CHAPTER 554: CHAPTER 11: DANLU’S FEMALE PRODIGY, CHENG YING

When the Yue Residence’s party left the Sky Port, a luxurious dragon horse-drawn carriage also stopped inside an inconspicuous dwelling nearby.

Hearing the commotion outside, Long Jiuzun, a woman in purple clothing, and Ji Yun, who had just treated his severed finger wound, came out one after another.

"Sisi, why is it you?" The woman in purple let out a breath as soft as orchid, her beautiful eyes dazzling as if they could speak, appearing even more enchanting behind the thin veil.

A girl dressed in the attire of a Danlu pharmacist alighted from the carriage. With a delicate nose and willow-shaped eyebrows, draped in a plain dress under the moonlight, her beauty was accentuated by her jade-like skin and ice-clear bones, a rare beauty indeed. It was Lie Sisi who had fled to Danlu amidst the turmoil in the Shang Kingdom.

Seeing everyone, Lie Sisi demurely lowered her gaze and bowed obediently, saying with respect, "Senior Sister Cheng, I’ve called the carriage for you as requested."

With that, the identity of the woman in purple was also revealed.

All the young people present were sons of high-ranking officials and nobles from the Imperial City.

These were the core members of the ’officials’ faction, as Yue Jinghua had earlier learned from Jin Nuo’s account, from the Empire. Aside from Long Jiuzun and Ji Yun, the woman in purple was a Cheng with a single name, Ying, the beloved daughter of the Imperial Alchemist Cheng Longfeng.

The faint scent of elixir herbs emanating from her was, in fact, her innate body fragrance.

In the midst of speaking, Cheng Ying glanced over Sisi’s face. She had merely informed her family to send a carriage, but she hadn’t expected Lie Sisi to personally escort it.

One must know that this little junior sister of hers had only arrived at Danlu a year ago, yet due to her remarkable talent and sweet beauty, she quickly became a favorite of the Elder Danlu.

At the beginning of the year, she was even more fortunate; she was sent to the Imperial City to follow Cheng Ying and improve her Alchemy Technique.

Lie Sisi usually followed Cheng Longfeng in alchemy practice, rarely stepping foot outside, and was very well-behaved.

Yet tonight, she shows herself in front of a group of elite youths of the Empire, with an ulterior motive, presumably...

A hint of contemplation crossed Cheng Ying’s almond-shaped eyes, and her lips, hidden beneath the purple gauze, lifted into a slight smile, laden with endless sarcasm.

As the saying goes, for every foot of a road’s height, a demon rises by a yard. Lie Sisi may be meticulous, but Cheng Ying is not easily handled.

She has been intelligent since childhood, learning to read at the age of one, recognizing herbs at three, and mastering alchemy at six.

After a decade of alchemy practice, she managed to create a furnace of Holy-grade Elixir at the age of sixteen, attracting flocks of birds around the furnace, becoming the second prodigy of Danlu after Chen Jiangyin.

Although she cannot quite compare to Chen Jiangyin yet, as a woman to have achieved such skill makes her a genius among geniuses on the continent.

Moreover, there have been rumors among the people that Cheng Ying is unparalleled in beauty, but because of her mother’s decree, she has worn a veil since childhood and no one has truly seen her face. Even so, her graceful figure and the exquisite Qi Huang Skill have given her fame throughout the Imperial City, surpassing the merely beautiful Yue Jinghua in reputation.

Years ago, after Yue Jinghua, the number one beauty of Dragon War Empire, was disfigured, Cheng Ying swiftly took over as the Empire’s premier beauty and top talented woman, becoming the secret amour of all the unwed young men in the city.

Being such a distinguished figure, and still a maiden yet to be married, naturally attracted the pursuit of all the noble sons of the city, among whom Long Jiuzun was the most fervently smitten with her.

"Cheng Ying, you’re not playing fair, keeping such a beautiful girl hidden in your residence," Cheng Ying may be beautiful, but with Long Jiuzun as a formidable presence, Ji Yun didn’t dare harbor any intentions towards her.

Moreover, this woman is fickle in her emotions, capable of saving a life within a breath, yet her poison-using tricks are peerless in the world, with a tongue as sharp and vicious as they come.

Such a poisonous belle, Ji Yun didn’t even dare to take an extra glance at her.

His fingers had already healed as if nothing had happened, and he didn’t know what unique method Cheng Ying had used to reattach his severed fingers.

"Ji Yun, weren’t you always pursuing Long Rui? Could it be that your heart has changed so quickly? Don’t forget, Brother Long is standing right next to you," Cheng Ying teased sarcastically, casting a meaningful look at Lie Sisi.

Those allowed to stay by her side were thoroughly investigated regarding their background. Cheng Ying had clearly uncovered all there was to know about Lie Sisi, including her past infatuation with the Prince of Shangguo.

Ji Yun, reminded in such a way, greatly lost his lustful interest and pretended to look straight ahead without a sideways glance.

As for Long Jiuzun, his eyes were only filled with Cheng Ying, and he disdained even to look at Lie Sisi.

Seeing this, Lie Sisi couldn’t help but feel a twinge of darkness at the bottom of her heart. She was jealous of Cheng Ying but didn’t expose it verbally, speaking softly instead: "The master was worried about Senior Sister’s absence, so he ordered me to come and meet her. Along the way, I also encountered several suspicious men and women."

Having said that, she recounted the situation involving Yue Jinghua and the people of the Yue Residence once more.

Although Yue Jinghua had disguised herself in men’s attire, Lie Sisi recognized her at first sight.

For reasons she could not express, Lie Sisi did not reveal Yue Jinghua’s identity as a woman.

"Damn Duke Mansion, it’s bad enough they plotted against me, but they even dragged Brother Long into their scheme," Ji Yun gritted his teeth with indignation, while covertly observing Long Jiuzun’s reaction.

"Ji Yun, how did the newcomers from Duke Mansion provoke you?" Cheng Ying asked with an eternal smile. After all, Yue Jinghua hadn’t troubled the Cheng Residence, and a lord returning from the barbaric lands couldn’t possibly make much of an impact.

"Brother Long, I won’t hide it from you, it was indeed for Miss Rui that I offended that group of people," Ji Yun exaggerated the story, twisting the facts about what happened on Black Bear Ridge, and cast Yue Jinghua and her companions in the light of brutish thugs akin to bandits.

"Wait, be more specific, the bird that your Attendant Student last saw, was it spewing out Star Fire?" Hearing about the Fiery Fire Stork, Cheng Ying’s voice couldn’t help but rise.

"I don’t know if it was Star Fire or not, but I do know that the fire was formidable. The servants who were accidentally caught in the Fire Array all perished. The scene was terrifying," Ji Yun said, although he wasn’t present, his Attendant Student had the foresight to bring back a body when returning to the Imperial City.

The body had been burned beyond recognition, reduced to such a state in just a few breaths. Without a doubt, the fire kind was extremely potent.

Cheng Ying’s face lit up with joy. Coming from the Danlu, she lamented that despite her astonishing talent in alchemy, her physical constitution prevented her from cultivating Dark Skill or having a Lifebound Pill Fire.

Thus, she relied on Fire Arrays or Natural Fire to practice alchemy, and the Fiery Fire Stork’s fire, which consisted of both Dark Beast Fire and Natural Star Fire, was a rare and coveted Elixir Medicine Holy Fire.

"If you’re interested, I can order someone to dig three feet into the ground near Black Bear Ridge to capture that Fiery Fire Stork and gift it to you," seeing Cheng Ying’s interest in the Fiery Fire Stork, Long Jiuzun eagerly offered his assistance.

"I’m afraid that Fiery Fire Stork is no longer in Black Bear Ridge by now," Cheng Ying’s beautiful eyes twinkled with a mocking glint as she looked at the aggrieved Ji Yun, "Ji Yun, how do you plan to take revenge on the people of the Yue Family?"

Ji Yun snorted, "What’s the rush? I heard that the tax officer going to collect taxes in the Duke Mansion’s territory this time is Niu Er, Tax Officer. That old coot probably didn’t gain many favors from that little wretch of the Yue Residence. Just throw him a few sweeteners, and naturally someone will help me bring down the Duke Mansion."

Having said that, Ji Yun laughed confidently, as if he held the winning ticket.