Heavenly Dao Engine
Chapter 1601 - 1601 0941 Sir You Are The One I Believe In

Chapter 1601: Chapter 0941: Sir, You Are The One I Believe In The Most Chapter 1601: Chapter 0941: Sir, You Are The One I Believe In The Most Chapter 0941: The One I’m Most Optimistic About Is You, Sir

Since Gao Yuqiu did not call out any names, when she said “Sir, please wait a moment,” all the cultivators who had not left room A506 halted their steps, especially Xiu Zhengyu.

He turned around, his eyes radiant with anticipation, and with a hint of hope, gazed at Gao Yuqiu and said, “Fairy Yuqiu, are you calling for me? If there’s anything you need me to do, just give the word.”

Just a moment ago, so many young talents had gathered, and almost all of them referred to He Hongxia as “Immortal,” while they simply addressed the sisters Gao Yuqiu and Gao Yulan as “Sir.” Xiu Zhengyu was the first to address Gao Yuqiu as “Fairy.” Of course, he didn’t do this merely to curry favor with Gao Yuqiu; he had his own plans.

Compared to He Hongxia, Gao Yuqiu’s talents might be slightly inferior, but she was also a rarely seen beauty among cultivators. If he couldn’t catch the fancy of He Hongxia, securing a spot as Gao Yuqiu’s guest would be an excellent choice. Moreover, having been chosen as the second team’s captain, he’d have plenty of opportunities to be in close quarters with Gao Yuqiu during the competition in the Holy Land. It was possible sparks could fly between them, so naturally, he wanted to lay a solid foundation for a beautiful future.

Xiu Zhengyu’s calculations were astutely laid, but Gao Yuqiu immediately followed with a statement that plunged him into the abyss.

“Sorry, I was hoping to speak with Qi Tian, Sir. I have some words for him.”

Xiu Zhengyu didn’t want the love affair that had yet to blossom with Gao Yuqiu to end right there. Licking his face with a smile, he said, “Fairy Yuqiu, feel free to speak your mind. Whatever Qi Tian can do, I can do as well, and even what he cannot, I can also accomplish.”

Gao Yuqiu just smiled and did not respond to Xiu Zhengyu in any way. Her phoenix-like eyes were fixed on Qi Tian, her gaze like flowing water, seemingly twining around him, urging him to stay.

Qi Tian was curious to find what exactly the female cultivators from Cat Ear City were up to, so he nodded indifferently and stopped walking.

Gao Yuqiu made a welcoming gesture, signaling Qi Tian to follow her into a guest room. She had some private matters to discuss with Qi Tian and didn’t want others to overhear.

As Qi Tian walked towards the guest room, Xiu Zhengyu, uninvited, followed suit, determined to enter even if not permitted.

Gao Yulan stepped forward, blocking Xiu Zhengyu and said coldly, “Sir, please show some self-respect.”

Xiu Zhengyu’s face instantly flushed with humiliation. After all, he was the second team’s captain. Why did Cat Ear City show him no respect at all? Why were they treating him in such a manner?

Gao Yuqiu didn’t care what Xiu Zhengyu was thinking. She was just a pawn to be used as a decoy. If Xiu Zhengyu could recognize his place, then it was all good. But if he thought too highly of himself, believing he had the right to act superior in front of them, they wouldn’t mind using some methods to make Xiu Zhengyu understand his real status.

Gao Yuqiu led Qi Tian into the guest room, and once they were inside, she closed the door, cutting off visual access from everyone outside.

Seeing this play out, Xiu Zhengyu felt as if his heart was breaking into pieces. To make matters worse, at this moment Gao Yulan was still pushing him to leave.

“Sir, if there’s nothing else, you may leave now.”

Xiu Zhengyu pointed at the tightly closed door. Before he could say anything, Gao Yilan once again sternly told him to go.

“It’s getting late. Please leave, Sir. If there’s anything to discuss, we can talk tomorrow.”

Xiu Zhengyu hesitated as if he had more to say. He stared hard at the tightly closed door, but in the end, he could only leave in a huff with a flick of his sleeves.

After entering the guest room, Qi Tian looked around and noticed that this room was slightly more spacious than the middle-class room he had been staying in. The furnishings here were of a higher quality, and the Spirit Qi within the room was even purer and denser. On the whole, it was two to three times better than his own room, no wonder the upper-class rooms were priced so much higher.

“Sir, please take a seat.”

Gao Yuqiu was very polite. After Qi Tian was seated, she skillfully took out an exquisite tea set from her Storage Bag and poured him a cup of fragrant tea.

The tea remained scalding hot as it was poured, emitting a fragrance so distinct that one could tell at once it was a superior, and not inexpensive, variety.

“Please enjoy the tea, Sir.”

Qi Tian maintained a composed expression, not at all startled by Gao Yuqiu’s special attentions. He spoke lightly, “Gifts given are often in anticipation of a request. If you have something you would like me to do, Sir, please state it first for me to hear.”

Gao Yuqiu gave a slight smile, saying, “Why are you so guarded against me, Sir? I have no intention of harming you.”

Qi Tian replied, “One’s hands are tied by what they receive from others, and one’s mouth bound by the food they eat. I have never dealt with the cultivators from Cat Ear City before today. However, through our few interactions today, I’ve noticed that Cat Ear City is truly wealthy and extremely generous. I saw this when I transferred my excess reserved rooms to you and accepted your spirit stones in return—an exchange of equal value, and my conscience is clear. But as for this tea, I’ll have to decline; it’s more than I can afford to enjoy.”

Gao Yuqiu spoke, “Sir, you are really overthinking things. My tea, precious as it may be, is after all just tea, meant for quenching thirst. We are now teammates, and it is only proper for me to offer my teammate a cup of tea, as is the way of hospitality in Cat Ear City. No exchange of interests is involved here, Sir, don’t worry too much. Please feel free to drink.”

Qi Tian’s eyes darted around before he said, “Since that’s the case, I shall also offer a little token of appreciation, Sir.”

He directly presented a plate of dried fish; tiny delicacies he had collected while traveling through another cultivator city. The small fish, each barely two fingers in length and width, were made from fish species rich in Spirit Qi, a very precious type of spirit food, their value not less than the tea Gao Yuqiu had offered.

Qi Tian placed the dish of dried fish on the tea table and pushed it forward towards Gao Yuqiu, smiling as he said, “Sir, please try some, they’re quite delicious.”

A flicker of surprise, hard to catch, passed through the depths of Gao Yuqiu’s eyes. As one of Cat Ear City’s diligently cultivated female disciples, she had heard about these dried fish and even tasted a piece or two, with their flavor firmly etched in her memory. That tasting was thanks to a senior’s generosity, and she had not expected Qi Tian to bring out such a generous portion—five or six pieces. Unconsciously she swallowed, but restrained by decorum and caution, did not reach out to take any.

Qi Tian smiled, picked up a piece of the dried fish, and put it in his mouth, chewing in front of Gao Yuqiu. Then he gestured and said, “Go ahead, they’re not poisoned, and very tasty.”

Gao Yuqiu had strong willpower, but the aroma of the dried fish snuck into her nostrils, and Qi Tian’s evident enjoyment made it impossible for her to contain her appetite any longer. Instantly, she extended her delicate fingers, pinched a small piece of the dried fish, and while holding it, consoled herself,

“I’ll just have this little bit.”

However, once she put the dried fish in her mouth and truly began to chew, Gao Yuqiu forgot all restraint, everything else faded from her mind except the tiny piece of fish. She finished one piece and reached for another, her taste buds tantalized. The exquisite flavor enveloped her entire being, making her feel as if the dried fish was all that existed in the world.

In the blink of an eye, Gao Yuqiu had devoured Qi Tian’s entire dish of dried fish. When she reached out for more, only then did she catch an empty space and realized that she had unwittingly finished them all. She licked her lips with a lingering sense of craving, wishing for several more servings.

Watching Gao Yuqiu’s eager expression, Qi Tian laughed and said, “If there’s a chance in the future, I’ll send you a few more servings, Sir.”

“Ah, that would be wonderful,” she replied hastily.

No sooner had Gao Yuqiu agreed than she came back to her senses. She had called Qi Tian over, secluded in a room for an important discussion, yet found herself distracted by such trifling dried fish. Besides, her greedy demeanor must surely have been noted by Qi Tian. If word spread, how could she face anyone?

Swiftly composing herself, Gao Yuqiu managed an awkward smile and said, “Sir, your tea has cooled. Let me fetch you a fresh cup.”

As she busied herself pouring new hot tea for Qi Tian, Gao Yuqiu’s composure returned. She made it a firm rule and swore not to let Qi Tian tempt her with any type of spirit food again, no matter what, she would refuse.

Placing the freshly poured cup of tea before Qi Tian, Gao Yuqiu finally spoke, “Sir, I asked you to stay because there are some matters I wish to discuss.”

Qi Tian nodded and replied, “Please speak, I’m all ears.”

Gao Yuqiu exhaled in relief. Qi Tian hadn’t brought out the dried fish again, allowing her to converse with him in peace—a satisfying achievement. Yet, a tiny part of her felt a pang of regret; the taste of the dried fish lingered in her mouth, leaving an endless aftertaste.

“Sir, the matter is this: based on what we know about the Holy Land competition, there are always limits to the number of youngsters sent into its arenas. Generally, the number is ten, the size of a small team. We are split into three teams, likely to be transported in separate batches. Once we enter the competition grounds of the Holy Land, it’s highly probable we won’t be with the other two teams. Of our team, you, Sir, are my most trusted member. I hope that you will take the initiative to shoulder the responsibility, ensuring we meet up with Immortal Hongxia as soon as possible.”