AST 391 - The third Portrait of Beauties, she is the woman in the drawing

“If I want to attack the Yan Clan, will Brother Lai help me?”

Qing Shui’s words surprised  Lai Chusong. He looked at Qing Shui with a serious face, and found himself speechless. Finally, he shook his head with a difficult smile. 

“It isn't that I don't wish to help, it’s just if you really want to attack the Yan Clan, I don't have that sort of ability to help.”

Qing Shui responded unexpectedly with a smile.  As he looked back at Lai Chusong, he replied amiably, “ I was just kidding. But I really liked your response.”

After he sent Lai Chusong off, Qing Shui returned to the courtyard where his family was. When he entered, he found that there was a commotion in hall. They stopped once Qing Shui returned.

“ We'll be staying here temporarily!”

“ I want to meet Qingqing. Qing Shui can I meet Qingqing?” Tears rolled down Qing Yi’s face uncontrollably as she finished her sentence. 

Qing Shui was stunned. He peered over at Qing Luo,  then Canghai Mingyue and lastly at Huoyun Liu-Li.

“I’d say. Now that things have reached this point, shouldn’t you inform your mother about this.” Huoyun Liu-Li said this to Qing Shui’s face.

   Qing Shui sighed lightly. 

“Mother, I didn’t meant to hide this from you. We have endured so much over these years. I am just afraid that you will suffer more.”

“I know. I know. I just want to see her. I won’t do anything. I can’t do anything. I will just look at her..” At this moment, Qing Yi was just a mother. Just a mother who wanted to see her child she had not met for 20 years. 

Qing Shui could not refuse the earnestness and expectations in those eyes. He too greatly missed that obstinate silhouette of that girl who held on unyieldingly to her convictions. 

“We can’t introduce ourselves yet. We will just go and see her. However, we can’t tell her that we’re family yet. Also, you mustn’t let her see you, Mother. She resembles you too much.” Qing Shui said bitterly. He could really understand Qing Yi’s feelings so he could not bear to refuse her. 

 After she heared what Qing Shui said, Huoyun Liu-Li nodded, “ That’s right. She really looks like you!”

Qing Yi nodded her head emotionally. Some moments before, due to the slip of her tongue, Huoyun Liu-Li accidently revealed to Qing Yi that her daughter was forced by the Yan Clan to sell tea in the streets and was even bullied by some people.  It was so heart-wrenching that Qing Yi just wanted to bring her daughter home immediately. 

She insisted on seeing her daughter. Qing Shui’s grandfather, Qing Luo had to step in to explain the various concerns and events, and he also consoled Qing Yi as he told her not to trouble Qing Shui further. 

Now, Qing Yi knew that her son’s constant travels and brushes with death was all for his mother and their Qingqing who was suffering in Yan City.  

She felt a.s.sured and touched. Even though she knew that her son had suffered these few years. It pained her even more to know that her son, who was well-regarded in Hundred Miles City had such a challenging time outside as he embarked on his journey to become stronger, and had even tempted Death on many occasions. 

 “Qing Shui…”

Qing Yi looked at Qing Shui with eyes which bespoke grat.i.tude, and confidence and happiness towards Qing Shui. While the ladies beside her - Canghai Mingyue, Huoyun Lui-Li and s.h.i.+ Qingzhuang glanced at Qing Shui quietly with indescribable emotions.  

Qing You looked at Qing Shui with eyes full of admiration, at the same time, it was also filled with a zealousness that he would not lose to him!

“Mother, please rest today. I will bring you to see Qingqing tomorrow.”

    …………

Qing Shui then took some time to explore the city. It was now mid-winter and the weather was extremely cold. Qing Shui walked out of the Lai residence and walked toward the adjacent street. 

The street had the greatest number fabric stores. clothes stores and such  related businesses in the whole of Yan City.

“Yan Clan’s Fabric Store!”

Qing Shui observed that the best situated shop in the street was the Yan Clan’s Fabric Store.

“Well, I should look around. Maybe I could get something.” Qing Shui hesitated a moment before he stepped into the Yan Clan’s Fabric Store. 

Yan Clan’s Fabric Store occupied a large s.p.a.ce. There were many bolts of fabrics and rows and rows of shelves with clothes. This made it impossible to know how big the area was. From what Qing Shui estimated from the exterior, the store was even larger than many other emporiums in other cities he had been to. 

Half of what the store carried were fabrics and half were clothes. The clothes created a dazzling plethora of colors. There were clothes for each season. There were more women clothes than men’s and they were generally much more l.u.s.trous.

There was a small counter near the entrance. Behind a counter, there was a beautiful lady who concentrated on counting some numbers. The customers in the store were mostly women.  

There was an easily identifiable staff member in each segment of the store. They were young women who wore the same uniforms and their looks were all above average.

The store was thus filled with a warm youthfulness as the fair, gorgeous young ladies sashayed around like blossoms in breeze, while the male customers looked with great thirst. 

“Hi sir, do you need any help?”

Just as Qing Shui was distracted, he heard a sweet voice. He turned around to find one of the staff smiling at him.

Qing Shui looked at the tall, svelte and seductively charming lady. Her best qualities were her porcelain white skin, voluptuous figure, tiny waist and those s.e.xy slight upturned eyes. From Qing Shui’s point of view, he couldn’t tell if they were s.e.xy or handsome.

Qing Shui read somewhere that such women had exceedingly strong s.e.xual desire. Qing Shui did not hold any intentions for her as she still couldn’t be compared to the women around him. 

“Does your store carry fox coats or fox fur?” Qing Shui asked. 

Fox coats were not considered a luxury in the world of the nine continents. However, fox fur coats made from Fox beasts were a different cla.s.s altogether. 

“Come with me!”

The girl smiled and turned as Qing Shui followed behind.

Qing Shui could see that the woman in front of him was intentionally walking with a sway that emphasized her well-shaped b.u.t.t. It was captivating and her figure from the back was as s.e.xy as Huoyun Liu-li.

After multiple twists and turns, Qing Shui followed the woman to a different section. There was a long shelf filled with fox coats and fox furs . It was real eye opener for Qing Shui. There were white fox furs, red fox furs, black fox furs, green fox furs and purple fox furs

The clothing also came in a mult.i.tude of colors. The designs were beautiful, stylish, sharp and elegant!

It was no wonder that there is such a saying: “Clothes make the man.” Even just when he looked at the clothes, Qing Shui could see that they were special.

Qing Shui reached out to touch the nearest white fox fur coat, he could feel that it was made from genuine fox fur. Suddenly, he thought of the obstinate silhouette of his sister, whether she was felt cold in such a weather, and whether her heart could still discern the coldness and warmth in the world.

In the end, Qing Shui selected a few fox furs and left. Unfortunately, he could not find any Fox Beast fur, though he already expected that.

He got one purple fox fur and one fire fox fur. For the rest of the furs, they were all snow white.

As Qing Shui left, the woman looked at him longingly. 

“Yan Yun’er, are you interested in him?”

Just then, another girl walked in and witnessed the whole event and joked.

“He is most handsome man I’ve ever seen. Those superficial self-centred casanovas from influential families look like dog s.h.i.+t beside him.” the tall, svelte and voluptuous woman said truthfully whilst smiling. 

“ Usually you will tell me stop checking out guys but even you have such moments. But he does look good.” laughed the beautiful, quick-witted girl. 

The girl looked exquisite and carried an air of mischief. 

“Yes, Xing’er. So why are you here and not practicing your cultivation at home?”

Yan Yun’er did not look abashed at all as she questioned the girl, of equal beauty, and smiled. 

“Guess?” Yan Xing’er winked her pure-looking pair of eyes. 

“ Little la.s.s, you are at it again. Come on, just say it!”

“My big sister is back!”

“Ling’er is back? Why is she back from the Heavenly Palace so early?” Yan Yun’er was amazed. 

“Come on, let’s go back. Third uncle has already decided to stop punis.h.i.+ng you by having you come here to sell clothes. Let’s go.” Yan Xing’er chuckled.  

“I have to change first!”

It was a pity that Qing Shui had already left. Otherwise, he would have found out that the Ling’er they were talking about was the Yan Ling’er he had met outside the Heavenly Palace.

    …………

When he returned to the Lai residence, he went straight to the courtyard where they were staying. 

But in one of the study rooms of the Lai residence….

“Chusong, I don’t sense any power from that friend of yours. Yet, it doesn’t seem like he is a man without cultivation.” A scholarly, middle-aged man who stood in front of Lai Chusong commented cheerily. 

“He has the most proficient healing skills I’ve ever seen! However, I really can’t tell why he had brought family with him to Yan City.” Yan Chusong replied respectfully to the middle-aged man. 

“But he had told me something.” Lai Chusong continued. 

“What is it?”

“He asked if I would help him if he attacked the Yan Clan.”

A sharpness flashed in the scholarly man’s eyes, and he looked at Lai Chusong for for a brief moment, as thoughts raced in his mind.

“Chusong, do you think he is telling the truth?” the man asked as he suddenly laughed. 

Lai Chusong shook his head. “ I am not sure. My first impression was that it was a lie yet at the same time I feel that he could be telling the truth…”

“Do you think he’ll be successful?”

Lai Chusong shook his head!

“ Then, do you think it is a good thing that he’s staying with us?” the man continued to chuckle gently. He said this like a statement rather than a question. 

“ Ha ha. I trust your judgement. Don’t worry. Father will support you!”

The man’s refined and scholarly face did not change yet he exuded an aura of ostentatious and willful dominance. Anyone who knew him well will know that was not just for show, he had the power and a.s.sets.  He was the head of the Lai Clan, Lai Jiutian, and could have an impact on Yan City even if he made a small fuss. 

 Lai Chusong looked at the man happily and he felt exceptionally proud.

“Thank you, Father!”

    …………

At night, Qing Shui entered the Realm of Violet Jade Immortal. As he thought about tomorrow’s plan to bring his mother to meet the obstinate woman, and about how the Yan Clan’s issue will finally come to a close, he felt slightly excited. 

Ancient Strengthening Technique!

Art of Pursuing!

Taichi Fist！

    ……

While he ate dinner, he looked at his golden calligraphy brush. The calligraphy brush belonged to an art maestro and it was a brush with a lot of character. He also admired his Moonstone Ink Stab. They were both extraordinary items. 

He suddenly remembered that when he gave Canghai Mingyue his Interspatial silk sachet, he took one rolled up Portrait of Beauty out from it and placed it in the Realm of Violet Jade Immortal.

It was the only item in the Interspatial silk sachet that interested him!

He looked for it anxiously. He had forgotten about it but remembered now. He easily found it in the realm once he swept through the area with his Spiritual Sense. However, he was stunned when he saw the woman in the picture.

The woman in the portrait had a pair of resplendent bright eyes which drew people to her beauty and exception remarkable aura. Her hair was pinned up with an ivory-like white jade hairpin. 

She had an unexplainable refineness, as if a G.o.ddess with unworldly beauty. Her slender body was well covered by her celestial-like clothes yet it could not conceal the gentle beauty of her well-defined figure. 

She had the most beautiful figure which did not even deviate a bit from perfection. The perfect contour of her curves made other women with overly large bosoms and fleshy b.u.t.ts look intolerably vulgar.

She was like a light-footed G.o.ddess, apart from her mythical appearance,and she gave people a feeling as if she lived in an isolated valley cut away from the world. 

Yiye Jiange!

She was one of the ladies in the Portraits of Beauty!

Qing Shui was shocked. Even though he had never thought that his G.o.ddess-like master was ever inferior to the beauties in the Portrait of Beauty. But when he saw that familiar face in the Portrait of Beauty, he felt oddly proud about that and surprised….