Fang Xiaosi’s request struck the two like a bolt from the blue, leaving Ling Xiaodong and Yue Yingying sitting dumbfounded in place, unable to speak for a long time.
She continued to raise the stakes:
“The village girls will still be chosen by Young Master Ling. If you’re willing, you can even let them all bear children.”
After saying this, she shyly lowered her head, using her sleeve to cover her mouth, then bashfully looked up and softly said:
“If Young Master Ling wants, I can too.”
Such an endearing demeanor was truly heart-tugging. A whole village of beauties for him to choose from—there was probably no man in the world who could resist such a proposal.
“Yes!”
“No!”
Two voices rang out simultaneously from inside the room.
Yue Yingying and Ling Xiaodong exchanged surprised looks.
Yue Yingying frowned at him, her beautiful eyes slightly widened, full of disbelief as if she was meeting Ling Xiaodong for the first time.
“Why not? You don’t lose anything by fathering children for others.”
Her tone was casual, as if talking about taking her pet out to mate with someone else’s.
The proposal was tempting, but Ling Xiaodong was very resistant to the idea of being intimate with unknown women. If he were some lustful demon without regard for purity, he would have long ago sought out the willing courtesans in Peng City who paid him to do so.
Ling Xiaodong didn’t answer her question but instead furrowed his brows and asked:
“Miss Fang, is this the only condition? Can it be changed?”
Fang Xiaosi covered her mouth and smiled.
“If Young Master Ling is unwilling, it’s fine. I was only joking earlier.”
She then turned to Yue Yingying, her expression turning serious once again.
“If I’m not mistaken, Miss Yue is a cultivator deeply versed in Daoist arts, yes? Although I have some shallow understanding, the gap between us is like that between the bright moon and a firefly—I can’t see through your true level at all.”
Fang Xiaosi waved her hand in the air, and a yin-yang diagram appeared, its outermost circle bearing the five characters Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—showing that she, like Ye Yiyun, was a Five Elements Realm cultivator.
Yue Yingying crossed her arms and proudly lifted her snowy, slender neck, almost looking down her nose at others.
“Just average.”
Her words sounded plain, but the tone betrayed unmistakable pride and satisfaction. She was pleased with Fang Xiaosi’s praise because, to her, Daoist cultivation was the only thing she could boast about.
Of course, if Ling Xiaodong were to judge, he’d say her master’s most remarkable assets were her flawless figure and heavenly beauty.
“To be frank, there’s a Gui Jiao near our village that has long coveted the Fusang Divine Tree. Although the tree protects us, many villagers who go hunting have already fallen victim to that evil jiao. We hope you two can help rid the village of it. In return, I will share everything I know about the Xuanyang Grass and offer a generous reward!”
“No problem! Where is the Gui Jiao?”
Yue Yingying patted her chest confidently and readily agreed.
Mountains rose like gatherings of peaks, waves raged like fury, prompting Ling Xiaodong to steal a glance and admire the scenery.
Fang Xiaosi stood and walked to the window, looking up at the thick dark clouds in the sky.
Mountain weather changed suddenly. Just moments ago, the sky was clear without a single cloud; now it had darkened. She reached out and closed the window, shutting out the howling mountain wind.
“That Gui Jiao has plagued us for a long time, but it’s not urgent. It’s especially dangerous and troublesome when it rains. Perhaps it’s better for you two to wait until the rain stops before going. Besides, I haven’t yet fulfilled my duties as host. You should rest a bit; I’ll instruct the others to prepare some good dishes.”
With that, she stepped out the door, leaving Yue Yingying and Ling Xiaodong alone inside.
“Hey, why didn’t you agree just now? Such good terms! Thousands of beauties in your harem—wouldn’t that make you ecstatic?”
Ling Xiaodong smiled half-jokingly in reply:
“Master’s joking. No matter how many girls are in the village, none compare to a single hair of my master. If she asked me to have a child, I’d definitely cooperate!”
“No respect at all! You dare joke about your master!”
Yue Yingying lightly tapped Ling Xiaodong’s head. Mentioning children reminded her of the earlier scene in the Snake Den, milking cows for her disciple. She blushed involuntarily.
Before long, Fang Xiaosi returned with plates of unfamiliar dishes.
Though none of the ingredients looked recognizable, the aroma was overwhelming—likely specialties from within the Ten-Thousand Mountain Range. The two’s mouths watered at the sight, as they hadn’t had a proper meal since entering the mountains.
“Was all this game hunted in the mountains?”
Ling Xiaodong picked up a piece of unknown meat to taste. It was like fish but also like chicken—quite tasty.
“Living off the mountain means eating mountain produce; living by water means eating water produce.”
“Then the food isn’t bad at all.”
Fang Xiaosi sighed. “We can’t eat like this every day. Hunting is difficult and the mountains are dangerous; most people mainly eat the rice grown in the village.”
After their meal, Fang Xiaosi informed them about the Gui Jiao’s location and habits.
Though the dragon had died, its spirit remained for some unknown reason and had cultivated into the current Gui Jiao.
Although Ling Xiaodong was eager to find the Xuanyang Grass, the rain outside showed no signs of stopping, continuing until evening.
Fighting a Gui Jiao in a rainy night was extremely unwise, so the two master and disciple decided to stay overnight.
Fang Xiaosi warmly arranged two rooms for them.
The feeling of the snakeskin wrapped around his waist was uncomfortable. As soon as he entered the room, Ling Xiaodong took it off and tossed it aside, lying on the bed idly playing with a dagger made from a red snake’s fang, his thoughts lingering on Xiao Yan, who was still at Qingfeng Temple.
Suddenly, there was a creak as the wooden door was pushed open.
“Master? Oh! Miss Fang!”
Ling Xiaodong quickly pulled the thin quilt over himself.
The visitor was none other than Village Chief Fang Xiaosi. She was now draped in a piece of hemp cloth, her cheeks flushed, and water droplets still dripped from her hair, showing she had just bathed.
“Miss Fang, what brings you here so late? Is something wrong?”
Fang Xiaosi lowered her head, eyes nervously fixed on the ground, timidly saying:
“Young Master Ling, may I speak with you?”
“But I’m not dressed, so it’s rather inconvenient.”
Fang Xiaosi looked up, eyes brimming with tears.
“Although I am plain-looking and can’t compare to your master, does Young Master Ling really despise me so much?”
“Miss Fang, you must be joking, I—”
Ling Xiaodong barely got a word out before Fang Xiaosi’s actions left him speechless with shock.
Her hand holding the hemp cloth relaxed slightly, and the cloth slipped off, revealing a body as pure and smooth as white jade, bathed in the flickering candlelight.
“Young Master Ling, earlier I mentioned having a child. Wouldn’t you reconsider?”
Fang Xiaosi climbed onto the bed, sitting on Ling Xiaodong’s body, gently stroking his chest.
Ling Xiaodong’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed and cleared his dry throat.
“Miss Fang, please have some restraint.”
“And if I don’t restrain myself?”
Her hand slid deeper beneath his clothing, firmly grasping Ling Xiaodong.
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