Chapter 330: Love at First Sight

As Hua Chengyan was lost in thought, the person beside him suddenly spoke: "Young Master, look."

Hearing the voice, Hua Chengyan looked up and saw the girl in a vermilion cape, like a light butterfly, swiftly descending the corner staircase. Her skin, white as snow, glowed with a crystal luster, smooth as mutton-fat jade; her black hair was half-tied, somewhat loose, giving her an air of gentle charm.

She seemed to notice the gazes of Hua Chengyan and his companions, lifted her eyes, and nodded with a smile toward them.

Before Hua Chengyan could speak, she hurriedly walked out of the inn.

Hua Chengyan was slightly stunned.

He said, "Nine Uncle, follow her and see what she intends to do."

Nine Uncle was also curious what this little girl wanted to do; he immediately agreed and stepped out of the inn.

Scanning the surroundings, he saw the girl standing before a stall, pointing at the steaming roasted bird eggs and asking, "Boss, how do I buy these roasted bird eggs?"

"Sold by the portion." The boss, having never seen such a beautiful girl, spoke more gently: "One portion of roasted bird eggs contains ten eggs and costs only one Low-Grade Spirit Stone."

"How many portions do you have here?"

The boss paused, then said, "Roughly... fifteen portions."

Yuan Yao smiled and said, "I'll take them all."

"Little girl, you're not joking, are you?" the boss exclaimed, astonished; after selling these roasted bird eggs for so many years, he had never seen anyone want to buy fifteen portions at once.

"No joke." Yuan Yao said seriously, taking fifteen Low-Grade Spirit Stones from her storage space and handing them to the boss, "Could you pack them for me?"

"Sure, sure!" the boss's eyes lit up as he quickly replied.

He swiftly packed all the roasted bird eggs.

Yuan Yao placed these still-warm roasted bird eggs into her storage space.

Her actions also drew the attention of many on the street, though these people were more captivated by her face, beautiful without makeup, stunningly striking.

When she smiled, it seemed as if the whole world brightened.

After buying the roasted bird eggs, Yuan Yao didn't stop but purchased all the tasty foods she saw.

She also bought several strange and colorful little trinkets.

As Nie Bai had just stepped out of the inn and stretched, the person beside him tapped his shoulder and pointed to a spot on the street, saying, "Young Master, look quickly!"

Nie Bai followed the sound and saw the girl in the vermilion cape; she was squatting before a stall, carefully selecting the painted animal wooden figurines.

"She is the disciple of the Thousand Mountain Immortal Lord, Yuan Yao!" the person beside him chattered, "I didn't expect her to come as well; her senior brothers and sisters are likely here too. Cang Li holds half a Treasure Map in his hand, Young Master, shall we go seize it? Young Master..."

"Can you even seize it?" Nie Bai glanced disapprovingly at the person beside him.

The person beside him immediately shut his mouth.

Then, as Nie Bai turned his gaze back to Yuan Yao, he noticed a chubby-headed, big-eared middle-aged man had squeezed to her side, his face leering with a lascivious smile.

"Miss, have you just arrived in Snow City?"

Saying this, the middle-aged man reached out his claw to touch Yuan Yao's hand.

Nie Bai's eyes turned cold, just as he was about to step forward—

"Ahhh!"

A painful howl suddenly came.

Only then did a young man in green robes appear before Yuan Yao, reach out and bend the lecherous middle-aged man's hand backward, a "crack" sounded, and the man cried out in pain without cease.

Nie Bai's steps halted; he narrowed his eyes to scrutinize the green-robed youth.

The green-robed youth had a handsome face, sword-like brows and starry eyes, tall stature; he coldly stared at the middle-aged man and shouted, "Get lost!"

Having said that, he released his grip.

The middle-aged man collapsed to the ground in pain, gritting his teeth, hastily got up, and then hurriedly ran away.

After running far enough, he then cursed, "I won't let you off!"

The green-robed youth turned and looked toward Yuan Yao.

"Thank you, fellow Daoist, for your help." Yuan Yao bowed her hands.

The green-robed youth's cheeks flushed slightly; he raised his hand in return salute, "No need for courtesy."

He introduced himself: "I am Bian Chen, the 'Bian' of the frontier, the 'Chen' of dawn."

"I am Yuan Yao." Yuan Yao smiled.

Bian Chen was dazzled by her smile and asked aloud, "Miss Yuan, are you traveling alone?"

Yuan Yao replied, "No. I came together with my senior brothers and sisters."

"Then where are your senior brothers and sisters?"

"At the inn."

"Traveling alone, Miss Yuan, would be inconvenient; if you don't mind, I can accompany you." Bian Chen said, looking at her.

【Target person Bian Chen, Awakening Value reaches 35.】

Yuan Yao was taken aback.

She politely declined: "Brother Bian, I must return to the inn."

Upon first meeting, his Awakening Value already reached 35, indicating he likely harbors some fondness for me; if I agreed to travel with him, it might cause unnecessary misunderstanding.

"Then I will escort Miss Yuan back to the inn."

"Good."

The two walked side by side for a stretch.

Nie Bai's lips curled in a half-smile; he took a string of candied haws from the person beside him and took a bite.

After returning to the inn, Yuan Yao bade farewell to Bian Chen.

Bian Chen watched her retreating figure, his chest warming, and couldn't help but smile.

He returned to the street, couldn't help but take out a communication crystal, and messaged: "Zixu, do you believe in love at first sight?"

Meanwhile, at another corner of this street, the ghost-faced youth received the message; after hearing its content, he lifted his head, his gaze sweeping through the bustling crowd and landing on Bian Chen not far away.

The teenager's fingers unconsciously clenched slightly around the communication crystal.

He did not reply.

…

Yuan Yao returned to the inn and then went to find her senior brothers and sisters, giving them roasted bird eggs to eat.

Although they had no interest in the roasted bird eggs, they each tried a bite.

Cang Li frowned and said, "You went to buy them all by yourself?"

Yuan Yao nodded: "Exactly!"

Cang Li snatched the bird egg she had just peeled from her hand, swallowed it in one gulp, and asked indistinctly, "Why didn't you call us?"

Yuan Yao said, "I just went to buy something; there's no need to make a big fuss."

Having said that, she seemed to recall something, took out six animal wooden figurines from her storage space, and gently placed them on the table.

"Eldest Senior Brother, this one is yours."

A chubby little pig wooden figurine.

Song Yan's face twitched slightly: "……"

"Hahaha…" The others could no longer hold back, and they burst into laughter.

Xiao Lingwei went further, slapping Song Yan on the shoulder while laughing loudly: "Eldest Senior Brother, this is perfect for you!"

Song Yan watched his junior brothers and sisters laugh until they doubled over, and he couldn't help feeling a bit helpless.

Yuan Yao: "…What's so funny about that?"

Seeing Yuan Yao puffed up in anger like an irritated pufferfish, everyone immediately restrained their smiles.

Cang Li laughed and urged, "Hurry up and hand them out—I can't wait to see what animal figurine you'll give me."

"Second Senior Sister, this one is yours." A domineering little snake wooden figurine.

"Third Senior Brother, this one is yours." A lively and cute little dog wooden figurine.

"Fourth Senior Brother, this one is yours." A gentle little fish wooden figurine.

"Youngest Senior Brother." A mighty little wolf wooden figurine.

The last wooden figurine was tightly gripped in Yuan Yao's hand; she waved it in front of them and then proudly said, "This one is mine."

A delicate little bird wooden figurine.

Xue Jin raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why are you giving yourself a little bird wooden figurine?"

Yuan Yao chuckled, revealing two cute dimples: "Because I like eating bird eggs."

The others: "……"

Besides Yao Yao, they had never seen anyone so obsessed with bird eggs.

Everyone picked up the animal wooden figurines and examined them for a moment.

"You picked them really well, I like them," Ying Wuji laughed.

Actually, Song Yan also quite liked this little pig wooden figurine.

They put the animal wooden figurines away.

Song Yan brought up the matter: "Just now, a fellow cultivator from the Flower Sect told me that their sect's team will arrive at Snow City tonight, and he plans to set out early tomorrow morning to enter the Heaven Snow Mountain Range. He asked if we want to join him."

Ying Wuji said, "Let's go together."