385: Chapter 385 First Encounter, Undercurrents

Inside Linlang Pavilion, that fiery red figure stood in place, motionless for a long time.

Not until Ling Hao's back completely disappeared into the crowd did she slowly exhale. The cold sweat on her back had already been evaporated by her body heat, replaced by a strange warmth.

She raised her hand to touch her flushed cheeks, the corners of her lips slowly curling up.

"What a handsome man..."

She murmured, her voice carrying a trace of irrepressible tremor.

That face, those eyes, that half-smiling expression.

She had seen countless men, and prided herself on having encountered all kinds of dashing figures, yet never had she met one who made her heart race like a drum just by locking eyes for a second.

Those eyebrows were like swords, yet not sharp; those pupils were as deep as an abyss, yet not gloomy; the curve of those lips carried three parts indifference, two parts detachment, and five parts... an indescribable meaning.

His posture was straight as a pine, yet it wasn't the rigid, formal kind; rather, it exuded a natural, effortless ease.

He stood there, clearly just looking at the hairpins in the cabinet, yet it was as if the entire Linlang Pavilion lit up a few degrees because of him.

The most lethal part was that Aura.

When she unleashed her charm techniques, she clearly saw that gaze fall upon her—yet it was as if he were looking at an uninteresting object, or perhaps an ant jumping about.

It wasn't disgust, it wasn't contempt, it was just... indifference.

Complete, utter indifference.

She had never met someone like this.

"Those eyes... what would it look like if he looked at me seriously?"

She licked the corners of her lips, her eyes misting over.

"If he looked at me with that kind of gaze... I'm afraid I would have gone weak on the spot."

The more she thought about it, the itchier her heart became, her fingertips twisting her skirt sash, almost wringing wrinkles into the fine brocade.

"It is impossible for White Rock Holy Land to have such a powerful Mahayana Stage Cultivator; he must be from one of the Holy Lands in the Central Province..."

Her eyes rolled.

"If I had offended anyone else like that just now, they would have been furious. Even those hypocrites who claim to be righteous would have cursed me out. But him?"

She recalled Ling Hao's half-smiling eyes, and her heart skipped a beat again.

"Not only was he not angry, but... but he turned back and looked at me!"

That moment's gaze was now playing on loop in her mind, every frame meticulously savored.

There was deep meaning in that glance—she was absolutely certain of it.

He must have been hindered by the two women beside him, making it inconvenient to show it on the spot. After all, how could a man with that kind of Aura perform frivolous acts in public?

But he was ultimately reluctant to just leave like that, so he turned back, so he looked at her.

Using that meaningful gaze to tell her—I know you, I remember you.

The more she thought, the hotter her heart became. Suddenly, she remembered a detail from when Ling Hao turned around—the two fingers of his right hand seemed to have inadvertently pointed towards the east.

At the time, her mind was in turmoil and she hadn't noticed, but thinking back now, it was clearly...

"The Hour of the Ox! The East!"

Her eyes burst with ecstatic radiance.

"He is asking me out! Tonight at the Hour of the Ox, outside the East Gate of White Rock Giant City!"

She was so excited she spun in place, her fiery red skirt swirling like a flower.

"I knew it! I knew it!"

How could a man of such appearance and cultivation not see her charm? Just now, he was merely constrained by the occasion and those two women, forcing him to keep up appearances. But in the end, he was still reluctant, so he left this secret hint.

"What a man who truly knows how to appreciate things..."

The woman bit her lip, smiling with seductive eyes.

"Tonight at the Hour of the Ox... I will let you know that your two female companions combined don't even measure up to one of my fingers."

She straightened her hair, looked down at her figure, and curled her lips in satisfaction.

"Wait for me, my dear..."

Three days later, the main square of the White Rock Holy Land.

Today, the square was exceptionally solemn, filled with dense Spiritual Qi and swirling auspicious clouds.

Almost all the core figures of the Holy Land were gathered here.

At the edge of the sky, three figures arrived on clouds.

The oppressive pressure from the center, deep as the sea, spread silently like an invisible tide. All the Cultivators in the square felt a chill in their hearts and subconsciously held their breath.

Ling Hao was dressed in clean green robes, his gait effortless, every step seemingly landing on the rhythm of the Dao. Xia Yingying and Yue Xinxi followed silently on his left and right.

Shi Qingxuan, dressed in solemn Sect Master robes, stood at the very front of the welcoming party.

"Welcome, Supreme Moonshadow, to the White Rock Holy Land." Shi Qingxuan's voice was clear and solemn, resounding across the square.

Behind Shi Qingxuan stood several other figures; these were the true foundations of the White Rock Holy Land.

In the very center was a curvaceous woman.

Shi Yunyu spoke gently, her voice like warm jade striking together: "Fellow Daoist Moonshadow has come in person, and the White Rock Holy Land is honored."

Ji Xuanming nodded slightly, took a half-step forward, and said in a booming voice: "I have long heard of your name. Seeing you today, your demeanor is even better than the rumors." His words were polite, but deep in his eyes lay a trace of arrogance.

Ling Hao swept his gaze across them: two Mahayana, five Undergoing Tribulation.

His gaze lingered on Ji Xuanming's face for a moment.

A man, skip!

When his gaze fell on Shi Yunyu, a flash of astonishment crossed his deep eyes.

A wide, moon-white to ash-grey gradient cloak hung down to her ankles, wrapping her tightly without revealing a single curve.

On her chest was only a white expanse like snow piled on distant mountains.

The ink-grey skirt had deep pleats like waves, a plain white shawl draped diagonally over one shoulder, and her black hair was tied low, secured only by a silver hairpin.

She stood there quietly, like snow-covered distant mountains, her Aura calm and restrained, yet carrying a sense of weight and warmth.

Even wrapped in heavy clothing, there was that Aura emanating from her bones, like the earth bearing all things.

Warm! Thick! Deep! Quiet! It was completely different from any woman he had ever seen.

This was true maternal radiance!

Among the welcoming crowd, Chi Wanhe, Qin Zhaoxue, and others saw Ling Hao and expressed heartfelt joy on their faces, as if they had found their backbone.

But Shui Liuli's attention was on Shi Yunyu.

Her small mouth opened slightly, and then she muttered in realization: "Oh... so it's the 'big' kind! Looking at Revered Master's expression... he seems to really like it?"

She blinked, looking mischievous.

Shi Qingxuan's three Disciples also had their own reactions.

Cen Xi tried hard to maintain a respectful posture, but her bright eyes and slightly trembling fingers betrayed her excitement.

She peeked at Ling Hao, then lowered her head.

Shen Yunjie stood tall as a pine, his expression solemn and grave, performing a grand salute meticulously.

Jiang Shiyu's cold gaze swept between Ling Hao and Shi Yunyu, then she lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes masking all emotions, leaving only superficial respect.

Shi Yunyu said gently:

"Supreme, you have come from afar, you must be tired. A place to stay has been prepared on Canglan Peak; please rest for a while. Three days later, we will gather again to discuss how to deal with the Erosion Beast, how about it?"

Ling Hao nodded slightly: "I will follow the host's arrangements."

Shi Qingxuan then led the way: "Supreme, please follow me."

The group flew towards the mist-shrouded Canglan Peak under the complex gazes of the many high-level members of the Holy Land.

Once those figures completely disappeared into the depths of the clouds, the tense atmosphere in the square suddenly relaxed, and the sound of discussion spread like a thawing stream.

"Oh my god, that was Lady Shi Ji! Indeed... indeed full of maternal radiance!"

A female Disciple held her hands to her chest, her eyes full of reverence.

"Yes, although I couldn't see her figure clearly, that feeling... so warm, so reassuring!" another female Disciple echoed.

A conceited young Disciple stroked the bangs on his forehead and said, bracing himself:

"Supreme Moonshadow does have some Aura, but... he doesn't seem to be much more handsome than me!"

The thin, tall Disciple next to him immediately sneered:

"Forget it! That's called Supreme Aura; you? That's just a toad yawning—what a big mouth!"

Amidst the laughter, some conversations spread quietly.

"I heard from those trash like Zhang Chengyue from Wan Shou Mountain that the Moon Shadow Holy Land in Cangwu only relies on this one Supreme!"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

The round-faced Disciple immediately took over, his nostrils almost pointing to the sky,

"They said this Supreme Moonshadow just had a Breakthrough not long ago! How can he compare to our Supreme Mingxuan? Supreme Elder Mingxuan underwent the earth-shattering Supreme Lightning Tribulation! Supreme Moonshadow must be far inferior!"

The thin, tall Disciple spat as he spoke:

"That's for sure! Our Holy Land has two Supremes sitting in town, that's what you call foundation! What is Moon Shadow Holy Land?"

The round-faced Disciple puffed out his chest: "Exactly! Once Supreme Mingxuan stabilizes his cultivation, the two Supremes will join forces, and any Erosion Beast Tide will be wiped out with a flip of their hands! Do we need outsiders?"

"That's right!"

Echoes of agreement arose, filled with blind superiority.