In the primeval forest of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, there was a sheer cliff with a cave on its face. Around the cave, all sorts of flowers bloomed.
Regardless of the season, the area around the cave was always a tapestry of flowers, with butterflies and bees flitting about.
Right beside the cave, a silver waterfall cascaded down, creating a mist that obscured the cave, making it seem like a realm of ethereal clouds.
Inside the cave, there were stone tables, stone chairs, and various utensils crafted from rattan.
"Squeak!"
"Squeak!"
At this moment, a pair of foxes emerged from the depths of the cave.
If Cheng Xiaofan were present, he would surely recognize them.
These were a mother and daughter fox. He had once rescued one of them and, in return, had received extremely rare golden tea seeds from that very fox.
However, the two foxes now bore significant changes compared to their past selves.
A human-like shadow enveloped them.
Though these shadows were indistinct, upon closer inspection, one could discern them as two peerless beauties, their flowing hair cascading down like a dark waterfall.
"Mother, why do you look so anxious?" the young fox asked her mother curiously.
The adult fox replied with a grave expression, "Daughter, my spiritual sense senses that our benefactor seems to be in trouble."
"Mother, our benefactor is very powerful. Who would dare seek trouble with him?"
"Daughter, the one seeking trouble for our benefactor is a demoness. Her cultivation of female esoteric arts has reached an advanced stage. I fear our master may not be able to resist her seductive charms and suffer harm!"
"Ah, then what shall we do?"
"Daughter, you stay here. I will go personally and face this demoness!"
As soon as their conversation ended, the adult fox shed the human-like shadow around her and, with a sudden leap, soared out of the cave into the air.
The mist from the waterfall seemed to support her, and she descended down the cliff face...
...
Only after Luo Yang and Feng Xigua had disappeared down the slope did Jinwei Meihui stop her gaze and shift it towards the bamboo pavilion built against the mountain in the courtyard not far away.
A hint of murderous intent flickered across her alluring face.
Jinwei Meihui swayed her slender waist and walked slowly towards the bamboo pavilion.
Although Jinwei Meihui had been busy talking to Luo Yang, her beautiful eyes had occasionally swept towards the bamboo pavilion. In fact, every move Cheng Xiaofan made inside was within her sight.
Pushing open the door to the courtyard, Jinwei Meihui happened to see Cheng Xiaofan poking his head out of a window and beckoning her over.
"Beautiful lady, please come up quickly! I've just brewed a cup of good tea for you!"
"..." Is this guilt, trying to appease me?
Heh heh!
Do you think this beauty will fall for your tricks?
Jinwei Meihui remained silent, tilting her head slightly. Her feet followed a straight line, her slender waist moving with her rounded hips, perfectly embodying the exquisite charm of a female cultivator.
Among the female cultivators in Sakura Country, a strong emphasis was placed on ceremony.
Clack, clack...
Her sky-high heels made crisp sounds on the bamboo ladder.
"Woof woof!"
Taoqibao, displeased with Jinwei Meihui's demeanor, suddenly rushed out and barked ferociously at her twice.
"Ah—"
Caught off guard, Jinwei Meihui cried out in surprise. She had just reached the pavilion but almost fell off directly.
"Taoqibao, get out of the way! Don't scare the elder!"
Cheng Xiaofan emerged from the room and chided Taoqibao.
Jinwei Meihui gritted her teeth in anger and said, "Cheng Xiaofan, are you blind? Who are you calling an elder?"
Cheng Xiaofan chuckled and replied, "Jinwei Meihui, you are over seventy years old. If I call you an elder, it seems perfectly reasonable, doesn't it!"
"You—"
Jinwei Meihui was rendered speechless.
She hadn't expected that with just one glance, Cheng Xiaofan could discern her actual age.
He was right; someone over seventy years old could indeed be considered elderly.
However, for a practitioner of the body of a female cultivator, having one's actual age seen through at a glance was a great failure and a source of shame.
For female cultivators, the higher their level, the younger they appeared, and their true age was impossible for others to ascertain.
"You are Xiangzi's grandmother. An age like this is quite normal!"
Cheng Xiaofan, unconcerned about her feelings, wore an innocent smile. "Don't stand at the door, please come in and sit down!"
"Ah, so fragrant!"
The moment Jinwei Meihui stepped into the room, she was overwhelmed by a pervasive aroma that almost took her breath away.
It was a fragrance that seemed capable of cleansing the soul!
"This is the scent of tea!"
Cheng Xiaofan pushed a cup of tea towards Jinwei Meihui and said, "For Xiangzi's sake, I brewed this cup of tea for you."
"Try taking a sip and see how you feel!"
Jinwei Meihui picked up the cup and took a delicate sip.
The soul-cleansing aroma sent a jolt through her entire body.
It felt as if a fire had been ignited within her, and a warm current instantly spread throughout her being.
Could this be the legendary cultivation tea?
Legend had it that ancient fox immortals enjoyed drinking this type of tea during their cultivation.
And this tea could only be found in the primeval forests of China.
When steeped for the first time, this tea had a翠绿 (emerald green) color. By the second steeping, the tea would turn golden yellow.
At this stage, the tea would release a rich spiritual energy, making it incredibly precious for cultivators to have a sip of it.
"What kind of tea is this?" Jinwei Meihui asked, utterly shocked.
Cheng Xiaofan could see how greatly this tea attracted Jinwei Meihui, and he smiled slightly, saying, "This is the legendary Golden Tea from my place!"
"Why is it called the legendary Golden Tea?" Jinwei Meihui inquired.
Cheng Xiaofan explained, "Because this tea only exists in the legends of our region. It is said that drinking it not only strengthens the bones but also prolongs life."
"The mountain runners here have always wanted to find this tea, but generation after generation, over many years, no one has ever succeeded."
Jinwei Meihui furrowed her delicate brows and said, "You speak of it in a rather mysterious way, but how did you obtain it?"
Cheng Xiaofan chuckled, "It's very simple. I once saved a fox, and that fox, to repay my kindness, gave me the seeds of the Golden Tea."
"It is because of these rare tea seeds that I was able to successfully cultivate this legendary Golden Tea!"
"Impossible, absolutely impossible!"
Jinwei Meihui let out a cold laugh. "How could an esteemed Fox Immortal so easily bestow such Golden Tea upon a mere mortal like you?"
"The Fox Immortal was originally the ancestor of our female cultivators. You must know that I have come to seek you out with the intention of making you pay a certain price. Therefore, you are filled with fear and are now invoking the Fox Immortal to intimidate me. Hmph, how can such a low-level trick fool me!"
"..." What, foxes are the ancestors of female cultivators?
I was clearly telling the truth, but how did it sound like I was a liar in her ears?