Chapter 18

"Trouble? I don't believe it," Xuan Kong shook his head, not buying it at all.

He had always lived alone in the back mountains of Laoshan, and he had never provoked any enemies. What kind of trouble could possibly come knocking?

Xiao Bai angrily said, "It's all because of your fellow disciples, they persuaded your master to send you out to travel and spread the name of the Laoshan Sect." Xuan Kong leaped to his feet, his eyes gleaming. "Really? You really heard Master allow me to go down the mountain to travel?"

Xiao Bai and Xiao Hua were still cursing the stinky and thieving Taoists, not realizing that their curses included Xuan Kong as well.

Xuan Kong raised an eyebrow, disbelieving. "That's not right. How could you two even get close to the Shangqing Hall?"

The Laoshan Sect was built up by the old Taoist master under Xuan Kong's watch. He knew best about the formations and talismans set up when the Shangqing Hall was established. It was impossible for anyone to break through the protective array of the Laoshan Sect without a sound, sneak into the Shangqing Hall, and eavesdrop without being discovered.

Unless they were originally disciples of the Laoshan Sect. But as the eldest disciple, Xuan Kong knew that the Laoshan Sect had never admitted female disciples.

He sat back down, sighing. "What a waste of joy. I thought you were telling the truth."

Xiao Hua, provoked by Xuan Kong's words, retorted, "Who's lying? We heard it with our own ears outside the Shangqing Hall!"

Xuan Kong raised an eyebrow, his eyes darting around, but still shook his head. "I don't believe it. How could just anyone enter the area outside the Shangqing Hall?" He knew well that outside the Shangqing Hall was a large garden, which contained nothing but flowers and trees.

Unless...

Before Xiao Bai and Xiao Hua could speak, a bolt of lightning flashed in Xuan Kong's mind. That's it, it must be them! All those times he had looked forward to the morning meetings at the Shangqing Hall, they had been right there in front of him all along.

Pusongling was indeed an honest person, he hadn't lied.

Xiao Bai hurried to explain, "It's true! Your fellow disciple Wang Qi will announce it soon. Master Yimei is sending you down the mountain to promote the Laoshan Sect."

They even knew about Wang Qi and Master Yimei. Xuan Kong smiled, sitting there without responding. Xiao Bai and Xiao Hua explained anxiously, but seeing that Xuan Kong still didn't believe them, Xiao Hua said helplessly, "What do we have to do for you to believe us?"

Xuan Kong chuckled to himself. "Let me see your true forms."

Xiao Hua and Xiao Bai whispered to each other in the dark, both feeling troubled. Xuan Kong added, "Camellia, Peony, I am truly grateful for your care. After all this time, can I not have the good fortune to see your faces?"

"How did you know?" Xiao Bai was startled, surprised.

Xiao Hua was speechless. "Idiot, you told him!"

Xuan Kong laughed. "Indeed, I was just guessing, but Miss Xiao Bai has confirmed it. I just don't know which of you is Peony and which is Camellia."

"Ah, we knew we couldn't hide from you for long." A red figure slowly emerged from the darkness, smiling. "I am Camellia, known as Xiao Hua, but I have my own name, Xiangyu. Remember that!"

She pulled another girl in white, introducing her. "This is Xiao Bai, the white peony in front of the Shangqing Hall, also known as Jiangxue."

"Your names sound so beautiful!" Xuan Kong stood up, unable to help but admire.

"Thank you." Jiangxue smiled, showing her little tiger teeth, looking adorable.

"I'll try to make it brighter here." In his mental space, Xuan Kong took charge. He waved his sleeve lightly, and the dark space immediately became bright.

Xuan Kong smiled. "I still think the two of you are more suitable in the sunlight."

As he spoke, he summoned a magical treasure, and a bright ray of sunlight shone down from the top of the space. It was like the first light of dawn, gently spreading around Xiangyu and Jiangxue, slowly climbing up their dresses.

"Do you like it?" Xuan Kong smiled, trying to win the girls' favor, a skill he had learned from countless books by his predecessors.

Xiangyu felt the warm sunlight on her, nodding in satisfaction. She paused for a moment. "Is this a magical tool?"

Xuan Kong flipped his sleeve, and a bowl appeared in his hand. He laughed. "I collect the morning sunlight and gather it together, but I never thought of what to do with it." The bowl was ordinary, bought cheaply from a town at the foot of the mountain, and Xuan Kong had acquired it for fun.

Jiangxue rolled her eyes. "You're so bored."

Having observed Xuan Kong for over a decade, she was used to his boring actions and wasn't surprised.

Xuan Kong shrugged, not thinking much of it. Many of his predecessors would have been delighted to have the leisure to lie in the sun. Now that he had the conditions, he naturally wanted to live a better life.

Seeing Xiangyu's fondness, he handed the bowl to her. "Here, I suddenly feel that you need it more than I do."

Although it took Xuan Kong a lot of effort to refine an ordinary object into a magical tool, he was always very generous to his friends. So generous that Xiangyu almost couldn't believe it, holding the bowl. "For me?"

Xuan Kong was puzzled. "Don't you like it?"

Jiangxue hopped over to Xiangyu, unhappy. "That's not good. You only gave it to your sister, what about mine?" The white peony was a bit older than the camellia, so they privately called Jiangxue the older sister and Xiangyu the younger sister.

But in terms of mental maturity, Xiangyu was a bit more sensible.

These were all observations Xuan Kong had made. He waved his hand. "Next time, I'll find something fun for you too." Jiangxue was just saying this, but she was also happy for Xiangyu. Since their main bodies were together, they could still enjoy the sunlight together with the bowl.

Xiangyu tried to refuse. "This is a magical tool, I can't accept such a valuable gift."

In the three realms, the methods to refine magical tools were only known by a few sects. If it weren't for the Laoshan Sect's good fortune in inheriting the techniques from an ancient deity, Xuan Kong wouldn't have the ability to refine an ordinary object into a magical tool.

Thinking about it, during the Battle of the Gods, having a magical tool in hand could greatly enhance one's combat power. Although the sunlight bowl couldn't be used directly in battle, it was still too valuable for a camellia without any inheritance.

Xuan Kong, however, didn't care much. It was just a small trinket he had made to pass the time. He said, "I never take back what I give. If you don't want it, give it to Jiangxue." Jiangxue took the bowl, turning it over and over, unable to put it down.

Xiangyu was about to agree when Xuan Kong added, "Since I gave Jiangxue a gift, I'll have to give you one next time too. Don't refuse then!" Xuan Kong wasn't the type to favor one over the other. Xiangyu tried to refuse a few more times but finally agreed.