Long Aotian’s Beautiful Butler Has Run Away chapter 10

Chapter 10: Cui Xingmiao

Shengjing, the Pavilion of Prosperous Times.

As one of the largest restaurants in Shengjing, its second-floor window seats were highly coveted by the powerful and famous, with reservations booked out three months in advance.

At this moment, the four-panel screen protecting the window seat was half-folded, revealing a gap that allowed a glimpse inside. Anyone coming up from the floor below would casually glance in, curious to see which dignitary was feasting there today.

Surprisingly, the two people drinking by the window were an old and a young Jianghu wanderer. The older one had white hair and beard, dressed in the cloth robe of a wandering doctor. The younger one had a handsome but cold face, leaning against the wall with arms crossed, standing three feet away from the table with a look of world-weariness.

Buzz—

Suddenly, the jade pendant on the table vibrated.

The cold-faced young man sprang up from the wall, rushed to the table, and grabbed the jade pendant.

Noticing the gaze from outside the screen, he turned his head slightly and glanced at the screen, which automatically unfolded to completely block the window seat from view.

After this operation, anyone could see that the young man was no ordinary person, but a cultivator.

Shengjing was a gathering place for romantic figures and talented people from all directions. It was not uncommon for cultivators to appear here.

However, for the sake of order in Shengjing, they usually kept a low profile.

For the cold-faced young man to act like this, he was either bold due to his high skill or genuinely anxious.

Shen Bingsi indeed fit both descriptions. The way he rushed to grab the jade pendant looked as if ten or eight big men would snatch it away if he were a moment late, even knocking a corner of the small table askew.

Buzz—

Shen Bingsi stared at the jade pendant until its buzzing stopped and it ceased vibrating.

The old doctor opposite the table lifted his wine cup, took a sip, and said, “Why didn’t you answer?”

“I still have serious business to discuss,” Shen Bingsi tucked the jade pendant back into his chest, looked up at the old doctor, and narrowed his eyes slightly. “When can you remove this makeup?”

“Heh,” the old doctor chuckled lightly. “How did you tell?”

As “he” spoke, “his” voice changed drastically. It started with an old man’s laugh but ended with a woman’s ethereal and clear voice.

“I saw through it back at the underground expedition.” Shen Bingsi looked “him” up and down. “Do you really intend to keep talking to me with this face?”

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The “old doctor” lowered his eyes, remained silent for a while, took another sip of wine, and sighed, “You don’t think this makeup can be wiped off with a sweep of a sleeve, do you?”

Shen Bingsi raised an eyebrow slightly, meaning Is it not?

The “old doctor” shook his head: “I didn’t expect you, a dignified Demon-Slaying Sword Saint, to believe those fictional stories. Disguise is not that easy, especially for something as detailed as mine. It takes an hour just to apply the makeup. Removing it is simpler, but it still requires a special dissolving fluid. Besides, I came in as Healer Miao. If I go out as Cui Xingmiao, what will others think? Wouldn’t the identity of Healer Miao, which I worked so hard to build, be exposed?”

Shen Bingsi: “…”

“So troublesome.” Shen Bingsi frowned. “Can’t you just say you are Healer Miao? Can’t Healer Miao be a woman?”

The “old doctor”—no, she should be called Cui Xingmiao now—leaned forward slightly, resting her chin on her hand, looking at Shen Bingsi as if examining some rare flower of the human world: “Do you think I am you, Rong Er?”

Shen Bingsi’s eyelid twitched.

“So, what do you want from me?” Shen Bingsi automatically skipped the previous topic.

The two were old acquaintances who had met during the Dragon Cave expedition half a month ago. However, at that time, both were pretending to be someone else, appearing to others as two strangers with no connection.

The “old doctor’s” true identity was actually quite famous. She was Cui Xingmiao, the niece of the Sect Master of the Yunshan Sect. Although the Yunshan Sect was not one of the three mainstream sects, it had a good reputation, especially known for its medicine. It was said that Cui Xingmiao had inherited the Sect Master’s medical skills and was as beautiful as a celestial being, earning the title “Fairy Xingmiao” in the cultivation world.

Such a beautiful and skilled woman, having just come of age, had heroes from all walks of life paying court to her, and matchmakers breaking down her door, leaving her no peace for a single day. Forced by circumstances, Cui Xingmiao left the Yunshan Sect and wandered the Jianghu disguised as Healer Miao, finding freedom in doing so.

“Wasn’t it you who wanted something from me?” Cui Xingmiao tilted her head. Since her identity was exposed, her aura had changed significantly, her posture and small movements becoming charmingly girlish.

If her appearance weren’t that of a wrinkled old man, the scene would surely be pleasing to the eye.

Shen Bingsi frowned: “You… never mind. You pointed out the name of the jade pendant in public. Didn’t you want something from me?”

“Oh~” Cui Xingmiao understood. “You’re still brooding over that.”

That day in the underground Dragon Cave, Shen Bingsi had contacted Rong Xie using the Transmission Jade to decipher the text on the door. No one knew about the Same-Heart Transmission Jade until Healer Miao pointed it out. To make matters worse, the team leader was a fool who blurted out his guess, angering Shen Bingsi.

Shen Bingsi might be straightforward, but he wasn’t stupid. He saw clearly who was fanning the flames from behind.

“Yes,” Shen Bingsi said. “I always hold grudges. If there is a grudge, I will avenge it, and I won’t wait overnight.”

Cui Xingmiao sighed: “Do you know that saying this will lose you a lot of points with girls? Never mind, it was silly of me to say such things to someone on the Heartless Path.”

Shen Bingsi didn’t quite understand what Cui Xingmiao was talking about: “If you have no business with me, I have business with you.”

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“Oh?” Cui Xingmiao rested her chin on her hand and tapped her cheek twice. “Tell me about it, besides revenge.”

Shen Bingsi had reserved a table on the second floor of the Pavilion of Prosperous Times, obviously not just to seek revenge on Cui Xingmiao. He really had something important, a very tricky matter.

“…” After listening to Shen Bingsi’s description, Cui Xingmiao’s professional attitude as a healer rose. “You mean, he hasn’t been able to breakthrough to Foundation Establishment, and recently shows signs of spiritual exhaustion?”

“Exactly.” Shen Bingsi frowned. He had been worried about this for a long time. After thinking it over, he could only turn to Cui Xingmiao for help. “I heard that your Yunshan Sect has a special Spirit Gathering Stone that can help cultivators obtain spiritual energy from nature.”

Cui Xingmiao couldn’t help laughing: “Ha, you’re not talking about our Yunshan Sect’s treasure, are you?”

Shen Bingsi remained expressionless: “Exactly.”

Cui Xingmiao shook her head and sighed: “Impossible. Do you know how big the Spirit Gathering Stone is? It can accommodate seven or eight adults bathing in it at the same time. Stealing it would be harder than ascending to heaven. As for you, the sect has blacklisted you. If you take one step into the sect’s boundary, you will be hunted down by the entire sect.”

Shen Bingsi touched the side of his nose and answered as casually as if hearing what was for lunch: “Oh.”

Silence ensued for a moment.

Shen Bingsi said, “Is there no other way?”

Cui Xingmiao hated his self-righteous attitude, especially since it was for his best friend: “Yes, of course there is. Go beg the Hehuan Sect. Ask their Red-Clad Elder to grant you a furnace cauldron. Teach your friend to dual cultivate with the cauldron. He can have as much spiritual energy as he wants.”

Shen Bingsi’s eyelid twitched.

Furnace cauldrons were despised by the orthodox path. Though they sounded like vessels, they were living people with special constitutions and meridian circuits different from ordinary people. They couldn’t improve their cultivation but could only store spiritual energy. Dual cultivating with a furnace cauldron allowed one to extract spiritual energy from their dantian, just like taking what one needed from a vessel.

Rong Xie didn’t even want him. Would he want a furnace cauldron?

“Don’t joke around.” Shen Bingsi’s face darkened. “Rong Xie is noble and upright. How could he stoop to obtaining spiritual energy in such a way?”

Cui Xingmiao couldn’t help rolling her eyes. She could maintain her fairy-like demeanor in front of others, but she always lost it in front of Shen Bingsi.

“If you didn’t cultivate the Heartless Path, I would suggest you personally dual cultivate with your best friend,” Cui Xingmiao retorted.

Shen Bingsi fell silent again.

Cui Xingmiao stared at him in surprise: “You wouldn’t really…”

“If I could solve it, would I need to find you?” Shen Bingsi felt irritable inside. He was unwilling to mention this sad matter in front of outsiders. “Stop talking nonsense. Will you help or not?”

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Cui Xingmiao tapped her cheek with her finger, thought for a moment, and said, “I want to see your friend’s condition first.”

“Okay.” Shen Bingsi nodded. “But he always lives in Huanxue Villa and rarely goes out. I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble you to make a house call.”

Cui Xingmiao tugged at her sleeve. In a way, this played right into her hands. She also wanted to see Shen Bingsi’s famous lair in the cultivation world and see what kind of wonderful person the golden egg hidden in his nest was, to have charmed the hope of the Heartless Path, Shen Bingsi, so thoroughly.

“Alright,” Cui Xingmiao put on a reasonable appearance. “Let’s go to Huanxue Villa. Maybe the problem isn’t as serious as you think. I’ll take a look first. Maybe the Spirit Gathering Stone isn’t needed at all.”

Hearing Cui Xingmiao say this, Shen Bingsi immediately felt relieved, and his mood improved.

“Good, when do we leave?” Shen Bingsi looked as if he could push the table away and leave right then.

Cui Xingmiao leisurely picked up her wine cup and took another sip: “Although we are old acquaintances, the procedure for a house call must be followed. Let’s discuss the consultation fee first.”

“Naturally. Name your price, and I’ll pay.” Shen Bingsi didn’t think there was any need for discussion.

“No, I think it’s better to settle it first, to avoid disputes after the consultation.”

“Name it.”

Cui Xingmiao pondered for a moment.

“I once did a consultation for the Swordsmith Alliance as Healer Miao and heard a legend.”

Back then, the Swordsmith Immortal Ou Yezi forged five famous swords that shook heaven and earth. The names Zhanlu, Chunjun, Shengxie, Yuchang, and Juque were known to all. However, few knew that he also left behind a set of “Swordsmithing Diagrams,” depicting 72 treasured swords of different materials and characteristics, and the Photoelectric White Orchid was one of them.

Photoelectric White Orchid, true to its name: the sword body was light, short, and small, entirely silvery-white, flashing with a blue luster. When wielded, it was like lightning piercing the sky, leaving afterimages like the leaves of a gladiolus. If one saw it being wielded once, the afterimage could remain in one’s vision for three days.

The Photoelectric White Orchid had always existed only in legends. No swordsmith could recreate it perfectly. The difficulty in forging lay in—Luyin Silver.

The “Swordsmithing Diagrams” recorded that the coast of the South Sea produced Luyin Silver, which was light, flexible, and tough, with a luster like electricity. It was the main material for forging the Photoelectric White Orchid.

But no one knew exactly where this South Sea coast was, nor had anyone seen what Luyin Silver looked like.

Until one day, a swordsmith received a piece of Luyin Silver from his sword cultivator friend. It was said to have been obtained from a sunken land in the South Sea. A massive earthquake hundreds of years ago destroyed the coastal villages, sinking them along with the Luyin Silver into the seabed. That sword cultivator friend obtained it by chance while chasing a sea monster.

The swordsmith was overjoyed to receive the Luyin Silver and immediately began smelting and forging. After a full one hundred and fifty days of tempering, the Photoelectric White Orchid was born. It was said that on that day, electric light filled the sky. When the furnace opened, someone saw a huge orchid afterimage, and the fragrance of the orchid lingered for three full days before gradually fading.

The swordsmith had intended to give this Photoelectric White Orchid to his sword cultivator friend, but the friend already had his own bound flying sword. He had no choice but to sell the sword through the Swordsmith Alliance’s auction, earning a remuneration enough to keep him well-fed and clothed for the rest of his life—

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Thirty thousand spiritual stones.

“Unfortunately, that swordsmith didn’t know that the one who bought the Photoelectric White Orchid was you, and the one who found the Luyin Silver was also you. You just didn’t want his efforts to be in vain. What touching friendship. This sword was what you wanted to make from start to finish.”

Cui Xingmiao looked at Shen Bingsi.

“I want that Photoelectric White Orchid.”

Shen Bingsi fell silent.

He hadn’t expected Cui Xingmiao to know this story so well.

“No.” He refused flatly. “That sword has already been given to someone.”

“Ah… is that so.” Cui Xingmiao couldn’t help being disappointed. Since she first heard about the Photoelectric White Orchid from the swordsmith, she had been fascinated by it. Even though she wasn’t a sword cultivator, she wanted to possess it.

“As long as you can cure Rong Xie, I can give you spiritual stones of equal value, or other heavenly treasures, weapons, and armor. You can pick whatever is in my warehouse,” Shen Bingsi said.

Hearing him say this, Cui Xingmiao had to give up. Shen Bingsi always disdained lying about such favors. Presumably, the Photoelectric White Orchid really had an owner.

Cui Xingmiao shook her head regretfully: “I don’t lack money or weapons, and I don’t want those heavy things of yours…”

Shen Bingsi frowned. Then what should he do?

“How about this? Let’s play an interesting game,” Cui Xingmiao suddenly revealed a mysterious smile, holding up a finger between the two of them. “From now on, until we reach Huanxue Villa, you must listen to me regarding anything related to the diagnosis and treatment. When I talk to your friend, even if I speak nonsense, you are not allowed to interrupt or show any unnecessary expressions—can you do that?”

Shen Bingsi was puzzled. What kind of price was this? Asking him to stand by like a post? What if Cui Xingmiao bullied Rong Xie?

“What, you don’t trust me?” Cui Xingmiao smiled meaningfully. “Don’t worry, I won’t bully your friend. A healer has the heart of a parent; I just want to cure him. Some questions are asked out of necessity for treatment. You don’t understand. If you interrupt, wouldn’t my efforts be in vain?”

Although Shen Bingsi was still suspicious, he had no other choice. Let her try. He would be by the side anyway. Besides, they had known each other for a long time. If she were a person of bad character, Shen Bingsi wouldn’t associate with her.

“Okay.” Shen Bingsi nodded slightly. “I agree.”

Cui Xingmiao clapped her hands: “Deal!”

“Then let’s start now,” she pointed at Shen Bingsi’s chest. “Take out that jade pendant and contact him. Don’t say anything else, just notify him: Fairy Xingmiao is coming to visit Huanxue Villa for a tour. Please make preparations.”

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