418: Chapter 418 What is your relationship with Supreme Baiyan?

The courtyard fell silent for a time, until the moon reached the center of the sky.

The sound of light footsteps came from behind.

Ling Hao turned his head, his gaze narrowing slightly.

Shi Yunyu walked slowly out of the palace.

She had changed into a moon-white silk robe.

The robe was tailored from ultra-fine Cloud Brocade, its texture light and soft, clinging to her body like water and flowing gently with her steps.

The cross-collar was slightly open, revealing a section of her lustrous white collarbone and the delicate skin on the side of her neck.

A silk sash of the same color was tied around her waist, clearly outlining the curve of a slender waist that could be encircled by a single hand. Below the sash, the skirt fell naturally, its thin material faintly revealing the long contours of her legs.

Naturally, Ling Hao's gaze landed, as expected, on the pair of full curves on her chest. That plump silhouette pushed against the silk fabric, creating a round and pert curve that rose and fell slightly with her breath, like two sleeping peaks, soft and tranquil.

In the few short steps from the palace door to the pavilion, those curves trembled gently with each stride, each bounce feeling like a finger plucking at Ling Hao's heartstrings.

The milky fragrance was also stronger than before.

It wasn't the fleeting wisp caught in the mountain breeze that day; it was a tangible, rich, and soft milky scent, like fresh milk just overflowing from her breast, mixed with the warmth rising from her body temperature. It drifted into his nose in threads, its sweetness making his throat tighten.

Shi Yunyu sat down not far from Ling Hao; he smiled and moved closer to sit beside her.

The two were very close—so close that the milky fragrance grew even more intense, nearly wrapping around his entire being.

Looking from the side, the lateral curve was even more pronounced than from the front. The fabric clung to the side of her body, rising from the armpit to the chest in a curve so full it was almost exaggerated, like heavy, ripened fruit hanging low, or the most bountiful moment of a full moon just before it is perfectly round.

Basking in the warm fragrance, Ling Hao felt a bit intoxicated. He couldn't help but imagine how soft the skin beneath that fabric must be, how heavy that plump silhouette would feel in his palm, and what it would be like to bury his face in them and take a direct drink—

"Hao."

The voice snapped him back to his senses.

Ling Hao realized Shi Yunyu was lowering her head, the tips of her ears tinged with red.

He gave a light cough, shifted his gaze, and looked for a random topic.

"Yunyu, in Baiyan Prefecture, what is the relationship between humans and the Yao Race?"

Hearing it was a serious question, Shi Yunyu looked up, thought for a moment, and said softly:

"It's not very good. Human Cultivators take the inner cores and bones of the Yao Race for Artifact Refining and Alchemy, and the Yao Race also uses human Cultivators as food or bait. Over ten thousand years, the resentment between the two sides has deepened."

Ling Hao nodded slightly.

"Then Supreme Baiyan entered the Demon Forest alone with the rock cauldron to unite the three great Yao clans to suppress the main roots of the Fallen Immortal Ancient Banyan..."

"To be able to make three races, who have harbored resentment for ten thousand years, set aside their prejudices and face a common enemy together... Supreme Baiyan truly lives up to the name of Baiyan."

Shi Yunyu's beautiful eyes shimmered as she whispered, "Yes, Supreme Baiyan, she is worthy of..."

Ling Hao suddenly felt a bit jealous.

From their time together recently, he had noticed that whenever Supreme Baiyan was mentioned, a light would appear in Shi Yunyu's eyes.

"Yunyu, you seem to hold this Supreme Baiyan in high regard. Can you tell me more about her?"

Shi Yunyu noticed nothing unusual and spoke slowly:

"Of course. She is a person who is cold on the outside but warm on the inside. She looks indifferent on the surface, but her heart is soft. She values promises; if she agrees to something, she will do it even at the cost of ten thousand deaths. She is powerful, yet never arrogant because of it, and she does not view Mortals as mere ants."

She paused, her gaze drifting toward the Void Realm, as if looking through the night back to a long time ago.

"Once, she passed through a small village that was being troubled by a demon, and a Cultivator had been hired to eliminate it. That demon was just a small Essence Spirit that had only recently gained sapience; it only came out at night but was spotted by the villagers. The Cultivator wanted to kill it, and the little Essence Spirit was so scared it hid behind a tree, shivering. She stepped in to stop him, saying: 'Since it hasn't harmed anyone, why drive it to a dead end? All things have spirits; why not give it a path to live?'"

The corners of Shi Yunyu's lips curled up slightly:

"That Cultivator didn't dare argue with her and left resentfully. She then crouched down and told the little Essence Spirit: 'This place is not safe to stay. Go a hundred miles to the east; there is a mountain there with no people. Go there to practice your cultivation.' The little Essence Spirit kowtowed three times and scurried away."

She looked at Ling Hao, the moonlight reflected in her eyes:

"Whether toward humans or the Yao, she never makes distinctions based on status or identity. That's why when she entered the Demon Forest back then, the three great Yao clans were willing to trust her."

"But now..."

Shi Yunyu's tone shifted, her voice growing heavy.

"After sealing the main roots, Supreme Baiyan disappeared. The last time I entered the Demon Forest to try and communicate with the three clans, I didn't see a single normal member of the Yao Race. Everywhere were skeletons corroded by erosion qi, and everywhere were mindless Erosion Beasts. Tiger Ancestor... the Old Ancestor of the Netherworld Saber-Toothed Tiger clan, seemed to be controlled by something. He attacked me immediately upon seeing me, without a shred of his former sapience."

She looked at Ling Hao, the worry in her eyes deepening:

"Over the past half month, the Erosion Beast Tide has become increasingly violent. All signs indicate that the Yao Race in the Ten Thousand Miasma Demon Forest... might have already..."

She didn't finish, but Ling Hao knew what she wanted to say.

"Been completely wiped out?"

Shi Yunyu fell silent.

Looking at her face clouded with worry, Ling Hao suddenly reached out and gently covered the back of her hand with his.

"No need to worry. I am here."

Shi Yunyu's fingertips trembled, and she looked up at him.

She gave a soft "mm" and did not pull her hand away.

Ling Hao withdrew his hand and leaned back against the chair in a casual posture:

"Take a good rest. Do you want to lie in my arms?"

Shi Qingxuan's figure suddenly flashed through Shi Yunyu's mind, along with the scene she had "accidentally" witnessed of him kissing Shi Qingxuan.

She glanced at Ling Hao.

The man had a faint smile on his lips, his gaze gentle.

She was only... testing if his embrace was warm enough for her daughter, that was all.

"Okay."

Shi Yunyu gently turned her body and rested her head on his lap.

Warm and firm.

She closed her eyes, feeling a sense of peace she had never experienced before.

It was as if she didn't have to think about anything or fear anything. The heavy burdens on her shoulders and the worries hidden in her heart were all gently set down in this moment of tranquility.

She even felt that she could just lie like this forever, until the end of time.

"Yunyu..."

Ling Hao's voice came from above, low and deep.

"Hmm?"

She responded lazily.

The rich milky fragrance rose from her collar as she lay there, spreading warmly. It was like milk just warmed by body heat, cloyingly sweet and intoxicatingly soft.

Ling Hao's gaze flickered downward, landing on her face. From this angle, he could only see the profile of her features.

Her nose was elegant and straight, her lip color pale.

Further down was the curve extending from the collar.

The moon-white silk robe clung tightly to the side of her body due to her posture, outlining her lateral curves completely.

The curve of her side-breast began to swell from the armpit, first as a gentle slope, then suddenly steepening. As it climbed to its highest point, it almost seemed to break free from the fabric's restraint before slowly sliding down and disappearing into her waist.

With her steady breathing, that curve rose and fell slightly, and the fabric trembled gently with it. Every movement carried a soft elasticity, like a silent invitation.

The milky fragrance drifted continuously from that direction, so thick it almost felt tangible.

Ling Hao's Adam's apple bobbed, and his palms began to itch again.

The breasts were so large, a single hand could not hold them.

Taking a deep breath, Ling Hao suppressed those flirtatious thoughts. He wanted to confirm one thing now.

"What is your relationship with Supreme Baiyan?"

Shi Yunyu's body suddenly stiffened.