At the Xiao Clan, in Xun'er's courtyard:
"Miss," Ling Ying knelt on one knee in front of Xun'er, speaking respectfully.
"Uncle Ling, where did you go?" Xun'er turned her head slightly and glanced at Ling Ying, her voice cool.
"Please forgive me, Miss. I took the liberty of testing Young Master Xiao Se earlier," Ling Ying admitted.
A flicker of anger and subtle worry flashed in Xun'er's beautiful eyes. "What did you find out?"
"His strength has at least reached the level of a peak Dou Shi, and his soul perception is exceptionally strong—perhaps even stronger than alchemists of the same level. When I suppressed my strength to the level of a Da Dou Shi, I couldn't gain the upper hand in close combat against him," Ling Ying reported truthfully.
After a brief hesitation, Ling Ying continued to ask, "Miss, it seems that Young Master Xiao Se is planning to leave Wu Tan City again. This time, he may not return. Do you wish to meet with him?"
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In the VIP room at the top of the Miteer Auction House, Xiao Se was bidding farewell to Ya Fei and Hai Bodong.
"Hai Lao, Sister Ya Fei, until we meet again," Xiao Se said with a cupped fist gesture.
"Little Brother Xiao Se, I truly look forward to seeing you win the championship at the Alchemist Conference in ten months," Ya Fei said unexpectedly, stepping forward and embracing Xiao Se.
Feeling the softness of Ya Fei's body and the faint fragrance she emitted, Xiao Se's face flushed slightly. Out of instinct, he wrapped his arms around her waist—a waist that was coveted by countless men in both Wu Tan City and the Imperial Capital.
As his arms touched Ya Fei's waist, Xiao Se noticed her body stiffen briefly before relaxing once more.
"Sister Ya Fei, don't you know that this might give people the wrong impression?" Xiao Se lightly patted her back, smiling helplessly.
Hearing this, a hint of red appeared on Ya Fei's delicate face. After a moment of contemplation, she gently released her hold on him and playfully scolded, "You little rascal, how dare you take advantage of your sister!"
Hai Bodong, watching the exchange, had a glint of amusement in his old eyes. After clearing his throat, he asked, "Is it okay if I don't go with you? What if that person returns?"
Xiao Se smiled and shook his head. "I think you've noticed that the person was merely testing us. Since they've made a move once, they won't do so again. Besides, once I'm in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, not even a Dou Zong could track me down."
Hai Bodong nodded slightly. "Very well. Then we'll meet again at the Alchemist Conference. I'm curious to see how much stronger you'll become by then."
"Indeed," Xiao Se said before leaving the auction house.
There were still more than ten months before the Alchemist Conference, and the annual recruitment of Jia Nan Academy had already passed this year. The next round of admissions would be after the conference. Xiao Se had learned from Xiao Yu that he could register directly in the Imperial Capital at that time.
Since he couldn't remain in Wu Tan City just to cultivate, he once again embarked on a journey to the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
After all, the mountain range wasn't just home to the cave with the remnants of the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame map and the Amethyst Crystal Winged Lion King's lair. There might be other ruins or treasures waiting to be discovered. With his ability to see through objects, Xiao Se could focus on searching those rarely explored areas while cultivating.
As he walked down the main road of Wu Tan City, passing through the bustling district, Xiao Se noticed someone he hadn't expected near the city gate.
It was a young girl about Xiao Se's age, with delicate features, thin lips, curved eyebrows, and clear, dark eyes that seemed to speak for themselves.
Her skin was fair as snow, and she wore a light purple dress. Her face and neck were flawless, without any blemishes—not even a mosquito bite—making her seem like a figure out of a painting. It was hard to imagine how stunning she would be when she grew older.
At that moment, the girl was clasping her slender, jade-like hands behind her back. When she saw Xiao Se approaching, a soft smile appeared on her beautiful face. "Cousin Xiao Se, long time no see."
"Uh…" Xiao Se twitched his lips. What was this woman up to now? He hadn't even made a move on her precious Brother Xiao Yan, so why did she keep watching him? "Miss Xun'er, is there something you need?"
"Cousin Xiao Se doesn't seem to like Xun'er very much. Did I do something wrong?" Xun'er's indifferent response didn't surprise her. She slowly walked over to Xiao Se, pouting slightly in dissatisfaction.
Xiao Se rolled his eyes inwardly, thinking to himself, You don't have any idea what you've done? With a faint smile, he replied, "Miss Xun'er, you're joking. You're the pride of the Xiao Clan, second only to the once-gifted Xiao Yan. Almost every man in the clan adores you. I simply don't want to be misunderstood and subjected to unnecessary attention. I have some matters to attend to, so I'll be taking my leave."
As he spoke, Xiao Se moved past Xun'er and walked toward the city gate.
Upon hearing his words, Xun'er lowered her head, her hair falling to cover her eyes. As their paths crossed, she suddenly reached out and gently grabbed his sleeve. Lifting her head, her beautiful eyes shimmered with a hint of tears. In a voice tinged with sobs, she said, "Xun'er... will send you off."
Seeing her heartbroken expression, as though she'd been abandoned, Xiao Se raised an eyebrow. Softening his stance, he eventually nodded in agreement.
Walking side by side down the street, Xiao Se adjusted his pace to match hers, slowing down to accommodate her emotions.
"If Miss Xun'er has something to say, don't hesitate," Xiao Se said calmly.
"Is Cousin Xiao Se planning to go on another training trip?" Xun'er asked softly, maintaining her smile with effort.
"Mm," Xiao Se nodded lightly.
"Will you come back to Wu Tan City?" Xun'er asked again.
"It's hard to say," Xiao Se answered vaguely.
Xun'er nodded slightly, taking a deep breath. Just as she was about to speak again, Xiao Se's voice interrupted her, "Miss Xun'er, we're at the city gate. Let's part here."
As he spoke, Xiao Se quickened his pace and walked out of the city gate.
Watching Xiao Se's departing figure, Xun'er sighed softly. As if remembering something, she hurried back to the Xiao Clan's residence.
Standing in a pavilion, Xun'er urgently called out, "Uncle Ling, come out."
"As you command, Miss." As soon as Xun'er spoke, Ling Ying appeared in front of her, kneeling respectfully.
"Do you remember why I had you investigate Cousin Xiao Se when I was six years old?" Xun'er asked thoughtfully.
Ling Ying shook his head. "I do not know. At that time, Young Master Xiao Se had not yet returned to the Xiao Clan, but you seemed to know about him in advance and ordered me to investigate. I found it odd, but after my investigation, you didn't seem to care anymore."
Xun'er nodded slightly and continued, "I've always felt that my memories between the ages of four and six are blurry, as though I've forgotten something. Do you recall anything strange from that time?"
Hearing this, Ling Ying was momentarily stunned. After some thought, he said, "Now that you mention it, Miss, there was a period when you seemed... different, almost as though—"
"As though what?" Xun'er's expression changed as she lifted her face to stare at Ling Ying, pressing him for an answer.
After a brief hesitation, Ling Ying replied solemnly, "As though you were a different person... like a boy."
[T/N--> Just for clarification purpose, there is no gender bending in this fic]
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