Panic lasted only a moment, and in the next second, faint black and red mist appeared in Tang Sui's eyes. Concealed by the shadow cast by the brim of her hat, Tang Sui's features subtly shifted, her eye color changing from dark blue to a deep, almost black red.
"Hm?" Tang Sui looked up in confusion, her delicate features exposed to another pair of deep purple eyes. A look of bewilderment appeared on her face. "Excuse me, I don't think I've met you before?"
Despite her innocent facade, Tang Sui's heart churned like a stormy sea upon seeing the person holding her.
The young woman standing before her had brows that conveyed a sense of heroism and decisive action. Her deep purple phoenix eyes reflected Tang Sui's disguised, rather delicate features.
The instant she saw Tang Sui's face, a hint of confusion flickered across her near-perfect, divinely sculpted countenance. Her gaze swept over Tang Sui, a flicker of surprise quickly crossing her eyes, as if astonished that her intuition might be wrong and that this person was indeed a stranger.
In the original trajectory of fate, shouldn't Qian Renxue be undergoing the Angel Nine Trials in the Angel Temple? How could she be here?!
Tang Sui couldn't understand, deeply shocked.
She could only surmise that this was likely another ripple effect.
Qian Renxue, clad in a white and gold soul master robe, carefully observed the subtle expressions on Tang Sui's face. Confirming that Tang Sui didn't seem to be lying, Qian Renxue loosened her grip on Tang Sui's shoulder and smoothly apologized, "Sorry, I thought you were someone I knew."
She hadn't expected her intuition to be wrong this time.
Qian Renxue gazed intently at Tang Sui.
But it shouldn't be. She had clearly felt something on this person that was drawing her in.
Meeting Qian Renxue's burning gaze, the eyelid of Tang Sui's right eye twitched again. She offered a benevolent smile, "It's fine."
As long as you let me go.
With mutual forgiveness, this minor misunderstanding seemed to be resolved.
Tang Sui didn't deviate from her original path. Once free from Qian Renxue's grasp, she headed towards the door of the tea and dessert shop.
"...That feeling is still there, strange... my assessment this time should be related to her..."
Qian Renxue's soft murmur drifted on the wind.
Tang Sui, possessing exceptionally keen hearing, faltered. "......?"
What? You're also being assessed?
In that instant, Tang Sui felt a profound malice emanating from the wider world.
Putting two "chosen ones" with different beliefs in the same arena – was this a battle royale?
Muttering inwardly, Tang Sui walked to the counter with an impassive expression. Just as she was about to casually order a drink, she suddenly felt Qian Renxue's presence drawing near again.
"If you don't mind, I'll treat you to this drink. Consider it an apology for mistaking you earlier."
Tang Sui turned her head, meeting Qian Renxue's smiling approach.
The smile was perfectly calibrated: three parts apology, three parts warmth, and four parts sincerity, a flawless display of the upbringing and diplomatic skills honed during her decade-long disguise as Xue Qinghe.
Tang Sui, who just wanted to escape Qian Renxue's sight as quickly as possible, found herself speechless.
A look of surprise crossed her face, as if she hadn't expected such a "pleasant surprise." Seeing Qian Renxue already preparing to pay, she quickly said, "No need. It was just a misunderstanding, and no one suffered any losses."
Qian Renxue's expression became even more sincere. The bag of gold soul coins in her hand was placed on the counter. "This is only right. It was my mistake. Besides, I was a bit hasty just now and might have hurt you. I saw you were about to order a strawberry milkshake, weren't you? This drink is my treat."
Those who manipulate power possess an unparalleled ability to lie with a straight face.
Tang Sui, feeling she had met her match, fell silent for two seconds and then nodded gently. "Alright then, I won't refuse."
Upon hearing this, the corners of Qian Renxue's lips curved upward slightly. Then, calmly, she said in front of Tang Sui, "Boss, please make two strawberry milkshakes."
The shop owner glanced at Qian Renxue, who exuded wealth and an extraordinary aura, then at the demure Tang Sui. He offered a knowing, almost conspiratorial look to Tang Sui, as if to say, "I understand, this is high-class scamming." He then helpfully recommended, "Two beautiful young ladies, our newly launched Luo Luo cake also tastes very good. Paired with the sweet and sour strawberry milkshake, it's perfect for enjoying delicious food while you chat. Would you like two orders?"
Tang Sui: "......"
Qian Renxue, her attention drawn, glanced at Tang Sui, who hadn't expressed any refusal, and nodded. "Then let's have two orders."
It was also a good opportunity for her to probe this person and see what was so peculiar about her.
Tang Sui, the actual target of the "scam," watched as Qian Renxue made a decision without consulting her. Her eyelashes fluttered, masking the contemplation in her eyes.
Why did Qian Renxue insist on keeping her here?
She was confident that her demon power disguise had not been revealed.
Even if she had pulled out a miniature Clear Sky Hammer, with a disguise of demon power, Qian Renxue wouldn't have recognized it.
Thinking in reverse, since Qian Renxue felt her assessment was related to her, could it be that the clues to her own "assessment," having been inexplicably pulled into this "Spirit City," were also with Qian Renxue?
With their own thoughts in mind, the two chose a table set outside the shop.
The erected umbrella provided good shade from the glaring sun overhead. Coupled with the occasional gentle breeze, it was not an unsuitable spot for an afternoon tea.
However, neither of them seated there had the leisure to enjoy it. Instead, they were contemplating how to extract more information.
Tang Sui sat steadily, sipping through her straw, not in a hurry to break the silence first.
It was Qian Renxue, however, who became restless and spoke first.
"The strawberry milkshake at this shop has a fine texture, perfectly balanced between sweet and sour. Do you come here often, miss?"
Tang Sui released her straw, leaving a faint imprint of her teeth on the white plastic.
"Fairly often. When I have free time, I come here to sit for a while. Um... is this your first time here, miss?"
Qian Renxue, who was indeed visiting for the first time, hummed in affirmation. "I usually cultivate at home and rarely go out for leisure."
"Is that so... So you are a noble Soul Master, miss." Tang Sui's face lit up with a smile.
With two parts understanding and five parts envy, her tone shifted to three parts disappointment. "To be frank with you, esteemed Soul Master, I'm just an ordinary person with no cultivation talent. So, in my spare time, I can only wander around and find a place to sit and pass the time."
Qian Renxue, who had intended to use this as a stepping stone to inquire about Tang Sui's cultivation, found her line of questioning abruptly blocked. She looked deeply at Tang Sui, who claimed to be an ordinary person.
Tang Sui met her gaze with a flawless smile.
After a few seconds of such scrutiny, Qian Renxue lowered her eyes and said, "You don't need to call me Soul Master. Names are meant to be used. My name is Qian Renxue, what is yours?"