Ever since Nian Qi moved in, this was the first time the two of them had gone out together.
After three years, there hadn’t been much changes in the capital. However, as the sect competition was approaching, there number of cultivators going about had increased significantly.
For the past three years, Nian Qi’s hair had been yellowed, withered and curled up, looking disheveled.
However, she was more beautiful. Slim and elegant, her skin was fair and tender, looking delicately sweet.
While Su Zimo could not be considered as extremely handsome, he had delicate features and a steady aura. His green robes fluttered in the wind and he exuded an extraordinary aura, emitting a unique sense of charisma.
The woman was beautiful and the man was charming.
Walking on the streets of the capital, the two of them looked like a match made in heaven and attracted everyone’s attention.
“Eh? Isn’t that the maidservant called Nian Qi from Mo Spirit Weapon Workshop?”
In the crowd, some of the cultivators that had seen Nian Qi before recognized her.
“It really seems like her. Who’s the guy beside her? He looks unfamiliar and I’ve never seen him before.”
“I’ve got it!”
A cultivator said hatefully, “That green-robed cultivator must have gotten close to Nian Qi because he wants to approach Mr. Mo! What a scheming person!”
“Yes, that seems to be the case.”
Enlightened, everyone agreed readily.
“That’s not a bad idea. To think that he beat me to it!”
Even though the surroundings were bustling with noise, Su Zimo and Nian Qi’s ears were extremely strong and could hear the discussions of those people.
“Sir, they’re so stupid.”
Nian Qi whispered and pursed her lips, smiling.
Suddenly, a weak voice rang from the crowd. “Actually, I feel that the green-robed cultivator could be Mr. Mo.”
The moment that voice sounded, it caused a burst of ridicule.
“Fellow Daoist, you’re an outsider, right? Don’t talk if you don’t know anything lest you embarrass yourself.
“Fellow Daoist, don’t tell me you don’t know how to use Spirit Peering Art at all. Can’t you tell the cultivation of that green-robed cultivator? Fufu, everyone in the capital knows that Mr. Mo is a Golden Core!”
“Furthermore, Nian Qi is Mr. Mo’s maidservant. Have you ever seen a maidservant that walks side by side with her master while chatting and laughing without any respect?”
For the past three years, Su Zimo spent every day with Nian Qi.
Outsiders thought that she was his maidservant, but Su Zimo had never seen her as one.
The reason why he was willing to take in Nian Qi initially was out of compassion.
The two of them continued strolling idly. Before long, a young Foundation Establishment Cultivator popped out of nowhere. He lifted his hair and smiled to Nian Qi, saying in a gentle voice, “Miss Nian Qi, please don’t be taken in by the sweet nothings of this man. He has a purpose for wanting to get close to you!”
The young cultivator pointed at Su Zimo with conviction and an unfriendly expression.
Su Zimo even suspected that if they were not in the capital, this cultivator might have rushed up and challenged him to a life and death duel.
“None of your business, go away!”
Nian Qi berated him as she pulled Su Zimo around this person and continued forward.
“What’s interesting about the capital today? Let’s go take a look,” Su Zimo glanced sideways and asked.
“Interesting things…”
Pondering for a short moment, Nian Qi said, “There’s an elixir competition at Yongxing City today! I heard that two cultivators from True Fire Elixir Workshop and Azure Frost Elixir Workshop got into a conflict and both parties decided on today to determine who is better in elixir refinement by comparing to see who can refine higher graded elixirs.”
The security in the capital was extremely tight as the sect competition approached.
From a single guard squad shift, it was now two guard squads on a single shift.
In other words, there would always be two guard squads on patrol in the capital daily and they could arrive immediately should any trouble arise.
Under such circumstances, no cultivator or faction dared to start a fight in the capital.
If they wanted to resolve grudges, a way of doing so was to compete in elixir and weapon refinement.
Furthermore, this was a grudge between two major elixir workshops in Yongxing City to begin with and a competition in elixir refinement was the most logical way of settling things.
“True Fire Elixir Workshop, Azure Frost Elixir Workshop…”
Su Zimo murmured softly and smiled. “Let’s go and check it out.”
True Fire Elixir Workshop was backed by True Fire Sect while Azure Frost Elixir Workshop was backed by Azure Frost Sect.
Those were two of the five major sects and furthermore, Su Zimo had dealings with both of them.
There was not much to say about True Fire Sect. In the past three years, they suffered a huge loss in his hands.
As for Azure Frost Sect…
Ji Yaoxue was in Azure Frost Sect and had even invited Su Zimo to join back then but was rejected by him.
Su Xiaoning was also cultivating in Azure Frost Sect.
Before long, the two of them arrived at Yongxing City.
“Hurry, let’s go take a look! It’s already begun!”
“I heard that this person from True Fire Elixir Workshop is a talent in True Fire Sect in recent years. His name is He Xing and he’ll definitely have a spot in the elixir rankings of the sect competition!”
“I heard that the Elixir Refinement Master from Azure Frost Sect is a young lady but she isn’t famous. I wonder how she got the courage to compete against He Xing.”
Su Zimo and Nian Qi quickly reached their destination as they followed the flow of the crowd.
In a corner of Yongxing City, there was an empty space in the middle of a dense crowd. At that moment, a man and a woman were wielding Elixir Furnaces in their hands while pouring materials into it.
The man had a dignified appearance but his lips were extremely thin, as if symbolizing that he was a heartless person.
The man was smelting the materials but his gaze was on the woman beside him. He had a relaxed expression and he was smirking with a flash of mockery in his eyes.
Su Zimo looked at the girl and could not help but shudder, almost exclaiming.
While it was only a side profile, Su Zimo recognized the woman instantly.
It was Su Xiaoning!
The young lady that was competing against True Fire Sect’s He Xing in an elixir refinement competition was none other than his sister that he had not seen for many years – Su Xiaoning!
Su Zimo initially thought that he would have to wait for the sect competition to begin officially before he could see his sister again.
He did not expect to meet her here today.
“What’s wrong, sir?” Nian Qi was the closest to Su Zimo and she asked hurriedly when she noticed something amiss with his reaction.
“It’s nothing.”
He had a smile and his gaze lingered on Su Xiaoning, warm and tender.
After not seeing her for a few years, Su Xiaoning had grown up quite a bit. She had a slim figure and her long hair was draped over her singlet, tied up with a blue ribbon. Wearing white robes, she was immaculately clean and bore the demeanor of an immortal cultivator.
Actually, Su Zimo had been thinking about Xiaoning all these years.
She had a poor spirit root and even with Ji Yaoxue’s help, she might suffer from endless bullying and trampling in the sect.
If not for the fact that his own future was uncertain back then, Su Zimo would have definitely brought Xiaoning with him.
Taking a close look, Su Zimo saw that Xiaoning had only just entered Foundation Establishment realm.
She had a pseudo spirit root and it was already remarkable for her to reach this realm within a few years.
It was not hard to imagine that Xiaoning must have suffered a lot in this process.
Song Qi had a pseudo spirit root and he had cultivated for most of his life but he was still unable to attain Foundation Establishment realm.
What surprised Su Zimo the most was that Xiaoning was an Elixir Refinement Master!
He had some knowledge of elixir refinement and could naturally tell that Xiaoning’s was proficient in it. Furthermore, she was extremely focused throughout the entire process and was completely unaffected by her environment, possessing the mental fortitude required of an Elixir Refinement Master.
