Chen Yushu followed behind Chu Mengyao as they ran upstairs, shooting Lin Yi a nasty glare before hurrying up the steps.
"Was all that drama really necessary?"
Lin Yi shook his head and looked at the food on the table. Since they weren't coming back down, all of this was his now.
He grabbed his chopsticks and dove in, polishing off all four dishes and the soup in no time...
Back in her room, Chu Mengyao threw herself onto her bed, feeling utterly miserable and frustrated.
Why? How could her first kiss disappear like that?
If it had been with some hot guy, maybe she could live with it, but Lin Yi? That country bumpkin loser?
"Shu, I'm so unlucky!"
Chu Mengyao couldn't hold back anymore and burst into tears. Earlier, with Lin Yi there, she'd forced herself to stay composed—she didn't want him laughing at her. She'd cried silently, but now that it was just her and Chen Yushu, she didn't care anymore.
"Ah, Yaoyao, don't be so upset! It was just an indirect kiss anyway—your lips never actually touched his, so he didn't really get anything out of it!"
Chen Yushu thought to herself: At most he swallowed Arrow's saliva, but he didn't get any of yours!
Chen Yushu should have kept her mouth shut. Her words only made Chu Mengyao feel worse. If it had been a real kiss, at least she could accept it, but she was the only one who lost out—she got nothing in return!
Since Lin Yi didn't benefit either, he probably felt no sympathy or guilt. She just had to accept her rotten luck!
"No way. I've made up my mind. Tomorrow I'm telling Dad that either he goes or I go—we can't both live in this house!"
Chu Mengyao said bitterly, "Absolutely..."
Exhausted from crying and venting, Chu Mengyao eventually drifted off to sleep after complaining for a while longer.
Chen Yushu shook her head and lay down beside her, thinking: It's just a little saliva—what's the big deal? It's not like she's pregnant or anything.
Downstairs.
After finishing his meal, Lin Yi braced himself for a scolding. He couldn't help it—he knew his place.
In the old days, he'd be the servant and she'd be the young mistress. Who knows what punishment he'd face for upsetting her?
But after waiting a while with no one coming down, Lin Yi cleared the dishes and headed to his room.
It was past nine o'clock. Chu Mengyao and the others were probably asleep by now—they wouldn't be coming back down.
After washing up and brushing his teeth, Lin Yi locked his door, sat on his bed, and began practicing the Mysterious Yellow Dragon Technique.
This cultivation method had a special origin—he'd discovered it in a cave.
Lin Yi remembered when he was eight years old, on a night with a full moon. Old Man Lin had called him to the peak of West Star Mountain, saying he wanted to test his recent training progress.
Lin Yi didn't understand why Old Man Lin wanted to test him at the mountain peak in the middle of the night, but under the old man's strict regime, he obediently followed him up the mountain.
However, after exchanging just a few moves, Lin Yi sensed something was clearly wrong!
This wasn't Old Man Lin testing him—this was murderous intent!
Just as Lin Yi was about to say something, he felt a powerful force hit his backside. Old Man Lin had kicked him hard, sending him tumbling into the valley below.
Lin Yi heard the whooshing of wind in both ears as he flew through the air like some anime superhero.
After what felt like forever, he finally crashed to the ground with a loud thud!
Lin Yi felt like every bone in his body was about to fall apart!
Even though Old Man Lin had been soaking his entire body in herbal medicine since he was three to strengthen his muscles and improve his constitution, falling from such a height left Lin Yi completely drained and unconscious.
Watching the direction Lin Yi had fallen, Old Man Lin shook his head and sighed:
"Yi, it's not that grandpa is heartless. There really is only one chance. The cave door only opens once every five years on the night of the Mid-Autumn full moon. If you can't get in this time, you'll miss the optimal age for cultivation..."
Lin Yi had no idea how much time passed before he finally woke up. After cursing Old Man Lin's cruelty, he got to his feet.
There was no point complaining now. Lin Yi first checked his body, and after confirming he had no serious injuries, he stood up.
But the sight before him left Lin Yi completely stunned! In front of him stood an ancient yet magnificent massive mountain gate!
The vermillion paint gleamed under the moonlight, and golden door knockers blazed with dazzling light!
It looked like something from mythology—the dwelling of immortals! Above the huge gate hung a plaque with four characters: "Mysterious Yellow Cave."
Where the hell was this?
Lin Yi's breathing quickened. He'd lived on West Star Mountain for years, but he'd never heard of such a place at the foot of the mountain!
Lin Yi couldn't figure out how he'd stumbled his way here, or how Old Man Lin had managed to kick him right to the cave entrance with a single blow. But somehow, this place felt familiar!
It was like déjà vu—as if he'd been here before in a dream!
But no matter how hard Lin Yi wracked his brain, he couldn't remember when he might have been here.
Lin Yi straightened up and unconsciously began walking toward the mountain gate, as if drawn by some invisible force.
When he reached the cave door, Lin Yi instinctively tried pushing it with his hand, but unfortunately, the door wouldn't budge.
Lin Yi frowned and tried pulling the door with more force, but it still wouldn't move.
Just as Lin Yi was about to leave in disappointment, something incredible happened!
Lin Yi discovered that the cave door, which had been firmly shut, was slowly opening!
Startled, Lin Yi thought someone might be coming out of the cave. He quickly hid to the side and watched the entrance carefully!
But after waiting for a while, no one emerged from the cave. Instead, he could clearly see inside!
It was an enormous hall. Though there were no lights inside, it was bright as day. He couldn't tell what was creating such brilliant illumination, but the entire hall was brightly lit!
The miraculous scene before him left Lin Yi gaping in amazement!
There were no words to describe Lin Yi's feelings except pure shock!
After confirming there were no living creatures in the hall, Lin Yi cautiously began walking toward the open stone door.
With each step, he looked around warily, making sure there was no danger before moving forward.
Of course, this was because Lin Yi was still young then, with a strong curiosity about everything. The current Lin Yi wouldn't act so impulsively.
But then again, without young Lin Yi's curiosity and impulsiveness, the fortunate encounter that followed would never have happened.