The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 51: How To Escape Wen-Ren Chu-Chu

How To Escape Wen-Ren Chu-Chu . . .

As the former Xiao Monarch, Cha-Eun Xiao had spent much of his life immersed in martial arts, leaving him with an emotional intelligence quotient that was, to put it lightly, rather lacking.

His recent remarks had been nothing short of imbecilic, prompting one to question if his brain had suddenly turned to mush. Whether it was playful banter, teasing, or outright flirtation, Ye Xiao remained blissfully oblivious to his own actions.

Initially, the girl in cyan had decided to tolerate his seemingly innocent hand-holding, choosing to ignore it. However, with his latest comment, he had managed to bring the situation to the forefront, causing her entire body to flush with embarrassment. Her eyes widened, and she oscillated between feelings of shame and irritation. She was on the verge of giving him a piece of her mind and shot him a scathing glare.

Whether intentional or not, his words had pushed the boundaries of appropriateness far beyond the acceptable norm.

Realizing his blunder almost immediately, Cha-Eun Xiao groaned theatrically, tilted his head, and feigned unconsciousness once more. While his emotional intelligence might be lacking, his intellectual quotient remained relatively high, allowing him to exploit the current predicament to his advantage.

Though it wasn't the most honorable course of action, it proved effective.

The girl in cyan, torn between anger and amusement, was about to explode in frustration. She knew he was feigning unconsciousness, yet found his antics rather comical despite her annoyance.

"Fine, fair enough," she muttered. "At least it diffuses the awkwardness for now."

With a huff, she rose from her seat, grabbed a bowl of water, and shouted angrily, "Get up and drink!"

Cha-Eun Xiao continued his charade of unconsciousness, determined to avoid the impending embarrassment.

Growing increasingly exasperated, the girl exclaimed, "You took advantage of me, and now you're playing dead? You're perfectly capable of moving. Do you want me to feed you myself?"

Splash! The bowl of water cascaded over his face, and the Xiao Monarch could no longer maintain his act.

...

"Brother Feng, who would subject you to such a despicable form of torture?" The girl held a cup of tea, her demeanor now gentle and concerned.

She had discarded her silk veil, revealing a rather ordinary countenance.

Cha-Eun Xiao replied softly, "Before we discuss that, could you please unblock my Jing and Mai? It would expedite my recovery."

The girl offered a sweet smile. "Why, Brother Feng, you're a skilled cultivator. Releasing you would be like unleashing a dragon into the sea or letting a tiger roam the jungle. As a frail girl, it would spell disaster for me, wouldn't it?"

Sighing, Cha-Eun Xiao lamented, "You only need your two guards to snap their fingers, and they could easily handle me. There's truly no need for this level of caution."

"Well, it's always wise to exercise caution when navigating the mortal realm. Being prudent ensures a smooth voyage on the sea of life," she replied sweetly.

No matter how persuasively Cha-Eun Xiao argued or how eloquently he articulated his point, she remained steadfast in her decision not to unblock his Jing and Mai.

"This girl may appear gentle, but her inner resolve is unyielding," Cha-Eun Xiao concluded.

"Goodness, I truly had minimal interaction with women in my past life. I struggle to grasp their thought processes. She saved my life; is it necessary to treat me with such suspicion? Does she view me as an ungrateful scoundrel?" he mused, feeling somewhat disheartened.

"Brother Feng, you still haven't explained why you abruptly left the auction and encountered such a predicament," the girl inquired with a friendly smile, casually dabbing her hands with a silk handkerchief. Evidently, she still harbored some reservations about her hands having been "touched by a man."

Cha-Eun Xiao sighed and expressed his regret, "It was just my unfortunate day. During the auction, I bought a considerable number of items and was planning to return home early to focus on making dan beads. Plus, I had a substantial amount of money with me, so I decided not to leave with the rest of you. Little did I imagine that as I turned the corner into an alley, a masked man dressed in white would suddenly appear..."

"A masked man in white?" The girl in cyan furrowed her brow, her curiosity piqued. "If he intended to rob you, why dress in white? Wearing white implies a lack of fear of being seen, yet he chose to mask himself. It's quite peculiar."

"Who knows?" Cha-Eun Xiao continued with his narrative, all the while marveling at the girl's keen observation skills. He maintained an air of sincerity, even though he was mentally noting her scrupulous nature. "The man in white swiftly swung his hand, releasing a stream of blue light that struck me. I couldn't defend against it. It was incredibly powerful..."

"Blue light?" The girl honed in on this detail, her perception sharp. "What shade of blue, precisely? Acid blue? Sky blue? Sea blue? Light blue?"

Cha-Eun Xiao found himself momentarily puzzled. "Um, what?"

The girl inquired further, "I mean, what shade of blue was it? Sky blue, you say?"

He replied hesitantly, "Yes, it should be sky blue..."

His voice betrayed a degree of uncertainty.

Exchange glances passed between the girl and the two men accompanying her. She muttered thoughtfully, "Sky blue... that would correspond to the middle levels of the grade of Tianyuan."

The two men remained eerily silent.

Cha-Eun Xiao realized that the color blue held significant meaning in the Land of Han-Yang, signifying top-grade expert cultivators. However, it was essential to differentiate between the nine levels within this grade.

Light blue indicated the initial levels, levels 1 and 2; Sky blue represented the middle levels, levels 3 and 4; Acid blue denoted the high levels, levels 5 and 6; and Sea blue symbolized the peak levels, often referred to as the Grandmaster levels of Tianyuan.

Purple blue, on the other hand, signified cultivators who had surpassed the class of expert cultivators and entered the realm of ultimate masters—individuals who were on the cusp of ascending to the Qing-Yun Realm.

Nevertheless, these ultimate masters capable of flight were exceedingly rare in this world. While they existed, they were a scarce commodity.

Cultivators with sky blue qi were considered top-class martial experts, far from ordinary.

The girl in cyan appeared deep in thought, her brows furrowing as she sought clues from Cha-Eun Xiao's account. She was evidently trying to make sense of the situation.

She did not doubt his words; after all, creating world-class supreme dan beads required exceptional talent and unwavering dedication to the art of dan-making. Her investigative approach, however, would not likely uncover the truth.

With a sigh, Cha-Eun Xiao shook his head and defended himself, "I've been primarily focused on my dan-making business. I rarely venture into the martial world. If it weren't for my financial constraints, I wouldn't have brought out the supreme dan beads for the auction. How could I possibly provoke such a formidable expert cultivator?"

"It is indeed perplexing..." The girl remained deep in thought, her brow still creased with concern. Her thought process was unlikely to unveil any hidden details.

Having faith in Cha-Eun Xiao's words, she continued her inquiry, "What happened next?"

Cha-Eun Xiao sighed as he recounted the events, "And then, the items I had with me were taken..." He gestured to his weary body and continued, "Now, it feels like I've been pummeled by ten thousand strong men all at once. Just sitting here and talking to you is exhausting."

The girl in cyan offered a polite smile, showing understanding. "I can imagine. It must have been quite an ordeal."

Cha-Eun Xiao, now curious about his savior, asked, "May I know your name? You saved my life today, and I am grateful. I'd like to repay your kindness someday."

After a brief moment of contemplation, the girl replied, "It was a simple favor; nothing more. My family name is Wen-Ren. Brother Feng, you can call me Lady Chu-Chu."

"Chu-Chu..." Cha-Eun Xiao praised with a warm smile, "A beautiful name, indeed! It perfectly suits someone as delicate and touching as you."

Wen-Ren Chu-Chu, however, displayed a hint of irritation. "What kind of person are you? I asked you to call me Lady Chu-Chu. Who gave you permission to call me Chu-Chu?"

She casually folded her handkerchief and put it away, her expression softening as she continued, "By the way, you mentioned that you were taking those items home to make dan beads?"

Cha-Eun Xiao nodded, maintaining his composure. "Yes, that's correct."

"But what I've heard is that those supreme dan beads you auctioned were not crafted by you, is that right?" Wen-Ren Chu-Chu inquired, her tone sly and her eyes half-closed.

Cha-Eun Xiao quickly defended himself, "That's just a baseless rumor. In reality, I am the only supreme dan-maker in this land. I'm the sole creator of supreme dan beads; no one else possesses that skill."

However, his fervent response seemed somewhat like an attempt to cover up the truth.

Wen-Ren Chu-Chu smirked knowingly, as though she had asked all the questions she needed to. She raised her cup and said, "Please, Brother Feng, have a drink."

Observing the discarded handkerchief, Cha-Eun Xiao noted her fastidious nature. "This girl is quite the neat freak," he thought to himself.

As he reached for his cup, he feigned weakness and let it fall, rolling it toward Wen-Ren Chu-Chu. Quick to react, she reached out to grab it, but Cha-Eun Xiao snatched it back, apologizing with embarrassment, "I apologize, Lady Chu-Chu. I'm particular about others touching things I've used."

"Are you a neat freak?" Wen-Ren Chu-Chu finally looked at him directly, her clear blue eyes captivating in their beauty, resembling the vast ocean and sky, an endless starry expanse, with long eyelashes like delicate fans.

Cha-Eun Xiao couldn't help but think, "If this girl were to reveal her true face without the disguise, she might be even more beautiful than Su Ye-Yue."

He chuckled nervously, rubbing his nose. "Yes, I suppose I am. Even in unfamiliar surroundings, I can't seem to shake my habits. My apologies."

Wen-Ren Chu-Chu frowned slightly, looking relieved, then glanced at the discarded handkerchief with a hint of unease in her eyes. She shifted her gaze back to Cha-Eun Xiao, her expression now tinged with apprehension.

Confused by her reaction, Cha-Eun Xiao lowered his head to sip his water, pondering what he might have done wrong this time.