âHeh heh, little Dan, whatâs wrong? Your face doesnât look too good. Did Jiang Chen run afoul of you somehow?â Tutor Ye asked with a chuckle.
âNo, I just donât like his strutting figure. Who does he think he is! Teacher, that little brat dares reject your intention to take him as a disciple although you are a personage of such character!â
âLittle Dan, this doesnât seem like you.â The old tutor smiled. âWhen did our little Dan become so irritated by matters like this?â
Dan Fei was a bit irked, âTeacher, Danâer is being a champion for your cause out of the goodness of my heart, yet you laugh at me.â
âHaha, to think that the Dan Fei all the young men in the capital are infatuated with also has the side of a young girl. Little Dan, if they saw your current state, it would surely completely overturn their understanding of you.â
âThen let them overturn! Who asked those silly children to think of me?!â Dan Fei was obviously very spoiled in front of the old tutor, and was acting markedly different from her coolly composed and competent exterior during the banquet.
âAlright, little Dan, all jokes aside, Jiang Chen turned me down because he understood the principle of right and wrong. To be honest, although I can give him a few pointers on the road of martial dao, but I truly may not have the qualifications to be his teacher in long run.â
Shock was revealed in Dan Feiâs beautiful eyes. âTeacher, this... isnât this assessment too high?â
Although Dan Fei had been adopted by Tutor Ye since she was young and had served by his side ever since, she had never heard him give a word of high praise to anyone. In the eyes of the old tutor, some of the young folk didnât even warrant any words of praise at all.
Those who the old tutor would occasionally mention would only merit an ordinary compliment.
âIt wouldnât be too much to highly praise a young man who, in the vicinity of the sixteen kingdoms, can easily talk about the origins of the Phoenix-Dragon and take out the Nine Magnificence Dew Wine.â
âBut... heâs just been a bit luckier to make the acquaintance of an uncommon expert, thatâs all!â Dan Fei argued, unwilling to accept that.
The old tutor smiled. âLittle Dan, do you think that there are many uncommon experts in this world, and that theyâre all sitting there twiddling their thumbs, waiting for someone to make their acquaintance and strike up a friendship? There are so many people within the sixteen kingdoms, so many billions of people so why doesnât such a fortunate encounter happen to Ye Dai? Or to Ye Rong? Why didnât it happen to anyone else; why was it Jiang Chen who was so lucky?â
Dan Feiâs red lips twitched, âHeâs just lucky.â
âHaha, luck! Things such as luck do exist. But for Jiang Chen to receive the favor of an uncommon expert, itâs not just a matter of luck.â The old tutor chuckled.
âAnyways, I just think heâs too cocky and will surely suffer in the future. To say nothing of anything else, the first princeâs group of people will surely hate him for what transpired today.â
âYe Dai?â The old tutor laughed. âIf Ye Dai was smart, he shouldnât have antagonized Jiang Chen to begin with. If heâs not smart enough, then Iâd say his dreams of being Crown Prince are just about at their end. Rather, although that child Ye Rong has always kept a low profile, who wouldâve thought that he would have such resolve this time to travel tens of thousands of li to the Eastern Kingdom to recruit Jiang Chen. That kid Ye Rong is not simple alright.â
âTeacher, do you also think Ye Rong is not bad?â Dan Fei had the best impression of Ye Rong out of all the princes.
Although Ye Dai looked quite charming, graceful, tall and strong with the demeanor of a gentleman, but Dan Fei was quite sharp and extremely intelligent so her observations skills were very strong and she actually didnât admire the traits that Ye Dai was displaying.
It was rather Ye Rong who was shrewd, but had a stately air in his bones.
âYe Rong actually made a good move in placing his bet on Jiang Chen.â The old tutor glossed over things as he changed the topic. âLittle Dan, make a trip to the Southern Palace and prepare a few items for me. My Phoenix-Dragon, ai, itâs inadvisable to wait longer!â
The old tutor was worried about his Phoenix Dragon. Although the process of castration wasnât complicated, he still wasnât at ease handing it over to someone else.
He decided to do it himself, but some things had to be prepared first.
âYes, Danâer will do so immediately.â Dan Fei knew what the old tutor was going to do, but she was a girl and wasnât at liberty to participate in something like this.
âDonât be in a rush, Iâll write a list for you. How else will you do it?â
...
Dan Fei had some ties to Elder Ning of the Southern Palace.
Therefore, when she needed to do something, she would always look for Elder Ning. Unfortunately, Elder Ning happened to be out when she arrived at the Southern Palace.
Dan Fei handed the list over to the associate and said, âThese are some items that Tutor Ye wants. Choose the best ones and pay no heed to price.â
âYes Miss Dan Fei. Your servant knows that even without your instructions. Please wait momentarily Miss Dan Fei, these items will take a while to prepare.â
Dan Fei nodded, âPlease prepare them as soon as possible.â
She walked to a corner of the lobby and found a seat to sit down on. She didnât like to stand at the counter because people always walked past it.
Particularly the men who walked back and forth, their gazes were always quite dishonest as they swept them back and forth over her body. Although Dan Feiâs disposition was good, she never liked looks that reminded her of hungry wolves.
An exceptional girl like her was a unique sight in the Skylaurel Kingdom. Even if she hid in the corner, she was still given many lecherous looks. They swept up and down her body without abandon. If it wasnât for her proper and demure appearance projecting its own awe-inspiring aura, many of them would have come and try to chat her up.
Dan Fei actually rarely showed her face in public. Most of her time was spent studying at the old tutorâs side. Most of the males that she had come in contact with the most were the noble sons and disciples of the Skylaurel Kingdom.
Although these noble sons were sometimes ridiculous, they would more or less restrain themselves because they knew of Dan Feiâs identity, even if they had certain thoughts. They were fearful of the old tutorâs presence and they didnât dare step out of line.
However, not that many people in the public knew who Dan Fei was.
Dan Fei felt quite uncomfortable with all these gazes checking her out.
Two more people walked in at this moment. It was actually Elder Ning of the Southern Palace with Qiao Baishi at her side.
âDan Fei?â Elder Ning was a business person and she had long since formed the good habit of observing everything around her. She scanned the entire lobby as soon as she set foot through the door.
Dan Fei was so extraordinary that Elder Ningâs eyes locked on to her immediately, even though she was sitting in the corner.
This was someone that Elder Ning had to curry favor with. She had a smile on her face as she greeted Dan Fei enthusiastically, âDan Fei, I was wondering why I heard so much chattering early in the morning. We have a honored guest here! Why are you sitting here? My underlings are so incompetent! Come, come! Have a seat in my house.â
Dan Fei was startled when she saw Elder Ning. She almost didnât dare greet her. âYouâre... youâre big sister Ning?â
Elder Ning burst out in laughter, âWho would be so bored as to pretend they are me?â
Elder Ning tittered, she in a fantastically great mood. She loved seeing that kind of reaction. Ever since she took the Four Seasons Eternal Spring Pill, she seemed to have returned to the prime of her youth and she was met with these astonished gazes everywhere she went.
These looks made Elder Ning overflow with even more confidence.
âSister Ning, you... You... â Dan Fei couldnât find the appropriate words at that moment.
âAlright, if you want to say that I was quite old before, you can go ahead and say it! I wonât mind, heh heh!â Elder Ning warmly grabbed Dan Feiâs hands and said, âBaishi, this is Dan Fei, my good sister!â
âDan Fei, this is my newly hired assistant Qiao Baishi. He has a lot of potential.â
âBaishi greets Miss Dan Fei.â Qiao Baishi smiled.
Dan Fei nodded slightly. âHello.â
The associate had finished preparing the items at this moment and walked over. âMiss Dan Fei, the items have been prepared. Would you like to take an inventory?â
How could Dan Fei take an inventory of the tools and materials needed for castration in front of Elder Ning and Qiao Baishi? It was simply too embarrassing.
She hastily said, âNo no, thatâs alright.â
She then spoke with a reddened face to Elder Ning, âBig sister Ning, the lordmaster still has some matters to take care of. I need to go back.â
Dan Fei felt that everything was quite odd today.
The perverse existence of Jiang Chen had appeared at the lordmasterâs birthday banquet without warning -- this made her feel that things were a bit bizarre.
And now, having met her old acquaintance Elder Ning, it seemed that she had suddenly become twenty years younger. This was even more bizarre.
Just what was going on today? Why was everything so queer and wacky? Dan Fei started to suspect that she was dreaming.
Walking her to the door, Elder Ning spoke wistfully, âDan Fei, youâre really in a hurry today? I wanted to share my beautifying secrets with you. Look at your skin, your figure, and your body. Tsk tsk, a flawless born beauty. I would want to eat you if I were a man!â
Dan Fei immediately flushed red, âBig sister Ning, donât make jokes of me. Youâve become so young all of a sudden that at a glance, I look like your big sister. Iâm going to envy you if you keep talking.â
âHeh heh, what is there to be envious about? I was lucky and obtained one Four Seasons Eternal Spring Pill. Dan Fei, that pill is truly wondrous. I didnât dare believe it then, but my entire being seemed to rewind back to twenty years ago in a short two hours.â
âThe Four Seasons Eternal Spring Pill?â Dan Feiâs moving eyes suddenly darted back and forth, and she said rapidly, âBig sister, I really must go!â
Dan Fei apologized with her words and hopped in a carriage, taking her leave like the wind.
âWhatâs wrong with Dan Fei today? She seems distracted and dejected. It doesnât look like her style.â Elder Ning was completely befuddled.
Reaching the Tutor Manor in a short amount of time, Dan Fei put the items down as soon as she entered the door. She immediately went to the shrubbery in the front yard, her charming eyes searching seriously.
âIt should be here, there should be no mistake. I was angry just then and randomly threw it. It should be here. Why isnât it here?â
Dan Fei was a bit regretful. Why had she been so impulsive?
However, the pill bottle was the size of half a fist. It shouldnât be hard to find in the shrubbery.
After searching for a while, Dan Feiâs elegant forehead was sweating slightly, beads of sweat had formed on her nose and her hair was slightly messed up. There were even some blades of grass stuck on her head.
Dan Fei suddenly remembered something.
âOh no, can it be that, in the time Iâve been out, Aunt Lan cleaned the yard and picked up the pill bottle?â
This frightening thought made Dan Fei extremely nervous all of a sudden.