Chapter 39
“Xia Mo, go play over there for a while,” Yu Tai said as she approached.
The panda stared blankly for two seconds. Who was she calling?
At the foolish look on its face, Yu Tai explained, “It’s the new name I just gave you.”
Da Di: […]
He had never seen someone name a creature this way.
The panda, abruptly granted the fate-laden name “Xia Mo,” wandered away before it could process what had happened.
Zhang Xiaoxiao tempted it with food.
Yu Tai withdrew her gaze and sat opposite Da Di.
His smile did not change. “What does Fellow Cultivator wish to ask me?”
Since Yu Tai had sent both the demon beast and his Junior Sister away, she clearly wanted to question him privately.
Before coming, Yu Tai had learned that a wandering cultivator who had once traveled throughout the Three Realms lived in the Beast-Taming Sect. For some unknown reason, he had later chosen to settle there.
Yu Tai claimed she had come to return the lightning rod, but this wandering cultivator was her true purpose.
“There are a few matters on which I would like your guidance,” she said respectfully.
Da Di’s expression remained unchanged as he nodded generously. “Go ahead.”
“Do you know of a high-ranked Demon-Concealing Pearl?” Yu Tai watched him closely as she spoke.
A high-ranked Demon-Concealing Pearl. Anything involving the word *demon* inevitably invited suspicion.
Yet Da Di’s expression did not change. He answered directly, “The Middle Realm cannot possess a treasure of that level. If you wish to find one, you can only search the Upper Realm.”
This was the second time Yu Tai had heard the words “Upper Realm” since speaking with Shu Li.
“I understand.” She nodded.
With their conversation finished, Da Di rose and headed toward Zhang Xiaoxiao.
But the instant he stood, his consciousness blurred, and his memories distorted for a moment.
When he recovered, his memory of speaking with Yu Tai had changed from “high-ranked Demon-Concealing Pearl” to “methods for caring for demon-beast fur.”
That was why Yu Tai dared openly ask about a high-ranked Demon-Concealing Pearl.
As a demonic cultivator, she naturally knew methods for beguiling the mind.
Moreover, this wandering cultivator’s cultivation was not especially high, making it easy for Yu Tai to take advantage of an opening.
“It’s getting late. We should be going,” Yu Tai said as she walked over to Zhang Xiaoxiao.
Disappointment appeared on Zhang Xiaoxiao’s face when she heard that Yu Tai was leaving.
She had intended to summon her Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters, but on second thought, her Benefactor preferred peace and quiet. They might disturb her, so she abandoned the idea.
“I’ll escort you out.” Zhang Xiaoxiao forced a smile.
Yu Tai nodded without refusing. “Thank you.”
After returning from the Beast-Taming Sect to the Qingshan Sword Sect, Yu Tai hurried straight back to her cave residence.
Only after sensing no sign that the formation had been damaged or breached did she enter with relief.
She had passed a cultivator market on the way back and accidentally lost some time there.
When Yu Tai entered Shu Li’s little courtyard, her footsteps stopped.
The man she had locked away for the entire day now sat in the courtyard, his head tilted toward a tree with withered leaves. From time to time, the wind swept yellowed leaves past him, creating an inexplicably melancholy atmosphere.
Yu Tai: […]
At the sound of footsteps, Shu Li turned and smiled gently at her. “You’re back.”
No trace of gloom remained on him. It was as though he always kept his loneliness for himself and showed Yu Tai nothing but a smile.
The System: [Shu Li’s love is like an autumn leaf, waiting for a flower that will never bloom~]
Yu Tai pursed her lips and said to Shu Li, “Senior Brother, I brought you a present.”
His smile remained unchanged, the perfect measure of curiosity entering his eyes. “Hm?”
At the sight, Yu Tai reached out, pinched his cheek hard, and asked coldly, “Why are you sulking?”
Xia Mo and the System were both baffled.
Did Shu Li not look perfectly fine?
At Yu Tai’s question, surprise flickered through Shu Li’s eyes as a clear red mark appeared on his pinched cheek.
Then the smile on his lips visibly faded, and he lowered his eyes rather than look at Yu Tai.
Seeing that he had finally stopped pretending, Yu Tai softened her voice. “I had a reason for not bringing you today. Don’t be angry.”
The System: […]
She sounded like a scumbag husband who had spent the day chasing women, then came home and lied to his wife about working hard all day.
Shu Li did not answer. His long, thick lashes trembled.
Yu Tai crouched and took a small trinket she had casually bought at the market from her spatial pouch, stuffing it into Shu Li’s hand. “Here. I bought it especially for you. The moment I saw it, I thought it suited you perfectly.”
Shu Li opened his hand. An ordinary stone rested in his palm.
Yu Tai injected a trace of spiritual qi into it.
A pure white lotus rose from the stone. Its snow-white petals swayed in the wind. Paired with Shu Li’s face, it looked almost absurdly harmonious.
Yu Tai thought it suited him perfectly, just as expected.
Shu Li gazed at the white lotus in his hand. His expression was mild and betrayed no emotion, but Yu Tai inexplicably felt that his anger had faded.
“I don’t have spiritual qi,” he suddenly said, his voice flat.
The statement came without context, yet Yu Tai understood.
“Come to me whenever you want to see it.”
If she had not found a high-ranked Demon-Concealing Pearl by then.
But in Shu Li’s ears, her words became-
*I’ll always be by your side.*
The white lotus folded its petals and shrank back into the unremarkable stone.
Shu Li carefully put it away and rose. “I cooked fish.”
Yu Tai’s and Xia Mo’s eyes lit up simultaneously.
Before he could turn toward the kitchen, Yu Tai suddenly stopped him.
“Shu Li.”
“I’ll go to the Upper Realm and help you find your sword.”
Shu Li looked back, seemingly unsurprised. “Mm. All right.”
Despite her promise, Yu Tai honestly had no idea how to reach the Upper Realm.
The Upper Realm. Some Middle Realm cultivators spent their entire lives without ever setting foot there.
After all, that paradise was explicitly forbidden to outsiders.
Looking at the mouthwatering fish on the wooden table, Yu Tai swallowed.
Tsk. What was she supposed to do? Even if she found a high-ranked Demon-Concealing Pearl, she was starting to feel reluctant to let him go.
Who could resist this?
As Yu Tai ate happily beside Xia Mo, Shu Li poured a cup of tea and placed it by her hand.
She liked drinking while she ate. The habit was not good for her body, but after so long, it was impossible to correct. Shu Li had grown accustomed to pouring tea whenever she ate.
“There will be an opportunity to enter the Upper Realm soon.”
Yu Tai stopped moving.
“The Martial Tournament?”