Chapter 91 For three days, you are not allowed to... approach that place.
The sun was shining brightly, but Jiaojiao was a little unhappy.
She hasn't seen Ye Zai since Bai coaxed her away three days ago to take a bath alone.
Although servants brought her exquisite pastries and various delicious roasted meats every day, and she could soak in the spiritual spring as much as she wanted, she was still somewhat unhappy.
She thought about it too; that brat had lured her away, and she didn't know where he'd gone.
What is Bai doing too?
Inside the stone chamber, steam rose, and an ambiguous and lingering atmosphere filled the air.
Zhong Jiuli leaned weakly against the soft couch, her bare skin dotted with red marks.
Her eyes were still moist, and her whole body was so weak that she couldn't muster any strength.
Bai Ye knelt beside her, like a child who had done something wrong, blinking his amber eyes and looking at Zhong Jiuli in a pleading manner.
His hand, hanging by his side, rested on her ankle, kneading it intermittently.
She gently coaxed the woman in front of her, "Don't be angry, okay?"
"Oh no~" came out in a low, husky voice, with a hint of languor.
Zhong Jiuli was even more furious when she heard her own voice!
For three whole days.
Endless.
She was like a small boat sailing in a raging storm, with waves crashing against her one after another, repeatedly pushing her little boat to the top of the waves.
Every time she asked this man to stop and rest for a while, he would bring up all the unpleasant things that had happened since they met.
In her vivid description, she claimed that she had been given a major demerit for no apparent reason.
How could this not make her angry!
"Never mind then, you're going to be angry anyway..." Bai Ye grinned and leaned closer, pulling the person back into his arms. "Then let's continue!"
Zhong Jiuli's body went limp, and she hurriedly raised her hand to press against her shoulder, saying softly, "No...no more, I'm really not angry anymore!"
"Really?" Bai paused slightly, staring intently at her. "You're not lying to me? Don't come back to settle scores with me after we get out of here?"
Zhong Jiuli's long eyelashes trembled slightly as she spoke softly, "When have I ever truly settled accounts with you?"
"I don't know. You never tell me anything, how would I know?" Bai muttered softly.
"I won't hold it against you, I promise," Zhong Jiuli promised softly, his hand slowly sliding down her shoulder and pulling her into his arms.
Bai also softened and leaned against her, muttering, "I don't want to be separated from you at all."
"Mmm," Zhong Jiuli responded softly; she didn't want to be separated from the stinky tiger either.
"But I can't stay by your side forever; I have things I need to do."
Bai didn't intend to talk about her mother's affairs; she didn't want to rely on Zhong Jiuli.
She wants to be someone who can stand shoulder to shoulder with her as an equal; that's what a healthy relationship is.
Instead of following her around like a little pet, who could be abandoned or discarded at any time, as before.
She didn't like that.
“I know,” Zhong Jiuli replied softly.
"But I still don't want to be separated from you," Bai murmured softly, burying his face in her chest.
His warm breath fell on the skin that had become exceptionally sensitive from days of passionate lovemaking, and the person beneath him couldn't help but tremble slightly.
Zhong Jiuli gave a soft snort and gently pushed her head away, "Don't...go near there."
"Oh~" Bai responded vaguely, turning her face to press against another soft spot.
"Not here either!"
"Hmm~" Bai obediently moved his head away and slid down, wanting to rest his head on her waist and abdomen for a while.
Zhong Jiuli, unable to bear it any longer, kicked her, then weakly pushed her away, yelling in a mix of shame and anger, "Go put on some clothes!!!"
"Look at you, so fierce." Bai muttered softly, reluctantly getting off the soft couch, walking weakly to the edge of the hot spring, picking up the clothes on the ground and putting them on.
Zhong Jiuli watched her figure pass through the screen before she finally got up, her body still weak. As she dressed, her gaze fell on the messy state of the soft couch, which made her cheeks burn.
With a wave of her hand, she stored the entire soft couch into her storage ring; such a thing must never be seen by others.
Bai returned dressed and found the soft couch gone. Curious, he asked, "Did you put it away?"
Zhong Jiuli rolled her eyes at her, annoyed. If you're not going to accept it, are you going to keep it for others to see?
"That's not what I meant. What I meant was, it's not right for our upright and honorable Sect Leader Zhong to steal. This kind of thing should be done by me," Bai explained. "But since you took it, let's go upstairs?"
"Hmph~" Zhong Jiuli snorted softly and transformed into Huo Lan's appearance once again.
She walked past Bai Ye and pushed open the stone door to go outside.
Bai quickly followed her. The underground palace was silent, with only the sound of their footsteps echoing in the corridor.
"Has everyone finished their bath?" Bai made small talk, as she was about to leave and wanted to talk to Zhong Jiuli a little longer.
"Do you think they're like you, spending three days and three nights soaking in the water?"
"Hey, hey, hey... Look at you, you turn on me the moment you get out of bed. We just agreed that you wouldn't hold a grudge later." Bai also looked at him with a face that said, "You're really unreasonable."
"Hmph, that was just now, now is now!" Huo Lan grumbled. "Not only are you a vengeful little tiger, but I'm also a very vengeful woman."
Bai was amused by her cute, feigned fierceness and nodded, saying, "Fine, you hold your grudges, and I'll bring up my old scores. Let's just keep each other in mind and see who holds a grudge longer."
Huo Lan angrily pinched her cheek and scolded, "Don't remember! Your skin is getting thicker and thicker."
"It wasn't originally this thick." Bai also grinned, his eyes disappearing as he said, "It's just that you pinched it so much that it naturally became thicker."
"I can't be bothered with you." Huo Lan let go of her hand and tried to quicken her pace to leave, but her whole body felt weak and limp, as if she had just taken a hot bath. The weariness emanating from deep within her body made her unable to muster any strength.
Huo Lan cursed inwardly, thinking that she must have been fooling around with this guy for too long, and that even her bones had been worn down, as if she could melt into spring water at the slightest touch.
Bai was also somewhat lazy, and the two of them slowly walked through the underground palace corridor, taking more than half an hour before finally returning to the surface.
As soon as Jiaojiao saw them, she rushed over like a cannonball and crashed into Bai Ye's arms, making her stumble and almost fall backward.
"Yezai, what's wrong? Why are you so weak? Are you injured? What have you been doing these past few days?" Jiaojiao asked one question after another, her little hands grabbing her clothes and checking her up and down.
"Why are there so many bruises on your neck? What have you been doing?"
Bai quickly held her down, not wanting the little fool to see that the wounds were even more obvious where the clothes were covering them.
She chuckled and explained, "It's nothing, I'm not injured. I just cultivated for too long, so it probably took too much energy."
"Are you hungry? I'll order you some barbecue." Jiao Jiao's attention immediately shifted to food.
Huo Lan said from the side, "Didn't we agree before that when we got back to Blazing Fire City, we would treat Jiao Jiao to a big meal at the biggest restaurant? Let's go now!"
"Yay! Let's go!" Upon hearing about the delicious food, Jiao Jiao didn't care where Bai Ye had gone; as long as he was back, that was enough.
Bai Ye and Huo Lan left the city lord's mansion side by side and headed towards the most bustling Drunken Immortal Pavilion in the city.
The long street was bustling with activity, and the sounds of vendors hawking their wares filled the air.
They walked and stopped, tacitly slowing their pace, as if this would prolong the last bit of time they could spend together.
But even the longest road has an end, and even the slowest steps eventually reach their destination, and the plaque of Zuixianlou gradually comes into view.
The two men and the turtle entered the restaurant, and the waiter immediately came to greet them. Before the waiter could announce the dishes, Bai said directly, "Bring one of each of your signature dishes."
"Alright, sirs, please come to our private room upstairs." The waiter led the two of them to a private room facing the street.
Bai Ye and Huo Lan sat down one after the other. She picked up the teapot and poured three cups of tea. She pushed one cup to Huo Lan and then picked up a cup herself and drank it slowly.
The aroma of tea wafted through the room, while the hustle and bustle of people on the long street drifted in through the half-open wooden window, adding a touch of local life.
In no time, the dishes were served one after another, a dazzling array of local specialties from Blazing Fire City.
The enticing aroma overpowered the tea fragrance, and Bai placed Jiaojiao on the table, saying, "Come and eat yourself, these are all yours."
"Okay~" Jiao Jiao didn't care about anything else and started to eat heartily while lying on the table.
Bai Ye and Huo Lan occasionally picked up their chopsticks and tasted a bite or two of the food.
With Jiaojiao, a foodie, around, the table full of delicacies was devoured in less than half an hour.
"Are you full? Would you like another serving?" Bai asked, looking at Jiaojiao who still seemed unsatisfied.
Jiaojiao shook her head and said, "I'm not eating anymore. I've been eating too much these past few days, and I feel like I can't hold any more."
Bai nodded somewhat dejectedly. She turned to look at the sky outside the window; the sun was blazing, and she couldn't even find an excuse that it was getting late.
They had to leave.
Huo Lan noticed her disappointment and leaned closer, asking in a low voice, "Do you want me to stay with you?"
Bai Ye instinctively wanted to agree, but ultimately shook his head and refused, "Once the matter is resolved, I will go to Zhongzhou to find you as soon as possible."
"Okay." Huo Lan smiled and stood up. "I'll be waiting for you in Zhongzhou."
Bai hurriedly grabbed her wrist, "Are you leaving now?"
"Well, right now, I don't like farewell scenes, so I won't see you off to the teleportation plaza," Huo Lan said gently.
Bai suddenly remembered something and hurriedly asked, "I forgot to ask before, how is Boss Liu?"
Huo Lan chuckled, reached out and ruffled her hair, her eyes full of tenderness: "Very good, you'll be able to see her when you go to Zhongzhou."
"Mmm." Bai nodded, still holding her wrist tightly, unwilling to let go.
"You should leave now, be good~" Huo Lan coaxed her softly.
Bai silently let go of her hand, watching her figure push open the door and leave until she could no longer be seen.
She sighed softly, picked up Jiao Jiao who was dozing on the dining table, stepped out of the private room, paid the bill, and headed straight towards the teleportation plaza.
When passing by the Hundred Refinement Pavilion, Bai paused slightly, thought for a moment, and then turned around and went inside.
Bai Duan Hong had clearly just sobered up, and when she saw her, she showed a hint of surprise. "Little rascal, didn't you have enough to drink yesterday? You want to come and drink with your older sister again?"
Bai smiled and shook his head. "I've come to say goodbye."
"You're leaving so soon?"
"Well, there are still some things to take care of." Bai Ye said, taking out the Spider King Silk and Dragon Crystal. "There's one more thing I'd like to trouble you with, Master."
Bai Duan Hong glanced at the materials in her hand and said knowingly, "You want me to make you a robe?"
Bai nodded: "You only need to make me a defensive robe, and the rest of the materials can be considered as payment."
Bai Duan Hong scratched her messy hair, looking somewhat troubled. "Refining magic robes isn't difficult, but you're leaving soon, and I can't finish them in a short time."
"It's alright. Once the Hundred Masters have finished refining it, they only need to send the item to the Myriad Elephant Pavilion, saying it was a gift from a friend, and ask them to deliver it to the Three Pure Ones Sect."
"Hmm?" Upon hearing this, Bai Duan Hong raised an eyebrow and looked her up and down. "You little brat, you're quite the character, even managing to order around the Myriad Manifestations Pavilion at will?"
Bai said in a calm tone, "It's just that we happened to know each other."
"Alright!" Bai Duan Hong was a straightforward person and stopped dwelling on the topic. She raised her hand and patted Bai Ye's shoulder heavily. "If you have the chance, come to Blazing Fire City again, and I'll treat you to a drink."
"Definitely!" Bai nodded with a smile. "Then farewell, Master Bai!"
She bowed respectfully, then turned and stepped out of the Hundred Refinements Pavilion.
......
The square was bustling with people, and the teleportation array flickered, making it as lively as a train station during the Spring Festival travel rush.
Bai stepped into the teleportation plaza and immediately spotted the "honest and trustworthy" figure in the crowd. Almost the instant her gaze fell upon him, the other person also looked over.
The two stared at each other across the crowd. Tongsou Wuqi, like a startled rabbit, darted into the crowd and turned to run away.
Bai couldn't help but chuckle, muttering to himself, "Why are you running so fast? Do you think I'd take your life over ten spirit stones?"
Actually, she was quite happy to see the honest man still cheating people in the square before she left, as he was the first person to speak to her when she entered Xizhou.
"Hey kid, are we just leaving like this?" Xiao Wang asked in his mind.
"Yes, I'm leaving now. I should go find my mother," Bai replied softly.
But what about that mission you and Ye Rugo were supposed to do?
"I'm not doing it anymore."
What about the cultivation technique?
"I have found a new path." Bai Ye raised his head and looked at the teleportation array flowing with spiritual light in front of him. His tone became more and more firm. "Xiao Wang, that is Bai Ye's path in the book, not my path."
"I will forge my own path."
......
Guzhou, the homeland of the Bai family.
The Bai family ancestral home is situated on a dragon vein, a place with extremely rich spiritual energy, shrouded in mist and flowing like a spring.
Even a pig that lives here for a long time can eventually become enlightened and embark on the path of cultivation.
Taiwang Hall was the residence of the head of the household.
At this moment, inside the main hall, an elderly woman with a full head of silver hair sat on a high seat.
She wore a dark robe with phoenix patterns, and her face was unusually young for her silver hair, making her look no more than twenty or thirty years old. Beside her, a young woman stood with her hands at her sides, and upon closer inspection, her features bore a resemblance to Bai Shu, about six or seven points.
However, compared to Bai Zhu's gentle temperament, she appeared more unruly and sharp.
“Great-grandmother,” the woman said, her voice low, “the child that my aunt was raising outside has already arrived in Guzhou.”
Upon hearing this, the old woman slowly raised her head and looked at the woman who had spoken.
Those were eyes that could see right through people's hearts, bright as stars, deep as the sea, and imposing enough to make people dare not look them in the eye.
The woman lowered her eyes, not daring to look up.
The old woman spoke, her voice calm, "Did I ask you to keep an eye on her?"
"No, it was Qingji who took it upon herself to want to know about that person," the woman replied softly.
The old woman raised her hand and placed it on the girl's head, stroking it gently with the loving kindness of an elder. "Bai Qingji, don't do things you shouldn't do. You and the second son are different."
"Yes, Qingji knows she was wrong," Bai Qingji replied softly, lowering her head even further.
"Yes, you may leave now. There's no need to pay too much attention to her." The old woman withdrew her hand, her tone indifferent.
"yes."
Bai Qingji responded softly, bowed respectfully, and then turned and walked out of the solemn and imposing Taiwang Hall.
The old woman sat quietly in her place, her gaze following her great-granddaughter's figure until the young figure disappeared in front of the palace gate. Only then did the trace of affection in her eyes slowly disappear, replaced by a sense of helplessness.
The child was spoiled by the second wife's family.
She rose and slowly walked outside the hall. Sunlight streamed in, falling on her fair face. She looked up at the towering, cloud-shrouded mountains behind the ancestral home.
Their gazes seemed to pierce through all obstacles to see that brat who was currently in seclusion in the inheritance pool.
After a long while, she murmured softly to the air, as if talking to herself, or as if chatting idly, "I wonder if the little brat you raised is good or bad?"
A mountain breeze swept by, ruffling her hair, as if carrying the man's answer.
"However, to be able to find Guzhou so quickly, he must be a little fellow with some filial piety and ability, right?"
......
Ancient Prefecture, outside Baidi City.
Country lanes meander through the fields, the scent of earth mingling with the fragrance of grass, permeating the thin mist.
Jiaojiao walked along the path with a resentful look on her face, while a person lay on the tortoise shell.
Bai was also wearing an old raincoat, with wet stains on it, indicating that it had just rained.
She rested her hands behind her head, her large straw hat covering her entire face, and her crossed legs swayed rhythmically with her graceful steps.
His posture was relaxed and carefree, making it impossible to tell whether the person under the straw hat was asleep or awake.
"You're not cute at all now, Yezai!" Jiaojiao muttered softly. "You always want me to carry you on my back. I'm a tortoise, not an oxcart!"
"But I just don't want to walk by myself!"
Bai Ye's lazy voice came from under the straw hat, as if he had just woken up, and if you listened carefully, you could hear a hint of laughter in his voice.
"Alas, I am a motherless child, all alone and helpless. To find my mother, I had to separate from my wife..."
"Stop! No more reading!"
Jiaojiao turned around fiercely to interrupt her, her body swaying so violently that she almost threw Bai off her back.
Ever since he left Xizhou, this guy has been like a completely different person. He keeps repeating the same few phrases in her ear all day long, which is driving Jiaojiao crazy.
Unfortunately, Little Fire was still dormant, and no one could help her share the firepower, so she had to bear the torment alone.
"Fine, then we won't study anymore~" Bai steadied himself and casually asked, "Where are we now?"
"We're almost at Baidi City," Jiao Jiao replied in a muffled voice.
After leaving Xizhou, they first took a teleportation array to Zhongzhou, and then immediately teleported from Zhongzhou to Guzhou.
After several detours and crossings of several major cities, they finally arrived at the territory where the Bai family lived.
"Are we finally here?" Bai also removed the straw hat covering his face, sat up straight, and looked ahead.
At the edge of the sky, the outline of a giant city is hidden in the misty clouds, appearing and disappearing, not very clear, but rather appearing quite solemn and mysterious.
"Is this my mother's hometown? It looks quite nice." Bai squinted his eyes and said with a smile, "I wonder if my mother misses me."
Jiaojiao craned her neck to look ahead, then nodded vigorously, "Mother must miss you. We'll be there soon."
"Hehe, Jiaojiao, you'd better hurry up." Bai Ye slapped the tortoise shell and shouted, "Long Jiaojiao, charge! Try to get to the city gate before dark."
"Oh, stop ordering me around like I'm driving an oxcart!" Jiao Jiao scolded, but her voice was full of laughter. Her eyes were filled with excitement. Her son had said that he would treat her to a big meal when they arrived in Baidi City.
Jiaojiao suddenly increased her speed, her four paws almost leaving afterimages on the ground, and she darted away like an arrow.
Bai exclaimed in surprise and quickly grabbed her shell to steady himself. "Hey, don't accelerate all of a sudden! You almost threw me off."
Jiaojiao giggled, "Haha, serves you right! Who told you to bully me all the time!"
"Hmph~ You underestimate the skills of the dignified young clan leader." Bai also snorted arrogantly, "It's time for a skin change, you stinky turtle, this golden turtle shell is too eye-catching."
"Okay, let's change it now." Jiao Jiao responded, her body shimmering with spiritual light, and the tortoise shell gradually changed from gold to a restrained light blue, no longer as eye-catching as before.
The man and the tortoise traveled swiftly for most of the day and finally arrived at the main road leading to Baidi City before nightfall.
Stepping onto this massive path, over a hundred feet wide and paved with a single piece of bluish-gray stone, Bai was slightly shocked.
On both sides of the road stand stone-carved giant beasts, each with a different shape and representing various creatures. Without exception, these giant beasts all exude an ancient and majestic aura, like guardians watching over every living being that enters this place.
At the end of the main road, the towering city gate, bathed in the evening glow, appeared exceptionally solemn and majestic.
"This is absolutely the most imposing and spacious entrance to the city I've ever seen since I came to Guzhou!" Bai murmured, his eyes filled with undisguised shock.
"Yeah, that's amazing..."
Jiaojiao lowered her voice and asked in a whisper, "Yezai, I heard that the entire Baidi City belongs to my mother's family. So, when we go into the city and eat at a restaurant, will we have to pay?"
"What are you thinking! Your mother was kidnapped, do you really think she's going home to inherit the throne?" Bai chuckled and patted her tortoise shell lightly. "Stop, there are too many people here. Come into my arms."
As she spoke, she jumped off Jiaojiao's back.
The main road into the city was bustling with traffic, and all kinds of luxurious carriages sped along the road, pulled by extraordinary mythical beasts.
Many eyes, whether curious or inquisitive, fell on this unusual pair, whispering among themselves.
A flash of light appeared around Jiaojiao, and she instantly shrank to the size of a palm, flying into Bai Ye's palm.
Bai quickly tucked her into his arms, hiding her tightly. Only after doing this did she raise her eyes, glaring warily at her surroundings.
Those people had been staring intently at Jiaojiao. Who knows what kind of wicked ideas they were plotting? Maybe they were thinking of making soup or braising her.
The crowd was puzzled by her glare. After looking her up and down, they lost interest and couldn't be bothered to argue with this poor, downtrodden, and travel-worn country bumpkin.
Judging from her old straw raincoat and the lack of any obvious aura around her, she was probably just another rogue cultivator who had come to Baidi City from some remote corner, hoping to make a fortune and find a way out.
These cultivators come and go in White Emperor City every day, numbering at least 8,000 to 10,000. The city's residents are already used to it and naturally don't bother to pay them any more attention.
Bai Ye breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the probing gazes had finally shifted away from him and Jiao Jiao in his arms.
She pulled up her straw hat, obscuring most of her face, and followed the procession into the city toward the magnificent city gate.
The city gate was extremely high and wide, large enough to allow dozens of giant beasts to pass side by side. Although the procession entering the city was long, it moved very quickly.
Before long, Bai arrived at the city gate.
A guard dressed in bright silver spirit armor, exuding a calm aura, looked at Bai Ye. He first glanced at her tattered straw raincoat and bamboo hat, paused briefly, and then reminded her out of a sense of duty.
“Fellow Daoist, a curfew is in effect in White Emperor City. Furthermore, even the simplest dormitory accommodations within the city cost ten low-grade spirit stones a day. You…”
The guard didn't finish his sentence, but the implication was clear.
Bai was slightly taken aback, not expecting the guard to kindly remind him of the prices in the city. He felt a bit more favorably disposed towards Baidi City, the city where his mother lived.
As expected of her mother's hometown, even the guards here are more humane than in other places.
She looked up at the guard and said with a smile, "I understand. Thank you for reminding me, fellow Daoist. I have money."
Seeing that she spoke calmly and did not seem to be putting on a brave face, the guard did not press the matter further and simply waved his hand, saying, "In that case, I will take it as I was being nosy. Please proceed."
Bai didn't leave, but asked with some confusion, "Huh? Don't you charge a city entrance fee?"
Upon hearing Bai Ye's words, the guard straightened her back, a proud expression on her face, and her voice became louder, "My Bai family, Baidi City, will always open its doors to all cultivators!"
"No matter where you come from or what your background is, as long as you cherish the Great Dao and aspire to cultivation, you may enter my White Emperor City. This is our ancestral precept."
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Author's note: [hugs] Everyone, do you think Yezai can get rid of his wife?
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