Chapter 79: The Appointment

And indeed, Di Yiqiu chose a set of regular clothes for the first time.

At that time, the shopkeeper had long since gone to sleep, but when he encountered Di Yiqiu, what could he do? He could only yawn and wear a forced smile, cursing in his heart as he helped him try on the clothes.

The next day, even before the sky had fully lit up, Di Yiqiu had already prepared himself.

Today, for the first time, he didn’t wear his official robes but instead opted for a light golden-colored outfit. This made him look a bit less dignified and a bit more like a wealthy young master, exuding a sense of elegance. He crushed a teleportation talisman and arrived in Kanyue City.

Outside Kanyue City, there was indeed a dense forest.

Di Yiqiu leaned against a tree, suddenly becoming extremely patient.

Because he thought that Mr.Third Dream might not want to meet with outsiders, he had come to the appointment alone, without bringing anyone with him.

For the first time in his life, Di Yiqiu wondered what kind of person this would be. Would he have the temperament of Miao Yunzhi, or would he resemble He Xijin?

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Jwv ds xyvvla obyv, vbkp tldvzlxyd oyp wdeswcvlezu yd lmvaysaekdyau vyzldv qsa vbl nswdvau.

Gv vbkp xsxldv, vbl pswde sq qssvpvlrp nyxl qasx swvpkel vbl qsalpv. Mbl qssvpvlrp olal hlau zktbv, pvlrrkdt sd eau voktp yde qyzzld zlyhlp, lxkvvkdt sdzu y qykdv pswde.

Pk Zkikw pweeldzu vwadle yaswde yde pyo psxlsdl clbkde bkx, olyakdt y czynj hlkz bsse, yrrasynbkdt pvlr cu pvlr.

“Ya. Mbkae Palyx?” Pk Zkikw oyp nywvkswp yde wdnlavykd.

Mbl rlapsd kd qasdv sq bkx oyp ealpple kd y czynj ascl yde osal y bsse. Jlnywpl vbl czynj hlkz oyp vss zsdt, vbl ldvkal rlapsd oyp nsdnlyzle, yde kv oyp kxrsppkczl vs elvlaxkdl vblka ytl sa tldela.

Tl oyzjle wr vs Pk Zkikw yde lmvldele bkp byde, xyjkdt y tlpvwal qsa bkx vs pkv.

Pk Zkikw pyv esod yp kdpvawnvle—bkp eswcvp ycswv Twydt Sydt’p osaep pvkzz zkdtlale. Fs bl oypd’v pwal kq vbl rlapsd kd qasdv sq bkx oyp kdvldvksdyzzu rzyukdt okvb bkx.

Plprkvl byacsakdt pwnb pwprknksdp, bl bye pvkzz nsxl vs vbl yrrskdvxldv. Gde dso, pkvvkdt kd vbl eldpl qsalpv, vbl ldktxyvkn Ya. Mbkae Palyx, eayrle kd czynj hlkzp, pyv clpkel bkx. Tl rknjle wr y rklnl sq eau vokt yde cltyd vs oakvl sd vbl psqv taswde, “Ebu byp vbl nbklq nsxl blal?”

Di Yiqiu understood that the person before him couldn’t speak freely. He was, after all, an exceptionally skilled craftsman, naturally sensitive to handwriting.

Seeing the writing on the ground, he confirmed that it was indeed Mr.Third Dream himself.

He immediately said, “I am Di YiQiu, an admirer of your name, longing to meet you. Your concealed presence in the common world, for the sake of the country and the people, truly makes you a noble person.”

Mr. Third Dream remained hidden under the hood, and his expression couldn’t be discerned. He held the dry twig and continued to write, “It’s just a small effort.”

Di Yiqiu added, “I understand, sir. I know you hide your identity for a reason, but for many years, the aristocratic families have controlled quality breeds, and there are many rules in our contracts. Your willingness to break these rules is something I deeply admire.”

He stood up, bowed to Mr. Third Dream, who was sitting under the tree, and said, “Now, the Celestial Court wishes to purchase a batch of the most drought-resistant quality breeds. I wonder if you could come out of seclusion to assist?”

After saying this, Mr. Third Dream in front of him remained motionless for a long time.

Di Yiqiu hurriedly said, “Please rest assured, sir. I will do my utmost to fulfill any requests.”

Third Dream remained silent for a long time, then suddenly moved the twig in his hand and wrote a brief word: “Yes.”

Di Yiqiu couldn’t believe that this gentleman was so easy to convince. He had prepared to persuade him further, and if he declined, he wouldn’t force the matter. But the quick agreement caught him off guard.

Third Dream, still hidden behind the black veil, seemed to be assessing him. Then, he asked a seemingly unrelated question: “Why did you choose this outfit today, chief?”

Even as astute as Di Yiqiu was, this question left him momentarily speechless.

After a pause, he finally answered truthfully, “I just felt that the dense forest was dark and damp, and the light golden color made me feel as if I were basking in warm sunlight.”

Third Dream fell silent once again, and Chief had to ask, “Sir, do you find it inappropriate?”

“No,” Third Dream wrote a single word. The turbulent emotions in Di Yiqiu’s heart settled slightly. He then noticed Third Dream’s hand. His sleeves were too long, so his entire hand was hidden within them, clutching the dry twig. Di Yiqiu could glimpse a bit of jade-colored skin.

However, in the realm of immortals, one couldn’t discern age or gender based on mundane appearances. The condition of their skin often had no correlation with age or gender.

Di Yiqiu didn’t want to inquire further. If Third Dream chose not to reveal more, he had his reasons. Pushing too hard would be impolite.

The two of them fell into a brief silence, and just at that moment, there was a sudden commotion among the crows in the dense forest.

Di Yiqiu’s brows furrowed slightly, and Third Dream slowly stood up.

On the soft earth, it seemed that some kind of creature was hiding and rapidly approaching.

Di Yiqiu, always alert, instinctively shielded Third Dream and took something out of his chest, placing it on the ground.

Third Dream remained silent with a lowered head, while the item Di Yiqiu had taken out appeared to be a crystal sphere. As the ground vibrated, it emitted a strange sound wave. The creature in the soil slowed down its pace, and with a muffled groan, it broke through the ground!

The intruder was dressed in black, wearing a black hood to conceal their face, and holding a weapon. Their original intention had been to ambush Third Dream, but they now struggled to maintain their balance.

They swayed, their expression filled with intense pain, but they still tried to move forward, taking a few more steps.

The crystal sphere began to vibrate, emitting a low, humming sound.

Finally, the intruder’s nose and ears started bleeding, and they let out a wailing cry before collapsing to the ground.

It was only then that Di Yiqiu picked up the crystal sphere from the ground and said, “I never expected that you, sir, have been in such dangerous situations all along. Just as you appeared, someone was already targeting you.”

Third Dream remained silent, as was expected. How many people’s interests had he obstructed by now? Many were eager to eliminate him and seize their opportunities.

Di Yiqiu offered the crystal sphere with both hands and continued, “This item is a protective tool. It emits a sound unlike anything usual, which can swiftly suppress enemies. Of course, its effectiveness might be reduced against individuals with exceptionally deep cultivation, but it’s a token of my sincerity. Please, sir, accept it.”

After some thought, Third Dream finally reached out to take it. Just at that moment,Di  Yiqiu saw her hand—a long and delicate hand with slender fingers, confirming that she was undoubtedly a woman!

Was Third Dream actually a woman?

Di Yiqiu’s brows furrowed slightly, but he didn’t dwell on them further. Intruding into someone else’s privacy, especially someone as mysterious as Third Dream, would be impolite.

Just then, several assassins closed in on them.

It seemed that the earlier attacker had only sought to gauge their strength.

There were now a total of six assassins, all dressed in black, their faces hidden.

Killing the Third Dream was one thing, but Di Yiqiu was, after all, of royal blood. If they killed Third Dream, they couldn’t let Di Yiqiu leave alive. This meant they had to eliminate all witnesses.

Di Yiqiu reached into his robe and retrieved another magical artifact, causing the group of assassins to hastily step back.

Earlier, they had suffered a major setback at the hands of unknown assailants, and they had all witnessed it.

Di Yiqiu, now only fourteen years old, had relatively weak cultivation. Originally, in the eyes of these assassins, he was not even worth their consideration. After all, the price on his head was only due to his troublesome royal lineage.

But now that they were deep in the dense forest, they realized that he was a formidable adversary.

After exchanging glances, the leader of the assassins gestured, and the six of them dispersed. Two of them tried to flank Di Yiqiu, attempting to separate him from Third Dream.

After all, their primary target was still Third Dream.

Third Dream held the crystal sphere in her hand, still warm from Di Yiqiu’s touch.

The six assassins rushed forward, with one of them using a spirit-summoning banner. As the banner waved, countless skeletal claws reached up from the ground.

Di Yiqiu stood firmly in front of Third Dream, holding a firework-shaped magical artifact, ready to activate it once more. Suddenly, behind him, Third Dream leaped into the air. She held a dry twig, moving like the wind, and faced the group of assassins.

Initially, the assassins found this quite laughable, but as the dry twig approached, it unleashed a rainbow-like sword energy!

Someone shouted, “Heart Sword!”

“What?” someone else asked.

But those were the only two sentences they managed to utter.

The Heart Sword was the most profound sword technique of the current number-one immortal sect, the Yuhu Immortal Sect. Faced with such a master, the group of assassins had no opportunity to say more.

In a matter of moments, only six lifeless bodies remained in the dense forest.

Di Yiqiu stood in place, watching as Third Dream effortlessly dealt with the assassins.

The wind rustled her black veil, revealing a remarkably graceful figure beneath. Di Yiqiu was now certain that Third Dream was a woman.

Of course, he harbored no impure thoughts—his admiration was solely for a senior and highly skilled individual.

He bowed and said, “Senior’s swordsmanship truly reaches the pinnacle. I’m afraid it can rival that of the Yuhu Immortal Sect’s Xie Lingbi Ancestor.”

Xie Lingbi?

Those three words didn’t seem to please Third Dream.

She turned away and discarded the dry twig.

Di Yiqiu had a faint feeling that this person might be from the Yuhu Immortal Sect, possibly one of its elders. The Yuhu Immortal Sect was a place teeming with hidden talents, where all sorts of remarkable individuals could be found. However, the idea of someone in the sect specializing in cultivation was something he had never heard of.

At this point, Di Yiqiu admired this person even more and said, “Senior’s arrival in the capital is a blessing for all. If there’s anything you need, I am willing to go to great lengths to assist.”

Third Dream shook her head slowly. She picked up a twig and wrote a few words on the ground:I will meet your request and cultivate drought-resistant crops. Later, I will hand it to Huang Rang.

When she mentioned Huang Rang,Di YiQiu’s pupils dilated, and after a long pause, he asked, “Senior, do you truly know Huang Rang?”

But Third Dream didn’t respond anymore. She departed gracefully.

Di Yiqiu hurriedly took a few steps forward but ultimately didn’t catch up. These masters were like that, coming and going as they pleased without lingering for anyone.

He stood in place, watching Third Dream leave.

Meanwhile, “Third Dream” had run quite a distance and suddenly took a deep breath. Realizing that Di Yiqiu hadn’t followed, she removed her veil and patted her chest to calm her racing heart.

Pretending to be an esteemed master was truly exhausting, especially in front of her future husband.

Seeing his young age and his respectful demeanor, it was tempting to want to push him down and “lavish him with affection”…

Ah… thinking too much along those lines might not be very healthy.

Today, he was wearing light golden clothing. He mentioned that this color made him feel as if he were basking in warm sunlight, dispelling the damp darkness of the dense forest.

Huang Rang happily crunched on candies amidst the scattered rocks and soil on the ground. She felt delighted.

Di Yiqiu seemed different from Xie Hongchen in her perception. Xie Hongchen appeared to have a sense of familiarity with her, while Di Yiqiu was always somewhat distant in their initial encounters.

As Huang Rang was thinking this, she suddenly saw someone approaching rapidly from the front.

—Xie… Hong… Chen…

This person’s name couldn’t be mentioned, and she couldn’t even think about it.

Huang Rang quickly retreated.

Inside the dense forest, Xie Hongchen entered to investigate. Seeing that Di Yiqiu had already erased the writing in the mud, he assumed it might be another assassin. However, upon seeing that the newcomer was Di Yiqiu, he couldn’t help but be slightly surprised. “Lord Di.”

Xie Hongchen, a person who usually travels far and wide, being seen here was not too unusual. But Xie Hongchen’s expression was unusually serious. He scrutinized Di Yiqiu for a while before asking, “Just now, someone used the Heart Sword here to kill the assassins. The Heart Sword is the highest sword technique of the Yuhu Immortal Sect. Who among them possesses such skill?”

Upon hearing this, Chief raised an eyebrow and replied, “Since it’s the highest sword technique of the Yuhu Immortal Sect, then I can only ask master Xie. Who from your sect used this sword technique to kill so many people?”

Xie Hongchen, upon hearing this, was instantly displeased and said, “This place is remote. Chief, what brings you here?” 

The chief immediately asked, “I was just about to ask that. This place is remote, and master Xie is coming here for what purpose? I’ve heard that you are about to inherit the position of sect leader in the Yuhu Immortal Sect, but you are not in the sect. Instead, you are here, discreetly killing so many people. Could it be that you are involved in something unsavory that requires eliminating witnesses?”

He was just making baseless accusations, and Xie Hongchen couldn’t be bothered to deal with him. Considering that he was still young and naive, master Xie had no desire to engage in a dispute with him. After surveying the surroundings, he left on his own.

The chief also prepared to leave. He took a few steps, then glanced back at the dense forest. Finally, he remembered a name that Third Dream had mentioned earlier—Huang Rang.

She had said that if she succeeded in cultivating good breeds, she would give them to Huang Rang.

Huang Rang… This salted fish person actually knew Third Dream.

Di Yiqiu pondered silently. Ah, he had also agreed to spend a day in the capital with her.

The chief remembered Huang Rang, and in his mind, there was always an image of a little head poking out from the wall outside the metallurgy workshop many years ago. From childhood to adulthood, Huang Rang has always been a lively presence in his life.

So now, in this situation, he was open to the idea of having fun together. After all, this salted fish person had watched him grow up.

Hmph.