Chapter 275: The Blabbermouth Xiao Er
Since he had escaped this second brush with danger unscathed, Bai Yunfei didn’t feel any discomfort about overusing the Upgrade Technique. Another boulder had been lifted off his shoulders and Bai Yunfei couldn’t feel any happier.
Afterward, Bai Yunfei was stuck under Xiao Binzi’s close watch for several days as he ‘trained.’ There were times he managed slip away and hide in his room to continue upgrading in secret since he knew that it wouldn’t be long before they would return to the Crafting School. With so little time left, Bai Yunfei was determined to make as many accessories that could give spirit as quickly as he could. By being given so many accessories, Xiao Er was practically run ragged with how often he had to go around for them.
Bai Yunfei was of course in a very normal state of mind when he was upgrading. He conserved enough soulforce before stopping each time for a break. This was the most optimal path of upgrading since fainting would just mean more alarm and misunderstandings from Xiao Binzi and the others.
He wasn’t hiding from Tang Xinyun anymore either. Every night, he’d accompany her through the courtyards for a brisk walk around. Each walk was comprised of him racking his brains for a topic to help cheer her up. He didn’t want her to think about her wounds or her inability to train in elemental fire.
Tang Xinyun herself seemed to know what Bai Yunfei was trying to do, but she never talked to him about it.
Four days later, most of Tang Xinyun’s wounds had stabilized, and her soulforce had slightly balanced the corrosive energy. As of right now, she appeared as nothing more than a normal late-stage Soul Sprite, but she couldn’t use any of her soulforce. Else she would risk the corrosive energy making another outbreak.
The matter with the house of Sun was pretty much over as well. With no reason left for the crafters to stay in Curopia City, Xiao Binzi and the others immediately decided to return to the Crafting School.
……
Early the next morning, Xiao Er could be seen walking out of the main courtyards. The guests from the Crafting School were set to leave this morning, so the Xiao were preparing to send them off.
“Fourth master, please wait one moment…”
From not too far away, someone called out to him. Turning his head, Xiao Er asked, “Uncle Xu, what’s the matter?”
The man named ‘Uncle Xu’ caught up to Xiao Er first before he said anything. “Young master, we’ve managed to accomplish what you asked for the day before yesterday. There’s a total of 2500 items in here, but the quality is mixed. We did not have enough time to look through them all.”
A small black ring was presented to Xiao Er.
“Eh? We were able to finish?” Xiao Er spoke in slight surprise. He took the ring with smile and a nod, “Thank you for your work, uncle Xu.”
“Haha, it was no trouble at all if this was for the sake of the young master!” Uncle Xu waved his hand before turning around to leave.
Inside this ring was yet another batch of accessories. After ten whole days of going on a splurging spree, Xiao Er had practically wiped out the entire market.
There was still the ‘black market.’ Markets that existed anywhere and everywhere, and as the number one family in the city, it’d be expected for the Xiao to have connections to certain underground factions. What Xiao Er had asked from uncle Xu was that he go to the black market and purchase any accessories he might come across. Even if it might come from a ‘dubious’ background.
“That should make this space ring the very last batch of accessories for brother Bai…” Xiao Er stored the ring away before continuing on his way to the main courtyard.
……
Gathered there already were Xiao Binzi, Cang Yu, Jiang Nan, Song Lin, Bai Yunfei, and Tang Xinyun. Xiao Rang, Xiao Xin, and the other members of the household were there as well in one big group. At the moment, Xiao Rang was speaking politely to Xiao Binzi and Cang Yu about some matter while Jiang Nan and Song Lin were both speaking with several of the younger members from the Xiao. Tang Xinyun was speaking to Xiao Er’s third sister, Xiao Yingxue with their hands clasped together.
From Bai Yunfei’s perspective, Tang Xinyun and Xiao Yingxue looked like a pair of sisters. When Xiao Yingxue pressed a container of rouge face powder into Tang Xinyun’s hands, Bai Yunfei was surprised. In just a short ten days, Tang Xinyun had already reached a relatively strong level of friendship with Xiao Yingxue.
“Sister Xinyun, please take care of yourself when you get back. Your older sister will wish you a quick recovery. When you have time, I hope you will not forget to come back to Curopia City and see me.” Xiao Yingxue spoke to her friend in a rather impatient tone.
Tang Xinyun slightly nodded her head. She too, looked unwilling to part. “Sis Yingxue, don’t worry. I won’t forget. I’ll see you soon.”
“Heehee, sister Xinyun, let me tell you, next time you should…” The rest of what she was trying to say grew faint as Xiao Yingxue leaned in to whisper the rest to Tang Xinyun’s ear. Her eyes flickered to Bai Yunfei for a moment as she whispered.
“Ah! Sis Yingxue, what are you saying!?” Tang Xinyun cried out. Her face was reddening, “It’s not what you think it is”
“What? It isn’t? I could’ve sworn…”
“……”
For some reason, Bai Yunfei turned his head to look at the two whispering females. After a quick glance, he turned his head back and coincidentally caught sight of Xiao Er who was just walking into the courtyard.
“Brother Bai.” Xiao Er greeted as he approached Bai Yunfei with a smile.
Smiling in return, Bai Yunfei replied, “Brother Xiao, we’re about to leave. In the past few days, I’ve bothered you plenty, please allow me to—”
He was just about to take out yet another soul armament to give Xiao Er when Xiao Er immediately waved his hands to stop him, “Brother Bai, please don’t take out another soul armament, I feel guilty enough already! Giving me another one would make me feel ashamed…”
“Oh…” Bai Yunfei replied. Brightening up Bai Yunfei said, “I have to say, brother Xiao, you’re far too easy going. If it were anyone else, they’d look forward to getting another soul armament, but you refuse them!”
“Aren’t you the easy going one? You’re handing soul armaments out left and right…” Xiao Er’s lips twitched slightly as he thought to himself. “One soul armament is enough for me. The other was already confiscated anyways…” He looked rather resentful.
With his authority, there was no way Xiao Rang would let Xiao Er have an earth tier soul armament. The confiscation had been a sting to his heart, and Xiao Er regretted how silly he was for showing off both soul armaments he got…
“Confiscated?” Bai Yunfei asked, “What for?”
“Ah… it’s nothing really…” Xiao Er shook his head. The space ring given to him by his uncle Xu appeared in his hand, “Brother Bai, this is the last delivery I have for you. Please take it and feel free to give back any portion you don’t want.”
Having not expected yet another delivery, Bai Yunfei looked touched. “I… thank you then, brother Xiao.” He took the ring.
“Haha, no need to thank me. The gift you gave me is worth far more than what I’ve given you. In truth, it feels like I took advantage of you, so I feel rather guilty…”
“Little brother, what are you talking about, and why are you thanking each other?”
Just at that moment, the curious Xiao Yingxue and Tang Xinyun walked up to the two.
“It’s nothing, brother Bai had me buy several things, that’s all.” Xiao Er explained.
“Buy?” Xiao Yingxue stared suspiciously at the ring in Bai Yunfei’s hand. As if the sight of it had brought back some memories, a furious light entered her eyes, “Ah! I haven’t paid you back yet you brat! You took all of my jewelry, when will you pay me back!?”
“Ah? I…” Xiao Er froze in place. Since he had been so busy with buying even more accessories for Bai Yunfei, he had completely forgotten to give back all of the accessories that Bai Yunfei had returned.
Knowing that he had to placate his sister somehow, Xiao Er smiled, “Well, hehe… don’t worry, sister! Give me a bit and I’ll give you a piece that’s ten times better! You can choose any and as many as you like!”
He had plenty of accessories with him in any case.
“That’s good then…” Xiao Yingxue nodded in satisfaction. “You better not try to trick me with any ordinary piece, or we’re going to have a good talk! I want some jewelry from Jade Pavilion! One that’s just like… just like the one sister Xinyun has.”
She pointed at the Yun’s Soul Ring that was on Tang Xinyun’s left ring finger.
“Okay, okay! No problem! I’ll definitely do as you wa—” Smiling, Xiao Er was about to say something else when he froze mid-speech. Looking closer at the ring on Tang Xinyun’s finger, a curious expression appeared his face. “Hm? This ring…”
“Crap!” Bai Yunfei’s heart skipped a beat.
Before Bai Yunfei could say anything, Xiao Er blurted out, “Isn’t this the prized ring from Baiyu Pavilion? How…”
His eyes flew to look at Bai Yunfei in complete shock. “Brother Bai!” He exclaimed, “You had me buy out all of the jewelry in Curopia City just for the sake of choosing a ring to gift to miss Tang!?”
“……”
A blanket of silence descended over the courtyard as everyone turned to look at Bai Yunfei in astonishment.
All Bai Yunfei could do was stand there with a sweat drop rolling down his face…