20. Meeting Mystery Man

Mo Yichen barely had time to process what had just happened before he suddenly found himself face-to-face with the lightest pair of eyes he had ever seen.

Too close. Way too close.

The man standing before him was only a hair's breadth away, his breath steady, his expression calm—too calm. Mo Yichen, who recently had been through countless life-or-death situations, felt his instincts scream at him.

Danger.

Now, don't misunderstand. Mo Yichen wasn't some weakling who panicked at the first sign of trouble. He was naturally carefree, but that didn't mean he was oblivious. He wasn't stupid—just… selectively lazy.

Back in his old world, his innate talent had made life relatively easy for him. Cultivation? Smooth sailing. Reputation? Skyrocketing. Enemies? Oh, plenty, but none that could actually touch him.

That didn't mean he hadn't faced hardships—he was an orphan, after all. From a young age, his talent had attracted covetous eyes and more assassination attempts than he cared to count. Fortunately, being under the Immortal Bureau's protection meant he rarely had to worry about such trivial matters. His job? Refining pills and potions. Simple, peaceful, and—most importantly—did not involve making direct eye contact with terrifyingly unreadable people.

Yet presently, here he was.

Yan Yeqing—a terrifying presence that Mo Yichen couldn't fathom—was standing before him, eyes unwavering, an infuriating flash of amusement dancing across his usually stoic face.

Mo Yichen felt a shiver crawl down his spine.

'Wait… WAIT. Where is that emotionless statue from earlier?! Why do I suddenly feel like this guy knows me inside out?!'

His instincts kicked in before his brain did. He took a step back. Involuntarily.

Yan Yeqing took a step forward. Intentionally.

Mo Yichen's lips twitched.

'...This man is messing with me, isn't he?'

Still, a true expert never showed fear. So, with the most awkward yet brave expression he could muster, he forced out a polite smile.

"..Eh" It sounded so unconvincing that even he cringed. "T-Thank you, Brother Yeqing, for… saving our lives!" Mo Yichen quickly added, scrambling to maintain some dignity.

Then, before he could second-guess himself, he reached into his robes, secretly looked through his jade ring still on his finger, and, with unparalleled speed, pulled out a small jade bottle engraved with a delicate crimson lotus.

"A small token of our gratitude!" He announced grandly, shoving it forward on Yan Yeqing's palm. "Please kindly accept our good intentions!"

Translation: 'Please take this and go away before my soul leaves my body.'

Mo Yichen was about to launch into a heartfelt speech about gratitude, his mouth opening like a fish gasping for air, when a deep, rumbling chuckle cut him off mid-breath. The sound was so rich and unexpected that it made him freeze, his words stuck in his throat like a poorly timed sneeze.

Yan Yeqing, who had been silently observing Mo Yichen's antics with the intensity of a cat watching a particularly clumsy mouse, finally broke his stoic facade. His lips curled into a smile, and his eyes sparkled with amusement, as if he had just discovered the most entertaining toy in the world. The earlier coldness in his gaze melted away, replaced by a mischievous glint that made Mo Yichen's stomach do a somersault.

"I'll accept your gratitude," Yan Yeqing said, his deep voice resonating like the low hum of a guqin string. "But before that—"

Before Mo Yichen could even blink, let alone move, he felt something warm and slightly ticklish wrap around his wrist. He looked down, his eyes widening like a startled rabbit, to find a peculiar black bangle snugly fitted against his fair skin. The bangle shimmered faintly, as if it had been forged from the night sky itself, and it seemed to pulse with a strange, otherworldly energy.

Mo Yichen stared at it, his brain short-circuiting. "This is…?" he stammered, his voice rising an octave higher than usual. He looked up at Yan Yeqing, his confusion written all over his face like a poorly written scroll.

Yan Yeqing, however, was the picture of calm elegance. His pale, moonlit face glowed faintly, and his lips curved into a faint, enigmatic smile that could only be described as trouble. "Yichen will accept this brother Yeqing's gift, won't he?" he said, his tone smooth and teasing, like a fox offering a chicken a free ride on its back.

Mo Yichen opened his mouth to protest, but no sound came out. His brain was too busy trying to process the fact that Yan Yeqing had just called him "Yichen" in that ridiculously deep voice of his. It was unfair, really. How could someone sound so… so smug and still be so annoyingly attractive?

Before Mo Yichen could gather his wits, Yan Yeqing took a step back, his light blue robes fluttering dramatically in the night breeze. The faint smile still played on his lips, and his eyes glimmered with something that made Mo Yichen's heart skip a beat—or maybe it was just indigestion. Hard to tell.

"Until next time," Yan Yeqing said, his voice carrying a promise that sent a shiver down Mo Yichen's spine. With a casual wave of his sleeve, he turned and walked away, his figure disappearing into the shadows like a ghost.

Ji Yeming, who had been standing silently like a particularly broody statue, shot Mo Yichen one last look. It was the kind of look that said, "You're in way over your head, buddy," before he too vanished into the night.

Jing Yu, who had been watching the entire exchange with the patience of a saint, rolled his eyes so hard it was a miracle they didn't fall out of his head. "Stupid," he muttered under his breath. 

Mo Yichen, still staring at the bangle on his wrist, finally found his voice. "What… just happened?" he asked, his tone equal parts bewildered and exasperated.

On the other side.

Ji Yeming couldn't help but notice the jade bottle in Yan Yeqing's hand. It was delicate, almost dainty, with a tiny crimson lotus etched into its surface. The craftsmanship was exquisite, but Ji Yeming couldn't resist a snarky comment. "Senior Brother," he began, his tone dripping with curiosity, "what did that young man give you? A love token? It looks… oddly feminine."

Yan Yeqing's expression, which had softened into something almost human while interacting with Mo Yichen, immediately reverted to its usual stone-cold mask. He glanced at Ji Yeming, his eyes as unreadable as a blank scroll. "Why don't you look at it yourself?" he replied, his voice as dry as the desert.

Ji Yeming shamelessly took the jade bottle with the enthusiasm of a child unwrapping a gift. He uncorked it, and instantly, a wave of dense medicinal qi burst forth, swirling around them like a miniature storm. The air was filled with the scent of rare herbs, so potent it made Ji Yeming's nose twitch.

His eyes widened as he pulled out a pill from the bottle. It was a deep, shimmering blue, with a tiny cloud hovering above its surface like a miniature weather system. Ji Yeming's jaw dropped. "Th-This is a high-grade Meridian Pill!?" he squeaked, his voice cracking in a way that would have embarrassed him if he weren't so shocked.

Yan Yeqing, however, looked as unimpressed as a cat presented with a particularly uninteresting mouse. "Look again," he said, a faint trace of amusement flickering in his eyes.

Ji Yeming squinted at the pill, turning it over in his hand like it was a rare artifact. The more he looked, the more he realized this wasn't just any high-grade pill. The color was too pure, the qi too dense, and that little cloud on top? That wasn't just for decoration. His eyes nearly popped out of his head. "No way… This is a top-grade Meridian Stream Pill! And not just any top-grade—this is a flawless Grade 10 pill!"

Yan Yeqing nodded, his lips curling into the faintest hint of a smirk. "Correct" Without further ado, he plucked the pill from Ji Yeming's hand and popped it into his mouth like it was a piece of candy.

Ji Yeming stared at him, horrified. "Senior Brother! Do you even know what that's worth? You just ate a fortune! You could've sold it and bought a valley in our sect!"

Yan Yeqing ignored him, closing his eyes as the pill's effects began to take hold. A warm, soothing sensation spread through his body, targeting his 256 fractured meridians and 109 injured ones. If one looked closely—and Ji Yeming was definitely looking closely—they could see the faint glow of healing energy as the pill began to repair about 10 percent of the less severely damaged meridians.

Ji Yeming watched in awe, his earlier snark replaced by genuine admiration. "Well, I guess that young man isn't just a pretty face.."

Yan Yeqing opened one eye, giving Ji Yeming a look that could freeze lava. Making the youth in front of him shut up his mouth in an instant.

On Mo Yichen's side.

Jing Yu emerged from the bushes, brushing leaves and twigs off his green robe. "Brother Mo?" he called out, squinting at Mo Yichen. "Do you know them?"

Mo Yichen, who had been staring off into the distance with the intensity of someone trying to remember if they left the stove on, blinked and turned to Jing Yu. "...Eh. We met before," he replied, his tone so casual.

Jing Yu raised an eyebrow but decided not to press further. Instead, he looked around, his face scrunching up in confusion. "But where's that little fluff ball?"

Mo Yichen rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact like a guilty child caught with their hand in the cookie jar. "...Ah, I hid Ziyun earlier," he admitted, his voice trailing off.

"Hid? How come? I didn't see it!" Jing Yu exclaimed, his confusion deepening.

Mo Yichen flicked Jing Yu's forehead, earning a yelp from the younger boy. "I hid it when you fell down earlier," he said, as if that explained everything. Before Jing Yu could protest, Mo Yichen quickly changed the subject. "By the way, where's the entrance to the Thousand Illusions Labyrinth? And what's the exact time it opens?"

Jing Yu paused, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "It's the day after tomorrow, about ten kilometers to the north. The labyrinth opens during the latter half of Wei Shichen. People from all corners of the Tianxu Continent will be there," he explained, his eyes suddenly widening as if he'd just remembered something important. "Oh no! I almost forgot! I need to meet the senior brothers and sisters of our peak. Brother Mo, will you come with me?" he asked, his eyes shining with hope.

Mo Yichen hesitated, his expression unreadable. After a moment, he shook his head. "...You go ahead. We'll meet at the entrance the day after tomorrow," he said, offering Jing Yu a faint smile.

Jing Yu frowned, clearly uneasy. "Are you sure you're not coming with me? It might be dangerous here…" He glanced nervously at the massive corpse of the purple beast nearby, shuddering at the sight.

Mo Yichen shook his head again, his tone firm but gentle. "I have something to do. I'll join you later. Take care." He gave Jing Yu's shoulder a reassuring pat before watching the younger boy reluctantly make his way into the night.

As soon as Jing Yu disappeared from view, Mo Yichen let out a long, dramatic sigh. "Ah… it's tough having so many things to hide," he muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair.

With Jing Yu gone, Mo Yichen finally turned his attention to the giant dead snake. He extended his hand, and a faint crimson glow began to swirl around his slender fingers. A thread of qi shot out, wrapping around the python's head before pulling out a shimmering purple crystal. The crystal floated into his palm, its glow reflecting in his dark, clear eyes.

"...No wonder it was so formidable," he murmured, shaking his head in disbelief. This is a Golden Core!

He tossed the crystal into his jade ring with the casualness of someone storing a spare coin, then pulled out an empty jade bottle. With a swift motion, another thread of qi wrapped around the python's body, extracting a stream of purple blood essence. The essence floated through the air like liquid amethyst before settling into the bottle.

Mo Yichen sealed the bottle with a practiced flick of his wrist and tucked it away. "It's a big treasure for my research.." he said to no one in particular, glancing around to make sure no one was watching.

As he made his way in the opposite direction, he couldn't help but recall those deep eyes filled with amusement, making him shiver. Out of my sight, out of my mind!