Why? Why! Why!!
Gu You jolted awake, drenched in cold sweat, his hands shaking uncontrollably. His mind was racing, trying to piece together what had just happened.
Just now… what was that sound?
He sat in silence, staring at his trembling hands, trying to make sense of the nightmare he had just experienced. His thoughts were clouded, and his heart pounded in his chest. Slowly, he took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself.
"Awake now?" came a voice beside him.
Gu You looked up to see Yun Ming standing there, his expression as calm as ever. It seemed that Yun Ming had been by his side for some time, but he hadn't noticed.
"Yeah, just a moment," Gu You replied, his voice still shaky. "I'll be fine in a second."
"Plan on leaving soon?" Yun Ming asked, his tone casual, as though he had no idea what had just happened to Gu You.
Gu You sat up straighter, trying to push the remnants of the unsettling dream from his mind. "Hmm, maybe in a few days," he muttered. "I want to study something first, you know… research a bit."
Yun Ming raised an eyebrow, clearly curious. "What exactly are you researching?"
Gu You gave a sly grin, his eyes gleaming with a touch of mischief. "Heh heh! A way to make a fortune."
Yun Ming's curiosity piqued further. "Oh? What is it? I'm intrigued."
Gu You, eager to share his plans, couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement. He had been working on an idea for a while now, something that would make life easier and could potentially bring in a lot of money. "Well, you see," he began, "I've got this idea for something really special: a special spirit beast milk combined with a kind of herb that temporarily boosts cultivation speed. It's not perfect yet, but once I fine-tune it, it could be a huge hit."
Yun Ming listened intently but didn't interrupt. Gu You was already lost in his own thoughts, considering the possibilities.
"This is just an experiment for now," Gu You continued, his voice trailing off as he looked around. He noticed Na'er still at a nearby street stall, greedily devouring a roasted duck. She was sitting there, her mouth covered in oil, her appetite seemingly bottomless.
Gu You found it strange. Since meeting Na'er, his own appetite had diminished. Perhaps it was the company of a true warrior or maybe just his own curiosity about her that distracted him from his usual voracious appetite.
He turned his attention back to his experiment. "I'm not sure how good it will be, but I think I can make a rough version of this special milk tea. Maybe it can even help with cultivation. The idea is that you drink it, and it gives you a temporary boost to your soul power," Gu You explained.
He stared at the pale green liquid in front of him with uncertainty. Was it ready to drink?
"It looks a little off, but I've got to try it," Gu You murmured, and without further hesitation, he took a deep gulp from the cup.
"Ugh!" he instantly regretted it. It was bitter—too bitter.
"Forgot the sugar," he muttered, grimacing. The taste was unbearable. "I need to get the proportions right next time."
He sighed and, to make up for it, decided to substitute the tapioca pearls with jelly for now. It was just an experiment, after all. What could go wrong?
As Gu You sat there, making adjustments to his concoction, Na'er's voice suddenly broke into his thoughts.
"Gu You, what are you doing?" she asked, sounding confused.
Gu You looked up, his ears perking at the sound. He quickly added some sugar and capped the cup. He didn't want Na'er to be scared off by the appearance of the greenish liquid.
"Cough, cough! My dear little sister," he said, a mischievous smile appearing on his face. "You must be tired of all that meat, right? Come, try this special drink that your big brother made just for you."
Na'er looked at him skeptically. "A drink?" She took the cup from him, sniffing it cautiously before furrowing her brow.
She hesitated for a moment before taking a small sip. Gu You watched her closely, his eyes a little nervous.
Na'er shut her eyes tightly for a few moments. Then, after a long pause, she opened them again and looked at Gu You.
Gu You felt an odd sense of unease as he waited for her reaction.
"It's really good," Na'er said, smiling lightly. But the corner of her mouth twitched slightly, and Gu You could tell she was hiding something.
What the hell?
Gu You stared at her, flabbergasted. "Really? You actually like it?"
Na'er nodded, giving him a playful look. "Yes, really. Don't believe me? Try it yourself, big brother." She even called him 'big brother' this time, emphasizing her point.
Gu You hesitated. Was it really that good? Curious, he took a sip of the drink himself. But the moment he tasted it, his face turned green.
It was still bitter—still awful. Na'er had tricked him!
Urgh!
Gu You put the cup down and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "Forget it. Forget the research. Forget the scientific curiosity," he thought to himself.
"Okay, that's it! I treat you like my sister, and you dare trick me?" Gu You growled, his voice low and menacing.
Na'er's eyes widened in response, but she quickly shot back, "Hmph! I'm going to tell Master that you bullied me."
"Hey, wait, wait, wait! I was wrong," Gu You said, his face turning a little pale.
Na'er had already figured out how to leverage her red card. Gu You's mind raced, and he couldn't help but laugh nervously. "If Ya Li finds out about this... yikes," he thought. It was just some money, right? It wasn't important. At least that's what he kept telling himself.
After sending Na'er home, Gu You took a deep breath. His heart was still uneasy as he made his way to the Spirit Pagoda. Today, he would finally meet the master he hadn't seen in three years.
Just thinking about Leng Yaozhu's temper made his stomach twist with anxiety. What would she do when she found out he was now Ya Li and Yun Ming's godson? He half-expected her to skin him alive. Still, there was no avoiding it. He had to face her. After all, once a teacher, always a teacher, right?
Wait… actually, it should be 'mother' in this case, right?
Gu You stepped into the Spirit Pagoda, his fingers trembling as he pulled out the platinum card Leng Yaozhu had given him long ago. The weight of the situation pressed down on him. This was going to be awkward.
(End of Chapter)
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