Chapter 126: Research
“I’m not simple? No, it’s you that’s not simple.” Bubai mumbled as he weighed the spirit stone in his hand before stuffing it into the folds of his robe.
Clack. The sound of the spirit stone joining the forming small pile brought a smile to his face.
23 low-grade spirit stones. He still wasn’t rich, but he was wealthier than he had ever been.
“Too bad inner disciples are all either strong, cautious, or both…”
It’s much riskier to rob an inner disciple head-on than to sneak into an aristocratic compound, especially since each clan’s defense has been downgraded.
Of course, once the members of the sect return from the secret realm, the balance in his heart might weigh in another direction.
Bubai looked up at the setting sun, “Hmm, not much time, guess I’ll go feed my pet and get rid of the smell of perfume.”
This time, a guide wasn’t needed.
By the time an amber glow cast across the Mo Clan compound, Bubai had veered around to the rear of the estate.
It didn't take long for his keen eyes to spot the solitary cat beauty perched atop the wall, licking the back of her paws.
When Bubai's footsteps broke the serenity, the cat's ear twitched in response, turning her gaze towards him.
“Meow!” The feline’s eyes dilated with excitement, and she leapt off the wall as if she had nine lives...
Shuffling a few steps forward, Bubai extended his arms just in time to catch the catwoman, her lithe form fitting snugly against his chest.
“Meow~ yummy fish is here.” Miss Meow purred contentedly, rubbing her face against his, her furry ears tickling his nose.
Suddenly, her affectionate rubbing ceased, followed by a cute twitch of her nose as she opened her eyes, “Meow? What’s that bamboo smell?”
Oh, her smell was sharp as always.
“Hmm, don’t mind the small details. Is Xiao Mao ready for dinner?” Bubai's smile widened, his hand trailing up the slender thighs wrapped around his waist, unhooking the token fastened to the catwoman waist.
“Meow! Ben Meow is ready!” Miss Meow frantically nodded before she leaned in, her tongue lapping at his lips affectionately.
With the token now in his possession, Bubai seized the moment, pressing the wild woman closer and devouring her lips.
Following up with deft tap of his foot, a burst of Qi erupted beneath him, propelling them upward with a graceful spin, floating over the walls and into the Mo Clan compound.
Book Pavilion. Second Floor. Map Room.
Bubai sat across from the elegant Shu Ling, their attention focused on the chessboard between them.
While he pondered his next move, Bubai casually broached the question that had been on his mind. "Fairy, why did you leave?"
Clack. Seeing the move, Shu Ling’s lips curved into an elegant smile, promptly making her move on the chessboard while her melodic voice distracted him. "Granny is afraid that other men can't control themselves when faced with this fairy’s beauty. So, she warned this fairy to avoid meeting them."
Raising a brow, Bubai’s gaze met hers, "What about me?"
Shu Ling's eyes sparkled with mischief and she leaned forward slightly. "Fairy brother, you’re different."
Bubai felt her foot brushing against his beneath the table, teasingly exploring the path upwards...
“Granny has studied your character and approved of it. She knows you won’t eat this fairy one day. Fufufu…” With a soft laugh, the fairy delicately covered her mouth with one hand, her gaze never leaving his.
"Oh." Was that really the reason?
Honestly, will anyone believe that a man from a dual cultivation sect possessed such a “good” character?
But Bubai knew there was no point in digging deeper. She had her secrets, and he had his. They both knew this and that was enough.
Bubai’s hand darted beneath the table, seizing the naughty foot and stopping it right before the gate, preventing it from digging any deeper.
With a tickle, he elicited a delighted giggle from the fairy as her leg recoiled.
Bubai glanced at the fairy, "Let's not waste any more time.”
Hearing his words, the giggling Shu Ling cutely pouted, "Humph. Boring.”
After a moment, she rolled her eyes, leaning toward him again, “Then… today, tell this fairy more about the so-called gacha system. Fairy brother proposed applying it to… women?”
Bubai silently apologized to all the men in the sect. They may have to suffer in the future due to his actions, but this game of chess must go on…
East District. Morning.
When the tower door rumbled open, Bubai was greeted by the cold, violet-haired beauty, her sword half-drawn as she leaned against the wall.
Seeing him, she allowed her sword to reenter the sheath, her expression neutral as she asked. "Fine?"
Bubai nodded, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. "Impromptu mission.”
He reached out to embrace her waist tenderly, giving her a gentle peck on her lips, “Sorry for not notifying you.”
Her response was a simple nod, cold yet beautiful as always.
Bubai’s fingers affectionately stroked her cheek. "Tired?" he asked softly.
Xiao Lan’s gaze flickered to the new bracelet on Bubai’s wrist, her nose twitching subtly.
She caught a whiff of sandalwood, but chose not to comment. Instead, her arms found their way around his neck in silent understanding.
With a smile, Bubai swept the beauty effortlessly into a princess carry, their eyes locked with one another.
Together, they made their way toward the stairs, where his maid had been waiting silently. “Welcome back, master.”
As he breezed past her, Bubai left her a notice, "I'll be down in a couple of hours."
With a warm smile, Wei Yi bowed her head. "Yes master, we will be waiting.”
Upstairs.
Bubai kicked open the bedroom door, his divine sense routinely scanning the room. Finding nothing wrong, he made his way toward the bed and laid the soft beauty down.
Staring down at Xiao Lan who clung to him, unwilling to let him go, his eyes lingered on her delicate features, finally settling on her enticing purplish lips...
He let nature follow its course, meeting her lips and passionately enjoying the fervent dance of their tongues.
When they finally broke apart, the iceberg beauty’s eyelids fluttered open, her glassy blue eyes meeting his with her glistening lips gasping for breath.
Bubai resisted the temptation of further “research”, whispering in a soft voice, "Rest. I'll be in the tower for the rest of the day."
"En," Xiao Lan’s expression softened, her hands loosening their grip on his neck as she closed her eyes.
With a fond smile, he tucked her in with a blanket, watching as she snuggled up comfortably. With one last lingering look, he left the bed.
Heading over to a corner of the bedchamber, Bubai pulled away the cloth, unveiling a couple of aquariums and boxes.
His eyes immediately fell upon two pregnant scorpions in separate containers. They seemed to sense his presence, their tails twitching in anticipation as they pressed themselves against the glass walls, trying to crawl toward him.
"Oh, did my cute little babies miss me?" Bubai cooed, a grin spreading across his face. "You did, didn’t you?"
Avoiding their attempts to take a bite of him, he fed the two mothers with gentle care, "Give birth to more babies for me. I still need all your contribution..."
Chuckling softly, Bubai shut the mothers back into their respective boxes before turning his attention to another box.
There, he found a male scorpion sitting motionless within.
He slid open the container and fearlessly extended his hand down, placing his hand flat against the bottom. "Come here, little one," he beckoned in a soft voice.
As if understanding his words, the scorpion stirred, scuttling forward until it perched obediently on his palm. With a smile, Bubai lifted it out of the box, bringing it to eye level.
His divine sense zeroed in on the tiny creature, seeping through its shell and into its essence.
Immediately noticeable was the greenish-blue blood coursing through its veins. Yet, his interest lays deeper.
Bubai’s perception sharpened further, his divine sense honing into the blood like a microscope, eventually allowing him to see the clusters of green spores within its body, drifting about aimlessly like cells in a microscopic world.
After a moment of observation, strands of green Qi leaked from his hands, flowing into the scorpion…
Akin to sharks smelling blood, the spores sprung to life, chasing and nibbling on the green energy when it coursed through the scorpion’s veins...
And after their meal, some of these spores even began to clone themselves!
Bubai zealously observed this phenomenon, his divine sense not missing a single piece of precious data.
After the final strand of Qi was consumed, the spores gradually calmed back down, returning to their previously laissez-faire state.
But were they really idle?
Bubai's empty hand extended, delicately pinching the scorpion's stinger between his fingertips, lifting it into the air.
A single thought brought a thin razor blade into in his grasp.
Without hesitation, the thin blade swiped forward, making a surgical incision across the scorpion's abdomen, leaving a shallow gash!
The creature's legs thrashed in response, a trickle of blood oozing forth, but Bubai remained expressionless, observing intently as the wound on the scorpion's belly gradually mended itself!
Within a minute, the creature ceased its struggle, reverting to a placid state, its wound already sealed shut!
A furrow creased the Bubai's brow as a wave of thoughts was set off in his mind.
After a brief moment of hesitation, the razor blade vanished, replaced by a small vial.
Bubai turned it over in his hand, murmuring softly, "This Hundred Poisons antidote should be well worth its price."
Setting the vial down carefully, his other hand then reached beneath the scorpion, cradling it gently in his palm. Then, he released his grip on the stinger...
Well… no reaction. The creature remained docile in his grasp.
So, Bubai lifted his other hand toward its stinger...
Letting his hand hover near the stinger’s tip, Bubai’s expression turned grave as he whispered, "Sting me."