Disguising

Knock, knock, knock, ... The knock on the door of Xueming's special lounge sounded again. Xueming tried to keep his mind calm because he did not know if the merchant association would sense any other suspicious things about him. But when the door opened, the charming fragrance that had just gone returned to him again by the wind from the door. Even at first glance, Xueming was shocked, when he looked at the one who walked in, he had to furrow his eyebrows.

"You ..." Xueming pointed his bright white hand with youthfulness toward Fei Xiang. "Why do you dress like this? Why did you disguise yourself to meet me?”

With just the first sentence, Xueming exposed the young man in the general receptionist uniform of the merchant association was ... Fei Xiang in disguise.

Even when exposed, the young girl did not care. On the contrary, when caught, she no longer needed to hide anymore, so she pulled off the thread tied to the long tress which was gathered up and hidden in a dull gray hat. Then, the dark, black hair suddenly fell down. The fascinating scent spread even more heavily than before that Xueming’s mind swayed along with the wind that blew past his body.

As her long hair fell down, Fei Xiang deliberately used one hand to clench the long shirt’s hem and swept it on her face to wipe out any makeup intended to disguise herself. Then, she spoke in a calm tone. "Since Elder Yi are still disguising yourself, why did you expose me when I do the same?”

"Well, I… " After hearing Fei Xiang’s words, Xueming got caught off guard that he didn’t know how to respond and had to mumble for a while. "Because I have a terrifying, ugly face from an accident during the medicine cooking. My true face is not so admirable.” Although deep in his heart he wanted to stay and develop his relationship with her, it would be better to leave quickly once he received the money. Therefore, verbally cutting off the relationship with her would be the best solution right now.

A scary fact could not shake Fei Xiang's mind. She then walked boldly and sat down in the same empty chair. “So why could you catch me so swiftly?" Fei Xiang used her big, mischievous eyes to stare at Xueming's face as if intending to see through the depths.

When anxious Xueming was unable to have a clear mind to fabricate his words, he could only speak his mind. "Your scent."

"My scent?" Fei Xiang smiled because she knew what that meant. "Why do you recognize Fei Xiang's scent?" As she spoke, her face turned red in embarrassment.

Her expressed gesture and words made Xueming's head even dizzier, so he chose the solution that popped up in mind.

Thump!

Xueming slapped his palm on the table. Even though the slap was not violent, the thump sound was enough to make Fei Xiang stop and glance sideways. As for Xueming, it helped him to escape from the difficult situation and settle down his trembling hands. "You baby, dare claiming to be an alchemist. Don't you know that distinguishing smells is a skill that an alchemist should practice as a prerequisite?” When falling out of his mouth, the words of rebuke blended so harmoniously that Xueming couldn't help but admire himself. He believed his bad manners toward such a beautiful woman would upset her that she had to excuse herself.

But Xueming's conjecture was false, after all, because what he randomly said pierced into the heart of the beautiful lady who was deeply obsessed with the science of medicine cooking. "Thank you, Elder Yi Fei, for your teachings." Fei Xiang said with eyes full of emotion staring at Xueming. The longer time passed, the more the Fei Xiang's good feelings towards the Alchemist Yi Fei increased, and even more deeply.

Xueming swallowed his sticky saliva again and forced himself not to indulge a sudden rush of emotions, because it might compromise his mission. “What business brought you here again?”

"Sorry, Elder. I returned this time only to serve as the merchant association staff.” Said Fei Xiang before handing in the bills of exchange for 15,000 gold coins by placing them in front of Xueming.

But because of having to be in the presence of a beautiful woman, plus the Elder title even giving a realistic vibe, Xueming, therefore, acted snooty without reaching out for the bill yet. "If that’s all your business, then you should leave." His last cut-off words brought relief to Xueming himself. He expected that when Fei Xiang left, he would no longer wait to watch the auction, intending to hurriedly flee from the Black Wood Tower Auction as soon as possible.

"One more thing ..." Now Xueming's head was spinning because he thought that everything should have been over. But then, Fei Xiang still had some moves coming through. "I saw you using ... that bag." Fei Xiang pointed her beautiful index finger at the old dimensional bag beside Xueming's waist. "Coincidentally, our merchant association has plenty of dimensional rings. I realize that since you’re in the middle of an excursion, walking with the bag is not as easy as the dimensional ring. And of course, for Elder Yi Fei, the association will always provide special merchandise for you and sell it at a very affordable price.” While many other words would still make him hesitant, but when it comes to the word ‘affordable’, Xueming was immediately all ears.

"Okay, I like this proposal. And how much is the dimensional ring that you offer?"

Fei Xiang smiled sweetly because she had already started to find out that Elder Yi Fei was a money person just like her father. She did not have a problem with such a habit but was rather familiar with it. “As for a human-level dimensional ring, even in the big market, it is considered extremely rare. The selling price is at least 10,000 gold coins.”

The word ten thousand gold coins from Fei Xiang caused Xueming to gulp down his saliva again and thought … I shouldn’t have asked her about the price. Refusing it in the first place would have been better.

"But for a good relationship between the Elder and the merchant association, we’re willing to sell it to Elder Yi Fei for only 5,000 gold coins."

"5,000 gold coins?" Xueming did not expect that the merchant association would give him such a huge discount. Since he had 15,000 gold coins, losing 5,000 gold coins in exchange for a functional and versatile ring would be acceptable. "Okay, deal." Xueming grabbed a bill of exchange equivalent to 5,000 gold and handed it to Fei Xiang. In return, he received a luxurious square box that had a dimensional ring inside. The setting of the ring has a striking, beautiful dark blue gem.

After receiving the ring, Xueming did not forget that he had to quickly find a way to leave. Therefore, he tried putting his items into the dimensional ring, including the bills of exchange on the table. "Do you still have any other business? Just that I need to hurry.” This time, Xueming learned a lesson that if he opened a chance for this little beauty, the conversation would surely be dragged on by her. Therefore, Xueming deliberately closed the door.

Fei Xiang also knew what Xueming was thinking. Hence, she could only bow her head and bite her lower lip in hopelessness. Then, she formed a smiling face and raised her head again. “Is there any way that I can contact the Elder?”

"None. If I want to contact you, I will travel to the merchant association myself." Xueming said in a blunt voice.

A request from Fei Xiang's mouth. A young man with a perfectly sane mind would not dare to say no to it. But Xueming rejected her without any concern.

“When will I have a chance to see Elder Yi Fei again?”

"Hahaha." Xueming laughed it off as he stood up, before slowly stepping away and saying. "In due time, if fate allows, we shall meet again.” Finished speaking, Xueming did not hesitate to speed up his steps toward the exit right away.

Seeing this, Fei Xiang jumped up from the chair. She had never been hurt like this before. For the men in the past, if she simply gave them a glance, they would be so happy that their spirits were almost flying out of their bodies. But this middle-aged man whose true face she hadn’t even seen, possibly much older than her, made Fei Xiang unable to shake his image from her heart. Seeing that the Alchemist Yi Fei was about to walk away with the slightest chance of reunion, her mind became restless and chaotic like never before. "Wait a minute...!" Running out of the scheme to hold him back, she let her emotions guide her. "Before you leave, could you answer Fei Xiang one more question?"

…Another question?

Xueming moaned in his heart because if it were a matter of cooking medicine again, it would be as if he had just brought himself up from the sandpit and had to jump back into it again.

"If it is about medicine cooking again, please don't ask." He burst out the words while keeping his feet moving and never thinking of stopping again.

"The matter that Fei Xiang would like to ask has nothing to do with medicine cooking.”

When not about cooking medicine as he had thought, Xueming had to pause his feet again—with a weary heart—to listen. Yet, he still showed an indifferent attitude and didn’t think about turning back his head. "Well, say it.”

After uttering the word ‘nothing to do with medicine cooking’, Fei Xiang realized it was a wrong move and began to hesitate whether she should vent her suppressed feelings or not. But at this point, now there were only two of them in the room. The communication glass had been deactivated since Fei Xiang had left the first time. Therefore, she chose to let it out. "Is there anything about me that is inferior to Miss Mu?”

This question caught Xueming off guard that he was stunned. Even though he himself did not understand its true meaning. Despite some doubts, he continued to keep his persona. "Miss Mu? Who is Miss Mu?"

As the first keyword was said, adding more was no longer a problem “Miss Mu Jinlan.”

The word ‘Mu Jinlan’ caused embarrassment in Xueming’s heart. Although he had previously claimed that he had forgotten Mu Jinlan, in fact, could he completely forget her? When he momentarily glanced at her and then turned to look at Li Biao, Xueming was not sure whether it was him turning the remaining love in his heart into vengeance against Li Biao. Because he had no way to understand what it meant to have lingering sentiment or to get over someone completely. He only knew that right now he was interested in the martial path and the path to strength. Therefore, he chose not to hold the past love in his heart.

"Why did you ask such a strange question? Anyway, in my opinion, you are much more beautiful than that Miss Mu, little girl.” After that, Xueming still pondered the question that arose in his heart. However, at this moment, in Xueming's mind, there emerged not only an image of Mu Jinlan but also those of the young girl Ning Xian and Fei Xiang overlapping one another back and forth. Though his mind was troubled, his two feet still keep walking away. This time, there was no more calling voice that made him stumble.

Fei Xiang glanced at the dimensional ring for a moment before using a mournful gaze to look at Xueming’s shadow that was getting more and more distant. Now, she could not utter any more words, only knowing that now, in her heart, a ripple of heat started to warm up. Her bright and smooth cheeks became striking red on both sides before the young girl unknowingly grinned in a wide smile that hadn't happened for a long time.