"Sorry for my impropriety, young miss."
The female attendant said with an embarrassed smile as she tided her slightly disheveled hair, and clothes.
Xai Lin chuckled and said.
"Think of it as me expressing my gratitude for your impeccable service."
The female attendant was confused by those words, but then thinking of her excessive praises she showered the older youth, she smiled bashfully and said.
"I—I was simply stating the truth. With such an appearance, our clothes can only serve as a backdrop."
Xai Lin smiled.
Actually, that wasn't the reason for her suddenly deciding to triple the order—it was because of her small act of trying to shield her from those gazes. Though the act was small; it could be seen that she wasn't a bad person. And Xai Lin had a small obsession of repaying kind intentions directed at her when she can.
However, Xai Lin did not clarify the mistake and instead cast a glance at An Mo and said in a teasing tone.
"I know, I think he's cute too."
Upon hearing that, An Mo, who was already feeling embarrassed by the female attendant's words, had his face turn slightly, which made his freckles more prominent. Though without his bright orange hair though, his blushing wasn't as eye-catching as before.
The female attendant blinked. Though she didn't mean to say that this handsome youth was cute, she wasn't foolish enough to refute her big customer's words. Also. She confirmed her guess that these two were a young couple, and they seemed to be a deeply in love couple as well.
Thinking this, the female attendant glanced at the birthmarks dotted across An Mo's cheeks and nose bridge before saying.
"Young Miss, I might be presumptuous, but I can recommend an alchemy shop that has developed a cream that can hide or even remove your partner's birthmarks."
An Mo immediately looked at Xai Lin when he heard that.
Before they had arrived at the city, they had discussed wearing disguises. While Xai Lin decided she would wear her true appearance for some reason, and Su Jin wasn't as prominent as his brother to be recognized on another continent, An Mo, however, was too inconspicuous so he had used his Three-legged Divine Crow bloodline to turn his hair straight black. But he had no way to hide his freckles, so he could only leave it like this.
Now hearing of a method of hiding them, or even removing them, he wondered if Xai Lin would agree.
However, Xai Lin immediately shook her head and said.
"Thank you for your suggestion, but I think his appearance would lack its uniqueness if they were hidden or removed."
Hearing this, the female attendant instinctively looked at An Mo, this time a bit more closely.
It was because of this, that she realized Xai Lin's words were indeed true. Although his appearance wouldn't diminished, he would no longer have that uniqueness or even exotic feeling about him.
Smiling, the female attendant said.
"I think so too."
Afterward, she pushed the storage bag to Xai Lin and then received the storage bag Xai Lin handed over herself that contained the Spirit Stones.
With the transaction complete, the female attendant decided to walk Xai Lin and the others to the store exit.
"I hope the young miss and the young masters will return in the future."
The female attendant said as they reach the exit.
Xai Lin nodded and was about to turn around with An Mo and Su Jin to leave, but as if thinking of something, she slapped her forehead and turn back around to the female attendant to ask.
"If you don't mind me asking, what calendar year is it for your Dark Moon Continent?"
Upon hearing this, the female attendant's eyes lit up, and she couldn't help but ask.
"Could it be that the young miss is here to attend the Han Clan's banquet?"
Xai Lin paused upon hearing that, while a sinking feeling appeared in her stomach.
Nodding, she said.
"Indeed, I did come to attend the Han Clan's banquet. At what date will it be held?"
The female attendant chuckled when she heard that, then explained.
"It seems the young miss and the two young masters are in luck. You arrive just in time—the banquet is going to be held tonight."
"T—Tonight!?"
Xai Lin's eyes widen slightly, and she stared at the female attendant in a daze while a surge of pure panic washed over her.
The female attendant thought Xai Lin must have been surprised by how lucky they were to make it in time for the banquet, so she smiled and said.
"That's right, its tonight. Without a doubt, the young miss and the two young masters will turn heads with your appearances and outfits."
While saying this the female attendant cast a glance at An Mo.
An Mo notice Xai Lin's abnormality, so he stepped forward and said with a polite smile.
"We will take your words as auspicious. Since we've completed our purchase, we'll find a place to stay for the time being. Goodbye."
The female attendant did not suspect anything and also said her goodbye before turning to enter the clothing store.
Afterward, An Mo hurriedly pulled Xai Lin and Su Jin to a less crowded area on the street.
Su Jin also noticed that something was wrong and followed along without a word.
When the three reached a less crowded area, An Mo turned to Xai Lin whose face had already turned deathly pale.
"Xai-xai, what's wrong!? Don't scare me like this!"
"Elder Sister Xai Lin?"
Su Jin also looked at Xai Lin with a worried expression on his face.
"I—"
Xai Lin tried to calm her breath and speak, but her throat felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, leaving her slightly gasping for breath.
An Mo was already panicking inside seeing Xai Lin suddenly becoming like this, but he tried his best to sooth her emotions by patting her back and telling her to take deep breaths.
Xai Lin instinctively followed An Mo's words and began taking deep breaths. Only after a few minutes did she manage to calm her emotions somewhat. However, her eyes suddenly turn red, and tears began accumulating in her eyes.
"Xai-xai, you—!?"
An Mo was truly at a loss upon seeing Xai Lin beginning to cry. He quickly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his embrace.
"Just what is making you so distress? Is it because of what the female human said about a banquet?"
With her arms wrapped around An Mo's waist and her head buried in his chest, Xai Lin nodded and said muffledly.
"I didn't manage to make it in time. That damn book never mentioned that Sikong's arc happened after Seong's arc, so I thought I had time to stop everything from happening, but it's already too late. Yoon-jae is already dead, and Seong has been trapped in the Han Clan for over two years. I—I'm just unreconciled that I was late, but I'm fine."
After saying that, Xai Lin rubbed her face on An Mo's newly bought clothes.
Upon hearing the reason for Xai Lin's intense emotional change, Su Jin was a bit confused, but An Mo's golden eyes flickered with thought for a moment before he said.
"Xai-xai, it's not too late. That human… um, that Seong person, isn't he still in the Han Clan? That means he hasn't escaped, and his fate hasn't started down a path of no return. We still have a chance to change his fate."
Xai Lin visibly stiffened when she heard An Mo's words.
It was during the Han Clan's banquet that Seong suffered the biggest blow, where he then awakened his innate ability to traverse space and escaping the Han Clan.
However, Xai Lin had not mentioned anything about Seong circumstances to Su Jin or An Mo, so how did An Mo know that Seong would escape the Han Clan tonight?
After a moment, Xai Lin's stiffen body relaxed, and she muffledly asked.
"How much do you know?"
An Mo, who had been nervous after feeling Xai Lin's stiffness, became flustered as he said.
"J—Just pieces of information, I can't see a person's fate all at once."
'Divination?'
Xai Lin thought internally.
It would make sense if An Mo had some kind of ability to see a person's fate, or perhaps he could perform divination and deduce heavenly secrets using some method.
As for why he never said anything before, well, Xai Lin understood the concept that heavenly secrets cannot be revealed, or else one would suffer severe backlash, with the worst case being their soul flying away and spirit scattering.
After a few seconds of silence, Xai Lin said.
"You're right, things haven't reached a dead-end yet."
Seeing that Xai Lin didn't push for questions, An Mo breathe a sigh of relief.
His Xai-xai was so understanding of his plight without him having to explain—he really couldn't help but love her even more.