Chapter 42: A Peerless Beauty

To the left of the duke stood an exquisitely elegant and stunningly beautiful woman. Unlike the northern nobles, women from the southern water towns possessed a delicate, understated beauty, exuding an air of delicate grace. Her black hair tumbled down like a waterfall, smooth as silk.

Though the distance was considerable, as a mage, Xu Feng’s vision far surpassed that of ordinary people. The girl’s features fell clearly into his sight—utterly stunning was the only word for it. Her skin was remarkably flawless, smooth as jade and as delicate as a baby’s, reminding Xu Feng of the famous line from *Dream of the Red Chamber*: “Girls are made of water.”

What a lovely, delicate creature! The girl appeared to be about sixteen or seventeen, like a budding flower, irresistibly alluring.

Murmurs of awe swept through the crowd as people marveled at how the Duke had such a beautiful and adorable daughter. Miss Lingyuesi, throughout the entire imperial capital, could likely only be rivaled by Princess Ailiya, hailed as the First Beauty of Mankind, and Miss Keluona, renowned as the Magician’s Flower.

Xu Feng gulped. With the moon as her spirit and jade as her skin, how could one not be moved by such a peerless beauty?

Appetite and lust are human nature. If a man isn’t lustful, pigs might fly. Xu Feng was relatively restrained, merely appreciating and feeling stirred. However, the other young nobles were practically drooling. Some were even so spellbound that they attempted to approach and strike up a conversation. The duke frowned, and Liwa’s expression turned even more unpleasant. With a wave of his hand, several burly guards pounced and “escorted” those indiscreet nobles away.

As a transmigrant, Xu Feng was extremely perceptive. Witnessing this scene, a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth. It seemed this ignorant, useless baron had quite some designs on his cousin!

Hmph, greed knows no bounds—like a snake trying to swallow an elephant. How could such a beautiful flower be stuck on a pile of cow dung? Moreover, since Liwa was his enemy, Xu Feng naturally intended to thwart any wish he might have.

The hunting expedition commenced. Guards cleared the way as steeds galloped across the grassland. The servants and guards brought by the nobles whooped and hollered, driving beasts out from the woods. Then… arrows rained down, though their accuracy was pitiful to behold. The nobles were experts at eating, drinking, and merrymaking; hunting was merely a pastime for them, and those skilled in archery were few and far between.

The most laughable was a young man who, with his silver tongue, had piqued a pretty girl’s interest. He wanted to showcase his bravery through hunting, but after struggling to draw his bow, his aim went disastrously astray, striking his own horse in the neck. The wound wasn’t severe, but the startled horse reared up and threw him off.

Amidst the roaring laughter, the noble young lady flushed crimson and stormed off in a huff.

“Viscount, your archery must be excellent, right?”

Having hit it off well, Daisy and the other two girls continued to accompany Xu Feng after the hunt began. Seeing everyone drawing their bows while the young man remained unmoved, the girls couldn’t help but feel curious. Legend had it that only masters possessed such steady composure. Could it be…?

However, the youth’s answer left them utterly floored.

Xu Feng smiled slightly. “I don’t know how to shoot arrows.”

“What?” Daisy, Linda, and Fanny exchanged bewildered glances. Archery, as an elegant sport, was something every noble knew at least a little about, regardless of skill. For Xu Feng to claim he didn’t know—was it true or false? This didn’t match the rumors.

Seeing the girls’ expressions of surprise and disappointment, Xu Feng wasn’t bothered. A faint smile played on his lips. Hmph, archery—what was so great about it? These nobles’ skills were only fit for hunting small deer or catching rabbits—flashy but impractical. Xu Feng had no interest whatsoever; how could it compare to his magic? He had no desire to waste time practicing useless things.

Though somewhat disappointed, Daisy and the others weren’t particularly shallow young ladies and didn’t leave. After all, this Lord Viscount was so dashing and spoke so wittily.

Time passed slowly, and half an hour slipped by. The group hunt hadn’t yielded much. According to imperial custom, they would now split up.

Simply put, the nobles would freely form several small groups and venture separately into the woods and river valleys ahead for hunting. After two hours, they would regroup to see who had bagged the most game.

This was the most popular segment, offering ample private time. Friends could discuss matters of interest, while young lovers could find a secluded spot… well, Earthlings would understand.

“Ladies, for the next part…”

“Hmm, if Lord Viscount doesn’t mind, we’d still like to accompany you.”

Fanny blinked playfully. Xu Feng was somewhat surprised. This was clearly his first meeting with these three girls—why were they sticking to him like glue? Well, having female company was better than being alone, and the three girls were quite pretty. Being with them allowed for conversation and was easy on the eyes.

Unlike other nobles surrounded by entourages, Xu Feng hadn’t brought a single servant. Whether by coincidence or not, Fanny and the others also hadn’t brought any guards. The four chose a path and entered the woods.

The vegetation inside was rather dense, making horseback riding nearly impossible. The four dismounted and proceeded on foot. Small animals occasionally scurried past their feet, but Xu Feng paid them no mind. He had little interest in hunting, treating this outing more as a countryside stroll.

Walking and chatting, bantering and laughing with the three maidens, their clear laughter echoed through the quiet forest.

A small stream suddenly appeared ahead, crystal clear with colorful little fish swimming within.

The girls’ faces lit up with delight. It was nearly noon, and the weather was somewhat hot. Beads of sweat glistened on Fanny, Daisy, and Linda’s foreheads.

The stream emitted a faint, cool mist, looking utterly inviting at that moment. The girls cheered and were about to head over when, just then, a strange sound came from the grass beside the stream…

“Brother Xu Feng, this…”

Could it be a wild beast? The three girls halted, hiding behind Xu Feng. The youth turned, extending his spiritual sense, and then… his expression turned rather peculiar.

“Let’s go!”

The three women were taken aback. “Brother Xu Feng, what is it exactly?”

“Enough now, don’t ask questions, kids. Let’s go.”

The maidens pouted. They were the same age, all seventeen this year. According to imperial law, sixteen was considered adulthood; they could marry now without issue. Who were “kids”?

Curiosity killed the cat. Fanny and Linda obediently turned away, but Daisy secretly lagged behind. The girl picked up a stone and threw it toward the rustling grass.

“Ah!”

A cry of surprise—it sounded human. The girls all looked over curiously, and then… their faces turned as red as ripe apples. From the grass sprang a pair of “lovebirds,” a man and a woman, stark naked and embracing each other…

Daisy, Linda, and Fanny were all unmarried maidens who had never witnessed such a scene. They were instantly so embarrassed they couldn’t even lift their heads.

Xu Feng shook his head, turned, took the three maidens by the hand, and led them away from the spot.

After such an embarrassing incident, the three girls were much quieter along the way, all obediently not daring to speak much. Truth be told, girls seemed even prettier when shy!

Xu Feng shook his head again. Though he appreciated beauty, he wasn’t promiscuous. Falling for every pretty face wasn’t right. However, seeing their bashful expressions, Xu Feng found it quite amusing and deliberately told a few risqué jokes to tease them.

Hailan Star was still in its Middle Ages; how could its information flow compare to Earth in the internet age? Though the jokes made the girls blush crimson, they secretly hoped Xu Feng would tell another—they just couldn’t bring themselves to say it. Unconsciously, their interest in this new noble of the imperial capital, this mysterious Viscount brother, grew stronger and stronger.

The scenery along the way was quite pleasant. Little rabbits occasionally darted past their feet, and they sometimes spotted deer gazing curiously from the side. But these animals were gentle, and the group had no heart for hunting, so the atmosphere remained peaceful. However, this tranquility didn’t last long.

“Roar!”

A roar that made the trees tremble—only the king of beasts could possess such might. A white-browed, fierce-eyed tiger burst forth.

“Danger!”

With one arm around Fanny and the other around Daisy, Xu Feng pulled them close, dodging the tiger’s pounce while positioning himself in front of Linda.

Seeing the massive creature clearly and smelling its foul breath, the three girls were nearly scared out of their wits. They were noble young ladies; when had they ever faced such danger? A tiger—heavens! They had thought the forest only contained small, herbivorous animals.

Looking around, there wasn’t a soul in sight, and they hadn’t brought a single guard. What to do?

Fear piled upon fear. Now, Xu Feng, as the man, became their sole reliance. But this Viscount brother didn’t even know how to shoot arrows—how could he face a tiger?

The girls were almost despairing. Yet, what followed was a scene they would remember for the rest of their lives.