The Romantic Cultivator

Chapter 201 Pride Comes After Fall

Ji Yuan was at a complete loss after he had completely forgotten that he had an affair with Ling Tianshui. This was an honest mistake but it was a terrible mistake that would screw him up.

Now that Shui Xisi had brought Shui Qingqing into the tent to introduce to everyone, he was feeling extremely miserable.

He could only pray hopelessly. "May I survive this day to see the dawn of the next day sun…"

Even Xiang Li was sobbing miserably. "Sorry Big Brother! It is all Xiang Li's fault!"

Ji Yuan said weakly to her in his soul sea. "Don't worry. We all make tactical mistakes. I am the one that had dug this hole myself…why did I have to use the words friends with benefits. It has suddenly become a viral catchphrase..."

Shui Xisi seemed to have noticed that everyone was in a somber mood so she chuckled. "So what is wrong? You're not happy to see my core protégé Qingqing?"

Little Princess could not resist smirking coldly. "Ji Yuan had bedded Songjin! Look at these chests of gifts. They are all from Zhao Songjin!"

Shui Xisi blinked her eyes as she turned to appraise the chests. "Wow. I think these chests are worth at least a few million high grade spirit stones."

When the other maidens had heard her, they were astonished and all of them began to check the chests with their hands and divine sense, discovering many high grade profound pills, profound treasures and even divine swords!

Saintess Yuluo smiled as she spotted two earth-grade divine swords. "Sisters, I wonder if we can give these two divine swords to our Sister Chengxi and Sister Yan here?"

All the other maidens had no objections as they smiled warmly. "Sure! No worries! Please take it!"

Fairy Ye Chengxi smiled weakly. "Is it a good idea? There are no free lunches in the world. If we accept these gifts then we are also accepting Zhao Songjin's friendship."

"My sister is right." Shangguan Yan nodded as she looked at the other maidens.

But Ling Feiyue, Xue Qianxue, Little Princess and Bai Qianfeng were too happily looking through the profound treasures to reply to their doubts.

Fairy Ye Chengxi, Shangguan Yan, Saintess Yuluo: …

Shui Xisi laughed as she said to Shangguan Yan and Fairy Ye Chengxi. "Ji Yuan had helped the Celestial Orthodox Sect and fight off Yin Wei for them. So don't be shy about these gifts. The Celestial Orthodox Sect is so rich. If you don't take some of their profound treasures then this will be truly injustice to yourself."

Then she turned to Ji Yuan to ask. "Hey, you don't mind if I take some of the gifts? You didn't happen to forget that you still owed me five hundred spirit stones, do you?"

"Plus interests." She suddenly added with a soft chuckle.

Ji Yuan rolled his eyes and replied. "Go take whatever you want."

Shui Xisi was really not shy at all as she went over to the nearest chest and pocketed quite a lot of gifts.

Ji Yuan rolled his eyes again as his sharp eyes caught her pocketing more than ten times what he had owed her. What the heck…that is a lot of interests…

Shui Xisi was feeling quite poor after she had paid for the one million high grade spirit stones for the transmission to the immortal realm. Therefore she was really not shy to pocket as much as possible. She was hoping that Ji Yuan did not notice her quick hands…

All of a sudden Ji Yuan felt the heavy mood had dissipated all of a sudden as the maidens began to laugh sheepishly as they continued to empty the chests of profound treasures. "Zhao Songjin is indeed quite generous."

Even Xue Qianxue had to admit. "Some of these treasures are heaven-step profound treasures and there are also many fourth and fifth rank profound pills…"

"Well, if I'm not generous with my forgiveness then the others may think that I am too petty…" Little Princess was muttering. She had lost everything and these profound treasures and high grade spirit stones would be useful to her.

Ji Yuan rolled his eyes multiple times as he watched his 'gifts' taken by everyone. But he dared not stop them because he was afraid that they would still be upset with him. So he could only silently gulped awkwardly as he watched his 'gifts' getting pocketed by everyone.

Even Saintess Yuluo, Fairy Ye Chengxi and Shangguan Yan could not resist doing the pickings themselves when they noticed that everyone else was doing the same.

Bai Qianfeng actually took the most as she laughed quietly to herself...

Only Shui Qingqing was watching quietly.

Ling Feiyue was muttering. "I am only inspecting in case they may be cursed items in here. It pays to be a little more careful…"

"I need more replenishing profound pills for the Empyrean Warrior Labyrinth…" Bai Qianfeng was searching eagerly.

"We are Ji Yuan's family..."

"It is never a good idea to leave too much wealth to a man. He may squander it easily on other women..."

Zhao Songjin had brought more than twenty huge chests and everyone was now pouring through the chests excitingly, their moods improving excitingly by every single moment.

Only Ji Yuan and Shui Qingqing were watching with a stunned expression…

Ji Yuan blinked his eyes as he whispered to Shui Qingqing. "Your master…seems so greedy. Is she usually like this? Can you tell her that it is enough already?"

Shui Qingqing chuckled softly. "Why don't you tell her directly?"

Ji Yuan: …

I can't. I am in deep shit today and if I talk to Sisi, I will soon become the center of attraction again. Therefore I can only keep quiet until they are done picking my 'gifts'.

In no time the twenty huge chests worth several millions of high grade spirit stones were all swept emptied by everyone.

Ji Yuan frowned when he saw that they were really not shy at all but he did not dare to raise any protest; it was because he was not prepared to be at the center of attraction again. In fact, he was hoping that the chests would never be emptied while he thought of an exit plan.

However these maidens were too quick and there were too many of them. Even before he could think of a plan, the chests were already emptied.

Soon the interrogations would start all over again…

Ji Yuan was now smiling weakly as all the maidens began to return their attentions back to him.

Ling Feiyue smiled as she asked Shui Xisi. "What brings Jiajia's sister here today?"

Shui Xisi laughed jovially as she returned a mischievous wink. "Naturally I am here to ask if Ji Yuan is well. I'm sure that you have heard of the big fight that we had against Yin Wei and the Evil Cultivation Palace three days ago, am I right?"

This time, Ling Feiyue, Xue Qianfeng, Little Princess and the other maidens were all returning a sheepish look. They had actually forgotten to ask Xiang Li about it as they were fully engrossed on gossiping about Ji Yuan and Zhao Songjin.

Shui Xisi thought that maybe Ji Yuan had just woke up so he did not have the time to tell his tale to everyone. So she patiently explained her own version of the story. "Ji Yuan was taking me to scout the vicinity when we have encountered Yin Wei and his group making an attack on my Qingqing as well as Zhao Songjin and Han Yuchi. Therefore we had stepped in to help…"

Ling Feiyue, Little Princess and Xue Qianxue were all thinking; Xiang Li had said that Ji Yuan was escorting her to her camp in the other location…

Ji Yuan rolled his eyes; crap...

"... ..."

"... ..."

"... ..."

After retelling the tale for a while, Shui Xisi smiled. "So that it. Short and sweet. We finally got Yin Wei."

Xue Qianxue asked with a startled look. "Ji Yuan never bed Zhao Songjin?"

Shui Xisi was perplexed. "Why did you say that? We are in the middle of a fight and we are in a group of five."

Little Princess muttered weakly. "Friends with benefits…you say so earlier as well…"

Shui Xisi laughed. "Oh that. Zhao Songjin actually wants to befriend Ji Yuan but Ji Yuan obviously did not want to make friends with her so he says that they can only be friends with benefits. Is there anything wrong with this?"

All of a sudden all the maidens had a sheepish look on their faces and some of them were cursing Xiang Li quietly for causing them to misunderstand in front of Ji Yuan. Now they were a little afraid that they may lose their standing in front of Ji Yuan…

Ling Feiyue quickly smiled. "Oh! This is all a misunderstanding. Hehe. Then let's don't mention it anymore."

All the others maiden quickly agreed.

Ji Yuan: …

Ji Yuan: …

Ji Yuan: …

Did they just believe Sisi instead of me?

Shui Xisi laughed as she said. "I have brought Qingqing here as I have not introduced my successor to all of you yet. Since I am going to the Warrior Empyrean Labyrinth and I don't know if I may return therefore I like to introduce her to everyone. Please take care of her in the future for my Sister Feifei's sake."

Then she turned to smile at Shui Qingqing. "My Sister Feifei is the Saintess Fang Zhengfei."

Shui Qingqing was startled. "Is she the one that always come to our place?"

Shui Xisi smiled. "Yes, the mysterious maiden is actually her."

Shui Qingqing was gasping with surprise. She really did not know that her master and Saintess Fang Zhenfei had this kind of a relationship and moreover she also seemed to know Ji Yuan and the rest of his consorts so well…

Xue Qianxue put on her most adorable wink at Ji Yuan, "Ji Yuan! My lord, why are you so quiet? It is so unlike you. Say something, will you?"

Ji Yuan: …

I dare not. Because Feiyue has not forgiven me over my affair with her aunt. So it is better that I kept quiet over it.

"Ji Yuan, you are too quiet! What happened to you?" This time it was Ling Feiyue who was prompting him. "Tell us about your fight with Yin Wei please!"

Ji Yuan: …

Is she serious?

All the maidens were all giggling. "Yea. Please tell us about your epic fight with Yin Wei!"

Ji Yuan: …

Are they serious?

Ji Yuan totally had no mood to retell his epic fight with Yin Wei anymore. It was because he knew that his bad deeds with Ling Tianshui had been discovered.

He did not expect that his flirt had been discovered by Ling Feiyue and he was feeling extremely bad.

So he muttered. "Actually, it is all my fault. Please don't blame Tianshui…"

Ling Feiyue interrupted him all of a sudden with a soft chuckle. "You really like my little aunt, do you? I have been hoping that she has someone all these years. If you like her, why didn't you tell us?"

Ji Yuan was a little stunned that Ling Feiyue was so bold as to tell everyone of his affair with Ling Tianshui…

Shui Xisi and Shui Qingqing were taken by surprise as they gasped silently; he had an affair with Matriarch Moon Elder Shui Tianshui?

Even Little Princess and Bai Qianfeng were startled by Ling Feiyue's reactions. It was because they were expecting for Ling Feiyue to be upset if she had learnt about the truth.

Instead Ling Feiyue was giggling sweetly. "You are so silly. Why didn't you tell me earlier? I can always matchmake the two of you!"

Ji Yuan was stunned. "You mean it?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Ling Feiyue teased back with a wink.

Seeing that Ling Feiyue was composed and was even teasing him back, all of a sudden Ji Yuan was laughing again. "Haha. Let me tell you of my epic fight with Yin Wei first…"

All of a sudden, his morale and spirits were lifted up and he was happy again.

When Ji Yuan was in jovial mood again, all the maidens' moods were also lifted up by him as well as they laughed jovially together.

"Wait, get my Aunt Tianshui here as well." Ling Feiyue insisted.

Ling Feiyue was not joking. She had always been close to her aunt and she really wished that she could find a deserving man. She was actually very glad that she was with Ji Yuan.

When the other maidens saw Ling Feiyue's reactions, they were all quick to support her.

"Right! Haha." Ji Yuan laughed.

Xiang Li was surprised that the crisis was over. "Oh? Big Brother, you're not dead yet?"

"That is because I am a genius cultivator plus I have good looks. Haha…" Ji Yuan replied to her in his soul sea.

"But it seems that Maiden Songjin seems to have received a different treatment? Why?" Xiang Li asked differently.

"Well, that is because Zhao Songjin hasn't got into their good books yet." Ji Yuan lied. He was too lazy to explain to Xiang Li.

After a short while, Ling Tianshui had entered the tent, surprised that she was being called to chat with everyone.

As soon as Ling Feiyue saw her, she smiled. "My Aunt Tianshui! I have finally found out who your secret man that day. So it is Ji Yuan!"

Ling Tianshui was stunned and she was flushing awkwardly. "Please hear me out. It is only a flirt and nothing else…"

"Why do you want to have a flirt when you can make it into a permanent relationship?" Ling Feiyue teased boldly and she was giggling sweetly.

Ling Tianshui was very smart as she rolled her eyes to look at everyone. "If you don't mind this old senior to join you, why not? Hehe."

Ling Feiyue, Little Princess, Xue Qianxue, Shangguan Yan, Fairy Ye Chengxi and Saintess Yuluo were all laughing. "You're not old at all."

Shui Qingqing had a look of envious when she saw that even Ling Tianshui had a chance to be with Ji Yuan…

Shui Xisi laughed. "I guess that my Qingqing and I are the odd one out…"

Although she had said that but all the other maidens knew that sooner or later she would join them because they could tell that Ji Yuan's eyes were constantly on her.

Except for Shui Qingqing of course who could not see it because she was not as shrewd as or smarter than the other maidens.

Ji Yuan laughed as he said loudly. "Where are the good wines? Let's bring it all out as I retold my epic fight!"

As Ji Yuan retold his exaggerated version of his epic fight, Shui Qingqing was looking at him like a fangirl and she was nodding at all his accounts.

This was the very first time that she was so near to her idol and she was really delighted that she could watch all his little nuances in such an intimate manner…

After Ji Yuan had finished telling his epic fight, he was laughing jovially.

Little Princess said with great melancholy. "You were cornered. Without Sisi's and…Zhao Songjin, I don't think you can be here laughing with us. I don't have a clean background too. Maybe I shouldn't have discriminated against her. After all, she had helped saved the life of my lord and even given us twenty chests of gifts."

When Little Princess had said this, Xue Qianxue and the other maidens were also quiet.

Xue Qianxue said. "Actually if Songjin is willing to repent, I ought to give her a chance to do so. After all, it is better to have one more friend than enemy."

Shangguan Yan said quietly. "She had a heavy heart when she came earlier…"

"And left with a heavy heart too." Saintess Yuluo added quietly. "She was like me in the past..."

Little Princess had suddenly walked to hold Sisi's hands. "I know that your Sister Feifei has suffered greatly under the hands of her godfather. If you need any help from us, please let me know. Alright?"

Shui Xisi: ???

What godfather?

Ji Yuan had suddenly frozen on the spot; he was trying to cover for Jiajia that she was the Divine Palace Master of the Hundred Flower Divine Palace so he had lied to Little Princess that Jiajia was a dual cultivation slave of the Evil Divine Palace Master who happened to be her godfather.

Ling Feiyue muttered. "Who is Jiajia's godfather?!"

Fairy Ye Chengxi had a perplexed look. "I don't know…"

Ji Yuan suddenly laughed out loud. "Shall I tell you about some of my other epic fights in the past…"

Shui Xisi suddenly laughed. "No, I want to hear more about this godfather thing…"

Ji Yuan: …

I am dead…

But Little Princess replied awkwardly. "Sorry. It is a slip of my tongue. I have promised Ji Yuan not to tell anyone."

Ji Yuan: I am saved...

"Then I ask Ji Yuan myself." Shui Xisi chuckled.

Ji Yuan: I am dead again....

"Or you can share with me who is your first time?" Shui Xisi winked at Ji Yuan.

Ji Yuan stole a look at Little Princess before he laughed awkwardly. "I have many first time..." His first time was with Little Princess and Yuxian was his second cultivation partner. But he was unwilling to tell anyone.

-

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When Zhao Songjin was back to the camp of the Celestial Orthodox Sect, Han Yuchi asked her immediately. "So how? Did Qianxue agree to come back again?"

"She needs time to think over." Zhao Songjin said quietly.

Han Yuchi nodded. "I should be the one going to approach her. This is more sincerity…"

"No mother." Zhao Songjin smiled gently. "It is good that I was there. I know that Qianxue and Little Princess do not trust me completely but it is actually because of my bad karma. I only hope to make amends for them for the rest of my life."

Han Yuchi sighed softly. "Is that really necessary?"

Zhao Songjin nodded firmly. "I had almost killed Ji Yuan and ruined their happiness. Moreover I was too power hungry in the past. Please announce my abdication whether Qianxue is willing to take up the Sacred Maiden position or not. This is the least that I can do now."

Han Yuchi sighed softly. "If that is your wishes…"

Then she added with an anxious look. "Do you think that Yin Wei is dead?"

Zhao Songjin sighed heavily. "I still have a mole around Yin Wei. So far, there is no news yet. I've got the feeling he isn't dead yet."

"So we can't make Ji Yuan your lord yet…"

Zhao Songjin interrupted gently. "Actually I can tell that Ji Yuan doesn't seem to have me in his heart. He had never taken a close look at me while around me…"

She inhaled softly before she continued. "But it is good as well. He isn't as lecherous as I thought. Unlike Jin Yilong and Zhan Zhong. I really wish that I was kinder to him in the past."

"Child, it isn't your fault. Remember, you are a pawn of the Evil Cultivation Palace and did not have any choice." Han Yuchi pointed out.

Zhao Songjin averted her eyes. "I have now disabled all my evil dual cultivation profound skills. I was really so lascivious in the past due to the evil skills that I had been practicing. I really wish that I can be like Qingqing. She is definitely much better than I am."

Han Yuchi slowly nodded before she sighed. "But Qingqing, she seems to lack worldly experience. She is too sheltered and she doesn't seem to know how dangerous the cultivation world is. She doesn't even have any trial experiences too. It seems that her master has completely sheltered her."

Zhao Songjin smiled. "It is good in a way too." Then she said quietly. "It seems that Qingqing has an eye for Ji Yuan too."

Han Yuchi began to smile awkwardly. "This is something that I am anxious about. It seems that Ji Yuan doesn't take a second look at her."

Zhao Songjin averted her eyes. "A lot of men actually like their cultivation partners to be fiery and taking their own initiatives. I can tell that Ji Yuan is constantly looking at Shui Xisi instead."

"Since you know him so well then you can easily win over his heart?" Han Yuchi asked with a hopeful look.

Zhao Songjin shook her head. "Our paths didn't have a chance to cross with each other. He is only pretending to be lecherous. I have checked his history. It is mostly flirts and no action. Do you know that he didn't even touch his ex-sweet heart at all?"

Han Yuchi was startled. "Really?"

Zhao Songjin nodded. "And when he went to the brothels, he was just there to drink with whatever friends that he could pick up."

Han Yuchi: …

"I really can't believe it and yet he is now surrounded by so many beautiful maidens?" Han Yuchi shook her head with disbelief.

Zhao Songjin said quietly. "I believe that he is with them because there are emotion attachments between them. For me, I have totally no chance at all. These maidens really like him and they all plot to win his heart. As for me, I use my plot for my own selfish advancement. That is why Ji Yuan will never like me…"

She corrected herself. "Of course not all them use any plot. Like Saintess Yuluo, she is there at the right timing for him. I can't believe after so many years, Ji Yuan still can't forget about her."

Han Yuchi said weakly. "With so many saintesses around him, he is going to find them really hard to handle."

Zhao Songjin replied with a faint smile. "He can handle them because there is true love between them."