400: Start fooling around (two in one)

“I knew it! I’ve definitely been dumbed down! But what’s this Hundred Flowers Physique for?”

“Ding! Hundred Flowers Physique: This Physique possesses a special ability to attract various flowers from the Heaven and Earth, providing her with a continuous supply of vitality and Spiritual Qi. In combat, the Hundred Flowers Physique can utilize this Physique to imbue her Moves with floral fragrance, trapping enemies in a difficult situation.

At the same time, this Physique also grants her an extremely high affinity for all kinds of flowers. Neither Yao Beasts nor Cultivators can resist her charm.”

“Hiss! Goodness, this woman actually counters my Peach Tree so perfectly! I wonder if she did it on purpose, or if it was purely accidental? But then again… you said that ordinary people can hardly resist her charm, a point I really can’t agree with!” Elder Chen Xuan said, stroking his chin and narrowing his eyes slightly.

“Although I have the intention to take her in, I have to admit, I personally feel that this is still not as good as… cough, cough, cough!”

“Now… she has been dumbed down and purposely came to curry favor with me. I suppose she must have been instructed by the Sect Master of that small Sect, whatever it’s called.

Since that’s the case, hehehe, don’t blame me for being impolite! Hehehe!” Chen Xuan let out a spine-chilling laugh.

Hua Mengjie saw Chen Xuan’s expression, her pretty face flushed slightly, and she instinctively took a step back, pouting, “Elder Chen, why do you keep staring at me without saying anything!”

Hearing Hua Mengjie’s words, a subtle hint of embarrassment quickly flashed across Chen Xuan’s face. He then lightly coughed and slowly said,

“It’s nothing, Mengjie. If there’s something you wish to discuss, please come in and speak.” With that, he stepped aside, making a gesture of invitation, motioning for Hua Mengjie to enter his Immortal Cave.

Hua Mengjie hesitated outside for a moment, but finally gritted her teeth and walked in. After all, her Cultivation was at the Great Ascension Stage; no one could do anything to her!

As soon as she entered, Chen Xuan’s Immortal Cave came into view. It was elegantly decorated, with various flowers planted inside, such as orchids, roses, and Chinese roses.

As soon as she entered, she smelled a faint floral fragrance that refreshed her mind.

Chen Xuan sat by the table in the living room, poured Hua Mengjie a cup of tea, and motioned for her to sit down. Hua Mengjie sat down, feeling a bit awkward.

“This is good tea, leaves from the tree of life. It wasn’t easy for me to get them!” Chen Xuan said with a smile, looking at Hua Mengjie.

Leaves from the tree of life, just fragments of Lin Rou’s skin.

Finally, Hua Mengjie awkwardly picked up the teacup and took a sip.

“Tell me, Mengjie, what brings you here today?” Chen Xuan asked with a smile.

Hua Mengjie put down the teacup, mustered her courage, and said, “It’s like this, Elder Chen, I… can I make a deal with you?”

Chen Xuan was slightly taken aback, then said, “Mengjie, do you need my help with something?”

“Elder Chen Xuan, can… can you provide me with some Qi Luck Peach Blossom?” Hua Mengjie plucked up her courage and stated her request.

Chen Xuan was stunned upon hearing this. He hadn’t expected that Hua Mengjie, this woman, had no social graces whatsoever, daring to directly make such a request to him.

“Lord Hua, how many Qi Luck Peach Blossom do you need?” Chen Xuan asked.

“Not, not many, just ten Advanced ones will do.” Hua Mengjie quickly replied.

“Ten, you say…” Chen Xuan pondered for a moment, then said, “Lord Hua, if it were a normal transaction, I could naturally provide them. However, Lord Hua should know the Sect’s rules, and there are many people coveting Peach Blossoms, so…”

“I understand, Elder Chen Xuan. Just tell me what conditions you need, and I will do everything I can to satisfy you!” Hua Mengjie said firmly.

Chen Xuan sighed and said:

“Lord Hua, don’t think it’s that simple for me to conjure a Peach Blossom. But you know how Heaven-Defying such things are! The production conditions for Qi Luck Peach Blossom are extremely harsh. Sometimes, if I’m not careful, it can even severely deplete my Origin Qi, making it not worth the effort! Otherwise, the Old Sect Leader wouldn’t compensate me with Sect contribution points!”

This woman, with her intelligence lowered, should be easy to fool.

“Yes, I know it’s not easy for you, Elder Chen… but I…”

“Those are 10 Advanced Peach Blossoms! Lord Hua, you know the price of my Peach Blossoms yourself, not to mention the Life Peach Blossom that increases vitality!”

“Yes, Elder Chen, just name your price!” Hua Mengjie said directly when she saw Chen Xuan relent.

Avoid currying favor if possible.

“Lord Hua, this isn’t really a matter of price, but rather… I need pure Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi to produce more Peach Blossoms without the Sect discovering it. But the pure Spiritual Qi I need… must at least reach the level of a Ninth-Grade Spiritual Vein.” Chen Xuan answered truthfully.

“Ninth-Grade Spiritual Vein…” Hua Mengjie’s spirits dampened upon hearing this. A Ninth-Grade Spiritual Vein was an extremely rare existence; even she, a Great Ascension Stage Cultivator, had never seen one.

“Elder Chen Xuan, please give me some time, I… I will definitely find a way to meet your request!” Hua Mengjie said firmly.

“Alright, Lord Hua, then I look forward to your good news.” Chen Xuan said with a smile.

“Mmm!”

“Well, since you have nothing else, Mengjie, I won’t keep you. I still need to find someone…”

“Mmm, mmm, then I’ll take my leave, Elder Chen Xuan!”

Hua Mengjie stood up and walked towards the entrance of the Immortal Cave.

Then… she suddenly realized.

“This… I came here to build a good relationship with Chen Xuan, but how did our conversation lead to me having to find a Ninth-Grade Spiritual Vein for him? If I really had a Ninth-Grade Spiritual Vein, Brother Qingfeng would have reached the Great Ascension Stage long ago!”

“Now, let alone finding a Ninth-Grade Spiritual Vein, I don’t even have any information about it! The most crucial thing is… Brother Qingfeng, he wants a continuous supply of Peach Blossoms!”

As she thought, Hua Mengjie unconsciously walked back.

“Mengjie, what is this…”

“Elder Chen, Elder Chen Xuan, I really need your Qi Luck Peach Blossom! Can you help me… I, I…”

“Mengjie, are you in some kind of predicament?”

Hua Mengjie didn’t speak, she just nodded.

“So that’s it, Mengjie, I understand your difficulty. However, you should know that my Peach Blossoms are extremely precious and truly cannot be given to you lightly. Last time in the Joyous Union Sect, it was because my life was in danger that I burned myself to squeeze out those Peach Blossoms.” Chen Xuan deliberately put on a troubled expression.

Anyway, Hua Mengjie’s mind wasn’t sharp at the moment, so she wouldn’t question anything he said.

“Elder Chen, I, I know your Peach Blossoms are very precious, and I won’t take them for free. I can exchange them for other things, if you are willing.” Hua Mengjie quickly said.

“Mengjie, you misunderstood. I don’t want your things; it’s just that my Peach Blossoms are truly too precious, and I really can’t give them to you easily.” Chen Xuan continued to feign difficulty.

Hua Mengjie immediately became anxious upon hearing this. She knew that Chen Xuan was a person who loved beauty… but she absolutely couldn’t give up like this and then resort to despicable means to…

“Elder Chen, I really need Peach Blossoms, please, if you are willing to give them to me, I am willing to pay any price.” Hua Mengjie pleaded.

Chen Xuan looked at Hua Mengjie’s anxious expression and chuckled inwardly. At the same time, he knew that at this point, he couldn’t continue to feign difficulty, or the negotiation might fall through.

“Mengjie, since you are so sincere, then I will agree. However, I have one condition.” Chen Xuan said.

“What condition?” Hua Mengjie asked nervously.

“As everyone knows, my Peach Blossoms are extremely precious, so I hope you can use your own abilities to exchange for them.” Chen Xuan said with a smile.

“My, my abilities… You!!!”

Hua Mengjie was stunned for a moment. She hadn’t expected Chen Xuan to propose such a condition. However, she quickly realized that this should be Chen Xuan testing her sincerity. But she wasn’t a real fool, how could she possibly…

“No, Mengjie, you misunderstood. What I mean is, I need you to work for me, to assist me in making Peach Blossoms!”

“Elder Chen, I understand. Then what should I do?” Hua Mengjie breathed a sigh of relief after hearing Chen Xuan’s explanation.

“It’s very simple. You know, my Lin Rou has recently gone into seclusion for a Breakthrough. I’m quite bored alone in my home, so I just need you to chat with me and do whatever you can to make me happy.” Chen Xuan said with a smile.

Hua Mengjie felt relieved. She thought Chen Xuan would make some excessive demand, but she didn’t expect it was just to chat with him.

“Okay, Elder Chen, I… I will definitely make you happy.” Hua Mengjie said confidently.

So, Hua Mengjie began chatting with Chen Xuan. She tried her best to be more gentle and considerate, hoping to win Chen Xuan’s favor.

Chen Xuan also cooperatively chatted with her, talking about Cultivation, daily life, recent events in the Cultivation World… making Hua Mengjie completely relax.

After chatting for a while, Chen Xuan suddenly stood up. He felt it was time for the next step.

Then, he walked over to Hua Mengjie, extended his hand, and gently stroked her hair.

“Mengjie, I find you truly are a very beautiful woman.” Chen Xuan said.

Hua Mengjie was startled by Chen Xuan’s sudden action. She hadn’t expected him to be so intimate with her so suddenly.

“Elder Chen, you…” Hua Mengjie was a little at a loss.

Chen Xuan smiled slightly and said, “Mengjie, don’t be nervous. I just think you’re truly beautiful, making one unable to resist wanting to get closer, that’s all.”

Hua Mengjie felt a bit flustered. She didn’t know what Chen Xuan really wanted to do. However, she knew that she had to remain calm now and not let Chen Xuan see her unease.

Otherwise, her request, made by lowering her stance, would have been in vain!

So, Hua Mengjie took a deep breath, trying hard to control her emotions, making her expression appear calmer.

“Elder Chen, thank you for the compliment. However, I think it’s better for us to maintain a certain distance.” Hua Mengjie said, feigning calmness.

Chen Xuan looked at Hua Mengjie’s reaction and found it somewhat amusing. It seemed she was still quite clever; even with 30% of her intelligence lowered, she knew not to let him have his way. However, this was exactly what he wanted.

“Mengjie, don’t misunderstand. I just find your aura very unique, making me unable to resist wanting to get closer.” Chen Xuan explained, “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything excessive to you.”

Hua Mengjie felt a little relieved upon hearing this. Since Chen Xuan said so, she couldn’t refuse anymore, after all, she still needed Chen Xuan’s Peach Blossom.

“Then thank you, Elder Chen. I hope for your continued guidance in the future.” Hua Mengjie said with a smile.

Over the next period, Hua Mengjie continued to accompany Chen Xuan, chatting, drinking tea, and playing chess. She tried her best to act naturally, not letting Chen Xuan see her nervousness.

And Chen Xuan also acted very friendly. He and Hua Mengjie discussed various things, from Cultivation to daily life, from the Cultivation World to the mortal realm, as if two old friends who hadn’t seen each other for many years were catching up.

Gradually, Hua Mengjie’s guard against Chen Xuan slowly diminished. She discovered that Chen Xuan was not a difficult person to get along with; on the contrary, his vast knowledge and humorous wit made her feel a strange sense of closeness.

…

“Time really flies, doesn’t it? In the blink of an eye, it’s already night.”

“Yes, since it’s already night, then I should…”

“Oh, go on, go on. It’s late at night, and I have no one to accompany me. I’m really so lonely!”

“You, you can rest assured, I, I will come again tomorrow!”

“Ah, Mengjie, that’s wrong. For us Cultivators, it’s normal to go into seclusion for decades at a time. Now, as soon as night falls, such a wonderful Fellow Daoist like you has to leave, I…”

“I…” Hua Mengjie bit her lip. Chen Xuan’s intention to keep her was already so obvious; if she still couldn’t see it, she might as well not live!.

She really wanted to refuse Chen Xuan outright, but she had a favor to ask of him!

Seeing Hua Mengjie remain silent, Chen Xuan spoke.

“Mengjie, I have a suggestion, would you like to hear it?”

“What suggestion?” Hua Mengjie asked nervously.

“We can sign an agreement. If you can reside in my Immortal Cave for three years and provide me with a certain amount of emotional value, I will give you my treasured Luck and Life Peach Blossom.” Chen Xuan said.

“After all, you are also a Great Ascension Stage Cultivator, so the compensation I give you shouldn’t be unreasonable, right?”

Hua Mengjie listened to Chen Xuan’s suggestion and secretly calculated.

Although the agreement seemed unfair, if she could complete the task, she would get precious Peach Blossoms. This was a rare opportunity for her.

But at the same time, she also thought that three years was simply too long. This wasn’t just about her casually Cultivating for three years and it passing in the blink of an eye; it was about truly spending three years with Chen Xuan!

“Elder Chen, is these three years too… long? With all the power of my Qingfeng Mountain, three years would also yield a lot of contribution points! By then, we could buy them ourselves!”

“You also said, it’s you all putting in effort, versus chatting with me here. Which is easier and simpler?”

“…”

“Can the time… really not be shorter?”

“Mengjie, you’re really making things difficult for me!”