Soaring the Heavens

She was no fool, and as such, was also level-headed. Miao Yi had no qualms about confronting her head-on, so rather than embarrassing herself over petty matters and provide juicy entertainment for the subordinates, she might as well handle it magnanimously. It was but a misunderstanding, there was no right and wrong way to it. Better to just regard it as a joke and laugh it off—trying to cover it up would only make things even more embarrassing.

But for a certain someone, it really touched a sore spot, and Miao Yi was quite speechless. 'If you're really helping me just because I took advantage of you, then wouldn't it give people more reason to take advantage of you in the future?'

Miao Yi felt inclined to speak out that, 'It was fate that we have crossed paths, so let us be friends', yet felt diffident just thinking about it. This was the Lady Boss of Tempest Tavern—he had no idea what her actual cultivation level was. He should first inquire on her cultivation level and then decide whether some words were best uttered or not. Putting aside the matter of requesting for aid, he broached the question, "Lady Boss, may I know your cultivation level?"

Just as soon as the words left his mouth, a Purple Lotus Third Grade bloomed in between her eyebrows, letting Miao Yi witness it with his own eyes. It was a wordless answer to his question.

"..." Miao Yi was astounded—there was such an immense gap in their cultivation levels. The words he had intended to say about becoming friends were stuck in his throat and left unuttered. With his cultivation level, he wasn't even qualified to carry her shoes. It was exactly as she said: for what reason should she help?

The traces of the Lotus disappeared from the Lady Boss's forehead, "A cultivation level such as mine is nothing. The Tempest Tavern has always maintained an impartial stance within the Flowing Clouds Dune Sea. We have never been involved in any conflicts and were able to survive thanks to the respect accorded to it by the respective powers. This is also the real reason why the Tempest Tavern has remained towering in its sole existence amidst the Flowing Clouds Dune Sea. Hence, I also won't be able to help you much. At most, I can only treat you to some free wine. Do drop by to enjoy a drink with me when you have the time."

A tone of regret, filled with an extremely apologetic air, offering to accompany him in drinking wine as a means to compensate for her inability to extend assistance.

Miao Yi forced a smile. She'd left him with no possible words to counter.

Seeing that he was silent, the Lady Boss remarked in jest, "Why? Is this Lady Boss not fair enough as company fitting to drink with you? My looks are not too bad, right? I've had smoldering gazes from countless men—all akin to wolves—fixed on me whenever I walk outside—that's already proof enough that I still possess some attractiveness. Such a pleasant task, one that so many men have wished for but never had the privilege, you would not decline, right?"

'So what if your looks aren't bad? I can only gawk helplessly anyway. Just because your looks are relatively good, I have to accompany you to drink wine?' Miao Yi silently scoffed in his mind, yet smilingly raised his cup in a toast, belying his thoughts as he remarked, "Lady Boss has given me face and shown me favor, I naturally have to accept with grace."

The Lady Boss raised her wine cup and lightly bumped it with Miao Yi's, swallowed the wine in one gulp, then put down her wine bowl while she shook her head and explained, "I'm not showing you favor, in truth, I myself feel empty and lonely. I just want to find someone to talk to."

Miao Yi was startled and asked, "Why me?"

"We share a previous acquaintance in the Mystic Arts Temple, and coincidentally you've also taken advantage of me before. If I don't look for you then who else?"

'Still bringing that up?' Miao Yi's face twitched.

With a smile, the Lady Boss then waved her hand and said in jest, "I was just joking with you! As a woman, even I'm not taking to heart the matters of the past, so what reason should you, a man, be affected by it? It's not like I'm going to devour you! It is true, I genuinely feel empty and lonely, and I only want to find someone to talk to. I want someone that I can relax with, someone I can talk to casually as I please."

Miao Yi tried to pry, "Don't you have anyone to talk to usually? You have quite a number of subordinates within the Tavern, right?"

The Lady Boss shook her head with a smile, an expression implying 'you do not understand' on her face, then pointed her finger into her now empty wine bowl, signaling him to pour wine for her. "If a relationship between a man and a woman grows too close, it is easy to give rise to unbecoming gossip, especially for a beautiful woman like myself, who has always been prone to stir up a man's heart. Too close could also lead to him misunderstanding the relationship. I do not wish to cause them any hurt. Little brother, you would not question my beauty, right?"

'This woman is a real narcissist. It's not like I've never seen beauties lovelier than you!' Miao Yi coughed dryly, then vaguely cited, "As beautiful as an angel! As beautiful as an angel!"

"Why do I feel that there isn't an ounce of sincerity in these words of yours?" The Lady Boss rolled her eyes at Miao Yi and continued from where she left off, "There's not much to be said about them anyway. They know me very well—some words I don't even need to voice out yet they would already understand. What more is there for me to talk with them about? I only wanted to find someone whom I could casually talk to."

"I know, it's just that…" Miao Yi glanced to the left and right of the Lady Boss's room and asked hesitantly, "Then are you not afraid of gossip spreading about us?"

The Lady Boss laughingly replied, "Do you think that I would allow you to keep on taking advantage of me? Herein lies the disparity between you and me: you're hardly qualified to be associated in gossip with me. To put it coarsely, even if you have the evil intentions of a crook, you still lack a crook's guts!"

Miao Yi was dumbfounded. This was being overly derisive, though he must honestly admit, that it really was the case—possessing an evil heart but not the evil courage.

Then he must drink a few more bowls, damn it! It would be such a waste to let the opportunity pass! Miao Yi then vigorously gulped down a few bowls in succession.

"Hehe…" The Lady Boss laughed as she slapped the table in excitement, pointing her finger at Miao Yi while chuckling heartily.

After leaving the Lady Boss's room, Miao Yi then used his transcendence energy to disperse the strong stench of liquor on his body and went back to his own room. He inwardly resolved to never be the Lady Boss's drinking partner after this, not ever again. A meal that you can look upon but not partake, why should he join in? It would only make one tempted with the enticement. He was still sane, and he had yet to settle his own problems, how could he have the mood to listen to her incessant chatter?

He was just about to sit cross-legged on the bed, preparing to cultivate as a means of passing time while waiting for the decree from the Traversing Water Palace. Who would've predicted that the previously bolted door would spring open by itself, while the shadows of three men leaped inside and drew the door shut. It gave him quite the scare as he reflexively jumped up. Was it not said that this Tempest Tavern was very safe?

As soon as he could clearly make out who it was, he was rendered stupefied.

The cook, carpenter, and stonemason moved to sit beside him like old acquaintances. The cook even had his arm around Miao Yi's shoulders as he snickered, "Niu Er, the Lady Boss didn't do anything to you, did she?"

'Niu Er?' Miao Yi finally understood. This band of people had, in fact, recognized him earlier on. Now he could somewhat comprehend the objective behind last night's braised pork leg in soy sauce and this morning's noodles. This band of bastards had intentionally set out to entrap him! He objected on the spot, "A man and a woman coexisting within a room, you tell me what could happen?"

The three of them abruptly stared at Miao Yi in wide-eyed suspense and asked in unison, "So what happened?"

Miao Yi moved from his cross-legged pose, unwinding and straightening his legs. His face was awash with an expression that spoke of a lingering, pleasant memory as he clicked his tongue and said, "The Lady Boss's figure is really perfect, almost too much to cope with!"

This was clearly misleading them into thinking that he and the Lady Boss were up to indecent deeds just now. The eyeballs of these three people nearly popped out of their sockets, and the carpenter spoke doubtfully, "It's impossible, is it not?"

With arms akimbo, Miao Yi countered, "How could it not be possible? If you don't believe me, you can go ahead and ask the Lady Boss yourselves."

Astonishment was written on their three faces, and they gazed at Miao Yi, finding his claim incredulous. Apparently, it was very hard to believe that Miao Yi could win over the Lady Boss after only just meeting her.

But the cook's gaze then suddenly shifted—"Pa!"—a resounding slap landed on the back of Miao Yi's head, almost toppling him off the bed.

Miao Yi flared up indignantly, "What are you doing?"

The cook rose to his feet and pointed at Miao Yi, telling the other two, "Don't listen to him talk nonsense! We were almost tricked by him, this brat was trying to hoodwink us! If we really listened to him and went to the Lady Boss to probe, what do you think the consequences would be?"

'I've been exposed!' Yet, the Miao Yi who was thinking of exacting some payback said with an air of nonchalance, "I was just stating a fact. It's not my problem if you fellows think indecently and let your imaginations run wild with immoral thoughts. Why should you blame it on me?"

Both the carpenter and the stonemason were taken aback as they gasped in shock. The carpenter pointed at Miao Yi and said, "During that time at the Mystic Arts Temple, I thought that you were a pretty good kid. How come you're now full of evil tricks?"

The stonemason scrutinized Miao Yi up and down, trying to size him up. "Kid, you didn't deliberately take advantage of the Lady Boss all those years ago, did you?"

Miao Yi was startled and said, "You've seen through that too? I already confessed to the Lady Boss just now. The Lady Boss said never mind and even asked me to accompany her in drinking wine more often. I was just pondering on what the Lady Boss could mean. You all know her well—what did she mean by that?"

Bang! The cook suddenly gave Miao Yi a kick knocking him onto the bed. At the same time, the other two also jumped onto the bed together, seizing Miao Yi as they rained down blows and kicks.

How could the flimsy wooden bed frame withstand the rambunctious motions of four men tumbling over it? The bed collapsed with a crash.

The cultivation level of these three people was too high. They beat Miao Yi until he was too weak to strike back. He wrapped his arms around his head as he huddled against the wall in the corner and howled, "Quit it! If you don't, then don't blame me for being uncivilized!"

Were it not for his belief that the three of them bore no malicious intentions to deal him a deadly blow, and he dared not make matters blow up once again, he could have burned down this whole place.

"What does it mean? You're asking what it means?"

"It means you need a good beating."

"This brat is too spoiled; the Lady Boss has suffered a great loss."

After the brawl, the three of them uttered these words respectively as they turned around and left.

Miao Yi, who was covering his head and huddled against the wall in the corner, then stood up. He tentatively touched his rear—one might say that his whole body was covered in footprints. He grimaced in pain, his butt had borne the brunt of the onslaught, receiving most of the hits.

Miao Yi wanted to complain to the Lady Boss right away. However, upon reaching her door he then changed his mind and retraced his footsteps. On further thought, he was the one who didn't manage to cheat them. If he tried to complain about it to the Lady Boss, perhaps he'd end up being the misfortunate one.

He could only suffer in silence—such unspeakable bitter suffering. He re-entered his room and vented his anger by tossing the shattered bed frame out the window, fragments and all!

He withdrew to his room and closed the door. Without the bed, he then sat cross-legged on the floor. With his strength inferior to theirs, he intended to endure this grudge for the time being. Tossing an Orb of Will into his mouth, he diligently cultivated, in the hopes of being able to avenge, in the days to come, this grievance of blows and kicks he suffered.

Who would've expected that as night fell, the door bolt would swing open yet again? The scholar entered once more, his hand at his back, and crouched down in front of Miao Yi who was staring wide-eyed back at him. The scholar then smilingly said, "I heard that the cook and the other two gave you a beating? This band of rascals, really! Later, I will admonish them on your behalf…" He rattled on and on.

In the days to come, Miao Yi, eventually realized that this Tempest Tavern was in fact not safe for him at all. The bolt on the door was just for decoration. The four rascals could come in whenever they wanted and never once knocked on the door.

The carpenter later hoisted over a big chunk of wood and built a solid new bed for him out of it, right inside his room.

The stonemason would bring over a stone whenever he was free and did carvings in front of Miao Yi.

Whenever the cook was free, he would bring over two dishes he personally made and have a drink with him.

These three rascals acted like they'd never beaten him. And the scholar, who was stationed at the front desk and was considered as the busiest person, would also find the time to seek him out for a game of chess. Even though Miao Yi didn't know how to play chess, the knowledge was eventually forced onto him.

What is this called? Miao Yi predicted that in another half year's time he would be able to break through to the Blue Lotus Sixth Grade. He wanted to make good use of his time to focus on cultivating, yet how could he cultivate in peace after being pestered in turns by these rascals?

'I really can't win against them, damn it! Four Purple Lotus First Grades, how can I fight that?' Neither could he escape! If he could escape from this Tempest Tavern he definitely would've fled outside and hidden from them. He could only hope that the news from Traversing Water Palace would come sooner and if it gave him permission to return, he would certainly make haste to leave!

He could be considered as having grasped the situation. What carpenter duties, or stonemason duties, or making dishes, drinking wine, and playing chess. Those were all just excuses. The four of them couldn't find anyone appropriate on a normal day and simply came to seek him out to chat, him being the fresh face around here. It seemed like the Lady Boss wasn't the only one feeling lonely and bored, they were all lonesome!