Chapter 16 - Si Xuexi

Every happened so quickly that they could not even see it. One second, the child and the monkey bandits were more than 10 metres away from each other. The next, the child is walking out of a shop-sized crater that held the two monkey bandits, unconscious.

Tian Longmeng took a deep breath to relax and then picked up the girl's bag.

"I believe this is yours." Tian Longmeng dropped the bag beside the girl that was still somewhat on the floor and continued walking past her.

The girl fumbled to say something but then she suddenly sprung to her feet with her bag and beckoned to him. "Do... do you have a place to stay?"

This left Tian Longmeng frozen. What a blunderous mistake!

In analyzing the outside world and everything about it, Tian Longmeng got so carried away he forgot the essential things to ensure for oneself.

Tian Longmeng had no place to stay, and to make matters worse, he had no concept of what currency was.

Tian Longmeng felt as if all his earlier face* had been flushed down the drain, and right after he landed such a spectacular performance.

Seeing the frozen Tian Longmeng, she girl smiled at her good guessing and grabbed his hand as she ran away from the town square towards an inn.

"Nice to meet you then. My name is Si Xuexi."

"Thank you. I am Tian Longmeng." Tian Longmeng responded in kind.

They reached an inn where Si Xuexi lodged and she carried him to her small room. There was only a bed, a table with one chair, and a drawer with a mirror attached on the top.

There was barely space to fit more than one person. They decided on Si Xuexi taking the bed while Tian Longmeng sits in the chair.

Si Xuexi cleared her throat. "First of all, thank you for helping me there and sacking those scums. It looks like you are not around here no?"

"No, I just came to this village today." Tian Longmeng blushed a little at how obvious his actions were.

She continued in a matter-of-fact way of speaking. "It was easy to tell since you were the only one brave enough to fight the tyrants that hail from Tang Fei City."

Tian Longmeng finally understood why no one dared to do anything, including the cultivators in the village. The townspeople could not defend themselves, and the cultivators did not want to get involved with a higher power. As long as the monkey bandits did not push the cultivators' buttons, the cultivators would give a blind eye.

Tian Longmeng thought for a moment then said, "Is that also the reason why you did not just beat them down yourself, despite being at the Mortal Grand-Apprentice Realm?"

Si Xuexi's face froze for a second then she smiled without saying a word. Indeed, Tian Longmeng already figured out that she was a Mortal Grand-Apprentice that could easily wipe out the monkey bandits.

Tian Longmeng knew this from the very beginning when he saw her reach out her hand. At that point, if he had not walked out then she would have obliterated the bandits right then and there.

The Mortal Grand-Apprentice Realm was no joke. It is the third realm in the Essence Gathering Realm and it is only a realm away from Essence Manifestation. The Si Xuexi sitting on the bed with a smile on her face has the ability to beat Tian Longmeng, even if he was to go all out.

If Si Xuexi so wanted, this day would mark the disappearance of Spring Well Villa and all its inhabitants.

Si Xuexi shrugged her shoulders, "I was going to kill them then show up to the village elder for an 'explanation', however, you popped up and wrecked the place without a care in the world."

Tian Longmeng averted his face from her in embarrassment as she stared at him with sparkling eyes.

"Nevermind that." Si Xuexi said as she looked over to see Tian Longmeng's bag by his foot. "What is in this I wonder?"

"Wait, huh. Don't!" Tian Longmeng could barely react before Si Xuexi lounged over the bed and snatched his bag away. Tian Longmeng had an odd taste in his mouth as he watched the almost robbed girl, snooping into other people's bag.

Her eyes shone as she saw his bag. "Beast bones, precious herbs, Beast skin, you are a walking gold mine! Why do you not cash in on all of these items? You could get heaps of refined jades, maybe even some moon jades." "Do not tell me that you do not know how money works?"

Si Xuexi made that last comment as a joke; however, her mouth dropped as she saw Tian Longmeng's blushing face as he averted his eyes from her once more.

She jumped off the bed and grabbed Tian Longmeng's hand again as he barged outside the inn. "Aaah! I guess I will have to teach you some common sense. Follow me."

* "Face" refers to a person's image, or how people perceive that person. It can include fame, pride, or confidence.