540: Chapter 540 Waiting

Night fell, and the lights of Fusang Main City flickered on one by one, dyeing the streets in a warm, orange glow.

Many Cultivators still lingered in the marketplace, huddled in twos and threes at tea stalls and taverns, their discussions rising and falling like the tide in the night wind.

"Have you heard? His Highness the Holy Son is going to draw upon the Luck of Fusang during the Dingding Ceremony, imitating that Moon Shadow Sect Master from Cangwu!"

"The Moon Shadow Sect Master? That notorious lecherous Devil Head? His Highness the Holy Son is a hundred times better than him—at least the Holy Son doesn't practice Dual Cultivation by draining women..."

"But I heard the Holy Son drains men instead..."

"Ah, this..."

"Shh! Keep it down! Do you have a death wish?"

"I'm actually curious what kind of scene it will be when the Golden Crow Holy Son arrives at Fusang Main City and meets that Young Master from the Dongming Liu Family."

"Haven't you heard about what happened at dusk? The eldest Young Miss of the East Sea Chamber of Commerce personally welcomed him, and Young Master Liu walked right into the Four Seasons Heaven and Earth Courtyard—that's the best place in all of Fusang Main City!"

"At the Fire Turtle Kingdom auction, Young Master Liu told the Golden Crow Holy Son to have the Golden Crow Saintess 'pay a visit.' That rumor has been spreading for more than a day or two."

"To be honest, I really want to see the expression on the Holy Son's face when that time comes."

"Heh, that scene probably won't be any less spectacular than the one at the Fire Turtle Kingdom."

The night deepened in a courtyard of the East Sea Chamber of Commerce.

When Mu Yongchang entered through the courtyard gate, he looked at Mu Xiyao by the stone table and probed, "Niece, is everything they're saying outside true? Is that Young Master Liu really from the Dongming Liu Family? If he's just a swindler..."

Mu Xiyao was sitting behind the table flipping through an account book. She didn't even lift her eyelids at his words and replied indifferently, "Does someone who can have four Void Refinement Stage maidservants need to swindle anyone? For all we know, there might even be a Mahayana Stage guardian in the shadows. If Fourth Uncle doesn't believe it, you can go find out for yourself. I remember you have some capable people under your command, don't you?"

Mu Yongchang looked sheepish and rubbed his hands together, "Niece, what are you saying? Of course I believe you. I do have some people under me, but they are just guards."

"It's just... how could a behemoth like the Liu Family come to a place like Fusang?"

"How should I know?"

Mu Xiyao looked up at him, "If Fourth Uncle thinks I'm messing around, feel free to go tell my mother."

"But let me say this first: this is what my mother asked me to do."

Mu Yongchang opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but swallowed it back. He stood there for a moment, ultimately said nothing else, and turned to exit the courtyard.

As he turned, his expression was very unpleasant. Clearly, being treated with such "lack of respect" by his own niece made Mu Yongchang very unhappy. But soon, he cast that thought aside—what was most important right now was whether or not he could latch onto the thigh of the Dongming Liu Family...

Deep in the East City, in a quiet residence, the night wind passed through the osmanthus trees in front of the courtyard, scattering the faint moonlight onto the bluestone ground.

Senior Sister Bai Zijin stood under the veranda, took An Ruosu's hand, and said with pleasant surprise, "Junior Sister Ruosu, so that Senior is actually from the Dongming Liu Family? Why didn't you say so earlier!"

An Ruosu was pulled by her, keeping her head slightly lowered, her earlobes burning: "I... I..."

Senior Sister Bai Zijin gave her a reproachful look, "When Senior Sister asked you last night, you were still stammering and refused to say. Were you afraid Senior Sister would snatch him from you?"

She paused, her smile deepening, "Now with the Liu Family in the picture, even if Qingmu Cliff finds out, they won't be able to do anything to us."

Fang Qianyi stood to the side, leaning on a black wood cane, "This is indeed good news. With this connection to the Dongming Liu Family, at least we won't have to live in fear day and night."

Shi Wenxin also looked happy and turned to the deep green figure by the window, "Sect Master An Suxin, you said last night that you found a new backer—could it be the Dongming Liu Family? Then what are you still looking so worried about?"

Sect Master An Suxin stood by the window, the hem of her deep green dress trailing at her ankles. The moonlight slanted in from outside the window, casting half her face in a cold, silvery white.

She was silent for a moment before speaking in a low voice, "The price is... Ruosu..."

Shi Wenxin followed her gaze to look at An Ruosu, who was standing under the veranda being pulled by Senior Sister Bai Zijin, "I think that child Ruosu is clearly willing. When she came back just now, the smile on her face couldn't be hidden. This price is acceptable."

Sect Master An Suxin's gaze passed over the courtyard and fell on the distant sky illuminated by lights—that was the direction of the Four Seasons Heaven and Earth Courtyard.

Two thoughts churned slowly in her mind. Is there really the Dongming Liu Family backing that Moon Shadow Sect Master?

Did he agree to protect them because of what he said in the courtyard that day about it being "convenient to set up the resonance dao tower and the world-suppressing monument," or because of... her silly daughter? Or perhaps, both.

The Four Seasons Heaven and Earth Courtyard was located on a highland on the east side of Fusang Main City, occupying a quiet world all its own.

The courtyard walls were built of blue-white jade, with vines that bloomed in all four seasons hanging from the walls; the tender green of spring and the golden yellow of autumn intertwined on the same vine.

Inside the gate, a winding path passed through rockeries and flowing water, dividing the entire courtyard into four small worlds, each with its own scenery.

In the east corner, peach blossoms burned bright; on the west side, summer lotuses filled the pond; in the south corner, autumn maples were like fire; in the north, winter plum blossoms defied the snow. In one courtyard, the four seasons flowed and coexisted, with a new view at every step, as if a whole year of scenery had been condensed into this square inch.

Deep in the courtyard, a hot spring pool was hidden between rockeries and plum trees. The pool water was drawn from geothermal springs, warm all year round, and the surface was veiled in wisps of white mist, shrouding the bluestone and plum branches by the pool in a hazy warmth.

Ling Hao leaned against the pool wall, his arms resting on the slightly hot stone edges on both sides.

Yu Zhaohua leaned quietly in his arms, her silver-white long hair scattered on the water surface, slightly dampened by the hot spring, like a piece of melted moonlight spread across the dark water.

Her eyes were lightly closed, her eyelashes trembling slightly in the mist. Her plump, mature figure half-floated and half-sank in the warm pool water, the ripples sliding along the rounded curves of her shoulders and slowly flowing down the contours of her waist.

Under the water, her long, smooth, beautiful legs were straddling Ling Hao, her toes slightly tensed, as if even the strength to stretch had been drained away.

A few water stains splashed on the stone surface by the pool had already half-dried, leaving faint white marks.

A wisp of an elusive white trace floated on the surface of the water, slowly dispersing with the ripples of the pool and melting into the rising heat of the hot spring.

Not long after Ling Hao and the four women including Baili Rou moved into the Four Seasons Heaven and Earth Courtyard, Yu Zhaohua came.

He had originally thought tonight would be wasted—the daily agreement would likely be interrupted for a day—but Yu Zhaohua had come to find him on her own initiative.

Waves surged and slapped, splashing everywhere.

Then, the two of them just sat quietly soaking in the warm spring water.

After a long while, Yu Zhaohua moved slightly.

"Are you really from the Dongming Liu Family of the Central Plains?"

Her voice drifted out from the water vapor, faint.

Ling Hao looked down at her and shook his head, "No."

Yu Zhaohua tilted her head slightly, her silver-white hair sweeping across his arm, "Then aren't you afraid they will come to cause you trouble? Why bother?"

Ling Hao's fingers slowly ran through her wet hair, and he said nonchalantly, "It's just for fun. Besides—sooner or later, I will have to clash with the Liu Family."

He lowered his head, his lips brushing against her ear, and said something.

Yu Zhaohua's eyelashes flickered, and her ice-blue eyes opened slightly in the mist.

"The Liu Family is actually... Then how did the Sect Master determine that?"

Ling Hao looked inscrutable, "I naturally have my own methods."

Yu Zhaohua didn't press him, burying her face back into his chest; she was truly exhausted.

Ling Hao stroked her long hair, his gaze passing over the top of her silver-white head, landing on the silhouette of the eaves blurred by the night mist.

Now the lights of the Four Seasons Heaven and Earth Courtyard were already lit, and the rumors had already been spread; he had already set the stage for what he wanted.

The Golden Crow Holy Son would eventually get the news. When he arrived at Fusang Main City, he would likely follow this arrangement step by step, delivering the Golden Crow Saintess and his "aunt" to his doorstep with his own hands.

By the way, speaking of which—that crybaby Saintess Yan Xueyuan, I wonder where she is now.