Chapter 12-Shangguan Yan

Xiao Wan'er saw him stop walking and asked, "Cousin Xiao Chen, what's wrong?"

Xiao Chen suddenly turned his head and looked into the distance, but he saw nothing special. It seemed that he had mistaken something. He smiled and said, "Nothing. Maybe I'm thinking too much. That Ghoulish Woman can't be here."

Upon hearing "Ghoulish Woman", Xiao Wan'er's back turned cold and instantly had goosebumps as if she had been in a nightmare.

Cheng Ying looked at a nearby inn and said, "Alright, I'm going back now. You can spend the night in that inn and there will be a senior brother here to pick you up in the morning."

Xiao Wan'er looked at him and said pitifully, "Senior Brother Cheng Ying, do you have to go now?"

Cheng Ying smiled slightly and said, "Yes. I have to go back to make reports. Don't wander in the night. There will be someone to pick you up tomorrow morning."

"Uhh... Will it be you?"

Cheng Ying scratched his head and smiled, saying, "It's up to the elders. Don't worry, my brothers are all good people. Junior Sister Xiao, you can do it. I'll wait for you in the Three Pure Sect." After saying so, he rode the sword and flew away in a row of sword radiance gracefully.

"Alas! Someone has been working so hard to have a backer in the sect. But it now seems to be in vain!" Xiao Chen put both hands at the back of his head and walked to the inn idly.

Xiao Wan'er stamped her foot angrily and said, "Cousin Xiao Chen, how can you say that to me? I did this for us!" She then followed Xiao Chen.

Xiao Han was still cold and said nothing. He looked at Lil Ruo, who carried many packages, and suddenly asked her, "Can I help you?"

"No, no, no. Thanks!" Lil Ruo replied hurriedly.

The inn was packed with people as there was no available seat on all three floors. The shopkeeper's wife was a charming beautiful woman. Xiao Wan'er made it to the counter and said in a sweet voice, "Sister, we're brought here by Senior Brother Cheng Ying. Are there rooms available?"

The shopkeeper's wife was overjoyed upon being called "sister". A customer beside said, "Hey, little miss, would you have some self-discipline? Whichever brother has brought you here, that doesn't work. We are here before you!"

Xiao Wan'er looked at the entrance and saw one of her company leaned against the door, whistling, while the other was standing there gazing at the sky like a piece of ice. She stamped her foot angrily and said, "Are you just going to stand and watch?"

The shopkeeper's wife giggled and said, "Little sister, don't hurry. Let me take a look." She then looked through the ledger and said with a smile, "It happens that there are two rooms left on the second floor. Here are the keys." She then took two keys out of the drawer.

The crowd in front of the counter was not happy about this. "Hey! It's not fair, lady!"

Xiao Chen ignored them, rushed to the counter and took one key, saying, "Lil Ruo! Let's go!" He then took Lil Ruo to the stair.

Xiao Wan'er said, "What about me?"

"You? You can make do with that ice face for tonight. You can also come to my room."

"This... This can't work!"

However, Xiao Han had already taken the other key and left.

"Hey! You two can't bully me like this!"

...

Anyway, they had a discussion. She and Lil Ruo shared a room while Xiao Chen and Xiao Han the other.

They put their stuff in their rooms and went downstairs for dinner. There was a huge clamor. People were boasting to become Inner Disciples or something alike.

Especially the Three Princes. They were the princes from the State of Zhao, the State of Qi, and the State of Yan, and they briefly addressed themselves as the Three Princes. They gave up the chances of sitting in the throne only to become Immortals.

Prince Yan said loudly to the crowd, "In my point of view, you don't need to daydream about being Inner Disciples. With three princes here, do you think that you stand a chance?"

Prince Qi followed, "State Counselor said that I'm the reincarnation of an Immortal and have six Spiritual Meridians. Brother Yan was right. You can go home now. Don't waste your time."

Prince Zhao said, "They are both right. If anyone of you turns against the State of Zhao, you can wait for an army that will take you down! My army, a hundred thousands of soldiers, is waiting for my command outside this town. Talk to me if you dare."

Although most people present came from nobles and merchant families, their backgrounds were not as powerful as the Three Princes' and nobody dared offend them. The shopkeeper's wife at the counter shot a cold glance to the three princes and said, "Three morons..."

Xiao Wan'er frowned and whispered, "Cousin Xiao Chen, they are so noisy..."

"If you are a princess, you can go argue with them. Don't say that you know me." Xiao Chen said casually.

Xiao Han was drinking alone without saying anything. When Xiao Chen found out that he had almost finished a jar of wine, Xiao Chen fetched a bowl, poured some wine, saluted to him and drank a toast.

Lil Ruo asked, "Master, you don't drink..."

"It doesn't matter. I'm afraid that this ice face can't get up in time and make troubles for me."

"It's you that won't get up in time, not me." Xiao Han suddenly spoke.

With a chuckle, Xiao Chen waved to the counter and said, "Two jars of wine, please. The strongest wine."

The Three Princes were talking in a loud voice, which annoyed the others. But nobody dared to let them be quiet. All of a sudden, a bell rang out of nowhere. Then, Prince Zhao shouted, "Holy smokes! Madame, why is there a spider in your wine?"

Xiao Chen spat out the wine in his mouth. Xiao Han said with a cold voice, "Drink yours. It's fine." He then drank another bowl of wine.

The shopkeeper's wife moved to Prince Zhao like wind and asked, "Kid, what did you say?"

"I said that there's a spider in your..." Prince Zhao did not dare to continue.

The shopkeeper's wife stamped her foot on the bench, and she looked like a gloomy huge mountain. "Kid, say it again..."

"How... How dare you! I am the prince of the State of Zhao. My ar-army is..."

"Somebody, there's someone who doesn't want to pay." As her voice fell, two bruisers with kitchen knives came to her out of nowhere.

"Who dare to eat without paying in the Dragon Gate Inn?! You've got balls!"

Prince Zhao swallowed his saliva in fright and said with a forced smile, "Uhh... I'm sorry. It was just a mistake..."

The shopkeeper's wife then waved and said, "It's fine now everyone, please continue." She then walked to the counter.

However, Xiao Chen did not dare to touch the wine jar anymore. Before long, there was another scream. Prince Zhao spat out a big number of spiders to the table, and Prince Yan spat out numerous centipedes to the table. As for Prince Qi, he spat out some unknown bugs.

The crowd was scared and ran away upon seeing this. Xiao Wan'er and Lil Ruo's faces changed. The shopkeeper's wife frowned and said, "What the hell is going on!"

Xiao Chen's mouth twitched. "We're done. That Ghoulish Woman really is here. How does that saying go? Being haunted by an imp, who goes from heaven to earth and follows you forever..."

Before he finished his words, a delicate little girl with an angel-like face appeared close to his face on the left side, twinkling. "Xiao Chen, are you talking about me?"

Xiao Chen turned his head as a faint scent hit his nostrils. He forced a smile and said, "Hi! Miss Shangguan, long time no see!"

This girl in a yellow shirt was Shangguan Yan, the very daughter of the Shangguan Family. She looked at Xiao Han and said, "Ice face, you are here too."

Xiao Han put his bowl on the table and stood up, saying, "Sorry, I have something else to do. I'm going to the toilet first." He then walked out.

"Me too. I'll go to the toilet." Xiao Chen followed him.

Shangguan Yan turned her head and looked at Xiao Wan'er, saying, "Sister Wan'er, you are..."

"Uhh, I forgot to wash my clothes." She then rushed upstairs as if she had seen a ghost.

Shangguan Yan finally looked helplessly at Lil Ruo with his pitiful big eyes and asked, "Sister Lil Ruo, am I really that horrible..."

Lil Ruo nodded blankly.

All of a sudden, the shopkeeper's wife flashed to her and said sullenly, "Little girl, I know it's you!"

Shangguan Yan's big, pitiful eyes twinkled and then she said, "Sis, you wronged me..."

The shopkeeper's wife reached out her hand and said, "Are you still arguing?! Give me the bell!"

Shangguan Yan put her head on her hand and twinkled, saying, "No... Sister, please. I know I'm wrong, alright?"

"It doesn't help. Give it to me! I'll give it back to you tomorrow!"

"Sis, you see, I've got the bell on me. What if I accidentally shake it when I take it out, and then maybe, this inn would no longer be able to host anyone in a dozen days. This is not good, right? Sis, please, I won't do that anymore..."

"You! You little girl. I concede!"

"Tee-hee, sis, don't get mad at me. I keep the bell for your sake."

A moment later, Xiao Chen and Xiao Han quietly walked back. They looked at each other and thought, "Strange. Why did nothing happen to this place?"

Shangguan Yan glared at them and narrowed her eyes, saying, "What are you two sneaking around? Come greet me now!"

"Aha! Uhh, brother ice, it seems that I've drunk too much. I'm so dizzy right now."

"Aha! Yeah, I'm so dizzy too. Let's go to our room and take some rest."