Chapter 22: Chapter 21 Stay Overnight 1
Translator: 549690339
Miss Shang’s eyes twitched as she put down her book to greet the two men, her voice cold. “Thank you for bringing Xiao Lu back. I’m Shang Yuan.”
Upon seeing Shang Yuan, the parrot seemed to have found its saviour. It tried to escape from Lu Yang. Lu Yang let go and let the parrot fly around the room. “You must be careful next time. Luckily, this parrot has been circling around Taiping Village. Otherwise, if it flew elsewhere, you wouldn’t have been able to find it,” Lu Yang said, warning them with a smile.
Shang Yuan glanced at the two well-dressed men, who clearly appeared like gallant young heroes who had roamed the martial world for a long time.
Lu Yang and Tao Yaoye were dressed just like the Seek Dao Sect recommended in the Task Hall – the kind to pose as young heroes who had spent a long time roaming the martial world, exhibiting chivalry.
Shang Yuan seemed somewhat aloof. It wasn’t clear whether this was due to her personality or something else, “Xiao Lu is back. You two can leave now.” Tao Yaoye frowned slightly, not liking Miss Shang’s attitude.
Pretending not to hear her dismissive words, Lu Yang said cheerfully: “Let’s chat for a bit. The Shang Family has been welcoming us warmly, they might even ask us to stay for the night.”
Shang Yuan scoffed: “Just because the Shang Family welcomes you doesn’t mean I do. You’d better leave and it would be best if you left Taiping Village.” “There are no demons or monsters in Taiping Village, so why should we leave? You haven’t left the Shang Family for a long time, don’t you want to hear about the outside world?” Lu Yang asked.
Surprised by Lu Yang’s words, Shang Yuan’s tone softened: “Where do the two of you come from? I have not left home for almost a month, would you mind sharing with me what you’ve seen and heard in the martial world?” “We are from the Seek Dao Sect, one of the Five Great Immortal Sects. We are both at the Foundation Establishment stage. We came to Taiping Village because we heard that a demon bird was causing trouble…”
Lu Yang spoke slowly and clearly. His tone was gentle, making him a good storyteller.
Learning that they were at the Foundation Establishment stage, a hint of joy flashed in Shang Yuan’s eyes.
After chatting for a while, Shang Yuan became fascinated by Lu Yang’s description of the adventurous life of a cultivator and also wanted to explore vast, magnificent, and mysterious world.
“I want to cultivate, but my father disagrees. He says cultivation is too dangerous. If it weren’t for his good luck when exploring an ancient tomb, he would have died in there.”
“I have asked him so many times about his adventures, but he refuses to tell me.” Shang Yuan replied angrily, she had an interest in strange and unusual stories, but her own father, despite his personal experiences, refused to share with her.
Lu Yang sighed inwardly. It seemed that the head of the Shang family was also a man with a story.
What is the head of the Shang Family’s cultivation level?”
Thinking of her father’s smug face, Shang Yuan rolled her eyes: “He claims to have reached the Ninth Level of Qi Training in the past, but after surviving a great disaster, his cultivation dropped significantly to either the fourth or fifth level.”
Tao Yaoye said: “That’s not too bad, there aren’t many cultivators in Taiping Village, and the strongest one, Village Chief Huang, is only at the seventh level of Qi Training. Someone at fourth or fifth level can live comfortably, let alone the head of the Shang family, who has some resources.”
shangYuan sighed: “Butldon’twanttobeconfinedtoQuheCountyforever I want to roam the martial world and see the vast and extraordinary universe. We are of the same age, yet you are already at the Foundation Establishment stage, and I have not even started my Qi Training.”
Just as Tao Yaoye was about to persuade her, Mr. Zhang, the housekeeper, knocked on the door: “Miss, it’s time for dinner. And the two young heroes your host has specifically asked you to stay the night after dinner considering that it’s already late.”
The lady and Village Chief Huang are waiting for you.”
“Okay, we’re coming.” Lu Yang responded.
Tao Yaoye wanted to refuse, but was stopped by Lu Yang: “Look, I have been saying that the people of the Shang Family are warm-hearted. They will let us stay the night. Since they are being so kind, why not accept the invitation?”
At the dinner table, the head of the Shang Family was seated at the head chatting eagerly with Village Chief Huang. Everyone else was enjoying their meal as well. Though it couldn’t compare with the food of the Seek Dao Sect, it was still delicious.
Mr. Zhang and the maids stood respectfully to the side, attending to everyone. After a satisfying dinner, Village Chief Huang went home, while Lu Yang and Tao Yaoye stayed in the east wing of the house, with only a wall separating their rooms.
Tao Yaoye didn’t really want to sleep here. She was very picky about her bed. Except for the bed in her abode at the Seek Dao Sect which she could fall asleep in immediately, it took her a long time to fall asleep anywhere else.
Tao Yaoye knew this was not a good habit. As a cultivator, it was common to sleep m different places. She had tried to change, but so far, had not succeeded.
“Senior Brother Lu seems to be able to sleep anywhere.”
Tao Yaoye muttered to hetself. For some reason, she chuckled softly and then yawned.
“I’m going to bed early today. I should have a good sleep…”
Tao Yaoye suddenly reacted, “No! Someone has poisoned me!”
She turned around to pick up the Thousand Illusion Umbrella to set up a barrier, only to find that the spiritual essence in her body was operating hard to mobilize.
She was shocked to discover that someone had administered poison without her noticing. Who could it be?
This is a poison targeted at cultivators. Whoever did this, knowing she was a cultivator, must be a cultivator too.
Apart from the Head of the Shang Family, she couldn’t sense any other cultivators in the family.
Was it the Head of the Shang Family?
Or could there be a cultivator whose cultivation level was too high for her to detect?
What about Senior Brother Lu on the other side?
Questions whirled through Tao Yaoye’s mind, leaving her no time to ponder.
Light footsteps came from outside the room.
When the door was pushed open, housekeeper zhang stepped in with led-foot strides, an enthusiastic and cruel smile on his face.
“It’s you!” Tao Yaoye’s eyes widened in disbelief. The sudden realization that it was Housekeeper Zhang left her disheartened.
The fact that Housekeeper Zhang was a cultivator and she didn’t notice, confirmed that his cultivation level was higher than hers.
Housekeeper Zhang held a skinning knife in his hand. From a distance of five steps, Tao Yaoye could sense a strong resentment tied to the knife. Countless had died under its blade, the resentment was overwhelming.
The moonlight fell on the blade, it shimmered brightly, startlingly bright.
Housekeeper Zhang licked his lips, looking at a struggling Tao Yaoye as if she was fierce prey already trapped.
“Such lovely skin. I’ve never seen such fair, wonderfully contoured skin in my life.”
“I’m aware that you’re from the Seek Dao Sect. Killing you will involve a lot of complications. The Seek Dao Sect’s influence overshadows everything. How would a petty person like me dare to provoke the Seek Dao Sect?”
As he spoke, Housekeeper Zhang drooled, wiping it away while continuing, “But your skin is compelling. It tempts me to take the risk. Since you willingly stayed at the Shang Family for dinner, it’s a great chance to poison you. If I don’t seize the opportunity, I’m simply ignorant.”
There was poison in the dinner!
Seeing Tao Yaoye still struggling, Housekeeper Zhang advised, “Don’t bother struggling. Even without the poison, you are no match for me. You have just stepped into the Foundation Establishment Stage, but I’m already at the late stage.”
Nonetheless, Housekeeper Zhang was cautious. He could not treat a Seek Dao Sect’s Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator as an ordinary one!
He only spoke this way to discourage Tao Yaoye from resisting.
The more she resisted, the tighter the skin and flesh bonded, making it harder to flay. That was an experienced judgment.
“Just relax, it will only hurt a bit, and in a quick moment, you won’t fear anymore.”
He licked the skinning knife and moved closer to Tao Yaoye.
Suddenly, Tao Yaoye sprang up, her spiritual essence flowing freely. Holding onto the Thousand Illusion Umbrella, she fiercely smashed it into Housekeeper Zhang’s face.
Housekeeper Zhang had been sure of his victory, so the attack caught him off guard.
“How come you’re not poisoned?!”