Chapter 265: Bai Mao's Past and Origins

However, Lu Xingzhou did know why Ye Tinglan had pulled him out for a meal today instead of cooking porridge herself.

If there was one thing these past few days that was least like a normal couple, it was that Ye Tinglan had been feeding Lu Xingzhou the entire time; the two had never once sat down to eat together.

Was Ye Tinglan really indifferent to others calling them a couple? Clearly, she was the one cultivating that image.

Did the makeup session just now spark such a thought in her? Did she want to try experiencing what it felt like to be a mortal husband and wife?

Lu Xingzhou pondered for a moment, then picked up a chopstickful of food and placed it into Ye Tinglan's bowl: "This is good."

Sure enough, previously when he had picked up some beast meat for her, she had firmly refused to eat it, complaining that he had picked it up for her; this time, Ye Tinglan ate it with a beaming smile, extremely naturally.

She even spoke of more natural topics, truly no different from a couple discussing work: "Qingli went to find Si Han and hasn't given feedback yet. I'm wondering whether I should ask about it. Can you manage alone here? I'll be back in a moment. If not, I'll use a jade talisman to communicate and ask."

Lu Xingzhou said, "Of course, no problem. Others don't even know I'm here, so what could happen... But speaking of this, what is Qingli's background?"

Ye Tinglan said, "Hasn't she mentioned it to you?"

"No." Lu Xingzhou shook his head: "My contact with Qingli has actually been quite limited; we haven't exchanged more than a few words in private. Moreover, she doesn't talk much, so it's even less likely she would discuss her privacy."

Ye Tinglan's expression clearly brightened a bit; her obedient disciple and the little man truly had nothing going on.

Tianyao disciples are simply self-respecting.

She pondered for a moment, casually set up an anti-eavesdropping formation, then answered: "Qingli was picked up by my... senior sister. Guess where she was found?"

Lu Xingzhou answered without hesitation: "Frozen Moon Cold River."

"Correct." Ye Tinglan said: "Moreover, she was frozen in an infant state and dug out by my senior sister. My senior sister originally thought it was a dead infant, but after melting the ice and looking, she realized it could be saved."

You really called her senior sister, Lu Xingzhou felt both annoyed and amused, yet his thoughts were still drawn by the event itself, and he fell silent in contemplation.

Such an obviously bizarre event; if a timid person encountered it, they would likely not dare to rashly involve themselves in such karma; if a demon path cultivator encountered it, they would likely treat this child as a research subject.

However, the person encountered was Ye Tinglan; she was both skilled and bold, and the leader of the righteous path; obviously, she could not bear to ignore such a cute human infant, so she chose to adopt her.

But judging by this behavior, is Bai Mao truly a human infant?

What human infant could survive inside ice... Yet when Ye Tinglan first saw Bai Mao, she should already have been Super-Grade, probably Super-Grade Initial Stage? At that time, her ability was sufficient for her to distinguish what attribute a creature possessed; even if it was hidden very tightly, it would be hard to escape her deliberate inspection.

Sure enough, Ye Tinglan said: "My senior sister inspected her; she is human, and there is no demon creature parasitizing her. But she possesses the innate Ice-Frost Body, and it has also mutated into the Ice-Frost Sword Body. Ordinary families probably could not bear it; even being near her might freeze them to death. Then, when her eyes opened, they were blue, so they probably thought she had given birth to a monster and were terrified."

"Nezha..."

"What?"

"Nothing..." Lu Xingzhou pondered: "Your... senior sister, do you think Qingli might have been abandoned for this reason, and due to her Ice-Frost Body, she didn't freeze to death but was slowly frozen instead?"

"It can only be this reason, right?"

Lu Xingzhou held up two fingers: "Two questions."

"Mm, go ahead." Ye Tinglan smiled with her eyebrows and eyes curved; she brought up this matter naturally hoping the little man would offer strategies; look how obedient he was, not even needing her to ask.

"First, how could an ordinary family give birth to someone with an Ice-Frost Sword Body... Assuming she has parents, those parents must inevitably be powerful cultivators. The reason for abandonment might not necessarily be that they couldn't bear it; the possibility of treating her as a demon reborn is quite likely."

"Mm, and the second?"

"Second, whose family would specifically abandon an infant by throwing it into the Frozen Moon Cold River? Just finding a river at any doorstep and throwing her in would suffice..."

Ye Tinglan said: "This was discussed by our Tianyao high leadership back then; many people found this matter bizarre, and it was also for this reason that many did not agree to the adoption, saying it might bring a calamity to the sect."

Lu Xingzhou instinctively spoke up for Bai Mao: "That's too cowardly, isn't it? A Holy Land, afraid of an infant?"

Ye Tinglan laughed helplessly: "My senior sister thought the same; no matter what, how could one be afraid of an infant? We have so many years to observe slowly, and a child's concepts are something we can instill and cultivate; what is there to fear? Even if she truly is a demon, we can deal with it once she reveals herself; why be so cautious and hesitant starting from such a young age?"

Lu Xingzhou smiled: "No wonder you are the Holy Lord; you simply have more breadth of mind than others."

The speaker meant no harm, but the listener took it to heart; Ye Tinglan immediately thought of how he always tried to rub against her when he had nothing to do, and the scene from yesterday where he held the waves and slept all night; her smiling face suddenly stiffened: "The Tianyao Holy Lord naturally has breadth of mind. What else?"

"Fine, fine, fine." Lu Xingzhou now felt that the whole mess of various identities she had pinned on him was simply flirtation; he smiled and picked up more food for her: "I admire the Holy Lord my lord so much; I simply adore you."

Ye Tinglan couldn't even hold back her laughter: "Declaring love to another woman right in front of me; do you want to die?"

Lu Xingzhou said: "So what is our relationship?"

Ye Tinglan turned her head and fell silent.

Lu Xingzhou smiled: "Miss Yuan Muyu, please continue."