Partiality is sweeter than honey.

"These fish are truly picky. They won't eat this, and they won't eat that. Do they insist on eating your master's divine abilities?"

Where the stream met the river, lush grass and warm flowers spread everywhere. Chu Xingchen stood by the riverbank, facing the stream, and cast out a fishing hook.

If he didn't use his cultivation base and spells, and strictly talked about fishing skills—Chu Xingchen really had none.

He could basically sit at the same table as the childhood Lin Luoyu—whether or not he caught a fish purely depended on whether the fish was stupid enough.

Obviously, in this place with fairly abundant spiritual energy, the fish were not that stupid.

Chen Baiqing, wearing a plain white dress with gilded flower patterns, sat down on the grass beside Chu Xingchen with a somewhat elegant posture. In her hand, she held a sugar painting that she hadn't eaten in who knows how long; the small sugar painting was shaped like a little padded jacket.

She gently nibbled on it bite by bite, looking at Chu Xingchen with a teasing gaze, and chuckled softly,

"It is just that Master doesn't know how to fish."

Chu Xingchen rested one hand on his waist and fiddled with the fishing rod in the other.

"I haven't fished in a long time, not since I fished up a person."

Chen Baiqing savored the honey-like sweetness of the sugar painting. Then, she aimed the sugar painting, which was now missing its cuffs, at her master. In her line of sight, it seemed as if she had precisely dressed Chu Xingchen in this cuffless sugar painting.

"Master likes to make excuses."

"If I don't find fault with others, could it be that I should find fault with myself?"

"Hmph, Master is indeed shameless, so if Baiqing learns to be bad, it must be Master's teaching."

"Hmph, I won't admit to that. Your master is wise, martial, open, and aboveboard."

"Master still wants to trick Baiqing."

"Hmm? Is Master not like this in your heart?"

"That's only to me. Master's nickname has just changed from Fierce Bloodthirsty True Lord to True Monarch Yama-Walker."

"What does this nickname mean? But it sounds like an evolution. Li Xingtian probably couldn't catch up to me even on horseback."

"It means that wherever Master goes, that place will experience an earth-shattering event, like a walking Lord Yama. Nowadays, Master's reputation has far surpassed Senior Bai's. Even if Second Senior Brother wants to catch up to Master's current fame, he would probably have to start a massacre on the spot."

Hearing this, Chu Xingchen smiled dumbly and then shook his head helplessly.

If it were someone who understood, they might have to call him a walking a certain Conan right now.

It was just that Chu Xingchen actively provoked things out of helplessness, while the other could only passively accept them. In a certain sense, the difference was still quite large.

What left him most speechless was that he had actually, unknowingly, acquired a title comparable to a boss of evil cultivators.

Li Xingtian, whose body was covered in an unhideable bloody aura, hadn't been stuck with this title, yet a cultivator like himself, who possessed a righteous aura, ended up using it first.

True Monarch Yama-Walker... Sure enough, when it comes to playing with little memes, neither side will fall behind.

Chen Baiqing took another bite of the little padded jacket sugar painting and said indistinctly,

"It's just that don't think Master can completely buy me off by buying candy today! I have already distributed Master's elegant performance from that day to Eldest Senior Sister."

"After the dim-witted Li Xingtian, there will soon be the powerless show-off Chu Xingchen."

"The stupid things Master has done will be ruthlessly mocked by us in the future."

Chu Xingchen shrugged indifferently and said, "If it can give you rebellious disciples a couple of laughs, then your master doesn't mind losing some face."

"Shameless," Chen Baiqing said softly.

Master was still quite skilled at coaxing people. A sugar painting that she hadn't eaten in a long time was able to coax away her temper.

Chu Xingchen gently tugged at the fishing hook.

"It is because Master can be shameless that I will occasionally forgive you for being shameless."

"By rushing here this time, did you make things difficult for your master's wife?"

Chen Baiqing waved the sugar painting in her hand and said, "I wouldn't have an unpleasant falling out with Master's wife, and Baiqing doesn't want to make things too difficult for Master. I just told Master's wife that I had a very urgent matter to discuss with Master in person."

"I don't believe that."

"Master's wife probably didn't believe it either, but she still told me where Master went. Perhaps Master's wife also understands me. She just told me not to make things too difficult for Master."

"Is that so?" Chu Xingchen smiled knowingly.

Sometimes, smart people will subconsciously be too overbearing—because smart people usually cannot tolerate stupidity.

Stupid people will be too stubborn and never learn to be flexible—even if being flexible wouldn't cost them anything.

Lingyu had always been smart, but she could also accept the lack of intelligence in others.

Because she was smart, she would also be flexible when it was time to be flexible, and wouldn't just stubbornly stick to one rigid principle.

Therefore.

Lord Lingyu is truly wonderful, was not a perfunctory compliment from Chu Xingchen.

Chen Baiqing glanced at the padded jacket that was already half gone, feeling a little reluctant to finish it all. She looked at Chu Xingchen and said,

"So, Master asked us all to go to the Southern Jambudvipa just to handle these matters?"

"Then you are underestimating your master too much." Chu Xingchen put away his fishing rod. The aura of the Innate Primordial Dao-Fixing Dual Qi Beads surged outward into the surroundings, and then enveloped the two of them.

Chen Baiqing watched as Chu Xingchen turned around, and at the same time, Chu Xingchen's own aura began to continuously climb from the Nascent Soul realm to the Soul Formation realm.

Then, his realm and Dao rhythm continued to climb relentlessly.

After the Body Integration realm, Chen Baiqing could no longer accurately deduce her master's cultivation base.

Until the Dao rhythm on Chu Xingchen's body revealed a level that was almost on the verge of displaying Heavenly Dao inscriptions.

Chen Baiqing was slightly stunned—this should at least be the cultivation of the Tribulation Transcendence realm.

The next moment, Chu Xingchen's aura retracted, and he returned to the Nascent Soul realm.

Only then did Chu Xingchen continue the conversation, "Naturally, Master has Master's plans. Your current cultivation is far from enough, and your experience is also insufficient."

"Master has never underestimated you. When you are all truly prepared and have the ability and qualifications, certain matters will naturally be handed over to you."

"Little Baiqing, after all, you understand just how lazy your master is."

"Not to mention that the matter in the Southern Jambudvipa, in my eyes, is actually far more important than this place. If Li Junzi truly achieves the status of a Sub-Sage, and the righteous energy of heaven and earth reappears, a single sentence from her might really be able to change the situation."

"Eldest Senior Sister has also reported your situation to me, and Master has given you the opportunity you wanted."

"As for why I conceal my current cultivation, the smart Baiqing shouldn't need me to explain too much."

"Now you have seen your master. I am not truly using my own life to fool around. Do you still plan to return to the Southern Jambudvipa, or will you stay?"

Chen Baiqing gently twirled the sugar painting in her hand and said, "Going to the Southern Jambudvipa will only distract Eldest Senior Sister by having her keep an eye on me so I don't act rashly."

"Then stay," Chu Xingchen cast his hook again. "There happens to be a job similar to a secretarial role. It requires someone meticulous but also someone your master can trust, and you are very suitable."

"It's just that when your Eldest Senior Sister finishes her business and comes back to spank your bottom, hiding behind your master won't be of any use."

Chen Baiqing sighed softly.

"It is because Baiqing is too stupid. Being disciplined by Eldest Senior Sister is also normal."

Then, Chen Baiqing's tone changed, and she chuckled softly,

"As long as Master can bear to see it happen."

Chen Baiqing held high the sugar painting that was only half left.

Although she knew that Master had always been very fair in major matters.

But this occasional little favoritism that the others didn't know about truly made one very happy.

Being the favored one.

It was sweeter than honey.