Chapter 328: Meeting an Old Friend Again

Hearing the four words "Du Gu Jiejie", Du Gu Shuang's brow twitched slightly.

Her preserved age is thirty-five, but her true age is seventy-three.

Over these years, she has never been called "older sister" by a teenager before.

Yuan Yao saw her loosen up and seized the moment to say, "Older sister, okay?"

Immediately, Cang Li and Yuan Yao chimed in together, continually calling her "older sister."

Du Gu Shuang showed nothing on her face, but she had already been coaxed into happiness.

She said in a cold voice, "Fine, I'll give you a discount."

Jiu Shu on the side originally thought that, given Du Gu Shuang's temperament, she would not agree to the two juniors' bargaining, but unexpectedly Du Gu Shuang agreed!

"Thank you, Du Gu Jiejie." Cang Li and Yuan Yao exchanged a glance and immediately spoke with a smile.

"Thank you, Du Gu—" Song Yan raised his hand in a bow, paused, then called out, "Older sister."

Xiao Lingwei also clasped her hands slightly.

Xue Jin's expression was indifferent; he had no reaction.

Ying Wuji, meanwhile, gave Du Gu Shuang a slight nod.

Afterwards, they began selecting ritual robes.

The ritual robes they selected varied in price.

Du Gu Shuang deducted three thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones from each of their bills.

Seeing this, Jiu Shu also wanted to take the opportunity to buy a high-tier ritual robe.

When it came time to settle the bill, he suddenly shouted, "Why won't you give me a discount of three thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones?!"

The attendant's face showed slight embarrassment.

At that moment, Du Gu Shuang countered, "Why should I give you a discount on spirit stones?"

Jiu Shu said resentfully, "Du Gu Shuang, you gave each of them a discount of three thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones—why not give me one too?"

Du Gu Shuang snorted coldly, "Because you're old."

Jiu Shu was left speechless.

Finally, Jiu Shu gritted his teeth and paid the bill.

Yet he glared at Yuan Yao and her five companions, as if everything were their fault.

Xue Jin's eyes turned icy; he was about to act, but Song Yan stopped him.

"Jin." Song Yan whispered to stop him.

Xue Jin frowned, then suppressed his killing intent.

Immediately afterward, they also bought some warm clothing at the Feather Clothes Pavilion.

Before leaving the Feather Clothes Pavilion, Yuan Yao and Cang Li turned back, smiling at Du Gu Shuang.

"Du Gu Jiejie, goodbye."

Du Gu Shuang remained composed, giving a slight nod.

After their group left the Feather Clothes Pavilion, Du Gu Shuang said without looking sideways, "Go check their identities."

"Yes, Pavilion Master."

Meanwhile, Yuan Yao's group wandered Snow City for two hours, purchasing everything they wanted to buy.

Just as they were about to head to the inn booked by Hua Chengyan, heavy snow began to fall, snowflakes dancing in midair.

Yuan Yao reached out to catch one of the snowflakes.

The snowflake landed in her palm, bringing a faint chill.

At that moment, she seemed to sense something, and slowly lifted her gaze.

In the distance ahead, a familiar white figure appeared on the street, that person wearing a ghost-face mask.

Through the layers of snowfall, their gazes met.

At that moment, it seemed as if time had frozen.

【Target person Xie Yan, Awakening Value reaches -30.】

Upon hearing the system's voice, Yuan Yao snapped back to attention, she lowered her eyes, avoiding his gaze.

At that moment, a shadow swooped down, blocking the snowflakes drifting from the sky.

Yuan Yao looked up and saw her own Eldest Senior Brother holding a paper umbrella, creating a snow-free patch of sky for her.

Song Yan said, "We need to hurry back to the inn; this snow probably won't stop."

Yuan Yao nodded.

By the time she lifted her gaze again, that person's figure had already vanished.

After arriving at the inn.

Yuan Yao's group used spiritual power to dry their clothes, then they saw Hua Chengyan sipping hot tea in the inn's lobby.

Hua Chengyan smiled slightly: "Would you like a cup of hot tea to warm up?"

Xiao Lingwei said, "No need."

Hua Chengyan said without changing expression, "I have already booked upper rooms for several fellow cultivators; if there's nothing else, you may go rest in your rooms first."

Song Yan's group had no objections.

They checked into the inn.

Hua Chengyan, also being generous, directly booked six upper rooms for the six junior siblings.

"Yao Yao, what's wrong?" Xiao Lingwei noticed Yuan Yao seemed absent-minded and asked.

Yuan Yao came to her senses and said, "I'm a bit tired."

Xiao Lingwei reached out and rubbed her head, saying, "Then go rest in your room first."

Yuan Yao nodded: "Alright."

After entering the guest room, she closed the door, then got onto the bed, lying prone on it, her thoughts a bit empty.

After a moment, she actually fell asleep.

At the same time, not far from the inn, the ghost‑faced youth slowly lifted his head, staring toward the inn.

Yuan Yao slept straight through to evening; when she woke, she yawned.

After getting up, she first lit a lamp in her room.

Then she took out three thick puppet cultivation manuals and began to study earnestly.

She summoned Yuan Batuan, Jin Dan, and Xiao Hu.

Letting them get to know each other.

The colorful little fox hopped onto the table, lightly brushing Yuan Yao's back of the hand with its tail, and looked up at Yuan Yao: "Leader, I also want to practice a technique."

"You didn't mention it, I really forgot," Yuan Yao hurriedly took a cultivation manual from storage and handed it to Xiao Hu: "This is the Beast Clan's cultivation core method; once you master it, you can easily practice other techniques and combat skills."

Xiao Hu blinked, asking excitedly: "Really?!"

Yuan Yao reached out to pat its head, "Indeed, my master told me so."

"Thank you, Leader, I will definitely study diligently!"

"Wait, can you read these characters?"

Xiao Hu froze: "…I don't understand."

Jin Dan laughed heartily: "Hahaha."

Yuan Yao's gaze shifted to Jin Dan.

Jin Dan suddenly felt his shell grow cold, and indeed Yuan Yao's words reached him.

"Jin Dan, teach Xiao Hu to recognize characters."

Jin Dan protested strongly: "I can't either."

"You are a Divine Beast; Divine Beasts all possess ancestral memory, so how could you not know?"

Jin Dan turned his back in grievance.

Yuan Yao hummed: "Don't think I don't know you've been napping in the beast‑pet space all day, slacking off. Either you diligently cultivate, or you teach Xiao Hu characters, or I'll roast you to eat."

Jin Dan: "…"

Jin Dan seemed to grit his teeth: "I'll teach!"

Xiao Hu felt a joy: "Thanks, Brother Egg."

The puppet also crawled onto the table and began to move on its own.

It looked strangely eerie.

Yuan Yao propped her chin with one hand and said, "By the way, when will you break your shell?"

Jin Dan felt uneasy, replying vaguely: "It will still take a long time. If you give me more high‑grade beast pills later, perhaps my hatching speed will increase."

Yuan Yao raised an eyebrow slightly, said nothing else, and took out two beast pills from storage, giving them to Jin Dan and Xiao Hu: "When there are more beast pills later, I'll give them to you."

"Thank you, Leader!" Xiao Hu was overjoyed, gazing at Yuan Yao with reverence.

Jin Dan: "They're not even enough to fill my teeth."

"Hm?" Yuan Yao said, her tone dangerous.

Jin Dan immediately pleaded: "Master, I was wrong."

The puppet, noticing they all had beast pills, seemed a bit aggrieved; its two hands clasped its head, then it crouched, looking as if it were… crying.

Yuan Yao's mouth twitched slightly.

She took out a Top-Grade Spirit Stone and placed it before the puppet.

"For you."

The puppet instantly clutched the Top-Grade Spirit Stone, sucking it greedily.

The spiritual energy inside the stone turned into a wisp of smoke, surging into its body.

Quickly, this egg, a fox, and a puppet began to mingle, playing in the room, occasionally producing collision sounds.