Su Fan and Long Die arrived at a small eatery.
"Boss, two bowls of beef noodles, extra meat!" Long Die casually sat down at a small square table outside and said to the owner.
"Coming right up!"
The owner replied without looking up, continuing to cook the noodles.
The eatery was small, with small square tables inside already filled with people, and more small square tables set up outside the entrance.
Despite its size, the restaurant was doing excellent business.
"How did you find this place?" Su Fan asked curiously.
The eatery wasn't on the main road but tucked away in an alley, not easily found by most people.
"Every time I sneak out, I have to avoid my fellow disciples, so I don't take the main road and stick to the smaller paths. That's how I found this place. It might not be big, but the owner's cooking is superb," Long Die explained.
The owner worked with clean, swift movements, and their noodles were soon ready.
"Your noodles."
A woman brought their bowls of noodles over.
The woman and the noodle shop owner were a couple, making a living from this eatery.
"Try it, it's delicious," Long Die said, looking at Su Fan expectantly.
Su Fan picked up a chopstickful of noodles and tasted it.
The chewy noodles, coated in fragrant, savory broth, bloomed with their unique flavor in his mouth. The savory beef broth stimulated Su Fan's taste buds.
"Delicious!" Su Fan was utterly amazed. He hadn't expected such a simple bowl of beef noodles to be so good.
"See? Their beef noodles are the most authentic. I've traveled many places and haven't found any better beef noodles than these."
As the saying goes, every profession has its master. The owner had been running this restaurant for half his life and had reached mastery in making beef noodles. More importantly, he used genuine ingredients. The broth was simmered from beef bones, and the meat was deboned from the bones, complete with tendons, making it very flavorful.
After finishing his bowl of beef noodles, Su Fan leaned back contentedly in his chair.
He hadn't eaten such delicious noodles in a long time.
"Senior Brother, where are they?"
The two disciples from Baiyue Villa who had encountered Su Fan earlier walked over with a young man in plain clothes.
Long Feibai's gaze fell upon Long Die, disguised as a man, chatting and laughing with Su Fan, igniting a surge of anger within him.
"Xiao Die, why have you snuck out again? If you want to go out and play, just tell me, and I'll take you," Long Feibai said, resuming a gentle demeanor as he approached Long Die.
Long Die looked up at Long Feibai.
"No need to trouble you, Senior Brother. Are you here to take me back?" Long Die asked coldly.
"What are you saying, Xiao Die? I just happened to be passing by and saw Junior Sister Xiao Die, so I came to check on you," Long Feibai said with a smile.
Long Die glanced at the two subordinates behind Long Feibai. She remembered encountering these two on the street earlier. What a coincidence. He had just met these two, and Long Feibai appeared with them for a "chance encounter"?
"Junior Sister, who is this?" Long Feibai asked, as if just noticing Su Fan, with a puzzled expression.
Su Fan rolled his eyes. Did he need to be any more obvious in targeting me?
"It's none of your business. Don't bother me if you have nothing else," Long Die said, having no good feelings for Long Feibai; in fact, she disliked him.
She suspected he was the one who always reported her when she snuck out. She wasn't unaware; her father had told her long ago.
"Junior Sister, don't be deceived by bad people outside. Some people just prey on your pure and kind nature, specifically targeting girls like you," Long Feibai said with feigned concern.
"I didn't want to deal with you, but are you speaking ill of me behind my back? Are you trying to insinuate something?"
"I'm speaking the truth. What? Are you angry because I hit the mark?" Long Feibai glanced at Su Fan dismissively.
It was as if looking at Su Fan was an insult to him.
"If your mouth is so good at talking, why don't you go do stand-up comedy?"
Long Feibai's brows furrowed. He had no idea what Su Fan meant by "stand-up comedy."
"Nonsense. Junior Sister, come back with me. Master will be worried," Long Feibai said to Long Die with a smile, unwilling to argue with Su Fan.
Long Die hesitated, looking at Su Fan, then at Long Feibai.
"Alright."
Ultimately, for Su Fan's safety, Long Die chose to return with Long Feibai. Otherwise, given Long Feibai's personality, he would definitely hold a grudge against Su Fan and cause him unnecessary trouble.
Su Fan frowned.
According to Xiao Yan's plan, the matter was supposed to escalate, but it wasn't big enough yet. Moreover, this was a secluded location with few people, not suitable.
Seeing Long Die agree, Long Feibai gave Su Fan a provocative look.
Su Fan was speechless. Was that necessary?
"Su Fan, I'm going back now. Be careful on your own," Long Die instructed Su Fan before leaving.
"Mm, don't worry, I'll be fine," Su Fan nodded.
Su Fan watched Long Die leave with Long Feibai, then quietly followed behind them.
When Long Feibai and the others exited the alley and reached the main road, Su Fan suddenly rushed forward.
He drew his Hundred Refinement Blade.
"Adah!"
Su Fan struck the back of Long Feibai's head with the flat of his blade.
A blinding flash of light erupted, leaving Long Feibai unable to see anything.
The 10% chance of a blinding effect had triggered.
"Long Die, let's go!"
Su Fan grabbed Long Die and ran.
Wasn't the plan to make their acquaintance public?
A new disciple publicly assaulting a senior disciple, eloping with the Saintess – was that not big enough!
Su Fan was desperate. If it was about escalating things, and Long Die was willing, he'd even be willing to get her pregnant!
Long Die looked at Su Fan in surprise, but at the same time, she felt a thrill and excitement. The feeling was wonderfully strange.
Su Fan soon found himself in a predicament. Where should he take Long Die?
"I'll take you somewhere!"
Long Die clasped Su Fan's hand and, reversing their grip, pulled Su Fan forward.
They bypassed the market and took a small path at the foot of the mountain to the back of Wangyue Mountain.
"Where is this?"
Su Fan was amazed by the suddenly open environment.
It was a cliff, from which one could clearly see the beautiful mountain forest scenery behind Wangyue Mountain.
"I discovered this by chance. Isn't it beautiful?" Long Die said proudly.
This was discovered when Long Die had snuck out once and was found before she could descend the mountain. To evade pursuit, she hid everywhere and unknowingly found this place through a small path.
"I've named it the Star Gazing Platform. It's even more beautiful at night when you watch the stars here," Long Die said, sitting down cross-legged.
"Star Gazing Platform?"
This was completely beyond Su Fan's knowledge. He had never encountered this plotline or this place during his game.
"Su Fan, why did you hit Senior Brother Long?" Long Die suddenly turned and asked Su Fan.
"Uh."
Su Fan was instantly embarrassed by the question.
How to answer? To create a scandal with you?
No! Long Die probably didn't even know what a scandal was.
"Because I don't like him. I hit him to vent my anger," Su Fan gave a casual excuse.
"Oh, I don't like him either. Well done!" Although it wasn't the answer Long Die had hoped for, she was still happy.
She felt Su Fan shared her sentiment.
"Bastard! You think you can hide from me just because you ran here?"