Chapter 64: Hmph, I Haven’t Forgiven You, Meow!

Stepping along the stone path to the back courtyard, Chu Huaizhou reached the spiritual spring, its mist swirling under moonlight, ethereal and wondrous.

The spring, nourished by supreme spiritual energy, gurgled from stone crevices, its surface shimmering like scattered stars, as if a flowing galaxy.

Chu Huaizhou couldn’t help but admire his own grand design.

This phenomenon… He reckoned it was a top-tier blessed land from the game’s late stages, guarded by high-level demonic beasts after repetitive prerequisite quests.

The Star River Soul-Quenching Spring—capable of cleansing marrow, nourishing the soul, healing chronic ailments, and even defying fate to enhance spiritual root quality by harnessing sun, moon, and stars.

A grand opportunity found only in a late-game secret realm.

How his pre-amnesia self secured this was a mystery. Without the realm’s unique environment, it likely couldn’t enhance spiritual roots, but it perfectly replicated the spring’s other effects.

At the courtyard’s farthest end, near the spring’s edge, petals from a thousand-year moon laurel drifted in the night breeze. As if alive, they never left the spring’s bounds, landing gently on the water.

Having absorbed enough lunar essence, they merged into the spring, becoming cold white starlight. Others, not yet saturated, fell near the Demon-Suppressing Immortal Stone in the spring, only to be snatched and eaten by a pink-pawed white claw.

Chu Huaizhou watched—

That’s…

Even after three centuries, Bai Li was the same. Well, not quite—her arrogance had softened, no longer as haughty. Her hobbies? Just eating and sleeping?

No, wait—back then, yes, but now she also loved clinging to him.

Exhausted from recent days, a soak sounded perfect.

He circled to the back of the Demon-Suppressing Immortal Stone, sealing his aura to avoid absorbing the spring’s essence. If he guessed right, the spring’s potency rivaled an eighth-grade top-tier pill, nearing the mythical ninth-grade’s effects—an priceless treasure.

Revive the dead, mend bones? No exaggeration.

If he carelessly drained it, he’d gain a fleeting peak state but be unable to act—such a waste. Sadly, the spring’s effects required its unique environment. Bottled, it’d be mere medicinal liquid with minor divine effects. Otherwise, he’d take it and change the game entirely.

Splash—

His movements rippled the water, sending petals toward the spring’s center.

Bai Li, immersed, didn’t notice him, lying with only her head and a sliver of snowy back above the surface.

“Wuu… bad… bad Human! This palace… hmph… one more word to him, and I’m a little a-hole!”

Her paws clutched fallen leaves, shoving them into her mouth in a huff.

Chu Huaizhou’s eyelids twitched.

Moon laurel leaves, with potent healing properties, were worth a fifth-grade pill each in the game. And Bai Li was eating them like snacks?!

Such a spendthrift!

He wanted to yank her up and demand what her stomach was made of to devour such treasures. Outrageous!

Taking a step, he calmed himself, abandoning the urge to scold.

Fine, fine.

With his current wealth, this was trivial. Back in his penny-pinching Golden Core days, he’d taught his disciples frugality, feeding Bai Li mortal food, never splurging on spiritual plants or pills. Three centuries later, his sect’s lavish lifestyle was hard to adjust to.

Plus, after hurting her so badly, guilt stopped him from reprimanding her.

“This palace nearly froze, and Human… hee hee… doesn’t care one bit, meow! Wuu… all his fault! Curse you, curse you, curse you, curse you, curse you, meow!”

Screeching, Bai Li’s nine tails lashed the Demon-Suppressing Immortal Stone, nearly blurring with speed, as if it were Chu Huaizhou.

But soon, reluctant to damage it, her tails softened, wrapping the stone like an octopus as she sobbed.

“Wuu… why doesn’t he look at me? My admirers could circle the sect, yet he’s not moved, meow?”

Watching, Chu Huaizhou feared further embarrassment and coughed lightly.

“Ahem!”

Bai Li jolted, sneaking a glance. Seeing Chu Huaizhou, she froze, caught in her sneaky antics. But recalling her anger, she straightened, indignant.

Splash!

Her tails released, and she flopped back onto the water, unmoving. Ears drooping, tails splayed, she exuded a “I’m mad, stay away” aura.

Chu Huaizhou approached, reaching to hug her. She, fearing his touch, slid forward, tails swishing.

Amused by her childishness, he stepped closer to try again. She repeated the dodge, but her ears twitched, hinting her mood wasn’t that bad.

What else could he do but play along?

After a while of this game in the spring, Bai Li’s ears perked, shaking—she’d had enough fun.

Turning, tails still, she put on a serious face.

“Human? When’d you get here? This palace didn’t notice, meow.”

Her attempt at solemnity was comical, and he reached to scoop her up.

Her tails swatted his hand away.

“What do you want, meow? Are we close, meow? Why not find Qingqiu, meow?”

Paws propped under her chin, legs crossed like a lounging lord, she tilted her head with lazy, haughty charm—almost a mini, animalized Leng Qingqiu.

But her “meow” broke the act.

“What, you think you can apologize, meow? Let’s be clear—even if you offer Snow Soul Silver Clouds and that fruit wine you brewed, I won’t forgive you, meow, hmph!”

Chu Huaizhou raised an arm, extended a finger, and grinned.

“Hey, how’d you know?!”