Chapter 4798 — Snatching It Away

At this moment, Wei Zhao and Ning Xuefei were chatting in the courtyard, with no one else around. Liu Ziqi and Huo Yudie had gone back to Chenjiao Academy early that morning and likely would not be able to meet up again for a few days, while Chen Xinglan had also happened to step out on some business, leaving just the two of them.

"Didn't they say all the new disciples live here? How come I haven't seen a single newcomer since yesterday?" Ning Xuefei asked, leaning on the stone table with her chin propped on her hand.

"It's probably not the season yet. The major sects usually recruit disciples in spring or autumn; I imagine the East Continent academies are much the same." Wei Zhao could not help thinking of Chenxing Academy—perhaps Xiangyun Academy was doing the same thing right now, holding grand selection trials across the various cloud-tier islands in search of genius disciples.

"What? Then it'll be so boring with just me. Sister Huo can only come by every few days to see me, so you'd better stay and keep me company for a while!" Ning Xuefei pouted and whined coquettishly. Fortune's wheel had turned; now it was just her and Wei Zhao alone together again, and the feeling was rather nice.

"Mm." Wei Zhao nodded. To be honest, he was not comfortable just leaving Ning Xuefei to fend for herself. Only by staying a while longer to observe and make sure nothing would go wrong here could he leave with peace of mind.

"Wei Zhao, you're the best!" Ning Xuefei giggled, her eyes curving into crescent moons as she hugged his arm intimately. A few months ago she had never imagined she would actually end up with Wei Zhao, and now the two of them had already pledged themselves to each other. Truly, the world was hard to predict—but she liked it!

A soft yet springy sensation traveled up his arm, and the girl's pure, fresh scent filled his nose. Wei Zhao could not help feeling a stir in his heart. Though this girl always seemed like a child who never grew up, she was hardly lacking in the assets department—a little temptress who could spell a man's doom without even trying.

The two were lost in a tender, ambiguous moment when Wei Zhao suddenly caught sight of someone peeking around outside the gate. After hesitating a while, the figure walked toward them, holding a small, exquisite box in his hands. "Excuse me, are you Miss Ning Xuefei?" he asked.

"That's me. Is there something you need?" Ning Xuefei exchanged a glance with Wei Zhao.

"The old shopkeeper of the Eastern Merchant Guild sent me to deliver a gift to you—a belated birthday present, he said. He insists you must accept it." Qian Rui calmly held the box out before Ning Xuefei.

"The Eastern Merchant Guild?" Ning Xuefei was rather surprised. She had once heard her mother mention it—a top-tier merchant guild of tremendous strength, though its activities had always been confined to the East Continent. Its fame on the other cloud-tier islands was therefore not especially high, but within the East Continent it was an absolute colossus.

Ning Xuefei had never heard of any dealings between the West Island and this Eastern Merchant Guild, but since they had sent the gift to her door, it would hardly do to refuse them to their faces. Perhaps they were looking to build ties in preparation for expansion; having one more top-tier guild on good terms with the West Island could only help, never hurt. So by both sentiment and reason, she had to accept the gift.

"In that case, please convey my thanks to the old shopkeeper. I will pay a visit in person when I have the chance." Ning Xuefei gave a slight nod. Before outsiders, her words and bearing were always most proper—after all, the image of the entire West Island was at stake, and nothing could be treated carelessly.

"Very well, then I shall take my leave." Qian Rui smiled faintly and at once turned to withdraw from the newcomers' courtyard. As he passed the gate, the corners of his mouth could not help curving into a smug arc—for from the corner of his eye he had already glimpsed a white shadow rapidly approaching. Everything was going according to plan!

After watching Qian Rui leave, Ning Xuefei opened the box with keen interest. At the sight of the milky-white pill inside, she leapt up in a burst of excited delight.

Wei Zhao, an alchemist himself, could not tell at a glance what kind of pill it was, yet she recognized it instantly. "A beauty pill! It's the legendary beauty pill!"

"A seventh-grade beauty pill?" Wei Zhao was slightly startled. This was no small gesture indeed—on the open market, such a thing was priceless. No amount of spirit jade might be enough to buy one.

Just then, a figure in white vaulted over the wall and in an instant darted up behind the two of them, a hand reaching straight for Ning Xuefei—targeting the beauty pill in her hands.

Ning Xuefei was badly startled. She was still lost in the thrill of obtaining the beauty pill, and the last thing she expected was a sneak attack from behind. This was Xiangyun Academy, after all—who would be so bold as to cause trouble in a place like this?

Of course, with Ning Xuefei's meager strength, even had she been on guard she could never have reacted in time. Fortunately, Wei Zhao was right beside her; he had sensed it the very instant the figure came over the wall.

"Get lost!" Facing the sudden white-robed figure, Wei Zhao without hesitation unleashed a Frenzied Flame Thousand Legs, kicking the intruder back before they could touch a single hair on Ning Xuefei.

The figure in white gave a muffled grunt. By all rights, a failed sneak attack should have been followed by a swift escape—after all, causing trouble in a place like this could only end badly. Yet this person, contrary to all expectation, came to a stop. Wei Zhao's Frenzied Flame Thousand Legs had merely forced her back; it had not wounded her.

"Who are you?" Wei Zhao watched the newcomer coldly. What surprised him somewhat was that, judging by her figure and bearing, this was actually a woman—though her face was wrapped tightly in white cloth, leaving only a pair of eyes visible, so her features could not be made out.

"Hand over the beauty pill!" Yang Qianshuang did not even glance at Wei Zhao, her gaze fixed intently on the box in Ning Xuefei's hands. Inside it was the beauty pill she had dreamed of.

"Who are you? And why should I?" Ning Xuefei was instantly displeased. Though with her looks and bearing she had no need of such a thing, this was like top-grade cosmetics—no woman would casually give it away, least of all to a hostile stranger. After all, who would object to making herself a little more beautiful?

"Leave now, or don't blame me for striking too hard." Wei Zhao's expression turned cold as well.

Ordinarily he would not have minded getting to the bottom of things first, but Ning Xuefei had only just entered Xiangyun Academy, and on the very next day someone had come brazenly to make trouble at her door. If he did not strike hard enough to make an example of them, once he left, who knew how much trouble would be lying in wait for Ning Xuefei.

Hmph! Yang Qianshuang offered no explanation at all. With a cold snort she attacked once more, and as she struck again the temperature around them plummeted—the summer heat that had been a touch stifling a moment before plunged in an instant to below freezing! (To be continued)