Chapter 208: If I Were My Uncle, I

Just as she was lost in a jumble of wild imaginings in her mind, Ning Ruo walked in.

"You hadn't returned yet when I just parted from Xu Dage, so you probably don't know me."

As she spoke, she casually closed the door.

"Xu Dage?" "Honored Spirit Ancestor, I'm Chi Jiuyu, my master's disciple and your disciple's junior."

While bowing respectfully, she kept silently reminding herself.

"Chi Jiuyu, I've known about you for a long time; no need to be so formal."

"Not at all, Ancestor! Our adaptability has always been excellent!"

"Mm, I know that too." Ning Ruo stepped in. "I'm still your elder—I'll just call you 'Jiuyu,' is that fine?"

"..." Chi Jiuyu scratched her head. "Sure, fine."

That didn't seem problematic.

"I heard you like fish, so I brought two."

Hearing this, Chi Jiuyu glanced at the two fish in the tank and couldn't help asking: "What kind of fish are these?"

She'd eaten many kinds of fish, but she'd never seen this one before.

"They don't have a name yet. After you eat them, you can name them."

Huh? Fish without names? Chi Jiuyu grew even more curious and reached out: "Ancestor, let me take them."

"Then thank you."

Just as Chi Jiuyu took the tank and peered curiously inside,

Ning Ruo spoke again: "Are you settling in well here? I originally planned to assign you a more spacious place, but Xu Dage said it would be too lonely."

"Oh oh! I'm used to everything!"

"Good. If anything feels uncomfortable, tell me."

emm...

The Spirit Ancestor seems quite nice.

I thought she might dislike me because of my master.

"By the way, why do you call my master 'Xu Dage'?" Perhaps sensing her question was abrupt, she added: "I've heard other elders call my master 'Daoxiong.'"

Others = suspicious.

"Because Xu Dage is Xu Dage—it's simply warmer, isn't it?" Ning Ruo said as if it were obvious.

Chi Jiuyu's vigilance rose again.

Sure enough, she has ulterior motives toward my master.

As my master's disciple, I must...

"Just put the fish in the kitchen; I'll handle them later."

"No need, Spirit Ancestor—I'll do it! I'm excellent at cooking fish; ask my master if you don't believe me!"

"I believe you, but these fish are unusual—they're not prepared like ordinary ones..." Ning Ruo paused. "If you're interested, you can watch later."

"Oh."

Chi Jiuyu nodded and carried the fish to the kitchen.

After setting down the tank, she crouched and tilted her head to study the fish inside.

The spirit fish drifted slowly, their snow-white bodies flawless, scales emitting a soft, luminous spiritual glow, as if carved from refined Bai Yu.

They must taste amazing!

At that moment, the two snow-white spirit fish turned toward her, staring blankly with lifeless eyes.

"..."

What are you looking at?!

I'm eating you both later!

She shoved the tank further in, stood up, and walked out.

What was I just thinking about?

She walked all the way to the parlor and saw the Spirit Ancestor sitting beside her master.

Oh! I remember now.

As my master's disciple, I must...

"Come here, Jiuyu. Xu Dage said you love these fruits—I brought some."

Before Xu Xing and Ning Ruo sat a fruit basket filled with fruits emitting white radiance, each one noticeably larger than the ones Ni Shi-jie had given her before.

"My disciples ate too many, so now they're not fond of them anymore."

These fruits are mostly sent directly to alchemy now.

"If you like them, take some back with you—and let your master try them too."

Let my master try them too?

Chi Jiuyu couldn't help imagining her master spitting out colorful auras.

Huh~ That... sounds kinda fun!

"Thank you, Spirit Ancestor." "You're welcome." Ning Ruo stood. "I'll go prepare the two fish now—if you're interested, come watch."

"Yes yes!"

Then Ning Ruo walked into the kitchen.

Chi Jiuyu stepped forward, picked up a fruit, and looked at Xu Xing, who hadn't spoken a word.

"Master, why are you so quiet?"

Like a robot.

Xu Xing lifted his head and looked at her.

"... Senior Aunt, carry on. I'll go see Senior Lingzu first."

She dashed off in a flash.

…………

Several minutes later.

Inside the kitchen

Clean fish bones, fried until golden brown, emitted an appetizing aroma.

Thin, even slices of fish, translucent and orderly, were laid out across a large plate.

Ning Ruo revealed half her fair, lotus-like arm.

With a light touch on another fish, the entire fish had its bones extracted and transformed into uniformly thin slices.

The extracted fish bones, as if alive, broke into segments and leapt into the pot themselves.

Sizzle!

The scent of crisp, fragrant frying spread out, making one's mouth water.

Chi Jiuyu stood anxiously beside her, observing every movement of Ning Ruo.

"I thought Senior Lingzu's cooking would be spectacular!"

Though it was still pleasing to the eye, it didn't match the grand scene she'd imagined.

"Spectacular... it's not impossible, but there's no need." Ning Ruo explained.

With the star realm as the stove and a hundred billion stars as fire, she had indeed done so during the last gathering of the Immortals.

"You'll see it someday, when the chance comes."

"Oh." Chi Jiuyu looked at Ning Ruo, lost in thought.

Her cultivation is high, and yet she's so beautiful.

Beautiful, fine—but she's also so gentle.

Gentle, okay—but she cooks so well...

If I were Senior Aunt, I'd definitely...

A strange thought suddenly popped into Chi Jiuyu's mind, but she quickly shook her head and cast it out.

No way, no way!

I'm my master's disciple! "Senior Lingzu, since you call Senior Aunt 'Xu Dage,' how do you address my master?"

After all, my master is Senior Aunt's senior sister! "I did intend to call your master 'Bie Dajie,' but your master seems unwilling to be called that."

Bie Dajie...

Chi Jiuyu froze.

Ding dong!

The message alert snapped her back to reality.

She pulled out her phone—the sender was "My Most Esteemed Master."

"I'll reply to this message first!"

"Mm, go ahead. There's nothing else left—just simmer the fried fish bones into soup."

Chi Jiuyu nodded vigorously, then ran out of the kitchen and plopped down right beside Xu Xing.

Only then did she open her phone.

My Most Esteemed Master: "Have you returned yet?"

Future Master of the Xiang Jianzong: "Yes, yes, Senior Aunt is right beside me."

My Most Esteemed Master: "Only you and your Senior Aunt?"

Future Master of the Xiang Jianzong: "Not exactly—Senior Lingzu is here too."

My Most Esteemed Master: "Senior Lingzu?"

Future Master of the Xiang Jianzong: "Mm-hmm! I was just learning beside Senior Lingzu!"

After sending this message, the other side remained silent for a long while.

Second update.

Today's bonus update, so two more to come.

Will post later.

(End of chapter)