Chapter 5: Sang Biao Meow Meow Meow

Jingxi smiled gently, stirring the medicinal soup slowly with a spoon.

“Madam always looks so pale and listless during her menstrual period, lacking energy. I saw it when you returned yesterday, so I prepared this in advance.”

Sang Ying was taken aback, her ears tingling at the address. She half-buried her face in the cushion. “Don’t call me that, and… thanks.”

Unlike Lengmian, Jingxi had been brought into the estate by Xie Lingyu after their marriage. For the past three years, she had been taking care of Sang Ying’s daily life.

The first time Jingxi called her “Madam,” Sang Ying nearly fell off her chair. Over the past three years, the phrase Sang Ying had repeated most often to her was not to use that address, but Jingxi had never changed her way of addressing her.

Seeing the girl’s awkward expression, Jingxi’s eyes deepened with amusement. “But since you are married to the Sword Lord and are the head of the household, it is only proper to address you this way. Why won’t you allow it, Madam?”

The girl’s eyes curved like crescent moons as she glanced sideways at her. “…It makes me sound old.”

“Even though that’s the convention, don’t you think? The first impression this title gives is of a woman in her thirties or forties.”

Sang Ying rested her chin on her hand and sighed softly. “That alone would be fine, but combined with my reputation over the past few years, the rumors about me outside now are that I’m a greedy, stingy, ruthless, and malicious old woman.”

Jingxi couldn’t help but chuckle softly. “But Madam, I don’t think these are necessarily derogatory terms.”

Sang Ying looked up at her.

Jingxi continued, “Saying you’re greedy and stingy simply means they couldn’t take advantage of you. And calling you ruthless and malicious means you weren’t as easy to manipulate as they thought. Since they lost to you and couldn’t turn things around, they could only resort to baseless slander.”

“I know all that.”

Sang Ying hugged the pillow, burying her face in it and lowering her lashes to hide her emotions.

It was just that the other person was like a lofty mountain and a bright moon—pure and flawless. Sometimes, she wished… she could be a little more worthy of him.

Seeing her low spirits, Jingxi was about to speak when the girl suddenly looked up, her face scrunched up. “What about the ‘old woman’ part?”

Jingxi paused. “How about I call you ‘Young Madam’ from now on?”

Sang Ying pondered for a few seconds and nodded. “Good idea. That sounds ten years younger.”

Tilting her head back, she drank the warm medicinal soup in one gulp. Sitting up, she took out a small square table from her storage ring and placed it on the bed. “Jingxi, bring me the account books from the troubled branch of the merchant guild these past few days, along with the transaction receipts and contracts for those three deals. Also, what did the branch say? Have they found the missing trader?”

Jingxi frowned slightly. “Young Madam, it wouldn’t be too late to handle these matters after you’ve recovered a bit.”

Sang Ying waved her hand dismissively. “It doesn’t hurt anymore. Since I can’t do anything else right now, I might as well look at the account books instead of sitting idle.”

Seeing that she couldn’t be dissuaded, Jingxi sighed and went to the study to fetch the account books and receipts. She adjusted the light of the Spirit Bright Pearl. “Young Madam, you stayed up late the night before last because of this matter. If you feel unwell, rest and don’t push yourself.”

“Mm.”

Sang Ying flipped through the papers. The troubled branch of the merchant guild was involved in a case.

There were three transactions. The goods transported by the guild were several batches of rare spirit fruits. Once picked, spirit fruits lose their source of spiritual energy, and if placed in a storage ring, they would lose their spiritual energy entirely.

Thus, they were sealed in cargo boxes and entrusted to a security agency for transport. To avoid depleting their spiritual energy, the boxes could not be opened midway.

One batch of goods was intercepted by the Immortal Alliance during transport. Disregarding the merchant guild’s attempts to stop them, the Immortal Alliance envoy forcibly opened the cargo boxes in full view of everyone. Inside were not spirit fruits, but several young fairies from Yaochi who had gone missing.

The day before yesterday, when the incident occurred, the Yunshui Merchant Guild branch was immediately sealed by the Immortal Alliance, halting all transactions.

The Immortal Alliance sent people to thoroughly investigate the matter, but the other two batches of goods had already been delivered, and the buyers could not be traced. The merchant guild official responsible for the spirit fruit trade had also long since fled.

The Immortal Alliance located the spirit fruit supplier, whose testimony was: He had been threatened by the Yunshui Merchant Guild with his life and family, forcing him to assist the guild in their wrongdoing.

As soon as these words were spoken, public opinion erupted. Not only the branch, but the entire Yunshui Merchant Guild was implicated, and its reputation suffered.

Today, people spontaneously organized a boycott against the unscrupulous Yunshui Merchant Guild, refusing to purchase any goods sold by the guild, causing its revenue to plummet. Several suppliers also came to discuss terminating their contracts with the guild.

Jingxi said gently, “The branch discovered traces of the responsible official last night. They should be found soon.”

“Mm. Jingxi, I’m a bit tired and want to sleep for a while.”

Sang Ying tossed her things aside and burrowed into the blankets. Jingxi watched for a moment before responding and taking his leave, closing the door behind him.

Sang Ying got out of bed and knocked on the window frame.

No response.

After knocking a second time, the back window was pulled open, revealing Lengmian’s expressionless face. “Young Miss.”

Sang Ying asked curiously, “What were you doing?”

“Brewing medicine.”

Lengmian efficiently placed several prepared doses of medicine into her Storage Ring, summoned his sword light, and said in an unfluctuating tone, “Since I can’t stop you from going out anyway, I brewed it in advance to bring along, fearing I wouldn’t have time while handling matters.”

…How does he remember this daily dose of medicine even more clearly than Jingxi?

Sang Ying stored the Storage Ring and stepped onto his sword light, applying Disguise Talismans to both of them. “Keep a low profile. Head to the nearest teleportation array.”

Lengmian asked, “Does the Young Miss have any leads on this matter?”

“A few, but not many.” Sang Ying rubbed her temples. “After all, there are far too many scoundrels who can’t stand me.”

Upon landing, Sang Ying and Lengmian queued to pay and enter the teleportation array. Two male cultivators wearing the attire of the Wantong Merchant Guild were chatting and laughing ahead of them.

“A friend working within the Immortal Alliance told me this case is no small matter. It involves not only Yaochi but multiple factions. To investigate, the Immortal Alliance even enlisted the help of a high-ranking figure from the Wu Wen Sect.”

“Haha, isn’t that old woman unbearably arrogant? I’m going to Beiyuan to see how she turns things around this time.”

Sang Ying smiled. “See? They’ve caught the scent and come running.”

The teleportation array was for single use. Lengmian went first, followed by Sang Ying.

As the formation array activated, the surroundings were enveloped in white light.

Teleportation arrays have distance limits, and reaching Beiyuan required several teleports. Cultivators with low cultivation bases experience slight discomfort when using teleportation arrays. Sang Ying closed her eyes but suddenly sensed a fluctuation in the array.

She quickly opened her eyes just in time to see a fluffy, gray-brown-and-white ball crash into the teleportation array.

…A cat?

And it seemed to be a cat that had condensed a demon core.

Sang Ying was stunned for a moment before the fluffy creature leaped gracefully onto her shoulder. The tabby cat turned its back to the outside of the array, glanced at the figures outside with disdain and provocation in its clear yellow eyes, and then—

In the next instant, the array flashed, its trajectory distorted by the interference, teleporting Sang Ying to another location.

Sang Ying looked at the unfamiliar room: “…”

“Hmph, a few measly humans think they can capture me to be a spirit beast? What a pipe dream.” The tabby cat elegantly licked its paw, its voice a rough growl completely at odds with its cute appearance. “Thanks for the lift on your teleportation array. I’ll treat you to a mouse later.”

With that, it jumped down from Sang Ying’s shoulder and was about to head out the door when a man’s voice suddenly sounded from outside: “Fairy, has Mimi been resting here these past few days?”

The tabby cat let out a “Holy shit!”, slammed on the brakes, its tail standing straight up. It looked left and right, couldn’t find an exit, and scurried back in front of Sang Ying.

“Quick! Little girl, let me hide under your skirt!”

Sang Ying looked at this tabby cat, a thought surfacing. In that group she accidentally joined last night, the White Cat Swordsman was everywhere looking for a talking tabby cat.

Humans have cultivation realms, demons have ranks. A demon that has condensed a demon core is, by all accounts, a major demon in terms of strength.

She crouched down. “I know the White Cat Swordsman.”

The tabby cat instantly widened its eyes, arched its back defensively, ready to make a desperate escape at any moment.

Sang Ying spoke up at the right moment: “But I’m not here to capture you and take you back.”

She pointed at the teleportation array from earlier. “I’m just an innocent passerby heading to Beiyuan on business. You bumped into my teleportation array mid-journey, causing an error. It locked onto your aura and sent me to the Yaochi where you’ve been staying these past few days, and now I can’t get back.”

The tabby cat’s face flushed red, an embarrassed expression appearing. It flicked its tail. “I didn’t do it on purpose either. Who knew the quality of that teleportation array was so poor? I’ll compensate you.”

Listening to the footsteps outside getting closer, Sang Ying said leisurely, “I can help you hide. But in return, you have to agree to help me with one thing.”

“I can smell you! The game of hide-and-seek is over. Come out, Mimi!”

The White Cat Swordsman rubbed his hands together and pushed the door open forcefully, only to see a young woman in white sitting at the table, holding a rabbit in her arms.

The girl raised her eyes at the sound, her gaze cool and clear.

“What business do you have, Immortal Lord?”

The White Cat Swordsman was taken aback. Under her gaze, his previously casual posture immediately became restrained. He straightened up, his sword strapped to his back.

“Uh, sorry to disturb you, miss. I’m looking for a white… no, a grayish-brown cat. Have you seen it?”

The young woman’s delicate brows furrowed slightly, as if recalling. “I did see it the day before yesterday. It was sleeping in my bunny’s nest. After it woke up, it went off in that direction.”

That sounded exactly like something Mimi would do. The White Cat Swordsman believed it completely. After thanking her, he sprinted off in the direction she pointed, soon becoming a small black dot on the horizon.

“Hahaha, Wang the Big Fool, I was right in front of you and you didn’t even know it! Right in front of you and you still couldn’t catch me, hahahaha…”

The previously quiet rabbit suddenly jumped up, looking immensely pleased with itself, its short bunny tail held high. “Little girl, what’s your name?”

“Sang Ying.”

“Good. I’ll be your friend. You can call me Sang Biao.”

The rabbit started licking its paw. “What do you want me to help you with?”

A faint twinge of pain pulled in her lower abdomen. Sang Ying placed the tea water on the fire to boil. “First, tell me: you were staying at the Yaochi the past few days. Why are you somewhere else today, and being chased by someone?”

Sang Biao clicked his tongue. “They’ve taken a fancy to me, have improper intentions towards me. After all, I’m so dashingly handsome and charming. It’s not strange they’d want to have me.”

“And the specific details?”

“Well, the night before last, I was sleeping here. When I woke up today, I found myself on the road.”

“I saw those people didn’t look like good characters at all, and they smelled terrible, so I took the chance to slip away when they weren’t paying attention. While being chased, I happened to see your teleportation array and jumped in.”

Sang Ying pondered thoughtfully—Yaochi… the missing fairy in the case was indeed from Yaochi.

Considering the timing, it matched perfectly—it was exactly when Sang Biao was taken away. It was the same case.

Pouring a cup of hot tea, Sang Ying watched the liquid, then took out a pill, crushed it, and sprinkled it into the water. The tea immediately changed color.

Since no fairy resided in this room, the Immortal Alliance hadn’t inspected it thoroughly.

Sang Biao was shocked: “To capture me, they even poisoned the tea? How scheming! Good thing I didn’t drink it yesterday.”

“It’s just a sedative. Their target wasn’t you—it was the Yaochi Fairy.”

Sang Ying recounted the case from the past two days but suddenly paused, puzzled: “If you didn’t drink the tea, how did you not notice being taken away? And why did you only wake up today?”

Sang Biao stiffened, slowly turning his head away.

Sang Ying: “…” Is this a cat’s alertness while sleeping?

Estimating that Lengmian had already arrived at Bei Yuan, Sang Ying took out the Glazed Mirror to update him on the sudden situation here.

No reply.

Sang Ying frowned. Sang Biao lazily stretched, “Didn’t you say something happened over there? Probably locked down—typical Immortal Alliance tactics. Nothing gets out, not even a bird.”

…It seemed the two from the Wan Tong Merchant Association were right—this matter was indeed serious.

Sang Ying checked the teleportation array route and found the previous stop was a desolate wilderness, a very remote place. The nearest small town was four hundred miles away.

Those people’s target wasn’t Sang Biao—it was the Yaochi Fairy staying in these rooms. Sang Biao was just an unexpected catch, and they took him along.

Sang Ying quickly made a decision and stood up.

“Can you still find the place you escaped from?”

Sang Biao: “What do you want? Oh, I get it—you want to find the enemy’s hideout yourself? But those people are quite formidable. It took me a lot of effort to escape. Are you sure you can handle it, weak as you are?”

Sang Ying glanced at him: “Why would I go there?”

Sang Biao turned his head, “Meow?”

Sunlight streamed through the window lattice, illuminating the girl’s slightly curved brows and a faint, gentle smile.

Despite such a bright smile, Sang Biao inexplicably felt a chill down his spine, his cat ears twitching.

“There are plenty of people eager to take on this good job.”