Chapter 499: Daughter Of A King
"Thinking about the first ti I entered a city when my master bought
candied hawthorn," Jiang Qingyao spoke softly, her voice tinged with nostalgia. Once, the cities were surrounded by massive walls and moats, now replaced by towering skyscrapers and modern buildings.
"I miss my master too," the younger version of Celestial Sword Maiden piped up, her eyes brimming with tears. On a stormy night long past, her entire sect was rcilessly slain by a man in black—those faces she would never see again.
"There’s still candied hawthorn to be found today, let’s go get so," Wang Xuan offered, trying to lift the spirits.
Soon, both versions of the Celestial Sword Maiden, young and old, held a stick of candied hawthorn. Jiang Qingyao, lost in the echoes of her past, barely nibbled at hers. Though the setting had changed, the taste could not bring back those days; the sweetness had a shadow of lancholy.
The younger Qingyao, however, seed to find the present more delightful, chewing enthusiastically until thoughts of her master soured the sweetness, and she tried hard to steer her mind away from mories.
With ti still on their side before lunch, Wang Xuan decided to take them shopping to help adapt to the modern pace of life.
"First thing's first—smartphones," the younger Qingyao reminded, understanding the necessity of communication tools, especially now that extraordinary ans like telepathy had faded with the decline of transcendence.
"Of course, but no gaming or binge-watching videos," Wang Xuan half-joked.
"What ga could rival the thrill of slaying demons across realms or hunting sacred beasts in the divine seas?" she retorted.
"Point taken," Wang Xuan conceded.
Soon, each of the celestial beings had a brand-new Lotus-brand smartphone in hand. Wang Xuan, with patience, began explaining the functionalities, a task he thought would require ticulous attention due to their unfamiliarity.
However, he underestimated them. The younger Qingyao, impatient with his slow pace, demanded he transfer the knowledge directly through a ntal imprint for efficiency's sake.
Before long, she was adeptly navigating her new device—texting, voice ssaging, watching videos, and even editing photos with skill that belied her brief introduction.
"You should add
on your social dia; why wait for
to ask?" she chided Wang Xuan, who was left speechless by their quick adaptability.
anwhile, the older Jiang Qingyao's mood had lightened considerably. After recovering from her initial lancholy, she took to the smartphone's cara with gusto. Clothed in flowing white robes, she even attempted to levitate for a perfect celestial selfie before Wang Xuan hurriedly reminded her they were still within the city limits.
"Stay grounded, though those ethereal snaps really are stunning. Send
a few of those beauties!" Wang Xuan requested, eager to capture the mont.
"Not giving you one, you're laughing like a villain!" the Celestial Sword Maiden chuckled, her sweetness belying a touch of mischief as she teasingly turned away.
The younger version chid in supportively, "Exactly! That nasty smile of yours reminds
of that Flower Thief from the Yin-Yang Sect, who got beaten up in the end!"
Snap!
Undeterred, Wang Xuan seized the mont to snap a selfie with the two Celestial Sword Maidens, capturing a genuinely good picture. "A thousand years from now, let's hope we can still take photos together," he mused cheerfully.
"Let's go shopping for so clothes!" he suggested, leading the way to modernize their wardrobes, already pondering how to "equip" the pair for a contemporary look.
The shopping street was bustling even in the morning. It wasn't long before Wang Xuan encountered a familiar face—Qi Liandao, the Demon Ancestor's second son.
Wang Xuan paused, surprised. It had only been a few days since they had sched over the Demon Ancestor's blood pool in the celestial realm, and now here was his son.
Qi Liandao was accompanying a female demon immortal on her shopping spree, visibly resigned to his fate, having lost his ambitious drive after repeated defeats—largely at the hands of Old Zhang and Wang Xuan.
Their first encounter involved Old Zhang throttling him and forcing him to call him 'uncle,' a blow to his pride.
Subsequent encounters with Wang Xuan left him so harried that he seed aged beyond his years.
Now, drifting with the tide like other "returnees," he was adapting to modern life, the worries of a transcendental apocalypse far from his mind.
"Are you also from beyond the Great Veil? Allow
to introduce myself, I am Qi Liandao!" His eyes brightened as he spotted Jiang Qingyao, approaching with enthusiasm to greet her.
Wang Xuan, who was just finishing paying for the clothes for the two immortals, stood nearby, although not imdiately next to Jiang Qingyao. Despite his imposing presence, Qi Liandao seed to have overlooked him entirely, likely due to Wang Xuan's subdued aura.
However, it was clear that Qi Liandao's attention was solely on the Celestial Sword Maiden, so much so that he montarily forgot about his own companion and walked straight up to introduce himself with a gentlemanly warmth.
A sharp sound emanated from the Celestial Sword Maiden's sword, resonating from behind her.
Qi Liandao's expression briefly froze, then he hesitated, saying, "You seem...familiar. I feel like I’ve seen you sowhere."
Then, he noticed the smaller version, who was making threatening gestures at him. She was just as exquisite and bore a striking resemblance to the larger figure.
"Is it permissible to slay demons here?" Jiang Qingyao asked, her voice clearly directed at Wang Xuan.
Wang Xuan approached, his expression stern as he fixed his gaze on Qi Liandao.
At this mont, the hairs on the neck of the Demon Ancestor's second son stood on end. Encountering Wang Xuan again seed like bad luck, as every previous eting had ended with him defeated and humiliated. He was thoroughly resigned to his fate.
Thankfully, he had resolved not to antagonize Wang Xuan to the bitter end and had cleared the air at Huang Ming's teahouse, where all grievances were openly discussed and resolved.
"Old Wang, is this immortal your..." He hadn't yet recognized Jiang Qingyao, mainly because she was exceptionally low-key, a survivalist in the celestial realm who rarely made public appearances in turbulent tis.
Then, Qi Liandao glanced at the smaller Celestial Sword Maiden and asked Wang Xuan, “Is this... your daughter?”
This question left Wang Xuan montarily stunned before he realized the absurdity of the situation. He had arrived full of fury but now found himself slightly distracted, restraining his anger.
“I’m so mad!” the little one exclaid, jumping up and delivering a kick that sent Qi Liandao flying into an ancient ginkgo tree beside the road.
Frustrated yet resigned, Qi Liandao hung from the tree, a mix of anger and sadness washing over him. Defeated by a child—was he really that helpless? At that mont, all his grand ambitions and struggles through the eternal night seed pointless, as bitterness flooded his heart.
“Can I slay the demon?” Jiang Qingyao asked again.
“Let it go,” Wang Xuan replied. “We can’t shed blood in the city, and his mistake was unintentional. His nature isn’t all bad, at least he hasn’t done anything evil in this realm.”
“Celestial Sword Maiden... Jiang Qingyao?!” It finally dawned on Qi Liandao who she was. His scalp tingled with fear. His elder brother had once coveted this woman but had never dared to act. Now, inadvertently, he had provoked her again. Every encounter with Wang Xuan seed cursed.
“It’s just a misunderstanding, goodbye!” With no hesitation, Qi Liandao leapt from the tree and disappeared, fearful of further wrath.
“Heh, heh…” Wang Xuan couldn’t help but chuckle.
“You laugh just like those from the Yin-Yang Sect!” the little one critiqued.
“If you keep that up, I’m not taking you shopping!” Wang Xuan threatened.
“Pfft, your bank account and password are all set up on our phones. Can’t I shop by myself? Plus, the clothes you pick are not at all flattering!” The younger Qingyao spared him no rcy.
As they continued, the Celestial Sword Maiden’s adaptability was evident. She donned high heels and navigated the streets with a swaying grace, her deanor transford and radiating a different kind of charm.
Unfortunately, whenever Wang Xuan attempted to recomnd slightly more revealing clothing, like short skirts, Jiang Qingyao would humorously tap his head with the hilt of her sword.
"Old Wang, where are you? It's almost ti, don't be late," Qin Cheng ssaged in the Deep Space Beyond group, noting that it was nearing noon.
The younger Qingyao, bored with carrying bags and guarding a pile of shopping boxes, saw the ssage and responded on behalf of Wang Xuan with a voice reply: "Comrade Old Wang is currently buying us skirts!"
"I go, sounds like a girl!" Qin Cheng was startled.
"It is a girl!" Chen Yongjie replied instantly, also in the Deep Space Beyond group.
"There's a situation!" Qingmu chid in.
The venerable Liu Huai'an, who had also ventured to the land of immortality and returned in shared hardship, was naturally in the group too; his ssage was more reserved: "......"
Then ca Zhao Qinghan, who also sent six dots: "......"
Followed by Wu Yin: "......"
After sending the reply, the little one tossed the phone aside carelessly, mainly feeling exploited and thus disinterested. Post-shopping, Jiang Qingyao had sohow managed to make her carry even more bags, second only to Wang Xuan, while the Celestial Sword Maiden herself carried very few, looking effortlessly chic.
In the Deep Space Beyond group, Qin Cheng wiped sweat from his brow and tried to smooth things over: "Old Wang ntioned he was bringing friends over. Don't overthink it; he's just a straightforward guy."
"Yes, probably just so friends he t on the way!" Qingmu quickly tried to cover.
"Probably so..." Liu Huai'an finished with another six dots.
Zhao Qinghan: "......"
Wu Yin: "......"
Their group conversation buzzed with mixed signals, humor, and a bit of curiosity, waiting for Wang Xuan to clear up the amusing misunderstanding.
……
"Ti to eat and et so new friends," Wang Xuan announced, beckoning Jiang Qingyao and the miniature Celestial Sword Maiden to halt their shopping spree.
They headed to the Flowing Gold Era Restaurant, a place Wang Xuan had visited often, introduced by his old college friend Qin Cheng, who had never been short on cash even back in their student days.
As they arrived, mories flooded Wang Xuan's mind of past encounters at this very location. He rembered how his ex-girlfriend Ling Wei was once here, set up by her family to et a promising young man from the Wu family. It was part of a larger plan by the Ling, Wu, and Zhou families to discreetly excavate the secrets buried beneath Qingcheng Mountain.
It was also here that Wang Xuan first t Wu Yin, which had led to a verbal altercation that left her breathless and her evening gown nearly bursting at the seams.
Everything felt like it had happened just yesterday.
Qin Cheng, always the early bird, was already waiting outside. From afar, his eyes widened in surprise, and he couldn't help but exclaim quietly, "Old Wang, bringing the family along? How did you manage to find such beauties?"
His genuine admiration was evident as he quickly added, "Did you hear about my wedding in three months? Feeling the pressure?"
He was oblivious to the murderous look in the younger Qingyao's eyes. With a swift punch, she sent him flying against a wall where he embarrassingly hung suspended.
"Ouch!" Qin Cheng questioned his life choices as he dangled. "Let
down, little beauty, I was wrong, you must be sisters!"
Inside the restaurant, Qingmu and Chen Yongjie erged in shock upon seeing Jiang Qingyao and the little one. "Celestial Sword Maidens!" they gasped in unison.
They had t the formidable Celestial Sword Maiden before; Chen Yongjie, especially, had been so shaken by her swordsmanship in their first encounters that he'd jokingly vowed to give up the sword altogether for a while.
From the background, Liu Huai'an, the old master, emitted his characteristic "...
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