“These are all good things. Fairy Yun, after you return, perhaps you could read through them carefully, what do you think?”
“Since this is your first time stepping into the field of published books, Daoist Friend Su, do you need someone to read these things and then provide feedback?”
Yun Xuechang took the stack of books, understandingly saying:
“In that case, since Yan’er usually likes to read storybooks, why don’t I take these books and read them together with her? I believe Yan’er can give many more useful suggestions than I can.”
“Ah, wait!”
Su Feiyao quickly stopped her.
“I actually wanted to hear the post-reading impressions from an outsider like Fairy Yun, who doesn’t usually read storybooks. That would make it easier for us to open up the market. If the fairy could spare some time to look over these new books for us and write a few suggestions, that would be even better.”
She paused, then added:
“If they prove useful, we will also provide corresponding spirit stones as compensation.”
With that, she quoted a figure that wasn’t large, but also wasn’t small.
‘Can earn spirit stones…’
Yun Xuechang blinked, holding the books.
She usually didn’t read such things, but if she could earn some spirit stones, reading shouldn’t be too troublesome.
Moreover, although the reward from the last ‘Exorcising Evil in Great Chu’ mission was still considerable, she should still save up more spirit stones—
She glanced at the clothes she was wearing; Hua Yan had bought those for her too.
Even if Yan’er liked picking out clothes for people, she couldn’t always spend Yan’er’s spirit stones. She needed to have some savings of her own.
Thinking this, she nodded:
“Alright, then I will find time to read these storybooks and hope to provide the post-reading impressions Daoist Friend Su needs.”
“Ah, that’s truly wonderful.”
Su Feiyao gently fanned herself with her hand fan, giggling sweetly:
“Also, these few volumes are unpublished versions from my Hehuan Sect, so I hope Fairy Yun will not easily share them with others.”
“I will naturally do so.”
The white-haired girl nodded seriously.
/
Meanwhile, on the other side, Hua Xiangrong appeared to be sitting quietly beside Hua Yan—since Su Feiyao had already put away all those indecent little toys, and the handkerchief covering her eyes had been removed by Hua Yan—but in reality, she was secretly paying attention to the situation over at Yun Xuechang’s side with the help of 099.
When she discovered that Su Feiyao, after taking out magical tools and secret manuals, also pulled out a few storybooks whose titles looked somewhat suspicious, she instantly perked up:
“Wow! 099! Could this be the ‘little Liu Bei’ of the cultivation world? As expected of the Hehuan Sect, this is too awesome!”
Indeed—whether it was the little toys from before or these ‘little Liu Bei,’ they were all rare items Hua Xiangrong had never seen since coming to this world, making her eyes light up.
“But come to think of it, even though the Saintess of the Hehuan Sect was targeting mother just now and almost made the tsundere her say something like ‘I don’t love mother’ in front of mom… I still feel like she also seems to want to bring mother and mom together?”
Hua Xiangrong propped her chin on her little hand, thoughtfully pondering in her heart.
“Based on the original work’s description and combined with 099’s data analysis, the behavioral logic of the Hehuan Sect Saintess Su Feiyao falls under chaotic neutral, which is related to the Dao she cultivates.”
099’s voice sounded in her mind, analyzing:
“She usually only does things that interest her, even if there are losses, she doesn’t care—what the host called a ‘fun-seeker’ in your previous world. It seems now she has developed a strong interest in the emotional entanglements between the host’s mom and mother.”
“Hmm… Then perhaps she could play a very good supporting role, an ally?”
Hua Xiangrong’s eyes lit up, then her thoughts continued to wander:
“Ah, I just wonder if I could buy some magical little pills here at the Hehuan Sect and slip them into mother and mom’s dinner, so that tonight they’ll—”
“Host, you still haven’t given up on this idea? Didn’t we agree that at this stage, we should let Hua Yan and Yun Xuechang take things slowly?”
099 immediately retorted:
“And you’re a child right now, the Hehuan Sect in this world would absolutely never sell you that kind of thing! (`Д´)”
“But I watch mother’s attempts to seduce people, only to get shy and useless herself, and mom’s wooden reactions all day—how can I not be anxious!”
Hua Xiangrong immediately refuted, her tone full of frustration.
“Sigh, really, it’s the Hehuan Sect, how can they be so law-abiding…”
She sighed sadly in her heart.
The Hehuan Sect in this world was set as a neutral sect, not the evil sect that used people as cultivation cauldrons like in some novels from her previous life.
Therefore, whether in their conduct or their sect techniques, in Hua Xiangrong’s view, they were even somewhat “bland.”
Most of the Hehuan Sect’s disciples were female cultivators, skilled in dual-cultivation techniques, charm arts, illusion arts, and Yin-Yang techniques.
They were also famous for matchmaking, selling special pills and special little toys, and mediating emotional life issues between Dao companions.
Even this Hehuan Building wasn’t a so-called pleasure house—the Hehuan Sect never operated such establishments, which left Hua Xiangrong feeling somewhat regretful.
“But at least the Hehuan Sect Saintess’s approach is pretty good—giving mom some storybooks about girls together, letting her understand some emotional and… spicy aspects, so she can become enlightened faster.”
“I actually had this idea before too, but first, I’ve never seen ‘little Liu Bei’ in this world and didn’t know where to buy it; second, I’m a child now and can’t do things that don’t match my identity. Su Feiyao did for me what I couldn’t do.”
She paused, then chuckled inwardly again:
“I wonder if after mom finishes reading those books, I can secretly take them to read too… hehehe…”
“Host, you’ve really gone too far!”
/
Right then, Su Feiyao and Yun Xuechang had already walked back in.
“So? What did she give you? Is it worth our compensation?”
As soon as Yun Xuechang entered, Hua Yan immediately asked—she was afraid the simple-minded Yun Xuechang, alone with the cunning fox woman Su Feiyao, might be tricked into accepting something worthless.
“It’s a secret manual concerning a niche weapon of the Hehuan Sect. Daoist Friend Su also gifted me a sample weapon. Thus, it should be considered worthwhile.”
Yun Xuechang nodded, showing the Meridian-Mandarin Duck Axes in her hand. After a pause, she added:
“Yan’er, since your portion of the compensation was exchanged for this secret manual, after we return, I will repay you with an equivalent amount of spirit stones.”
“That’s good. As for the spirit stones, between the two of us, we don’t need to be so… uh, I mean, since you care about this, just give whatever you think is appropriate.”
Hua Yan originally wanted to say that she and Yun Xuechang didn’t need to be so clear-cut, but halfway through her sentence, she felt that since she was still only trying to make Yun Xuechang like her and they hadn’t truly formed a Dao companion bond yet—saying such things might make the spirit-stone-poor, simple, and serious-minded Yun Xuechang feel uneasy, so she hurriedly changed her words.
‘At most, after we return, I’ll trick this blockhead into giving less.’
Hua Yan looked at the serious-faced Yun Xuechang, secretly calculating in her heart.
“Mm, alright.”
Seeing her agree to accept the spirit stones, Yun Xuechang finally felt relieved and smiled lightly:
“Then if there’s nothing else, let’s return to the Xiaoyao Sword Sect’s outpost first. We came straight here as soon as we arrived in Yuxin City; Junior Aunt-Master Yue and the others are probably worried.”
“Ah, you’re leaving already? Welcome to come again next time. Be sure to patronize our Hehuan Sect’s business properly then~~”
Seeing them about to leave, Su Feiyao also gracefully rose to see them off, gently fanning herself.
“We definitely won’t patronize it! I don’t want to have the slightest connection with your Hehuan Sect ever again in this lifetime.”
Hua Yan snorted unhappily, then turned and left, carrying Hua Xiangrong. After politely bidding farewell on her behalf, Yun Xuechang followed her out.
Only the fox-eared girl remained, gently fanning herself on the spot, her eyes smiling, her tail swaying lightly, watching them leave.
—Seeming completely unfazed by Hua Yan’s words.