Chapter 422
"Simple enough, just have Bing Tuozi dress as a man."
As he spoke, he turned to Ying Bing, gently taking her delicate hand that clutched the large doll, and said softly, "We promised to explore Di Jing together, so let’s start at Fengyue Lou."
"......"
"Sister, I want to see you in my clothes."
Little Li, who was always eager to hear from his older brother, had just unleashed his ultimate move!
Ying Bing bit her lip, feeling as if this childish boy had somehow opened up her heart, calling her 'sister' so casually.
And now he added, "I want to see you in my clothes."
How was she supposed to respond?
Bing Tuozi lowered her gaze for a moment, realizing she was at a loss.
"Alright....."
"!!"
As soon as the words left her lips, everyone present felt as if struck by lightning, stunned and bewildered.
And then, the most outrageous thing happened—Han Xianzi agreed!
"Wow, could it be..... he really is a genius?"
Xie Xuan had initially felt a bit unconvinced by Little Li.
But now, witnessing this turn of events, he felt a tickling sensation in his mind, as if something was about to sprout...
"Truly impressive, I want to learn this too..."
Wu Chushu felt a chill run down his spine, gasping in disbelief.
Bai Jinghong mercilessly mocked, "Go ahead, I’m rooting for you. The third on the Baihua List is the master of the Penglai Xing Sect, the first is the Empress, and the fourth... is Hua Nongying. Which one do you plan to deal with?"
"...."
What was he even thinking? Did he want to rebel, or could he really compete with the two top figures of the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands?
Why two? Because the sea of the Penglai Xing Sect and the sea of Fengyue Xiaozhu were not in the same league...
Wu Chushu looked at Li Mo with eyes filled with envy and awe.
Li Mo, meanwhile, took Bing Tuozi back to his room, selecting a few pieces from his clothing, finally settling on a luxurious brocade robe.
This was the outfit he wore when he first arrived at Qingyuan Sect, back when he was still a frail young master.
"I don’t think I can fit into this anymore."
Li Mo held the extravagant garment against himself.
"Let’s go with this one." Ying Bing took the robe, a soft light flickering in her eyes.
So much time had passed, and this once-fitting garment was now far too small for him.
Yet, it seemed to fit her perfectly.
After a moment.
As Li Mo flipped through the "Yijinjing," the morning light burst forth outside, illuminating the luxurious and elegant furnishings of the third room in Qianlong, casting a golden glow throughout.
She stepped out from behind the screen, her attire still slightly oversized, but just enough to conceal her ample figure.
Her face was like cold jade, adorned with a silver crown, and her elegant Danfeng eyes exuded a noble grace.
Of course, such beauty would not escape the keen eyes of the seasoned merchants in the Fengyue district.
Thus, the crucial element was the Wuxiang Liuli Sha (a type of ethereal fabric), which truly transformed Bing Tuozi into an androgynous figure.
"How do I look?"
Ying Bing smoothed out the wrinkles of the robe, catching a familiar scent.
"Impressive, Bing Tuozi."
Li Mo dropped the "Yijinjing" in shock, his mouth agape, unable to even think about picking the book back up.
He had worried that Bing Tuozi might not adapt well to the male attire.
What he didn’t know was that Ying Bing had faced many storms in her past life, and her stunning beauty had drawn unnecessary trouble.
So, for convenience, she occasionally dressed as a man.
"Really?"
Bing Tuozi suddenly moved closer.
"!"
Little Li realized she was leaning against the wall behind her.
It seemed like...
He was being cornered by Bing Tuozi, and with her so close, he could catch a whiff of the fragrance from her lips as she spoke... but it was fleeting.
Ying Bing shot him a glance, then draped the Wuxiang Liuli Sha over herself.
"Let’s go."
He had been using his ultimate move too often lately.
So, had the mischievous Bing Tuozi just... launched a surprise attack!
.....
P.S.: Tonight is my grandmother's birthday, and the family is going out for dinner, so the update will be a bit late, but it won't be missed. -3-
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Chapter 468: Inner City, Wasting Someone's Heartfelt Affection
Night fell.
A bronze carriage set off from Buyun Lou, entering the bustling streets of Di Jing.
Di Jing was divided into the Imperial City, Inner City, and Outer City, which could be roughly likened to the first, second, and third rings of a city.
Why "roughly"? Because the Imperial City was the residence of nobles, and outsiders were not allowed in without special circumstances.
The Inner City was even more prosperous and spacious than the Outer City, with buildings of various exquisite styles, harmoniously different yet beautifully crafted. Even the lanterns on the streets were replaced with sea crystal lights, echoing the brilliance of the stars and the grandeur of the nation.
The bronze carriage, which elsewhere exuded understated luxury and depth, felt rather ordinary upon entering the Inner City.
Li Mo lifted the curtain of the carriage, his eyes wide with wonder.
"Fengyue Xiaozhu is even more extravagant; its scenery is unmatched by anywhere else."
Xie Xuan sat at the front of the carriage.
He was used to wearing a straw hat, embodying the image of a carefree wanderer.
Now, with a gentleman and a refined young master sitting inside, he suddenly felt like a mere coachman.
"What's that over there..."
Li Mo spotted a building ahead, with a sign that read "Yebing Pavilion."
Before Xie Xuan could respond, the cool and stylish Bing Tuozi, half-concealing her face with a folding fan, spoke softly, "That’s the property of the Tianshan Sword Manor’s forge. You can place orders there for the craftsmen to forge weapons."
"Impressive, Han Xian... you really know your stuff."
Xie Xuan nodded, chewing on a piece of grass he had plucked from somewhere.
"At every weapon forging conference, many outstanding craftsmen emerge, some of whom join the forge or at least get a mention."
"Speaking of which, the upcoming weapon forging conference is just around the corner, but the quality of the craftsmen seems to decline with each passing year, sigh..."
"Is it because of the Demon Cult?"
Li Mo suddenly recalled the rumors he had heard at Shenbing Peak: "Wasn't the Shenli San banned later?"
Xie Xuan was taken aback, surprised that Li Mo knew about this.
"With Zhang Liang's strategy above and the wall-climbing tactics below, there will always be those who find ways to explore the dark arts. The forms of Shenli San have become increasingly bizarre, making it hard to guard against."
"But knowing this won’t do you much good."
Xie Xuan said, seemingly reluctant to share too much with outsiders. "If you can really help me meet her today, I’ll take care of the weapons for the Qianlong Conference."
The weapons for the Qianlong Conference must be provided by the weapon forging conference.
This, to some extent, narrowed the gap in weaponry.
"Tai Tai, do you have a say in the forge?"
Hearing this title, Xie Xuan clenched his fists.
"I’m a judge at the weapon forging conference."
"Xie Xuan, you truly have a wealth of knowledge and experience, no wonder you’re the second in Qianlong!"
"?"
Xie Xuan found the sudden compliment rather unexpected.
Just then, the commotion ahead grew louder.
Li Mo looked out, witnessing a scene that even he, as a time traveler, could hardly imagine. The street ahead was over a hundred meters wide.
At the end of his line of sight stood three porcelain-like buildings.
Indeed, the material forming the structures resembled porcelain, radiating a lustrous glaze in the night, the three buildings—two small and one large—looked like three vases placed on a windowsill.
One was in tricolor, another in blue and white, and the last in enamel.
The passersby were all dressed in finery, while the servants and maids wore garments that ordinary folk could hardly imagine, made of a material akin to gold paper, their faces adorned with ink wash.
The opulence of the moment had taken on a tangible form.
"Fengyue Xiaozhu is anything but small."
Xie Xuan smiled lightly, clearly pleased with Little Li's astonishment.
Li Mo and Ying Bing, coming from a small place, had certainly never seen such grandeur.
"Please, two young masters, come in."
The young servant greeted them with a wide smile, his enthusiasm slightly unsettling, like a lifeless puppet.
Once Li Mo and the cross-dressing Bing Tuozi were welcomed inside, the servant turned to Xie Xuan with a blank expression.
"Drive the carriage to the back, keep your eyes open. If you bump into a noble, your master won’t be able to protect you."
"? I’m a guest too."
Xie Xuan snapped the whip down with a 'crack.'
"Heh." The servant sneered, "I can tell from your scent that you’re just like me."
"....."
In the end, Li Mo had to explain a few things before Xie Xuan was finally allowed in.
"Oh, it’s Young Master Li! You... you’re quite the rare guest."
A heavily made-up matron approached them.
In the world of Fengyue, news traveled fast. Although she didn’t recognize the straw-hat-wearing Xie Xuan or the cross-dressing Bing Tuozi, Li Mo, as the fourth in Qianlong, still had a considerable level of recognition.
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