Chapter 128: Ambiguous, Neither-Male-nor-Female!

Lin Xian'er looked at the various rare treasures on the shelves, glancing east and west, feeling somewhat helpless.

She found herself entirely disinterested in this Treasure Appraisal Convention, yet Jia Lang persisted in bringing her along to expand her perspective.

In truth, she had attended similar events countless times back in the imperial capital under the guidance of her teacher.

However, given that the Jia family was one of the prominent figures in Hanwu County, Lin Xian'er found it difficult to outrightly refuse Jia Lang's invitation without causing offense.

Suddenly, to Lin Xian'er's astonishment, Ling Feng appeared as well. She was momentarily taken aback but swiftly regained her composure.

"He's here too?"

Lin Xian'er felt a surge of surprise, a subtle smile gracing her lips as her bright eyes formed crescents.

Beside Lin Xian'er, Jia Lang frowned upon witnessing her smile directed at Ling Feng, his hostility unveiled in his gaze.

Ling Feng shrugged off the hostile stare and disregarded Jia Lang's murderous gaze. He walked slowly up to Lin Xian'er with a smile and said, "Now, should I address you as Brother Lin or Miss Lin?"

Lin Xian'er couldn't help but smile, her expression akin to a gentle breeze, enchanting those around her.

"Sorry about last time, Brother Ling. I disguised myself as a man and told some lies. In truth, my name is Lin Xian'er, not Lin Feng."

"You live up to your name, graceful and ethereal.[1]" Ling Feng nodded slightly, smiling faintly. "I didn't expect to encounter you here."

"Indeed, what a coincidence," Lin Xian'er murmured, nibbling on her delicate lip. Catching Ling Feng's gaze, she instinctively offered an explanation, "

Oh,

Brother Ling, this is Jia Lang, the second young master of the Jia family in Hanwu County. He's also my senior brother at the Tianwei Academy."

Jia Lang had an arrogant expression, carrying himself with pride. His admission to the Tianwei Academy already proved his talent, at the very least, he was not someone that Jing Wuxue, the leader of the Iron Blood Alliance, could compare to.

"Miss Xian'er, who exactly is this fellow?" Jia Lang directed a disdainful glance at Ling Feng, loaded with provocation.

With his cultivation slightly surpassing Lin Xian'er's, already at the eighth level of the Pulse Formation realm, Jia Lang easily discerned that Ling Feng's aura was much weaker than his own. To him, Ling Feng was merely a Qi Formation Realm youngster, unworthy of his attention.

Lin Xian'er smiled as she introduced, "This is Mr. Ling Feng, also a friend of mine."

Upon hearing this, Jia Lang immediately adopted a sarcastic tone, saying, "

Oh, oh, oh,

Miss Xian'er, as an accomplished disciple of Vice-Director Huo, when making friends, it's better to have slightly higher standards, so as not to be embarrassed!"

"Nicely put. For instance, certain ambiguous, neither-male-nor-female entities, are best avoided." Ling Feng said, squinting his eyes with a touch of indifference.

Originally, Jia Lang's interest in Lin Xian'er had no connection to Ling Feng. However, due to Jia Lang's decision to provoke Ling Feng, Ling Feng saw no reason to be courteous in return.

"You! You brat, who are you talking about?"

Jia Lang's eyebrows shot up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, and he immediately jumped up.

"I'm talking about whoever is neither clearly male nor female."

Ling Feng's lips curved slightly, his gaze meeting Jia Lang's head-on, not backing down at all.

Even Lin Xian'er, who was usually quite oblivious, sensed that the atmosphere was off. She quickly stood between the two men and explained, "Mr. Jia, Brother Ling didn't mean it that way."

As she spoke, she turned back to Ling Feng, her eyes pleading. After all, they were in Hanwu City, the Jia family's territory. It wouldn't be wise to start a conflict with Jia Lang.

Ling Feng smirked, remembering that he had come today for the sake of Spirit Replenishing Marrow. He shook his head, chuckled, and then cast his gaze over the scattered treasures, no longer bothering with Jia Lang.

"

Hmph,

for Miss Xian'er's sake, I'll spare you this time!"

Seeing Ling Feng back down, Jia Lang's eyes flashed with a hint of disdain. He then turned around in a pretentious manner and smiled at Lin Xian'er. "Miss Xian'er, I'm invited to the Hanwu County Treasure Appraisal Convention every year. I'm quite familiar with this place."

"Let me tell you, in every side hall here, there are one or two treasures of the town hall. I'll find the best treasures for you, and then we can sit in the front row and enjoy the convention,"

Jia Lang continued as he searched around, talking incessantly, "Unlike some people, I have considerable experience in treasure appraisal. A good treasure, be it in color, material, or spirituality, must stand out from the rest. Only true connoisseurs can find them!"

Lin Xian'er listened to Jia Lang's chatter, nodding slightly with a cold expression.

Upon closer observation, one could discern a hint of resignation in her eyes, indicating that she didn't particularly appreciate Jia Lang's attempts to please her.

In reality, Jia Lang's reputation at the Tianwei Academy was rather unfavorable; he was known as a profligate and licentious individual. Naturally, Lin Xian'er couldn't harbor any favorable feelings toward such a character.

As Lin Xian'er grappled with her inner turmoil, preparing to lower her head and select the most appealing treasure, a gentle breeze swept by. Her eyes flickered as she noticed Ling Feng had already approached her side, attentively observing something without turning away.

With their proximity, Lin Xian'er felt her heart rate slightly accelerate. Nervously, she nibbled her delicate lip and instinctively shifted sideways.

However, as she moved, Ling Feng followed closely behind, closing the distance.

Furrowing her delicate brows, Lin Xian'er had initially believed Ling Feng to be an upright gentleman. Yet, to her surprise, he seemed to share the intentions of some unruly rascals, seeking to take advantage of her.

In frustration, she gritted her teeth, feeling somewhat disappointed in Ling Feng. Just as she contemplated how to maintain her distance, Ling Feng suddenly crouched down and reached for her dainty foot.

"Hey, you!" Lin Xian'er's pretty face chilled slightly, a hint of disdain flashing in her eyes, her previous fondness for Ling Feng evaporating instantly.

She was about to speak, but Ling Feng beat her to it. He lifted his head to gaze at Lin Xian'er with clear eyes devoid of any lewd thoughts and calmly said, "

Um...

Miss Lin, could you please step aside? It seems you're standing on something quite valuable."

"

Ah...?

" Lin Xian'er was stunned, realizing she had been overthinking things. Ling Feng was merely interested in the treasure beneath her feet, nothing more...

In an instant, a blush spread across Lin Xian'er's cheeks, feeling her ears grow warm.

As Lin Xian'er blushed with embarrassment, unsure of what to do, she watched as Ling Feng reached out and handed her a plain-looking black object, his expression indifferent as he said, "Here, this is for you."

𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Lin Xian'er blinked her eyes, resembling precious gems, and instinctively reached out to take it. However, she quickly realized that the treasure was not only unremarkable but also rough and unsightly in appearance, devoid of any spiritual essence, much like a common roadside stone.

What kind of treasure can this possibly be?

"Ling..." Lin Xian'er's eyes flickered with doubt, but Ling Feng had already drifted away, leaving behind only a remark. "It's yours now."

Gritting her teeth, Lin Xian'er found herself involuntarily placing some trust in Ling Feng's words as she tightly clenched the black little stone in her hand.

1. The character 'xian' in Xian'er stands for immortal, fairy, etc. ☜