Lin Luochen turned his head to the side, stood up, took off his outer robe, and handed it to Murong Qiuzhi.
“Put it on quickly! Don’t catch a cold!”
Murong Qiuzhi took the clothes, whispered a thank you, stood up, and put them on.
Lin Luochen looked towards the edge of the hot spring and said, “Xia Zhu Guniang, are you alright?”
From a distance, Murong Xiazhu’s voice could be heard, along with the rustling sound of her putting on clothes.
“I’m fine. There’s a small water snake, don’t come over yet!”
Lin Luochen frowned. There was actually a fish that slipped through the net in the hot spring?
“Qiu Zhi Guniang, can I turn around now?”
“You can…”
After a while, Murong Qiuzhi’s weak voice came through.
Lin Luochen turned his head back, only to see her face flushed, her small hands clutching the clothes in front of her tightly, on the verge of tears, looking like she had been broken.
“Qiu Zhi Guniang, are you alright?”
Hearing this, Murong Qiuzhi lowered her head, her jade-like toes digging into the ground, almost crying out loud.
How could she be alright?
How would she have the face to see Lin Gongzi again in the future!
Lin Luochen also didn’t know how to comfort her, and the atmosphere instantly became ambiguous and awkward.
A moment later, Murong Xiazhu, fully dressed, walked out holding a limp water snake.
“I didn’t expect there to be a snake at the bottom of the water. Thankfully, it’s harmless!”
Murong Qiuzhi let out a cry and hid behind Lin Luochen, her small hand clutching his sleeve, no longer caring that her front was wide open.
She had been afraid of snakes since she was little, otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so scared that she ran out just now.
Lin Luochen looked at the water snake, full of suspicion. Was this really a fish that slipped through the net?
Why didn’t this snake look like it had just died?
But Murong Xiazhu couldn’t possibly release a snake to scare Murong Qiuzhi, could she?
Leng Yueshuang, hidden in the dark, silently clenched her fists, because she was certain that this snake had died long ago.
These demonic temptresses would stop at nothing to seduce men!
She couldn’t stand by idly anymore, otherwise, this guy was probably going to fall for the demonesses’ tricks.
But how she should make her appearance was giving Leng Yueshuang a headache.
She couldn’t just say that she was worried about him and traveled thousands of miles to find him, could she?
Just then, Murong Xiazhu’s nostrils twitched, and she hesitated, “What’s that smell?”
“My roasted meat!”
Lin Luochen took off running, but it was still too late. He could only roast it again.
As night fell, the three sat together, with crispy on the outside and tender on the inside roasted wild boar meat and a pot of snake soup in front of them.
Murong Xiazhu had stewed the poor snake, calling it a way to vent Murong Qiuzhi’s anger and embolden her.
Murong Qiuzhi dared not eat it, but she kept adding firewood under the pot, clearly holding a deep grudge against it.
Murong Xiazhu ate her meat skewers with a slightly guilty conscience, praising, “I didn’t realize you had this skill.”
Murong Qiuzhi also nodded repeatedly, eating in small bites, her delicate little mouth glistening with oil.
The old and tough wild boar meat had its gamey smell covered by Lin Luochen’s heavy and spicy seasonings.
And he had roasted it perfectly, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, fatty but not greasy, paired with fruit wine, it was simply superb.
‘Lin Gongzi is truly too perfect, except that he doesn’t like me!’
Lin Luochen paired strong liquor with roasted meat and said indifferently, “I used to be a hunter. This is essential in the wilderness!”
The meat he roasted when he was little, even dogs wouldn’t eat it, and he was often disliked by Lin Changsheng.
But Lin Luochen was a very stubborn person, and after spoiling countless prey, he finally honed his roasting skills.
Murong Qiuzhi asked curiously, “Is Gongzi really not from an aristocratic family?”
Lin Luochen shook his head, and Murong Xiazhu’s eyes immediately lit up.
It’s good that he’s not from an aristocratic family. He can become a live-in son-in-law, and there won’t be so many concerns.
The only thing to worry about is whether her clansmen will meddle like a dog catching a mouse!
Lin Luochen had no idea that Murong Xiazhu was already thinking of names for his and Murong Qiuzhi’s children, and handed a skewer of roasted meat to Rat.
“Little fellow, aren’t you usually very eager when eating? Don’t you want to try it?”
Rat looked at the extremely appealing roasted meat and immediately became apprehensive.
But after taking a bite, it looked at Lin Luochen in disbelief, its face full of astonishment.
This taste isn’t right!
How could it be so delicious?
Could it be that the little master was swapped?
Murong Xiazhu kindly reminded, “Lin Luochen, I advise you to be more frugal with your spirit stones.”
“Cultivation consumes a lot of spirit stones. Magic treasures, pills, talismans, refining golden bodies, and even sect accommodation and meals all require spirit stones…”
Lin Luochen quickly interrupted, “Wait… sect accommodation and meals also require spirit stones?”
Murong Xiazhu said as a matter of course, “Otherwise, why do you think sects accept you as a disciple? To do good deeds?”
“The original intention of a sect’s ancestor in establishing the sect was to have disciples support his cultivation, allowing him to be free from mundane affairs.”
“The sect provides you with protection, cultivation grounds, and cultivation methods, and you contribute to the sect. This is mutually beneficial.”
“Therefore, within the sect, clothing, food, housing, and transportation all cost spirit stones, and everyone must make their own contribution.”
Lin Luochen was dumbfounded. What happened to the promised immortal elegance? How did it become so mundane?
“What if one cannot provide spirit stones?”
Murong Xiazhu smiled strangely, “They will be sent to work in the outer sect. If they still cannot handle it, they will be expelled from the sect!”
“Therefore, sects prefer to recruit disciples from aristocratic families, because they have generations of accumulated wealth and resources.”
“Within the sect, apart from prodigies with outstanding talent who swear allegiance to the death to the sect, ordinary disciples are only exploited and oppressed.”
Lin Luochen nodded. It seems that in this world, everything is still centered on profit!
Murong Xiazhu saw him deep in thought, and a strange glint flashed in her eyes.
Kid, witness the cruelty of the world!
She kept telling Lin Luochen about the cruelty of the cultivation world and the importance of resources, which made Lin Luochen feel somewhat bewildered.
But he also wanted to understand cultivation sects, so he listened attentively, occasionally asking questions.
The three drank wine and chatted happily, tacitly avoiding any mention of tonight’s awkwardness.
Leng Yueshuang, hidden in the dark, smelled the aroma of roasted meat and wine, her throat moved slightly, feeling like she wanted to cry without tears.
Why were they eating roasted meat and laughing happily, while she could only endure the cold wind in the dark, drooling?
So annoying!
(◕ ˇ ﹃ ˇ ◕ )
Coincidentally, Qu Lingyin in the sea of consciousness looked at the three and almost cried from hunger too.
I want to eat too!
At Hai Shi that night, after Murong Qiuzhi fell asleep, Murong Xiazhu quietly walked towards Lin Luochen.
Leng Yueshuang, hidden in the dark, immediately became alert, her long sword ready to strike down this demoness at any moment.
Murong Xiazhu had no idea that her name on the book of life and death was flashing as she sat down opposite Lin Luochen.
“Hey, what do you plan to do about tonight’s matter?”
Lin Luochen glanced at Murong Qiuzhi and said helplessly, “I didn’t do it on purpose!”
Murong Xiazhu snorted and said, “Whether you did it on purpose or not, the fact is you saw Qiu Zhi’s body, right?”
Lin Luochen nodded honestly, and Murong Xiazhu coughed, looking serious.
“How about this, I won’t make things difficult for you. I’ll show you a clear path, saving you thirty years of detours.”
Lin Luochen looked at her with a strange expression, because the city widow had once told him the same thing.
At that time, the charming widow’s condition was for him to become a live-in son-in-law and have a child!
“You want me to be a live-in son-in-law?”
“How did you know?”
Murong Xiazhu looked at him in surprise, muttering, “You’re quite clever, aren’t you!”
“What do you think? Qiu Zhi has a good impression of you, and she’s beautiful and gentle like water…”
Lin Luochen said concisely, “The main point is, she’s still alive!”
Murong Xiazhu pouted and said, “If she wasn’t alive, would it be your turn?”
“Anyway, you’re not afraid of her bringing you bad luck, you two are simply a match made in heaven!”
“My Murong Family ancestors were once prosperous. Besides the ascension token, our parents also left us enough resources.”
“As long as you are willing to marry Qiu Zhi, I can decide to give you my share of the resources as well. What do you think?”
Not far away, Murong Qiuzhi’s ears twitched, and Leng Yueshuang, hidden in the dark, became even more nervous.
With this honey trap starting with beauty, followed by moral pressure, and finally temptation, could he withstand it?