Chapter 108 Sneaking a Bite and Wanting to Do It with You
Bai closed the booklet, looked up and asked with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Duan Qing, are you there?"
Being called out in front of everyone, Duan Qing had no choice but to bite the bullet and leap onto the arena.
Bai Ye sized up the newcomer, who was dressed in a gaudy green outfit, looking like a peacock. She clasped her hands in a respectful greeting and said, "Bai Ye, please enlighten me."
Duan Qing did not return the greeting, but instead put on a warm smile and slowly approached Bai Ye, saying, "Fellow Daoist Bai is truly extraordinary in his bravery."
"Hmm?" Bai was a little puzzled. Had they changed their strategy? Was it now fashionable to shower each other with compliments before a fight?
Seeing Duan Qing getting closer and closer, Bai was still standing there dumbfounded and didn't move. Zhong Jiuli on the stands had no choice but to send her a telepathic message, "You stinky tiger, don't let him get close, and don't waste your breath on him, just fight him."
"The people of Nanjiang Prefecture are skilled in Gu poison; keep them away from you."
Upon hearing this, Bai also stopped smiling, nodded to Duan Qing who had already approached, and politely warned, "Although you praised me, I'm going to hit you now."
The moment she finished speaking, she swung the big black sword at Duan Qing.
Duan Qing was no pushover either. His expression remained unchanged as he lightly tapped his toes on the ring, his body gliding backward like a willow catkin, easily dodging the attack. He then slapped a cloth bag embroidered with colorful patterns at his waist.
"Buzz!"
A dense swarm of brightly colored Gu worms rose into the sky like dark clouds, sweeping towards Bai Ye.
"Tsk!" Bai Ye frowned and muttered under his breath, "We chose the wrong opponent. This kind of guy who plays with insects should be left for Li Shoumo to deal with."
As the swarm of insects approached, Bai felt her arms starting to itch. She gave a low shout, "Domain, activate."
In the next instant, an invisible force field rippled outwards from Bai Ye! Those ferocious, swooping Gu worms could no longer advance an inch when they were still ten meters away from her.
This scene stunned Bai Shu. She stood up abruptly and looked at the Emperor Blood Domain on Bai Ye's body, which only members of the Bai family could use, her face showing undisguised surprise.
"Emperor's Blood Domain? How is this possible? It's the Bai family's Emperor's Blood Domain." A knowledgeable cultivator also recognized it.
"Isn't Bai from the Desolate State? How could she... wait, her surname is Bai?" A cultivator caught the crucial information that everyone had been overlooking.
"Surname Bai, Imperial Blood Domain, my god, could she be a descendant of the Bai family who was separated from her family?"
The stands erupted in discussion, and all eyes were once again focused on Bai Ye, but the meaning in those gazes had begun to change.
Previously, everyone saw her as a genius from a desolate state, exceptionally talented but without any foundation. For many privileged individuals, such a person might be someone they could recruit, potentially becoming a capable subordinate in the future, or someone they could easily eliminate.
But at this moment, Bai Ye's surname and the imperial blood domain unique to the Bai family gave her a so-called aura of a noble family scion.
She was no longer Bai Ye from the desolate state, but Bai Ye, the genius of the Bai family.
This means that behind her is very likely a colossal entity with unfathomable depth and a renowned reputation throughout the land.
Bai Ye's status has made him someone who can stand on equal footing with everyone else, and even someone that geniuses need to look up to.
"This brat, when did he learn that? He's even more skilled than his mother," Bai Shu muttered under her breath.
Bai Ye didn't really mean to show off. She simply didn't want those Gu worms to get close to her, and since she had just learned how to use the tortoise shell but hadn't used it yet, she decided to test its effects.
Duan Qing, who was controlling the Gu worms, felt a sudden sinking feeling in his heart the moment he saw Bai Ye unleash his domain.
His army of Gu worms could break through many spiritual energy shields, but they were helpless against this Emperor Blood Domain. The Gu worms could only flap their wings in vain in front of Bai Ye, and then she would kill a large group of them with a single sword strike.
So, the crowd in the stands saw Bai wielding the heavy greatsword in one hand, swatting away the Gu worms on the arena as if swatting flies, and then slowly approaching Duan Qing.
Without the help of the Gu worms, Duan Qing's combat power was only at the level of an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator, which was no match for Bai Ye. She simply raised her heavy sword and struck Duan Qing one blow after another, making a "crackling" sound until Duan Qing spat out blood and flew backward.
The result brought a strange calm to the hearts of the prodigies in the stands, and they even felt a sense of relief.
Losing to Bai Ye doesn't seem so hard to accept. After all, he's from the Bai family. He can beat Gui Xuan, crush Duan Qing, and continue to win. It seems normal.
Once this thought took hold, the previously hesitant geniuses found their desire to challenge the Bai family much stronger. After all, the opportunity to spar with the Bai family's Imperial Blood Domain was rare.
Unfortunately, Bai had no intention of fulfilling these people's wishes. It wasn't like she couldn't beat them; why should she fight them while wearing a turtle shell? That would be so pointless.
She still prefers a more physical, hand-to-hand combat style.
In the following days, the arena on the Sky Battlefield almost became Bai Ye's personal training ground.
Countless renowned geniuses from various states took to the stage to challenge the champions, only to be defeated without exception.
The figure wielding the heavy sword seemed tireless, growing stronger with each successive battle, his momentum growing ever stronger. In the end, wherever Bai Ye's gaze fell, no one dared to meet his eyes.
Bai Ye's name, along with each victory, quickly spread throughout the Nine Provinces. Even the tea vendor at the city gate heard of Bai Ye's heroic deeds.
With more than half of the geniuses participating in the Genius Battle lost, and many suffering broken arms and legs and seriously injured and bedridden, if the fighting continued, this generation of geniuses would be practically all ruined.
Liu Xianyue had no choice but to reappear, landing in the center of the arena and raising her hand to stop the young genius who was about to jump off the stage.
She rubbed her temples, looked at the group of geniuses below the stage with bruised and battered faces, their bodies wrapped in bandages, and then glanced at Bai Ye, who was full of fighting spirit. She said irritably, "Gentlemen, you've been fighting for more than half a month. Have you had enough?"
"We had so much fun!! We had so much fun!" The cultivators of the Wilderness Continent shouted, raising their arms.
The monks from the other states responded in twos and threes, "Enjoy yourselves."
Liu Xianyue nodded in satisfaction: "Since everyone has had their fun, let's pack up and go back to recover properly. We'll meet at the West Gate in three days, at which time the Genius Competition will officially begin."
"As for those who haven't had enough fun yet, they can return to Sanqing City to continue after the competition."
Upon hearing this, the young geniuses who had not yet entered the arena couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. The same thought arose in everyone's mind: Great, we don't have to go up there and get beaten up.
As if granted a pardon, everyone eagerly rose and transformed into streaks of light, flying away from the sky battlefield and fleeing back to Sanqing City as if escaping.
Seeing this, Bai had no choice but to sheathe his heavy sword and return to the guesthouse where he and his friends were staying.
The long-silent city of Sanqing has become lively once again.
The Yingkelou (Welcoming Guest Building) was equally bustling with activity.
As soon as everyone returned to the inn, they immediately asked the waiter to bring them fine wine and spirits. They couldn't wait to drink heartily in the lobby, and everyone's face was filled with pride and excitement.
Bai Ye was surrounded by people offering toasts, and she accepted them all, drinking one cup after another.
After a few rounds of drinks, Yun Shu came to Bai Ye's side with her wine glass, patted her shoulder heavily, and said with admiration in her eyes: "Little one, when I first heard your name many years ago, I just thought you were a young man with good talent."
"I never imagined that you could grow to this level so quickly in just ten years."
Upon hearing this, Bai blinked his slightly drunken eyes and asked, "Lord Yun, you've heard of my name before?"
Yun Shu chuckled and briefly recounted the events surrounding the arrival of the Sima family in Wangu City, including her subsequent investigation into the cause and effect of the matter.
Bai laughed heartily as he listened, occasionally raising his glass to clink with Yun Shu's.
After chatting for a while, Yun Shu finally spoke up: "I never believed that the cultivators of our Wilderness State were inferior to those of any other state. What we lack is a young genius who can truly compete with the geniuses of other states."
"Today, I have seen it, and I have high hopes for you."
Bai quickly raised his wine glass and lightly clinked it with hers: "Lord Yun, you flatter me. Such praise will make me arrogant."
“This is not an overstatement, but a fact and an expectation.” Yun Shu shook her head, her tone sincere. “What our generation failed to do, you have done. These kids are lucky to be born in the same era as you, to witness and follow the rise of a legend.”
"Haha, Lord Yun, please stop praising her like that." Bai Shu interjected with a smile, his voice carrying the humility typical of a parent, as well as an undisguised pride. "My little one is still young and has a lawless and reckless nature. If you praise her like this, she might really dare to make a hole in the sky tomorrow."
Bai lowered her head somewhat embarrassedly and muttered softly, "Mother, I wasn't being that silly."
"That's right!"
Da Yue immediately spoke up to defend her young clan leader, saying, "Our young clan leader is quite good at fighting now, but he was very timid when he was young. He wouldn't even dare to disturb a wild beehive."
"Dayue, shut up! You dared to pull it out, but why didn't you say you got stung and your head looked like a pig's?" Ayu exposed her weakness.
Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter.
The banquet lasted until dark, and many people got drunk and were helped back to their rooms to rest by their fellow disciples.
Zhong Jiuli had been by Bai's side the whole time. Seeing that Bai was already a little drunk, she stepped forward and took her arm, asking softly, "Would you like to go back to your room to rest for a while?"
Bai rested his head on her shoulder and whispered, "I want to go out and have fun with you, and explore Sanqing City."
"Aren't you tired? Let's get some rest today, and I'll take you out to play tomorrow, okay?"
"Alright then," Bai said, waving to everyone. "I'm going back to sleep now. You guys keep drinking."
Zhong Jiuli nodded to everyone, then helped Bai Ye walk towards the guest room.
Bai Shu watched the two figures walking closely together, feeling a little uneasy. How come his little rascal was getting closer and closer to this Senior Zhong?
The sticky feeling made her feel a little sour; no matter how she looked at it, she felt that her position as a mother was in jeopardy.
Could it be that during the days she was away, this brat started recognizing someone else as his mother?
......
As soon as she entered the room, Bai Ye's last bit of conscious control vanished instantly. She clung to Zhong Jiuli's neck, like a large dog, and pounced on him.
"Stop making a fuss, the door isn't even closed yet." Zhong Jiuli struggled to free her hands from her embrace and closed the open door.
"Hmm~" Bai murmured as if in a dream, "I haven't seen you for so long."
Zhong Jiuli half-supported and half-carried her to the bedside, gently coaxing, "Be good, lie down and rest well."
"Let's rest together."
Bai let out a soft murmur and leaned back. But as she fell, her arms didn't loosen at all, and Zhong Jiuli was pulled down onto the soft bed with her.
The wooden bed creaked softly as the two of them suddenly fell, the sound carrying clearly in the quiet guest room.
Bai also heard the sound and chuckled softly.
Zhong Jiuli naturally knew what she was laughing at. She pinched her flushed cheeks shyly and whispered, "Shameless."
"Who said that?" Bai retorted. "He has a shameless face and plenty of strength."
Her voice was slightly deep and soft, making Zhong Jiuli's ears tingle. She sat up halfway and looked down at Bai Ye, who was drunk and dazed.
This guy had been drinking for most of the day, and he was completely soaked in alcohol. Even his fair neck was flushed with a faint blush, and his eyes were hazy, as if they were filled with a layer of mist. Seeing this, Zhong Jiuli's eyes darkened slightly.
She swallowed hard, her throat dry, and stared intently at Bai Ye beneath her.
Bai also tilted her head back to meet her gaze. She raised her hand and gently stroked the delicate eyebrows and upturned nose of the person in front of her, finally lingering near the crimson lips.
She could tell that Zhong Jiuli really wanted to kiss her!
"Zhong Jiuli, do you miss me a lot?"
"Mmm." Zhong Jiuli's voice was very soft, with a hint of hoarseness. She was trying her best to restrain herself. Bai also needed to rest, and the two of them shouldn't be making a fuss at a time like this.
"I miss you too." Bai murmured, burying her burning cheeks in Zhong Jiuli's neck, taking deep breaths as if confirming her presence, the cool and reassuring fragrance enveloping her.
Her burning lips and tongue pressed against his neck, pecking at it repeatedly. Zhong Jiuli was kissed and rubbed so much that half of her body went numb, her hands lost their strength, and she slumped into Bai Ye's arms.
Her eyes were misty with tears, but she still pushed Bai Ye's head away a little, moved her fingertips to her temples, and gently pressed them. "Shall we rest first? You must be exhausted these days?"
"I want to do it with you." Bai also made a soft, pig-like humming sound, while his hands were still mischievously untying Zhong Jiuli's belt.
Zhong Jiuli let her do as she pleased, still gently pressing her hand. In just a few breaths, Bai fell into a deep sleep in her hand.
Zhong Jiuli only let go of her hand after she fell asleep. She propped herself up, looked at the person sleeping soundly with her eyes closed, patted her slightly feverish cheeks, and barely woke up.
Smelling the aroma of wine in the air, she raised her hand and cast a cleansing spell to dispel the lingering smell of wine and dust from each other's bodies. Only then did she get up, take off her clothes, and snuggle back into Bai Ye's arms, letting out a comfortable sigh.
For more than half a month, not only were the fighters exhausted, but the audience in the stands were also physically and mentally exhausted, as they had to keep their minds focused on her every move and could not relax for a moment.
As night deepened, the hustle and bustle of Sanqing City gradually subsided, and the people who had been drinking and celebrating returned to their rooms to rest.
That night, even in their sleep, the smiles on the faces of the cultivators in the desolate state did not fade.
......
The next day, when the sun was high in the sky, bright sunlight streamed into the guest room through the cracks in the window.
On the large wooden bed, the waves surged and swayed, two figures were tightly entwined, occasionally letting out a few rapid breaths, which, along with the slight creaking of the bed, intertwined and echoed in the quiet room.
After a long while, a slender hand emerged from the surging waves of blankets, weakly clinging to the edge of the bed. Zhong Jiuli struggled to get out of bed, her sweaty hair sticking to her flushed cheeks and neck.
She tilted her head slightly, revealing her beautifully shaped neck, her chest heaving violently, her breath rapid and hot.
Those usually cool eyes were now veiled with tears, staring blankly at the gauze curtains above the bed, as if they had not yet recovered from the shock of the waves.
Bai Ye's fluffy head popped out, and she grinned as she leaned closer, pressing her flushed cheeks against Zhong Jiuli's shoulder, finding a comfortable angle to settle in.
"Hmm..." Bai hummed lazily, "Can you turn off the blanket? It's so hot under the blanket."
Zhong Jiuli lowered her eyelashes, her cheeks still glistening with sweat. She didn't meet Bai Ye's gaze and decisively refused, "No."
"Alright then." Bai seemed to have reluctantly compromised. Before she finished speaking, she slid down and slipped back under the quilt like a fish.
"Hmm~"
Suddenly, his vital area was enveloped in a warm and moist environment. Caught off guard, Zhong Jiuli let out a soft moan.
She took a deep breath, her fingertips gripping the sheets beneath her so tightly that her knuckles turned slightly white from the force.
"Hehe~" Bai Ye's muffled laughter came from under the covers. The slight vibrations came through the close contact of their skin, arousing a deeper tremor.
"Zhong Jiuli...do you like it this way?"
"What...?" Zhong Jiuli's eyes were glazed over, her thoughts already in disarray because of that person. All her mind and senses were being drawn in and controlled by the person hiding in the darkness, acting recklessly, making it almost impossible for her to think.
"You also like doing these outrageous things during the day, don't you?" Bai pressed on relentlessly, his intentions quite malicious.
As she spoke, there were clear, blush-inducing smacking sounds, making one wonder what this guy was secretly eating under the covers.
"Hmm~" Zhong Jiuli bit her lower lip and let out a muffled groan of unbearable discomfort.
She didn't want to answer the question, but she was truly forced into a corner and couldn't answer it. The insteps of her feet, resting on the bed, were stretched taut like a fully drawn bowstring, her beautiful toes curled tightly, struggling futilely on the bed.
They tried to withstand the ever-growing waves.
Inside, the atmosphere was thick and ambiguous, almost viscous. After a long while, as the sunlight outside the window began to slant, the noise inside the guest room finally subsided.
......
In the lobby of the inn, candlelight flickered. Jiao Jiao, Lin Xia, A Yu, Dayue, and the others all rested their chins on their hands, their eyes fixed on the wooden staircase leading to the second floor, their longing gazes yearning.
They got up early this morning with great enthusiasm, thinking that once Bai also got up, they could all go out together and explore the bustling Sanqing City.
Then, the group waited and waited, from morning till night, until it was completely dark, but they still didn't see the shadow of that stinky tiger.
The group assumed that she had been fighting hard in the ring a few days ago and had slept for a long time, so although they were anxiously waiting, no one went upstairs to disturb her.
Just as they were feeling somewhat disheartened and preparing to go back to their rooms to rest, familiar footsteps finally came from the stairs.
Jiaojiao instantly perked up and, like a golden cannonball, soared into Bai Ye's arms.
Her little mouth chattered away, "Ye Zai, you're finally awake! Why did you sleep for so long? I've been waiting for you all day. Are you exhausted?"
What was said without malice may have been taken to heart by the listener.
Jiaojiao's words and question were very innocent, but they didn't sound so innocent to Zhong Jiuli. Her ears turned slightly red, and she awkwardly looked away.
Bai hugged Jiaojiao tightly and replied without changing his expression, "Of course you're exhausted. You've been fighting in the arena for half a month. Even an iron body would get tired. As for you, you've been eating in the stands for half a month. You must be exhausted too, right?"
"No, I'm just watching my son fight while I'm eating, how could I be tired?"
"All you ever do is eat," Bai said with a laugh, then went down the stairs and asked the others, "What are you all doing here? Aren't you going out to play?"
Lin Xia skipped forward and mumbled, "I came to play with you and Jiaojiao."
"Oh, I'm sorry to have kept Xiaxia waiting. I slept for too long. Why didn't you wake me up?"
"We don't know if you're awake or not, so we definitely can't disturb your sleep. Okay, let's go out and play!" Jiaojiao urged impatiently.
Bai Ye, not seeing Bai Shu at the inn, asked, "Where is my mother?"
"The clan leader went back to the inn near the Bai family after drinking last night," Ayu explained.
Bai nodded and waved his hand, "Let's go, let's go to the night market."
A large group of people went out the door. The night in Sanqing City was bustling with activity, with strings of large red lanterns hanging high on both sides of the long street.
On the street, the sounds of vendors hawking their wares, shouting, and haggling mingled with the aroma of food.
Bai Ye, who had been busy in bed all day, couldn't resist stopping at the steaming food stalls.
Holding Zhong Jiuli's hand, she squeezed into a steaming food stall, curiously peering at the uniquely shaped food being sold, and asked, "Boss, what are you selling here?"
When the stall owner saw a group of young customers arrive, he immediately began to introduce the snack with great enthusiasm, "Sir, are you from out of town? This is a unique local delicacy in our Sanqing City. We locals call it 'Lamp Fruit.' Look at these little green dumplings steamed with spirit rice paste, don't they look like jade lamps?"
Upon hearing this, Bai leaned closer to take a closer look and saw that the emerald green fruits were indeed like small lamps, just as the shopkeeper had described. Inside each lamp was a filling of finely chopped spiritual vegetables, which smelled delicious and made her stomach rumble.
She swallowed hard, then waved her hand confidently: "It looks delicious! Boss, give us six servings!"
"Alright, please have a seat and wait a moment, it will be ready soon." The owner replied cheerfully and quickly began preparing.
Before long, several plates of steaming hot lantern fruit were served.
Bai also picked up a bamboo chopstick, blew on it, and naturally held it to Zhong Jiuli's lips, "Try it, have you ever eaten this before?"
Zhong Jiuli lowered her head slightly and took a bite of the lamp-shaped fruit from her hand.
Bai also asked impatiently, "Is it delicious? Is it delicious?"
After swallowing the food in her mouth, Zhong Jiuli replied, "You'll know once you try it yourself."
Upon hearing this, Bai Ye immediately stuffed the half-eaten fruit into his mouth, puffing out his cheeks as he ate with relish, "Mmm, delicious."
Dayue and Ayu stared blankly at the two of them. Their oblivious interaction and the pink bubbles that were practically bursting in the air made even the most oblivious people realize that something was amiss.
The two looked at each other and read the same meaning from each other's wide-eyed stares.
Good heavens! This young clan leader of ours has actually found a Daoist partner for himself without saying a word!
Zhong Jiuli could easily sense the gazes of the two little girls. She coughed lightly and changed the subject, saying, "You should try some too. This fruit won't taste good when it's cold."
"Okay, let's eat." Ayu and Dayue answered in unison, both of them lowering their heads and stuffing food into their mouths.
"Yes, you guys should try it, it tastes really good." Bai also chimed in, showing off his food while occasionally feeding Zhong Jiuli a bite.
Jiaojiao had already finished eating and was eagerly waiting for Baiye and the others to finish. As soon as Baiye put down his chopsticks, she urged, "Yezai, let's hurry up, there's still a lot of delicious food ahead."
"You've already eaten, why are you in such a hurry?" Bai muttered as he got up and led the group forward.
"But I was eating by myself, and now I'm eating with you, it's different," Jiao Jiao muttered softly.
"Okay, I'll eat with you. Let's eat all over the street today," Bai replied cheerfully.
The night market was bustling with activity, and Bai Ye and his group could be seen stopping at almost every food stall.
Bai kept his word and led Jiao Jiao and her group from one end of the street to the other. As they wandered through the crowds, they frequently encountered cultivators from all over Kyushu, as well as many fellow villagers from the Wilderness State who were also strolling through the night market.
Every cultivator from the Wilderness State was now walking confidently on the brightly lit streets, some stopping to watch acrobatics, others to sample local delicacies. Everyone wore relaxed smiles, no longer worried about being deliberately harassed or provoked by cultivators from other states.
Ayu and Dayue watched all this silently, their hearts churning with a bittersweet mix of emotions that they couldn't express in words. Having experienced the constant targeting they faced when they first arrived in Zhongzhou, they could appreciate the preciousness of this equality even more.
This confidence, this ability to stride confidently, was something their young clan leader and everyone else had fought back against, sword by sword, in the midst of battle.
-----------------------
Author's note: [hugs] I said I'd post today, and I'm posting today! I'm a good author who keeps my promises!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
