Chapter 332 - 146: Sycophantic Qing Lian

However, Xu Lei didn’t have a Telescope on him at the moment. After all, he didn’t have his Qiankun Cloth Bag.

He couldn’t carry many of his things with him at all times.

So, Xu Lei couldn’t be certain.

He just gazed at the moonlit sky.

He only watched for a few moments.

Then, Xu Lei decided not to return to the site of the explosion to investigate.

’It didn’t matter anymore.’

’I’ll just have to be a bit more careful from now on.’

Xu Lei continued on.

After about another five hundred meters.

Suddenly.

"Senior! Senior!"

A pleasant and somewhat familiar girl’s voice came from behind him.

Xu Lei froze for a moment. Turning his head, he was surprised to see it was Qing Lian.

’She actually came back!’

’And she’d even managed to find him!’

After all, Xu Lei had slipped out under the cover of darkness.

And his current location was completely random.

"Senior, I can’t get away from you at all."

Soon, Qing Lian was standing before Xu Lei. With her beautiful eyes shimmering and a pitiful look on her face, she said, "After I left you earlier!

I ran for about three li, and then I felt a terrible pain in my head!

That Contract Seal from before reappeared in my Sea of Consciousness and began to burn my soul.

I had to hurry back in your direction.

The pain only subsided after that..."

Hearing this, Xu Lei finally understood the situation.

"So that’s how it is!"

Xu Lei frowned. "There was nothing about this in the memory fragments I obtained from that male Nether Demon..."

"So, Qing Lian will have to stay with you, Senior,"

Qing Lian added, "Senior, could you... could you let Qing Lian stay with you?

Also, I know this might be a bit forward of me.

But Qing Lian would like to ask, could you... could you make Qing Lian a promise?

That is—that in the future, you will absolutely not turn Qing Lian into a Furnace Cauldron.

Qing Lian can be your Maid. I can serve you tea, massage your shoulders, and knead your back!

But you must not defile Qing Lian.

Qing Lian knows you aren’t thinking of such things now; after all, our bodies are still young.

But just because you won’t now...

...doesn’t mean you won’t when you grow up.

Can you? Will you give me a promise?

If Qing Lian is unwilling, you won’t force her, will you?

Qing Lian is truly afraid."

She looked utterly pitiful with her tear-filled eyes. As she spoke, fat tears began to roll down her cheeks.

’Xu Lei couldn’t tell if she was deliberately playing the victim...’

’...or if she was just a natural crybaby.’

’The tears certainly came on cue.’

"Alright, I promise you."

But Xu Lei didn’t waste any time, saying directly, "Then you can be my Maid from now on.

As for your concerns, I can give you my promise.

If you are unwilling, I will not defile you.

Much less turn you into a Furnace Cauldron.

You can rest assured."

’After all, given the current situation, Qing Lian couldn’t stray too far from his side.’

’So Xu Lei had no choice but to take her along.’

’Besides, the Contractual Power meant that Qing Lian couldn’t defy his commands in the future anyway.’

’Having a relatively loyal subordinate and Maid was actually a pretty good outcome.’

’And her fear was understandable; Xu Lei could appreciate that.’

’Besides, Xu Lei was only a ten-year-old child. Traveling the world alone was still somewhat inconvenient.’

’For instance, when passing through cities, people were bound to ask, "You’re just a ten-year-old kid, how did you end up here all alone? Where are your family and elders?"’

’If some people insisted on meddling in his affairs...’

’Or if constables from the Government Office insisted on getting involved!’

’Dealing with that would be rather troublesome for Xu Lei.’

’Having Qing Lian along, however, would eliminate these hassles.’

’After all, while Qing Lian also looked quite young, she was already a young woman of about fourteen.’

’In this ancient world, that age was already considered adulthood.’

’She was perfectly capable of traveling the world with Xu Lei.’

’It would be completely plausible to tell others that she was an older sister taking her younger brother to go live with relatives.’

"Thank you, Senior! Thank you, Senior."

Qing Lian said happily, "I didn’t expect you to give your promise so seriously.

You are a person of great integrity, Senior!

From now on, then, Qing Lian will be your Maid.

Oh, by the way, flying by directly channeling your Magical Power like this is still a bit of a waste.

Even though your Cultivation is remarkable,

...it’s still best to conserve as much as you can.

Actually, Qing Lian has a Speed Magical Artifact."

Qing Lian immediately moved to demonstrate her loyalty.

She took out a small ball of something that looked like silk.

Then she blew a breath of air on it.

The silk immediately transformed into something that looked like a white cloud, gradually growing larger and starting to float.

Xu Lei was stunned.

He had obtained Qing Lian’s Qiankun Cloth Bag earlier, seen some of the items inside, and even briefly scanned it with his Magical Power.

Xu Lei had actually sensed this Magical Artifact—the one that looked like silk and a white cloud—before.

But he hadn’t detected at all that this object was actually a Magical Artifact, and a Speed Magical Artifact at that.

He had assumed it was just a ball of ordinary cotton.

"Please, Senior, get on the cloud."

At this, Qing Lian became quite the sycophant, saying respectfully, "It is nighttime, after all.

Shouldn’t we try to travel a bit faster?

But where are we going?"

"To the Great Xing Mountain Range."

Xu Lei didn’t stand on ceremony and jumped right onto the white cloud. "However, there’s no need for you to waste your Magical Power. I’ll be the one to power this Magical Artifact."

Qing Lian had already expended a great deal of her power fighting the Female Nether Demon earlier.

Xu Lei didn’t have the heart to make her waste her Magical Power on travel.

’Besides, Qing Lian might only have this one life to live.’

’But he, Xu Lei, had many.’

’Plus, he was certain to attain the Dao in this lifetime.’

’So, of course, he wanted to handle it himself.’

"That won’t work, Senior."

But Qing Lian shook her head. "These Thousand-Mile Clouds are rather special.

According to my master, it was with me in my swaddling clothes when she found me.

It seems to have a restriction on it. No one can use it but me.

Even if an incredibly powerful person tried to use it by force, it would only self-destruct.

It’s true. I’m not lying to you.

That’s what my master said."