#131 - Like Qingwan (4000 words, two in one)

“Girl, what did you just say?”

Xu Ming looked at the girl in front of him, momentarily stunned, even wondering if he had misheard.

“I said I can protect you.” Qin Qingwan's eyes curved into crescents, “You are Senior Sister Qin's friend, which means you are also my friend. Isn't it right for me to protect you? If something happens to you, Senior Sister Qin will definitely not let me off when I return to the sect.”

Xu Ming: “…”

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“Hey! What's with that expression?” Qin Qingwan put her hands on her hips, “Don't underestimate me, I'm very powerful.”

“I'm not underestimating you, girl…”

Xu Ming gazed into the girl's eyes, those peach blossom eyes seemed to speak, like a peach orchard in full bloom, with peach blossoms dancing.

The more Xu Ming looked, the more familiar he felt.

“It's good that Young Master Xu isn't looking down on me, but please don't stare at me like that, I'll get shy.” Qin Qingwan lowered her head, her long, curved eyelashes fluttering gently, like butterflies dancing among flowers.

“Thank you for your kindness, but wouldn't doing this cause you trouble?” Xu Ming expressed his intention to form an alliance, but also somewhat declined.

“Of course not.” Qin Qingwan, hearing that Xu Ming didn't seem to be refusing, patted Xu Ming's shoulder, “Here, this is for you.”

“What is this?” Xu Ming took a jade pendant.

“This is a magical artifact used by our Tianxuan Sect to transmit messages. As long as you are within a hundred miles, you can inject spiritual power and then visualize the person's appearance in your mind to send a message to them. It's okay if you are a martial artist, you can think of my appearance and then have the big white goose beside you input spiritual power.” Qin Qingwan said cheerfully.

“Girl, this is too precious.” Xu Ming said, about to return it.

But Qin Qingwan pushed the jade pendant back into Xu Ming's hand: “It's okay, this thing isn't precious, just accept it.”

“Then it's settled, contact me if anything happens. I'll also contact you if there's any other news. When I contact you, you must come as soon as possible~”

With those words, Qin Qingwan waved at Xu Ming and turned to run away.

“Geese, geese, geese? (Xu Ming, does this pretty girl like you?)” Tianxuan Goose asked.

“There's no reason for that.” Xu Ming shook his head.

Xu Ming knew that he was a bit handsome, comparable to Takeshi Kaneshiro, but in the world of cultivation, there were still many people who were more handsome than Takeshi Kaneshiro.

For a woman like her who was at the top of the beauty rankings, the number of people pursuing her was countless, and there were definitely those with better looks than him.

So, it was very unlikely that this He Qingqing had fallen in love with him at first sight.

And this He Qingqing felt very close to him, it didn't just feel like he was Qin Qingwan's friend.

Speaking of which, is this person really He Qingqing?

“Geese, geese, geese, (I also think she probably doesn't like you, maybe this girl is just naturally friendly.)” Tianxuan Goose said.

Xu Ming was indeed a bit handsome, but that girl was so good-looking, just judging from appearance, Xu Ming was only worthy of licking He Qingqing's feet.

Tianxuan Goose: “Geese, geese, geese (But why did you agree to form an alliance? That doesn't seem like you.)”

Xu Ming shook his head: “I have a question in my mind.”

“A question?”

“Little White, don't you think this girl named He Qingqing looks like someone?” Xu Ming looked at Tianxuan Goose.

“Like who?” Tianxuan Goose tilted its head.

Xu Ming said: “Like Qingwan.”

“…”

Tianxuan Goose thought seriously for a moment.

“Probably not? Isn't Qingwan in seclusion? Besides, have you seen Qingwan grown up? The last time you saw Qingwan was when she was six years old.

But if you have to say it, from a personality perspective, she does seem a bit similar, they are both quite lively and cheerful.

Especially those eyes, they are both very beautiful, like gems.”

As he spoke, Tianxuan Goose seemed to understand something, raised its head and looked at Xu Ming: “You don't suspect that this He Qingqing is Qingwan, do you?”

Xu Ming smiled and shook his head: “I didn't say that, but it's not impossible.”

Xu Ming withdrew his gaze from the girl: “Let's go, let's find the two scholars from White Deer Academy.”

“Geese (Oh woo).”

The big white goose waddled its butt and followed Xu Ming towards the Blessing Inn.

Xu Ming asked the landlady of the Blessing Inn, and the landlady, hearing that they were friends of the two scholars, didn't have any precautions and told Xu Ming the room number.

When Xu Ming saw Yuwen Xi and Miao Feng, they still looked confused, not knowing what had happened.

“Did you two have a good sleep?” Xu Ming looked at Yuwen Xi and Miao Feng with a smile, looking at the time, it was almost evening.

“Brother Xu is joking.” Yuwen Xi and Miao Feng bowed, “We took some pills to repair our injuries and slept for a while, which allows the spiritual power to circulate the pills better.”

“I see.”

Xu Ming asked Yuwen Xi and Miao Feng about their injuries, then told them what had happened in the city, and then set up a barrier to isolate spiritual sense detection and sound.

Seeing Xu Ming setting up the barrier, Yuwen Xi and Miao Feng were both stunned. They didn't expect Xu Ming to be a cultivator, and judging from the spiritual power used to set up the barrier, he seemed to be a Foundation Establishment realm cultivator, not yet at the Cave Heaven realm.

“Brother Xu can cultivate, why not take the path of a cultivator? With Brother Xu's talent, entering White Deer Academy to study and cultivate righteous energy would definitely be a sure thing.”

Yuwen Xi couldn't help but ask, his tone full of pity for Xu Ming.

In Yuwen Xi's opinion, although Xu Ming's strength was indeed very strong on the path of a martial artist, a martial artist was ultimately a dead end. Even if he cultivated to the limit, he would only have a lifespan of three or four hundred years, not even comparable to a Qi Refiner's Cave Heaven realm.

And Xu Ming was so talented that he could completely take the path of Confucianism and become a sage.

Xu Ming smiled, naturally knowing what Yuwen Xi meant: “Thank you for your kindness, Brother Yuwen. I still hope to continue on the path of martial arts, of course, I will also take the path of a Qi Refiner.”

Miao Feng also worriedly said: “Brother Xu, I know that Brother Xu is gifted, but since ancient times, no one has been able to walk the path of both martial arts and magic at the same time. A person's energy is limited, and Brother Yuwen and I also think that Brother Xu can take the path of Confucianism and become a sage.”

“Let's try it, if it doesn't work, then we'll talk about it later.” Xu Ming seemed very insistent.

Seeing Xu Ming's stubbornness, Yuwen Xi still wanted to say something, but Miao Feng signaled him with a look and shook his head.

Yuwen Xi had no choice but to give up.

Indeed, everyone has their own path.

Brother Xu is not listening to advice now, but after he has tasted the suffering of cultivating both martial arts and magic, he will know how tiring it is.

“Back to the main topic, I came to find you two because I have some things to ask for your help.” Xu Ming changed the subject.

Miao Feng nodded: “Brother Xu, please speak freely, as long as we two can help, we will definitely do our best.”

Yuwen Xi also nodded.

“Then I won't be polite.” Xu Ming looked at the two of them, “I wonder what you two think of formations?”

“Formation understanding?” Miao Feng was stunned for a moment, then revealed a hearty, smug smile, “To be honest, Brother Xu, although Yuwen Xi and I are not as good as others in many aspects, but in the formation class, if we call ourselves the second and third best among our peers at White Deer Academy, no one should dare to call themselves the best.”

“Then it's easy to handle.” A stone fell in Xu Ming's heart. Confucian scholars are generally very humble. The fact that they can say such a thing means that they really have confidence. “There is a formation that I want you two to help take a look at.”

Xu Ming took out a piece of parchment from his baggage and spread it on the table.

Miao Feng and Yuwen Xi both stood up and looked at it seriously.

The more they looked, the more solemn Miao Feng and Yuwen Xi's expressions became, and they even exclaimed "Wonderful" and "It's really too wonderful" from time to time.

Watching them intently deciphering the formation, Xu Ming was not in a hurry, but just sat aside and drank tea.

After half an hour, Miao Feng and Yuwen Xi finally withdrew their gazes from the parchment and bowed:

“Sorry, we've kept Brother Xu waiting for a long time. This formation belongs to the 'Formation Breaking Diagram' category. It is a spatial spell, and the laws used by the formation are very similar to the laws of Baiwa City. Could it be that this formation is…”

“That's right.” Xu Ming put down his teacup: “This formation may help us leave Baiwa City.”

“…” Miao Feng and Yuwen Xi looked at each other.

“I wonder what you two think of this formation?” Xu Ming asked.

“Wonderful!” Miao Feng gave it a very high evaluation, “I don't know who the creator of this formation is, but the other party is definitely a formation genius. The clarity of their thinking and the meticulousness of their mind are simply unexpected. Perhaps this formation can really help us leave Baiwa City.”

Miao Feng didn't ask Xu Ming where this formation came from, it didn't make any sense. Everyone has their own secrets.

“The creative idea of this formation has some of the meaning of the Tianzhen Sect.” Yuwen Xi stroked his chin, “Could it be that the person who created this formation is a disciple of the Tianzhen Sect?”

Xu Ming: “Tianzhen Sect?”

Miao Feng's expression carried some regret:

“Brother Xu doesn't know, although the Tianzhen Sect is a Nascent Soul level sect (the highest realm in the sect is the Nascent Soul realm), the Tianzhen Sect's research on formations is very unique.

The sect master who created the Tianzhen Sect was an unparalleled genius. Every cultivator who majors in formations has heard of this genius's name.

The Heavenly Array Sect knew that their strength was weak and their foundation was shallow, so they always adopted a gentle diplomatic approach towards other sects and forces.

However, one day, no one knows who did it, but the Heavenly Array Sect was exterminated overnight.

The Sect Leader of the Heavenly Array Sect detonated the sect's array formation. Most of the array books of the Heavenly Array Sect were reduced to nothing. Only some scattered diagrams of the Heavenly Array Sect's formations flowed out, allowing people to glimpse the Sect Leader's array thinking.

In the eyes of many people, if the Sect Leader of the Heavenly Array Sect hadn't been in such a hurry to establish a sect, and had instead cultivated diligently behind the backing of a sect, he would have one day been able to attain the Dao through array formations and ascend to the Immortal Realm.

"That is indeed extremely regrettable," Xu Ming said after listening, feeling sorry for the other party. "Can the two of you create this array?"

"This..." Yu Wenxi showed a hint of difficulty. "To be honest, Brother Xu, if it's just the two of us, we really wouldn't be able to create this array. We still need someone who is proficient in array formations to help. This person's understanding of array formations must at least be at the same level as ours."

"Not only that," Miao Feng added, "this array master must also be a woman."

"A woman?" Xu Ming asked, puzzled.

Miao Feng nodded: "This array is activated on the night of the full moon. We need a woman whose realm is at the Sea Gazing Realm, whose spiritual power is extremely pure, and whose control over spiritual power can be meticulous."

"..." Xu Ming fell into silence.

"Eh? I heard Brother Xu say just now that the son of the Heavenly Mystery Sect's leader has created an alliance. In that case, why don't we ask that alliance for help?" Yu Wenxi said, "This way, we can also help others leave this place together."

"Absolutely not!"

Miao Feng immediately rejected Yu Wenxi's suggestion.

"If we want to save others, we can create this array formation, and then, when we are about to leave, we can use methods to notify others and let them leave through this array formation as well. But we must never hand this array formation over.

People's hearts are very complicated. Who knows what the other party will think if this array formation is handed over to them.

Furthermore, how will Brother Xu explain the origin of this array formation? Will the other party believe Brother Xu's explanation?

At that time, I'm afraid those people will think that everything in White Wallow City is Xu brother's doing."

Listening to Miao Feng's words, Yu Wenxi immediately stood up and cupped his hands in apology: "Brother Xu, I'm sorry, I didn't think so much."

"It's alright," Xu Ming waved his hand.

Xu Ming's thoughts were the same as Miao Feng's.

He wasn't a saint and didn't need to be responsible for the people in the city.

When the array formation is successful, he would just spread the news throughout the city when he leaves. As for what happens to White Wallow City after he leaves, that's none of his concern.

Xu Ming stroked his chin and thought for a moment. A person popped up in his mind, and he asked, "What is the Heavenly Mystery Sect's understanding of array formations?"

Miao Feng smiled: "The Heavenly Mystery Sect's level of array formations is on par with our White Deer Academy, only with different focuses. But helping to construct this array formation together is definitely not a problem."

Xu Ming nodded: "I understand. I know a disciple of the Heavenly Mystery Sect. I'll go talk to her about it. But speaking of which, do you two know He Qingqing of the Heavenly Mystery Sect?"

"He Qingqing?" Miao Feng was stunned for a moment, then looked at Yu Wenxi beside him, smiled, "I don't know her, but this guy definitely knows her. I'm afraid he misses her day and night."

"Miao Feng, what nonsense are you talking about?" Yu Wenxi scratched his head a little embarrassedly. "Before, the White Deer Academy once sent disciples to visit the Heavenly Mystery Sect, and I was fortunate enough to meet her, but Brother Xu, why are you asking about this?"

"It's nothing," Xu Ming smiled, "I'll just trouble Brother Yuwen to come with me tomorrow."