In truth, Jiang Beiran had given much thought to the clothing issue. If they all descended the mountain dressed in fine silks and satins, it would indeed intimidate petty troublemakers, making them hesitate to act rashly out of fear that Liu Ziqin and the other girls might be descendants of prominent families.
While this would deter common ruffians, Jiang Beiran couldn't handle the hordes of lust-driven young masters that would inevitably appear. With the stunning beauty of Liu Ziqin and her four companions, allowing them to flaunt their charms unchecked would attract countless noble sons, wandering heroes, and minor officials.
By the end of this trial mission, Jiang Beiran estimated he'd trigger at least a dozen Yellow-grade missions. Who could possibly endure that!? Yet switching to coarse hemp clothing hadn't achieved Jiang Beiran's intended effect of blending into the crowd and maintaining a low profile either.
Instead, it was like tossing five plump sheep into a pack of wolves. Imagine—five peerless beauties dressed as commoners. The men below the mountain would surely fight like rabid dogs over them.
'Sigh... it seems the prepared items must be used after all. I just hope they don't discover the special features.' With an internal sigh, Jiang Beiran looked at Liu Ziqin and the other four girls.
"Good, you've all returned within the allotted time. This marks a positive start for our mission. Now follow me—I'll help you complete your outfits."
By now, the authority of Jiang Beiran's iron seal had been firmly established. Even Fang Qiuyao, who inwardly resisted the most, merely pursed her lips but obediently followed when hearing his command. Arriving at a nearby deserted pavilion, Jiang Beiran retrieved five straw hats and five pairs of straw sandals from his Universe Ring.
This Universe Ring had been his welcoming gift when first joining the sect, engraved with the character for "Heart" (心). Back then, Jiang Beiran had been awestruck by the Heart Returning Sect's generosity—bestowing what seemed like protagonist-tier equipment as a beginner's package.
Only later did he learn that in this world, every cultivator basically owned a Universe Ring, differing only in storage capacity. His ring's space was about the size of a burlap sack—the standard for most cultivators. As expected, the ring proved incredibly convenient—able to store anything except living creatures.
Seeing the straw hats and sandals, Fang Qiuyao's brow furrowed again, but this time she remained silent. She'd already resolved to treat Jiang Beiran as part of her trial—something to endure just this once. 'Even if I get scolded to death, die outside, or get expelled by the Guardians, I'll never let this man be my iron seal again!'
Placing the items before the five junior sisters, Jiang Beiran smiled.
"With this summer heat, I specially prepared these anti-heat accessories. Try them on—if the sandals don't fit, let me know and I'll adjust them."
Though unenthusiastic about the straw hat's style, Liu Ziqin politely nodded.
"Thank you, Senior Brother."
She selected one hat and pair of sandals. After changing into the sandals, Liu Ziqin casually placed the hat on her head.
'Hmm...?'
The moment the hat settled, her vision momentarily blurred before quickly clearing. Fang Qiuyao, having just collected her set, glanced at Liu Ziqin and blinked in confusion. Something felt different about Ziqin-jie, yet upon closer inspection, everything seemed normal.
'Must be because it's my first time seeing Ziqin-jie dressed like this. But she's still so beautiful even in these clothes~' Noticing Liu Ziqin's successful attire change, Jiang Beiran nodded in satisfaction. 'Good, the concealment formation operates smoothly.
Her aura has been completely altered.' After accepting such a challenging assignment from Guardian Yu, Jiang Beiran hadn't been idle. During the two-day waiting period, he'd developed this "Blend-In Set" combining Weaving Arts with Formation Studies.
Essentially, he'd woven a [Qi Concealing Formation] into the straw items, turning them into mobile arrays that created an obscuring effect around wearers—drastically lowering their presence and making them nearly unnoticeable in crowds. Once all five had donned the Blend-In Sets, Jiang Beiran produced five green plant-fiber cloths from his ring.
These scorched cloths were common sun-blocking accessories among Mysterious Dragon Continent's commoners—woven from root fibers of banana-like plants to shield against sunlight and heat. Naturally, Jiang Beiran's versions were special. His formation-enhanced weaving method allowed them to connect with the concealment array's core in the hats, amplifying the set's effects.
"Report! (Report!) (Report!)"
The three Yu sisters simultaneously raised their hands. Jiang Beiran pointed to the middle one.
"You first."
"What is Senior Brother holding?"
Yu Guizui stepped forward to ask.
"Hmm? Haven't you seen these? They're scorched cloths—for sun protection."
"Scorched cloths?"
Yu Guizui's eyes widened with curiosity. Seeing similar confusion on the others' faces, Jiang Beiran sighed inwardly. 'As expected—these young misses live in a completely different world from commoners...'
"Just try it—you'll understand."
Handing a cloth to Yu Guizui, he turned to another sister.
"Your question?"
"Oh, nothing—Second Sister already asked mine."
He then looked at the remaining Yu sister.
"Same question?"
"Mmhmm!"
Yu Guimiao nodded vigorously.
"Alright, try them together."
He distributed two more cloths.
"Wow, so fragrant!"
Yu Guizui's eyes sparkled as she inhaled deeply through the cloth, seemingly wanting to absorb more scent. Hearing this, the other two sisters hastily put theirs on, exclaiming, "It really is fragrant!"
Anticipating possible resistance from Liu Ziqin or Fang Qiuyao, Jiang Beiran had soaked the cloths in his homemade Hundred Flower Honey, using formations to contain the aroma so only wearers could smell it. Intrigued by the Yu sisters' reactions, Liu Ziqin and Fang Qiuyao approached to claim the remaining cloths.
"It's true—wearing it releases such fragrance. Senior..."
Liu Ziqin suddenly covered her mouth. While part of her looked forward to another scolding from Senior Brother Jiang, losing two more points would mean failing outright.
"Report," she whispered.
Pleased by her restraint, Jiang Beiran nodded.
"Speak."
"What creates this fragrance on the cloth?"
As Liu Ziqin asked, all three Yu sisters fixed identical "We're curious too" expressions on Jiang Beiran.
(Chapter End)