Not bad-looking... easy on the eyes

Xuanwu Kingdom, Sect.

Chu Xingchen suddenly sat up from his bed, his cultivation steadily rising to the late Nascent Soul stage. After carefully sensing the feedback, he realized it came from Li Xingtian.

Hmm...

If Li Xingtian’s cultivation had progressed, he must be safe and sound.

That kid should be on the right track by now, right?

Indeed, compared to his disciples making rapid breakthroughs, he’d much rather they stay safe and unharmed.

Either way, this was good news.

Chu Xingchen got up, changed his clothes, and pushed the door open to step outside. To his surprise, he found Lin Luoyu sitting on a stone bench not far away.

Her habits were somewhat similar to Li Xingtian’s—always diligent in cultivation, unlike Cui Hao, who wandered around every few days, occasionally even slipping off to Yuzhou City for fun.

Cui Hao’s approach to cultivation was all about relaxation.

Not that he was lazy, exactly.

But comparisons were inevitable—look at others, then look at you.

Still, compared to Li Yingling, Cui Hao was practically hardworking.

After all, Cui Hao rarely slept, spending most nights cultivating.

Without a word, Chu Xingchen walked over to the stone table and sat across from Lin Luoyu.

Startled from her daze, Lin Luoyu turned her head and, upon seeing her master, quickly stood and bowed.

"Master..."

"Sit," Chu Xingchen waved lightly.

Lin Luoyu slowly settled back down.

Chu Xingchen glanced at her. "This is unusual. Did you hit a bottleneck? Need my help?"

"No bottleneck. Just felt stifled and needed some air."

Chu Xingchen’s expression flickered with slight disappointment. If it had been a cultivation bottleneck, a single pill could have solved it.

He looked up at the midday sun and asked,

"Did your senior sister and the others go out?"

Usually, this spot was occupied by Chen Baiqing—either reading or studying techniques.

If you wanted to find Chen Baiqing, this was the place.

Come to think of it, the fish in the pond had suffered quite a bit under Chen Baiqing’s "care."

But geniuses were geniuses—even playing with fish could be taken to another level.

Making them line up and dance was old news.

Lately, Chen Baiqing had been researching how to make fish roast themselves...

This absurd idea had Li Yingling’s full support.

Truly, no matter how ridiculous a genius’s idea was, they’d always have a unique solution.

Even if that solution was equally ridiculous...

After a few more days of research, they claimed to have made major progress and promised to demonstrate it for him.

Chu Xingchen thought for a moment—he should probably restock the pond with fish.

Otherwise, they might run out before the grand demonstration.

Lin Luoyu nodded. "Yes, Senior Sister took them to Yuzhou City to buy things."

"And you? Didn’t feel like going?"

"It’s not that. She asked me to wait here today."

Chu Xingchen frowned. "Hmm?"

Li Yingling wasn’t the type to leave someone behind.

Lin Luoyu quickly explained, "Senior Sister has always been good to me."

This was true. If anyone was favored, it was Chen Baiqing.

Cui Hao and Lin Luoyu were about equal in Li Yingling’s eyes. If anyone should have stayed behind, it would have been both of them.

Chu Xingchen didn’t press further, instead chatting with Lin Luoyu about other things.

They didn’t have to wait long.

Cui Hao soon returned through the sect gates, carrying a large bundle on his back—very much like Li Xingtian’s style back in Yuzhou City.

Li Yingling, holding Chen Baiqing’s hand, spotted Chu Xingchen by the stone bench and greeted him with a bright smile.

"Master, good morning."

"Mn. Why did you buy so much?"

Li Yingling grinned proudly and glanced at Cui Hao beside her.

Ever perceptive, Cui Hao set the bundle down and opened it.

Li Yingling pulled out the most exquisitely wrapped gift box from inside.

"Today is Fourth Junior Sister’s birthday, so of course we bought things to celebrate."

Lin Luoyu froze, her eyes suddenly misty as she looked at her senior sister.

Li Yingling walked up to her, smiling, and handed over the small gift box.

"The gift is small, but the heart behind it is big. Happy birthday."

When registering at the Demon Suppression Bureau, everyone’s personal details—hometown, age, and birth date—were recorded for future reference.

Lin Luoyu accepted the box with trembling hands, gently tracing the wrapping.

"Thank you, everyone."

Li Yingling didn’t respond to that, instead turning to direct the decorations.

She had bought plenty of things. Back in her old home, she’d never celebrated her own birthday, but she’d seen others do it—small lanterns, longevity noodles, words of blessing.

Li Yingling had never been invited. She’d only ever watched from behind doors, peeking at the brightly lit halls and the joyous celebrations inside.

Because of her status, she’d often sneak eggs and fruits into her sleeves during banquets and bring them back.

Little Yingling had been content with that.

But she’d also wondered—when would she get to celebrate a birthday? Even someone else’s would be fine.

So now, this was good too.

Li Yingling could personally celebrate her junior sister’s birthday.

She laughed and began directing Cui Hao with the decorations.

Ning Qianqian hadn’t gone with them—she’d been preparing longevity noodles, complete with two soft-boiled eggs.

Not long after Li Yingling returned, Ning Qianqian came out with a bowl of noodles.

Chu Xingchen didn’t speak, only watching the scene with a faint smile.

At the same time, he thought—

When his eldest disciple’s birthday came around, he’d have to prepare something special too.

Li Yingling would never expect him to know her birth date.

As for Lin Luoyu’s celebration, Li Yingling had planned everything meticulously.

Everything proceeded smoothly according to plan.

Once the decorations were complete, everyone gathered around the stone table.

Chu Xingchen felt something was missing, then suddenly realized.

"Ah, right. Let me teach you all a song."

Li Yingling looked at him curiously.

"It’s a blessing song from my hometown, sung during birthdays." Chu Xingchen cleared his throat, clapped a rhythm, and began singing softly.

"Happy birthday to you~"

Li Yingling, hearing the simple melody, was the first to join in.

"Happy birthday to you~"

Her voice was clear and melodious—proof that talent was universal.

Li Yingling sang beautifully.

Chen Baiqing and Cui Hao quickly followed, clapping along.

The song was short, just a few repeated lines before it ended.

Chu Xingchen nodded in satisfaction.

Just as Lin Luoyu was about to thank them, an unfamiliar woman’s voice came from the sect gates.

"'Happy birthday to you'? How novel."

Chu Xingchen’s expression changed drastically as he looked toward the entrance.

There stood a woman in a light blue dress, her expression cool, her peach-blossom eyes sweeping over the group before settling on Chu Xingchen.

After a moment, she nodded in approval.

"Not bad-looking... pleasant to the eyes."