A Tempting Stew and a Sly Encounter

Yaoyue approached with elegant steps, her ink-black hair cascading freely behind her. She wore a long robe woven from red and black threads, which shimmered with a faint, dark glow as she moved, like flowing flames.

Her collar was wide open, revealing collarbones as fair as snow, yet imbued with a touch of enchanting allure. Her face was exquisitely beautiful, exuding a hint of wicked charm, and a faint, elusive smile played upon her lips.

Her slender fingers lightly lifted towards the void. Instantly, a bowl of perfectly warm mutton stew appeared in her hand. Yaoyue slowly knelt and presented the mutton stew to Zhang Xiaocha. “A pleasure to meet you for the first time. I am Yaoyue of the Xuantian Sect!”

Her ample bosom swayed dramatically with her movements, and her clear voice echoed through the grand hall.

Zhang Xiaocha’s breath hitched abruptly. Her round, dark eyes stared intently at the ample bosom swaying before her, and she swallowed with difficulty. [So… so impressive!]

Ling Qinxue’s fingers dug into her palms. ‘This Yaoyue… she even knows Xiaocha’s preferences so clearly!’

She silently glanced at the other three sect masters. Though they remained silent, their gazes were all fixed on Zhang Xiaocha.

‘It’s already impossible to forcibly take Xiaocha away now! Not to mention those inscrutable inner thoughts… are they only audible to me, or can they hear them too?’ Ling Qinxue’s eyes were half-closed as she observed silently.

At the same time, her fingertips lightly tapped the jade token at her side, urging Shangguan Zhi to return quickly.

Regarding Zhang Xiaocha’s unwavering gaze, Yaoyue merely smiled without a word. She simply held the mutton stew closer to her again, asking, “Not going to eat?”

Her voice held a hint of playfulness, and with that, she made to withdraw the stew.

“Mmm… no~!” As the aroma drifted away from her nose, Zhang Xiaocha snapped back to attention. She hastily raised her small hands, clutching the receding stew, then giggled foolishly at Yaoyue.

Her small hand, gripping the bowl, tentatively tugged it closer. Seeing that Yaoyue showed no intention of stopping her, she happily pouted her lips and took a small sip.

The familiar aroma exploded in her mouth. “Mmm~!”

“It’s, it’s meat from the Gourmet Realm~!” Her small mouth was utterly stuffed with gravy, and her eyes sparkled with sheer delight. She quickly began to eat large mouthfuls. “Mmm~!”

Thin rivulets of gravy slowly trickled down the corners of her lips.

Yaoyue smiled faintly and took out a handkerchief, just as she was about to wipe away the glistening gravy from Zhang Xiaocha’s lips. However, upon seeing the embroidered figure on it, she abruptly paused. She subtly swapped it for a plain handkerchief and gently wiped Zhang Xiaocha’s mouth. “Slow down~ Slow down~ No one’s going to snatch it from you…”

A gentle smile played on her lips as she casually asked, “Xiaocha, why did you suddenly fall from above?”

“Don’t you live on the nearby Ethereal Peak anyway? Why didn’t you just come through the main entrance? Could it be you were eavesdropping?” Her voice rose slightly at the end.

“Mmm…” Zhang Xiaocha tilted her little head, her small mouth, full of gravy, puffed out like a hamster’s.

She chewed softly, her soft, sticky voice intermittently spilling from her lips. “Chacha, Chacha didn’t… didn’t eavesdrop~ I was randomly trans… teleported here from outside~”

Her round, dark eyes blinked rapidly as she gazed at Yaoyue, full of pure innocence.

“Oh, is that so? Then I have indeed wronged you, Xiaocha!” Yaoyue smiled faintly.

“Hehe~ Of course! Chacha is super well-behaved~ How could I ever do such a thing?” Zhang Xiaocha playfully pointed a thumb at herself, her lips curving high to reveal two small dimples.

Suddenly, the hall fell silent.

Yaoyue was speechless. ‘Well-behaved?’

‘That word might apply anywhere, but certainly not to you, Zhang Xiaocha.’

Oblivious to the strange atmosphere in the hall, Zhang Xiaocha merely grumbled indignantly in her heart. [Hmph hmph hmph~ Such an obvious probe, trying to trick information out of Chacha to figure out if those things at the Jade Maiden Sect were Chacha’s doing. How naive~]

[Do you really think Great Chacha would be foolish enough to tell you personally that those things at the Jade Maiden Sect were indeed Chacha’s handiwork?]

Listening to the soft, sticky inner thoughts within her Sea of Consciousness, Ling Qinxue was utterly shocked. ‘Xiaocha did it…’

‘If that’s the case, then everything makes sense!’

Her mind couldn’t help but recall the strange purple light that had appeared before her when the so-called demonic overlord fled using an inter-realm talisman, unable to defeat the Sect Master. That talisman was precisely the fallback she had prepared for Luo Bingning, intended to locate her.

‘So, Luo Bingning was preparing to take Xiaocha and escape then, wasn’t she?’

A wave of panic surged within Ling Qinxue, but she quickly suppressed it. ‘Since the Sect Master hadn’t mentioned this to her, it meant the matter was in the past.’

‘As for that girl, Luo Bingning…’

Her gaze fell upon Zhang Xiaocha, and she breathed a slight sigh of relief. ‘She must be returning soon, too.’

Inside the stone cave, Luo Bingning sat by a stone table. She glanced at the “Zhang Xiaocha” beside her, who was taking small sips of mutton stew. A wave of doubt washed over her. ‘Strange…’

‘Normally, Xiaocha’s inner thoughts are incessant. But what’s wrong today? For such a long time, she hadn’t heard a single one of Xiaocha’s inner thoughts!’

Her eyes were half-closed. “Xiaocha, do you still remember our childhood promise, about me holding you when it rained?”

The “Zhang Xiaocha” raised her head, her eyes somewhat evasive. “Mmm…”

“I, I remember… Senior Sister, why are you suddenly asking about this?”

“Then tell me.”

“Well, it’s about not causing trouble anymore~” The “Zhang Xiaocha” dejectedly lowered her small head, pouting her lips. Her two index fingers tapped against each other, and her voice was very low.

Luo Bingning fell silent for several seconds. Her shimmering eyes couldn’t help but darken.

‘No… she still couldn’t hear Xiaocha’s inner thoughts! With Xiaocha’s lively mind, it was impossible for there to be no inner thoughts at this moment!’

‘Had she lost the ability to hear Xiaocha’s inner thoughts? Or was the Xiaocha before her…’ Luo Bingning’s gaze repeatedly lingered on the “Zhang Xiaocha”.

Her mind couldn’t help but recall the spatial fluctuations that had previously emanated from within the stone cave. She suddenly spoke, “Then why didn’t you do it, Xiaocha?”

Her tone rose slightly.

“Mmm… Xiaocha, Xiaocha I…” The “Zhang Xiaocha” secretly glanced at Luo Bingning, stammering.

Time passed, minute by minute. Yet, Luo Bingning still heard no familiar inner thoughts in her Sea of Consciousness. Her eyes dimmed, and she rose silently. Raising her hand, she struck the back of the “Zhang Xiaocha’s” neck.

“Mmm~!” The “Zhang Xiaocha” cried out in pain.

Instantly, a familiar sensation of dizziness washed over her. Her small head couldn’t stop spinning, and she swayed before collapsing onto the stone bed, utterly still.

Luo Bingning’s fingers dug deeply into her palms. Her gaze darted between the “Zhang Xiaocha” and the empty spot where the spatial fluctuations had originated. She let out a scornful laugh. “Heh!”

“So, it was a substitute?”

Inside the Jade Maiden Sect’s deliberation hall.

Zhang Xiaocha pouted her small lips, looking at the unmoving Yaoyue before her with dissatisfaction. [Hmph~ How insincere~]

[You clearly know you wronged Chacha, yet you won’t even give Chacha another bowl of mutton stew! And you’re always secretly prying into Chacha’s affairs. It’s our first meeting, yet you already know Chacha’s favorite food is mutton stew~]

[Hmm~ You definitely don’t look like a ‘good person’] Zhang Xiaocha propped her chin on her small hand, secretly analyzing as she glanced at Yaoyue, who was kneeling before her with an open collar. [Since that’s the case, don’t blame Chacha]

[Hehe~]

She quickly spent 10 points of Disgust Value from the system store to purchase [Itchy Hand: One-time item. Causes the touched area to become unbearably itchy one day later.]

Then, she suddenly raised her hand, brushing it ever so lightly past Yaoyue’s ample bosom.

It was as light as a feather’s touch. In that instant, a peculiar tingling sensation spread through Yaoyue’s heart. She abruptly stood up, her cheeks flushed crimson, gazing at Zhang Xiaocha with utter disbelief. “You… you… you…”

“Mmm~ Sister Yaoyue, what’s wrong~? Did Chacha do something bad~?” Zhang Xiaocha blinked her round, dark eyes, full of innocent bewilderment.

[Hmph hmph~ That’ll teach you for having ill intentions towards Chacha. In a day, your ample chest will be itching like crazy~]

[Hehe~]

Ling Qinxue, seated at a low table behind Zhang Xiaocha, clearly saw all of Zhang Xiaocha’s actions. Her lips curved slightly. ‘Her chest will itch? That’s quite a method!’

Seeing Yaoyue’s flushed cheeks, Ling Qinxue couldn’t help but recall her own previous struggles dealing with Yaoyue’s overt and covert inquiries about Xiaocha. A wave of satisfaction washed over her. ‘Likes to pry, does she? Hmph! Let’s see you try to pry again!’

For the first time, she felt that taking Xiaocha as a disciple was an excellent choice!

“Mmm… Sister Yaoyue, what’s wrong~? Hurry and talk to Chacha~” Zhang Xiaocha looked worried, but her small hand was fiercely pinching her own thigh, determined not to laugh out loud.

Suddenly, an AI prompt sounded in her Sea of Consciousness.

[Ding… Ling Qinxue’s Disgust Value has decreased by one point. Current Disgust Value: 99 points.]

Zhang Xiaocha: “?!”