!----
A few days later, as soon as Annie received an invitation from Shi Qingxuan, she hurried over to the other woman's secluded retreat, the Quiet Forest Lodge, which was said to have breathtaking scenery and a beautiful setting. The only person accompanying them was Xu Ziling, who had eagerly tagged along.
As for the demoness Wanwan, who had claimed the Deathless Seal Manual, no one knew where she had run off to. She had vanished early the morning after the night at the Great Stone Temple. Neither Annie nor Xu Ziling knew where the elusive woman had gone, and neither of them had bothered to ask.
And so!
Annie and Xu Ziling stayed with Shi Qingxuan at the Quiet Forest Lodge for several days.
During that time, Xu Ziling spent plenty of time exchanging flirtatious glances with Shi Qingxuan. Sometimes, he even sneaked off to have a little fun with her behind Annie's back. Who knew what they got up to?
As for Annie, she couldn't have cared less!
She was simply enjoying the peaceful, comfortable days at the quiet and pleasant lodge: delicious food, and sleeping until the sun was high without worrying about outsiders waking her up.
Of course, the surroundings were secondary to Annie. The key was that Shi Qingxuan was genuinely talented. The various pastries and small dishes she made were truly delicious—at least, much better than what the restaurants outside had to offer.
Her cooking skills were even a match for that old codger Lu Miaozi, who claimed to be an unparalleled master chef?
Annie ended up staying many extra days without meaning to. It wasn't until one day, when Xie Hui of the so-called Dominant Fortress sent someone to invite her to visit, that she finally left the Quiet Forest Lodge with Shi