“Emotion, my Cultivation is temporarily lost.”
The Abandoned Temple was filled with an eerie silence. Ye Xiaotang suddenly rolled her eyes, as if an idea had struck her.
Lai Li’an raised an eyebrow slightly, “Of course, Venerable Self has merely encountered some matters…”
The campfire crackled in the center, the Dry Vegetable Soup bubbling softly.
“Fine, so you say you’re a Great Master, right?”
Ye Xiaotang rested her chin on both hands, smiling at him brightly, “A Great Master ought to look the part, shouldn’t he? Show me some cultivation, let me broaden my horizons.”
Lai Li’an’s expression froze for a moment.
Demonstrate cultivation?
He wasn’t very skilled at it. The Qi Induction method Su Wan’er had taught him last time, he still wasn’t proficient with. And even if he were, what could an Early Qi Refining Stage cultivator possibly show off? Just circulating Spiritual Power through his body a few times?
If he actually demonstrated it, wouldn’t he be exposed?
Lai Li’an’s mind raced for a split second, then he gave a slight shake of his head, a mysterious smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
“Little girl, do you think Venerable Self’s Cultivation Method is something that can be casually shown to anyone?”
Ye Xiaotang blinked.
“Every Sect and every Cultivator has their own Secret Technique that cannot be passed on. Venerable Self’s method is even more so. If I were to casually display it to others, wouldn’t everyone in this world learn it?”
He paused, his gaze landing on Ye Xiaotang’s face, “However, Venerable Self could teach you.”
“You’d teach me?”
“Yes.”
Lai Li’an nodded slightly, “But before I teach you, I need to see what your current cultivation method looks like. Show me, and I’ll see whether your Foundation is solid.”
Ye Xiaotang’s eyes lit up slightly.
But before teaching her, he had another reason.
Her Foundation Establishment Cultivation hadn’t been gained through actual training—this whole body of cultivation, what could she possibly show? She didn’t even know how to cultivate!
Ye Xiaotang’s smile froze on her face.
But those words, how could she ever say them out loud?
Ye Xiaotang’s lips moved, her eyes darting back and forth, her entire demeanor practically screaming “guilty conscience.”
“Well…”
Her voice dropped to a tenth of its volume, “My cultivation method… isn’t convenient to show either.”
“Right, not convenient.”
Her voice rose a few notches, as if trying to bolster her own courage, “It’s a secret! A Sect Secret! Can’t show it to outsiders!”
Lai Li’an watched her flustered display, the corner of his mouth curling up slightly.
This little liar, her skills weren’t up to par.
Those little tricks of hers might fool others, but not him, Lai Li’an. He’d spent three years swindling people in the Mortal world—what lies hadn’t he heard, what people hadn’t he seen?
Ye Xiaotang’s behavior was clearly a lie.
She couldn’t cultivate. A Foundation Establishment Cultivator who couldn’t cultivate.
Interesting.
Lai Li’an didn’t call her out. He simply gave a slight nod, his tone carrying a magnanimous indulgence.
“I see. Venerable Self was too forward.”
Ye Xiaotang let out a relieved sigh, quickly nodding, “Right, right, you were too forward.”
The two fell silent again.
But this time, the silence felt different from before.
I know you’re lying to me, and you know I know you’re lying to you, but I won’t expose you. Once exposed, there’d be no fun in it.
The two of them shared an unspoken understanding.
“Growl~”
A sound came from Ye Xiaotang’s direction.
Ye Xiaotang glanced down at her stomach, her expression stiffening slightly.
That pot of Dry Vegetable Soup hadn’t been nearly enough, and there was only half a Steamed Bun left, hard as a rock, hurting her cheeks as she chewed.
Her eyes darted around a few times, then suddenly lit up.
She stood up abruptly, dusted herself off, and planted her hands on her hips, “Hey, kid, your granny here is taking you out for a Big Meal. You coming or not?”
Lai Li’an blinked.
“A Big Meal?”
“That’s right, a Big Meal.”
Ye Xiaotang emphasized the words “Big Meal” heavily, as if highlighting something extraordinary, “Meat, vegetables, and wine, piping hot, a hundred times better than that pathetic Dry Vegetable Soup.”
Lai Li’an’s Adam’s apple bobbed.
He wanted to refuse.
He was a fallen Great Master, sure, but a Great Master had his dignity. How could he be bought off with a single meal?
Yet Ye Xiaotang curved her lips into a smug smile.
“Come on, come on, don’t dawdle.”
She walked toward the entrance of the Abandoned Temple, and when she reached the door, she suddenly stopped and turned back.
“Oh, and don’t think about running. Your granny here is a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, and you’re just a Qi Refining Stage—you can’t get away.”
Lai Li’an gave a wry smile and followed after her.
The moment he stepped out of the Abandoned Temple, Lai Li’an thought he was still dreaming.
They were standing on a small hill.
At the foot of the hill lay a small town, one built in the snow, brightly lit from end to end. People came and went on the streets, bustling with life.
Lai Li’an stood frozen in place. He could hardly imagine that in such a frozen, snow-covered place, there could be a town so lively, so full of the warmth of everyday life.
Countless questions flashed through Lai Li’an’s mind, but before he could dwell on them, Ye Xiaotang’s voice came from beside him.
“See? Never seen anything like this, have you?”
Ye Xiaotang planted her hands on her hips, her face full of pride, “This is a Mortal Town under your granny’s jurisdiction. Impressive, isn’t it?”
Lai Li’an turned his head, looking at her expression that screamed “praise me,” and nearly laughed out loud.
Under her jurisdiction?
What kind of nonsense was that.
Lai Li’an wanted to say something, but a glare from Ye Xiaotang made him swallow the words.
“What’s that look for?”
Ye Xiaotang narrowed her eyes, “You don’t believe me?”
“I believe.”
Lai Li’an quickly nodded, forcing an ingratiating smile onto his face, “Of course I believe.”
Ye Xiaotang let out a humph, turned away, and headed toward the town.
Before long, the two stepped into the town. Lai Li’an followed behind her, his gaze drifting across the shops lining both sides of the street.
The Baozi Shop’s steaming baskets released billowing white vapor, and laughter and chatter from diners spilled out of the Noodle Shop.
Every shop was steaming hot and buzzing with voices, and every one of them made the cravings in his stomach howl desperately.
But Ye Xiaotang didn’t stop at any of them.
She walked past those shops without even glancing at them, her gaze fixed straight ahead.
Lai Li’an followed behind, growing more and more puzzled.
Where in the world was this girl going?
He couldn’t help but ask, “Where exactly are we headed? Didn’t you say we were getting a Big Meal? Aren’t all these shops full of food? Why aren’t we going into any of them?”
“You’ll know when we get there.”
Ye Xiaotang didn’t turn around.
Lai Li’an shut his mouth and obediently followed her forward.
The shops along the street gradually thinned out, and the pedestrians grew fewer.
Just as Lai Li’an thought she was leading him out of town, Ye Xiaotang suddenly stopped in front of a shop.
It was a Wine House, and even on this already quiet street, it was still bustling with activity.
Customers streamed in and out of the entrance, and the clinking of cups could be heard even through the walls.
More importantly, a rich aroma was drifting out through the cracks in the doors and windows, aggressively invading Lai Li’an’s nostrils.
It was the smell of meat.
Lai Li’an’s Adam’s apple rolled violently.
Ye Xiaotang stood at the entrance, took a deep breath of that fragrance, and a satisfied smile spread across her face.
“We’re here.”
She turned back to glance at Lai Li’an, “Go on in.”
With that, she took the lead and stepped inside.
Lai Li’an hurried after her.