216: Chapter 216 If Xiaowei, you don't mind being watched

The cloud boat slowly descended into the small courtyard of the Moonshadow Sect's temporary station in Nanzhao City. As the light dissipated, Ling Hao walked down, holding Xia Yingying's hand.

Xia Yingying's small face was slightly flushed, her eyes darting around. She followed closely behind Revered Master, step by step, as if trying to hide herself in his shadow.

In the courtyard, Chi Wanhe, Qin Zhaoxue, Du Yuqing, Lu Changning, Lin Xiwei, and the others had been waiting for a long time. They had just finished organizing the situation in the surrounding countries, and a trace of fatigue lingered between their brows.

"Revered Master! You've finally returned!"

Chi Wanhe was the first to greet them. Her lively eyes swept over Ling Hao and finally landed on Xia Yingying, who was hiding behind him and clutching his sleeve. The corners of her mouth immediately curled into a teasing arc.

"Yo~ What's wrong with our Junior Sister? It's only been a few days, and you've become like a frightened little rabbit, only knowing how to hide behind Revered Master? It seems these few days that Revered Master took you 'sightseeing' were quite 'delightful', hmm?"

She deliberately emphasized "sightseeing" and "delightful", her eyes filled with mischief as they darted around.

Upon hearing this, Qin Zhaoxue covered her lips and chuckled, her eyebrows curving: "Junior Sister, did you have a good time going out to relax with Revered Master?"

She asked subtly, but in that gentle smile, a hint of understanding was clearly hidden.

Du Yuqing's gaze fell on Ling Hao and the two of them. "Revered Master, Junior Sister."

Lu Changning walked over holding a plate of exquisite snacks, her voice soft: "Revered Master, Junior Sister, you're back. I just happened to make some new snacks; hurry and try them."

Lin Xiwei stood a little further away, her posture exuding a sense of cold indifference. She seemed somewhat absent-minded; her gaze was not focused on the two who had returned, but instead, she looked at the ground in a slight daze, her delicate brows knitted together as if pondering some difficult problem.

Xia Yingying was even more flushed from the gaze of her Senior Sisters. Her head was almost buried into Ling Hao's back, revealing only a pair of watery apricot eyes, so embarrassed and distressed that she didn't know what to do.

Ling Hao glanced at Chi Wanhe, raised his hand, and flicked her smooth forehead with a crisp, moderate force. "You're the one who talks too much."

"Ouch!" Chi Wanhe exaggeratedly covered her forehead and pouted, "Revered Master is biased! Second Junior Sister said it too, why didn't you hit her?"

Ling Hao withdrew his hand and said calmly, "Because you are the closest to me."

His gaze swept over the crowd and finally landed on Lin Xiwei, who was clearly not in the right state of mind. "Xiao Wei, come here for a moment."

Being called out, Lin Xiwei snapped back to reality, raised her head, and met Ling Hao's calm gaze. She softly replied, "Yes, Revered Master." Then, she quietly followed Ling Hao to a secluded corridor in the corner of the courtyard.

Behind them, Chi Wanhe immediately leaned over to Xia Yingying, pulled her arm, and lowered her voice, though she couldn't hide her excitement: "Good Junior Sister, hurry and secretly tell your Senior Sister, where did Revered Master take you? Did you go to some fun place? Did you do anything fun? Hmm?"

Du Yuqing silently handed a cup of tea to Xia Yingying's side, as if saying, drink it if you are thirsty. Qin Zhaoxue also watched with a smile, while Lu Changning curiously pricked up her ears. Xia Yingying was at a loss.

In the Sea of Consciousness, Yue Xinxi gnashed her teeth. Are all the Disciples of such a romantic Sect Master this gossipy?

Under the corridor, moonlight filtered through the carved window lattices, casting mottled light and shadows. Ling Hao looked at Lin Xiwei and asked directly: "How did you handle those two, Gan Wenzhu?"

Lin Xiwei nodded: "I killed them both!" She said it as if it were a trivial matter. "Hmm." Ling Hao responded, "Then what other problems are there? I see you've been restless."

Lin Xiwei raised her head, her calm eyes looking directly at Ling Hao: "Revered Master, those two, Gan Wenzhu, dying is fine; I don't care about them at all."

"It's just that this Disciple wants to confirm... are you really going to go against the entire Wanxian Dynasty for me alone? The Wanxian Dynasty was, after all, once a Ninth-Rank Sect with deep foundations and countless affiliated Sects. Pulling one hair affects the whole body; to rashly make such an enemy..."

Before she finished speaking, Ling Hao interrupted her. He reached out and gently brushed aside a strand of hair blown across Lin Xiwei's forehead by the wind: "Xiao Wei, your caution sickness is acting up again."

"You are my precious heart. Not to mention one Wanxian Dynasty, even if it were ten or a hundred, if they dared to touch a hair on you, what does it matter if I face them?" "Now I am just waiting for the right time, and I will directly destroy the Wanxian Dynasty."

These overbearing words stirred up monstrous waves in Lin Xiwei's heart. She had reincarnated many times, seen the coldness of the world, and knew the weight of the word "value". She was accustomed to cautious calculations and weighing pros and cons; she had never imagined that someone would protect her without regard for the cost or reason, simply because she was "her"!

A warm current instantly flowed through her entire body. In her cold eyes, that trace of worry was replaced by a surging tide of emotion, her gaze rippling like a deep pool disturbed by moonlight.

She slightly tilted her face up, her reason for pursuing the Dao replaced by a more primal desire. "Revered Master..." Her cold voice revealed softness and passion, "Since you have already eaten Junior Sister... then your precious heart... also wants to be eaten by Revered Master now..."

Ling Hao looked at the ice lotus before him, the corners of his mouth curling into a smile. He reached out his right hand to gently pinch her cheek and shook his head.

The passion in Lin Xiwei's beautiful eyes faded slightly, replaced by confusion. Ling Hao turned his head to look at a corner, "If you don't mind being watched by your Senior Sisters and Junior Sisters, Xiao Wei, I am also willing..." Lin Xiwei: !!!

High above the wilderness, a huge cross-shaped spatial rift hung in the sky. Chaotic spatial fragments, like peeling glaze, flashed with twisted luster, reflecting the cruel scene of the True Demon Realm on the other side of the rift.

Below the rift, the place was bustling with noise. Cultivators from various large and small Sects across a dozen immortal cultivation nations from the southeast of Cangwu and even further away gathered here densely under the coordination of the Moonshadow Sect Disciples.

They divided the areas according to their Sect forces, each setting up simple protective Formations, with spiritual light flickering like scattered stars in the night.

"Qingxia Sect Disciples, guard the east wing!" "Xuanjian Sect, take responsibility for the west side alert!" "Fellow Daoists of the Dalei Sect, please assist in reinforcing the outer barrier!" Moonshadow Sect Disciples shuttled through, conveying instructions and maintaining order. But the air was filled with tension and unease, and many people looked at the terrifying rift in the sky, their faces unable to hide their fear.

"Lord Heavenly Venerable!" An Elder of the Chiyang Sect from a Fifth-Rank immortal cultivation nation stepped forward, his tone anxious, "The Devilish Qi from this main rift is becoming increasingly dense, and the spatial fluctuations are becoming more and more violent. I fear it won't hold for long! Our guarding here is just a drop in the bucket. I wonder if the Yuji Platform has any better follow-up countermeasures?"

"That's right, Lord Heavenly Venerable," the Sect Head of the Feisha Sect from another Sixth-Rank immortal cultivation nation, Feisha Country, also spoke with worry, "With our strength alone, if the demons swarm out on a large scale, I fear we will not be able to resist!" Everyone echoed, their gazes focused on Ling Hao.

Ling Hao stood before everyone, his hands behind his back, his robes fluttering without wind. His gaze swept over the black mass of people below: "There is no need for everyone to panic. This rift cannot be solved in a short time. You are stationed here not to exterminate the demons, but to monitor abnormalities and warn all directions."

"If there are any abnormalities, report them immediately to the Cangwu Yuji Platform and the Moonshadow Sect via communication jade talismans. Moonshadow Sect Disciples will rotate on duty regularly and be responsible for allocating supplies." "Furthermore, a resonance dao tower has been set up here. Once a battle breaks out, high-level Cultivators of our Moonshadow Sect can arrive immediately."

He paused, his tone turning cold: "This is the order of the Cangwu Yuji Platform, and also the command of the Moonshadow Sect. Guard your respective posts well, do not be slack, and even more so, do not leave your posts without authorization! If anyone violates this order, do not blame me for being heartless."

Although the pressure of the Undergoing Tribulation Great Perfection was not deliberately released, the will contained in those calm words made everyone's heart tremble, and no one dared to question it again. "We respectfully obey the decree of the Moonshadow Heavenly Venerable!" Everyone bowed and agreed.

Ling Hao said no more, turned around, and waved his hand. A light-chasing moon ship hovered in the air, its hull radiant with light, emitting powerful Spiritual Pressure. "Except for the Disciples and Elders on duty, all other members of the Moonshadow Sect, follow me back to the Sect!"

"Yes!" Chi Wanhe, Qin Zhaoxue, Du Yuqing, Lu Changning, Lin Xiwei, Xia Yingying, and the others responded in unison and flew onto the ship.

Ling Hao's gaze finally fell on Mo Yun and the others of the Merfolk Race: "You should also come back with me. I will arrange a suitable habitat for you."

"It's the Merfolk Race..." "The Merfolk Race has actually received the protection of the Moonshadow Sect..." "We can no longer engage in the business of stealing pearls and collecting fats in the future..." "..." The many Cultivators below discussed heatedly. Just a simple appearance made many Cultivators aware of the current situation of the Merfolk Race.

Mo Yun and the others bowed gracefully with their clansmen, their beautiful eyes filled with gratitude: "Thank you, Heavenly Venerable, for your grace in taking us in."

The huge light-chasing moon ship slowly ascended into the sky, the runes on the hull lit up, turning into a brilliant stream of light that pierced through the clouds and sped towards the direction of the Moonshadow Sect.