On the stage, Xu Chang’an observed the sword dance for a while and started sharing his insights and thoughts with Wen Li.

After hearing that Xu Chang’an didn’t find anything special, Wen Li was somewhat surprised but didn’t show much disappointment.

That’s fine.

The fact that the current junior brother can’t perceive it doesn’t mean the future one won’t be able to.

Anyway, since Ah Qing is Zhu Pingniang’s ’daughter’, she will follow her up the mountain in the future.

For Wen Li, who would become a close acquaintance with Ah Qing in the future, it was rare to feel an emotion full of anticipation. She was very curious about the Heaven and Earth Sword Intent revealed in Ah Qing’s sword dance.

The world thinks she is inherently indifferent, as if she is uninterested in anything... But in fact, only Wen Li knows that she’s not innately indifferent, she just hasn’t encountered anything interesting... After all, simply revealing a Sword Dao Talent that could interest her is something with an extremely high threshold.

"Ah Bai." Zhu Pingniang lightly patted Li Zhibai’s leg and said: "Wen Li seems unusually interested in Ah Li’s sword dance."

"Is that strange?" Li Zhibai asked.

"Of course it’s strange." Zhu Pingniang nodded: "You don’t go out often and might not know this girl’s later temperament... It’s the first time I’ve seen someone besides Chang’an able to make Wen Li care this much." 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"Is that so?" Li Zhibai was noncommittal.

Zhu Pingniang crossed her arms, squinting as she looked towards Yun Qian, who was seriously admiring the sword dance in the distance.

Wen Li’s interest in Yun Qian was entirely because of Xu Chang’an... But Ah Qing’s was due to her own belief, and that alone was surprising enough.

"Simply put, even Yun Qian... hasn’t made Wen Li care this much." Zhu Pingniang said.

"In that case, it is a bit strange." Li Zhibai understood immediately.

"...Tch." Zhu Pingniang’s eye twitched slightly.

So, just bringing up Yun Qian gives you an understanding?

"But I suppose it’s normal." Li Zhibai shook his head: "Your daughter learned an old sword dance I haven’t seen in ages. Such an innovative thing would certainly capture Wen Li’s interest."

"...Maybe." Zhu Pingniang stretched lazily, glancing at Li Zhibai: "Anyway, if something strange happens, Wen Li will always consult you, no need for me to worry unnecessarily."

With that, Zhu Pingniang closed her eyes, leaning her head against Li Zhibai’s shoulder: "Let me rest for a bit."

Li Zhibai furrowed her brows slightly.

But Zhu Pingniang didn’t give Li Zhibai room to rebut, continuing: "I need to think... which cultivation technique to teach Yun Qian, and how to start the conversation."

She needed time to prepare words that wouldn’t make her feel embarrassed.

"You... never mind." Li Zhibai didn’t bother to discuss these matters any further with Zhu Pingniang.

As Tong Jun said, asking her to teach the little couple the Yin Yang Dual Cultivation Technique was simply giving her extra trouble, supporting her for a while just doesn’t seem like much.

If Tong Jun didn’t teach, she would have to intervene in Chang’an’s affairs herself.

Thinking this, Li Zhibai really couldn’t bring herself to do it.

"...Hey!"

The anticipated resistance and refusal didn’t come. Zhu Pingniang curled her lips up, leaning against Li Zhibai’s shoulder with a smile, indulging in her faint fragrance with a look of fascination.

"Sister..." Miss Lu watched Zhu Pingniang’s ungraceful state and sighed lightly before turning her head, then continued admiring Ah Qing’s good figure, at least not bothering herself.

Miss Lu now really likes Ah Qing, whose beauty successfully changed Miss Lu’s inherent impression of her, even causing her to develop a favorable view towards the entire Half-Demon group because of Wen Li.

Are all Half-Demons this good-looking?

If she could have a partner like Ah Qing... she’d willingly spend most of her month ensconced with them.

Just like Miss Lu, at this moment, there’s no girl fearing Ah Qing as a Half-Demon at Flower Moon Building.

At this moment, deep into the night, the sky was pitch black, the coldest time of the day, yet Beisang City remained bustling with noise, the lights exploding like a fiery sunset over the night, reflecting human clamor on the rain-dotted lake.

Ah Qing danced alone on the stage, from her angle able to see the beauty outside the window and the admiring looks from the women below, these passionate emotions and gazes made Ah Qing chuckle with a sense of wonder.

Life is really fascinating.

Once upon a time, she was a detested and wary Half-Demon, yet now these girls’ burning gazes seemed ready to swallow her whole.

Are these women all blinded by beauty without regard for safety?

She knew before that just being good-looking could make one free of taboo at Flower Moon Building, but experiencing it herself was an entirely different mental realm.

Moreover -

Ah Qing lightly stepped her embroidered shoes on stage, her graceful figure traced a charming arc in the air, then turned around, spinning with the longsword like a blossoming flower, sneaking a glance at the banquet table amidst the audience’s cheers.

Then her face slowly blushed.

Unsure if it was a delusion...

She could feel not only the girls’ gazes now, but also a look that made her body feel faintly hot... This gaze she had felt before—when Xu Chang’an looked at her intently—and it was etched in her memory.

At this moment, Ah Qing could perceive the prickling on her skin from Xu Chang’an’s gaze, and while her heart raced with panic, she couldn’t suppress the smile at her lips.

The young master is watching.

The young master... is watching her.

Why?

Ah Qing didn’t understand.

Isn’t he supposed to avoid suspicion?

Doesn’t he always care about such things?

Ah Qing’s face turned even redder. She originally thought Xu Chang’an would only watch for a while before stopping, but to her surprise, Xu Chang’an’s gaze never left after it was cast, as if he intended to watch the sword dance until the end.

This time, Ah Qing found it difficult to contain herself, not only did her breathing grow rapid, but even her posture slightly shaky.

No choice...

The clothes she’s wearing now... although they’re not particularly revealing when dancing, her body’s shape isn’t obscured at all, Ah Qing has to admit that in this world, dancing while dressed like her...

In some sense, it’s no different from being undressed.