Chapter 130: One Last Look, Then No More.

Miss Xiao was sobbing uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face without cease. Chen Xiang watched, stunned, as she wrung out her silk handkerchief, amazed to see that she could actually squeeze water from it.

How utterly terrifying!

At her age, Miss Xiao was most drawn to tales of romance and sentimentality. The story of "The Peacock Flies Southeast" was short yet poignant, and the image of the Jiao-Liu couple’s mutual devotion and unyielding spirit left a profound impression on people. Furthermore, the ending—in which the couple transformed into peacocks and flew off toward the southeast—offered a bittersweet sense of completion to their tragic love.

Chen Xiang realized that Miss Xiao simply couldn't handle such stories. She had grown indignant halfway through, descended into sorrow when they committed suicide, and now, with tears welling in her eyes, she was weeping openly. Her tear-streaked face only added to her delicate, pitiable charm.

In the hall, the two attending maidservants were also moved by the story, silently wiping away tears. Anyone unaware of the situation might have thought Chen Xiang was bullying them.

Chen Xiang felt quite helpless. Had he known, he would have chosen a less tragic, longer story—perhaps "Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai"! he thought with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Miss Xiao, are you alright?" Chen Xiang couldn't help but ask.

Miss Xiao wiped her tears with her handkerchief and nodded.

"Young Master Chu, the Jiao-Liu couple were truly people of unwavering temperament. I admire them so much. Is this story true?" she asked, finally stemming her tears and sniffing.

Chen Xiang nodded. "It is true. It is a story passed down through the Central Plains, and it has moved countless people."

"They were so pitiable. Those who forced them were truly detestable. Fortunately, the heavens showed mercy, and in the end, they transformed into peacocks to be together for eternity," she said with a gentle nod and a sigh.

As she ruminated on the story, she couldn't help but project herself into it. She realized that while she lacked a romantic entanglement, she shared their helplessness against the coercion of others. She felt a wave of sadness wash over her.

"Miss Xiao, such things are not unique to that one story. Everyone has their hidden hardships and helplessness, and while one may lack the power to resist and be forced to accept fate, there are always other paths," Chen Xiang said with a smile, sensing her distress and attempting to comfort her.

Miss Xiao offered a faint smile, though her spirits remained low. "Thank you, Young Master Chu," she said softly.

The hall fell into silence.

"Miss Xiao, since the story is finished, I shall go and rest for a while. There has been much happening today, and I am feeling rather weary," Chen Xiang said, seizing the opportunity to slip away.

"Oh, yes, of course. My apologies, I was distracted. I shall take you to the guest quarters now," Miss Xiao said, snapping back to reality and standing up.

Chen Xiang did not object and followed her to the guest room.

"Young Master Chu, please let me know if you require anything, or simply instruct the servants to attend to it," she said, standing at the doorway.

Chen Xiang shook his head and teased, "No, thank you. You should go and rest yourself. Your eyes are quite red; if your father sees you like this, he might think I’ve been bullying you."

"Ah!" Miss Xiao let out a small cry and immediately covered her eyes. "Young Master Chu, I shall see you tomorrow!"

Without waiting for a response, she turned and hurried away.

Chen Xiang watched her retreating figure, thinking to himself that he hadn't realized she had such a fine physique—though it still didn't compare to Qin'er. He glanced toward the rockery in the distance before pushing the door open and entering the room.

He tidied the bed with practiced ease, poured himself a cup of tea, and began to sip it slowly.

A moment later, he paused and set the cup down, his gaze shifting to the window.

"I didn't expect to be under surveillance. Why is that Elder Liu so wary of me? I'm not here to rob the place," Chen Xiang muttered.

He had felt a faint, lingering divine sense tracking him back in the hall, only vanishing moments ago. The source was none other than the Elder Liu he had encountered earlier. Having met him for the first time today, he wondered why he was being watched.

"This Xiao estate certainly has its secrets," Chen Xiang thought.

He flicked his wrist, and a dark shadow appeared before him. It was a puppet—a low-tier substitute puppet he had received from his first "Mysterious Gift Bag." He had never used it, as it only offered protection against cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage. Now that he was at the fifth level of the Nascent Soul stage, it was essentially useless to him, and it had been forgotten in his system storage.

Chen Xiang placed several restrictions on the puppet and cast an illusion. The dark form slowly shifted until it was an exact replica of Chen Xiang. Using his spiritual energy, he placed "himself" on the bed and tucked him in. The double breathed steadily, looking peaceful and handsome—the perfect picture of someone fast asleep.

"Well, I am me, and even when I sleep, I look this good," Chen Xiang chuckled. He set a defensive barrier around the room that would alert him if anyone entered, then vanished from the room.

In the night sky, Chen Xiang cast a low-tier invisibility spell. He tracked Elder Liu's position and followed him, his divine sense blanketing the entire Xiao estate.

Suddenly, Chen Xiang nearly choked on his own breath. His divine sense had "accidentally" caught a glimpse of Miss Xiao bathing. *A sin, a sin,* he thought, *just one more look.*

"Tsk, tsk. Those feet, barely a handful, and those crystal-clear toes. Her legs are truly fair!" he marveled.

But he didn't forget his objective. He observed Elder Liu, only to discover that the man was likewise staring toward Miss Xiao's boudoir.

"Damn! He's a dirty old lecher!" Chen Xiang widened his eyes in disbelief. With a divine sense far more powerful than that of a second-level Golden Core cultivator, he could clearly see where the man was looking. Elder Liu was merely fixated on the exterior of her room, not directly at her, but to Chen Xiang, such distinctions were irrelevant.

Chen Xiang remained still, watching the elder to see what he would do next.

An hour passed, and Chen Xiang was sweating from the effort. He had watched Miss Xiao change her bathwater three times; he wondered if she was trying to scrub herself raw. Finally, she finished. She emerged dressed in a simple green robe, her damp hair cascading down, giving her an ethereal, fairy-like quality.

It was then that Chen Xiang felt something strange. A trace of coldness emanated from her—faint, but unmistakable to his heightened senses.

Chen Xiang fell into deep thought.