The Stars Beyond

Chapter 499: Daughter Of A King

"Thinking about the first time I entered a city when my master bought me candied hawthorn," Jiang Qingyao spoke softly, her voice tinged with nostalgia. Once, the cities were surrounded by massive walls and moats, now replaced by towering skyscrapers and modern buildings.

"I miss my master too," the younger version of Celestial Sword Maiden piped up, her eyes brimming with tears. On a stormy night long past, her entire sect was mercilessly slain by a man in black—those faces she would never see again.

"There’s still candied hawthorn to be found today, let’s go get some," Wang Xuan offered, trying to lift the spirits.

Soon, both versions of the Celestial Sword Maiden, young and old, held a stick of candied hawthorn. Jiang Qingyao, lost in the echoes of her past, barely nibbled at hers. Though the setting had changed, the taste could not bring back those days; the sweetness had a shadow of melancholy.

The younger Qingyao, however, seemed to find the present more delightful, chewing enthusiastically until thoughts of her master soured the sweetness, and she tried hard to steer her mind away from memories.

With time still on their side before lunch, Wang Xuan decided to take them shopping to help adapt to the modern pace of life.

"First thing's first—smartphones," the younger Qingyao reminded, understanding the necessity of communication tools, especially now that extraordinary means like telepathy had faded with the decline of transcendence.

"Of course, but no gaming or binge-watching videos," Wang Xuan half-joked.

"What game could rival the thrill of slaying demons across realms or hunting sacred beasts in the divine seas?" she retorted.

"Point taken," Wang Xuan conceded.

Soon, each of the celestial beings had a brand-new Lotus-brand smartphone in hand. Wang Xuan, with patience, began explaining the functionalities, a task he thought would require meticulous attention due to their unfamiliarity.

However, he underestimated them. The younger Qingyao, impatient with his slow pace, demanded he transfer the knowledge directly through a mental imprint for efficiency's sake.

Before long, she was adeptly navigating her new device—texting, voice messaging, watching videos, and even editing photos with skill that belied her brief introduction.

"You should add me on your social media; why wait for me to ask?" she chided Wang Xuan, who was left speechless by their quick adaptability.

Meanwhile, the older Jiang Qingyao's mood had lightened considerably. After recovering from her initial melancholy, she took to the smartphone's camera with gusto. Clothed in flowing white robes, she even attempted to levitate for a perfect celestial selfie before Wang Xuan hurriedly reminded her they were still within the city limits.

"Stay grounded, though those ethereal snaps really are stunning. Send me a few of those beauties!" Wang Xuan requested, eager to capture the moment.

"Not giving you one, you're laughing like a villain!" the Celestial Sword Maiden chuckled, her sweetness belying a touch of mischief as she teasingly turned away.

The younger version chimed in supportively, "Exactly! That nasty smile of yours reminds me of that Flower Thief from the Yin-Yang Sect, who got beaten up in the end!"

Snap!

Undeterred, Wang Xuan seized the moment to snap a selfie with the two Celestial Sword Maidens, capturing a genuinely good picture. "A thousand years from now, let's hope we can still take photos together," he mused cheerfully.

"Let's go shopping for some clothes!" he suggested, leading the way to modernize their wardrobes, already pondering how to "equip" the pair for a contemporary look.

The shopping street was bustling even in the morning. It wasn't long before Wang Xuan encountered a familiar face—Qi Liandao, the Demon Ancestor's second son.

Wang Xuan paused, surprised. It had only been a few days since they had schemed over the Demon Ancestor's blood pool in the celestial realm, and now here was his son.

Qi Liandao was accompanying a female demon immortal on her shopping spree, visibly resigned to his fate, having lost his ambitious drive after repeated defeats—largely at the hands of Old Zhang and Wang Xuan.

Their first encounter involved Old Zhang throttling him and forcing him to call him 'uncle,' a blow to his pride.

Subsequent encounters with Wang Xuan left him so harried that he seemed aged beyond his years.

Now, drifting with the tide like other "returnees," he was adapting to modern life, the worries of a transcendental apocalypse far from his mind.

"Are you also from beyond the Great Veil? Allow me to introduce myself, I am Qi Liandao!" His eyes brightened as he spotted Jiang Qingyao, approaching with enthusiasm to greet her.

Wang Xuan, who was just finishing paying for the clothes for the two immortals, stood nearby, although not immediately next to Jiang Qingyao. Despite his imposing presence, Qi Liandao seemed to have overlooked him entirely, likely due to Wang Xuan's subdued aura.

However, it was clear that Qi Liandao's attention was solely on the Celestial Sword Maiden, so much so that he momentarily forgot about his own companion and walked straight up to introduce himself with a gentlemanly warmth.

A sharp sound emanated from the Celestial Sword Maiden's sword, resonating from behind her.

Qi Liandao's expression briefly froze, then he hesitated, saying, "You seem...familiar. I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere."

Then, he noticed the smaller version, who was making threatening gestures at him. She was just as exquisite and bore a striking resemblance to the larger figure.

"Is it permissible to slay demons here?" Jiang Qingyao asked, her voice clearly directed at Wang Xuan.

Wang Xuan approached, his expression stern as he fixed his gaze on Qi Liandao.

At this moment, the hairs on the neck of the Demon Ancestor's second son stood on end. Encountering Wang Xuan again seemed like bad luck, as every previous meeting had ended with him defeated and humiliated. He was thoroughly resigned to his fate.

Thankfully, he had resolved not to antagonize Wang Xuan to the bitter end and had cleared the air at Huang Ming's teahouse, where all grievances were openly discussed and resolved.

"Old Wang, is this immortal your..." He hadn't yet recognized Jiang Qingyao, mainly because she was exceptionally low-key, a survivalist in the celestial realm who rarely made public appearances in turbulent times.

Then, Qi Liandao glanced at the smaller Celestial Sword Maiden and asked Wang Xuan, “Is this... your daughter?”

This question left Wang Xuan momentarily stunned before he realized the absurdity of the situation. He had arrived full of fury but now found himself slightly distracted, restraining his anger.

“I’m so mad!” the little one exclaimed, jumping up and delivering a kick that sent Qi Liandao flying into an ancient ginkgo tree beside the road.

Frustrated yet resigned, Qi Liandao hung from the tree, a mix of anger and sadness washing over him. Defeated by a child—was he really that helpless? At that moment, all his grand ambitions and struggles through the eternal night seemed pointless, as bitterness flooded his heart.

“Can I slay the demon?” Jiang Qingyao asked again.

“Let it go,” Wang Xuan replied. “We can’t shed blood in the city, and his mistake was unintentional. His nature isn’t all bad, at least he hasn’t done anything evil in this realm.”

“Celestial Sword Maiden... Jiang Qingyao?!” It finally dawned on Qi Liandao who she was. His scalp tingled with fear. His elder brother had once coveted this woman but had never dared to act. Now, inadvertently, he had provoked her again. Every encounter with Wang Xuan seemed cursed.

“It’s just a misunderstanding, goodbye!” With no hesitation, Qi Liandao leapt from the tree and disappeared, fearful of further wrath.

“Heh, heh...” Wang Xuan couldn’t help but chuckle.

“You laugh just like those from the Yin-Yang Sect!” the little one critiqued.

“If you keep that up, I’m not taking you shopping!” Wang Xuan threatened.

“Pfft, your bank account and password are all set up on our phones. Can’t I shop by myself? Plus, the clothes you pick are not at all flattering!” The younger Qingyao spared him no mercy.

As they continued, the Celestial Sword Maiden’s adaptability was evident. She donned high heels and navigated the streets with a swaying grace, her demeanor transformed and radiating a different kind of charm.

Unfortunately, whenever Wang Xuan attempted to recommend slightly more revealing clothing, like short skirts, Jiang Qingyao would humorously tap his head with the hilt of her sword.

"Old Wang, where are you? It's almost time, don't be late," Qin Cheng messaged in the Deep Space Beyond group, noting that it was nearing noon.

The younger Qingyao, bored with carrying bags and guarding a pile of shopping boxes, saw the message and responded on behalf of Wang Xuan with a voice reply: "Comrade Old Wang is currently buying us skirts!"

"I go, sounds like a girl!" Qin Cheng was startled.

"It is a girl!" Chen Yongjie replied instantly, also in the Deep Space Beyond group.

"There's a situation!" Qingmu chimed in.

The venerable Liu Huai'an, who had also ventured to the land of immortality and returned in shared hardship, was naturally in the group too; his message was more reserved: "......"

Then came Zhao Qinghan, who also sent six dots: "......"

Followed by Wu Yin: "......"

After sending the reply, the little one tossed the phone aside carelessly, mainly feeling exploited and thus disinterested. Post-shopping, Jiang Qingyao had somehow managed to make her carry even more bags, second only to Wang Xuan, while the Celestial Sword Maiden herself carried very few, looking effortlessly chic.

In the Deep Space Beyond group, Qin Cheng wiped sweat from his brow and tried to smooth things over: "Old Wang mentioned he was bringing friends over. Don't overthink it; he's just a straightforward guy."

"Yes, probably just some friends he met on the way!" Qingmu quickly tried to cover.

"Probably so..." Liu Huai'an finished with another six dots.

Zhao Qinghan: "......"

Wu Yin: "......"

Their group conversation buzzed with mixed signals, humor, and a bit of curiosity, waiting for Wang Xuan to clear up the amusing misunderstanding.

......

"Time to eat and meet some new friends," Wang Xuan announced, beckoning Jiang Qingyao and the miniature Celestial Sword Maiden to halt their shopping spree.

They headed to the Flowing Gold Era Restaurant, a place Wang Xuan had visited often, introduced by his old college friend Qin Cheng, who had never been short on cash even back in their student days.

As they arrived, memories flooded Wang Xuan's mind of past encounters at this very location. He remembered how his ex-girlfriend Ling Wei was once here, set up by her family to meet a promising young man from the Wu family. It was part of a larger plan by the Ling, Wu, and Zhou families to discreetly excavate the secrets buried beneath Qingcheng Mountain.

It was also here that Wang Xuan first met Wu Yin, which had led to a verbal altercation that left her breathless and her evening gown nearly bursting at the seams.

Everything felt like it had happened just yesterday.

Qin Cheng, always the early bird, was already waiting outside. From afar, his eyes widened in surprise, and he couldn't help but exclaim quietly, "Old Wang, bringing the family along? How did you manage to find such beauties?"

His genuine admiration was evident as he quickly added, "Did you hear about my wedding in three months? Feeling the pressure?"

He was oblivious to the murderous look in the younger Qingyao's eyes. With a swift punch, she sent him flying against a wall where he embarrassingly hung suspended.

"Ouch!" Qin Cheng questioned his life choices as he dangled. "Let me down, little beauty, I was wrong, you must be sisters!"

Inside the restaurant, Qingmu and Chen Yongjie emerged in shock upon seeing Jiang Qingyao and the little one. "Celestial Sword Maidens!" they gasped in unison.

They had met the formidable Celestial Sword Maiden before; Chen Yongjie, especially, had been so shaken by her swordsmanship in their first encounters that he'd jokingly vowed to give up the sword altogether for a while.

From the background, Liu Huai'an, the old master, emitted his characteristic "...", before stepping forward to join the gathering.

Zhao Qinghan: "......"

Wu Yin: "......"

Both women arrived at the restaurant's entrance, and without needing introductions or further ado, their gazes fixed on the majestic figures of Jiang Qingyao and her smaller counterpart, clearly stunned by their presence.