ATPnovel Chapter 106 is located below.
Chapter 106 is located below.
"My lord, have you graced Luomei Residence with your presence so late at night? Are you here specifically to find me?"
Zhao Mengxi gave a graceful bow, her posture elegant and dignified, her tone gentle and appropriate, completely different from her previous alluring appearance.
Li Qingyi's lips twitched, and she was speechless with frustration.
"Just two days ago she was called 'older sister,' and now she's become a 'little girl'..."
Why isn't the original poster saying anything?
Zhao Mengxi walked gracefully to the chair next to Li Qingyi and sat down, her movements light and graceful.
Li Qingyi didn't look at her, her voice calm and even, "Come to Huanzhulou in three days, and I'll give you my answer."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Mengxi raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.
She didn't expect Li Qingyi to suddenly give a clear answer, and her attitude seemed to have softened.
This is quite different from how she used to be so unyielding and avoidant.
"Your thoughts are truly hard for me to fathom," she said softly, her tone gentle.
Seeing her proper, polite, and serious demeanor made Li Qingyi feel uneasy, even more so than when he faced the alluring and seductive roast chicken version.
"What trick is this woman up to now?"
He glanced around discreetly, and after confirming that no one was nearby, he whispered:
"Be normal, I'm scared."
Zhao Mengxi: "..."
In that instant, she wanted to strangle Li Qingyi.
Just then, the maid who had gone to announce the arrival returned on a trot.
She respectfully addressed Li Qingyi:
"Master, Miss Yudie has not yet rested. Hearing of your visit, please move to the private room in the inner courtyard for a chat."
Li Qingyi felt as if she had been granted a pardon. She immediately stood up, nodded to Zhao Mengxi, and said goodbye.
Without lingering any longer, he followed the maid and walked quickly toward the inner courtyard.
Zhao Mengxi sat there, watching his figure quickly disappear behind the curtain, her eyes shifting uncertainly.
She felt that she could understand Li Qingyi less and less.
"You're not as simple as you seem..."
She thought to herself:
"Come to think of it, after knowing you for so long, I still don't know your real name... I'll definitely ask you next time we meet."
……
Mingxiang Elegant Room.
The room was filled with the subtle fragrance of sandalwood, and the furnishings were elegant and untouched by worldly dust.
Yu Die was not wearing her usual pink dress, but only a simple moon-white long dress. Her black hair was casually tied up, and she wore no makeup, which made her look even more elegant and refined.
She sat gracefully behind the tea table, holding a small clay teapot, slowly pouring boiling water into the teacup in front of her. Steam rose, and the aroma of tea wafted through the air.
The door slid open gently, and Li Qingyi walked in.
The maid quietly closed the door from the outside.
"Young master, you've come so late at night, is there something important you wish to discuss?" Yu Die raised her head, her voice gentle.
Upon hearing this, Li Qingyi subconsciously turned her head to look out the window.
Only then did I realize that the night outside the window was as dark as ink, and it was already past midnight.
He looked somewhat apologetic, walked to the opposite side of the tea table, and sat down politely.
"I apologize for my abruptness and disturbing your peace."
Yu Die smiled slightly, gently pushed a freshly brewed cup of tea in front of Li Qingyi, made a "please" gesture, and then remained silent, waiting for what was to come.
Li Qingyi didn't stand on ceremony. She took out the Youyue Secret Box from her storage ring, gently placed it on the tea table, and then pushed it forward.
"Can Miss Jade Butterfly decipher this?"
Yu Die did not answer immediately. Instead, she looked at Li Qingyi and parted her cherry lips slightly:
"Although I haven't known you for very long, we have met several times and talked a few times."
To this day... I still do not know your name, young master. It has been impolite of me, Jade Butterfly.
Li Qingyi was slightly taken aback, then a hint of embarrassment flashed across her face, "This... it was my oversight that I hadn't formally introduced myself."
His mind raced, and a pseudonym instantly formed. He then calmly and casually said:
"My surname is Fang, and my given name is Yuan. Fang Yuan."
"Fang Yuan..." Yu Die repeated softly, seemingly savoring the name, "Young Master Fang. This item..."
Her gaze returned to the Moonlit Secret Box. "If Jade Butterfly's assessment is correct, it should be the Moonlit Secret Box. Since you brought this to me, young master, you must already know something about its origin?"
"I know a little bit," Li Qingyi nodded.
"Since you know this is the Secret Box of the Nether Moon, why have you come looking for me?"
"I dare to speculate... that Miss Yudie has a close relationship with Tingyu Pavilion, doesn't she?"
Yu Die's heart skipped a beat, but she remained expressionless and asked in return, "What makes you say that, young master?"
Seeing her answer, Li Qingyi felt seven or eight parts confident.
His judgment was not unfounded.
Instead, it was through a simulation that Yu Die proactively reminded herself to be careful of Tingyu Pavilion, which led her to make that judgment.
Li Qingyi was simply unaware of Yu Die's position in Tingyu Pavilion.
"It's a secret." Li Qingyi smiled mysteriously; naturally, he couldn't tell Yu Die the truth.
Yu Die looked at him and smiled gently. "Yu Die does indeed have some connection with Tingyu Pavilion. However, this connection may be slightly different from what you think."
"Different? What's different?" Li Qingyi's curiosity was piqued.
"I'd like to hear the details," he asked casually.
Yu Die picked up her teacup, took a sip, a sly glint in her eyes, and mimicked Li Qingyi's tone, softly saying:
"secret."
Li Qingyi: "..."
He was speechless for a moment.
"She's quite vengeful..."
Seeing Li Qingyi's stiff expression, Yu Die suddenly said:
"Even if I have some connection with Tingyu Pavilion, that should not be a reason for you to seek me out."
"Tingyu Pavilion is located in Youyue Kingdom, and I am just here to try my luck."
Upon hearing this, Yu Die smiled gently, "I didn't expect it to be like this."
She immediately became serious and said:
"This secret box has a special structure and can only be opened with special methods and corresponding spiritual energy fluctuations. Forcibly breaking it will only damage the contents inside."
"You may come to Luomei Residence to find me again in seven days."
"Thank you for your trouble, young lady." Li Qingyi felt reassured and clasped her hands in thanks.
He can wait seven days.
"Yu Die has done you a favor, young master." She put down her teacup and looked calmly at Li Qingyi. "Young master, would you also be so kind as to answer a small question that I have?"
Alarm bells rang instantly in Li Qingyi's mind.
Having been scammed twice, he became extremely wary of any request for help.
His expression remained unchanged, maintaining his composure.
"Please speak, young lady. If I know the answer, I will inform you."
Yu Die was unaware of his inner wariness and simply asked in a curious tone:
"Young Master and Li Qingyi seem to be acquainted. In your opinion, what kind of person is this Young Master Li?"
Li Qingyi was taken aback, clearly not expecting the other party to ask this question.
He looked up at Yu Die, whose face showed only curiosity.
"Why is she asking about this?" Li Qingyi wondered.
Is it just curiosity? Or is there another purpose? Do they want to learn about my weaknesses through me?
Seeing that Li Qingyi remained silent, Yu Die assumed he was unwilling to betray his friend, so she softly added:
"Yu Die knew that Young Master Fang and Young Master Li had a close relationship, and what she asked was not a private matter."
I'm just a little curious about what kind of person he is, and I'd like to hear what people who know him think of him.
"If you, sir, are willing to answer, it would be a way of repaying the favors I've shown you on these two occasions, wouldn't you say?"
Two acts of assistance?
Li Qingyi's heart stirred, recalling the last time she came to Luomei Residence to ask Yu Die for help, the other party had agreed very readily.
The other party did not refuse to help crack the secret box this time.
Thinking about it carefully, Yu Die seemed to have always been kind to her.
"I've really been scammed so many times that I've become paranoid and overly suspicious."
Li Qingyi smiled bitterly to herself, her tense nerves relaxing slightly.
He raised his head, ready to answer, but his gaze met Yu Die's clear and curious eyes, and he suddenly stopped.
What kind of person is he?
This question, which seemed simple, left Li Qingyi speechless for a moment.
Having transmigrated, I inherited this body and some hazy memories, but my core self is the soul from my previous life.
Struggling to survive in this perilous world of cultivation, constantly simulating, scheming, fighting, and maneuvering...
What kind of person did he ultimately become?
Sensitive? Suspicious?
It seems there's more to it than that.
Cautious? Steady?
It doesn't seem comprehensive enough.
Decisive and ruthless?
It might be the same for enemies, but it seems to be different for Xi Yue, Ling'er, and even Luo Huanhuan.
After pondering for a long time, the hot tea on the table had gone cold.
After a long silence, Li Qingyi finally spoke:
"He... is a rather contradictory person."
"Is it contradictory?" Yu Die blinked. She didn't press for details about how it was contradictory. "Yu Die understands. Thank you for clearing up my doubts, Young Master Fang."
She gracefully made a gesture to see the guest out.
"It's late, young master, you should go back and rest early."
Li Qingyi stood up, thanked him again, and then left Mingxiang Private Room.
……
Back on the top floor of Huanzhu Tower, Li Qingyi didn't light any lamps. She simply lay down fully clothed on the soft couch by the window, letting the cool moonlight bathe her.
His conversation with Yu Die left him unable to calm down for a long time.
He then realized that the changes in himself were quite significant.
"All of this... is for the sake of survival."
He gazed at the crescent moon outside the window, muttering to himself, his tone tinged with an indescribable weariness.
All these changes are significant.
That ordinary soul from its past life has now adapted to the rules of survival in this world.
In some respects, they even became more adapted than many native monks.
Just as negative emotions were beginning to arise in my heart—
From the depths of his consciousness, a clear and melodious sword cry rang out.
It instantly dispelled the thin fog in my heart.
Li Qingyi shuddered, her eyes regaining their clarity, and the slight gloom she had felt earlier vanished.
He sat up, shaking his head with amusement. "There's no NetEase Cloud Music in this cultivation world, so why am I being depressed here? I'm just wasting my time."
"Deep Blue, simulate it for me!"
[Simulation begins, 60 spirit stones consumed, 14 spirit stones remaining.]