After the Dual Cultivation Relationship Ended, the Heroine Panicked! - Chapter 3

Xu Qing had originally intended to return and cultivate. However, inexplicably, she found herself at the market. She had cast a disguise technique, ensuring that onlookers could not perceive her true identity. She scanned the area, seemingly searching for a specific person’s trail.

Finally, her gaze locked onto someone. And that person seemed to be encountering some trouble.

“How did it suddenly become twice as expensive!” Bai Muyao stood with her hands on her hips, her face full of displeasure.

The young seller scratched his head helplessly. “Young lady, the market conditions haven’t been good lately, and this item is difficult to obtain. Naturally, the price has risen.”

“But it shouldn’t double in price!”

Xu Qing remembered Bai Muyao mentioning that she was saving money by doing missions. She had offered Bai Muyao spirit stones earlier, only to be rejected on the spot.

Xu Qing slowly approached Bai Muyao. With the disguise in place, Bai Muyao could not detect her. Xu Qing glanced at the jade Bai Muyao wanted to buy and pondered silently. Lately, with the demons rampaging, many magical treasures had been transported to the border. This jade had indeed become scarce because of it.

However, this was only low-grade jade. The price of top-tier jade could reach tens of thousands of spirit stones. But such treasures were likely only owned by cultivators of the Elder level. Xu Qing happened to have such jade in her possession. If Bai Muyao wanted it, she could gift it to her entirely.

But then Xu Qing remembered the scene of Bai Muyao rejecting her last night… She hesitated, weighing in her heart whether or not to step forward and help.

While Xu Qing was indecisive, the merchant waved his hand impatiently. “If you don’t want to buy it, stop looking.”

Bai Muyao sighed helplessly; the price of 200 spirit stones was indeed a burden. Seeing the merchant’s impatient tone, a surge of anger rose in Xu Qing’s heart. Just as she was about to step forward, Bai Muyao spoke calmly.

“I know the jade price rose because of the situation at the border,” Bai Muyao said steadily.

The merchant raised an eyebrow. “And?”

Bai Muyao continued, “But Senior Sister Xu Qing has already returned. This indicates that the pressure at the border has lessened, and the upward trend of jade prices will slowly recede.”

The merchant frowned. He knew Bai Muyao was telling the truth. In fact, he had long had a premonition that this would happen.

Bai Muyao struck while the iron was hot: “When that time comes, this jade will inevitably return to its original price. It’s only a matter of time.”

The merchant curled his lip. “So what? It hasn’t dropped yet…”

Bai Muyao said composedly, “I need this jade. How about this? 130 spirit stones. Since you can’t sell all of these right now anyway, they’ll probably just sit there until the price drops back down.”

This jade was not a unique item; there was a large quantity of it. It stood to reason that after the price hike, few people would inquire about it. He wouldn’t be able to sell all his stock. Once the price plummeted, the merchant would certainly lose money.

After weighing the options, the merchant said, “150 spirit stones. Truly, it cannot be any lower.”

Bai Muyao lightly flicked her sleeve and tucked her money pouch back into her robe. “Then forget it!”

It wasn’t that she had to buy it, but she did want it. Just as she prepared to turn and leave, the merchant hurriedly called her back and lowered his voice: “Alright, alright! But you must promise me not to reveal this price to anyone else!”

Bai Muyao pulled out her money pouch again, and the transaction was completed smoothly. Although the price was slightly high, it was within her range of tolerance. She still had some money left over; she would see if she could save on the other items she needed.

She then led Duan Yi away from the spot.

Meanwhile, Xu Qing, who had intended to help, stood frozen in place. The merchant noticed another guest. “Customer, are you also here to buy jade?”

Xu Qing frowned and did not answer, turning directly to leave.

Bai Muyao continued to weave through the market with Duan Yi, checking off her shopping list.

“Bought this… got that too. This Water-attribute low-grade talisman why can’t I find anyone selling it…?”

Bai Muyao was terrified of missing something. Once the market closed, she would waste another whole day tomorrow. She planned to leave the sect tomorrow and didn’t want to delay for even a moment. She only had a hundred years of cultivation time left!

Xu Qing followed them secretly from the shadows; her behavior was practically that of a stalker. She thought to herself: If Bai Muyao encounters difficulty, can I step in to help? Simultaneously, she felt a trace of regret—why had she hesitated earlier when Bai Muyao was short on money?

But… why am I doing this?

Xu Qing quickly became puzzled again. She was supposed to return to her manor to cultivate, but she happened to see Bai Muyao following a “newly acquainted” friend. So, she couldn’t resist following them.

Xu Qing found an excuse for herself: she needed to clarify to Bai Muyao that she should no longer go to the treehouse on the lonely mountain. But then she thought, that matter could be said at any time. She still had the lotus her Master gave her; it would wither at midnight, and she had to seize the time to return and cultivate.

Never mind!

Xu Qing stopped her pace, deciding to return to her manor to practice now. However, just as she was about to leave!

Duan Yi, who had been following Bai Muyao, appeared somewhat gloomy, as if deep in thought. Suddenly, as if she had realized something, she exclaimed, “Xiao Bai, I have an idea!”

Bai Muyao was confused. “Hmm?”

Duan Yi suddenly hugged Bai Muyao. “Xiao Bai, listen to me…”

“Young lady, I heard just now that you wanted to buy a Water-attribute talisman?”

Both Bai Muyao and Duan Yi were startled. A woman with delicate features appeared before them, staring at them with a smile. The woman’s gaze shifted slightly downward toward Duan Yi, who was hugging Bai Muyao. Feeling awkward under the gaze, Duan Yi let go.

The woman’s cold eyes immediately shifted back to Bai Muyao, seemingly waiting for her response.

Bai Muyao was pleasantly surprised and quickly asked, “Do you have a Water element talisman in your hand? I need a low-grade one!”

“Naturally.”

The disguised Xu Qing frowned; she hadn’t given it much thought before stepping out. It was only at the moment she saw Duan Yi hug Bai Muyao that her heart tightened. By the time she came to her senses, she was already standing before them. Since things had come to this, she couldn’t just leave.

Xu Qing searched her storage ring for talismans. She did indeed have Water-attribute talismans, but every single one was high-grade. Helpless, she could only take one out.

Seeing the woman produce a talisman, Bai Muyao was initially happy, but as soon as she saw it was high-grade, her smile froze on her face. She hurriedly waved her hands. “No, no, no! I need a low-grade one. I don’t have enough money for high-grade.”

The price of a low-grade talisman was usually between 200 to 500 spirit stones, whereas a high-grade one could cost thousands. The total spirit stones on Bai Muyao’s person were less than a thousand; she simply couldn’t afford it.

She was about to decline when she noticed a jade pendant peeking out from beneath the talisman. Upon seeing the pendant, Bai Muyao looked up in shock.

It’s Xu Qing? Why is she here? And appearing in this guise?

Xu Qing smiled and suggested, “The price is negotiable. Why don’t we talk privately?”

Bai Muyao nodded quickly. “Okay…”

On the side, Duan Yi found it strange. “Why do you need to talk privately?”

Nervous, Bai Muyao pulled Duan Yi aside and whispered, “Duan Yi, wait for me here for a moment. I’m going to talk to her about the price.”

Duan Yi felt something was off. “Why? Do you know her?”

Bai Muyao didn’t know how to explain, so she could only say, “Just wait for me here for a moment—just a moment!”

Duan Yi had no choice but to agree.

Bai Muyao and Xu Qing left for a deserted corner. Xu Qing restored her original appearance. Bai Muyao thought to herself: If Xu Qing showed her true face, given her popularity, this market would probably descend into chaos instantly.

To save time and avoid unnecessary trouble, Bai Muyao decided to get straight to the point. She asked, “Is something wrong?”

Xu Qing didn’t know how to answer. She had sought out Bai Muyao on a whim. Now that she was being asked, she didn’t know how to open her mouth. She could only take out the Water talisman again and hand it to Bai Muyao. “You need this. Take it.”

Bai Muyao was surprised. A high-grade Water talisman would undoubtedly be more helpful to her, but she still refused. “No thanks. Just tell me what’s on your mind.”

She wasn’t used to accepting help from others because “human-relation debts” are the hardest to repay especially a debt she likely couldn’t afford.

Xu Qing was rejected once again. She could only put away the talisman and contemplate how to state her purpose. Perhaps she should take this moment to tell Bai Muyao not to go to the lonely mountain anymore. After saying that, she should leave. After all, the matter of the lotus had to be dealt with quickly.

“Bai Muyao, about the treehouse, in the future you”

“Xiao Bai!”

Bai Muyao whipped her head around and found that Duan Yi had actually followed them. Xu Qing instantly disguised herself as the strange woman again.

“Duan Yi, why did you come over!” Bai Muyao asked.

Duan Yi seemed to have made up her mind, saying as soon as she spoke, “Xiao Bai, I’ve thought about it. Tomorrow, I’ll leave the sect with you to travel and gain experience!”

Leave the sect? Travel and gain experience?

Hearing this, Xu Qing’s brow furrowed.

“Let’s talk later, I have business right now!” Bai Muyao managed to temporarily persuade Duan Yi to leave after much effort.

When she turned back to Xu Qing, she found the other woman’s face was dark. Is she angry? Xu Qing was usually expressionless; for a moment, Bai Muyao couldn’t tell if she was truly angry.

Bai Muyao wanted to continue the previous topic. Xu Qing nodded slightly but asked first: “You are leaving the sect… why?”

Bai Muyao hadn’t told Xu Qing about this, nor had she intended to. They didn’t really have a relationship. But since Xu Qing asked, she had no choice but to explain: “I am already at the late stage of the Golden Core; it’s about time I go out to travel.”

Disciples at the Golden Core stage could apply to the sect to travel alone, and she already met the criteria.

Hearing this, Xu Qing’s expression became even deeper.