This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

Chapter 248 Hua Xiaolou's Purpose

Hua Xiaolou and her senior sister paid a visit. When Ruoxue heard that the visitors came from Tianling Kingdom, her expression was as if shrouded in mist, revealing deep confusion.

The name Tianling Kingdom was like a voice from another world to her; it had never been heard before.

She was also receiving Ling Feiyuan, and ever since Yan Yi clung to Ling Feiyuan like a vine, she had been like a cheerful little bird, constantly chirping around him.

Upon hearing of Tianling's visit, Yan Yi naturally rushed to the front like an arrow and introduced, "Tianling is the far north, a mysterious kingdom on the high plateau in the sky. It is covered by ice and snow all year round, as if it were the territory of the ice and snow goddess, and it is also the place closest to the sky."

"Since it is located in the far north, why travel thousands of miles to attend this gathering of poets? I have never heard of such a country before."

Ruoxue's question was like a sharp sword, piercing the air.

"We have also given this question much thought. Although the kingdoms of Shuiyu and Tianling are also mortals, they have already shown signs of surpassing ordinary people, like stars in the sixth realm. Their younger generation has already surpassed us by a great deal, like comets. This is a gap in cultivation resources and cultivation levels. Is there a deeper meaning behind their visit at this time?"

Seeing that Yan Yi also knew very little about Tian Ling's affairs, Ruoxue decided to meet her first. After all, with Xi Zhu in charge of the Kao Shan Wang Mansion, and seeing Xi Zhu's calm and composed demeanor, it seemed that even a sixth-level cultivator could hardly move her. This gave Ruoxue great confidence.

"Now that they're here, let's meet them together."

Hua Xiaolou was an adorable little girl, like an elf, while the senior sister was like a snow lotus atop an iceberg. The combination of the two was like a fusion of ice and fire, attracting many eyes like a magnet as soon as they appeared.

In response, Hua Xiaolou skipped in like an innocent little girl, full of curiosity about everything around her, as if she were a child who would never grow up.

"Senior sister, do you have any special feelings about this Prince Kao Shan's mansion?"

Upon hearing this, the eldest sister was slightly taken aback.

Which aspect are you referring to?

"Of course it's the people here! This is a royal palace, yet it houses a group of beautiful courtesans. Isn't that quite interesting?"

"Moreover, these guards exude a strong military aura, as solid and unbreakable as a Great Wall of Steel, presumably having fought their way through brutal battlefields. Where on earth did he find so many seasoned veterans? What is his intention?"

Hua Xiaolou may seem innocent and naive, but in reality, she has a clear mind and remembers everything that happens to her.

This quick wit and keen insight astonished the senior sister.

"The courtesan is said to be from the Flower Language Pavilion. Those guards must have been recruited from some mysterious place, right?"

Hua Xiaolou did not reply further, but instead turned her gaze to the group of people who came out of the house, muttering to herself, seemingly slightly dissatisfied.

"It seems we are not enough to alarm the owner of this place."

"Pay attention to manners. Your master once said that when you are out and about, you need to get along well with others and rein in your unruly nature."

"Tch, I'm the most obedient one, okay? I also want to give you a piece of advice, senior sister: no matter what happens, you have to be patient."

Hua Xiaolou went straight to meet him without any politeness, causing the senior sister to shake her head helplessly. This brat must have a plan in mind.

"Greetings, I am Hua Xiaolou, and I have come to pay my respects to the Prince of Kao Shan."

"Hua Xiaolou?" Ruoxue frowned slightly, pondering to herself, could this person be the one the Princess had been searching for? But why did the person before her look like a child? On the contrary, the woman behind him was stunningly beautiful, with an aura as cold as ice, just like someone from Tianling Kingdom.

"This is my senior sister. I am talking to you all. We have come here to pay our respects to the Prince of Kao Shan. May I ask who you are?"

"I am Ruoxue. Since you are honored guests of Tianling, please come in."

"Of course, of course. We heard that the Prince of Kao Shan was seriously injured, so we came here to heal him. Let me tell you a secret: the snow lotus of Tianling is unparalleled in the world, and there is no injury in the world that we cannot heal."

Hua Xiaolou walked into the main hall as if she were back in her own home, looking around as if searching for something. This made Ruoxue frown and then look at the senior sister.

The eldest sister nodded slightly, her face as cold as frost, giving off an aloof and unapproachable air. Ruoxue's words, which were about to come out, were forced back down her throat as if by an invisible hand.

However, how could Ling Feiyuan tolerate a little girl running amok like this? Seeing Hua Xiaolou rushing towards the back like a wild horse, he stepped forward without hesitation and said loudly, "Honored guest, please wait. The inner courtyard of the Prince's mansion is deep and maze-like. Please do not wander around aimlessly."

"Sword Immortal, are you perhaps also a guard?"

"That's natural."

"Just who is this King Kao Shan? How could he command the condescension of a sword immortal to serve as his guard, and with a group of battle-hardened soldiers? I'm so curious, sister! May I go in and find out? Are you hiding something?"

"How can you be so rude, little brat? Don't your parents discipline you?"

Ling Feiyuan's gaze was like a torch, fixed on the senior sister, but the senior sister remained silent as if in deep meditation, letting Hua Xiaolou's antics go unchecked.

He was naturally unaware that this was precisely Hua Xiaolou's intention. The eldest sister's primary task was to examine the injuries of the Mountain King and then compare them with Yun Xiyao's injuries to determine whether they were inflicted by the same person. As for other trivial matters, the eldest sister couldn't be bothered with them.

"I am the head of my family. Feel free to ask me anything. My senior sister is in charge of the fighting, and I am in charge of the talking."

Hua Xiaolou's unbridled behavior prompted Ruoxue to glance at Yan Yi, her eyes seeming to ask: Who exactly is this person? How can he be so rude? Could this be a member of Tianling?

Yan Yi looked embarrassed; it was also the first time she had ever met someone from Tianling Kingdom.

"Hua Xiaolou, is this the etiquette of your Tianling? You barged in without the master's permission. And don't forget, this is the Prince's Mansion of Daqian."

Ling Feiyuan, sword in hand, stood before Hua Xiaolou like an insurmountable mountain, blocking her path.

"You're so annoying. I've already made it clear that I'm here to treat Xiao Xingchen. Isn't he on the verge of death? What, do you want to just watch the Prince of Kaoshan die?"

"You call yourself a brat who hasn't even grown up yet, yet you dare to spout such nonsense?"

Ling Feiyuan's face instantly turned gloomy. His arm trembled slightly, and the sound of his sword was like a dragon emerging from the sea. Just as it was about to sound, it was forcibly suppressed by a cold snort from his senior sister.

The sword energy that was about to burst forth was as if it had been forcefully suppressed by an invisible hand, and he couldn't help but let out a muffled roar.

"presumptuous!"

Ruoxue's anger erupted like a volcano, and the oppressive force of her fifth-realm sword energy crashed down like Mount Tai crushing an egg. She instantly realized that Tian Ling and his companion were not visiting with goodwill, but were clearly deliberately provoking trouble. Naturally, she no longer concealed herself, and a rain of swords bloomed like a riot of flowers, covering the sky and the earth.

"Huh? A Fifth Realm Sword Immortal?"

When the eldest sister spoke for the first time, her voice was full of surprise. Even Hua Xiaolou couldn't help but turn around, revealing an incredulous expression.

The woman she looked down upon was actually a fifth-realm expert?

This made her feel like she had a fishbone stuck in her throat. She stared straight at Ruoxue, letting the sword flowers fall like raindrops, tightly surrounding her.

"Disperse!" As the senior sister's lips parted slightly, her voice as melodious as a fairy's song, the countless sword blossoms vanished instantly like smoke. This caused a storm to surge in Ruoxue's heart. This was the first time she had faced a master of the sixth realm. Under the absolute suppression of the realm, her sword seemed to be imprisoned, unable to be drawn at all.

However, even when enveloped by the sword energy of the Fifth Realm, Hua Xiaolou showed no fear; instead, she displayed a keen interest.

"Your King of the Mountain is truly a place where hidden talents abound. I'm becoming increasingly curious about you. Are there countless experts at the Fifth Realm in the Great Qian Dynasty?"

Hua Xiaolou clicked her tongue in amazement, as if she had discovered a new continent, and sighed inwardly. She could encounter women who were all at the fifth realm; she even began to wonder if it was because they had lived deep in the mountains, detached from worldly affairs, that fifth-realm experts were now everywhere in the world.

"You are still missing the most crucial link to reach the sixth realm. If you cannot fill it, you will have no hope of reaching the sixth realm in this lifetime."

The eldest sister frowned and pondered for a moment. To encounter such a young person at the fifth realm, she felt a sense of mutual appreciation. After all, to be able to cultivate to the fifth realm in the mortal world was extremely rare. However, such cultivation was like being shackled and imprisoned. If one did not break through the shackles, one would never be able to reach the sixth realm. This was the difference between the mortal world and the nine heavens.

She pointed this out to Ruoxue, but whether or not she would have that opportunity was beyond her control.

"Gentlemen, the Prince of Kao Shan's mansion has treated you with courtesy, but if you insist on forcing your way in, we are not pushovers. May I ask what brings you here?"

Ruoxue stared coldly at the two of them. Although she was terrified of the pressure from the Sixth Realm, at this moment, with Xiao Xingchen unconscious, only she could step forward.

Hua Xiaolou immediately lost interest, shrugged, and spread her hands.

"Since you're at the Fifth Realm, we can sit down and talk now."

After saying that, he went straight to a seat and sat down.

What do you want to talk about?

"Of course, we'll cooperate. We're new here and naturally need to find a backer. I think your Backer Prince's Mansion is quite suitable. Of course, the foundation of cooperation is mutual benefit and win-win, which we are well aware of. What do you think?"

"You must be mistaken. You have nothing to offer in exchange, and we ask for nothing in return."

"Don't be so quick to deny it. Tianling is the closest place to the heavens. If you were there, you wouldn't even have the right to look up at it. We possess rare treasures beyond your imagination, like an opportunity that can help you break through to the sixth realm."

Although Hua Xiaolou's demeanor was arrogant and domineering, Ruoxue's heart still skipped a beat when she mentioned breaking through to the sixth realm. She was currently stuck in a bottleneck, and without external assistance, breaking through would be virtually impossible. Seeing the hesitation on Ruoxue's face, Hua Xiaolou's eyes revealed a thoughtful expression.

He continued, "We came to Yong'an only wanting to wait peacefully for things to settle down here, and we didn't want to get involved in your disputes. However, in the world of martial arts, one is not free to choose one's own path. Although I don't provoke others, I can't stop others from provoking me!"

"With the Six Realms above us, who would be so foolish as to provoke you?"

Yan Yi muttered with displeasure,

"Yun Xiyao was beaten so badly, do you still think the Sixth Realm is the peak of Yong'an?"

Unexpectedly, Hua Xiaolou's words caused Yan Yi's expression to change drastically.

"What? Yun Xiyao was seriously injured? When did this happen?"

She was preoccupied with Ling Feiyuan's affairs, and coupled with the blockade of the Prince of Kaoshan's mansion, she was completely unaware of the changes that had occurred outside.

"Whose innocent girl is this?" Hua Xiaolou stared at Yan Yi as if she were a fool and asked with a face full of doubt.