Chapter 216   Meeting the Mysterious City Lord

“Get some rest. We’ll have to head to the City Lord’s mansion to attend a gathering. I heard... that many outstanding Qi Artists have been invited and there would definitely be some who are secretly working for the Dark Sect. They might issue a challenge to you,” Xuan Ji said after some thought.

Hua Qiyue’s brows arched as she asked, “Why do we have to attend a gathering?”

Hua Qiyue was not interested in such gatherings. She was only interested in constantly improving her cultivation and becoming more powerful.

“You will definitely be able to gain something from it if you go,” Xuan Ji said simply.

Hua Qiyue couldn’t understand his words but she didn’t probe any further and returned to her room to rest. She had taken the medicine pellet but she would need to rest and recuperate if she wanted to completely get rid of the foreign force within her body.

She frowned slightly but knew that Xuan Ji would have his own reasons for asking her to be there.

In any case, she had not gone out for more than a month. It would be good for her to meet some people and hopefully gain a few friends.

The next evening, Xuan Ji brought Hua Qiyue and the others to the Bai Mansion to attend the gathering.

There were many people inside the mansion, just as Xuan Ji had predicted. Not everyone would be able to enter the Bai Mansion but there were so many outstanding Qi Artists throughout Yuewu Kingdom, so they formed a large majority of those present at Spirit Heaven City.

After all, the anima city here was several times more abundant than the anima energy in the outside world, so who would pass on the opportunity to cultivate her? Everyone was trying their best to win a chance to cultivate within the city.

Those who were able to enter were either rich or noble. If they weren’t highly-skilled Qi Artists, then they were extremely rich.

The Bai Mansion occupied an area of a hundred li. It was extremely big and its corridors were long and winding. There were water pavilions on each side of the corridor and the corridors were lined with jade while flowers bloomed everywhere, so it was a beautiful sight to behold.

The buildings outside paled in comparison to such beautiful scenery within the Bai Mansion.

Hua Qiyue gasped in admiration. She hadn’t expected the Bai Mansion to be so big and extravagant but when she remembered how many crystal cores one had to pay to enter the city, she decided that Bai Qianxue was an extremely rich man.

“Qiyue, how do you think Bai Qianxue will be like? His name sounds like a girl’s name!” Ji Jing said softly.

Hua Qiyue smiled. It was true that his name sounded like a girl’s name.

As Hua Qiyue and Ji Jing exchanged hush whispers, the person leading the way glanced at them coldly, his gaze as cool as ice.

After all, Hua Qiyue and Ji Jing were gossiping about his City Lord.

“Don’t gossip about others... We’re surrounded by the City Lord’s admirers, and if you don’t watch your mouths you might cause a stir later,” Xuan Ji advised them.

Ji Jing stuck out her tongue and smiled adorably.

It was a woman’s right to gossip and wherever a woman could be found, there would be gossip!

Moreover, would it be terrible if they couldn’t gossip when they lived in this world?

Ji Jing was a little annoyed and started to dislike Bai Qianxue even before she met him.

Ji Feng noticed the beads of sweat on Hua Qiyue’s forehead and said, “Qiyue, are you alright? Why are you sweating so much?”

Hua Qiyue quickly used a handkerchief to wipe the sweat off her face. “I’m fine. I just feel a little warm.”

Ji Jing and Ji Feng exchanged a glance. It wasn’t a hot day, so why would Hua Qiyue say that she felt hot?

Since Hua Qiyue discovered that strange otherworldly force within her body, her body had changed and she became much stronger than before.

However, she found that she would start to break out in sweat whenever she moved. Xuan Ji told her that it was a side-effect and it would take a few days for it to completely disappear.

They only arrived at the main hall of the Bai Mansion after walking for a while. The tables had already been laid out in the main hall and round tables were laid out in the empty space in the flower garden at the backyard. The tables were full of people but there was an empty table on the right of the main seat.

“Master Xuan, this way please!” The servant leading the way said politely as he ushered Xuan Ji and the others to the table next to the main table.

Everyone stared as they walked past because this seat was usually reserved for the City Lord’s most important guests. This table had always been empty and it wasn’t until now that these few people had arrived.

Xuan Ji and the others, including the hare, calmly took their seats.

Hua Qiyue noticed that the servant had addressed Xuan Ji as ‘Master Xuan’ and thought that it was odd. Xuan Ji was a monk, so why would he be addressed as ‘master’?

Could Xuan Ji be conducting some secret operations under the guise of a monk as the others have speculated?

Hua Qiyue kept thinking about it but couldn’t figure out why this mysterious Xuan Ji would want to hide his identity.

“Hmm, the occupants of this table have arrived.”

“There are five of them. Two women and three men... they all look pretty good and it seems like they are highly-skilled in Qi Arts as well. Two of them have even concealed their aura.”

“They all look so young and I’ve never seen these five people around at the capital. That’s odd. Why would they be respected guests of the City Lord?”

“Hmm, that woman... is she Hua Qiyue? There’s a portrait of her distributed as an arrest warrant by the Dark Sect. It really does look like her!”

“Yes, I think that’s her. She really does look like her portrait!”

“Amazing. I can’t believe Hua Qiyue knows City Lord Bai!”

“There’s a hare on her shoulder as well. Tsk, she might look beautiful but she can be incredibly vicious when she attacks.”

The crowd gossiped amongst themselves.

Hua Qiyue pretended not to hear them. A servant girl served tea and it was a good quality Tieguanyin.

She casually picked up her tea cup and took a sip.

Many young men snuck glances at Hua Qiyue. After all, the battle of Gnawing Devils Sect had already spread across the land and no one doubted her strength.

She was an exceptionally talented beauty, so she drew even more attention to herself than others when she went out.

“Qiyue, you seem to shine brightly wherever you go. Look, so many people are watching you!”

Ji Jing smiled slightly enviously. Hua Qiyue merely pursed her lips into a smile and said, “It might not be a good thing to draw too much attention to oneself.”

The hare jumped onto the table and said as it sipped at the wine, “She’s right. What would she do with all these admirers? Aren’t they just as useless as flies? She shouldn’t be wasting her time on them but she should be quietly waiting for Yun Shimo to return!”

Hua Qiyue’s expression changed and Huangfu Xuan had already reached out to smack the hare!

The hare quickly dodged his blow.

Xuan Ji looked at Hua Qiyue and said with a strange look in his eyes, “You might end up meeting someone who would surprise you later.”

Hua Qiyue was surprised. Someone who would surprise her?

Who else could it be but Yun Shimo?

“Hmm, the adopted daughter of the Murong family has also arrived. Look, that’s her!”

Someone whispered in the crowd.

The Murong family? Hua Qiyue hardly left the Ten Thousand Spirit Cave so she naturally didn’t know how powerful this family was but when she saw how everyone had quietened and stared at the woman who entered in hushed silence, she could tell that the Murong family was very influential in the Yuewu Kingdom.

“She’s such a beautiful woman. Although she’s not as gorgeous as Hua Qiyue, she would be considered a beauty in Yuewu Kingdom.”

Someone whispered softly at the table next to Hua Qiyue’s.

Hua Qiyue looked curiously in the direction of the gate and saw a woman dressed in purple robes with a green jadeite golden hair ornament on her head.

Her long skirts swished around her gracefully as she walked and her every move was elegant and refined.

Hua Qiyue was stunned and stared at the woman’s familiar face in shock.

That’s right! It was her!

Although this woman was more mature than before and her eyes seemed jaded, she was sure that she was right.

She was shocked to find that the woman’s Qi Arts skill was now lower Round Sun level!

She had progressed in her Qi Arts at an astonishingly fast pace!

Hua Qiyue knew that newly promoted Round Sun Qi Artists would not be able to cultivate such a strong defense.

That woman was none other than Hua Mengshi who had vanished at the Green Mountain Temple!

Hua Qiyue was extremely shocked. When did she become the adopted daughter of the Murong family of Yuewu Kingdom?

The Murong Family seemed to treat Hua Mengshi well and probably even gave her some kind of secret art.

After all, Hua Qiyue had been considered an incredible talent earlier and Hua Mengshi was at least two cultivation levels below her.

Yet, in a blink of an eye, Hua Mengshi had caught up to her. Hua Qiyue found it hard to believe that Hua Mengshi would be able to achieve this feat without the help of a secret art.

“Look, that’s the adopted daughter of the Murong Family. She’s incredibly talented. I’ve heard that she was adopted by the Murong Family after saving the Old Madame of the Murong Family three months ago! Then, her cultivation soared from the great completeness of Soaring Cloud to lower Round Sun. She has improved at a terrifying speed.”

“Yes, I’ve heard this rumor too. Murong Mengshi is extraordinarily strong. The Old Madame of the Murong Family had been poisoned back then but she was the only person who knew how to dispel the poison. I’ve also heard that she’s the successor of the Hundred Poison Immortal!”

“Her dual identities have made her even more influential. I’m not surprised why the City Lord has given her preferential treatment!”

Hua Qiyue overheard the crowd gossiping about Hua Mengshi.

Murong Family? Hundred Poison Immortal?

Hua Qiyue and the others had just arrived, so they didn’t know who were the influential characters here. However, since the Spirit Heaven City was so rich in anima energy, Hua Mengshi would naturally make her way here if she wanted to cultivate.

Hua Mengshi gracefully greeted everyone and her smile grew deeper when she saw Hua Qiyue and she stared at her with a challenge in her eyes.

However, that challenge in her eyes quickly faded since she had to pretend to be a demure lady in public.

Hua Mengshi sat on the left side of the City Lord’s table.

Hua Mengshi had brought along two maidservants and they were both Qi Artists who had attained the great completeness of Cultivation Dimension.

It was obvious how much influence Hua Mengshi wielded over the Murong Family when they had even generously assigned her two maidservants who were Qi Artists. She had cleverly changed two identities to live in this country.

What had happened to her at the Green Mountain Temple? And who had she encountered?

Hua Qiyue couldn’t help but shiver at thought of the lecherous Palace Leader of Dark Sect. She guessed that Hua Mengshi’s transformation probably had something to do with that Palace Leader.

“Xuan Ji, do you recognize Murong Mengshi?” Hua Qiyue asked Xuan Ji softly.

“Murong Mengshi? She is a well-known lady throughout both the Spirit Heaven City and Yuewu Kingdom. She has only gained fame over the past three months but she has become very well-known. I’ve heard about her but I’ve never met her,” he replied with a smile.

Ji Feng and the others naturally recognized Hua Mengshi. They looked at her in shock, then they glanced at Hua Qiyue.

“Qiyue, are my eyes playing tricks on me? Isn’t that woman Hua Mengshi?” Ji Jing said softly.

“Yes, didn’t she go missing? What is she doing here?” Ji Feng asked in confusion. Everyone else seemed equally confused.