Chapter 14: Osmanthus Cakes

Yun Hao felt a little flustered facing Luo Shuiling’s direct gaze.

He had not expected such perfect timing.

He had only just returned from the miscellaneous service hall and Senior Sister had come back as well.

Yun Hao secretly tightened his grip on the bundle he was carrying.

After confirming that nothing had leaked out he steadied his mind slightly lowered his eyes and said

“Senior Sister you were gone for a whole night. It must have been tiring.”

He had wanted to say more words of concern but the words reached his lips and he did not know how to continue.

Senior Sister was far stronger than him now.

It seemed there was nothing he could help her with.

After hearing Yun Hao’s caring words Luo Shuiling withdrew her gaze from him.

Her red full cherry lips gently took a sip of tea.

She had returned from the three elders this morning suppressing a belly full of anger.

She had originally wanted to come back and see what Yun Hao was doing but after returning she had not sensed his presence.

So she sat beneath the osmanthus tree wanting to see exactly how long it would take for him to return.

At the same time she had prepared many lines in her mind intending to properly lecture him.

But now that she saw him those prepared words unconsciously melted away.

Even the anger in her heart dissipated considerably.

She only spoke a few slightly cold words.

“I am a Dao Integration Realm cultivator.

A single night is nothing serious.

On the other hand you have only just successfully entered the Qi Refining stage yet you hurriedly went down the mountain.

Your mindset is too restless.

How long will it take for you to reach the end of the immortal path like this?”

Luo Shuiling paused for a moment and continued

“I have no intention of restricting your freedom.

However before you reach the Nascent Soul Realm you are still only traveling a minor path and it does not count for much.

Only after reaching the Nascent Soul Realm and being able to communicate with the rules of heaven and earth will you have a trace of power to protect yourself.”

Yun Hao listened to Senior Sister’s tone which was cold but contained no blame.

Instead it carried concern for the progress of his cultivation.

A warm current surged in the depths of his heart.

He put down the bundle and adopted a posture of humbly accepting instruction.

“Senior Sister’s teachings this junior brother will firmly remember in his heart and always keep in mind.”

Luo Shuiling looked at the still obedient Yun Hao and nodded inwardly with satisfaction.

On the surface however she said nothing more and simply continued slowly sipping her tea.

In truth she was not actually very concerned about Yun Hao’s cultivation progress.

She simply hoped that when she was not on the Sect Master Peak Yun Hao would not run around recklessly.

Because in her heart she believed that a pet who could properly guard the house when the master was away was a good pet.

She needed an obedient Yun Hao not a troublemaker who caused problems everywhere.

Although with Yun Hao’s personality it was unlikely he would cause trouble having the pet not come to greet the master when she returned home was still not good.

Seeing that Yun Hao was quite obedient this time Luo Shuiling did not plan to lecture him further.

A single reminder was enough.

Yun Hao saw that Senior Sister had stopped speaking.

He picked up the bundle again.

He had just returned to the wooden hut and was about to begin cultivating when he suddenly heard Luo Shuiling call out to him.

“Come out for a moment.

Let me check whether your meridians are normal and whether there are any issues with the formation of your qi sea.”

Hearing Luo Shuiling say this Yun Hao immediately put down the bundle and jogged over to her side.

This time as soon as Yun Hao arrived Luo Shuiling extended her jade hand and placed it on his right wrist.

She carefully sensed his meridians and qi sea.

Through the reaction of his spiritual power Luo Shuiling was somewhat surprised to discover that Yun Hao’s qi sea already contained a small amount of spiritual power.

It had not even been two days since he stepped into the Qi Refining stage.

At this speed he would probably be able to break through to the mid Qi Refining stage in about half a month.

This was somewhat beyond her expectations.

According to her estimate Yun Hao should have needed to cultivate diligently for over a month or two before entering the mid Qi Refining stage.

It would probably take him a year to go from Qi Refining to becoming a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

But at Yun Hao’s current cultivation speed if he encountered some opportunities he might become a Foundation Establishment cultivator in half a year.

Yun Hao had been made somewhat shy when Luo Shuiling suddenly grasped his right wrist.

He did not quite dare look at her beautiful face.

But when he secretly glanced at her he found that Senior Sister’s expression looked strange.

Her brows would furrow then relax.

This made him feel a little nervous.

A moment later Luo Shuiling released Yun Hao’s right hand.

Yun Hao no longer had time to pay attention to the lingering warmth on his wrist.

He looked at Luo Shuiling and asked

“Senior Sister… did I make any mistakes in my cultivation?”

“It is fine.

There are no problems with your cultivation.

If you continue to cultivate diligently you may break through to the mid Qi Refining stage in half a month.”

“Really Senior Sister!”

Yun Hao was overjoyed at this pleasant surprise.

He became excited like a child.

He had been prepared for bad news yet heard good news instead.

This contrast brought out his childlike nature.

Luo Shuiling looked at Yun Hao who was so excited he was almost jumping up and down and felt somewhat infected by his mood.

A strange image suddenly popped into her mind.

Perhaps if he had a tail it would be wagging especially happily.

Although this strange thought appeared in her heart her mouth still said

“When have I ever lied to you?

If I say that diligent cultivation will allow you to break through in half a month then you will definitely break through in half a month.”

*That’s right. When has Senior Sister ever lied to me?

If I work hard at cultivation I will definitely break through to the mid Qi Refining stage in half a month!*

Yun Hao suddenly felt he should put in more effort.

The sooner his cultivation advanced the sooner he could repay Senior Sister’s kindness.

Who knew perhaps one day he would be able to stand at the same height as Senior Sister… If that day really came… he would…

Yun Hao did not dare continue that thought.

It was still too distant.

For now he should keep his feet on the ground and first reach the mid Qi Refining stage.

He bid farewell to Luo Shuiling and hurriedly returned to his small wooden hut to cultivate.

Luo Shuiling watched the childlike Yun Hao and thought that if he could break through to a higher realm sooner it would also be beneficial for her.

A piece of osmanthus petal unconsciously drifted into the teacup.

Luo Shuiling stared at the petal in a daze not knowing what she was thinking.

……..

Fifteen days later

Inside a small wooden hut at the top of the Sect Master Peak waves of spiritual power continuously surged into the room.

Yun Hao tried hard to control the vast spiritual qi compressing them to the extreme before slowly moving them toward his qi sea.

Pop!

With a sudden sound Yun Hao’s aura surged.

It now carried more pressure than before.

In half a month he had broken through to the mid Qi Refining stage.

It really was half a month. Not a single day off from what Senior Sister said.

Yun Hao slowly opened his eyes.

A breath of white air slowly exhaled with his breathing.

It was the impurities in his body refined into a single breath and expelled.

He quietly glanced out the window.

Luo Shuiling was still sitting beneath that osmanthus tree slowly sipping her tea.

During these past fifteen days Luo Shuiling had been the same as before.

She had gone out several times.

Most times she would leave in the morning and return in the evening.

There were also occasions when she did not return for two or three consecutive days but those were rare.

When she had free time she would sit beneath the osmanthus tree drinking tea.

As she put it once one reached the final stage of the Dao Integration Realm what was needed was not cultivation but comprehension of the myriad things of heaven and earth.

Yun Hao took out an exquisite box.

Inside were ten pieces of osmanthus cakes with excellent appearance.

These osmanthus cakes had been secretly made by him while Luo Shuiling was away.

Every piece in the box was the best one he had selected from each day’s batch.

He had used his spiritual power to preserve them locking in all the flavor.

This was not easy for a Qi Refining stage cultivator like Yun Hao.

After all this was similar to preserving the source— forcibly fixing something in its best state required a large amount of spiritual power.

Fortunately it was only a few pieces of osmanthus cakes.

If there had been more Yun Hao would currently be unable to manage it.

He gently got off the bed and carefully held the box in his arms as if it contained the most precious treasure that needed delicate handling.

Then he opened the door and walked toward Luo Shuiling.

Seeing Yun Hao walk out of the wooden hut Luo Shuiling gently nodded.

It looked like he had successfully broken through right around the time she had predicted.

Yun Hao walked to Luo Shuiling’s side and very carefully placed the food box on the stone table.

Luo Shuiling glanced at it indifferently and asked

“What is this?”

Yun Hao slowly sat down opposite Luo Shuiling.

During these fifteen days Luo Shuiling had also allowed him to sit together with her.

At first Yun Hao had still felt uncomfortable but now he had gradually gotten used to it.

“These are osmanthus cakes.

I noticed that Senior Sister often drinks tea but never has anything to eat with it.

So I casually made some osmanthus cakes for Senior Sister to try something new.”

Luo Shuiling looked at the ten pieces of osmanthus cakes.

She casually picked one up took a small bite and after a moment said

“You put your heart into this.

It tastes quite good. Thank you.”

She could tell these were not something Yun Hao had made “casually.”

The osmanthus cakes had excellent appearance and upon closer inspection one could still sense the preservation of spiritual power.

He had clearly made many and only selected the best few.

The time he had spent on them was probably not little.

The image of Yun Hao secretly steaming cakes every time she went out appeared in Luo Shuiling’s mind.

A trace of pleasure rose in her heart.

This was something Yun Hao had done just for her.

He had gone through a lot of trouble simply wanting to make her tea taste better.

Not bad. Although pleasing the master is a pet’s basic duty it is still worthy of praise.

Yun Hao heard Luo Shuiling’s praise and joy appeared on his face.

After chatting for a while about cultivation experiences even though he was reluctant Yun Hao still stood up to leave.

He still remembered that Lin Xian had asked him to visit his cave residence in fifteen days.

He should have gone two days ago but he had felt he was about to break through so he had stayed in the wooden hut.

Another reason was that he had wanted to make a few more batches of osmanthus cakes and pick some of the best ones to give to Lin Xian as thanks for his kindness.

A few days ago Yun Hao had already told Luo Shuiling that Lin Xian wanted him to visit his cave residence after fifteen days.

So when Yun Hao said he was leaving Luo Shuiling naturally remembered the matter.

Watching Yun Hao disappear into the transportation array Luo Shuiling pondered what Lin Xian was planning.

After checking Yun Hao’s immortal aptitude his business with him should have been finished.

A moment later Luo Shuiling shook her head.

Never mind.

A dying man who only had a month or two left to live could not stir up any major waves.

There was no need to pay him any attention.

She then glanced at the remaining osmanthus cakes on the table.

She had eaten one and Yun Hao had eaten one.

Eight pieces were still left.

It seemed a bit too many.

She picked up the food box containing the osmanthus cakes walked to the edge of the cliff behind the elegant pavilion and gently tossed it.

The food box rolled down the cliff into the depths and disappeared from sight.

After doing this she returned to the stone stool sat down and slowly took another sip of tea.

The cakes were good cakes and quite delicious.

But one piece was enough.

Eating too many would be cloying.

Although she could use spiritual power to preserve them for later it was too troublesome.

When Yun Hao saw that the osmanthus cakes were gone he would naturally know what to do.

She would still be able to eat the best ones.

Luo Shuiling looked into the distance quietly feeling the gentle caress of the wind on her pretty face.

Her heart was exceptionally calm.