Chapter 378: Night's Hospitality, Starlight's Rising Fame

Chapter 378: Night's Hospitality, Starlight's Rising Fame

Afternoon.

The shift had ended.

Director Fang then began bustling about, arranging for guards, giving instructions, emphasizing key points, and focusing on the northern district...

In short, he made himself look extremely busy, so busy that he didn't even have time to eat.

But surprisingly, Jing Xiuyun and Zhao Ying'er hadn't left.

They had been quietly waiting.

Quietly watching.

Watching him pretend to be busy.

And the wine and dishes had already been ordered.

Finally, Director Fang had no choice. He couldn't delay any longer and resigned himself to the situation.

"Let's go."

"Okay."

Fang Che felt helpless. Seeing Zhao Ying'er's persistent expression, he knew this wouldn't be an easy hurdle to overcome.

However, Fang Che wasn't worried at all.

Who was Night?

Although she appeared meek and obedient in front of him, always compliant and seemingly without a temper or cunning,

But what was this? A spy! An undercover agent!

Ever since Night came to his side, Fang Che had never discovered her doing anything out of line. She seemed naive, adorable, and not very shrewd, even a bit silly.

But the impression she gave everyone was one of cuteness, docility, and harmlessness.

Even the old demon, Mu Linyuan from Yin Shengong, had a great impression of Night—if Night had done anything to displease him, he wouldn't have forced the marriage and presided over the wedding.

Instead, he would have directly eliminated her physical body.

Such a girl, on the surface, seemed to be at a disadvantage no matter who she encountered. But in reality, the likelihood of her being at a disadvantage was very low.

On the contrary, Fang Che was a bit worried that Zhao Ying'er might be too harshly treated by Night.

Zhao Ying'er was obviously well-dressed, her features delicate and radiant, captivating. Her demeanor was graceful and charming, with a thousand allurements.

Jing Xiuyun, on the other hand, hadn't dressed up at all. Instead, she had made herself look a bit uglier.

But this slight change made Fang Che suddenly see her in a new light.

This woman was a friend worth getting to know.

As they walked leisurely to the Scholar's Residence, Fang Che suddenly felt a bit guilty, as if he were a husband bringing his mistress home and feeling guilty about it.

As they entered the door, Night, who had been practicing the sword in the courtyard, came forward to greet them: "You're back? Oh, and these are..."

"Yes, these are two colleagues. This is Zhao Ying'er, and this is Jing Xiuyun. They've been a great help to me, so I specially invited them to our home. We'll have a small meal together later."

"Oh, oh..."

Night's face lit up with surprise: "Please come in, Zhao Priestess, and Jing Priestess... It's truly an honor. Oh, Fang Che, why didn't you tell me earlier? I haven't even had time to tidy up..."

Looking around the almost spotless courtyard, with every facility perfectly placed, the entire yard resembled a large-scale craft.

Both Jing Xiuyun and Zhao Ying'er were taken aback.

It wasn't just a matter of cleanliness.

But rather the sense of... comfort, ease, and contentment, entering this home felt soothing. It was as if entering here was like coming home.

From a woman's perspective, a woman who could create such a homely atmosphere was not to be taken lightly.

Entering the room was akin to stepping onto a woman's battlefield.

Night was gentle and graceful, like flowing water.

While Zhao Ying'er was graceful and charming, with a gentle and amiable smile on her face, she chatted amicably, but compared to Night, she always gave off a sense of aggressiveness.

In reality, she had already been very amiable.

However, in contrast to Night's amiability, she immediately appeared sharp and assertive.

Even Jing Xiuyun and Zhao Ying'er themselves found this incomprehensible.

Usually, Zhao Ying'er maintained a gentle and weak image in the Executor Hall, and now she appeared even gentler than usual.

Night, on the other hand, clearly didn't appear very weak, but she made Zhao Ying'er seem even more assertive.

This was truly bizarre.

Night warmly welcomed her guests with a gentle smile: "Since you two are the first friends that Fang Che has brought home, you must be very close. I'm delighted to meet you both."

"Sister-in-law, you're too kind."

Zhao Ying'er said, "Sister-in-law, you're so beautiful. Seeing you in person today, I realize how fortunate Fang Che is."

"Oh, I'm just a housewife, and I can't really help him much."

Night smiled a bit sadly: "It's all thanks to everyone's support and help that he is where he is today. I'd like to express my gratitude first."

"It's our duty, and under Fang Che's wise leadership, we also feel very safe and fulfilled."

The two women exchanged pleasantries for a while.

Then, as Zhao Ying'er washed the vegetables, she asked, "Sister-in-law, I can't seem to gauge your cultivation. It seems you're also a skilled practitioner."

Night smiled gently: "My cultivation is only at the Martial Marquis Sixth Rank, but it's of no help to Fang Che. Alas."

Zhao Ying'er's lips twitched, and her mood suddenly sank.

Although her cultivation had improved significantly after her recovery, she was only at the Martial Marshal First Rank; who would've thought that Night had already reached the Martial Marquis Sixth Rank...

She suddenly felt as if she had shrunk in comparison.

Jing Xiuyun said, "Sister-in-law, how do you maintain such skin? It's even softer than an eight-year-old girl's skin, this is truly..."

As she spoke, she leaned in to examine Night's skin, and her tone became more and more amazed: "Your skin is... it's like the finest white jade, and the pores are almost invisible, so smooth and white..."

Zhao Ying'er also joined in, examining Night's arm as she rolled up her sleeves, her eyes filled with admiration: "Sister-in-law, how do you maintain such beautiful skin?"

Then, the vegetable washing and cooking session turned into a beauty exchange among the three women.

Director Fang opened the wine and waited. He waited and waited...

Alright, finally, they arrived, and the evening lights had just come on.

The four of them began to toast in a harmonious atmosphere.

The entire evening was filled with joy and laughter.

Until the end, Zhao Ying'er finally said to Night: "Sister-in-law, such a large house, just the two of you living here? It feels a bit too spacious."

Night blinked and smiled: "It is a bit spacious, and I often think that if there was one more person living here, it would be perfect. But Fang Che doesn't understand romance, so this goal might be difficult."

Zhao Ying'er's face turned red.

Red as if blood was about to drip from it.

Jing Xiuyun, on the side, raised her cup and smiled: "I didn't expect Sister-in-law to be so open-minded. Let's drink to that."

In the dim light, Fang Che glanced at Ye Meng, smiling as he spoke, "Even if you don't understand, it's not going to work. I've already said that this family doesn't count."

After a meal, the host and guests were all in high spirits. Zhao Ying'er and Ye Meng became as close as sisters, holding hands and whispering intimately.

Ye Meng enthusiastically taught Zhao Ying'er various skincare and body care techniques, even using her own cosmetics on Zhao Ying'er's arms to test their effects.

However, Fang Che's imagined battlefield of seduction never materialized.

Throughout the entire process, he was mostly left out, feeling like he had accidentally crashed a girls' night out, and worse, he was the unwelcome one.

He sensed rejection everywhere.

Moreover, he felt like a clueless goose. He didn't understand their jokes at all, and when the three women laughed together, he didn't get it. It was just a normal thing, something he wouldn't even bother with, yet they discussed it for so long... What was there to discuss? Women's thoughts were truly strange.

As for skincare for fingers...

Fang Che extended his finger, "This thing is for cutting people. Even if you take care of it like a flower... In the end, you'll still need to cut people, and then use paper to wipe your butt."

Fang Che felt that compared to these women, he was the epitome of clarity.

He always cut straight to the heart of the matter, revealing the essence.

A knife is for killing, hands are for labor, the mouth is for eating and speaking, and a certain part is for defecating.

That's how he thought, and that's how he spoke.

"To be honest, I don't understand you women. For example, this face, you keep applying makeup..."

Fang Che said, "When going out, you apply makeup, and even touch up throughout the day. But when you're at home, you still apply makeup, and in the evening, you have to wash it off thoroughly... Why go through all this trouble?"

"After getting married, you still apply makeup, and if you're not married, you still apply makeup. And these products are expensive, so what's the point of buying them just to have a white face during the day and wash it off at night? In the end, it's like spending money for nothing, and then washing it away."

"There's also..."

Just as he was about to continue, he saw three pairs of shocked eyes staring at him.

The three women were astounded by Fang Che's blunt words, feeling genuinely surprised.

Jing Xiuyun held her wine, forgetting to drink, her round eyes expressing her thoughts, "Fang Che, how can you ask such a question? This isn't a question you should be asking, is it?"

In Jing Xiuyun and Zhao Ying'er's eyes, Fang Che was handsome, refined, and graceful, the type women liked. Since he was the type women liked, how could he be so clueless?

However, after the initial shock, Ye Meng's eyes curved into a smile.

Because Ye Meng knew that once Fang Che said these words, it meant that the straightforward personality hidden beneath his elegant facade was acting up again.

When it came to dealing with girls, Fang Che was quite the expert.

To win girls' hearts, Fang Che could only rely on his own mysterious ways, which he didn't even understand himself. This was something he wouldn't elaborate on.

But if it was about making girls angry, Fang Che was unparalleled, with no one better than him.

Ye Meng had also learned this through her own experiences.

From the initial 'selling into a brothel' to the later 'face-slapping girls as a way of sparring', Ye Meng only realized after marriage that she had married such a person!

She initially thought he was just pretending to be crazy to torment her.

But later, she realized that he was capable in other aspects, but when it came to dealing with girls, his emotional intelligence was negative to the extreme.

"Let's talk about logic," Fang Che said, "You tell me, isn't this logical? You apply makeup, and then wash it off, right? Isn't this essentially pointless?"

Jing Xiuyun said, "But after applying makeup, I feel better-looking than usual."

"Isn't this deceiving people?"

Fang Che was speechless, "Originally, you were like crooked melons and cracked gourds. Does applying makeup make you think you're not ugly?"

Jing Xiuyun and Zhao Ying'er: "..."

"Let me give you an example."

Fang Che began to present facts and reason, "It's like a low-level martial artist who constantly talks about profound martial arts theories, deceiving the world. But as soon as they test their skills, they realize this person is a fraud, right?"

"..."

"This logic also applies to women. For example, if you're originally ugly, applying makeup..."

Just as Fang Che was enthusiastically explaining, preparing to use truth to conquer these three women who had strayed from the right path, he saw the three women simultaneously raise their glasses.

The three clinked their glasses and drank in one go.

They left Fang Che aside.

Then, the three women formed a small group, huddling together.

Their unity was even stronger than before.

It was clear they didn't want to pay him any attention.

At this moment, suddenly, a bright light shone from above, as if a full moon appeared in the sky, its majestic radiance illuminating the earth.

Sword energy shone like light, radiating in all directions, suppressing every dark corner.

"The Sword Master is using his sword energy to suppress again."

Jing Xiuyun sighed, "It seems like the Nightmare Demon hasn't been caught."

"But the Nightmare Demon doesn't dare to show itself," Zhao Ying'er said.

"But the Sword Master can't stay here forever,"

"The Nightmare Demon is also hiding for a long time. Eventually, it will reveal its true nature. So... it's just a matter of who has more patience."

After some discussion, the sword energy of the Frostblade Sword continued to swirl in the skies above White Cloud Continent, circling east, west, south, and north.

After half an hour, it quietly disappeared.

Under the sword light, the people slept soundly, a feeling of ultimate safety!

Fang Che gazed at the sky, feeling that during this time on White Cloud Continent, the Sword Master's sword seemed to have changed, its power slightly enhanced.

He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination.

After a meal, the host and guests were in high spirits.

Fang Che had three women accompanying him for dinner, but it was like he had been drinking alone all evening. Moreover, it was the lonely kind of drinking.

The three women chatted enthusiastically, and only in the middle of the night did Jing Xiuyun and Zhao Ying'er leave.

Fang Che felt depressed and took a bath.

Ye Meng lay quietly beside him, and as she lay there, she suddenly laughed for no apparent reason.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing. I just remembered that after they understood your true nature, their expressions were so funny."

"What true nature of mine?"

"A crude man, a brute, clueless, and a straight man."

Fang Che angrily asked, "How crude am I?"

Ye Meng glanced at Fang Che.

Fang Che was about to punish her, but he heard Ye Meng sigh softly.

"What's wrong?"

"You brought her home. When are you going to marry her?" Ye Meng asked casually.

"Nonsense," Fang Che replied, resting his head on his arm. "Tonight, you should have made her give up that idea."

"No, I don't think so." Ye Meng spoke softly. "Others might have backed down, but this Zhao girl is different. She seems gentle, but she's not someone who gives up easily. Moreover, Zhao has an elegant demeanor and an air of nobility that can't be cultivated in an ordinary family."

Fang Che frowned. "Are you saying her background is not ordinary?"

"I have that feeling. At the very least, she's from a prominent family."

"Oh..." Fang Che furrowed his brow.

Who exactly is Zhao Ying'er?

"What are you planning?" Ye Meng asked quietly.

"Don't you know who I am?" Fang Che smiled bitterly. "If my master forces me, I won't even marry you."

That statement was the epitome of a straight man.

However, Ye Meng, instead of worrying, felt relieved.

"Hmph!"

"What about you? You seem to be quite fond of him."

"Me?"

Ye Meng hummed and covered herself with the blanket. How dare you ask me that? But Fang Che also crawled into the bed...

...

On the other side, under the night sky.

Jing Xiuyun and Zhao Ying'er were also in conversation. "How is it? Have you given up?"

"I haven't given up," Zhao Ying'er replied. "When I see them together, I always feel that they don't seem like a married couple. Fang Che is fine, but the way Sister-in-law treats him feels like she's taking care of him all the time, like a maid."

Jing Xiuyun laughed. "Sister-in-law was originally Fang Che's maid, didn't you know that?"

"Oh, I see."

Zhao Ying'er seemed deep in thought.

"After meeting such a straight man, you still haven't given up?" Jing Xiuyun asked.

"Straight men are the best men," Zhao Ying'er said. "Although they may not be romantic, men like this, even if they want to play around, no woman would want to get involved with them."

"Not necessarily," Jing Xiuyun disagreed. "Playing around has nothing to do with being a straight man. It requires capital."

"Perhaps," Zhao Ying'er said. "But I feel that Fang Che is pretending."

"Impossible!" Jing Xiuyun strongly opposed. "It's definitely not an act. This kind of thing can't be faked."

"You didn't understand what I meant," Zhao Ying'er explained. "When I say 'pretending,' I don't mean he's not that kind of person, but... there are some things he knows are inappropriate, and he's not good at expressing himself. Normally, he would never say such things, but today he's completely letting go, saying whatever comes to mind."

"In a certain sense, that's pretending."

"But you want to enter this family, which is not easy. This little sister-in-law is not easy to deal with." Jing Xiuyun said.

"Yes, she's formidable! Extremely formidable!" Zhao Ying'er nodded.

After meeting Ye Meng today, they seemed like close friends, but Zhao Ying'er could still sense Ye Meng's hidden sharpness beneath her gentle exterior.

"With a person like Sister-in-law, you can't attack. Because even though she won't fight back, she'll retaliate, and I can't handle that retaliation." Zhao Ying'er smiled bitterly.

"She won't fight back?"

Jing Xiuyun sighed. "You're wrong again."

...

The next day, Fang Che led a team to search the entire city again, focusing on the North City.

He had a strong feeling. If the Divine Deity Sect members were in White Cloud Continent, they must be in the North City! Therefore, he paid extra attention to this area.

For several consecutive days, the focus was entirely on the North City. However, after this continuous search, they found nothing.

But there was an unexpected discovery.

That was...

Frostblade Sword had clearly noticed Fang Che's actions and saw him frequently moving through the North City with his team.

Slowly, Frostblade Sword also felt that there might be something strange about this place. So, it moved in the sky, wanting to observe if there was anything suspicious.

The result was... Frostblade Sword focused on intimidating the North City day and night.

The Divine Deity Sect members below were terrified.

"What's going on? Why is this troublemaker specifically targeting the North City? Did we expose ourselves somewhere?"

Kou Yifang didn't dare to move.

Usually, the members didn't even dare to practice their skills, fearing that the spiritual energy fluctuations would attract Frostblade Sword's suspicion.

These days were like years.

...

In the evening, Fang Che arrived at the Heavenly Escort Bureau and continued to disguise himself as the Starlight Commander, acting as the head of the escorts.

Currently, no one dared to call him 'Commander.' They all referred to him as the head of the escorts.

With Frostblade Sword overhead, the Heavenly Escort Bureau was more harmonious and loving than usual.

"Another one hundred and fifty people have received orders to return," Zheng Yunqi reported.

"Hmm, how long has it been since Meier and the others left?"

"Sixteen days."

"Sixteen days... it should be about twenty thousand miles," the Starlight Commander thought and said.

"More than that," Zheng Yunqi said. "Our escort carts are specially made. Normally, we can travel eight hundred miles a day without issue, but the escorts are all high-level martial artists. If we increase our speed, it's possible. The horses have spirit beast bloodlines, and a single pill can sustain them for two days of galloping without any problems."

"So, the daily journey should be around two thousand miles. The other day, they sent a message that they were about to reach Phoenix Fire Pass, but that section of the road is all mountain paths, and the horses can't run. These guys won't want to abandon the escort carts, so... the speed will be slower, but it should be tomorrow or the day after that we reach Phoenix Fire Pass."

Zheng Yunqi was calculating.

"Hmm, prepare another batch of escorts and let the one hundred and fifty people who received the message get ready to depart," the Starlight Commander ordered, lifting his eyes slightly.

"Are we following the previous specifications?" Zhao Wushang asked.

"Of course. Why would we treat them differently?" the Starlight Commander asked in surprise.

"Last time, we spent fifteen million taels of silver," Zhao Wushang reminded him.

"Go and do it!"

The Starlight Commander glared.

Zheng Yunqi and Zhao Wushang's eyes turned red.

The Commander was known for being stingy, even a bit miserly, but this time, he was unusually generous to those who were leaving.

He wanted to give them all the good things from White Cloud Continent, so they could return home with pride.

They could clearly sense the Starlight Commander's reluctance to part, a deep bond.

But for the Starlight Commander himself, there was nothing he was reluctant to part with. This was all about paving the way for the future and the last time he could do a favor for these people.

So what's there to fear about being a little heavier!

The heavier they are, the more they'll remember themselves in the future.

On the third morning, the Heavenly Escort Bureau once again dispatched a large group of escort captains, leading a convoy out of the city.

That day, the north wind howled, and the sky was covered with crimson clouds.

As the escort carts exited the city gate, sand and stones flew, making it almost impossible to keep their eyes open.

Kou Yifang, hidden among the crowd, watched the escort carts of the Heavenly Escort Bureau leave the city. After the city gate guards carefully inspected them, they allowed them to pass, and suddenly, their eyes lit up.

...

Zhao Wushang reported, "Chief Escort Captain, over a hundred of them, using the strong winds, almost cried all the way."

"Damn it!"

The Starlight Commander couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time. "This is sending them home, not sending them to their deaths. Why are they crying?"

Zheng Yunqi and Zhao Wushang wanted to laugh but couldn't.

Because they couldn't bear to part with them.

"Six hundred and ninety-six people, three hundred have already left, and there are still three hundred and ninety-six remaining."

The Starlight Commander said calmly, "With two more batches, it'll be almost done."

Zheng Yunqi felt a surge of sadness and said, "Chief Escort Captain, I really don't want to leave. Can you help me think of a way?"

Zhao Wushang also had a hopeful expression.

They genuinely didn't want to leave! They'd be content to stay here for a lifetime!

"Me?"

The Starlight Commander pointed to his nose, "You want me to think of a way for you?"

Zheng Yunqi and Zhao Wushang nodded vigorously like pecking chickens.

"Hehehe..."

The Starlight Commander laughed strangely, "You think I'm some big shot... If I had the power, none of you six hundred and ninety-six would be able to leave!"

The two of them felt like they had lost their parents, almost shedding tears.

And it was on this day.

At Phoenix Fire Pass.

Zhou Meier and the others saw the people who had come to meet them—their family members, people from headquarters, and people from the interior mountain areas of the Xin Chu Kingdom.

They were going home! From here to headquarters was a smooth and safe journey.

When they saw their family members, all one hundred and fifty of them suddenly burst into tears.

The girls cried so much that they became tearful.

The family members were very relieved. They were glad that after enduring hardships outside, their loved ones now appreciated the comforts of home. Seeing them so emotional and crying touched them.

But as they cried, their tears became more intense.

The family members comforted them, "It's okay, don't cry anymore now that we're home. Stop crying."

But they cried even harder.

The more they were comforted, the more they cried, with tears streaming down their faces, and they even struggled.

Everyone was at a loss, thinking that the children were too emotional.

Then someone said, "There are so many carts, let's open them and see what they brought back."

This sentence was extraordinary, stirring up a hornet's nest.

The crying stopped, and the escorts collectively guarded the carts, "Who dares to touch our things! We'll fight to the death for them!"

"... "

The group that came to meet them was stunned.

Were these kids crazy? Then they saw the kids opening the escort carts themselves.

And... they did it systematically.

Wu Lianlian took a notebook to record and call out names. Another girl distributed the items, while Zhou Meier supervised.

When a name was called, the person would come forward and receive their share.

As they carried their items back, they once again became tearful.

All the escort carts were opened, and there were exactly one hundred and fifty portions.

Zhou Meier was the last to take her share, holding her damaged escort cart and crying profusely.

Wu Lianlian stepped forward, "Meier, as per the Commander's instructions, we need to destroy the escort carts here, burn the escort flags, and create a false scene of being attacked."

"No!"

Zhou Meier's tears flowed like a spring, tightly hugging the escort flag to her chest, pleading, "Lianlian, let me keep one..."

Wu Lianlian's face showed difficulty.

Seeing an opportunity, several other girls rushed forward, each taking a small escort flag.

There were thirty escort carts, and on each cart was a small escort flag. Thirty girls rushed out and took them all.

The others who didn't get one cried with teary eyes.

Then thirty-one girls, with tearful faces and pleading eyes, looked at Wu Lianlian.

"Oh..."

Wu Lianlian sighed, "Take them back but don't show them off, or it'll be hard to explain."

"Thank you, Sister Lianlian!"

The girls were overjoyed.

They then gathered the escort carts and burned them.

Black smoke rose, and the fire raged.

One hundred and fifty people sobbed uncontrollably and simultaneously knelt down, facing the east, crying so hard they couldn't get up.

The family members and people from headquarters who came to greet them were speechless.

"What's going on?"

"These kids are like they've been bewitched..."

After dealing with the escort carts, they tightly held their share and walked forward with their family, looking back three times.

The crying continued.

The confused family members could only accompany them on the journey, and after their emotions improved, they began to ask, "What's going on?"

Then, the topic of conversation for the entire journey became the Starlight Commander!

"The Commander is so and so..."

"He's so majestic and wise..."

"The Commander is so and so..."

"The Commander was so kind to us..."

"At first, it was hard, but later, and even later, the Commander treated me like family..."

"The Commander, the Commander, the Commander..."

"..."

The family members who came to greet them were all surprised, constantly scratching their heads, thinking, "Could there be such a remarkable person in the One Heart Sect?"

"These kids, while at home, didn't show off their abilities, but in reality, each of them has a little talent. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been sent out for training. After all, those pure wastes don't even have the qualifications to die..."

"There's actually someone who can win them over to this extent..."

"It's like a young girl taking off her clothes, not simple at all."

Zhou Meier's parents came personally. Seeing that Zhou Meier was gloomy and unhappy, walking a few steps and shedding tears, Mrs. Zhou was worried. If she cried all the way back, wouldn't she cry herself dry? She cried until she became a dried-up person...

So, they patiently asked, comforted her, hugged her, and comforted her, taking the opportunity to ask questions.

As they asked, Mrs. Zhou sighed.

This girl's heart... is probably not coming back.

What should they do now? She still has a marriage arrangement...

Zhou Meier walked with a heart full of nostalgia, constantly looking back.

Her heart continued to replay the scene, the Starlight Commander, who didn't show his face but sent them off with a long whistle of farewell from outside the city.

The sound echoed in their hearts, and Zhou Meier's eyes were filled with tears.

The group gradually moved further away, and yellow sand rose, shrouding their return journey.

Thank you for your support. A new year, a new beginning, and a new chapter.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end