Xiao Mo indeed didn't quite understand why this Ten Thousand Swords Sect disciple liked eating steamed buns so much but since it was the other party's request, he had no objections.
Xiao Mo had the imperial kitchen prepare some steamed buns using the flesh and blood of fierce beasts.
Although the Zhou Kingdom was just a small dynasty, eating the flesh and blood of low-grade fierce beasts on ordinary days wasn't much of a problem.
Before long, the steamed buns were delivered. Xiao Mo and Jiang Qingyi sat on the high platform, eating them bite by bite.
"Why do you keep looking at me?" Jiang Qingyi frowned.
"Nothing much." Xiao Mo shook his head, "I just feel that Fairy Jiang is somewhat different from other people from the mountains."
"How am I different?" Jiang Qingyi asked.
"It's hard to say," Xiao Mo organized his words, "I just feel that Fairy Jiang is like an ordinary woman, without that kind of arrogant aloofness that mountain people have. Your master must certainly be a sword immortal of high virtue and prestige."
Hearing Xiao Mo's words, Jiang Qingyi was stunned for a moment, her gaze turning toward Xiao Mo.
"What's wrong, Miss?" Xiao Mo always felt there was something strange about her expression."Nothing." Jiang Qingyi shook her head and continued eating the steamed bun in small bites, "It's just that when Your Majesty said that, I couldn't help but think of my master."
"What kind of sword immortal is Fairy Jiang's master?" Xiao Mo continued the conversation naturally, without any other intention.
Jiang Qingyi's small hand gripped the steamed bun in her hand even tighter.
Seeing her silent and frowning expression, Xiao Mo didn't know where he had touched her sore spot, so he simply stopped talking.
"My master, he indeed has considerable achievements in the Dao of the sword."
Just as Xiao Mo was eating his steamed bun, Jiang Qingyi slowly began to speak.
"Mm? Yes." Xiao Mo was startled for a moment, then nodded in response, "Indeed, one can tell, after all, a famous teacher produces excellent disciples."
"In his entire life, he only took me as his sole disciple."
Jiang Qingyi continued speaking, as if lost in memories.
"When I was wandering the streets back then, he took me in. If it weren't for him, I might have already starved to death.
Whatever I wanted, he would give to me. Whatever was beneficial to me, he would pile it all on me without reservation but my master has one fatal flaw.
He is too kind.
So kind that he doesn't seem like a decisive cultivator who kills when necessary at all."
After finishing this last sentence, Jiang Qingyi fell silent, only raising her head to look at Xiao Mo.
"What's wrong, Fairy Jiang?" Xiao Mo asked in confusion.
"Nothing."
Jiang Qingyi lowered her head but in the young girl's mind, she couldn't help but recall that summer when she was holding steamed buns and forced into a deserted dead end.
When she was about to be beaten by the bun shop owner with a rolling pin, a man walked over, grabbed the owner's hand, and threw silver coins at the bun shop owner.
He crouched down and extended his hand to her:
"I'm called Xiao Mo. From now on, I'll be your master. Call me once and let me hear."
"Master," Jiang Qingyi called softly, her voice as light as the wind, only audible to herself.
"What did Fairy Jiang just say?" Xiao Mo turned his head.
"Nothing."
Jiang Qingyi shook her head and continued eating the steamed bun in small bites.
…
"Thud thud thud"
In Tianji City's town.
A big guy was walking on the town's streets.
The big guy's giant three-zhang-tall body drew many sideways glances.
They had never seen such a towering giant before.
However, what drew even more attention was the young girl sitting on the big guy's shoulders.
The girl's delicate features were very cute, her small face still carrying some baby fat.
She wore a short skirt that just reached above her knees, her pale white calves exposed, a pair of small feet swaying back and forth, appearing very cute. The little bells on her fair ankles jingled crisply.
Only this girl was somewhat improper, eating candied hawthorn while spitting out hawthorn pits, cursing under her breath, "This damn place really stays the same no matter how long it's been."
Finally, the big guy carried the girl to the entrance of Tianji City's City Lord's mansion.
"Greetings to Young Master, greetings to Young Miss!"
Seeing the giant and the girl, the Tianji City disciples guarding the gate dared not be negligent and quickly opened the courtyard gate.
The girl leaped down from the big guy's shoulders, her fair feet touching the ground, but the dust on the ground didn't stain her feet at all.
The girl walked into the mansion with small steps.
The big guy bent down and ducked inside together.
"Thud thud thud"
He Baihua, the Tianji City Lord who was calculating heavenly secrets in the courtyard, felt the ground trembling, causing the turtle shells in her divination array to jump lightly.
This made He Baihua sigh softly, her tone seemingly filled with helplessness.
He Baihua straightened up and raised her head, seeing her sister and big brother standing before him.
"Big brother." He Baihua smiled gently at the big guy.
"Roar."
The big guy He Gang seemed to respond, then found an empty spot to sit down, hugging his knees and staying motionless, looking as obedient as a child, since the big guy had previously damaged the flowers and plants in her sister's courtyard and made her angry.
He Baihua withdrew her gaze from her own sister, her expression showing some trouble.
It seemed that to He Baihua, her own sister was like a troublemaker.
"Why did sister think to return to Tianji City?" He Baihua asked.
"I missed you, came to see you, is that not allowed?"
He Yeye casually threw away the bamboo stick, sticking it in the grass, then sat on a stone stool, poured herself a cup of tea, not being polite with her own sister at all.
He Baihua shook her head and sat beside her sister, pouring tea for her own sister.
Although the two sisters looked ninety percent alike, almost like twins born at the same time, their personalities were completely different.
"If sister doesn't state your business, then I'll continue with my work." He Baihua looked at her own sister speechlessly.
"No rush." He Yeye shook her head, "Let me ask you about some things first."
"Sister, please speak." He Baihua knew that when her sister came to find her, there must be something she wanted to ask.
"Bai Ruxue, the Demon Empress of the Four Seas, should have asked you to divine about Xiao Mo, right?" He Yeye asked.
"Yes." He Baihua nodded, "Now that Demon Empress of the North Sea has arrived at the Zhou Kingdom's imperial capital and should have found him."
"How will they fare in this life?" He Yeye asked curiously, "In this lifetime, will the two of them be together?"
"This is hard to say." He Baihua looked troubled.
"What's hard to say about it?"
"He is entangled in karmic consequences, I cannot see clearly. Even if I could see clearly, I wouldn't dare to speak. But one thing is certain."
He Baihua shook her head.
"His peach blossom tribulation in this life may cost him his life."