"Why is it all vegetarian..."
In the evening, Wan Yunting looked at the dishes stir-fried by Chen Qiuyun. They were all vegetarian, from stir-fried cabbage to hot and sour shredded potatoes, served with pickles and rice. It was incredibly plain.
"We are all vegetarians, we don't eat meat, so of course it's all vegetarian dishes,"
Chen Qiuyun gave him a seductive sidelong glance and said.
Although it seemed like an ordinary sidelong glance, when displayed by Chen Qiuyun, a person born with a naturally seductive bone structure, it was irresistible to men. Wan Yunting was almost overcome by her charming glance.
He quickly steadied himself, daring not to meet Chen Qiuyun's alluring eyes again, fearing that if he looked any longer, he would be unable to help himself...
"I'm going to the back mountain to look around. Maybe there are wild rabbits or something. I can't get used to these vegetarian dishes..."
Saying this, Wan Yunting went to the back mountain by himself. Taking advantage of the fact that it wasn't completely dark yet, he would catch a couple of wild rabbits to satisfy his cravings...
"Sister Qiuyun, don't mind him..."
Zhou Ruoxi also helped set the bowls and chopsticks, saying to Chen Qiuyun with a smile.
However, looking at her naturally seductive bone structure, even a woman couldn't resist her breathtaking charm...
Around seven o'clock in the evening, Wan Yunting returned from the mountain in the dark, indeed carrying two large wild rabbits. He ate one and kept the other in a small wooden cage to raise for later...
Chen Qiuyun, Jin Yu Shitai, and Zhou Ruoxi, who had already finished dinner, were sitting on chairs by the door. The three women were chatting while drinking tea, watching Wan Yunting in another part of the yard, grilling rabbits over charcoal. Soon, the aroma drifted over...
"This guy is a master at grilling rabbits," Chen Qiuyun couldn't help but laugh.
"Mhm, Sister Qiuyun, have you eaten it before?"
Zhou Ruoxi couldn't help but ask.
"Mhm."
Chen Qiuyun had also become familiar with Zhou Ruoxi and said with a smile, "He took us into the valley before, um, you should know, right?"
Zhou Ruoxi nodded and smiled, "Last year, he and I discovered that valley together, and I also learned the martial arts of the Xiaoyao Sect."
Chen Qiuyun nodded and smiled, "He took us in last time."
Jin Yu Shitai looked at Zhou Ruoxi and said, "So you learned the martial arts of the Xiaoyao Sect back then?"
"Mhm..."
Zhou Ruoxi became a little embarrassed.
After all, she had learned the martial arts of the Xiaoyao Sect with Wan Yunting at that time but had concealed it from her elders at Emei Sect, and later succeeded to the position of sect leader.
If someone had discovered her learning the martial arts of the Xiaoyao Sect at that time, she probably wouldn't have become the sect leader later.
Seeing her embarrassment, Jin Yu Shitai shook her head slightly and smiled, "It's fine. Although the sect rules prohibit learning martial arts from other sects at will, the martial arts of the Xiaoyao Sect are acceptable. Besides, I am also learning the martial arts of the Snow Mountain Sect!"
Zhou Ruoxi's expression was stunned, and she asked, "He taught you?"
"Yes."
Chen Qiuyun smiled and said, "He taught both of us when Jin Yu came over last time. However, I don't like learning martial arts. It's Jin Yu who has to learn it to suppress the cold poison in her body."
Wan Yunting, who was grilling rabbits over there, turned his head and shouted, "How are you learning now, Grandmaster Jin Yu? Have you been able to suppress the cold poison in your body?"
"Mhm, almost."
Jin Yu Shitai turned her head and replied with a smile.
Wan Yunting brought over the grilled rabbit to eat. Seeing Zhou Ruoxi looking enviously, he tore off a leg for her. Chen Qiuyun and Jin Yu Shitai said they wouldn't eat, so Wan Yunting ate without reservation and then said, "Why don't we go into the valley and cultivate in seclusion for a while using the ice bed?"
Zhou Ruoxi turned to look at him and asked, "Aren't you going back to the capital?"
Wan Yunting calculated the time and said with a smile, "There's still more than a month until the New Year. It's fine to go back before the end of the year."
"Also, Yingying and Senior Sister Zhishan have already entered the valley to practice, and I'm a bit worried about them, so I plan to go in and see how they are."
"If you all want to go, you can go together. However, I can only stay for half a month at most before I have to come out and return to the capital."
Zhou Ruoxi and Chen Qiuyun nodded. Jin Yu Shitai said, "The legendary ice bed, if you cultivate on it, your efforts can be doubled. I quite want to use the ice bed to practice the Snow Mountain Sect martial arts."
Seeing this, Wan Yunting smiled and said, "Then I'll take you in."
Zhou Ruoxi nodded, indicating no problem, while Jin Yu Shitai turned to look at Chen Qiuyun. She nodded and smiled, "However, we have to harvest the corn first tomorrow before we can go."
Wan Yunting looked back at the outside of the yard. The land they had cleared last time was now planted with corn. This corn had also dried out, so it was perfect for harvesting and storing for winter. After threshing, it could be ground into cornmeal...
"Alright. I'll also have Zihang send some supplies in later. Then we'll go into the mountains the day after tomorrow..."
"Okay..."
After discussing it, Wan Yunting finished eating the wild rabbit and found a spot with a signal using his mobile phone to call his family in the capital, informing them that he would probably not be back for another half a month...
"At Wuliang Taoist Temple again?"
Fang Yanxi heard Wan Yunting say that he was at Wuliang Taoist Temple, and she knew what was going on.
"Mhm, I'll be back before the end of the year," Wan Yunting nodded.
"Got it, everything is fine at home." Fang Yanxi was already used to this from him.
After chatting for a few more minutes, Wan Yunting called Gu Luotang and Su Ke'er to inform them, and finally called Li Yuxiu. When she heard that Wan Yunting wouldn't be back in the capital for another half a month, she asked, "Then what exactly are you doing?"
"Cultivating in seclusion."
Wan Yunting said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Sister Yuxiu. While I'm away, you'll have to work hard."
Knowing that he was referring to the Chinese Medicine Association, Li Yuxiu said softly, "The association is currently stable. The plans that need to be implemented have already been given to everyone, so it's fine for me to oversee it alone. As long as you come back before the end of the year, that's what matters."
"Okay, I'll be back as soon as possible," Wan Yunting smiled.
They chatted for a while longer before Wan Yunting hung up the phone and returned...
The next day, the four of them got up early. Jin Yu Shitai led Zhou Ruoxi, and Wan Yunting practiced martial arts, while Chen Qiuyun stayed home to cook breakfast. After breakfast, the four of them began working in the cornfield...
In the afternoon, Li Zihang delivered a batch of supplies, which were to be stored at the foot of the mountain in the valley.
In the evening, after everyone had tidied up simply, the next morning, Wan Yunting, Zhou Ruoxi, Chen Qiuyun, and Jin Yu Shitai packed their belongings and officially entered the depths of the Kunlun Mountains.
It wasn't the first time going to the valley where the Xiaoyao Sect's inheritance was located. Wan Yunting and Chen Qiuyun were familiar with the mountain path. Moreover, they didn't bring anyone else with them this time. All four of them practiced martial arts, so they didn't stop except for eating while traveling...
After spending a night in the mountains, by the morning of the second day, the four of them had appeared at the edge of the valley.
"Still so beautiful..."
Zhou Ruoxi exhaled, looking at the snowy landscape of the valley in winter, which was the same as when she and Wan Yunting first fell into the valley...
This was Jin Yu Shitai's first time here, and she also found the scenery in the valley pleasant. Chen Qiuyun was also here for the second time...
"Let's go down."
To avoid wasting time, Wan Yunting began to lead the four of them along the path they had used to exit and enter the valley before. After more than an hour, the four of them successfully reached the bottom of the valley and moved towards the hot spring pool along the overgrown low valley...
"I can't believe the temperature at the bottom of the valley is so comfortable..."
Jin Yu Shitai, who was visiting for the first time, had expected it to be very cold at the bottom of the valley, but was surprised by how comfortable it was...
"Quick, it's because of the hot spring pool ahead."
Wan Yunting pointed to the steaming hot spring pool in front of them. Jin Yu Shitai looked and then understood.
"Didn't you say that Junior Sister Yingying and Senior Sister Zhishan came here in advance? Why don't I see them?"
Zhou Ruoxi looked at the hot spring pool, where many facilities had been added, such as toilets, simple shower rooms, and outhouses.
"They should be practicing inside. I'll go in and take a look..."
Putting down his backpack, Wan Yunting went directly towards the cave entrance.
Jin Yu Shitai looked on with curiosity, and Zhou Ruoxi took her along. Chen Qiuyun stayed outside to tidy up...
"Is this the inheritance left by Kang Guangling, the last sect leader of the Xiaoyao Sect?"
Jin Yu Shitai entered. The cave was lit by oil lamps. Although the light was dim, for martial artists like them, this amount of light was enough to see their surroundings.
Wan Yunting entered first and went directly into the bedroom in the cave. He saw that the stone door of the secret room inside was closed. He could faintly hear the voices of Duan Yingying and Xu Lingwei inside...
"Senior Sister, is this how you practice?"
Duan Yingying, dressed in a thin long skirt, and Xu Lingwei, also wearing a gray long robe, were both sitting on the ice bed, holding a book and practicing...
And this book was exactly the martial arts manual of the Snow Mountain Sect that Wan Yunting had previously asked Yang Jingyi and the others to copy, considered a duplicate.
"Mhm, almost..."
Xu Lingwei had her beautiful hair tied up, revealing her delicate oval face. Her eyes were sharp and spirited, and her skin wasn't very fair, with visible freckles on her face. However, this did not detract from Xu Lingwei's lively, stunning beauty and temperament.
Just as the two were engrossed in their practice, the stone door was suddenly pushed open. Duan Yingying's face turned pale with panic, and Xu Lingwei's eyes became even sharper. She turned, got off the bed, grabbed her sword, drew it from its sheath, and pointed it at the doorway, coldly shouting, "Who?"
"It's me..."
Wan Yunting walked in, looking at their tense faces, and chuckled, "Who else would it be besides me?"
"Ah, Yunting..."
Seeing that it was him, Duan Yingying's pretty face lit up with joy. She rushed forward without hesitation and hugged Wan Yunting, even wrapping her legs around his waist, excitedly asking, "Why are you here?"
"To see you..."
Wan Yunting also hugged Duan Yingying and spun her around. Seeing that Xu Lingwei had put away her sword, he patted Duan Yingying's fragrant back, "Come down now, Senior Sister Zhishan is watching..."
Duan Yingying also saw Zhou Ruoxi and Jin Yu Shitai entering from outside. She then got down from Wan Yunting in surprise, "Sister Ruoxi, Grandmaster Jin Yu, why are you here too?"
Xu Lingwei nodded slightly at Wan Yunting but was also surprised to see Jin Yu Shitai and Zhou Ruoxi entering...
"Mhm, there was some trouble at Emei Sect. I brought Ruoxi and Grandmaster Jin Yu here because I wanted them to practice on the ice bed," Wan Yunting said with a smile to Duan Yingying and Xu Lingwei.
"This is the ice bed..."
Jin Yu Shitai entered, and her gaze was immediately drawn to the blue ice bed emitting intense cold. She couldn't help but reach out and touch the ice bed, and instantly, a wave of coldness penetrated her heart.
This made her delicate body tremble, and she said in surprise, "As expected of the legendary ice bed. If I can use this bed to practice the Snow Mountain Sect's Snow Mountain martial arts, I can suppress the cold poison in my body, and even convert the cold poison into ice internal energy..."
Wan Yunting listened and nodded, saying with a smile, "So, that's why I brought you here..."
Jin Yu Shitai was deeply moved and couldn't help but sit down on the ice bed cross-legged. She closed her eyes and felt the intense cold from the ice bed entering her body. This immediately stimulated the cold poison within her, which began to circulate through her meridians...
"Let's go out first."
Seeing that Jin Yu Shitai wanted to experience the ice bed, Wan Yunting asked Zhou Ruoxi, Duan Yingying, and Xu Lingwei to go out and gently closed the stone door...
"Sister Qiuyun, you're here too..."
Duan Yingying, who came out, saw Chen Qiuyun tidying things outside and couldn't help but be surprised. Then, she cast a meaningful sidelong glance at Wan Yunting and asked, "Besides Sister Ruoxi, Sister Qiuyun, and Grandmaster Jin Yu, who else has come?"
"No, just the three of them."
How could Wan Yunting not see what this girl was thinking? He then turned to Zhou Ruoxi and said with a smile, "Help Sister Qiuyun tidy things up first."
"Okay..."
Zhou Ruoxi nodded and tidied things with Chen Qiuyun. Xu Lingwei also sat nearby, while Duan Yingying naturally sat down with her arm linked through Wan Yunting's, chattering away, asking Zhou Ruoxi why she had time to come over and so on...
Wan Yunting also briefly told them about the events at Emei Sect. Upon learning that Zhou Ruoxi's mother was the leader of the Demonic Sect and had now betrayed Emei Sect and was no longer the sect leader...
This made Duan Yingying's mouth drop in surprise. She couldn't help but turn to look at Zhou Ruoxi, who was helping Chen Qiuyun bring things into the cave dwelling, and sighed, "No wonder I felt Sister Ruoxi looked so preoccupied. I didn't expect something like this to happen..."
Xu Lingwei, sitting to the side, remained expressionless and nodded in sympathy at Zhou Ruoxi's plight...