Chapter 3: Eliminating Harm for the People

  Leng Ruo Xue raised her beautiful eyes, sizing up the owner of the voice. Hmm! Is this really one of the Four Evils of Wu Feng City? The woman in front of her was in her twenties or thirties, tall and sturdy, with a somewhat simian appearance. Her skin was dark, but her figure was curvaceous, with all the right features in place. However, those eyes that had clearly indulged in excessive lust were now emitting a lewd glow, staring intently at the young man and the demoness.

  At this time, Leng Ruo Xue suddenly remembered the words of that servant girl. The young mistress detested women who were more beautiful than her, but with the looks of the woman in front of her, it was indeed not easy to find someone uglier.

  Seeing this woman, Leng Ruo Xue really wanted to ask, which zoo did you run out from? How come the zoo's gate is not secure? Even a gorilla managed to escape!

  "Who are you?" Cold and beautiful face of Ruo Xue was full of question marks.

  "This young lady is the renowned City Master's daughter, Zhu Mudan. You actually don't even recognize me? How infuriating!" As soon as Zhu Mudan heard that someone didn't recognize her, she immediately became enraged!

  "Sorry, I've only heard of the infamous Four Evils of Windless City, but I don't know the city lord, Qian Jin." Cold-as-Snow's lips curled into a gentle smile as she said lightly.

  "It doesn't matter if you don't know, I'll make sure you get familiar with it right now!" Zhu Mudan said with a seemingly magnanimous tone.

  "Thank you! I've already figured it out." said Leng Ruoxue, with two drops of cold sweat on her forehead.

  "Right, you just said that none of us can escape today?" Leng Ruoxue asked again, with a hint of doubt.

  "That's right!" Zhu Mudan said confidently.

  "So what do you want to do with us?" Cold Snow was really curious.

  "You, kill them! These two men will be kept as husbands for my 19th and 20th rooms." Zhu Mu Dan said with her mouth open wide, speaking shamelessly.

  "Oh!" Cold-as-snow deliberately drew out her voice, her beautiful eyes looking towards the young man and the demon, but saw on the young man's face the words "I told you so! It would have been better to run earlier."

  "So many husbands, can you handle it?" asked Leng Ruo Xue with some curiosity.

  "No problem, this young lady's wish is for three thousand concubines in the harem, and these are just a few!" Zhu Mudan said with pride.

  “……”

  Her face was as cold as snow and she didn't say a word, her forehead was covered with black lines, this woman is really not ordinary! How can she say such things?!

  "What? Is Miss's wish very great?" Zhu Mudan said confidently.

  "Hmm! It's great and all, but will there be that many men willing to marry you?" asked Leng Ruoxue, suppressing her smile.

  "Of course, I am a rare talent in the art of alchemy, and it's their honor to be able to marry me. They should be thrilled, they won't even have time to be happy, let alone unwilling!" Zhu Mudan held her head high, proud to the point where her tail almost twitched upwards.

  "Hmm! That sounds quite reasonable." Lan Ruoxue agreed.

  "Hmph! You woman, even if you're flattering me, it's useless. You're dead for sure!" Zhu Mudan shouted furiously, consumed by jealousy towards beautiful women!

  "Huh!" Leng Ruo Xue was stunned for a moment, flattering her? What kind of understanding ability does this guy have! When did she ever flatter her, this Pig Peony's self-awareness is also too good to be true!

  "Get someone to kill this woman and bring these two men back to the mansion for me." Zhu Mudan instructed his subordinates.

  "Miss, can we let our brothers play with this woman first and then kill her?" said one of the middle-aged men with a lewd appearance.

  "No problem, I'll give this woman to you as a reward." Zhu Mudan said generously.

  "Wait, you're not even related to me, what right do you have to decide my affairs?" Leng Ruoxue's forehead was furrowed with several black lines, and she asked in a tone of utter speechlessness. These people were really too arrogant, weren't they? Didn't they fear kicking an iron plate? And yet, before things had even gotten started, her own affiliation with the demon had already been decided by them.

  "Hmph! In Windless City, I am the heavens. Everything in Windless City is under my control." Zhu Mudan said with a smirk, very self-importantly.

  "It's not necessarily the case, this man! He has nothing to do with me, you can take him away, but the other one is mine, don't even think about touching a single hair on his head." Leng Ruoxue pointed at the demon and that young man, humph! Brazenly snatching men in broad daylight, and they even dared to snatch someone from her own side, truly blind.

  "Xuě er!" The demon gazed at Leng Ruoxue with deep affection, his bright black eyes releasing a massive electric current.

  But the young man who heard Leng Ruo Xue's words almost choked with rage, Ugh... What kind of person is this! They are now comrades in arms in the same trench, how can they be so ruthless!

  "These two men are both mine, you're finished." Zhu Mudan shouted furiously, humph! How dare he exchange flirtatious glances with another woman right in front of her? She would deal with him when they got back, for now, she had already considered the rogue to be her own possession.

  "You said you would, are you going back on your word? Do you think you're some kind of emperor?" Leng Ruoxue said with a hint of impatience.

  "In this Windless City, I am the Emperor's father!" Zhu Mudan said with a straight face.

  "You're wrong, you're one of the four evils of Wu Feng City that everyone condemns." Leng Ruo Xue said with a hint of mockery.

  "What did you say? You dare to say that our family's young lady is one of the Four Evils of Windless City, are you tired of living?" Before Zhu Mudan could even open his mouth, that lewd middle-aged man jumped out and loudly rebuked.

  "Isn't that so? Don't you also often scold your family's young lady as the Four Evils of Windless City in your heart?" Cold Snow lightly smiled and said faintly, this was what Baby had just told her through a secret message.

  "You fart, miss. I've never scolded you before, don't listen to this woman's nonsense." The middle-aged man scolded and then looked at Zhu Mudan with a fearful face, denying it.

  "Don't worry, I won't believe this woman's instigation." Zhu Mudan comforted, humph! She isn't a fool!

  What a close call! The middle-aged man broke out in cold sweat. He knew the young lady's tactics all too well, so he was truly frightened just now. Fortunately, the young lady didn't believe that woman's words. Hum! That woman is really despicable, daring to meddle with his relationship with the young lady. Later on, he must make her suffer. He couldn't help but think of ways to torment her in his heart.

  "Sister, that man said, after a while he will torture you properly." Baby continued to transmit.

  "Oh, baby, sister knows." said Leng Ruo Xue.

  "What are you still standing there for, you useless things? Hurry up and bring it to me!" Zhu Mudan shouted loudly.

  "Yes, miss." The middle-aged man named Wu Nai hastily responded, hum! Even if the young lady didn't speak up, he was ready to take action anyway.

  "Wait!" The demon who had been silent all along suddenly spoke up.

  "Beautiful lady, do you have anything to say to your sister?" Zhu Mudan said with a smile, and in her heart, she couldn't help but praise him even more. He's so handsome, truly too handsome. This man is even more handsome than the eighteen husbands in her own household. She must get this man, such an extraordinary beauty can only be matched by her.

  "This is the husband you've chosen, I'll give him to you." The demon said, and then pushed the man he had been holding onto towards Zhu Mu Dan...

  That young man had no idea what the monster was going to do, so he didn't have any mental preparation at all. He directly pounced on Zhu Mutan, and due to the force of the impact, he even pressed Zhu Mutan down onto the ground...

  "Huh! You're also too impatient, this is a public place!" The demon was surprised to say, in fact, at this time, there was not a single person on the street, and the few people who were originally there had been scared away after Zhu Mudan appeared.

  The young man fainted upon hearing the demon's words, and Zhu Mudan's direct reaction was: It's all over, the beauty is jealous!

  Zhu Mudan scrambled to his feet, not even bothering to brush off the dust on his clothes, and immediately said: "Beauty, don't get me wrong!"

  "Don't worry, I won't misunderstand." The demon's lips curled up with a gentle smile as he spoke.

  "That's good." Zhu Mudan patted her chest, finally feeling at ease.

  "What's the relationship between you and me? Why should I be jealous of you?" The demon stretched out his arm, pulling Ronger into his embrace, saying in a cold tone. He had lived for so long, but he had never seen a woman who liked to be self-righteous like this one. In a certain sense, this woman was also a rare find.

  "You... you actually dare to say we have no relationship, how bold! You are the man I, Zhu Mudan, have taken a liking to. Quickly let go of that woman, otherwise, you will face family punishment!" Zhu Mudan shouted loudly, her jealous flames burning fiercely in her eyes!

  "Idiot!" The demoness spat out two words and then couldn't be bothered to deal with her anymore.

  "Incompetence, bring her up, kill that woman." Zhu Mudan gave the order in a fit of rage, humph! This time she wouldn't show any mercy.

  "Yes, miss, brothers, let's take this woman down and give the miss a chance to vent!" The middle-aged man who had been interrupted several times shouted.

  "Go! Avenge the young lady!" The group of thugs all cooperated, shouting and waving their long knives as they charged at Leng Ruoxue and Yao Jiao like a fierce storm.

  "Just kill that woman, don't hurt my beauty." Zhu Mudan hastily reminded.

  "Miss, don't worry, we won't hurt your husband." The middle-aged man assured.

  Leng Ruo Xue and Yao Jiao looked at those self-righteous people, extremely puzzled. How could they be so confident? Where did this confidence of theirs come from?

  "Xu?r, I'm so scared!" The demon hugged Leng Ruoxue and skillfully dodged all the attacks, then said pitifully.

  "Don't be afraid! I'll take good care of you." Leng Ruoxue comforted in a very cooperative manner.

  "Daring, my man won't use you to protect me, beauty, don't be afraid, they will only kill that woman and won't hurt you." Zhu Mu Dan glared at the cold and snowy anger, but when looking at the demon, she quickly changed her face, with a speed that made people's tongues numb.

  "Your man? Isn't your man already unconscious?" asked Leng Ruoxue with a hint of kindness.

  "They're all my men." Zhu Mudan roared.

  "How useless you all are! It's been half a day and you can't even kill one woman!" Zhu Mudan turned his head and bellowed at his subordinates.

  "Miss, it's none of our business! They're as slippery as loaches, we can't catch them!" the middle-aged man said with great grievance.

  "Yes, miss, these two are too good at hiding." Another subordinate complained, waving the big knife in his hand non-stop, but he couldn't even touch the hem of Leng Ruoxue and Yao Jiao's clothes.

  "I'm coming." Zhu Mudan decided to take matters into her own hands.

  "Monster, it seems that Peony Pig is going to take the stage himself." Cold-as-Snow said with a smile while playing with those dog legs.

  "Mm." The demon nodded.

  At this time, Zhu Mudan's hand had an additional black stick about the thickness of an adult's arm. It was called a stick, but its two ends were strangely different in thickness, and it was covered with sharp thorns...

  "Hmph! Today, you'll taste my ferocity. The people I want to kill have never lived to tell the tale." Zhū Mùdān said, and with that, the club in her hand came crashing down towards Lěng Ruòxuē...

  The demon hugged Cold-as-Snow and dodged the attack of that stick, but suddenly, the sharp thorns on the stick separated from it and surrounded the two from all sides...

  "Is this a hidden weapon?" Cold Snow looked at it with some doubt, the sharp thorns surrounding her and the demon's were staring at her, these thorns were quite similar to her Fire Phoenix feathers.

  "Haha! This is the sacred artifact given to me by my master, and today you get to witness its power, it's worth dying for!" Zhu Mu Dan said with a maniacal laugh.

  "Oh, then let me try its power!" Leng Ruoxue said calmly. Hmm, this sacred instrument is quite novel, combining a staff and hidden weapons together, not bad, it seems that Zhu Mutan's master is also a talented artifact refiner.

  "Take your death!" Zhu Mudan urged on the sharp thorn, shouting loudly.

  However, the situation that followed immediately left her stunned, as a raging fire suddenly erupted around Lingyu and Yaoniang for some unknown reason, engulfing them both.

  "Ah! Zhu Mudan is stunned, what's going on here? Is... self-immolation? Ah! Beauty, her beauty, damn it, if you want to die just die yourself, why drag my beauty down with you?"

  "What are you still dazing about? Hurry up and put out the fire! My beauty..." Zhu Mudan shouted loudly at his subordinates.

  "Oh!" The crowd of onlookers was about to rush forward to put out the fire, but they found that they couldn't get close because the temperature of the fire was too high. They were afraid that even before they got near, they would already be roasted to death.

  "Miss, this fire is too hot, we can't get close." a dog legged man said with a stiff upper lip.

  "Useless thing!" Zhu Mudan roared, anxious like an ant on a hot pot, and her heart was bleeding non-stop... Ah, the beauty that had been within reach flew away!

  At this time, the young man who had fainted also woke up and was frightened by what he saw. However, in his heart, he sincerely admired Cold Snow and You Yao for their unyielding spirit. Truly admirable! Rather die than yield!

  "You're awake, that's great!" Zhu Mudan was overjoyed to see the man who had fainted wake up. Fortunately, fortunately, she still had a handsome man, and it wasn't all for nothing after all.

  That young man heard Zhu Mudan's words and fainted again with a roll of his eyes.

  Uh! It seems that she was startled by the big fire. Zhu Mudan couldn't help but think, she never thought that all of this was her own power.

  "Huh? Where's my hidden weapon?" As Zhu Mu Dan's gaze turned towards the flames, he discovered that all his hidden weapons were gone. Moreover, the two people in the flames were still alive and well. What was going on? How was this possible?

  "Snow, this mysterious skill is pretty good!" The demon praised in the flames.

  "Hmm, although it's just a beginner-level mystic technique, the effect looks pretty good." Leng Ruoxue also had the same feeling, this was her new learned mystic technique, named Flame Scorching Mountain, a fire-attribute mystic technique that could both attack and defend, she was very satisfied.

  "Xue Er, how are we going to deal with this pig?" Yao Yu asked with some disgust.

  "Let's roast the pig! It's also a way to eliminate harm for the people." Lan Ruoxue said calmly, she didn't want to leave one alive, wanting to kill off the scourge that threatened her life, and what's more, this guy actually dared to have designs on the demon lord.

  "Alright, let's get this over with quickly. Let's just kill everyone present!" the demon said cold-bloodedly.

  "Hmm." Cold-as-snow nodded, and immediately controlled her flames to attack Zhu Dan and the others. In the blink of an eye, Zhu Dan and the others' bodies were engulfed in raging flames...

  "Ah! I'm on fire, hurry up and put it out!" Zhu Mudan shouted in a somewhat panicked tone, but her subordinates were only thinking about putting out the fire on themselves, who would still care about her? In an instant, Zhu Mudan was engulfed by the flames, leaving no ashes behind...

  And others also did not escape Zhu Mu Dan's fate...

  "Xue'er, what about that man?" The demon pointed at the fainted man.

  "Kill him!" Leng Ruoxue put away the flames and said coldly.

  "Ah! Don't kill me, I won't betray you!" The young man was so scared that he trembled all over and quickly got up from the ground, with a flattering expression. Oh God! These two are really too terrifying, even Zhu Mu Dan dares to kill, wu... How unlucky is he! Will he really be killed by them?

  "What? Not pretending to be dead?" Cold as snow, she sneered with a smile that was not quite a smile.

  "Huh? I just woke up." The young man said with great embarrassment, Ugh... it's so easy for him!

  "Xue Er, for the sake of safety, let's just kill him! Only a dead man won't betray us." The demon said calmly with her arms around her.

  "Hmm, I think so too." Leng Ruoxue nodded in strong agreement.

  "No, no, don't kill me! I have money, I'll give you all of it, just spare my life!" The young man begged tearfully.

  "Do you think we are bandits who kill and rob?" asked Leng Ruoxue, with a hint of displeasure, as two drops of cold sweat fell from her forehead.

  "Ah! No, no, you are the great heroes who have rid us of a scourge. Really, believe me, all the people in the city will be grateful to you." The young man said with a flattering expression on his face.

  "There's no need for gratitude, as long as you don't betray us." said Leng Ruoxue calmly.

  "I won't, I absolutely won't betray you, or else let me die a terrible death." As soon as the young man's words fell, a contract array descended from the sky...

  "Considering your sincerity, we won't kill you." Leng Ruoxue said with a strong effort to hold back her laughter. Haha! This man probably didn't even think that his words would be taken as an oath!

  "Hmph! That's only right." The young man said with a tearless cry, why was he so unlucky? Waa... He only said that to show his sincerity, who knew it would be taken as some kind of contract by heaven, waa...

  "Monster, let's go back!" said Leng Ruoxue to the monster.

  "Good." The demon nodded and the two of them turned around and left, leaving only the young man standing there foolishly...

  After a long time, the young man finally came to his senses and hastily left this place of trouble.

  Leng Ruo Xue and Yao Jiao returned to the inn after their encounter with that servant.

  "Welcome back, sir." The waiter came forward enthusiastically to greet him.

  "Hmm, we plan to seclude ourselves for a few days, don't disturb us." Leng Ruoxue instructed.

  "Alright! Don't worry, I won't let anyone disturb you." The waiter assured.

  Leng Ruo Xue and Yao Jiao returned to their room and went straight into the circle.

  "Xue'er, there won't be any trouble, will there?" Leng Qingtian immediately came forward to greet his granddaughter as soon as he saw her. They had all seen what happened earlier in the space.

  "Grandfather, don't worry, those who should die have already died." Lan Ruo Xue comforted.

  "Oh, that's good." Upon hearing his granddaughter's words, Leng Qingtian's heart, which had been hanging in the air, finally put down.

  "Girl, what happened just now was really exciting! If there's such an opportunity in the future, I'll definitely count on you!" said the old villain who wished for chaos everywhere.

  "You'd better take care of yourself, what are you trying to get involved in?" The old man sneered with his eyes wide open.

  "What's wrong with me joining in? I'm happy!" The old man shouted back, unwilling to show weakness.

  "Stop arguing," said Leng Ruoxue with some helplessness.

  "Old man, did you just see the sacred object in Zhu Dan's hand?" asked Leng Ruo Xue.

  "I see, the idea is not bad, but the technique is too poor and it doesn't look good." The old man said with a face full of disdain. As a good equipment master, one must not only have good ideas, but also make equipment that is both powerful and aesthetically pleasing.

  "Hmm." Cold as snow nodded, she wasn't too satisfied with that broken stick either, it was too rough.

  "Girl, I've got a good idea, but you have to cooperate with me." The old man said mysteriously.

  "Good." Cold as snow nodded, her curiosity had already been hooked by the old man.

  "Haha, girl, let's go try it out now!" The old man said with some impatience, he had been thinking about this idea for a long time, but due to his limited abilities, he had never had the chance to test it.

  "Let's go!" Leng Ruo Xue said, then pulled Yao Nie and followed Lao Tou together as they left.

  The three of them arrived at the refining room built by Old Man Sour in space.

  "Haha, little girl, how is it? This place isn't bad, right?" The old man said with a proud face after entering the refining room.

  She glanced around the room with a cold and beautiful gaze, then nodded slightly: "It's okay, I suppose!"

  The old man's refining room was not very large, but although the sparrow is small, all five organs are complete. Except for a stove placed in the center of the house, all the materials and items needed for refining were piled up in the corner of the wall.

  "It's so messy here." The demon said, unable to help but speak up.

  "Hmm! Don't you think it's convenient to use like this?" The old man said stubbornly.

  "Laziness is laziness, and you're even making excuses for yourself!" The demon gave the old man a white eye, saying somewhat speechlessly.

  "I really think it's more convenient this way!" The old man retorted with a sly tone.

  "What are you trying to refine, you old fool?" asked Leng Ruoxue, ignoring the conversation between the two.

  "I need this." The old man said, holding a piece of black ore in his hand.

  "Is this Wujing ore?" asked Leng Ruoxue with some doubt, why did this Wujing ore look a bit different from what she had seen before?

  "This is the Heart of Wujing, incredibly hard, I got it unintentionally, however, my flames can't melt it, so I need your help." Old Man Zuo explained.

  "Oh, then let's get started!" Leng Ruoxue said.

  "Good."

  "Girl, use your flame to help me ignite the furnace fire." The old man said as he sat cross-legged in front of the dan furnace.

  "Hmm." Leng Ruoxue released a small flame from her fingertips and tossed it into the crucible, but in just an instant, the small flame had melted the crucible...

  "Ah! My kiln!" The old man exclaimed loudly, his heart aching with pain... This was his best kiln after all! Wait, wasn't the flame of the young girl's divine fire? His kiln was passed down from his master's lineage, it should be able to withstand the divine fire!

  "Girl, let me see your flame." The old man said with a puzzled tone.

  "Good." Cold-as-Snow released another small flame from her fingertips and handed it over to the old man.

  "It's hot, so hot. Girl, keep your fire away from me." The old man jumped up in surprise, saying somewhat uncomfortably.

  Leng Ruo Xue moved the flame a short distance away with a helpless expression, then said: "Is this okay?"

  "Alright." The old man opened his eyes wide, carefully observing the small flame that was only as big as a fingernail. This flame... seemed to have some subtle differences from what he had seen before, and its temperature appeared to be higher. Originally, the flame was red with a hint of purple, but the purple color wasn't very noticeable. However, now the proportion of purple seemed to be increasing, and it also became somewhat transparent. Was this... the evolution of the flame?

  "Ah, Lass! Has your flame evolved?" The old man asked uncertainly after observing for a long time.

  "Ah, it has already evolved twice." Cold Snow said calmly. Her flame's evolution was entirely due to the 'Reversal of Heaven' technique. Moreover, every time she cultivated a layer of the 'Reversal of Heaven', her flame would evolve. However, only when her 'Reversal of Heaven' cultivation reached the fifth layer would her flame be in its most perfect state. If her 'Reversal of Heaven' cultivation reached the ninth layer, then her flame would be in its most extreme state.

  "Huh!" The old man was speechless, he had lived for so long, but it was the first time he heard that flames could evolve, and this little freak, not only did the flames evolve, but they even evolved twice! This is really "people are more ruthless than people"! He didn't want to live anymore! Wooo...

  "Girl! You've ruined my stove!" The old man said with a sorrowful face.

  "It's not like I did it on purpose, your stove is just too fragile." said Leng Ruo Xue with a hint of guilt.

  "It's not sturdy? This furnace was passed down from my master's master's master... for generations, we've used it for thousands of years and it's always been fine. But you, you ruined it in an instant! Waaah... I don't want to live anymore, I'm too ashamed to face our ancestors who refined the equipment! Waaah..." Old Man Zhang wailed, while inwardly praying, "Girlie, quickly say you'll compensate me for one!"

  Staring with a cold expression, the old man with a head full of black hair was crying with a handful of snot and tears. He was speechless, it's just a broken stove, why is he acting like he's lost a loved one? Alas! Is it really worth it?!

  "Alright, don't cry anymore, I'll compensate you for one." Leng Ruoxue surrendered.

  "Really? Then I'll have a good one." The old man said with some overbearing tone, haha, he was waiting for this sentence, this girl is really something! So, must seize the opportunity.

  "Don't worry, even the worst ones are better than this." Leng Ruo Xue said bluntly. Among the things left to her by her master, there were also many crucibles and dan furnaces, but they had always been piled up in the storage room, and she simply didn't have time to sort them out.

  "Heh heh, let's go get it now!" The old man said with some impatience.

  "Let's go!" Cold-as-Snow and the other two left Old Man Jia's refining room and headed straight for the Purple Bamboo House.

  "Huh? Xue Er, you guys finished so quickly?" asked Leng Qing Tian, who was sitting on the stone bench and couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.

  "No, that old scoundrel's crucible was melted by my flames, I owe him one." Leng Ruoxue explained.

  "Little girl! Don't be taken in by that old scoundrel! Maybe it's just that the old scoundrel's equipment is too poor!" The old man reminded.

  "Nonsense! That's the treasured heirloom of our sect, passed down through generations. How can its quality be poor?" The old man was so angry that he jumped up and down, shouting loudly.

  "You also say it's been passed down for generations, that must be because it's been used for too long and has become outdated." The old man said with a deliberate tone.

  "Fart, I've never heard of a stove getting old." The old man was so angry that his teeth itched, he really wanted to go up and bite him hard, but he couldn't beat him, waaah...

  "Girl..." The old man knew he couldn't do anything about it, so he looked at Leng Ruoxue with a pitiful expression, his face full of hope that the girl would take charge for him.

  "Aren't you going to choose a stove? Come on in and pick one already!" Leng Ruoxue said somewhat helplessly, she was at her wit's end with these two old men who loved to bicker.

  "Oh, let's hurry up." The old man urged, and took a provocative glance at the old man.

  Three people walked into the Purple Bamboo House, and Leng Ruo Xue led the old man into a storage room, pointing to various stoves placed randomly along the wall, saying: "You choose yourself!"

  "Heh heh, girl, I won't be polite anymore!" The old man's eyes gleamed with excitement, his mouth watering as he spoke, and then he pounced on that pile of equipment...

  Leng Ruo Xue and Yao Jiao sat down in a place not far from the old man.

  The old man was half squatting in the pile of kilns, looking left and right, but didn't know how to choose, because in his eyes, each one was a masterpiece, the favorite of the kiln master! Alas... he wanted every single one, what to do? He was extremely torn.

  "Xue Er, which one do you think he will choose?" asked the demon sitting nearby with some curiosity.

  "I guess he won't choose either of them." Lan Ruoxue said calmly.

  "Why?" The demon didn't believe that Old Man would not choose, after all, the furnace was as important to a furnace master as life itself.

  "It's because he can't make up his mind! Didn't you see how indecisive he is?" Leng Ruoxue said with a hint of amusement.

  "Hmm, that's true." The demon nodded calmly, and at this time, the old man's voice rang out.

  "Ah, girl! Help me pick one out! I don't know which one to choose, waaah..." He's dazzled by the flowers.

  "Just take any one of them, they're all better than the one you had earlier." Lan Ruoxue said with a light sigh.

  "Alright then, I'll take this one." The old man said, picking out a good-looking one.

  "Now that we've chosen, let's proceed with refining the equipment!" urged Leng Ruo Xue.

  "Hmm." The old man responded with a grunt, then hugged his new stove and left the storage room with Leng Ruoxue and Yao Jiao.

  The three of them didn't linger and directly returned to Lao Tzu's refining room.

  "Ah, Ah-ya! Light it up for me!" The old man exclaimed with joy, gazing at his new stove as if it were his beloved.

  "Good." Leng Ruo Xue responded to the old man's request, releasing another small flame, igniting the stove. This time, the stove finally withstood the test and wasn't vaporized.

  After the fire was lit, the old man waited patiently for the furnace to preheat. When the temperature of the furnace reached his requirement, he immediately threw the piece of Wujing ore into the furnace. After waiting for a few minutes, the Wujing ore slowly melted...

  When all the Wujing mine stones melted into black, the old man put other materials that had been prepared long ago into the crucible one after another...

  Leng Ruo Xue and Yao Nie stood quietly on the side, watching Old Man Jiu refine his equipment.

  On the other hand, the city lord's mansion was in a state of complete chaos.

  The main hall of the castle lord's mansion.

  A middle-aged beautiful woman was crying and kneeling on the ground, tightly hugging a middle-aged man's thigh, sobbing: "Master, Mudan is missing, wu... you quickly send someone to find her!"

  "Stop crying, it's annoying." A middle-aged man with an ordinary appearance shouted impatiently. He was Zhu Binghuan, the lord of Wu Feng City.

  "Old master, Peony is your most beloved daughter and the most promising one in our Zhu family. She has been gone for so long, don't you worry at all?" The middle-aged beautiful woman cried out.

  "I'm worried, of course! Haven't we already sent someone to look for her?" Zhu Binghuan said with a headache. Alas, his daughter was good in every way, but she was too lustful. Whenever she saw a handsome man, she wanted to snatch him back. She had already had eighteen husbands and still wasn't satisfied. As for this, he really had no solution. The only thing he could do was try his best to satisfy his daughter's lust. After all, Peony was the greatest hope of the Zhu family!

  He knew that this was his life, although he couldn't convert his spiritual power into a Xuan Master, but relying on the relationship with the Sun family, he had mixed up to be the master of a city.

  However, outsiders only see his glory, but no one knows his suffering. On the surface, he is the master of a city, but in reality, he is just a dog of the Sun family. In front of the Sun family members, he doesn't even dare to breathe loudly. Therefore, he has always been looking forward to having an outstanding child among his offspring. So, after finally having a daughter with a talent for alchemy, he truly spoiled her to the heavens. After all, being able to establish a relationship with the Alchemist Association can greatly improve his status in the Sun family.

  "Master, it's been so long and we still haven't found Peony. Do you think something might have happened to our daughter?" the middle-aged woman asked worriedly.

  "Shut your crow mouth!" Zhu Binghuan roared, the future of the Zhu family was all pinned on this daughter! So, he would never allow anything to happen to his precious daughter, besides, he didn't think anyone dared to bully his precious daughter on the territory of Windless City.

  "The old master, the people sent out to search for her have returned, but they didn't find the young lady." At this time, the steward came forward to report.

  "Have you searched the entire Windless City?" Zhu Binghuan slightly raised his eyelids and asked.

  "We've looked everywhere, but no one has found her. However, someone saw Miss going after a man." The housekeeper said cautiously.

  "Chasing men? Whose man are you chasing?" Zhu Binghuan shouted in anger, this dead girl really didn't change her ways, they worried about her at home, but she ran out to chase men.

  "It seems like a man from outside." The butler reported the situation to his subordinate.

  "What does the man look like? Has anyone seen him?" Zhu Binghuan asked.

  "He's quite handsome, sir. This is a portrait drawn by someone who knows him, and I believe that if we find this man, we will definitely be able to find Miss." The butler reminded.

  "It's easy for you to say, but where is a man from outside supposed to go?" Zhu Binghuan shouted in anger.

  "Master, Windless City is your territory. As long as that man hasn't left Windless City, he will be found." The butler comforted him.

  "That makes sense. Take this portrait and go check with the various inns in town!" Zhu Binghuan instructed.

  "Yes, sir, I'll go right away." The butler received the order and turned to leave.

  "Qian Kun Chui"

  In the old man's alchemy room, Leng Ruoxue and Yao Jie were staring intently at the old man's alchemy, when Qing Jue's voice suddenly echoed in Leng Ruoxue's heart.

  "Sister, someone has arrived outside." Qing Jue transmitted a reminder.

  "Oh, who is it?" asked Leng Ruo Xue with some curiosity.

  "It seems like someone from the City Lord's Manor." Qing Jue replied.

  "Alright, I understand." said Leng Ruoxue, but she couldn't help guessing in her heart, what did the people from the City Master's mansion come for? Could it be that they already knew Zhu Mudan was killed by her? Impossible! At that time, not to mention there were no people on the street, even those shops closed after seeing Zhu Mudan, and the only witness had accidentally made an oath.

  "Monster, Qing Jue said that someone from the City Master's Mansion has arrived outside. I'll go take a look." Cold Snow whispered.

  "I'll go out with you." The demon said, he didn't feel at ease letting Xue'er go out alone.

  "No need, you stay here, I'll go take a look and come back." Leng Ruoxue said, directly flashing out of the courtyard.

  Digression

  Thank you dear jenhui and Crystal for sending flowers.