Chapter 47
Tang Tianjie Is Confused
The news of two Grandmaster-level beings clashing became a hot topic across the entire country immediately—not just in Village Beneath the Clouds. The whole situation was captured by Director Wang's skilled team and broadcast almost in real time.
This made Bai Fanxian's reputation and identity a topic of discussion once again. This time was different, though—beyond her name, images of her appeared as well!
The picture of a beautiful and sublime young woman floating mid-air with the soft golden moonlight as backdrop became the most beloved image. Many people even saved it as their phone or computer wallpaper.
Beyond that beauty and elegance, the topic people discussed was her strength.
What kind of being was Xie Suyao?
She was a Grandmaster of the Xie Clan, one of the four great clans with tremendous influence in the northern region. Her power was genuine. Yet Bai Fanxian could defeat her without sustaining any injuries—didn't that mean her power exceeded Xie Suyao's?
This was what people were debating. Besides this, no one knew the reason why these two ended up fighting, and in Village Beneath the Clouds of all places.
Village Beneath the Clouds originally had strict rules in place since it was a location where only people from the cultivation world traveled. Fighting within the village was absolutely forbidden.
Normally, if there was a fight in the middle of town like this, the village authorities would have to intervene and punish those who disturbed the peace. They might even ban them from entering this village and the Alchemists' Association for life.
This time, though, the troublemakers were Grandmaster-level beings!
Two Grandmasters at that!
If two Grandmaster-level beings went on a rampage without caring for consequences, even if the military mobilized, they'd probably need all four generals to handle it.
So they could only pretend not to know and let the matter pass.
Moreover, despite how fierce the battle was, not a single building or property in the village was damaged—remarkably so. Aside from a few small holes and craters along the roads, not one person was injured.
The events of that night concluded with mutual consideration from all sides like this.
Who would know, though? After causing such commotion that left outsiders reeling, the two instigators were now relaxing in a hot spring bath in the private pool in their room!
Two beautiful young women with bare bodies looked like masterpiece artwork. Bai Fanxian sat leaning against a rock while letting her body feel the warmth of the hot spring water. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes in relaxation. Beside her were fine tea and sake that Uncle Huang had prepared before entering.
Not too near, not too far away was Xie Suyao, both sides of her face flushed red. She used a small towel trying to cover her body, but it was meaningless. Her eyes were extremely furtive as she tried to sneak glances at Bai Fanxian's figure.
"...Are you unwell?"
Though Bai Fanxian's eyes were closed, she was perfectly aware of her surroundings. Xie Suyao's restless behavior was naturally within her perception.
The image of the sublime young woman opening one eye while asking that question could easily make Xie Suyao's heart pound.
"I'm... I'm fine, Elder Sister!"
After Bai Fanxian didn't refuse, Xie Suyao boldly called her that on her own.
"I've... I've just never bathed in a hot spring with anyone else before." When Xie Suyao finished speaking, half her face sank beneath the water in embarrassment.
She couldn't be blamed for this, though. Her techniques and body problems over these past ten years made it so she had no opportunity to do something like this at all.
Besides that, her bathing still required extreme concentration to control, because if she let poison from her own body leak out, the water she bathed in would immediately become a poison pond.
That made bathing together with someone else like this feel like her dream.
And her first bath was together with "Elder Sister" too.
She was so happy she didn't know what expression to make anymore.
"Your body has developed another stage... Now if you don't want it, the poison in your body won't spread out on its own anymore."
Bai Fanxian explained with a drowsy voice, but it made Xie Suyao extremely happy.
"Does that mean I can touch other people's bodies without worrying anymore!?"
She asked with hopeful eyes.
"Mm..."
When she received confirmation, Xie Suyao sighed in relief. Maybe this was another reason why people feared her too.
Having to control poison in her body at all times made her not very sociable with anyone normally. She wouldn't let anyone come close. Sometimes she'd even make a frowning, furrowed expression. Her reputation never tended to be very good.
All of this—she had to thank the young woman in front of her.
She came to help her even though they'd just met. She even solved the problem that had haunted her for decades in one go. Besides that, she made her feel strange.
Xie Suyao stared at Bai Fanxian in a daze, until even though Bai Fanxian didn't want to pay attention, she still had to turn to look.
"...Are you going to keep staring at me?"
The young woman seemed to just realize. She quickly shook her head until water splashed, then spoke:
"S-sorry! It's just... what does Elder Sister think about older women?"
Xie Suyao held her breath while asking this question.
It made Bai Fanxian turn back to look with surprise, though.
She looked over at Xie Suyao's body, then made an "oh" sound as if understanding something.
It was like young women in general in that era. For cultivators, they often forgot time until they realized their age wasn't young anymore, even if their external appearance still looked like someone not very old.
She was probably worried about this too, right?
She sighed and suddenly stood up, making Xie Suyao quickly cover her face with her hands in shock. Bai Fanxian's beautiful figure walked until stopping in front of the young woman, close enough that she could see water drops beading and flowing down her body.
Xie Suyao's reason was about to explode. Her face was flushed red. Her eyes peeking through her fingers were stunned at the image in front of her.
"For beings like us, age was never a problem..."
When she finished speaking, she used those slender hands to pat Xie Suyao's head like comforting a small child. Xie Suyao's thoughts scattered the instant she was touched without warning. She forgot herself to the point of forgetting she was using her hands to cover her own eyes.
Bai Fanxian still thought to herself—in the past there were many young women in the palace older than her who came to consult about this problem with her too.
As palace master, she could only comfort them awkwardly.
This time was the same.
She wasn't good at anything like this at all, so she could only raise her hand to pat her head like she occasionally did with Hui'er.
When she finished speaking, she got out of the water. Fine towels were prepared and waiting at the door. Before leaving the room, she turned back to say one more sentence:
"Besides, you may not know—if counting birth years, my age is much greater than yours..."
.
.
.
Tang Tianjie didn't know what was happening.
After Grandmaster Bai asked him for a few coins in the evening, he took both little ones out to walk around the festival. Since Huang Zihuan went out to talk business, he was also happy to spend time with the grandchildren.
Whatever they wanted to eat, he bought without hesitation.
Even though at first Hui'er was still very considerate, after he urged her for a while, the little one accepted snacks to share with Tang Yeye happily.
They walked around until almost reaching the end of the village.
Even though Tang Tianjie was having fun, that made him miss the earth-shaking clash between Bai Fanxian and Xie Suyao.
Even though he rushed back after hearing the news, having to look after both children meant he couldn't make it in time. The battle between both moved locations continuously. Tang Tianjie couldn't follow to see the ending.
When he heard that Grandmaster Bai could win overwhelmingly, Tang Tianjie's heart swelled with joy. If even Grandmaster Xie couldn't fight her, that meant the Tang Clan had received an incredibly strong backer, right?
Despite being delighted, Tang Tianjie was still worthy of being Tang Clan head. This news would definitely reach the northern Xie Clan. To prevent matters that might happen unexpectedly, on the way back he called to order his people to come prepare outside the valley early.
If the Xie Clan got angry and couldn't accept it, with the power of a great northern clan, there would definitely be many cultivators willing to mobilize for them.
Tang Tianjie's face showed stress. When he returned to the hotel, he found Huang Zihuan was already preparing fine tea and food in their room.
"Huang Zihuan, is that one extra set of food?"
Tang Tianjie asked with surprise, opposite from the children who came in to look at the delicious-looking freshly cooked food with interest.
"This is just enough for everyone, Clan Head." Huang Zihuan laughed with a meaningful smile.
"Wait a moment. Grandmaster Bai is soaking in hot springs in the other room. She should be back soon." Besides speaking to his clan head, he also told both little ones.
"I want to soak too!"
Tang Yeye raised both arms. Her eyes sparkled as she quickly ran to open the door to the other room. Having just come back from playing, her whole body was sticky, so she wanted to bathe too.
Because of carelessness, though, when she opened the hotel's sliding door, Tang Yeye crashed into a young woman in hotel robes and almost fell down.
The young woman reacted quickly, though. She moved just a bit and caught the little one's waist before she could fall flat.
"Are you okay?"
The young woman set Tang Yeye on the floor and bent down to ask with concern. Her demeanor was awkward as if unaccustomed to touching other people's bodies. Tang Yeye looked at that young woman with confusion—she'd just come out from my lady's room, right?
Who was this woman?
Not just the little one—Tang Tianjie, who turned to look, was so stunned he staggered to his feet. He never thought this woman would be here!
The Red Widow Queen, Grandmaster Xie Suyao!
"Hui'er! Come back to Grandfather!" The Tang Clan head called his granddaughter frantically. The matter he worried about happened so suddenly he couldn't prepare.
Was the Xie Clan coming for revenge this quickly!?
"...What are you all making a fuss about?"
Before Tang Tianjie could rush over to pull his granddaughter away, though, a familiar calm, sublime voice rang out from outside the door. Xie Suyao quickly moved aside while staring at the young woman walking into the room with a bashful face.
It was Bai Fanxian!
Tang Tianjie looked between both people left and right in shock! Why did they look so close when they'd just fought until the village almost collapsed? The old man turned to his trusted butler with confused eyes.
What he received back was Huang Zihuan's smile and light laughter without a trace of worry!
This left the old man like him completely confused!