Chapter 49: Are You Playing Matryoshka Dolls Here?

Seeing Jiang Xun's practiced movements and thinking of the Hehuan Young Master's "hungry" reputation, Hua Bairui was startled, her face turning somewhat pale.

She had originally been somewhat conflicted about whether to come, but he was, after all, her savior!

It was only right to come for a visit.

But she certainly didn't come to offer herself up.

No, no!

No, no, no!

What to do, but I can't beat him!

Besides, he is my savior; it wouldn't be right for me to make a move on him, would it?

No, no, no, a savior can't do that kind of thing to me either!

Jiang Xun had just pulled out a chair and saw Hua Bairui's expression changing quite dramatically.

One moment her face was red, the next it was white.

It was as if she were about to put on a grand performance for Jiang Xun...

Then she shook her head by herself, like a rattling drum.

Jiang Xun was also a bit bewildered: "Fairy Bairui... what has come over you?"

"Ah!" Hua Bairui snapped back to reality, seeing Jiang Xun pull out a chair and gesture for her to sit.

"Are you alright?" Jiang Xun asked.

"I'm fine," Hua Bairui said hurriedly: "I wonder what matter Elder Jiang has summoned me for?"

"I haven't been an Elder for a long time; you can just call me Jiang Xun," Jiang Xun waved his hand and smiled: "Sit down and let's talk."

As he spoke, Jiang Xun sat down opposite her and poured a cup of tea for Hua Bairui.

Hua Bairui sat down opposite Jiang Xun with trepidation, looking at the tea he handed over, not knowing whether she should drink it or not.

Only after seeing Jiang Xun take a sip did she take a small sip herself.

"After Fairy Bairui returned, did you tell your Sect Master about my affairs?"

Jiang Xun looked at Hua Bairui and smiled.

"Jiang... Senior, please forgive me. As a disciple of the Baihua Sect, I naturally reported the truth to my Master."

Hua Bairui looked at Jiang Xun and said.

"Master? Your master is Yin Ningyu?"

Jiang Xun frowned upon hearing this and asked.

"That is correct."

Hua Bairui nodded, not denying it.

"You told her my identity; aren't you afraid I might make a move against you?"

Jiang Xun then smiled.

"This is Huanyi City... Senior wouldn't do that. Besides, if you wanted to kill me, you would have done it back at Xuwang Mountain."

Hua Bairui said confidently.

This was one of the reasons she dared to come.

Jiang Xun nodded: "How did Fairy Bairui describe me? I'm just curious; if it's inconvenient to say, then never mind."

"There is nothing inconvenient about it," Hua Bairui shook her head: "I only said that the people from Shanyu Tower this time were Elder Jiang of the Lingerie-Sect, Gu Qing, and Liu Ruoyun in disguise; that Senior displayed combat power at the Nascent Soul Great Perfection level, yet your cultivation realm was only Golden Core; and that you slew the Demon Venerable's soul, saved my life, and gave me a Huiyuan Pill."

"There were also the resources I brought back, which were also given by Elder Jiang."

"Just that? You didn't tell your Master about the Soul Returning Pill?" Jiang Xun nodded.

"Yes," Hua Bairui nodded, her eyes not looking like she was lying: "I thought that must be a very important secret to you, Senior. Since it is for the sake of the righteous path, I would not speak of it."

Jiang Xun smiled and continued to ask: "Then what did your Master say?"

"This..." Hua Bairui looked somewhat troubled.

Jiang Xun retreated to advance: "It's fine, if you don't want to say it, then don't."

"Master, Master said... that this person Jiang Xun is lecherous by nature and must have been coveting my beauty, which is why he offered a helping hand."

Hua Bairui lowered her head, her small face slightly red.

"Lecherous by nature? That is truly a load of nonsense!" Jiang Xun was stunned upon hearing this, then said.

If she had a chicken, she wouldn't say something like "lecherous by nature"!

This is just the nature of a man!

Hua Bairui was willing to say this because she wanted to test whether Jiang Xun had really taken a fancy to her.

If it were true, she would have to consider whether to keep her distance from Jiang Xun; after all, the two sects were mortal enemies!

Not to mention that the Baihua Sect had just replaced the Lingerie-Sect as one of the Ten Great Sects, and their relationship was currently very tense.

"This is absolutely a load of nonsense, it's all rumors. I helped you, and it was absolutely not out of coveting your beauty. Otherwise, I would have just tied you up and taken you away back then, right?"

Jiang Xun looked into Hua Bairui's eyes, as if seeking confirmation.

"Is that all you summoned me for, Senior, just to ask these things?"

Hua Bairui changed the subject and asked.

Why did she feel a little bit of disappointment in her heart?

"That's not it, I was just curious and asked casually," Jiang Xun waved his hand, then cut to the chase: "I actually wanted to ask Fairy Bairui if you have ever seen the Supreme Elder, Tang Ying, in the Baihua Sect."

"Elder Tang?" Hua Bairui was startled; she hadn't expected Jiang Xun to be targeting Tang Ying.

Hearing the name Tang Ying, Jun Tianling also listened with rapt attention.

"This, please forgive me, but I cannot disclose that."

Hua Bairui hesitated for a moment and shook her head.

"Why can't this be said?"

Jiang Xun was also puzzled upon hearing this.

"I am truly sorry, this really cannot be said."

Hua Bairui became even more firm in her thoughts, looking at Jiang Xun and saying firmly.

"You lecherous old man, she must suspect you of coveting Tang Ying, hurry up and say you don't!"

Jun Tianling reminded him.

Jiang Xun wanted to speak but stopped, yet he also felt that what Jun Tianling said seemed to make sense...

After all, he really didn't have much of a good reputation outside...

"Fairy Bairui, rest assured, it is just that a friend entrusted me to inquire about Elder Tang. I have never met her, and I am certainly not coveting her beauty; it is just that in the Baihua Sect, you are the only one I am familiar with, so I wanted to ask you."

Jiang Xun looked at Hua Bairui with a very serious expression.

Since she was a disciple of the Sect Master, she must know a great deal.

She should know about Tang Ying.

"Senior, regarding matters of Elder Tang, everyone in the Baihua Sect has sworn a Dao Oath; we cannot even mention Elder Tang's real name, let alone news about her."

Hua Bairui felt somewhat helpless, looking at Jiang Xun and also saying seriously.

Jiang Xun's brows furrowed tightly upon hearing this; although her words did not reveal Tang Ying's whereabouts, in Jiang Xun's heart, there was a ninety percent chance that Tang Ying herself was not currently in the Baihua Sect.

If it were not to erase all traces, why go to such lengths to make the entire Baihua Sect take an oath?

"How could it be like this..."

Jun Tianling also sighed in disappointment.

"Don't be anxious, Tang Ying should be fine; she is just not in the Baihua Sect, having temporarily disappeared due to some matter."

Jiang Xun spoke to comfort him.

"How so?"

Jun Tianling asked subconsciously.

"If she were already dead, why would the entire Baihua Sect need to swear a Dao Oath to conceal it? Moreover, if she is from the same era as you, her strength must be extremely high now. The Baihua Sect would not have fallen out of the Ten Great Sects, nor would it be in its current state of being on the verge of falling at any moment, so I think she may have just temporarily left the Baihua Sect."

"Then what if she is just in secluded cultivation? Secluded cultivation would also be considered as not being in the sect, right?"

Jun Tianling asked.

"Why would there be a need to conceal secluded cultivation? Letting everyone know that Supreme Elder Tang Ying of the Baihua Sect is in secluded cultivation and guarding the Baihua Sect would have more benefits than drawbacks, right?"

"Then what if she is truly dead, and the entire Baihua Sect wants the world to believe she is in secluded cultivation so that no one dares to provoke the Baihua Sect?"

Jun Tianling asked again.

"Are you nesting dolls here?"

Jiang Xun rolled his dead-fish eyes.