Chapter 316 - 249: Let Me Taste Your Rouge

Chapter 316: Chapter 249: Let Me Taste Your Rouge

"So, what you mean, Saintess, is that you’ve chosen Young Master Tang Wen to be... hmm, to be our tribe’s Honored Guest Elder?" The speaker was a very graceful and mature Fifth-Grade woman.

Aside from the Saintess, she held the highest status in the group.

Hu Lan smiled and turned to look at Tang Wen.

He replied, "I’ve already accepted the Saintess’s invitation. It’s a great honor."

The moment he finished speaking, he noticed a subtle shift in the gazes of everyone across from him, both humans and tigers.

The feeling of scrutiny that had been there before vanished.

In its place was a newfound warmth and respect.

’It’s like I’ve agreed to something really major.’

He turned to look at Hu Lan. Her eyes were as pure as ice, and her cold, beautiful face was devoid of any extra expression.

’Hmm, am I just overthinking things?’

He remembered something else and took the opportunity to say, "I’ll continue to hone my Stealth Technique, but I have a personal matter to attend to before the year is out. I’ll need one or two Sixth-Grade Powerhouses to provide backup."

[Stealth Technique, Expert (987/12000)]

An Expert-level Skill could deceive the senses of a Fifth-Grade White Tiger from over a hundred meters away.

’Even though the two snow owls have a Talent for perception, once I raise my Stealth Technique to the Grandmaster Level, I should be able to get close to them without being discovered.’

Tang Wen wanted to be fully prepared and minimize the danger.

Saintess Hu Lan nodded. "How long will you need?"

"The round trip will take about half a month."

"How about two White Tigers at the Peak of Fifth Grade accompany you?"

Tang Wen was overjoyed. ’The perks of being a White Tiger Elder really do come instantly!’

"That would be perfect!"

"Good." The Saintess pulled a necklace from around her slender neck.

A single stone hung from the end of the chain.

With a flip of her fair hand, two ancient, handled mirrors appeared.

"What’s this?" Tang Wen’s expression stirred. ’Spatial equipment?’

"A Space Stone," Hu Lan explained. "It looks very small, but the space inside is about the size of a house."

She handed one of the mirrors to Tang Wen. "These are the Mirrors of Strange Objects and Unity. You and I can communicate through them. It just consumes Spiritual Power—the greater the distance, the greater the cost."

Tang Wen carefully took the mirror, his astonishment plain on his face. ’A phone? Or even a full-screen smartphone?’

"Can we also see each other through the mirror?"

Hu Lan’s beautiful eyes widened in surprise. "You’ve seen this kind of Curiosity before?"

"No, it’s just a feeling."

"Seeing each other consumes too much Spiritual Power. Neither of us could sustain it."

’So it looks like the "video call" function only unlocks after Fifth Grade. Right now, it’s just voice calls.’

He poured some Spiritual Power into it, and the mirror flickered with a faint blue light.

Tang Wen realized he was wrong. ’It’s not even voice calls, I can only leave messages!’

"Speak into the mirror, and I will be able to hear you."

He gave it a try. "Good evening, Miss Lan."

’Miss Lan?’

Several of the Fifth-Grade members of the White Tiger Race exchanged impassive glances. ’The Saintess is all grown up!’

Even the White Tigers themselves secretly exchanged glances, their expressions surprisingly human, like they were enjoying a bit of drama.

Tang Wen didn’t notice any of these glances.

Hu Lan shot them a look, then picked up her own mirror, and his greeting naturally sounded from it.

She added, "If it’s inconvenient to speak, you can use your Spiritual Power to write on the mirror."

Tang Wen tried it immediately.

Unconsciously, the night deepened.

Everyone went their separate ways to sleep.

Early the next morning, Tang Wen, having no desire to participate in a boring meeting, gave Hu Lan a heads-up and went straight to the Gravity Chamber for his Cultivation.

Having witnessed the power of a Fourth-Grade Powerhouse, he was more desperate for strength than ever.

’Meetings?’

’A complete waste of time!’

By mid-morning, the major powers had gathered in the Black Water Gang’s Council Hall.

Once everyone had arrived, Shui Qianjun’s expression suddenly soured. He looked at Li Zi, who was holding a notebook and preparing to take minutes. "Where is Xiaowen? Why isn’t he here?"

"Uh?" Li Zi looked toward Shui Yun.

But she hadn’t heard anything either.

Saintess Hu Lan spoke up calmly, "Water Gang Leader, he has gone into seclusion. It won’t affect the proceedings."

After speaking, she glanced at Li Zi, then her gaze shifted to Shui Yun.

’Women are perceptive.’ She could sense that the relationship between those two and Tang Wen was anything but ordinary.

Li Zi sat primly at the table, pen and paper in hand, as well-behaved as a schoolgirl.

Shui Yun’s eyes couldn’t conceal her excitement. ’Junior Brother is really something else!’

’Did they already... last night?’

’No way. It couldn’t be that fast, could it?’

This expression did not escape Hu Lan’s notice.

A question mark slowly formed in her mind.

’What is going on?’

’Don’t the books say that women are petty and jealous, and that they don’t allow their men to be with other women?’

’That Li Zi girl is one thing.’

’But what’s the deal with this Shui Yun?’

’I’ve moved into Tang Wen’s house, so why does she seem so happy about it?’

’Could the books be wrong?’

’But from what I’ve observed, women really are like that.’

’On the streets, whenever men glance at me, the women beside them get upset.’

With that thought, she continued, "Water Gang Leader, everyone. We decided last night that Tang Wen will become an Honored Guest Elder of our White Tiger Tribe."

Vice Gang Leader Zhao thought, ’HISS! Tang Wen works fast!’

Shui Qianjun was stunned for a moment, then beamed. "This is wonderful news! We must celebrate today! Someone, prepare a banquet!"

Patriarch Chen thought, ’Looks like something... significant... happened between Tang Wen and the Saintess last night!’

Shui Yun, sitting in the second row, straightened her posture. She was a little displeased about her seating arrangement. ’After all, by extension, I’m practically an Honored Guest Elder of the White Tiger Tribe too. How can they put me in the second row...’

All the major powers had Honored Guest Elders.

Take the Black Water Gang, for example. The leader of the Sand Thieves that Tang Wen subdued a few days ago—once he breaks through to Sixth Grade, the gang will give him the position of Honored Guest Elder.

The benefits would improve, but his actual authority wouldn’t increase.

It was a far cry from the status of a true-blue veteran like Elder Li.

Surely the position of Honored Guest Elder for the White Tiger Tribe was the same?

Hu Lan grew even more puzzled. ’This Shui Yun... really doesn’t seem jealous at all.’

The woman from the Commerce Association, however—the one sitting behind the nameplate "Feng San Niang"—was giving her a very complicated look.

Her observations came to a temporary halt. She spoke again, "In the future, if you have important matters, you can relay them to me through Tang Wen."

Hmm?

’This Honored Guest Elder position carries a lot more weight than we thought, doesn’t it?’

Regardless of what they were all thinking, the meeting continued.

Five days passed in a flash. The two sides had discussed everything and produced a preliminary transport plan.

Tang Wen couldn’t care less about any of it.

He was in the Gravity Chamber, popping pills and practicing his Cultivation, training for five days straight.

He only found out the meetings were over when Li Zi came knocking on the door to the underground chamber.

Shui Yun secretly sent a message telling Tang Wen not to work himself so hard. Training during the day was one thing, but at night, he absolutely had to keep the Holy Daughter company.

What left him even more speechless was...

...that Shui Qianjun, Vice Gang Leader Zhao, and the others all meant the same thing.

Still, the meetings were over.

’As the Honored Guest Elder, I really should show my face and play host.’

He returned home to bathe and change his clothes.

The bright moon hung high in a sky washed clean.

Tang Wen used the Unity Mirror to invite Hu Lan for a walk through the streets of Ganshan City.

Unfortunately, Hu Lan came out by herself; she wasn’t holding the Little Jade Tiger.

’Otherwise, I would have definitely found a way to get a few pets in tonight!’

Having grown up in the mountains, Hu Lan found everything novel as she followed Tang Wen to teahouses, restaurants, dog fights, and musical performances. Over the next few days, a natural rapport grew between them.

It would be an exaggeration to say they had developed deep feelings for each other.

But one was a handsome, spirited young man, and the other was a cool, collected "ice queen" with the air of a mature beauty.

How could they spend all day together and not develop a mutual fondness?

In a small alley off the Inner City’s food street.

A young man and woman were walking ahead of them, seemingly merchants from out of town.

Like Hu Lan, they seemed quite curious about the place.

The woman had a small appetite, but she wanted to try a bite of everything she saw.

For things like ice jelly, sweet soup, fried cakes, and meat pies, they would buy one serving. She would take a few bites and then hand the rest to the man.

The man would always accept it with a smile, happily eating whatever she gave him.

Hu Lan watched them, then glanced at Tang Wen. She stopped at the first little stall, ordered a serving of tofu, took a few bites, and then handed it over to him.

She seemed to think it was some sort of interesting game.

Tang Wen was rather speechless. ’Those two are obviously a couple. What’s the deal with me eating your leftovers?’

He looked up and met her clear eyes, which were staring at him unblinkingly.

Tang Wen had no choice but to pick up a piece of tofu and put it in his mouth.

Hu Lan revealed a satisfied smile.

She then followed the couple ahead of them toward the next stall.

They continued on, sampling fruit platters, sweet cakes, roasted lamb, and iced sweet wine...

And he ate all the leftovers.

"URP!"

Tang Wen was stuffed. Rubbing his stomach, he considered whether he should telepathically warn the couple in front of them. ’Stop browsing and get a move on!’

Just as he was hesitating, he heard the young man ahead whisper, "My dear, I want to taste the rouge on your lips."

Oh?

’This guy’s got some smooth moves.’

Tang Wen’s gaze fixed on Hu Lan. He saw her willow-leaf brows, her star-like eyes, her high-bridged nose, and her soft, pink lips, and couldn’t help but lick his own.

"I... I don’t have any rouge on my lips." A trace of panic flashed through her starry eyes.

"Heh, look."

Hu Lan turned her head. There, before them, was "Hongfen House," a shop specializing in women’s accessories, rouges, and powders.