The Stunning Mad Empress: The Useless Third Miss - Chapter 20

Qian Xun, lazily propping his chin with one hand, slightly narrowed his eyes as he looked at Xiao Qingcheng, whose appearance had become even more stunningly beautiful now that the toxins were gone from her body.

“Esteemed One, Miss Xiao has made a contract with the rare treasure?”

Ying Yi, who had flown out of the waterfall, flew back once again. He couldn’t have missed the earth-shattering signs that had just occurred. Yet, he still couldn’t accept that Xiao Qingcheng, with her relatively low cultivation level, was the one chosen by the rare treasure to make a contract.

“Hmm, this time, it’s the Seven Constellations Green Dragon Jade that has transformed into the Seven Constellations Jade Bead.”

“Se-Seven Constellations Jade Bead?”

Ying Yi’s jaw almost dropped in astonishment. Qian Xun, however, remained extremely calm, as if he had anticipated this all along.

“The one chosen by fate cannot be defied. From now on, Xiao Qingcheng will be the person I, Qian Xun, will protect with all my might. Ying Yi, keep this matter confidential for the time being.”

Ying Yi frowned. The fluctuations caused just now had been too intense. How could the signs that had shaken the entire Fengming Continent be kept a secret?

“But, what if they still discover it?”

“Then we will claim that the contractee of the rare treasure is me.”

Qian Xun casually spoke these words, then picked up Xiao Qingcheng, who was drenched and in a meditative state, and flew out of the waterfall.

When Xiao Qingcheng woke up again, a whole day had passed.

“Phew, my cultivation has finally returned to the peak of the second level of primal energy. I was so scared before.”

Xiao Qingcheng happily sighed as she opened her eyes.

“The second level of primal energy now is vastly different from before. Your meridians and bones have been reshaped by the Seven Constellations Jade Bead. In the future, your cultivation speed will become faster and faster.”

Qian Xun stood beside Xiao Qingcheng with his hands behind his back.

“But for now, I don’t want to reveal my true strength. Is there any way to hide it?”

“Don’t worry, Master. You have a golden dantian. Those minions have the most ordinary dantian qualities and can’t see through your cultivation level at all.”

Little Pearl spoke anxiously. As soon as she finished speaking, Qian Xun threw a sharp glance at her, which made her close her mouth obediently.

“In the early stages of your growth, I won’t interfere too much. Some setbacks you need to experience are necessary. When you leave Xiao Family Town, I will come to see you. But remember one thing: never leak a single word about the rare treasure.”

Qian Xun took a step forward and once again ruffled Xiao Qingcheng’s hair.

Xiao Qingcheng awkwardly looked up at Qian Xun’s action of petting her like a puppy, feeling strange and speechless inside.

“Let’s go. I’ll take you home.”

Qian Xun extended his hand, wrapped his arm around Xiao Qingcheng’s slender waist, and lifted off the ground, flying towards the sky.

After reaching the dense forest, Qian Xun left without saying another word.

Xiao Qingcheng gazed into the distance, as if she could still sense the scent Qian Xun had left behind.

“Comes and goes without a trace, showing off!” Little Pearl looked at Xiao Qingcheng, who was propping her chin with one hand, and chuckled, “Master, you’ve taken a liking to the Esteemed One, haven’t you?”

“Not at all. I just think he’s a genuinely good person. And since he has done me a favor, it’s only right that I repay his kindness.”

With that, Xiao Qingcheng pinched Little Pearl and prepared to leave the eastern suburbs and return to Xiao Family Town by the same route.

Not far away, Xiao Qingxue and Nan Gongyu’s group had successfully found two rare fruits on the hilltop. However, the commotion caused by Xiao Qingcheng’s contract with the Seven Constellations Jade Bead had naturally caught their attention.

Xiao Qingxue looked at the rare fruit lying in her palm and curled her lips. “Yu, the seven-colored light that just shot into the sky was too dazzling. Do you think there’s some treasure emerging from the pit below?”

Nan Gongyu, standing beside her, narrowed his eyes and said seriously, “Yes, that’s what I think too.”

“Why don’t we stay one more day? I’ll send someone to the Xiao residence to get a gliding cloth. We’ll find a way to fly down and take a look?”

Xiao Qingxue smiled and suggested.

Nan Gongyu nodded in agreement. “Then let’s set up camp here. This place is the closest to Xiao Family Town in a straight line. If all goes well, we can go down and check tomorrow morning.”

On the other side, Little Pearl, sensing the intermittent fragrance of the fruit, spoke up: “Master, there’s the smell of a rare fruit nearby.”

Xiao Qingcheng’s steps faltered slightly. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure!” Little Pearl nodded and pointed to the right with her paw. “It’s coming from that direction.”

Xiao Qingcheng raised an eyebrow. She had already passed through that dense forest before. If the rare fruit had been there, there was no way she would have missed it.

Thus,

it could only mean one thing: Xiao Qingxue and her group had already succeeded, and… they were not far from her.

“Hehe, they’ve delivered the treasure right to our hands. It would be a shame not to take it, considering the efforts Xiao Qingxue and Nan Gongyu have made,” Xiao Qingcheng thought to herself.

Having made up her mind, Xiao Qingcheng changed her plan on the spot.

Little Pearl, nestled on Xiao Qingcheng’s shoulder, grinned with her chubby paws: “Master, are you thinking of another fun way to tease people?”

Xiao Qingcheng glanced at Little Pearl and shrugged: “No! This time, your master… plans to steal!”

With that, Xiao Qingcheng nimbly climbed up a tree.

Perching on the treetop, Xiao Qingcheng could faintly see a clearing in the distant jungle where Xiao Qingxue and Nan Gongyu’s group were setting up tents.

“Master, how are you going to steal it? The rare fruit will definitely be kept close to their bodies. How can we get it?” Little Pearl asked curiously, her eyes wide open.

Xiao Qingcheng touched her chin thoughtfully, smiled, and said: “The art of stealing lies in speed. Secondly, it must be precise. Lastly, it has to be ruthless. Nan Gongyu is surrounded by too many guards. It will be too difficult to succeed.

So, I plan to target Xiao Qingxue.”

Little Pearl  leaned against Xiao Qingcheng’s back.

Her chubby belly lay open to the sky, her limbs spread lazily.

The divine beast, with its eyes half-closed, was extremely excited inside.

“Little Pearl, can you tell how many rare fruits there are by smell?” Xiao Qingcheng’s voice came from above her head.

Little Pearl struggled to turn over.

“It seems… the scent is stronger on Nan Gongyu. The smell on Xiao Qingxue is lighter. But I can only detect the fragrance of the rare fruit from these two people,” Little Pearl replied, lying on Xiao Qingcheng’s shoulder and drooling slightly, looking like a typical foodie.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Qingcheng nodded and continued to stroke her chin thoughtfully: “I estimate that Nan Gongyu has at least two rare fruits, and Xiao Qingxue has one.”

“Then, Master, let’s steal the one with more fruits?” Little Pearl’s eyes sparkled with admiration as she stared at Xiao Qingcheng’s profile.

Xiao Qingcheng frowned, observing the situation in the distance, and shook her head:

“No. The guards following Nan Gongyu have clearly received professional training. Even though I have exceptional talent and extraordinary strength, it’s not a good idea to fight against so many.

Most importantly, I don’t want them to know that Miss Qingcheng is still alive, at least not yet.”