Chapter 127 The Serious Tiger "Hmm." Zhong Jiuli responded softly...
"Mmm," Zhong Jiuli responded softly, a smile playing on her lips.
A smile spread from the corners of her mouth, illuminating her entire face and making her breathtakingly beautiful. Even the bright moon outside the window paled in comparison to her smile.
She turned to the side, rested her head on Bai Ye's shoulder, and slumped down, as if she had also unloaded a heavy burden.
Bai tilted his head and kissed her forehead, asking with a smile, "Only a 'hmm'? I thought I'd leveled up my sweet talk skills, but I didn't expect my wife to have no reaction at all."
Zhong Jiuli gently rubbed her cheek against her neck, her voice softer: "I'm so happy to have met you, Boss Bai. Are you satisfied now?"
Bai burst into laughter, her whole body shaking with mirth, causing Zhong Jiuli, who was leaning against her, to sway and nearly fall onto the bed. She quickly reached out and grabbed the other's slender waist to steady her, but she still couldn't stop laughing.
"You..."
Zhong Jiuli looked up with a hint of helplessness, lightly tapping her chest with her fingertips. "You really like being the boss that much? Hmm? Just calling you makes you this happy?"
"How can that be the same?" Bai shook his head smugly. "You call me 'boss,' what does that mean? It means that in this family, I'm the boss, and the one whose word is law!"
"Oh~~~? Is that so?" Zhong Jiuli asked meaningfully, his hand that was touching her chest quietly moving over the loose inner garment, as if to grab that little bean.
"Of course!" Bai, oblivious to the impending danger, still wore a cheerful expression. "From now on, if anyone bullies you when you go out, just mention my name, Boss Bai... Awoo~"
Bai also lowered his head, his expression quite interesting.
"Why do you resort to violence so easily?" she muttered under her breath.
“Hmm~” Zhong Jiuli raised an eyebrow at her, her face full of provocation.
"Why did you stop talking?" Her voice was slightly hoarse, and the way she moved her hands was like a tickle to the heart.
Bai Ye's breathing immediately became erratic, and she completely forgot her grand pronouncements. She grabbed the mischievous hand, flipped him over, and pinned him to the bed, a dangerous glint in her eyes.
"It seems I need to let Sect Master Zhong witness Bai Laoda's fighting prowess."
The candlelight flickered, and the two figures intertwined. After a long while, their entangled forms finally separated.
Bai propped himself up and asked with a smile, "Now, do you know who's the boss?"
Zhong Jiuli looked up at her, a few strands of sweat-dampened black hair clinging to her snow-white neck, a testament to the intensity of the battle just now.
Her cheeks flushed, and she retorted defiantly, "Is that all you've got?"
"Sect Leader Zhong is not willing to admit defeat!?" Bai Ye narrowed his eyes, leaned closer, and whispered in her ear, seemingly cupping her pink earlobe.
"Hmm~ Of course, as the dignified leader of a sect, how could I easily admit defeat?" Zhong Jiuli said, her breathing unsteady.
"Yes, yes, Sect Leader Zhong is proud and will never admit defeat." Bai Ye chuckled as she leaned against the snow-capped peak. She crossed the plains and forests and arrived at the depths of the hidden, dark, and sunless secret realm.
"Just now, you provoked me. Now, you're not allowed to stop!"
Zhong Jiuli strained to raise her neck, like a fish out of water, struggling to regain control.
The experienced hunter had already sensed her intentions; his well-defined knuckles gripped her slender waist, firmly controlling her beneath him.
"Slow down..." Zhong Jiuli struggled weakly, her words coming out in broken fragments.
Bai not only ignored her, but instead tightened his grip on her waist, pulling her even closer. While stirring the water, he deliberately and maliciously pressed her, "Can you tell me why you're unhappy?"
Zhong Jiuli shook her head, it was unclear whether she wanted to resist the waves that crashed against the shore, or whether she was refusing to answer Bai Ye's question.
Receiving no response, Bai Ye's offensive intensified. The power of the sun erupted completely, and the golden light drew upon the power of the moon within Zhong Jiuli's body. The two colors, white and gold, intertwined, inseparable.
The gauze curtains fell, concealing the springtime scene in the room.
......
The next day, at the entrance to Tianjing Lake.
Tianjing Lake is indeed a huge lake, located deep within the Sanqing Sect. Its surface is as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds, truly living up to its name.
There are several small courtyards scattered around the lake, which seem to be Elder Lu's usual residence.
The top ten winners of this year's genius competition, along with several core disciples of the Sanqing Sect, gathered outside the courtyard.
Bai also stood in the crowd, his gaze falling on the little pig he hadn't seen in a long time. The little guy was nestled in Liu Xianyue's arms and looked...much fatter.
Liu Xianyue looked at Zhong Jiuli with a mocking expression and a meaningful smile on her face.
Zhong Jiuli felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze. She coughed lightly, her voice hoarse from exhaustion: "Within Tianjing Lake lies a lake of the Great Dao, most suitable for tempering one's Dao foundation and understanding one's true nature. I hope you will seize this opportunity and diligently cultivate without ceasing."
"We will heed the teachings of Master Zhong!" everyone responded in unison.
Zhong Jiuli nodded and turned to the woman in green standing to the side, saying, "Please, Elder Lu, open the passage."
Elder Lu bowed and accepted the order. She quickly formed hand seals, and streams of light flew from her palms, forming mysterious array patterns on the lake surface.
Bai also looked up at the woman in blue, surprised that the little girl's grandmother also maintained a youthful appearance. This reminded her of her own old lady; these senior figures all seemed to have the secret to preserving their youth.
But a closer look reveals that no matter how young these elders appear on the surface, their eyes do not lie. Their eyes hold the marks of time and experience, giving them a unique charm that sets them apart from the younger generation.
But Zhong Jiuli is not.
Judging by age, she should have lived the longest among these people, yet her eyes were as bright as a young person's, and her body was full of vitality like the rising sun. Last night, I was able to pester her and fool around all night.
Why is she the only one who can break free from the shackles of time?
From Bai Ye's current perspective, this cannot be achieved solely through the power of the laws of time.
"Hmph, you've been staring at my grandmother the whole time. Do you want to spar with her?" Lu Yao suddenly spoke up, interrupting Bai Ye's thoughts.
She snapped out of her daze, quickly reached out and covered the child's mouth, lowering her voice to warn, "Shut up, you're so loud, everyone can hear you."
"Waaaaah~" Lu Yao struggled to break free from her grip, her face flushed red. She glared angrily at Bai Ye, "You just wait, when I come out of seclusion at Tianjing Lake, I'll make you pay."
"Hehehe~" Bai also made a face at her, "Do you think I went in to sightsee? You cultivate, but I don't? When the time comes, I can still pin you down with just one finger."
"Ahem~!" Elder Lu coughed lightly after finishing his spell, interrupting the two's argument. "Yao'er, don't be rude."
Bai Ye and Lu Yao looked up at the same time, only to find that everyone present was staring at them intently.
Liu Xianyue chuckled and teased, "Oh my, it seems our number one genius in Kyushu has plenty of energy. So early in the morning, he has the leisure to tease a young girl."
"I suppose... you slept well last night?" As she said this, she glanced at Zhong Jiuli several times.
Zhong Jiuli ignored her friend's teasing and nodded to everyone, "The passage is open, let's go in."
Ming Wushuang took the lead and led the disciples of the Sanqing Sect into the passage on the lake. Among them were Lu Yao, Xiao Zizai, and other outstanding figures of the sect.
As the host, the Sanqing Sect has a certain number of extra spots reserved for its own disciples.
Shi Manman waved her large, fan-like hand and patted Bai Ye heavily on the shoulder, calling out, "Let's go, let's go in together."
Bai waved his hand and declined, saying, "You go in first, I'll be there shortly."
"Then hurry up, I'll wait for you at the entrance." Shi Manman didn't ask any more questions and strode into the light gate.
After everyone had entered, Bai Ye walked up to Liu Xianyue and took the whimpering baby from her arms.
She looked at Zhong Jiuli, her eyes filled with reluctance. The two of them were still entwined last night, and now they had to part again today.
"Go on, sweetie." Zhong Jiuli gently stroked the top of her head, her voice very gentle. "To us, seclusion means losing track of time, but for us, it's just a fleeting moment."
"Okay." Bai suppressed his reluctance and nodded emphatically. "I will come out of seclusion as soon as possible."
After Bai Ye's figure disappeared, Elder Lu made another hand seal, closing the passage, and Tianjing Lake returned to calm once again.
Liu Xianyue glanced at Zhong Jiuli, who was still staring at the lake in a daze, and waved her hand in front of her eyes. "Alright, the little brats are all gone. We have a lot of things to do. Stop looking."
Zhong Jiuli withdrew her gaze, nodded, and stepped out of the courtyard. Liu Xianyue followed behind her, asking, "Where should we begin?"
“Xizhou,” Zhong Jiuli said succinctly.
In fact, more than a month ago, unusual activity had already been reported on the western border. Hordes of Lost Ones were pouring out from the depths of the Rama Desert, and they began to consciously and systematically attack human cities.
"Should we release those old bastards?" Liu Xianyue was referring to the ancestors of the major families in Guzhou. Those old bastards had been dealt with by Zhong Jiuli and imprisoned in the Sanqing Sect.
Zhong Jiuli paused slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said, "We haven't reached the end of the road yet, let's wait a little longer."
"Fine, fine, being friends with you is a losing proposition. I have to risk my life for you and lose money too. Why am I so unlucky?"
“Yes, Pavilion Master Liu is really unlucky to have a friend like me.” Zhong Jiuli smiled, tore open the void, and stepped inside.
"Hey, wait for me!" Liu Xianyue muttered under her breath, but her feet moved quickly to keep up, afraid that her friend would abandon her and go to her death.
The void closed, and the two people's voices dissipated into the world.
......
Within Tianjing Lake lies a hidden paradise.
As soon as Bai Ye and the others entered, they all stood frozen in place, looking up at the sky.
The sky was not filled with blue skies and white clouds, but rather with a wondrous spectacle of countless manifestations of the Great Dao Laws. Brilliant chains of law stretched across the sky like celestial rivers, with colorful ribbons of light flowing slowly, occasionally colliding to create dazzling sparks.
The spiritual energy in the air was so dense that it almost solidified, drifting around everyone like a thin mist.
"I thought there was only one lake here," Bai muttered to herself, because there was only one lake outside, and she assumed that the two worlds inside and outside were the same.
The area was vast and boundless, with towering green mountains and cascading waterfalls in the distance, and pavilions and waterside terraces faintly visible through the clouds. Closer in, there was a verdant grassland, every blade of grass seemingly radiating a shimmering green light, a truly breathtaking sight.
“Everything here is a manifestation of the laws,” Ming Wushuang explained to everyone, “whether it’s the distant mountains and rivers or the land beneath our feet.”
She plucked a leaf and handed it to everyone. With a casual flick of her wrist, dazzling patterns of laws appeared on the leaf.
Everyone stared at the leaf in her hand, which had starry patterns on it, looking incredibly mysterious.
"That's amazing," Shi Manman muttered softly. "Normally, if we want to even scratch the surface of the laws, we either have to rely on the most precious treasures of heaven and earth, or wait for that fleeting opportunity for enlightenment."
"In order to comprehend the laws of power, I fought to the death with all kinds of ferocious beasts in the mountains before I could even glimpse a little bit of the way. But here, even the roadside weeds contain the true essence of the Great Dao."
Ming Wushuang shook his head and chuckled, "Fellow Daoist Shi misunderstands. As I said before, grass is not grass, but the Dao."
"All things here are carriers of the Dao. The Dao is vast and boundless, and it is not bound by any form. A single flower can reveal the cycle of flourishing and decay, and a single leaf can contain the ultimate truth of heaven and earth."
"Do we really have to chat like this, all mysterious and cryptic?" Bai peeked out from between the two of them. "Chatting like this might make you seem very cultured, but it makes me seem very illiterate."
“Yes, yes!” Jiao Jiao nodded in agreement.
"Hahaha, serves you right for not studying hard enough!" Bai Qingji mocked her mercilessly.
"Hey! Bai Laosan, show me some respect!" Bai straightened his back, proudly raised his chin, and looked as proud as a Young Pioneer about to go up on stage to raise the flag.
"Standing before you now is Bai Ye, the champion of the Nine Provinces Grand Competition and the greatest genius of our time!"
“But…” Bei Qianxue interjected softly, pointing around, “There are more than a dozen people standing in front of you right now!”
“That’s right.” Fang Yourong rubbed her hands together, her eyes narrowing slightly. This guy had grabbed her Insect King on the arena earlier and was about to crush it; she was going to teach him a lesson today.
"Count me in!" Su Lan also started to loosen her wrists. She had suffered a considerable loss when she faced Bai Ye before.
"Then what are we waiting for! Let's beat her up!" Lu Yao was the first to jump up, waving her little fists and charging forward.
"Third Sister, run! They're about to gang up on us!" Bai Ye exclaimed, grabbing Jiao Jiao with one arm and pulling Chu San Niang with the other as they turned and ran.
Chu San Niang was dragged a long way before she came to her senses and asked blankly, "But they wanted to hit you, so why should I run?"
"That's right, that's right, why are you carrying me and running away? I'll get beaten up later too." Jiao Jiao struggled, trying to defect.
"Hey, we're in cahoots!"
Bai kept running, dodging the magical attacks from the group behind him, while muttering to himself, "If they hit me, you'll definitely help, and if you help, you'll get hit too. If you don't help, your conscience will bother you. To avoid making you feel guilty, I have no choice but to take you with me!"
Chu San Niang was dragged into the water by her. Seeing the pursuers getting closer and closer, she sighed helplessly. With a wave of her hand, the Sea God Diagram unfolded in the air, and several ferocious and huge sea beasts burst out of the diagram, barely blocking the oncoming crowd.
"Third Sister!" Bai Qingji shouted through the churning mist, "Don't let that stinking tiger lead you astray. Abandoning darkness and embracing the light is the right path!"
Shi Manman punched away the attacking sea beast and echoed in a deep voice, "That's right, that guy is tough and can take a beating. You have delicate skin, if you take a punch from me, you'll probably be lying down for three days."
“Yes, Third Sister, turn back before it’s too late!” Ye Rugo also advised.
Ming Wushuang watched as these people laughed and joked around. She and the other disciples of the Sanqing Sect exchanged glances and joined in the encirclement of Bai Ye.
With the addition of the Sanqing Sect members, Bai was quickly surrounded. With nowhere to escape, she could only shout harsh words: "Bah, you bunch of traitors! When I, the Great Master, have mastered my divine skills, I will definitely rectify the sect's reputation and make you all obedient!"
"Still being stubborn? Take this punch from me, Old Shi!" Shi Manman roared, and his giant fist slammed down, causing the surrounding spiritual energy to surge and sparks to fly.
"Jiaojiao, protect the emperor!"
Bai, quick-witted and shameless, lifted Jiao Jiao above his head. A gleaming golden tortoise shell instantly appeared, enveloping them.
"clang!"
The giant fist slammed into the golden tortoise shell, creating a deafening sound.
The aftershocks stirred the slowly flowing chains of law in the sky. Those brightly colored chains of law, like giant pythons awakening, roared down towards the crowd below.
"Retreat quickly!"
With a shout, Ming Wushuang waved his sleeve and led the group to rush backward.
Everyone sensed the terror of those chains and scattered to avoid them.
Countless chains of laws fell from the sky, the earth rumbled, and a dazzling waterfall of light engulfed the entire grassland.
A moment later, the light faded, and when everyone looked up, they saw a huge crater where they had been standing.
The grassland, which was just a vibrant green, has now transformed into emerald light spots, returning to the world.
"Wow, that's scary," Jiao Jiao said, patting her little chest.
Shi Manman rubbed her hands together and apologized in a deep voice, "I'm sorry, I didn't expect it to cause such a commotion."
Seeing this, Bai Ye quickly cleared his throat and put on a serious expression: "Alright, alright, no more fooling around. I was wrong just now. If anyone wants to spar, I'll be happy to oblige once we leave Tianjing Lake."
“Although Tianjing Lake is a sacred place for enlightenment, it is not absolutely safe,” Ming Wushuang interjected. “If you all wish to spar with Fellow Daoist Bai, please follow me.”
After saying this, she gracefully turned and darted forward. The crowd exchanged smiles and followed.
Bai was stunned for a moment, then quickly caught up with the others. She complained, "Ming Lao Er, why are you so sly and wicked?"
"What makes you say that, Fellow Daoist Bai?" Ming Wushuang turned her head to look at her, her face full of innocence.
"I told them to stop making a scene, but you insisted on taking them to a safe place to beat me up. You're actually quite cunning," Bai muttered under his breath.
Jiaojiao, who had just wanted to defect, peeked out from her arms, waving her little paws and said, "Don't be afraid, baby. With Jiaojiao here, I can hold off no matter how many people come."
"Did you hear that? Our Jiaojiao is a Mahayana cultivator. Don't even think about beating me up." Bai Ye said, emboldened by his own strength.
Lu Yao waved his little fist and said, "Pah! When I, Lu Yaoyao, have achieved great success in my cultivation, I'll wipe out both the man and the tortoise in one fell swoop!"
Amidst laughter and conversation, the group followed Ming Wushuang through the dazzling crystal forest, across the ruins of a collapsed ancient city, and over countless mountains and rivers, finally stopping beside a vast lake.
The lake water was as clear as a mirror, reflecting the myriad laws flowing in the air. Ripples appeared on the surface from time to time, and each ripple contained the true meaning of the Great Dao.
“We’ve arrived.” Ming Wushuang landed by the lake and explained to everyone, “This is the real Heavenly Mirror Lake. The laws reflected in the water are the most gentle. You may enter and comprehend them.”
After she finished speaking, she gently raised her hand, untied the jade belt at her waist, and her sky-blue outer robe slipped off, leaving her only wearing a snow-white inner garment. She then stepped into the lake.
Seeing this, everyone began to take off their clothes.
"Hey, why are you taking off your clothes without warning?" Bai hurriedly turned around, covering his own eyes with one hand and Jiao Jiao's eyes with the other.
"I'm a tiger with a family, I have to uphold my wifely duties. A proper tiger wouldn't just look at these things..." She held Jiaojiao and muttered to herself as she moved away from the crowd.
Jiaojiao protested in her palm, "You can cover your own eyes, why are you covering mine?"
"Don't look at what you shouldn't see, you silly girl!" Bai said righteously. "Besides, your mouth is a bit unreliable. What if you go out and talk nonsense to Zhong Jiuli, turning white into black? Wouldn't my backyard be on fire? I'm just taking precautions."
"I wouldn't talk nonsense."
"Yes, yes, you can't!" Bai replied casually, continuing to walk until he could no longer hear the sound of water behind him, at which point he stopped beside a large rock.
"Here it is." She first placed Jiaojiao on the rock, untied her belt and took off her outer garment, leaving only her snow-white inner garment, before picking up the little turtle again and slowly stepping into the cool lake water.
The lake water was a bit cool, and Bai hissed softly, looking down at the little turtle in his arms, asking, "Do you want to come down and walk by yourself?"
Jiaojiao looked up at her and muttered, "What? You brat, we haven't seen each other for so long, and you've only hugged me for a little while, and you don't want to hug me anymore?"
“No, I feel it will be good for you to come down and walk on your own.” Bai also placed her on the water’s surface, letting her figure it out for herself.
The waters of Tianjing Lake were no ordinary bodies of water. She sensed it as soon as she took a few steps. There was a strange resistance in the water, as if it were screening her understanding of the Dao.
"Okay, I misunderstood you. I feel something calling me from the bottom of the lake. I'm going down now." Jiaojiao said, then plunged into the water and disappeared.
Bai ignored her; as the tortoise with the highest cultivation level present, there was no need to worry about Jiao Jiao's safety.
She continued walking forward on her own, hundreds of feet, thousands of feet... The lake water became increasingly viscous, and the resistance increased exponentially.
"It seems I was right. The deeper one's understanding of the Great Dao, the further one can go."
Bai also strengthened his steps, and after walking nearly 10,000 feet, several familiar figures appeared in front of him.
Shi Manman sat cross-legged on the shimmering lake surface, her body wrapped in countless crimson chains that almost completely enveloped her.
Seeing this, Bai couldn't help but sigh softly, "This guy is really pure; he only attracts the laws of power."
Not far away, Bai Qingji, Bei Qianxue, and the others also entered a meditative state on the lake, with chains of laws entwined around them, clearly having entered a deep state of enlightenment.
On the entire lake, only two people continued to walk forward.
-----------------------
Author's note: [hugs][hugs][hugs] A chubby chapter.
I've been scrolling through Douyin lately and keep seeing this clothing blogger. She looks absolutely stunning in suits, and she even has those red-soled high heels—they clatter as she walks! Next time I write a novel, I might consider a seductive, wicked woman who seduces, swindles, and financially exploits—the kind who can make even the most devoted man yelp. [Laughing][Laughing][Laughing]
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