Xiaokai's face was covered in grease as he enjoyed a creamy bread roll, when an old Daoist offered him a snow-white invitation, "Three days from now, the Hundred-Year Gathering of Spiritualism will be held in Mount Huangshan. We hope that Sect Leader 205 will grace us with his presence."
"Huh, a meeting?" Xiaokai paused for a moment, then reached out to take the invitation. Its extraordinary weight surprised him, as it felt almost like a stone. He almost dropped it, but quickly steadied himself and examined it closely in his hand.
"Hehe, no need to look. It's a white jade invitation," Songfeng, the Daoist, chuckled, "There are many benefits to attending the gathering, so I hope the Sect Leader won't refuse."
"Of course, I won't refuse," Xiaokai said straightforwardly, "But you have to tell me where it is."
"You needn't worry about that," Songfeng laughed, "Just fly your sword to the Tian Du Peak of Mount Huangshan, and our disciples will come out to welcome you."
Xiaokai blushed, "But, I... I... I can't fly."
Songfeng stared for a moment, then chuckled, "Nonsense. How could the current heir of the Demon-Sealing Mantra not know sword-flying?"
"I'm not lying," Xiaokai said earnestly, "I'm not even lying. My master didn't teach me anything before running away. I'm just an ordinary person."
"Well, then..." Songfeng was a man of Dao and wasn't slow to react, "No problem. When the time comes, my disciples will come to welcome you, Sect Leader."
Xiao Kai smiled, "Thank you, Leader." He also pointed to the Tianyao who was still kneeling on the ground, "Since that's the case, I'll give that guy to you."
Song Feng was immediately overjoyed and disregarded his manners, bowing deeply, "I am truly grateful to the Sect Leader for such a generous gift."
"Kai, how about this move, not bad, right?" Xiao Guan smugly said, "Don't underestimate this Tianyao, even though it has lost its power, it is a thousand-year-old white jade spirit. If it is refined, it will become a top-notch immortal treasure. Its value is not any less compared to those ancient divine beasts. It's a pity you didn't tell me earlier," Xiao Kai said in frustration. "We could've refined it ourselves."
"No use refining it," Xiao Guan sneered. "You have no spiritual power at all. Besides, it's an object turned spirit, naturally there is no elixir inside. All its essence and vitality have been refined into that white jade body. It doesn't serve any other purpose except for refining."
Outside, Daoist Song Feng happily summoned a flying sword and pointed it at Tianyao, shouting "Scram!" The sword swiftly pierced Tianyao's abdomen, and Tianyao let out a thunderous groan, bouncing high into the air before falling like a dead fish. As the spectators were puzzled, Daoist Song Feng declared, "Fellow Daoists, 250th Leader has entrusted me with the authority to deal with this creature. I shall refine it on the spot. I ask you all to help protect me."
The six Sect Leaders looked at each other, all thinking, "Song Feng is quite cunning, taking the initiative to send an invitation, it turns out he had this idea."
According to the unwritten rules of the cultivation world, it is natural for whoever subdues a monster to handle it. However, this Tianyao was obviously a treasure for refining, and everyone subconsciously assumed Xiao Kai would keep it for himself. They overlooked the fact that the art of refining is an extremely difficult task within the cultivation world, and with Xiao Kai's meager cultivation, it was impossible for him to refine it. Therefore, Xiao Kai would surely give away the Tianyao, and being tricked by Song Feng with a simple invitation to obtain such a precious treasure, the others couldn't help but feel some regret, especially Xue Feng. As Xiao Zhu's master, he knew Xiao Zhu was the one Xiao Kai had feelings for, yet he hadn't thought to use this relationship. He regretted it deeply.
White light emitted from Song Feng's sword, accompanied by intense heat which caused the onlookers to retreat about ten meters, feeling as if they were in a furnace. The Tianyao struggled desperatively under the heat, its piercing cries echoing through the air. After burning for half an hour, the Tianyao's struggles weakened, and everyone watched as its body was completely melted, revealing a pure white jade core, which astonished them all.
Song Feng then loudly shouted and threw out an item, resembling a cauldron. It floated slowly over Tianyao's head, and with a swish, it sucked the white jade framework inside.
Xiao Kai appeared from the back of the carriage, rubbed his round belly, and joined the crowd.
"This is the treasured artifact passed down by the Huangshan lineage - the Demon Refining Cauldron. It is a genuine immortal treasure, one of the top ten immortal treasures in the cultivation world," Xue Feng explained to Xiao Zhu. "It is said that even the Demon King of the Demon Realm, once sucked in, would be annihilated. With the Tianyao now lacking power, it will be refined in just a few minutes."
Suddenly, an anomaly occurred!
The cauldron started shaking violently, causing Song Feng's face to change. He immediately exhaled a white gas, pressing his long sword firmly on the cauldron lid, trying to suppress the shaking. However, the shaking was so intense that Song Feng's sword couldn't hold it back. He shouted, "Fellow Daoists, help me!"
As soon as he said this, there was a loud bang. The cauldron seemed to explode from within, emitting a tremendous roar, and the lid was blown high into the sky. However, the six swords from the Sect Leaders shot out and swiftly pressed the lid back down.
The cauldron continued to tremble, but under the pressure of the seven long swords, it had no chance to push the lid open. However, it took another ten minutes for the trembling to finally subside. Daoist Song Feng's face turned pale, he was sweating profusely, and he let out a long sigh, exclaiming, "When the mouth of the Tianyao is fully refined, its power will return. If not contained within the cauldron, it would be nearly impossible to stop it. It was close, so close." As he spoke, his fingers were still trembling slightly as he beckoned the cauldron, which then turned into the size of a fingernail and flew into his hand.
At some point, Ning Qingran had approached Xiao Kai, patting his shoulder. "Hey, big pervert, did you notice when the lid flew off the cauldron, something flew out?"
"Don't call me a big pervert," Xiao Kai snapped. "I didn't even look at the cauldron, I was watching my little bamboo sister."
"Ugh, big pervert!" Ning Qingran grabbed his sleeve. "I'll tell you, when the lid flew off, I clearly saw a flash of white light. But it seems like no one else noticed."
"You're just making it up," Xiao Kai scoffed, glaring at her. Then, as if remembering something, he said, "Oh, why did you come to find me? Weren't you the one who hated me the most?"
"I..." Ning Qingran had only said a word when she suddenly blushed, her little mouth pursed, and pouting, she glared at Xiao Kai before lowering her head and falling silent.
Ning Qingran made her way to the back of the crowd, wearing a serious expression, murmuring to herself, "I never expected he was a cultivator. It looks like I have to think carefully about our bet...for you, even facing a cultivator, I have no fear!"
"Kai, let me tell you something," Xiao Guan came out with a smile, "I've noticed that Ning Qingran has a strong connection with you."
"Don't joke around," Xiao Kai said, feeling ticklish inside. "I'm not interested in that little girl. Don't you remember, she said she would never like me no matter what?"
"Kai, I've been watching a lot of TV shows recently and I've learned a truth," Xiao Guan said earnestly. "A woman's words are the least reliable."
The room was filled with cartoon character images, and the round bed was piled with pillows shaped like animals. It looked like a zoo. The little girl lay on the bed, hugging a large teddy bear and holding a yellowing photo, her eyes fixed on the image of the young boy in the photo, a mix of sweetness, sadness, and confusion filling her heart, making it impossible to express her feelings in words.
A girl's thoughts are often so wonderful. Just a few hours ago she was full of loathing for Xiao Kai, considering him to be a typical lecher and playboy. But now, everything he did seemed cute to Ning Qingran as she thought of him as her potential love interest. She was now finding excuses for him.
"He's not as bad as I thought. He's just more emotional. For example, when he was with Xiao Zhu, he went on stage and made a fool of himself to prevent her from being embarrassed. Also, when he was with Xiao Yun, he didn't do anything. I remember it clearly, Xiao Yun was the one who took the initiative with him."
"My brother said that when he dueled with him, both Xiao Zhu and Xiao Yun went, but they weren't upset with each other. That means he didn't treat them unfairly. In fact, he has always liked Xiao Zhu, but Xiao Yun also likes him and has been clinging to him."
The more the young girl thought about it, the more sensible it seemed. She put her hands to her chest, her heart beating like a drum. "Moreover, when the lid flew off just now, I never expected him to come and save me from danger. I'm just a girl who often scolds and mocks him. I'm not as smart as Xiao Zhu, nor as pretty as Xiao Yun. Yet he pushed me aside without hesitation and almost died at the hands of a monster."
"In fact, he never really cared about who I am. He saved me purely because he is a naturally brave and chivalrous man. He's still the warm, kind, and caring big brother I knew from all those years ago!"
The young girl jumped up from her soft bed. "No! I promised a long time ago that I would be with my big brother. Mom told me that I have to fight for my own happiness."
"I have to snatch Xiao Kai from them!"
"It’s okay," Although the little beauty looked infinitely shy, she was extremely resolute: "Brother, others can like him, and I can like him too. He can cultivate, and I can cultivate too. I made a decision many years ago, and I will not change it in my lifetime."
After staying for a while, Ning sighed, "Alright, be honest, how can I help you?"
Ning Qing's expression became hesitant again. After a long time, she said in a voice hardly louder than a mosquito: "I… I want to make a final decision…"
"Achoo!" Xiaokai sneezed, then vigorously rubbed his nose. "Weird, the weather isn't cold recently, so why am I sneezing so much?"
"Kai, this isn't a physical reaction, it's true essence induction," Xiaoguan explained calmly. "Many people have been paying attention to you recently, so your reaction is a bit intense."
Xiaokai was now lying in bed, it was very late at night, but he still couldn't sleep. Just thinking about the scene of meeting Xiaozhu yesterday made Xiaokai feel inexplicably sweet. In front of the seven leaders and under Snow Wind's constant hinting coughs, Classmate Chi Xiaozhu blushed and tiptoed to gently touch Xiaokai's face. Although it was only a quarter of a second of contact, it made Xiaokai excited until now. Thirty-six hours had passed, and he still didn’t want to wash his face. From work to off work, he had been smiling foolishly. Even the famous beauty Qin Zhen in the office was scared and didn’t dare to tempt him, afraid that he had some mental problem.
"Don't just stand there smiling, go wash up and sleep," Xiaoguan couldn't stand it any longer, "You have to go to work tomorrow."
"It's okay, let me savor it a bit more," Xiaokai happily raised his legs, and as soon as he closed his eyes, he heard his phone ringing.
Strange, whose call is it at this late? Xiaokai puzzledly picked up the phone and saw an unfamiliar number: "Hello, who is this?"
"Brother Xiaokai, it's me!" The voice on the other end was clear, sweet, and familiar: "Hurry, come and save me!"
"Who are you?" Xiaokai jumped out of bed, "What's wrong with you?"
"It's me, Ning Qing, don't you remember me," the voice on the other end was filled with sobs. "They kidnapped me, sobbing… hurry and come to save me!"
"Oh my God," Xiaokai rolled his eyes, unable to figure it out yet, "Aren't we close? If you've been kidnapped, why didn't you call home? What's with calling me? I don't even know how you got my phone number. Are you playing a joke on me?"
"I'm in room 1403 of the Golden Emperor Hotel, hurry, they're coming, I've been discovered, I…" The speed of Ning Qing's speech was fast, as if she was in a rush, "They're coming, I've been discovered, I…"
Just as she said this, the sound was cut off, faintly hearing several men's lecherous laughter mixed with the little girl's scream, and then a crackling sound as the phone signal was interrupted.
"Forget about everything else," Xiaokai quickly got up, grabbed some clothes, "I need to go."
"Kai, don't worry, it's safe and harmless," Xiaoguan laughed, "I've already calculated your fortune for you."
The Golden Emperor Hotel was a five-star hotel and one of the most high-end places in the country. It wasn't a problem to find the place due to its reputation. Xiaokai rushed out and hailed a taxi, speeding towards the destination. Ignoring many red lights along the way, he promised the driver hundreds of yuan in fines, finally reaching the entrance of the Golden Emperor Hotel in fifteen minutes.
When Xiaokai got to the entrance, he was worried that the security outside and the staff inside wouldn't let him easily go upstairs. Surprisingly, as soon as he went in, there were several security guards and waiters in the spacious and luxurious lobby, none of whom gave him a second glance, so he confidently rushed upstairs.
"Kai, be ready to take action," Xiaokai stood in the elevator, sweat dripping, solemnly instructing his younger brother, "This is a critical moment, you can't be soft-hearted. You must render the villain unconscious as soon as possible, but remember, no killing."
Just as he finished his instructions, the elevator doors opened with a "ding." Xiaokai darted out and saw four burly men standing outside a room, their physique and muscles capable of subduing someone like Xiaokai several times over. Before Xiaokai could react, the four men collectively jumped back, screaming, "Ah! A master!" then they fell down stiffly.
"I can't believe how quick your reactions are, Xiaoguan," Xiaokai sincerely praised.
"Kai, it wasn't me," Xiaoguan was confused. "I didn't even move, and they just collapsed on their own."
"Uh…" Xiaokai was stunned for a second, then hurriedly said, "Let's not think about that right now, let's go inside." He quickly rushed over, and on the door were the bold words "1403," indicating that Ning Qing was inside.
"Phew… I'm lucky," Xiaokai thought with lingering fear. "This place has so many rooms. If it weren't for someone standing guard, I wouldn’t have been able to find this room so quickly."
Spitting into his hands, Xiaokai wiped them together vigorously. Then he took three steps back, shouted loudly, and kicked the door as hard as he could using a method he'd seen on TV.
With a light "click," the door opened, it turned out it wasn't closed properly, and Xiaokai had exerted too much force, causing him to fall to the ground. Luckily, the thick carpet cushioned his fall, and he didn't hurt himself. With no time to spare, he quickly got up and looked inside.
The atmosphere in the room was quite romantic, with soft pink lighting and gentle music playing. The room was also filled with a faint and alluring fragrance. Xiaokai smelled it a few times and felt his heart race. Undoubtedly, Ning was suspected of having lost her innocence. Xiaokai felt a sense of urgency.
In the room stood a large, soft bed with golden hooks on the top, from which a gauze curtain hung, enveloping the entire bed. Xiaokai, peering keenly through the semi-transparent gauze, could vaguely make out the graceful figure lying on the bed. It was undoubtedly Ning Qing.
Oddly enough, there was also a big man in the room, seemingly the one who had kidnapped Ning Qing. Dressed in a sleek black outfit, he didn't look like someone who was intending to commit a sexual offense, but rather like a skilled person who could leap between rooftops. His eyes were bright and alert, and his reaction speed was so fast that it left Xiaokai speechless. Just as Xiaokai looked over, he shouted loudly, “Wow! Such a master of the realm, finding me so quickly. Even me, who has wandered the world for decades with chivalry, now has to admit defeat!” With that, he twisted, leaped towards the window glass, and slammed through it, shattering the glass before gliding out on a white rope into the night sky. As Xiaokai watched in awe, he saw the man use his clothes on the rope to glide to the rooftop of another building.
"My goodness, this is the fourteenth floor," Xiaokai exclaimed, amazed. He quickly ran to the window and saw a white rope extending across the night sky. The man had used his clothes to glide to the rooftop of another building.
"Kai, this is really strange," Xiaoguan said, "He had the rope prepared in advance. This guy is too far-sighted, isn't he?"
"It turns out that this is an international-level kidnapping operation. No wonder they dared to kidnap Miss Ning from Zhonghang Real Estate," Xiaokai sighed and walked over, opening the gauze curtain.