Chapter-Fourteen: Pastries
"What did you say?"
Gu Yue Haoyu's voice trembled as she stared at Ning Chen in disbelief. Did she really hear him correctly? Would he actually say such a thing?
"Are you deaf? Get out of here!" Ning Chen's cold, indifferent gaze pierced through her, freezing her in place.
Faced with the terrifying stillness in Ning Chen's deep eyes, Haoyu swallowed any words of protest. Her lips quivered, but she dared not utter another sound. Without a second thought, she turned and walked away hurriedly, as though fleeing from danger.
Ning Chen watched her retreating figure, a sneer curling at the corner of his lips.
"So noisy," he muttered under his breath.
*She's just a naïve girl,* Ning Chen thought. *Does she truly believe her looks could sway me? What a joke.*
With that, he turned and continued on his way, his steps steady and deliberate. Countless thoughts filled his mind as he walked.
*"Logically, I could now claim the Flower Wine Monk legacy and steal Fang Yuan's opportunity. Fang Yuan hasn't traveled through time yet, after all."*
*"But... the Flower Wine Legacy isn't suited for me."*
Although the Flower Wine Legacy was an inheritance left behind by the Rank 5 Gu Master Flower Wine Monk, it was incomplete—hurried and disorganized. Its value paled in comparison to Ning Chen's ambitions.
*"The most valuable piece of the legacy is the liquor worm. But I lack the secret recipe to refine it properly—it's far too weak for me."*
He continued to analyze.
*"Its second-turn applications are useless to me. If it were during its first turn, then its ability to refine small amounts of true energy to nourish void space would be quite valuable."*
*"The other components? Black and White Boar Gu? Golden Centipede? Jade defence? None of these hold much value for me either. Taking risks for such mediocre inheritances would be foolish."*
Ning Chen shook his head as his thoughts crystallized. He had entertained the notion of taking the Flower monk legacy from Fang Yuan, but ultimately, it wasn't worth it.
The legacy held great importance to Fang Yuan—but for Ning Chen, it was just another relic with limited utility.
Fang Yuan and Ning Chen were alike in many ways. Both were dragons among men. Both were true demons, harbingers of disaster. Both were supremely cautious, always alert to the world around them.
If Ning Chen were to claim the Flower Wine Legacy, Fang Yuan would inevitably sense it. He would realize that another demon—like himself—had traversed time. From there, it wouldn't take much effort for Fang Yuan to discover the truth.
Once Fang Yuan uncovered who had claimed the legacy, Ning Chen's secret would be exposed. The balance of power would shift, and the advantage Ning Chen currently held over Fang Yuan would be lost.
Originally, Ning Chen operated in the shadows while Fang Yuan was in the open. Ning Chen had knowledge of Fang Yuan's plans, opportunities, and future events, while Fang Yuan knew nothing of Ning Chen. These were Ning Chen's greatest advantages.
But a single misstep could undo it all. To claim the legacy would only bring their positions to parity—an unacceptable risk.
*"The Flower Wine Legacy is not my path,"* Ning Chen resolved. *"My path lies in honing the brilliant methods of my past life and building upon them!"*
Unlike Fang Yuan, who was bold and audacious to the point of recklessness, Ning Chen sought stability and precision in his actions. Each step forward was deliberate, ensuring progress without the risk of ruin. Yet both shared the same essence: the hearts of demons.
Ning Chen arrived at the Gu Room, one of the rare shops in the village.
During their schooling, each student was entitled to receive Gu worms at regular intervals. However, acquiring Gu worms outside these periods required spending Yuan Stones.
The family library also distributed each student's first Gu worm—a mandatory ritual during the Awakening Ceremony.
For now, Ning Chen had no need for Gu worms, nor did he come to purchase any.
"Hey, it's you, junior! Looking to buy something? How about a Wooden Puppet Gu to practice your Moon Blade technique? It's only three Primeval Stones!" the shopkeeper called out, his voice oozing with salesmanship.
Inside the shop, a handful of Ning Chen's classmates stood browsing Gu worms in small groups. All eyes turned toward him as he entered, curiosity and unease evident in their expressions.
Ning Chen followed the sound of the shopkeeper's voice and locked eyes with him. The shopkeeper was a thin man with narrow eyes that glinted with shrewdness. He wore the martial robe of the Gu Yue family, his demeanor radiating opportunism.
"No need," Ning Chen replied curtly. "I'll take a pack of Moon Orchid petals."
With a sharp *bang*, Ning Chen slapped a Primeval Stone onto the counter.
The shopkeeper blinked but quickly complied, handing over the requested item. Ning Chen smirked to himself as he pocketed the Moon Orchid petals.
*"Three Primeval Stones for a Wooden Puppet Gu? This shopkeeper is quite greedy. Three Primeval Stones is an outrageous price!"*
------
Excluding the Primeval Stone inheritance left by his parents, Ning Chen's personal wealth amounted to twenty-three Primeval Stones. For an ordinary young man, this was already a considerable fortune, earned as his first reward for refining Gu insects.
However, Ning Chen had no intention of purchasing the Wood Puppet Gu. Its sole purpose was to practice the Moon Blade technique, something Ning Chen didn't need assistance with.
Though his mastery of the Moon Blade wasn't perfect, he had observed similar launch trajectories before. For him, getting started with the Moon Blade Gu was straightforward. All he needed was practice—familiarity with its feel and the ability to merge the Moon Blade with his instincts.
"By the way, my name is Gu Yue Jianghe," the shopkeeper said, handing over a small bag. "I'm your senior. If you need Gu insects in the future, come find me."
"Um," Ning Chen replied curtly.
Opening the bag, Ning Chen found exactly ten Moon Orchid petals—no more, no less.
Gu worms, despite their immense power, required careful maintenance. The Gu way of "raising, using, and refining" was essential. As living creatures, Gu worms needed food, and their diets varied. For instance, the Moon Blade Gu fed on Moon Orchid petals, while the Black Boar Gu required pork.
Ning Chen picked up the bag and left without lingering.
---
At home, Ye Ling'er had already prepared dinner. She stood quietly, waiting for Ning Chen's return.
*Thump… thump… thump…*
The sound of unhurried footsteps approached, growing louder. Ye Ling'er immediately recognized them as Ning Chen's.
She hurried to open the door, eager to greet him.
"Lord Ning Chen—" she began, but Ning Chen cut her off.
"Wait. Did you make this table of cakes?" he asked, stepping inside and eyeing the pastries on the table. They stood out from the other dishes.
Shaped like the bright moon, the cakes were flawless, resembling the mutton-fat jade of the Western Regions. A few green leaves adorned them, adding a touch of verdant elegance.
Ning Chen frowned as he took the main seat. Picking up his chopsticks, he gently clamped one of the cakes.
Though it appeared firm, the cake wobbled and rolled as if trying to escape the chopsticks. Its quality was extraordinary, clearly the work of someone meticulous and skilled.
"Ye Ling'er, who gave you this pastry?" Ning Chen asked, his brows furrowing further. His mind raced with speculation.
*"This technique is meticulous. It must have been made by a girl. But who?"*
*"There aren't many women connected to me. Ye Ling'er? Unlikely. If she could make pastries like this, why wait until now?"*
The identity of the sender eluded him, like a shadow just out of reach. He could almost grasp it, but not quite.
"By the way, there's a note here. Let me show you," Ye Ling'er said, pulling a delicate slip of paper from her bosom and handing it to Ning Chen.
Taking the note, Ning Chen examined it carefully. Written in elegant script were the words:
*"Do you like the pastries I made?"*