Chapter 2: Team Invitation "When we bathe naked together, we become more familiar with each other...

The design of the elegant rooms in Zuihualou is very tasteful, with a five-foot plain screen between the door and the bed.

The screen, originally embroidered with a few unopened crabapple blossoms, was now stained with vibrant color by the splattering blood. The gold-inlaid incense ball hanging from the foot of the screen split into two pieces, and the splattered spices mixed with the blood spread across the ground.

A disfigured body was curled up in a pool of blood. The man was wearing a nightgown soaked in pus and blood. There was a hideous wound on his neck, and his white bones were horrifyingly exposed.

A few steps away, on a carved couch, sat a young man.

He wore a light blue robe, a jade belt tied loosely around his waist. His shoulders were broad and his waist was narrow. He exuded a cool and gentle aura. The only thing that didn't fit in was the black and gold demon mask he wore.

He opened his eyes, his gaze was like ice-hardened silver needles, and when he swept across Shen Wenji, a hint of obscure dark light condensed.

Shen Wenji was incredibly beautiful, with eyebrows and eyes that looked like they were meticulously outlined with a brush. Her eyes were upturned, with thick lashes. A light brown teardrop mole adorned her peach-shaped eyes. Her lips were naturally red, with a full, rounded bead.

Who wouldn't say anything after seeing this, what a handsome man with a pretty face, how could anyone be so cold and heartless to her?

But the next second, a swordsman in plain clothes came from nowhere and approached like a ghost, and the cold sword blade instantly touched her neck.

Shen Wenji's body stiffened, his blood almost solidified, staring at the reflection of the sword blade, bitterness rising in his throat.

The man's movements were strange and unpredictable. If she resisted rashly, not only would she have no chance of winning, but the sharp sword would also cut her flesh without hesitation.

Swords and knives have no eyes, and Shen Wenji didn't even dare to breathe.

She had to calm down and think carefully about her defense.

Shen Wenji forced a smile and said, "I have mistakenly entered the private room and disturbed your pleasure." She lowered her voice deliberately and said, "I hope your Excellency will show mercy... and spare my life."

With an inquiring gaze fixed on Shen Wenji's face, the man sitting on the bed asked thoughtfully, "Are you a waiter at Zuihualou? I've never seen you before."

“…”

No, I have to think of a reasonable male identity in Zuihualou.

Shen Wenji's throat rolled, and absurd thoughts spread like wildfire. She gritted her teeth and squeezed out an awkward laugh: "Haha, I... I'm the new waiter."

The moment the words fell from his mouth, a burning feeling of shame burned his cheeks red.

She wanted to bite off her tongue and closed her eyes in frustration.

What are you saying, you dumbass?!

The man's eyes flashed with surprise, and he laughed briefly, the sound muffled by the mask.

Only a fool would believe such a poor identity and excuse. In this situation, instead of waiting for death, it is better to fight to the death!

Shen Wenji kept an eye on the two people's actions. With her hands behind her back, she quietly outlined the patterns of the spell in her sleeves.

Suddenly, the sudden sound caught her off guard.

"With your good looks, it would be a shame for you to be a servant." The hoarse laughter was wrapped in ambiguity, which startled her so much that she suddenly stopped the spell she was drawing halfway.

Shen Wenji's head buzzed, and he instinctively looked up. The phoenix eyes under the mask were rippled with playfulness, and the tone that should have been cold was actually a bit teasing.

Her brows furrowed tightly. Why did she feel like the masked man in front of her was... teasing her???

The man raised his long, slender hand and waved it lightly a few times, and the chill on Shen Wenji's neck suddenly dissipated. The swordsman disappeared into the shadows like smoke, and in an instant, he was gone.

Shen Wenji stared at the man's eyes, as if trying to penetrate the mask and remember what he looked like.

This person felt so familiar to her.

"What? Don't you want to leave?" The man's joking voice sounded again. He was being stared at, but he didn't get angry.

He seemed to be in a good mood, and if it weren't for the thick and pungent smell of blood in the house, she would have almost believed it.

She shook her head violently, said nothing, and ran away without looking back.

The vanishing swordsman now flashed to the man's side, leaning lazily against the wall. He asked quietly, "Xie Yunqing, you didn't really believe that pretty boy's words, did you? Leaving a stranger alive wouldn't be good for you."

"If you don't believe me, I'm not stupid." Xie Yunqing raised his hand and took off the black and gold mask, revealing his handsome face. The corners of his mouth were still raised.

The swordsman came closer in amazement and asked in an exaggerated tone, "Xie Yunqing, you can actually laugh? What's wrong? Are you attracted to that pretty boy?"

Xie Yunqing rolled his eyes and pushed him away with a cold face: "Wu Feng, go practice your sword."

The swordsman Wu Feng lost all his previous stern aura. Instead, he kept asking, "You must know him, right? What's the relationship? Is he important to you?"

"Shut up." Xie Yunqing stood up, glanced at the male corpse on the ground with disdain, and turned around and said, "If you have time to gossip, you might as well clean up the body. Be careful that the people from the demon world come to seek revenge on you."

Without waiting for Wu Feng to speak, he used magic to clear a clear path and walked out the door.

"Oh, no! Instead of scolding me, why not do it yourself? Cleaning the room is just a piece of cake for you, right?"

Xie Yunqing walked to the door and smelled a unique and strange fragrance, which was rare but very familiar, as if he had smelled it many times before.

He paused, and the moment he turned his head, he locked onto the source of the fragrance.

There was actually a light pink sachet hanging on the doorknob, with a single word "Ji" embroidered on the front.

He raised his hand to take off the sachet, put it under his nose and sniffed it, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised.

*

After coming out of the masked man's private room, Shen Wenji didn't plan to rush into the next room in a panic. She spent some money to find a discerning guy to help her find out.

Less than half an incense stick of time passed before he found his senior brother's room.

Shen Wenji was about to pretend to be a waiter, she raised her hand and knocked on the door.

The next second, a jade plaque carved with green bamboo and about two fingers wide was thrown out from the crack in the door.

Shen Wenji: ??? Brother knew it was her? Then why didn't he even open the door?

Although she was suspicious, she had already got the things, so she couldn't break in again. She had no choice but to stand outside the door and give her brother some instructions according to her mother's instructions.

Senior Brother didn't respond, and Shen Wenji didn't bother to repeat it. It wasn't an important matter anyway, so she might as well think about what preparations she should make for tomorrow's trial.

The next day, at the gate of Tianxuan Sect.

The monks from all corners of the world all had the prescribed green bamboo jade tokens hanging around their waists, and entered the Tianxuan Sect in order.

As soon as Shen Wenji entered the sect, he was stopped by a tall and thin man. He smiled flatteringly and said, "Friend, can I team up with you?"

"Team formation?" Shen Wenji frowned. "I remember there wasn't this part in previous years. Did they change the selection format this year?"

"Yes, I've had the pleasure of seeing your portrait. You should be Mr. Ji, the top of the Today's Pride List, right? I wonder if I would have the honor of teaming up with you?"

Shen Wenji was flattered that someone actually knew him.

Portrait? Am I that famous?

"I'm thinking..." She cleared her throat, trying to sound profound.

Before he finished speaking, the tall and thin man turned into a shadow and disappeared in an instant.

Shen Wenji:???

Aren't we going to form a team? I haven't agreed yet!

She looked in the direction of the tall and thin man and vaguely saw a tall man with broad shoulders and a narrow waist surrounded by a crowd.

Is this the release of the assessment task?

Shen Wenji was confused, but his steps involuntarily followed the flow of people.

The noisy discussions gradually became clearer, and the three words "Xie Yunqing" kept coming into my ears.

"The one surrounded in the middle is Xie Yunqing?" Shen Wenji murmured in disbelief.

Through the layers of crowd, she saw Xie Yunqing's face clearly.

Xie Yunqing stood tall, his youthful immaturity long gone. His face was smooth, his brows and eyes were deep, his brows sharp and sharp. His slightly narrowed eyes held a hint of coldness and world-weariness, and his nose was high. His thin lips were pressed into a line, tinged with irritation, a sharp, unapproachable edge.

The enthusiastic person nearby explained to her, "Everyone has heard that Xie Yunqing is incredibly talented. This election has a two-person team, and everyone hopes to get on his good side. If you want to join a team, you'd better shout louder, otherwise he won't be able to hear us because we're too far away!"

Shen Wenji: "..."

After the kind-hearted person gave his advice, he began to practice it himself, joining the shouting army at the top of his voice, which made Shen Wenji's ears hurt.

The corners of her mouth twitched and she rolled her eyes.

Me? Calling Xie Yunqing's name heartbreakingly?

It's impossible in this lifetime.

The tall and thin man who had just asked her to join a team was now also in Xie Yunqing's cheering team. The more Shen Wenji thought about it, the angrier he became.

Why did Xie Yunqing always have the upper hand over her? She and he were sworn enemies!

Suddenly, the crowd exclaimed.

Xie Yunqing touched the ground with his toes and flew into the air, his clothes rustling in the wind.

The next second, it landed steadily in front of her.

The breath so close at hand startled Shen Wenji so much that he took a half step back, but he bumped into those phoenix eyes that seemed to be smiling.

Shen Wenji: What is he doing...?

"Wen Ji, long time no see." Xie Yunqing lowered his eyes to look at the red mole at the corner of her eye, raised the corner of his mouth slightly, and asked slowly: "Do you have any team members?"

Shen Wenji looked at the huge group of people behind them, and his back teeth were broken.

Who was he pretending for? He was clearly showing off in front of her!

"Of course." Shen Wenji straightened her back and said stubbornly, "I have already chosen my partner." She deliberately ignored the intermittent gasps behind her.

Xie Yunqing, who was admired by the entire Tianxuan Sect, was actually rejected in person?!

"Then..." Xie Yunqing's expression did not change, and he wanted to say something.

The bronze bell in the back mountain rang loudly, and the ethereal and majestic voice of an old man resounded through the sky: "The Tianxuan Sect Trial is about to begin. All cultivators, please line up at the designated location according to the order of your number plates."

The jade pendant at the waist suddenly became hot, and when I took it off, a thin layer of sweat appeared on my palm.

On the white jade plate, the number "69" appeared, glowing faintly.

"What a coincidence, I'm number 70." A whisper with a smile came into her ear, and warm breath fanned her earlobe, and her sensitive ear turned red in an instant.

Shen Wenji took two steps back, covering his reddened ears. His radiant peach blossom eyes glared angrily at the young man beside him: "Xie Yunqing! Just talk if you want to. Why are you getting so close? Do we know each other well?"

Xie Yunqing tilted his head to look at her, a mischievous smile in his eyes, and asked innocently, "We've been friends since childhood, isn't that familiar enough?"

Seeing that the other party pursed his lips and remained silent, he raised an eyebrow and said lightly: "Later... when we take a bath together naked, we will become more familiar with each other."

The author has something to say:

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Xiao Xie: While wearing the mask, I'll tease my wife a little bit [dog head holding a rose]

I also found a sachet embroidered with my wife's name. It's another happy day~ [dog's head holding a rose][dog's head holding a rose][dog's head holding a rose]