Gu Baizhi pushed open the door and slowly walked to Liu Yin's side. She gently took Liu Yin's hand, and Liu Yin looked at Gu Baizhi, somewhat puzzled as to why her sister's face turned so red just from changing clothes.
"Why is your face so red, sister?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Baizhi was momentarily at a loss for words. She couldn't very well tell her she was a male soul in a female body, could she? Or could she tell her she felt shy looking at her own body? That would make her seem like a pervert…
"Ah, it's just that the changing room was a bit hot, and I was a little warm. Well, Xiaoyin, you must be hungry after waiting so long. I'll treat you to a big meal..."
"Yay!"
Xiao Yin snuggled closer to her, overjoyed.
Gu Baizhi gently pinched her nose, her face full of doting affection.
"Not only is she a clingy little cat, but she's also a little glutton."
A gentle smile inadvertently appeared on Gu Baizhi's face.
Xiao Yin looked up at her older sister, who was even more beautiful than a fairy.
"My sister's smile is so beautiful, I want to..."
Before Gu Baizhi noticed, Liu Yin's lips curled up in a malicious smile.
After a while, Gu Baizhi released Xiaoyin.
Let's go.
Gu Baizhi pulled Xiaoyin along and walked towards the small restaurant inside the restaurant.
Gu Baizhi picked up the menu and ordered several dishes that children like to eat, as well as a pot of wine and a pot of tea.
Soon, all the dishes were served, and Xiao Yin's eyes lit up when she saw the table full of food. She picked up her chopsticks and started blowing on them. Gu Baizhi smiled as she watched Liu Yin wolfing down her food.
"Eat your shaved ice slowly, no one's going to take it from you."
After saying that, Gu Baizhi smiled at her again, then poured herself a glass of wine and drank it all in one gulp.
"Sister, aren't you going to eat? Is it not to your liking?"
Xiaoyin saw her sister drinking alone and assumed that her sister had only ordered dishes she liked. Suddenly, she felt a little guilty.
"Of course not. My sister is a cultivator and doesn't need to eat, but Xiaoyin is different. Xiaoyin needs to grow and needs to eat more."
After saying that, Gu Baizhi picked up a dish from the plate and put it in Xiaoyin's bowl.
"No, my sister wants some too!"
She immediately puffed up her cheeks, like a little pufferfish.
"Okay, okay, sister will eat."
After saying that, Gu Baizhi casually picked up a few dishes from the plate and started eating and drinking with her wine.
Soon, the food on the table was all gone. Gu Baizhi herself didn't eat much; Xiao Yin ate most of it.
Gu Baizhi glanced at the sun and, thinking it was still early, decided to take Xiaoyin for a stroll around the area. Xiaoyin readily agreed.
They strolled along the street. Seeing vendors selling osmanthus cake, rice cake, and peach shortbread, Gu Baizhi bought some. She gently placed a peach shortbread in her mouth and savored it. A look of pure enjoyment spread across her face, like a kitten that had just received a treat.
"So, my older sister also likes to eat the things that we kids like to eat."
"Forehead…"
Gu Baizhi was at a loss for words and could only try to remain calm.
"My sister just... just..."
"Just what?"
Xiao Yin asked with a curious look.
"Sister just wanted some dessert to sober up, it's not that she likes desserts, that's right... Okay, Xiaoyin, let's keep going."
Xiaoyin knew exactly what her older sister was thinking, but when she saw that her sister had such a cute side beneath her aloof exterior, she suddenly felt a little happy and excited.
They wandered aimlessly through the city as darkness began to envelop it. Tiny lights flickered in the darkness, gradually merging together to illuminate the entire city. Yet, behind every glittering facade lay darkness, and all things would eventually return to darkness. The town was bright now, but as night fell, it too would succumb to darkness.
Gu Baizhi and Xiao Yin ate delicious food all the way.
But then Gu Baizhi suddenly stopped. Although she enjoyed this tender moment, and although she was the one who gave tenderness to others, separation was an unavoidable part of life. Although she didn't want to leave Xiaoyin, Xiaoyin needed to return to her original life, and besides, the path of cultivation was dangerous, and she didn't want Xiaoyin to take that risk with her.
"Xiaoyin, where do you live?"
Gu Baizhi looked at Xiaoyin with some trepidation.
Xiao Yin trembled slightly before answering the question.
"I have no home anymore, no family anymore. My parents fled from the south, and they died protecting me. Now...now...I only have you, sister..."
Tears welled up in her eyes without her noticing, and her eyes became increasingly red.
Gu Baizhi was stunned at first, then felt a deep sense of self-reproach. After all, she hated reopening old wounds. And what she had just done was no different from reopening someone else's wounds.
She grabbed Xiaoyin's arm and then pulled her into her arms.
"I'm sorry, Xiaoyin. I shouldn't have asked. I will always be with you, Xiaoyin. I will always protect you."
She tightened her grip on Xiaoyin, and without her noticing, tears streamed down her face.
Xiao Yin, who had been crying, gradually smiled after feeling the warmth of Gu Baizhi's embrace. However, as she smiled, the corners of her mouth turned up quite a bit, a detail that Gu Baizhi didn't notice. She was still trying her best to soothe Xiao Yin's emotions.
Even when her sister cries, she looks beautiful. She thought to herself.
They strolled around the streets for a while longer, but Gu Baizhi had lost her previous enthusiasm. Soon after, they decided to return to the restaurant.
Gu Baizhi vaguely sensed that someone was following them. Gu Baizhi used her divine sense to observe, and sure enough, a Golden Core cultivator was following her, and it was a female cultivator at that.
When they returned to the restaurant, there were hardly any people around. Gu Baizhi told Xiao Yin to go back to her room first, saying she still needed to buy some things.
After confirming that Xiao Yin had gone upstairs, Gu Baizhi raised her hand and conjured a light sword.
"Come out, we've been following you all the way."
"I didn't expect you to be so vigilant and meticulous, fellow Daoist. I knew that someone who could destroy the royal palace couldn't be an ordinary person. But put down your sword first. I'm not your enemy." A beautiful figure with black hair emerged from the darkness.
"Next week, Qianqian will be from the Heavenly Sword Sect."
"Gu Baizhi, a rogue cultivator."
What is your purpose in following me?
"The purpose is more of a request than a purpose."
"A request? What request?"
"I was fortunate enough to witness your battle against that monster from the royal palace. The formations and techniques you used were extremely profound. Now that the world is in chaos, with the southern barbarians invading and the demonic sect running rampant, I hope you can join our Heavenly Sword Sect."
In truth, Gu Baizhi understood the female cultivator's intentions; she was undoubtedly after Gu Baizhi's cultivation techniques and her body. By joining the Heavenly Sword Sect, Gu Baizhi could provide the sect with various cultivation techniques, ranging from Yellow-rank to Profound-rank, Earth-rank, and even Heaven-rank. As for whether she coveted Gu Baizhi's body, Gu Baizhi thought it was likely true, since everyone wants their sect to become even more popular.
While Gu Baizhi was still pondering the question, Zhou Qianqian was already captivated, not only by Gu Baizhi's stunning beauty but also by the alluring fragrance.
Your words, "Okay," jolted Zhou Qianqian, who was still infatuated with your beauty, back to reality.
"However, I have one condition: you need to promise me a mountain peak and the rare treasures I need to aid my cultivation. I will give you the cultivation technique; I know that's what you're after. Also, I need to take someone with me."
"Well, I need the elders' approval, but don't worry, I'll give you a definite answer first thing tomorrow morning."
"Okay."
"Okay, if there's nothing else, I'll be leaving now."
This is so strange. What was wrong with me back then? Why did I...? Zhou Qianqian thought to herself.