Packing

At that, Hu Liang immediately thumped his chest and declared, “I’m free! Tell me how you want this plaza arranged, and I’ll get started tomorrow!”

Everyone who had some free time tomorrow also voiced their agreement.

Liu Yunan then explained his idea to the group. “I’ve looked over the area recently. We should build it in the small valley beside the new disciples’ dormitory. The ground there is fairly level, and there’s plenty of space. We can also branch off from the First Path and build another road leading there.”

The Northern Mountains were actually an unbroken range of peaks. Lingxian Sect occupied the section closest to Clearbrook Village, and the imperial court had long ago granted the sect ownership of this entire area. Lingxian Sect could now be considered a sect with quite a few mountains under its control.

Before Lin Xiao entered seclusion, he had told them several times that whenever he was away, they could discuss and decide matters concerning the sect’s construction and future plans among themselves.

Three years earlier, the people of Lingxian Sect had cleared an area on the mountain where the terraced fields were located, preparing a future residential zone for new disciples. They had also built a convenient mountain road known as the First Path.

Beyond that mountain lay a valley between it and another peak. Strictly speaking, however, it was not really a valley—the ground there was actually somewhat higher than the mountainside platform where Lingxian Sect was situated.

Liu Yunan had inspected it before. The front of the valley jutted outward, making it entirely possible to branch off from the First Path and build a road there.

As for the area covered by the sect’s defensive formation, it had expanded considerably as the sect’s construction progressed over the past few years. Its radius had already reached fifteen hundred meters, and even part of Clearbrook Village below the mountain now lay within its boundaries.

Fortunately, the system was quite considerate, allowing the area to be adjusted freely.

There were two ways to make adjustments. The first kept the total area unchanged while allowing the protected region to be rearranged at will. The second was simpler and more direct: shrinking the range according to the radius.

Lin Xiao had naturally chosen the first option. Taking Little Luan and the others at home into consideration, as well as the fact that Fuzi and the others sometimes needed to venture deep into the mountains to hunt or simply play, not to mention future development, he had covered all the forests behind the Northern Mountains.

Of course, the current defensive range was nowhere near large enough to cover the entire Northern Mountain range. They could only protect as much as possible for now. As the sect continued to develop, the area would surely expand in the future.

Thus, everyone was free to build whatever they wanted on the few peaks behind the Northern Mountains.

After hearing Liu Yunan’s detailed plan, those who had volunteered to help build the plaza immediately began dividing themselves into groups and assigning tasks with practiced efficiency. Before long, it seemed there was hardly anything left for Liu Yunan to do.

As everyone discussed the matter enthusiastically, Mo Yuanjiao suddenly seemed to think of something. He quietly sent a transmission to Jiang Youfu.

“Fuzi, do we have anything else to eat? I’d like to pack some up.”

Jiang Youfu had been happily munching on crispy fried beans while watching everyone discuss the plans. When he unexpectedly received the transmission, he froze for a moment before quietly replying in kind, “Of course! What’s wrong? Are you still hungry?”

Mo Yuanjiao cleared his throat awkwardly. “No, no. A distant relative came looking for me. She might not have eaten, and I’m worried she’ll pass out from hunger. I want to bring her something.”

Hearing this, Jiang Youfu gave him a puzzled look, but he still nodded and transmitted back, “All right, wait a moment. I’ll pack something for you. We can’t let her go hungry.”

With that, he waited until no one was paying attention, then quietly rose and slipped into the dining hall.

A short while later, Jiang Youfu came back carrying a storage pouch and handed it to Mo Yuanjiao.

“Here you go. I didn’t know how much your relative would eat, so I packed enough for two people. If it’s not enough, come back and get more.”

“Thanks, Fuzi!”

Mo Yuanjiao accepted it, then quietly slipped away from the Yaoguang Floating Island.

The others were still deep in discussion and did not notice the small commotion.

Mo Yuanjiao carried the evening meal and reached the entrance to the Path of Inquiry in the blink of an eye.

Now that he was a Golden Core cultivator, avoiding the notice of ordinary people was effortless if he wished. He glanced toward the foot of the mountain and saw that Xuanyuan Haoyue’s carriage was indeed still parked there, its curtains half open and half drawn.

Inside the carriage, Xuanyuan Haoyue was huddled miserably against the side, both hands clasped over her lower abdomen as she tried to soothe her growling stomach. She had spent the entire day chasing Mo Yuanjiao around, and it had exhausted her. She had not noticed it at the time, but now every muscle in her body ached, and she was desperately hungry. The small supply of fruit and pastries in the carriage had done nothing to fill her stomach.

On the little table beside her sat an empty pastry box, along with a serving of plain country food from which she had taken barely half a bite.

It was obvious that she had bought it from a household in nearby Clearbrook Village.

Although Clearbrook Village had developed rapidly over the past few years and the villagers had accumulated quite a bit of silver, they had long been accustomed to frugality. Being able to eat white rice and meat at every meal was already a life fit for an immortal. Besides, they worked in the fields every day, so this was the kind of food that truly filled them up.

Naturally, the delicacy of the food could not satisfy the palate of a noble young lady like Xuanyuan Haoyue, who had grown up in one of the capital’s great aristocratic families.

There was only one small tavern and one inn in Clearbrook Village, and both were packed every day. Guests had to make reservations in advance.

Someone like Xuanyuan Haoyue, who had only remembered she was hungry after nightfall, naturally had no chance of getting a seat or enjoying anything delicious.

Mo Yuanjiao had anticipated this situation. Looking at the untouched meal beside Xuanyuan Haoyue, he was already considering how he would take it away later and bring it to Little Luan to feed to the miscellaneous spirit beasts. Otherwise, the food would certainly be thrown away, which would be far too wasteful.

After spending all these years at Lingxian Sect, Mo Yuanjiao had been so thoroughly influenced and educated by Lin Dayou and the others that he could no longer bear to see even the slightest waste of food. Wherever he ate, he always made sure to finish every last dish before he could feel at ease.

Mo Yuanjiao walked up to the carriage, and the servants nearby bowed to him.

When Xuanyuan Haoyue saw him, her eyes, which had been dulled by hunger, immediately lit up.

“I knew you’d come back for me!”

But Mo Yuanjiao had not come to surrender as she imagined. He glanced at her clasped hands resting over her stomach, then suddenly produced a food container from thin air and placed it inside the carriage. He promptly shut both carriage doors.

Then, putting on a stern expression and adopting a rather fierce tone, he said, “Finish your meal and go home at once. Stop running around everywhere. I’ll send word to your family and have them keep a close eye on you!”

He then turned to the coachman and the two maidservants standing beside the carriage.

“Take your young mistress home immediately. I’ve locked the carriage doors; they’ll open automatically once you get home. If you need to speak with her, knock twice on the window.”

With that, he reached out and lightly touched the horse in front of him.

The horse seemed to receive some invisible guidance. It began trotting forward, slowly turning the carriage toward the road home.

The coachman and servants hurried to catch up, scrambling onto the front carriage bench with a great deal of hands and feet. The Xuanyuan family’s carriage was large enough for the three of them to sit side by side outside.

Mo Yuanjiao had sealed the carriage against sound. Unless the servants knocked on the window, no matter how loudly Xuanyuan Haoyue shouted inside, no one outside could hear her. That way, the young lady would not ruin her reputation by screaming at the top of her lungs.