Inside, she had some thoughts. Although they hadn’t found Gui Po, this person must be related to Gui Po, so keeping her around might be useful.
“Are you Gui Po’s… relative?” Little Fairy hesitated before asking.
Xi Fuhong shook her head honestly, “I’m just a servant to the old lady.”
“Why didn’t Gui Po take you when she left the valley? Is she coming back soon?” Little Fairy asked again.
“The old lady has been gone for half a year,” Xi Fuhong hesitated before continuing, “She didn’t say when she’d return.”
Little Fairy’s originally beautiful face suddenly froze, though the corners of her mouth twitched slightly. Well, this Gui Po sure left quickly, probably heard some rumors and went into hiding. But even if she ran, why leave her servant in the valley?
Little Fairy turned and strolled along the stone path, looking around at the towering cliffs shrouded in thick fog, making it impossible to see the sky. Coming down from there would likely result in a fatal fall, but entering the valley from the outside would require absolute certainty. She had spent a lot of time finding the entrance to Wu Feng Valley and spent a lot of money dealing with the mechanisms inside. Although she came, it was all for nothing, not worth it! She had to think of a way to make up for it.
Xi Fuhong saw her talking to herself in the distance and didn’t plan to pay her any mind. This uninvited guest was hard to get rid of, and since she was powerless, she began tending to the flowerbed next to the vegetable garden. It was filled with seedlings the old lady had brought back from outside the valley. The old lady often left the valley, usually bringing back flour or meat, and occasionally wine, but after being gone for half a year, who knows what she went to get.
“Sister, don’t you get bored staring at rocks all day?” Little Fairy asked with a smile, appearing behind her at some point.
Xi Fuhong quickly put some distance between them, blushing and shaking her head. She hadn’t been here just a day or two, and if she were tired of it, she would have been long ago. But she had never known the colorful world outside, and even though she had read about the vibrant Jianghu in books, it wasn’t what she wanted. If she could take care of the old lady here until her burial, that would be enough.
Seeing that she was being ignored, Little Fairy continued to try to please her, thinking that Gui Po was right to leave this person here. Those outside were eager to fly in but were helplessly stuck outside the valley. Although she hadn’t seen Gui Po, she could use this person as a hostage, and then wouldn’t she be able to catch the old monster out for a stroll? “This is bad, I think Gui Po isn’t coming back,” Little Fairy changed her playful tone to one of sorrow.
Xi Fuhong trembled at the words, looking up angrily, “You’re talking nonsense!”
“Sister, don’t be angry. You don’t know, there’s a group outside trying to catch Gui Po,” Little Fairy said patiently.
She remembered last year’s winter when the Baili family patriarch confirmed the existence of a treasure in Jianghu during a drunken moment. Normally, when bandits and robbers hoarded gold and silver, it wasn’t uncommon for their treasures to be taken after their death. But this time was different. The legendary treasure hidden behind mysteries was in the Tiger Dragon Cave.
Since that day, Jianghu had been abuzz with discussion. Shi Cuiyan heard that to find the treasure, one must first have the key, which was originally a ring split into two. The White Tiger Ring Head was passed down through the Baili family, while the Black Dragon Tail Ring… was in the hands of Gui Po!
Seeing Xi Fuhong staring at her with wide eyes, Little Fairy acted even more earnestly. She pointed a slender finger at the stone path, “Gui Po’s mechanisms are solid. They can’t get in for now, but if they do break in, I’m afraid your paradise here won’t be safe. I think you should pack up.”
“Pack up for what?” Xi Fuhong asked, confused.
“What else?” Little Fairy rolled her eyes, “To leave the valley!”
“My name is Shi Cuiyan, but I don’t know your name yet?” Little Fairy tried to be friendly, but Xi Fuhong warily stepped back three steps.
She frowned, staring at the young girl in front of her, her mind in turmoil. Hearing her mention Gui Po repeatedly, what was her purpose in coming to the valley? It couldn’t be anything good.
Leave the valley? No way! She wouldn’t leave no matter what, she wouldn’t go!
With that thought, Xi Fuhong turned and quickly left Shi Cuiyan behind.
Unexpectedly, Shi Cuiyan immediately caught up, “Why are you ignoring me?” She pouted, looking aggrieved.
“Sorry, but I won’t leave the valley,” Xi Fuhong said, her back to her.
“Oh, sister, don’t be so stubborn. If those people break in, it won’t be good,” Shi Cuiyan said urgently.
This time, Xi Fuhong didn’t respond. She silently tidied up the tools in the flowerbed, picked up a wooden bucket, and put it back in the shed. Shi Cuiyan watched her busy herself, stubbornly ignoring her, feeling truly frustrated. She thought that with just a few words, even the county magistrate outside would want to recognize her as a granddaughter, but this village girl just wouldn’t listen! Leaving her here wasn’t good, those beasts outside would eat her alive!
With a twinkle in her eye, Shi Cuiyan smiled and approached Xi Fuhong again.
“Sister, let me be honest with you.”
Xi Fuhong turned to see what trick she was playing now.
Seeing this, Shi Cuiyan smiled slyly, “I’m the only daughter of the Shi Residence in Li Jiang Mountain. It’s inconvenient to reveal my identity while traveling in Jianghu, which is why you suspect me. Actually, my father and Gui Po are old friends, but since Gui Po often hides in the valley, I haven’t spoken with her. I didn’t know you were here, but you must believe me. Recently, there have been many rumors in Jianghu unfavorable to Gui Po, so my father sent me to warn her. Who knew she had left the valley?”
Xi Fuhong suspiciously watched Shi Cuiyan, as if trying to discern something.
“Sister, don’t you believe me? Look, if I had forced my way through Wu Feng Valley’s mechanisms, would I still be alive? My father got the route from Gui Po. If you don’t believe me, we can go to my house and ask my father after leaving the valley.”
Hearing this, Xi Fuhong blinked, thinking she had a point. Although she hadn’t seen the mechanisms, since they were set by the old lady, they must be excellent. Besides, only the old lady understood them, outsiders couldn’t easily break through unless she allowed it. Then, the self-proclaimed Shi Residence’s Little Fairy could stand here unharmed, right?
But… just based on a few words…
“Sister, do you still doubt me?” Shi Cuiyan looked at her pitifully.
Xi Fuhong nodded without hesitation, and Shi Cuiyan was so angry she almost spat blood. She had put on such a performance, yet the other party still didn’t fall for it. Pouting, Shi Cuiyan stared at her, noticing that although she claimed not to believe, the worry in her expression was evident, showing her concern for Gui Po’s safety.
Changing her expression, Shi Cuiyan said helplessly, “It’s understandable that you don’t believe me, but Gui Po is alone outside, and those people are her enemies. If they find out she’s not in the valley, they’ll make a big fuss to catch her. Even if my father is powerful, he won’t be able to save Gui Po then.”
This statement was powerful, and Xi Fuhong’s eyes widened in panic.
“So we need to set off before those people come in. After all, Gui Po’s whereabouts are a mystery, and finding him will take some time. Let me send a message to my father by carrier pigeon, so we won’t have to worry about any trouble.”
Seeing that Xi Fuhong was already wavering, Shi Cuiyan quickly stepped forward, took her hand, and smiled, “I see that you value Gui Po so much, you surely wouldn’t want him to be caught by villains, right? Don’t worry, although I don’t have extraordinary skills, I do have some experience wandering the Jianghu. Let’s set off together and call each other sisters, shall we? By the way, I still don’t know your name.”
“My name is… Xi Fuhong.”
“Alright then, sister Xi, feel free to call me sister in the future.”
