Call Me Daddy!

"Wow!"

Zhu Xiaoliang rolled over, kneeling with both knees on Xu Changsheng's stomach and bracing her hands against his chest. Her clear, wide eyes sparkled as she looked at him and said excitedly:

"Xu Changsheng! Xu Changsheng!"

"My cultivation... actually reached the ninth realm peak stage!"

"Heavens, I was only at the ninth realm late stage yesterday! Master said I would need at least another two or three years to reach the peak stage!"

"You..."

"You're amazing!"

As he looked into Zhu Xiaoliang's eyes, filled with undisguised admiration and delight...

Xu Changsheng, who had just been inwardly grumbling, Good thing I have cultivation, or those knees would've made me throw up, froze slightly.

He had never experienced this kind of gaze from Qi Zhaoyue or Ye Luoxue.

Qi Zhaoyue, oh, Qi Zhaoyue, learn something from your junior sister...

In the future, I must get you firmly under my control and lock you in the Lotus Grotto-Heaven for a hundred years of dual cultivation... no, a thousand years!

Let you find out what being imprisoned feels like!

With that thought,

Xu Changsheng reached out and affectionately stroked Zhu Xiaoliang's soft, long hair.

"You little silly, it's all because you're so talented. If you didn't have such good talent, even I wouldn't be any help."

"That's not true!" Zhu Xiaoliang stubbornly shook her head at Xu Changsheng.

She lay on top of Xu Changsheng, her hands beneath her chin, and looked into Xu Changsheng's eyes as she said earnestly:

"It's because you're amazing!"

"Without you, I wouldn't have broken through even in another year!"

"..."

Xu Changsheng fell briefly silent. After a long while, he gave an indulgent smile.

"You..."

He lifted his head and gently nipped Zhu Xiaoliang's lower lip, feeling the delicate softness of her red lips.

Then, as though that still wasn't enough,

he pressed his large hand against her long hair at the back of her head, making her lower her head as he kissed her...

Ten minutes later, Xu Changsheng released her, thoroughly satisfied.

"Hah, hah, hah~!"

Zhu Xiaoliang's lips glistened, her eyes hazy as she gulped down fresh air in quick, deep breaths.

At the same time, she rested her head against Xu Changsheng's chest and nuzzled him like a docile, affectionate kitten, her eyes filled with deep attachment.

Feeling her soft body and smelling the faint, fresh fragrance of her skin, Xu Changsheng felt an inexplicable warmth well up in his heart.

After an unknown amount of time, Xu Changsheng gently patted Zhu Xiaoliang's smooth back.

"All right, time to get up."

"Hmm?"

Zhu Xiaoliang raised her head and looked at Xu Changsheng curiously. "Get up?"

"What are we going to do?"

"What do you think?"

Xu Changsheng rolled his eyes at Zhu Xiaoliang. "You immortals can go without eating, but I can't."

As he spoke, Xu Changsheng got dressed. "I need to go to the kitchen and make lunch."

"Lunch?"

Zhu Xiaoliang's eyes instantly lit up. As though she found this quite novel, she said with an excited smile:

"Yes, yes! I'll help!"

"I don't need your help. Just be good and stay in bed, or you'll only make more work for me..."

With that, Xu Changsheng pinched her little face. "Wait for me. I'll be back soon."

"Only with a full stomach will I have the strength..."

"I want to-"

"Fight another round!!!"

"You're awful." Zhu Xiaoliang's cheeks flushed. "You... that sort of thing... why are you making it sound so hot-blooded~~?"

"Hahaha!"

Xu Changsheng laughed in amusement. "All right, all right, I'm going."

"No, no~"

Zhu Xiaoliang hugged Xu Changsheng's arm to keep him from leaving and wheedled, "Take me with you~"

"Apart from when I was little, I practically grew up eating Grain Avoidance Pills. I've never seen you mortals cook..."

"Is that so?" Hearing this, Xu Changsheng nodded. "So you're curious. Come along, then."

"Should I bring you a portion too?"

"Huh?" Zhu Xiaoliang froze, then an expression of overwhelming gratitude appeared on her face. "Bring me a portion? Really?"

"Thank you, Xu Changsheng!"

"You're so good to me!"

"Aside from Master, you're the first person to care about me and make me lunch!"

Seeing Zhu Xiaoliang looking so moved she was about to cry, Xu Changsheng shook his head helplessly.

"You little silly, you're far too innocent."

"This counts as being good to you? If someone sold you someday, you'd even help them count the money."

"No way!" Zhu Xiaoliang pouted indignantly. "I'm very smart, okay? I wouldn't get tricked!"

"Yes, yes, yes, you're the smartest."

Xu Changsheng affectionately ruffled her long hair and said, "Then, to show your gratitude for me making you lunch, shouldn't you give me something in return?"

"Something in return?"

Zhu Xiaoliang tilted her little head. "Like what?"

Seeing her innocent, bewildered expression, a mischievous smile curled Xu Changsheng's lips.

"Call me Daddy..."

Zhu Xiaoliang's eyes instantly widened, and she suddenly became inexplicably nervous and shy. "You want me to call you... Daddy?!"

"Will you or won't you?" Xu Changsheng stopped walking. "If you won't, I'm not bringing you lunch!"

"D-Daddy~"

Zhu Xiaoliang lowered her head, not daring to look at Xu Changsheng, so nervous that she fiddled with her fingers.

"???" Xu Changsheng wore a strange expression. "I asked you to call me Daddy, not take me as your father. What's with that look?"

"Little girl, do you have some sort of father complex?"

"N-no, I don't!" Zhu Xiaoliang lightly bit Xu Changsheng's arm. "Y-you... what nonsense... are you saying?"

"Then say it again. Let me see if you get flustered." Xu Changsheng was curious.

"I'm not saying it again. Hmph~!"

Zhu Xiaoliang turned her head away like a tsundere and ignored him.

"You've even learned to act like a tsundere?" Xu Changsheng shook his head with a smile and stopped teasing her.

"All right, enough fooling around. Time to make lunch."

With that, Xu Changsheng dressed Zhu Xiaoliang, then led her toward the kitchen outside the hall.

Zhu Xiaoliang let Xu Changsheng hold her hand. Looking at his tall figure from behind, she unconsciously curved her lips into a sweet smile.

Great Yu Dynasty, Mount Qingliang, Divine Maiden Sect.

Inside the sect master's grand hall, incense smoke curled through the air.

Dressed in a sumptuous red-and-gold gown, Qi Zhaoyue sat upright on the white jade seat above, her expression cold and world-weary, her bearing noble, like a divine maiden who could not be profaned.

Three people stood below: Xu Qingci and Meng Weiyi, the Divine Maiden Sect's two guest elders, and her first personal disciple, Fanyin.

"You're all here," Qi Zhaoyue said indifferently.

Hearing this, Fanyin timidly glanced at Qi Zhaoyue.

"Yes, Sect Master."

Xu Qingci bowed slightly and said, neither servile nor overbearing, "Yes, Sect Master."

"May I ask why you summoned us here?"

At that moment, Meng Weiyi looked around and asked in some confusion:

"Sect Master, where is Guest Elder Zhu Xiaoliang?"

"Why haven't we seen her?"

Qi Zhaoyue's cold gaze swept across the three women's expressions. "I summoned you here today because of a matter concerning Elder Zhu Xiaoliang."