Chapter 128: The Xiao Residence

Miss Xiao’s face lit up with joy as she said, "It is truly wonderful that you can come to my home, Young Master. You are a man of great learning, and I am certain my father will treat you with the utmost hospitality. Perhaps we can even attend the literary gathering together later!"

Chen Xiang smiled faintly, nodded, and replied, "Haha, I am fortunate to have your shelter, Miss Xiao. Otherwise, I would have had to search for lodging myself, which would have been quite a bother."

Miss Xiao smiled gently. "You are too modest, Young Master. Please, follow me to my home."

Chen Xiang nodded, then cast an indifferent glance at the several scholars who were attempting to approach them.

*As if,* he thought. *How dare they interrupt my attempts at... oh, wait, I mean, my intellectual exchange. Do they have a death wish?*

Miss Xiao, oblivious to Chen Xiang’s subtle shift in demeanor, beamed and led the way. Chen Xiang followed her under the envious and hateful gazes of the crowd. Those who had originally intended to strike up an acquaintance with him decided, upon seeing the situation, that it was best not to interfere.

...

Miss Xiao had a carriage waiting at the entrance. However, a lady’s carriage was akin to her private chambers and strictly off-limits to men. Thus, Chen Xiang had to sit begrudgingly on the driver’s bench, chatting with the coachman.

Through their conversation, he learned that the Xiao family was a prominent house among the mortals of Liuxin City. While they could not compare to cultivators, their influence within the city was quite considerable. The two young masters, Zhang and Wang, whom he had encountered at the literary gathering, also came from influential families, though they were a step below the Xiaos. Both were suitors of Miss Xiao.

Chen Xiang’s sudden intrusion—and the fact that he seemed exceptionally close to Miss Xiao—would undoubtedly lead to unnecessary trouble later. Chen Xiang, however, was indifferent; after all, they were merely mortals. What could they possibly do to him?

The carriage moved at a steady pace, and within half an hour, it arrived before a large estate. It was not as grand as the Feng or Li residences, but it was sufficiently imposing. The plaque above the gate bore the characters "Xiao Residence" in gold leaf.

As the carriage stopped, a gatekeeper hurried forward, and Miss Xiao stepped down. The gatekeeper cast a curious look at Chen Xiang before bowing respectfully to Miss Xiao. "Miss, you have returned."

"Yes," Miss Xiao replied softly. Then, in a gentle tone, she added, "Xiao An, go and inform Father that we have a guest."

"Understood!" Xiao An replied.

"Oh, and by the way, tell Father that Young Master Chu was the winner of the Tianxiang Pavilion literary gathering!" Miss Xiao called out to stop him.

Xiao An looked at Chen Xiang with renewed surprise, bowed again, and hurried inside.

Miss Xiao turned to Chen Xiang with a look of slight apology. "Young Master, please forgive our humble abode; I hope it does not disappoint you."

*It’s certainly humble enough. I’ve never seen a home so humble,* Chen Xiang thought to himself, though his expression remained unchanged. He knew this was merely a polite formality.

"Not at all, not at all. It is I who am bothering you, Miss Xiao," Chen Xiang said with a bow of his hands.

Miss Xiao’s smile deepened. "Young Master, please, come in. We can talk as we walk."

She led the way, asking, "Young Master, if I may ask, where do you hail from?"

"The Central Plains," Chen Xiang replied briefly.

The term "Central Plains" could be interpreted in many ways—the heartland of the Nanyi Kingdom, or perhaps a vast stretch of flatlands. But Chen Xiang meant China, and he had no intention of explaining further.

"The Central Plains? Is there such a city in the Nanyi Kingdom? Could you tell me more about it, Young Master Chu?" Miss Xiao’s eyes lit up, and she looked at him with eager expectation. She had clearly mistaken "Central Plains" for the name of a city.

Chen Xiang felt speechless. *Well, this young lady’s geography is clearly lacking!*

"Miss Xiao, have you never left Liuxin City? Have you never been out to see the world?" Chen Xiang could not help but ask; it was a question he had wanted to pose for some time.

At the mention of this, the light in Miss Xiao’s eyes dimmed. A trace of sorrow crossed her face as she lowered her head.

"You do not know, Young Master, but I have been frail since childhood. Furthermore, my family requires me to fulfill a certain duty in the future, so I shall never be able to leave Liuxin City in this lifetime," she said, her voice tinged with melancholy.

"Oh? What is this duty that requires you? Surely that is not a reason to never leave the city!" Chen Xiang asked, puzzled.

Miss Xiao merely shook her head, clearly unwilling to speak further.

"You see, Young Master Chu, I have loved listening to tales of wonders since I was a child. That is why I often frequent places like the Tianxiang Pavilion or tea gatherings—because people there tell stories of distant lands and host various events. Most of these tales come from beyond the city walls, and over time, I have developed a deep longing for the world outside." She smiled faintly, though a lingering sadness remained in her eyes.

Seeing her expression, Chen Xiang felt a bit awkward, as he was the one who had brought up the topic. His curiosity remained, but he decided not to press further. This was her family’s private affair, and he preferred not to meddle if he could avoid it.

"Haha, Miss Xiao, if you wish to hear them, I shall tell you some. I am a traveler at heart, and I know many such stories," Chen Xiang said with a smile.

"Truly? Then I thank you in advance, Young Master!" Miss Xiao’s face blossomed with joy at his words.

Chen Xiang pondered, *What should I tell her? Wuxia? Ghost stories? Should I redeem a collection of tales from the system just in case?*

He hadn't been in the cultivation world for long, and everything he had encountered was related to immortality. To him, the things that would fascinate a mortal were trivial. He decided he would simply improvise a story; after all, no one here would know the difference.

Moments later, Miss Xiao led Chen Xiang into a grand hall. Two men were seated inside: a middle-aged man with sharp, sword-like eyebrows sat in the place of honor, looking quite dignified, and an elderly man with a white beard sat in the first seat to the left.

The middle-aged man smiled at the sight of Miss Xiao and gave a slight nod. The white-haired elder merely glanced at Chen Xiang dismissively before closing his eyes again. Chen Xiang noticed the middle-aged man let out a subtle sigh of relief.

"Father," Miss Xiao called out sweetly, a tone that nearly made Chen Xiang’s bones melt.

"Lin’er pays her respects to Venerable Liu!" she added, bowing to the white-haired elder.

"Hmm," the elder grunted, offering no further response.

Chen Xiang remained composed. He had figured it out: the middle-aged man was Xiao Lin’s father, and the old man was a second-stage Golden Core cultivator serving as the Xiao family’s protector. They were here to guard against him. He realized that it was only natural for them to be wary of a stranger entering their home; only the naive Miss Xiao would bring someone of unknown background into her house so readily.

"Father, let me introduce you. This is Young Master Chu Liuxiang, who won today’s literary gathering at the Tianxiang Pavilion! Even Master Qingliu was only able to answer one of the riddles he posed!" Miss Xiao introduced him with delight.

"Oh?" The middle-aged man looked surprised. He knew of Master Qingliu’s reputation; if even he was stumped, this young man must indeed be a scholar of great talent.

He stood up with a smile and cupped his hands in greeting. "Haha, Young Master Chu, your presence in my home truly brings honor to my humble abode! Please forgive my daughter for her lack of manners if she has caused you any inconvenience!"

"Father!" Miss Xiao pouted at his words.

"It is quite alright; I am the one who has been helped by Miss Xiao," Chen Xiang replied casually.

"To be continued..."