Chapter 1336: Chuan Ying and Chi Qingli

Niu Youdao's face immediately darkened.

He had known it. The moment this matter got out, it would become ammunition for that damned woman, something she could use against him for the rest of his life.

Yun Ji's expression became rather interesting as well. She hurriedly turned and left too, doing her best to keep her face expressionless.

Once everyone else was gone, the room finally became quiet.

Niu Youdao walked to the dressing table and sat before the mirror. There had been no mirror in the Land of the Buried Buddha.

He untied his hair and examined himself from left and right in the mirror. Then, staring at his reflection, he secretly began circulating his art.

His hair immediately spread outward like a peacock's tail, or the quills of a hedgehog. Using the heat generated by the Qiankun Art, he began working on his hair.

Giving himself a perm!

He wanted to straighten it again. In theory, it should be possible. If he did not straighten it, a certain someone would inevitably mock him.

What he did not know was that when he next met that certain someone, the first question would be an astonished: Why is your hair straight again?

...

Three flying mounts crossed the sky in a Wild-goose Formation.

On the lead mount, Chi Qingli, Sect Leader of Tiannü Sect, chatted and laughed cheerfully, her bright eyes flowing with expression. Though she claimed to have severed the desires of love and passion, there was unexpectedly a trace of feminine allure in her every word and movement.

The reason was simple.

Beside her was someone who made her seem radiant merely by standing near him: Chuan Ying, husband of the Pavilion Master of the Ice and Snow Pavilion.

Chuan Ying put on no airs. Every so often he tossed out a light joke, and each one made Chi Qingli smile as brightly as a flower.

He remained as elegant and handsome as ever, while Chi Qingli naturally did not think she herself was behaving improperly.

The disciple controlling the flying mount ahead of them, however, could already sense that her Sect Leader's manner was not quite as reserved as usual. Such thoughts could only remain inside her heart. She would never dare say them aloud.

Chi Qingli truly had not noticed anything either. Some of her behavior was nothing more than an instinctive response to seeing such a handsome man: an unconscious desire to display her own feminine charm.

To Chi Qingli, the meeting between them had been pure coincidence.

To Chuan Ying, it had been arranged long in advance.

With the power behind him, manipulating a small matter was hardly difficult. That also meant arranging a chance encounter with Chi Qingli was easy enough.

A problem had arisen at Tiannü Sect's shop on the Ice and Snow Pavilion side, which immediately drew Chi Qingli there. From there, the two naturally "happened" to meet.

After a few polite exchanges, Chuan Ying mentioned that he happened to be going to Han to clear his head. Chi Qingli readily offered to accompany him, saying they were traveling the same road anyway.

Naturally, Chuan Ying's handsome appearance was not the only reason. His identity mattered as well. Chi Qingli had some desire to establish ties with him.

After traveling together for some time, the two could not yet be called friends. Yet from the way Chuan Ying spoke, he seemed already to regard Chi Qingli as one, which secretly delighted her.

A sudden powerful gust swept over them, throwing the flying mount's course into disorder and making those standing on its back sway.

Chuan Ying reached out to steady Chi Qingli by the arm. "Sect Leader Chi, careful."

Their bodies touched.

She could feel the warmth of his hand, and the shy flower in Chi Qingli's heart seemed to bloom all at once. For an instant, she felt as though she had rediscovered the sweetness of being a young girl.

Men liked beautiful women. Women were just as easily moved by handsome men.

This man was one of the rare great beauties among men beneath Heaven, and he was gentle and considerate besides. The pleasure it gave Chi Qingli was difficult to describe.

In that brief daze, a thread of regret even rose in her heart.

She regretted that she was Sect Leader of Tiannü Sect.

She regretted that he had already married the Pavilion Master of the Ice and Snow Pavilion.

Her thoughts were complicated, but outwardly she remained restrained. She carefully withdrew her arm from his hand.

Chuan Ying seemed to realize his impropriety and immediately apologized. "Sect Leader Chi, please forgive me. I acted without thinking and was discourteous."

Chi Qingli answered softly, "No harm done."

And truly, no harm had been done. She did not blame him in the slightest.

Of course, if an ugly man without status or standing had touched her like that, it would have been a violation of the dignity of the Sect Leader of Tiannü Sect. She might have slapped him to death on the spot.

The female disciples flying as escorts on either side glanced toward the pair from time to time.

Seeing the two of them like this made some of them uncomfortable.

It was not Chuan Ying touching their Sect Leader that bothered them. Rather, it was the somewhat affected way their Sect Leader was behaving, at least in their eyes.

Some were worried that she might lose control of herself and allow something inappropriate to happen. This was the husband of the Pavilion Master of the Ice and Snow Pavilion. If the Pavilion Master misunderstood, Tiannü Sect could find itself in enormous trouble.

Others simply found Chuan Ying far too handsome. Ordinary cultivation was not enough to erase a woman's instinct for jealousy.

But all such thoughts could only remain unspoken.

A massive city gradually appeared on the horizon ahead.

Chuan Ying asked, "Sect Leader Chi, that's the capital of Han ahead, isn't it?"

Chi Qingli smiled. "That's right. What, Mr. Chuan Ying has never visited the Han capital?"

"I have, but never by flying mount from the air. It's nothing to be ashamed of: before I met Luo'er, I had never ridden a flying mount in my life. I didn't have those kinds of means then. Whenever I came here, I came and went in a hurry. With Sect Leader Chi accompanying me this time, I imagine I can finally look around at leisure."

Chi Qingli smiled charmingly. "Mr. Chuan Ying is joking. Even without me accompanying you, you could tour the capital without concern. I refuse to believe anyone in Han's capital would dare make things difficult for you."

Chuan Ying shook his head. "Sect Leader Chi is the one joking. How could I command that kind of respect? In the eyes of the world, I'm nothing more than a pretty boy who lives off a woman."

He finished with a bitter smile.

Chi Qingli immediately grew serious. "Petty people wag their tongues because they envy you. There's no need to take such nonsense seriously. Whenever you have time to visit the capital in the future, come without worry. If anyone truly dares act outrageously toward you, I'll be the first not to let them off!"

Chuan Ying asked teasingly, "Even if it's the Emperor of Han?"

Chi Qingli waved a hand. "You're worrying too much. His Majesty is a learned man who understands propriety. How could he be discourteous to you?"

Inwardly, she added that Nie Zhenting would probably be scrambling to curry favor with Chuan Ying if only he were willing.

The moment the three flying mounts approached the capital, patrol mounts rushed over to intercept and question them.

When the patrol saw that Sect Leader Chi herself had arrived, they immediately gave way and allowed them through.

As they flew above the city, Chuan Ying pointed toward the vast, imposing palace complex. A trace of excitement entered his voice. "The Han imperial palace."

Chi Qingli genuinely found that somewhat amusing.

This was a man who had even visited the Ice and Snow Sacred Land, surely a place like an immortal paradise, somewhere countless people yearned to see. Compared with that, what was a mere imperial palace?

"Is Mr. Chuan Ying interested in touring the palace?"

Chuan Ying immediately became more reserved. "I am curious, but I don't know whether it would be convenient. I've walked outside the palace walls of all seven states, but I've never gone inside any of them."

Chi Qingli could understand that.

In the past, what qualifications would he have had to enter an imperial palace?

She immediately smiled. "Since you're already here, why not go in and have a look?"

Chuan Ying hesitated. "Sect Leader Chi, would that be appropriate? It won't make the Emperor of Han unhappy?"

Chi Qingli sensed that something about the question was slightly odd, but she did not think much of it. Given Chuan Ying's present identity and standing, she could not imagine why he would need to harbor any scheme against her.

So she dismissed the concern and allowed herself a touch of self-display. "Nie Zhenting may be Emperor of Han, but he only sits that throne because I allowed him to. Otherwise, it would never have been his turn. You can rest easy."

Chuan Ying tested her. "You truly have that much say inside the imperial palace?"

Chi Qingli smiled faintly. "I wouldn't dare say I decide everything, but my words still carry weight."

Chuan Ying immediately nodded. "Good. Then I'll follow Sect Leader Chi into the palace and broaden my horizons."

The flying mounts headed directly over the palace complex.

They were intercepted again, then swiftly allowed through.

Chi Qingli's arrival immediately alerted the people inside the palace.

Chuan Ying's arrival caused an even greater stir among the disciples of Baichuan Valley and Wushang Palace stationed there.

There was almost no need for him to announce his name.

His extraordinarily handsome appearance, rare beneath Heaven, combined with Chi Qingli's courteous treatment of him, was enough for the disciples of the two sects to guess his identity immediately.

The disciples quickly went to report.

Before long, Baichuan Valley Elder Cheng Hu and Wushang Palace Elder Liao Pingdong hurried over. Under the pretext of greeting Chi Qingli, they confirmed Chuan Ying's identity.

Once they learned that it truly was him, their courtesy became almost excessive.

Not long afterward, Emperor Nie Zhenting of Han received the news as well and hurried over to pay his respects.

Ordinarily, given Nie Zhenting's position, he did have to salute the Sect Leaders of Han's three great sects, but there would have been no need for him to rush over in such a fluster.

The reason he did so now was Chuan Ying.

The Nine Saints placed themselves above the entire secular world. Naturally, those close to them stood a level above ordinary worldly people as well.

At the Emperor's order, preparations immediately began for a grand palace banquet to entertain the honored guest.

Chuan Ying repeatedly stopped them. He said he did not want such fanfare and that a small private gathering would be enough.

Since he insisted, Nie Zhenting could hardly oppose him. He ordered the palace to make refined preparations for a smaller gathering instead.

Even a small banquet took time to prepare.

When Nie Zhenting heard Chuan Ying had come to tour the imperial palace, he immediately put aside everything he had been doing and volunteered to accompany him personally.

Chi Qingli had initially wanted to say there was no need for the Emperor or anyone else to accompany them and that she herself would suffice. In the end, however, she decided that under so many eyes in a public setting, being alone with Chuan Ying would be somewhat inappropriate.

They toured the palace for a while.

When they reached the imperial garden, Chuan Ying, who had been looking around curiously, suddenly remarked, "So this is all there is inside an imperial palace."

There seemed to be a trace of disappointment in his words, as though it were nothing particularly impressive.

Nie Zhenting exchanged a glance with the people beside him.

Chi Qingli smiled and answered, "A place of the secular world naturally can't compare with immortal paradises like the Ice and Snow Pavilion or the Ice and Snow Sacred Land."

Chuan Ying tentatively asked, "I've often heard that imperial palaces gather all kinds of rare and precious treasures. I wonder whether I might be allowed to broaden my horizons?"

Chi Qingli smiled bitterly. "You're mistaken. Compared with the things in the Sacred Land and the Ice and Snow Pavilion, what treasures could there be in the palace? They're all ordinary worldly objects."

Nie Zhenting immediately agreed. "Sect Leader Chi is right. Nothing here can compare with the Sacred Land or the Ice and Snow Pavilion."

Chuan Ying suddenly smiled. "I understand. I was presumptuous."

Understand what?

He had plainly misunderstood.

Chi Qingli hurried to say, "If you don't mind looking at common objects, I'm sure His Majesty won't be stingy."

As she spoke, she gave Nie Zhenting a look.

Nie Zhenting immediately said, "Exactly. If you don't disdain such things, perhaps you would like to visit the palace treasure storehouse."

Chuan Ying instantly showed great interest, yet still asked tentatively, "It won't cause any inconvenience?"

"No inconvenience at all. It would be my honor to have these things enter your discerning eye. Please!" Nie Zhenting cupped his hands and extended an inviting gesture.

[End of Chapter 1336]