingxing's eyes flashed with disdain. "There have been countless people like this over the years. Our Fang Family has many members, so it's understandable that some may have ended up wandering outside. Even if Xia Ji is acquainted with him, it won't change anything. If he interferes in this matter, I'll have him relocated to the outer city."

She was the Fang Family’s prodigy and the direct heir of the main branch, who had reached the twelfth stage of the Qi Refining Realm at a young age; she indeed had the ability to as she said.

"Don't underestimate him. I feel like this person is not simple," said Jue Wudi thoughtfully.

Fang Lingxing was slightly startled. "He’s not simple?"

If it were anyone else, Fang Lingxing wouldn't have taken it to heart, but it was Jue Wudi saying this, so she couldn't help but think harder about the implications behind his words.

Jue Wudi smiled. "Don’t worry too much about it, just be a bit more cautious. By the way, what arrangements does the Fang Family have for you when it comes to this trade conference?"

Fang Lingxing smiled back and said, “A talisman master from Azure Cloud Empire will be present this time. The family intends for me to apprentice under him. If this happens, I will go to Azure Cloud for cultivation in the short term.”

Jue Wudi nodded lightly. "That's a good thing. If you go to the Azure Cloud Empire, there will be no one to compete with you for the position of Fang Family head in the future. You’re the only in your generation who has the potential and qualifications to take this position.”

Fang Lingxian’s cheeks suddenly turned rosy, and she said, "I don't really care about being the head of the Fang Family. I just hope to spend more time drinking tea and watching the sunrise over the sea of clouds with you."

"If you become the head of the Fang Family and I become the head of the Jue Family, wouldn't we have plenty of opportunities to do so?"

Smiling, Jue Wudi got up from his seat and stood in front of Fang Lingxing. Gently lifting her chin with two of his fingers, he stared fixated into her eyes with affection.

At this moment, silence spoke louder than words.

After a few moments, Jue Wudi took a step back, and said, "I'll get back to my cultivation now. This trade conference is a rare event that happens only once every hundreds of years. There may be fierce competition between the disciples of the various sects, and as a disciple of the Jue family, I cannot afford to be weaker than others." After which, he left gracefully, seeming as intangible as the clouds in the sky.

Fang Lingxing watched his departing figure in intoxication.

After a few moments, she regained her composure, turning cold again. Eyes narrowing, she muttered, "Xia Ji...."

***

At the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, Xia Ji had picked out a flying sword that suited Wu Ruochou's preferences. It had twelve Soul Imprints. It was just perfect for her.

My senior sister's treasure was shattered when she last clashed with Fang Lingxing. She'll definitely be very happy when she sees this flying sword,

thought Xia Ji, a hint of a smile crossing his face.

The attendant who was by his side noticed his smile, and he complimented, "You have a keen eye, Young Master Xia. This sword is a masterpiece from the Hidden Sword Pavilion in the Azure Cloud Empire, a fourth-tier empire. It’s an excellent treasure amongst items of the same grade. We acquired twenty of them at the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, sold nineteen, and now only this one remains."

"How many spirit stones?" asked Xia Ji with a smile.

"It's only two hundred low-grade spirit stones," replied the shop clerk promptly.

"Two hundred?" Xia Ji nodded silently. Indeed, it was a bit more expensive than ordinary artifacts with twelve Soul Imprints, but he could tell that its quality and craftsmanship were really superior.

"I'll take this flying sword," said Xia Ji.

Hardly had Xia Ji said this when several young men and women approached him. One hefty young man reached out for the flying sword and inspected it fondly, his eyes admiring.

“‘First come, first serve.’ I saw this flying sword first. Sir, you'd better look at other artifacts,” said Xia Ji with a faint smile.

"Are you trying to compete with us for this flying sword? I know you, Xia Ji, the closed-door disciple of Master Chan Yuan from the Profound Void Temple, right? I might have given your master some face in the past, but you've offended Jue Wudi now. What, do you really want to offend several other disciples of the Jue Family?" joked the young man disdainfully, seemingly not taking Xia Ji seriously at all.

The other Jue Family disciples behind him smirked in mockery, waiting to see what Xia Ji would do.

"So you're from the Jue family. No wonder you lack manners," said Xia Ji, shaking his head. Then, he took out two hundred low-grade spirit stones and handed them to the attendant. "I'll take the flying sword."

The expressions of the people around him changed slightly. Was this guy really going to offend them?

The young man looked at the attendant and said lightly, "You dare take his spirit stones?"

The attendant chuckled lightly, accepted Xia Ji's two hundred low-grade spirit stones, retrieved the flying sword from the young man's hand, and respectfully handed it to Xia Ji. "Young Master Xia, the transaction is complete. Please take care on your way out."

The young man was momentarily stunned, his brows furrowing. How dare this mere attendant from the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion offend them?

"Did you not hear me? Are you deaf, or was my voice too low?" The young man looked at the attendant and said coldly, "This flying sword was mine. What right do you have to sell it to someone else? Is this how the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion treats its customers?"

"Sir, Young Master Xia was the first to spot this flying sword and choose it. I am just a humble servant and only know how to follow the rules and regulations of the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion. Please forgive me," replied the attendant with a bow.

"Did you hear that?” said Xia Ji, smiling ambiguously. “This is the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, not your Jue Family. Even if Jue Wudi were here, he wouldn't have much weight to carry around here.”

The expressions of the few people changed rapidly, and in the end, they could only leave with faces ashen with anger, glaring hatefully at the two before departing.

"Lord Xia, you shouldn't have come back," said the attendant after they had left.

"Nothing to worry about. I know what I'm doing." Xia Ji smiled. "What about you? Has Lin Yu been causing you trouble lately?"

𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"Since Young Master Xia arranged for me to work at the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, he hasn't dared to bother me anymore," replied the attendant gratefully.

"It wasn’t me who did it, it was my master. I don't have that kind of influence," said Xia Ji with a wry smile.

At that moment, Fang Chen stepped into the pavilion. He had seen the leaving youngsters outside. "Any trouble? Who were they?"

"They're from the Jue Family. But there's no problem, I've already sent them away," said Xia Ji with a grin, then showed Fang Chen the new sword. "What do you think of this flying sword?"

"It's of good quality." Fang Chen nodded slightly. Having seen many treasures before, he could tell that this flying sword was indeed excellent.

Suddenly, Fang Chen heard Little Sword’s voice ringing in his mind.

‘I'm so hungry, Little Chen.’

‘Don't worry, I'll let you feast in a bit,’

reassured Fang Chen.