In even the most bustling cities, there are always dark corners.

Su Jue walked deep into the alley, and sure enough, a shadow followed him, though it did not reveal itself.

"Following me? It shouldn't be those cowards. Could it be Xiao Qing?"

Su Jue turned around, looking at the empty space behind him, talking to himself.

"Still not coming out? I knew from the moment I left the tavern. Why else would I come here? To take a dump?"

Su Jue continued to talk to himself.

"Come on out, I really saw you."

Seeing no response, Su Jue's mouth twitched as he spoke.

With those words, a figure finally emerged from the darkness.

In the faint moonlight, the shadow was clad in a nightwalker robe with a hood, making it impossible to see the face. However, from the body's outline, aside from a somewhat flat chest, the slender long legs and shapely hips suggested a curvaceous figure.

Upon hearing Su Jue's guess, the shadow clearly showed a slight emotional reaction.

Su Jue spread his hands with a smile, "Come on, Xiao Qing, it's just a touch of the hand. Did you really have to follow me all the way here?"

"I'm not Xiao Qing."

The shadow spoke, but the voice was somewhat hoarse.

"Stop pretending."

Su Jue chuckled, "I know you deliberately pressed your chest down and altered your voice, but you can't hide your aura. I won't be mistaken."

"How did you know it was me?"

The shadow spoke again, but this time the voice was no longer hoarse, sounding almost identical to Xiao Qing's. It was indeed her.

Having been guessed by Su Jue, she simply stopped pretending.

"So it really is you. I didn't actually know, just took a wild guess."

Su Jue was a bit surprised. He knew someone was following him but didn't know who, and his casual remark turned out to be correct.

"......"

The shadow was silent; if her expression could be seen, it would surely be quite remarkable.

"It seems my guess was right."

Seeing the shadow admit to being Xiao Qing, Su Jue smiled slightly.

He wasn't blindly guessing; he had some confirmation in his mind.

After learning about the banquet process from An Ke, Su Jue believed that the Eldest Princess's goal was definitely not just to eat, drink, and have fun, or to compose poetry and paint.

Based on Xiao Qing's exposure, it was clear she was monitoring them, mapping out their strengths.

After all, this was the Imperial City, a secular place with many commoners. If so many cultivators were to cause trouble, it would be a serious matter.

Thus, the Eldest Princess had many maids like Xiao Qing, both to monitor and to secretly prevent them from causing chaos.

It seems this Eldest Princess is naturally suspicious and meticulous.

However, Su Jue wasn't sure until he discovered that the shadow was indeed Xiao Qing.

Maybe there were other purposes he hadn't guessed.

"What guess?"

The shadow removed the hood, revealing a beautiful face—it was Xiao Qing, though her expression was somewhat speechless.

"My guess that your Eldest Princess has planted spies around everyone who can access the second floor."

Su Jue laughed.

"....."

Xiao Qing's gaze towards Su Jue changed; she couldn't understand why the man in front of her was so clever.

She had done such tasks for the Eldest Princess more than once, but this was the first time she had been repeatedly thwarted and discovered.

Stealth and tracking were her specialties, yet Su Jue had repeatedly guessed and exposed her.

"Before I came, the Eldest Princess thought I would be discovered by you and told me not to come."

"I swore I wouldn't be, secretly followed, and ended up being discovered anyway."

Xiao Qing's expression was complex.

"Don't be so downhearted. I didn't actually know it was you, just tested and you came out."

Seeing the beauty so downcast, Su Jue offered a word of comfort.

"Thank you, you really are a good person."

Xiao Qing glanced at Su Jue.

"....."

Su Jue's mouth twitched—did he just get handed a Good Person Card?

In fact, he knew Xiao Qing meant no real harm; she was just worried he might cause trouble in the city. However, Su Jue didn't like the feeling of being watched.

If he hadn't discovered it, fine, but now that he had, it felt awkward.

"Can you keep it a secret?"

Xiao Qing lightly bit her lip and asked.

"That depends on what reward you offer me."

"You know, if others find out about this, I can't say for sure, but the reputation of your Zhenguan Dynasty and the Eldest Princess will definitely take a hit."

Su Jue said with a playful smile.

Only a fool wouldn't take advantage.

"I have nothing to offer you, unless you don't mind..."

Xiao Qing knew the seriousness of the situation. She hesitated but, seeing Su Jue's perfect handsome face, her eyes became resolute.

She walked up to Su Jue, gently pulling down the neckline of her swan-like neck, her face blushing, the meaning clear.

"A girl's clothes are incredibly precious, meant to be taken off only in front of the man she loves."

Su Jue immediately grabbed Xiao Qing's hand, shaking his head.

"What?"

Xiao Qing was stunned, never expecting Su Jue to say such a thing to her.

"I mean for you to compensate me, give me a reward, not for me to compensate you and let you take advantage."

Su Jue released her hand, his mouth twitching.

Damn it, what's with women these days, so unreserved?

Even if you're unreserved, this young master still is. This young master's body belongs to those pure maidens.

"Do you eat fried dough?"

Xiao Qing's eyelids twitched furiously.

She had been moved by Su Jue's words, her heart trembling for a moment.

But after the last sentence, she immediately felt the man in front of her was somewhat insane.

"Thanks, but I'm not hungry, I don't eat it."

Su Jue refused with a playful smile.

"......"

Xiao Qing was completely speechless, utterly baffled by the strange man in front of her.

"I'm all alone, with nothing to offer but myself, no other reward to give you."

Xiao Qing said helplessly, never having met a man so impervious to persuasion. Su Jue truly was a weirdo.

"Alright then, I guess I'll just spread the news. There should be quite a show then."

Su Jue smacked his lips, about to brush past Xiao Qing.

"Wait!"

Seeing Su Jue about to leave with long strides, Xiao Qing hurriedly grabbed him.

Su Jue wiped his hands, "Now that's more like it. You're working for the Eldest Princess, you should have something good on you, right?"

Xiao Qing bit her red lips, "Come closer, I'll tell you a secret."

"What secret?" Su Jue asked curiously.

"It's about the legacy of a fallen Immortal."

Xiao Qing said mysteriously.

Su Jue was taken aback, "Immortal legacy? Let me be clear, I hate being deceived!"

He didn't think Xiao Qing would actually tell him about this.

"If it's not true, you can always come back and spread the word about the Eldest Princess."

Xiao Qing said earnestly.

Su Jue chuckled, "I don't believe you, you old man."

"Once the storm passes, if I come back to cause trouble, wouldn't I just be a clown?"

"Oh, why don't you believe me? Look!"

Xiao Qing hurriedly pulled out a secret scroll, made of parchment, with the marks of time on it, looking ancient and worn.

"Is it real?"

Feeling the aura of time on it, Su Jue knew the secret scroll was genuine.

"Do you believe me now?"

Xiao Qing huffed.

"I believe you." Su Jue nodded.

"Here you go."

Xiao Qing didn't hesitate, tossing it directly to Su Jue.

Su Jue was dumbfounded, curiously asking, "Aren't you afraid your opportunity will be taken if you give it to me so easily?"

"Not afraid, you're relatively weak, no threat to me."

Xiao Qing, being a cultivator above the Golden Elixir stage, saw Su Jue, who was only at the late Foundation Establishment stage, as no threat.

Su Jue's face darkened, feeling insulted, "Then why not kill me to silence me now?"

"Am I stupid?"

"You're from the Sword Sect, a top-tier power."

"Who knows if you have a life-saving treasure or an Emperor-grade expert's mark."

"If I can't kill you, wouldn't I be dead?"

"You're too dangerous, I don't want to be your enemy, better to make friends with you."

Xiao Qing rolled her eyes at Su Jue, speaking as if it were obvious.

"You're right."

Su Jue found himself speechless; she was indeed a clever woman.

"Will this compensation keep your mouth shut?" Xiao Qing asked, somewhat annoyed.

Su Jue smiled, "Yes, very much so, I promise to keep quiet. A gentleman's word is his bond!"

"Remember what you said." Xiao Qing's lips curled into a smile, a sly glint in her eyes.

"Aren't you afraid..."

Su Jue wanted to ask, what if he brought others along?

Too much talking!

Xiao Qing, annoyed, glared at him, unwilling to hear more of his chatter.

A fine young man, just with too much mouth.

Without further ado, she grabbed Su Jue's collar, pulling him close to her.

Whoa, whoa, whoa!!

Su Jue's pupils dilated, looking at the girl in front of him, feeling the soft sensation on his lips.

So this is what being forcibly kissed feels like.

This novel is available on "pawread dot com".

.........