Devour

Chapter 469 Luminous Moon in the Palm

Cheng Bai was slightly stunned, revealing an expression of disbelief, and raised his left foot to examine it closely.

My feet are clean and new, so where is the odor coming from?

Cheng Bai sniffed and shook his head, saying, "I don't smell bad. Hey! You're disgusted by me? Let me show you how fragrant you are."

Before Ningxiang could react, Chengbai's mind stirred, and he suddenly scooped up a small, exquisite object in his palm. He felt it was warm and smooth, like jade soaking in a spring.

Ningxiang let out a soft moan, instinctively trying to pull away, but Cheng Bai gently yet firmly held her in place.

She pretended to struggle for a moment, then let him do as he pleased. She felt a tingling sensation in her body and mind, and blushed deeply, even her ears turning a delicate rouge color.

That warm, flowing light was captivating, and Cheng Bai couldn't help but softly recite:

"The moon's reflection shines brightly, her silk stockings sway gracefully like lotus blossoms."

Dew soaks the jade steps, making them secluded; she lingers, her reflection lingering on the rippling water.

Ningxiang's breathing quickened upon hearing this, her armor heaving on her chest. She spat and said in a soft, sweet voice, "Pah! What are you saying about 'the first trace of the crescent moon' and 'the secluded jade steps' in broad daylight? All you can do is recite those romantic poems... Don't be naughty!"

Despite her playful complaint, Ningxiang did not resist his closeness. Instead, she slightly adjusted her posture to make them both more comfortable.

"Is this what you call being bad?" Cheng Bai noticed her subtle shyness, a triumphant smile playing on his lips. His voice grew hoarse and magnetic. "What did you mean by biting and pinching me just now?"

He lifted that glistening crescent moon, its delicate fragrance of osmanthus exuding warmth, lingering gently. The aroma mingled with the steam of the hot spring, spreading a refreshing scent that stirred the soul.

Ningxiang's bright eyes sparkled, her pearly teeth lightly biting her lip as she forcefully suppressed the pounding in her heart. She deliberately put on a stern face and said, "Stop being so glib. Tell me quickly, what is your relationship with the two older sisters from the Ten Thousand Beasts Palace and the Non-Heavenly Sect?"

She tried to cover up her panic with questioning, but her inner thoughts were revealed in her gently curled-up posture. She trembled unintentionally, and soft ripples spread out as if they were nothing.

Taking advantage of the brief moment, Ningxiang threatened with bluff: "If you don't explain clearly, I'll start guessing!"

Cheng Bai smiled and explained, "The Suzhen Flying Armor you're wearing is a treasure I snatched from the Holy Maiden of the Ten Thousand Beasts Palace. I refined it and gave it to you. If she sees it, she'll probably hate me to the core."

Ningxiang gave a soft "Oh," nodded slightly, and a smug look flashed in her eyes. Suppressing her inner delight, she pressed on, her voice tinged with a bittersweet tone: "And the other one?"

Cheng Bai felt a gentle warmth emanating from her voice: "It's all in the past. Back then, I ventured into the 'Death Ship' secret realm with the Holy Maiden of the Non-Heavenly Sect. Chang Yufeng and An Yiren were also there, teammates who met by chance."

He skipped over the subtle details of the secret realm and the moments between the two, jumping straight to the result: "After we came out, we all went our separate ways."

This answer was evasive and there were others who could corroborate her statement, so Ningxiang felt relieved.

Just as she was about to ask another question, it felt as if a warm jade was gently tapping her, and a soft, warm sensation silently entered her heart.

"Mmm..." Ningxiang trembled slightly, a soft moan escaping her lips involuntarily. She hurriedly turned her face away, "Don't...don't touch there, it's still early."

Before he could finish speaking, Cheng Bai leaned down, his breath as soft as a feather brushing past him.

Ningxiang curled up slightly, her long eyelashes trembling, waiting for the kiss that might fall, her heart filled with both anticipation and fear.

Cheng Bai leaned closer, but stopped just short of the distance, chuckling teasingly, "What are you thinking? I'm just here to admire it."

Ningxiang was both ashamed and annoyed. Her toes loosened slightly, and she was about to pull back when Chengbai subtly closed her feet, trapping the timid, fleeing warmth, as if holding back a pool of warm jade in spring.

"You..." Ningxiang began to speak, but then her words were cut short.

The palace shook violently, the pool water rippled violently, splashing up sprays of water; the moonstone on the roof swayed erratically, its light and shadow dancing wildly.

Cheng Bai got too close and leaned forward unexpectedly, meeting a soft, upturned petal.

"Achoo!" A loud sneeze shattered the previous atmosphere. He touched the tip of his nose, suddenly snapping back to reality, only instinctive alertness remaining.

Cheng Bai quickly released Ningxiang, abruptly stood up, and looked around in alarm: "Where is this strange movement?"

Ningxiang also instantly snapped out of her daze, quickly pulling her feet back and standing up in one fluid motion. She asked with surprise and uncertainty, "Could it be an enemy attack?"

The two dared not delay, quickly packed their equipment, and rushed up to the bridge observation deck. The sight that came into view made them gasp.

It was a colossal beast, as majestic as a mountain, its body as solid as a rock, crisscrossed with grooves and covered with bluish-gray moss. It was steadily walking past the Sky-Patrolling Spirit Ship. Each step it took seemed to cause an earthquake, yet it moved as lightly as the wind when it touched the ground.

Gazing at the colossal shadow, as large as a mountain, Cheng Bai murmured solemnly, "It's the Mountain-Bearing Stone Beast of the Ghost Valley Sect."

Because the behemoth's body was so enormous, it bumped into the moored spirit boat as it moved.

The spirit boat that Cheng Bai was on only suffered minor scratches. A protective array lit up on the hull, offsetting the impact, and it quickly returned to stability.

Ningxiang manipulated the Star Beads on the Sky-Patrolling Spirit Boat to quickly assess the damage. She breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Fortunately, the outer layer of protection wasn't breached. It seems it was unintentional and not aimed at us. Otherwise, if the Mountain-Bearing Stone Beast had truly attacked, the Spirit Boat's autonomous defense alone would definitely not have been able to withstand it."

Jinlian, Min Wushuang, Bei Tingjun, and others were also disturbed and went up to the bridge to observe the situation.

Cheng Bai leaped into the air, hovering close to the ship's side, examining the almost negligible scratches. He noticed something unusual: "The power of the Mountain-Bearing Stone Beast was perfectly controlled, stopping just short of breaking through the protective array, yet still managing to alarm everyone inside the spirit boat. Such precision is no accident!"

His gaze shifted to the other end of the Tinghetai Square, where he saw that the Jade Dragon Spirit Boat of the Di Yan Dynasty had long been sent flying far away by the Mountain-Bearing Stone Beast, and was now lying miserably on its side.

"Something's not right." Cheng Bai muttered almost inaudibly to himself as he returned to the observation deck of the Sky-Patrol Spirit Ship, puzzled. "The power of all things in the pavilion carried by the giant beast is very strange. There's more than just Senior Leng Yi inside!"

Ningxiang asked in surprise, "What did you discover?"

“Look at the way the stone beast came from.” Cheng Bai pointed out the anomaly as he followed the path the giant beast took. “From Zhuma Slope to here, the buildings, trees, stone pillars, and lamps along the way are all intact.”

Everyone looked closely and saw that it was indeed as he had said.

Despite its enormous size, the Stone Beast was surprisingly agile, accurately avoiding obstacles with every step and landing on the open ground without even knocking over a single glass lamppost.

Jinlian was also puzzled: "This big guy didn't trample on anything he shouldn't have touched along the way, so how did he kick the Jade Spirit Boat away?"

Cheng Bai quickly calculated with his fingers: "Although the Jade Lock Spirit Boat is moored in the correct position, it is not on the passageway. The Mountain-Bearing Stone Beast could have easily bypassed it, but judging from the impact trajectory, it was clearly deliberately adjusted in terms of pace and angle. Kicking the Jade Lock Spirit Boat away and grazing the Sky-Patrolling Spirit Boat were both intentional!"

The others understood each other implicitly, and their eyes met, revealing a growing understanding.

The stone beast carrying the mountain is perched in the original location of the Jade Lock Spirit Boat, resembling an ancient mountain peak, guarding this beautiful and spiritual land.

The Cloud Dream Tower, carried on the back of a giant beast, radiates rosy light on the outside and is adorned with carved beams and painted rafters on the inside, making it incomparably magnificent.

Suddenly, the second-floor window creaked open, revealing a male and female cultivator, both dressed in moon-white robes, their figures graceful and elegant.

The man had a handsome face and eyes as calm as a deep pool. The star patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs of his clothes reflected his mature and steady demeanor.

He moved gracefully and bowed slowly, saying, "I apologize for the accident. If there is any damage, Chi Manman is willing to compensate for it in full."

The other party spoke in a gentle tone and with humble and polite words, but Cheng Bai keenly sensed a condescending indifference in his words and understood the unspoken message: "He has no genuine remorse; it's more like a routine announcement that's just going through the motions."

The woman had a beautiful and noble appearance, and an aloof expression, just like the bright moon pattern embroidered on the sleeves of her robe, which exuded the coldness of the dead of winter.

She glanced at the Sky-Patrolling Spirit Ship indifferently and said nonchalantly, "Senior Brother, their spirit ship is completely undamaged. The Cai family's spirit ship, however, was slapped by Xiao San'er. The outer shell didn't fall apart thanks to the protection of the magic array, but the contents inside are hard to say."

These words were blunt and cold, as if they were discussing trivial matters rather than a spirit boat forged from precious spiritual materials.

"They're looking for us to watch a good show." Cheng Bai remained expressionless, but his eyes were already fixed on the Tinghetai Post Station. Suddenly, he heard footsteps coming from inside the station, which were unusually hurried.

Cai Youling rushed out anxiously, and upon seeing the horrific state of his spirit boat, his face instantly changed from red to white, and veins bulged on his forehead. Wu Qiubai and the Insect God followed closely behind.