391: Chapter 391 Should I yell too?

The afternoon sun shone through the wide window lattice, illuminating the room with warmth.

Just as Ling Hao stepped into the hall, he heard a lively commotion—

"Pair of eights!"

"Bomb!"

"Wait! My four twos!"

"Four twos aren't that great? I have a bomb!"

"Ahhh! You're cheating!"

Ling Hao paused, rubbing his forehead.

They had even brought poker here. In a few days, would Mahjong appear in the Cultivation world too?

Inside the hall, four women were sitting around a large, low table, each holding a hand of cards, their expressions focused.

Lin Xiwei had been Cultivating, but suddenly opened her eyes and looked towards the door.

Qin Zhaoxue, dressed in a smoke-blue gauze dress, sat upright to the side, watching them play with a faint smile.

Chi Wanhe was pouting, staring unconvincingly at the cards in Shui Liuli's hand; Du Yuqing sat straight on her chair, throwing out five cards.

"Lost."

Lu Changning sat to the side, holding her cards, looking somewhat at a loss; Xia Yingying leaned on the daybed by the window, also holding cards, with Yue Xinxi standing behind her.

Shui Liuli sat in the center, her little face full of smugness, holding the last two cards, her eyes darting around.

"Who said I cheated? This is tactics! Do you understand tactics?"

Shui Liuli slapped down her last two cards: "Pair of threes! I won!"

"You call that tactics?" Chi Wanhe glared, "That's cheating! You didn't play when you could have."

"Alright, alright," Qin Zhaoxue said gently to smooth things over, "A bet is a bet."

Du Yuqing and Xia Yingying took out a white strip and swapped it with Shui Liuli.

"Ahem."

Ling Hao gave a light cough.

The women turned in unison, and upon seeing him, they instantly dropped the cards in their hands—

"Revered Master!"

Chi Wanhe rushed over like a pink butterfly, grabbed his arm, and looked him up and down: "Revered Master! You're finally back! Lady Shi Ji didn't give you a hard time, did she?"

Shui Liuli shouted from behind, "Senior Sister, are you trying to welch on your debt?"

Ling Hao smiled and rubbed Chi Wanhe's head: "What could happen to me? What about you, not honoring your bet?"

Chi Wanhe pouted and said, "I wouldn't."

After saying this, she took out a white strip, moved her right hand, wrote her name on it, and reluctantly handed it to Shui Liuli.

Shui Liuli glanced at Ling Hao and happily accepted it.

Ling Hao went to the daybed and sat down.

Qin Zhaoxue stood up, brought a cup of warm spiritual tea, walked to Ling Hao's side, and naturally held the cup to his lips, her other hand habitually supporting the bottom of the cup.

Ling Hao took a sip from her hand, and then Qin Zhaoxue took a sip from the spot his lips had touched, wiped away the water mark on the rim, and only then placed the cup aside.

Lu Changning placed several plates of exquisite pastries on the table; under her lotus-colored sleeves, her wrists were as slender as jade.

She picked up a plum-shaped pastry, naturally handed it to Ling Hao's mouth, said nothing, and just watched him quietly.

Ling Hao took a bite, and she withdrew her hand, ate the part he had bitten, the corners of her mouth slightly curled up, her eyes full of satisfaction.

Du Yuqing came to Ling Hao's back. She wasn't wearing a breast binder, her full chest supporting her waist-length skirt, and she reached out to embrace Ling Hao, letting him lean against her soft, warm body, then raised her hand to massage his shoulders, the strength neither too light nor too heavy; this was the perfect touch formed after thousands of times.

Ling Hao leaned into that softness, his nose filled with the faint, cold fragrance on her body.

Truly, enjoyment.

Lin Xiwei was already used to this scene.

She sat opposite Ling Hao and said, "Revered Master, this morning we were walking in and out of the Holy Land and heard some rumors."

"Oh?"

"They are circulating among the Elders and Disciples."

"They say our Moonshadow Sect is a 'wolf in sheep's clothing' and 'inviting trouble'. Even worse..."

She frowned slightly and did not repeat those ugly words.

Chi Wanhe immediately pouted, "Hmph! A bunch of clowns, it must be the Ji Family's doing! At the meeting the day after tomorrow, I will scold them fiercely!"

Ling Hao sipped his tea, his expression calm.

"It doesn't matter. I will speak to Lady Shi Ji; she will know what to do."

The women nodded upon hearing this.

Ling Hao added, "By the way, I got something good from her, let you all have a taste."

As he spoke, he took out the jade bottle containing the "Stone Heart Stone Marrow," carefully dripped a drop into each person's cup, and poured in clear spiritual spring water.

The milky white tea soup glowed warmly in the sunlight, emitting a rich milky fragrance.

"Taste it."

The women curiously picked up their cups and took small sips.

"Hmm... What a special taste!"

Chi Wanhe's eyes lit up, "So milky, so warm and moist."

Qin Zhaoxue tasted it carefully and nodded, "Truly extraordinary. This nourishing power goes straight into the Divine Soul. But it feels a bit strange... a bit familiar."

Du Yuqing took a sip, then another small sip, as if savoring something.

Lu Changning sipped it, her cheeks slightly flushed, and she whispered, "Delicious... it's just a bit like..."

Lin Xiwei was thoughtful, "Such a spiritual item is helpful even for the Nascent Soul Stage."

Xia Yingying and Yue Xinxi were leaning by the window; after Xia Yingying finished drinking, she licked her lips.

Shui Liuli froze after just one sip.

She held the cup, looked at the jade bottle in Ling Hao's hand, and a strange expression appeared on her little face: "Revered Master~ why does this taste like..."

She remembered the taste of her mother when she was young, only this milk tea was not as fishy, and was more warm and pure.

Ling Hao raised an eyebrow, looking at her with a smile that was not quite a smile: "Like what?"

Shui Liuli's face flushed slightly, and she shook her head: "Nothing."

Chi Wanhe had already extended her cup: "Revered Master, I want more!"

Ling Hao smiled and put away the jade bottle: "This item is rare; the rest is for me."

Chi Wanhe complained, "Stingy!"

Ling Hao glanced at the women, laughing inwardly. If you knew what you were drinking now... calling her "Mother" might not be too much?

What, I drank it too, do I have to call her that too?

If I have to call her that, then I will!

By the window, Yue Xinxi whispered something to Xia Yingying. Xia Yingying got up from the window, walked to Ling Hao's side, naturally sat next to him, and whispered, "Revered Master, when are we going to the Ten Thousand Miasma Demon Forest?"

Ling Hao knew she was worried about Yue Xinxi's matter, glanced at Yue Xinxi, who was standing by the window but watching them out of the corner of her eye, and patted her hand: "Don't worry, I have a plan."

The hall was filled with sunshine, and the fragrance of tea and pastries permeated the air. Isolated from the disturbances and undercurrents of the outside world, only warmth and the rare tranquility of the afternoon remained.

...

Mingxuan Peak.

Inside the magnificent Immortal Cave, Ji Xuanming sat cross-legged on a jade platform, his face so gloomy that water could drip from it.

Ji Mitai stood below, bowing respectfully, but a trace of scarlet occasionally flashed beneath his lowered eyelids.

"You're back."

Ji Xuanming said in a deep voice, "How is the matter with the Yunyan Sect going?"