The Sky Has Fallen

Cui Hao left with a stiff expression. Before leaving, he shot a glance at Qinghe, who was burying his head in eating fruits as if eating one less would be a terrible loss. That look clearly meant: keep an eye on things.

Qinghe shook his head while gnawing on the fruit, looking as if he completely understood.

Zheng Zhaoling took all of this in, but she did not speak up or say much.

She merely listened to Cui Hao's promise to get the Chunnuan wine and watched his figure walk out.

Zheng Zhaoling then shifted her gaze to San Dong, who was munching on shelled sunflower seeds.

Since Cui Hao gave Qinghe that look, he naturally expected Qinghe to hold the fort.

However, flower spirits had always been pure of heart. One could tell a thing or two just by looking at her cracking melon seeds—her cheeks were bulging like a little mouse's.

Zheng Zhaoling revealed a gentle smile. Looking at San Dong, she asked warmly,

"Are you a flower spirit?"

Seeing Cui Hao gone, San Dong lost some of her confidence. But this was her own territory after all; showing timidity would be a disgrace to the Sect Leader.

San Dong swallowed the seeds and nodded heavily:

"San Dong is a flower spirit."

"I actually have a few flower spirit friends," Zheng Zhaoling said with a soft smile and a gentle tone. "They are all pure-hearted. I always feel much more relaxed when I'm interacting with them."

"If you don't mind, I would love to get to know San Dong."

As Zheng Zhaoling spoke, she gently reached out her hand, gathering a speck of spiritual energy at the tip of her index finger.

Seeing this, San Dong paused for a moment, then, with a look of delight, she also gathered a bit of spiritual energy on her index finger and touched it against Zheng Zhaoling's.

The spiritual energies touched, transforming into a few specks of fluorescent light that swirled and scattered.

San Dong tilted her head, her tone joyful:

"You know how us flower spirits greet each other?"

Zheng Zhaoling withdrew her hand and chuckled:

"My flower spirit friends taught me. They said this is how they greet good friends."

San Dong's eyes filled with joy:

"Then San Dong is also very happy to meet you."

Zheng Zhaoling smiled and nodded: "My name is Zheng Zhaoling, a contemporary core disciple of the Yunmeng Pavilion."

San Dong also stood up and proudly declared:

"My name is San Dong, the unparalleled Heaven-and-Earth Guardian Mascot under Sect Leader Chu!"

Hearing this incredibly long title, although Zheng Zhaoling was a bit confused in her heart, her eyes revealed a look of great admiration.

Qinghe, eating fruit, glanced sideways at the proud San Dong. After a moment of thought, he somewhat begrudgingly picked up a fruit from the table and stuffed it directly into San Dong's arms:

"Visitors are guests. Why aren't you offering them spiritual fruits? Later, people will think your Sect Leader is stingy."

Qinghe wasn't actually stupid; he naturally understood that Zheng Zhaoling trying to get close to San Dong must have an ulterior motive.

Since Cui Hao treated him to a meal, he naturally had to let Cui Hao know it wasn't for nothing, otherwise there would be no hope for the next meal.

Qinghe still understood the difference between a single full meal and a lifetime of full meals.

This stuffing action also interrupted the rhythm of Zheng Zhaoling's speech.

San Dong subconsciously took the fruit, and after hearing Qinghe's words, she felt they made a lot of sense.

Treating friends to spiritual fruits was naturally a good thing.

San Dong handed the spiritual fruit to Zheng Zhaoling:

"Come, try one. The spiritual fruits here are all very delicious, San Dong likes them a lot too."

Zheng Zhaoling naturally couldn't refuse, so she reached out and accepted San Dong's goodwill.

Qinghe, feeling a bit of heartache again, picked up another spiritual fruit from the table and stuffed it into San Dong's arms:

"The guest is eating, so you should accompany her with one. You've seen your Sect Leader often accompany people drinking tea and wine, right? Now that there's nothing else, you can eat a fruit with her on behalf of your Sect Leader."

San Dong, holding the fruit, nodded rather innocently.

She was the only one here now, so naturally, she should handle these matters well for the Sect Leader.

San Dong forcefully raised the fruit in her hand:

"Come! San Dong will accompany you in eating one."

Zheng Zhaoling couldn't help but laugh. She picked up the fruit, tapped it against San Dong's, and took a bite.

Seeing this, San Dong also began to gnaw on the spiritual fruit.

The spiritual fruit was not small, and San Dong was not big; it was quite a perfect match.

Eating it slowly would likely buy enough time until Cui Hao returned.

Qinghe reached out again, picked up a spiritual fruit from the table, and took another bite—he felt he was truly brilliant this time. One meal from Cui Hao was no longer enough to repay him; it had to be two meals now.

Zheng Zhaoling took a bite, and her gaze shifted to Qinghe again.

Facing her gaze, Qinghe didn't show weakness and stared right back. Swallowing the fruit, he slowly said:

"My name is Qinghe, the flood dragon of Zhuji Peak."

Qinghe had already investigated and found out clearly that his own Grandma Bai had survived the lightning tribulation and was now the only living True Immortal in the world.

His background, which was already tough in the past, was now terrifyingly formidable!

Zheng Zhaoling nodded in understanding, not showing much reaction.

At least, it wasn't the scene Qinghe had imagined, where upon stating his name, Zheng Zhaoling would look terrified and address him as Lord Qinghe.

Zheng Zhaoling slowly finished her fruit, glanced at San Dong who had only eaten half, and looked at Qinghe, saying:

"I came to find Chu Xingchen. Is he deliberately avoiding seeing me?"

Qinghe raised his eyes slightly: "I have yet to know of anything that Chu Xingchen doesn't dare to do. Perhaps he isn't seeing you because you aren't worth his time."

Zheng Zhaoling nodded knowingly, her tone calm as she said:

"I thought the flood dragon of Zhuji Peak would have extraordinary insight. I even planned to share a drink of Chunnuan with you once Cui Hao brought it. But looking at it now, it seems I was mistaken. This wine..."

"You're absolutely right!" Qinghe suddenly interrupted, its expression earnest. "Chu Xingchen and his ilk are the biggest cowards. Seeing you come so aggressively, how could he dare to meet you? So, he sent the most useless Cui Hao to brush you off."

San Dong was unhappy to hear this. Stopping the motion of offering fruits, he spoke up:

"That's not true! The sect leader isn't that kind of person."

Qinghe ignored San Dong's displeasure. It had been craving Chunnuan for a long time.

Even Grandma Bai was reluctant to drink this stuff, and Qinghe only occasionally got to sip the dregs at the bottom of a cup.

Looking at Zheng Zhaoling with sincere eyes, Qinghe said,

"I can see you are an outstanding genius among your peers. Today, let us drink Chunnuan together and have a good discussion about the great truths of this world!"

Zheng Zhaoling first comforted San Dong, then replied to Qinghe:

"Since that is the case, I naturally cannot refuse."

Qinghe nodded in great satisfaction.

It wasn't stupid; it would naturally keep its mouth shut about any useful information.

It usually didn't hold back from cursing Chu Xingchen anyway, so it certainly wouldn't be shy about it now.

This was equivalent to exchanging a few curses at Chu Xingchen for a free-flowing drink of Chunnuan. This deal was an absolute steal.

Zheng Zhaoling picked up another spirit fruit, clinked it against San Dong's, and began eating with a light smile on her lips.

A mere Cui Hao actually dared to look down on her.

Expecting to brush her off with a glutton and a naive flower spirit.

Did the matter in Beiju Luzhou really give Cui Hao so much confidence that he dared to underestimate her like this?

The cold wind blew.

Cui Hao hugged a small jar of Chunnuan tightly in his arms.

Naturally, he wasn't foolish enough to ask his own master for Chunnuan; instead, he went to find Lu Xuan.

However, it was obvious that something like Chunnuan wasn't just given out for the asking.

Fortunately, Lu Xuan was a bit easier to talk to than Master Wanban—though only to a limited extent.

At the very least, when Cui Hao called him Uncle Lu, Lu Xuan pulled out the Chunnuan with a look of utter misfortune.

Forget it, face or no face, it was normal to lose it occasionally.

Cui Hao's thoughts gradually slowed down. Now, he only hoped that Qinghe would pull through.

He strode toward the small courtyard, but as he looked over, his footsteps halted.

In Cui Hao's line of sight...

Qinghe was pouring tea for Zheng Zhaoling with an extremely fawning expression, while San Dong hugged a spirit fruit, laughing uproariously and looking at Zheng Zhaoling with joyful eyes.

Cui Hao's eyes widened.

This...

The sky had practically fallen.

Sensing Cui Hao, Zheng Zhaoling turned her head slightly to look, a faint smile hooking the corners of her lips.

Cui Hao only found this trace of a smile blindingly harsh.

Wasn't this naked mockery?!