When the Immortal Venerable Picked-Up the Demon Cub - Chapter 16

Lin Xiayan sat on the stool, her legs swinging as usual. Zhu Ning glanced over and realized the food was too difficult for Lin Xiayan to pick up.

No wonder she wanted me to feed her, Zhu Ning thought, frowning. When has the Immortal Venerable ever served food to anyone? She’s never even picked up food for herself, let alone fed someone else.

Su Mi seemed to sense Zhu Ning’s discomfort. She took the chopsticks from Zhu Ning’s hand with a smile and offered to serve Lin Xiayan. But just as the delicate wooden chopsticks were about to pick up a piece of braised pork, Lin Xiayan slapped them away.

Su Mi didn’t mind the slap. She simply looked at Lin Xiayan’s unhappy face, slowly put down the chopsticks, and patiently asked what she wanted to eat.

Lin Xiayan didn’t answer. She hopped off the stool, circled around to Zhu Ning, and threw herself into her arms. Her small, clean hands tugged at the corner of Zhu Ning’s robe as she gazed up at her with pleading eyes.

“Honored Master… I didn’t mean to hit Senior Sister,” Lin Xiayan said, her expression utterly pitiful, tears welling in her eyes. This completely flustered Su Mi. Just as she was about to offer a few comforting words, Zhu Ning interrupted with a smile.

“It’s fine. Just eat,” Zhu Ning said, pulling Lin Xiayan into her arms. The tiny figure fit perfectly in her embrace, a wondrous feeling for Zhu Ning. She carried Lin Xiayan to the nearest stool.

The wooden stool was cold, but Zhu Ning thoughtfully placed a soft cushion on it. Lin Xiayan looked up in surprise, clearly not expecting such consideration. A strange warmth surged through her heart, leaving her flustered.

The dishes on the table still steamed faintly, but Su Mi had fallen silent, eating quietly with her head bowed. After a few bites, she set down her chopsticks. “Honored Master, I’ll go draw talismans now. Enjoy your meal.”

She hurried out without looking back, closing the bamboo door behind her and vanishing from sight.

Once again, only Zhu Ning and Lin Xiayan remained in Mùdōng Courtyard. Zhu Ning glanced away for just a moment, and Lin Xiayan had already returned to her normal size, her slender arm reaching out to grab her favorite dishes as she fixed her gaze on Zhu Ning.

“Thank you, Lord Immortal Venerable. The cushion is so soft, and the food is delicious. It would be even better if you fed me yourself…” Lin Xiayan leaned closer, the meat in her chopsticks still fragrant. Zhu Ning instinctively recoiled, turning her face away. The smooth, delicate curve of her jawline was perfectly defined, stirring restless thoughts in anyone who saw it.

Her snow-white neck curved into the most alluring line.

Lin Xiayan’s mouth went dry. She forced herself to look away from the captivating sight, sitting up straight and refraining from teasing Zhu Ning. Using a fresh pair of chopsticks, she finally placed the piece of meat into Zhu Ning’s bowl.

Zhu Ning didn’t refuse Lin Xiayan’s kindness. She picked up her chopsticks and immediately ate the meat, nodding repeatedly with obvious satisfaction.

“I noticed you were hesitant to eat meat earlier,” Lin Xiayan said, piercing Zhu Ning’s act. Zhu Ning swallowed the meat with difficulty, forcing an embarrassed smile. She felt utterly mortified. She thought she had been acting convincingly, but Lin Xiayan had seen right through her.

Zhu Ning picked up her teacup, pretending to take a sip to hide her awkwardness. I’m not the original owner of this body, she thought. I have no psychological aversion to meat. Besides, this body is so frail. How am I supposed to gain the strength to fight monsters if I don’t eat properly?

Unfortunately, Su Mi had been sitting here earlier, making Zhu Ning afraid to act out of character. Her chopsticks hovered uncertainly, a detail Lin Xiayan noticed all too clearly.

Seeing Zhu Ning’s flustered state, Lin Xiayan couldn’t help but chuckle. The corners of her eyes crinkled slightly as she glanced occasionally at Zhu Ning’s helpless expression.

Zhu Ning picked up her chopsticks again and placed several pieces of meat in Zhu Ning’s bowl, a lingering smile in her eyes.

“Enough, enough. I don’t need to eat so much,” Zhu Ning said, her cheeks flushing slightly. She switched to a clean pair of chopsticks and returned the favor, placing food back in Lin Xiayan’s bowl. I’m supposed to be an Immortal Venerable, Zhu Ning thought, secretly scolding herself for being flustered by her nominal disciple.

Lin Xiayan didn’t find anything odd about this. She picked up her bowl of white rice and began eating with focused concentration. As a demon of her caliber, she rarely felt hunger and had no need to eat. This meant she hadn’t had a proper meal in over a century. Back in Yun Cang Town’s teahouse, she’d barely managed a few bites before the Yun Cang Mountain disciples disrupted her meal.

Now, safe and warm in Mùdōng Courtyard, Lin Xiayan decided to savor the flavors of the human world.

Zhu Ning lowered her head and ate earnestly, her long eyelashes casting small, fan-shaped shadows. The tips of her lashes curled upward slightly, and their delicate flutter with each blink added a touch of playfulness to her natural allure.

Lin Xiayan’s chopsticks paused mid-air. She realized that admiring Zhu Ning was far more appealing than eating. After all, everyone appreciates beauty, especially when it’s as breathtaking as this.

Zhu Ning didn’t notice Lin Xiayan had been watching her for a long time until she finished eating. The rice in Lin Xiayan’s bowl had gone cold. Zhu Ning frowned, picked up her chopsticks, and tasted the dishes in front of Lin Xiayan. They tasted quite good.

“Don’t you like the food?” Zhu Ning wished she had a small notebook to record what this ancestor liked and disliked, hoping that if she served her well, one day she might change her mind and stop targeting Yun Cang Mountain.

Even if it was just a wishful thought, Zhu Ning was willing to try.

Lin Xiayan shook her head, set down her delicate wooden chopsticks, and picked up the wiping cloth hanging nearby. After cleaning her hands, she took Zhu Ning’s cloth.

“Lord Immortal Venerable, let me wipe your hands.” Before Zhu Ning could stop her, Lin Xiayan had already lowered her head and noticed the oil stains on her own hands, likely from when she had dodged Lin Xiayan earlier.

Lin Xiayan carefully wiped Zhu Ning’s palms with the pristine white cloth. The lines on her hands looked delicate and clear, her skin fair and soft with a hint of pink.

So beautiful, Lin Xiayan thought to herself. When she looked up again, Zhu Ning’s watery eyes flickered with unease, as if she wasn’t used to Lin Xiayan’s actions.

Zhu Ning’s face flushed slightly as she clutched the handkerchief self-consciously. With a wave of her hand, Lin Xiayan vanished the table laden with food.

In its place, a scroll appeared on the table.

“I want you to teach me too,” Lin Xiayan said, a hint of mischief in her voice. Though the scroll detailed cultivation practices in the Demon Realm, she insisted Zhu Ning explain it to her. Zhu Ning followed Lin Xiayan’s gaze and noticed a faint purplish mist swirling around the scroll.

Seeing Zhu Ning’s puzzled expression, Lin Xiayan suppressed a smile and dutifully rolled up the scroll. Now in her adult form, she couldn’t act coyly. Instead, she sat properly on the stool, tilting her head to study Zhu Ning.

Zhu Ning’s face felt perpetually warm under Lin Xiayan’s unwavering gaze. She struggled to recall the scroll’s contents, realizing that the most enigmatic aspect seemed to be Lin Xiayan’s origins.

Intrigued, Zhu Ning leaned forward, resting her hands on the table. “What do you do in the Demon Realm?” she asked, her voice clear and melodious, like the gentlest person whispering in one’s ear, both comforting and alluring.

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