Why Aren’t You Cultivating Immortality? (GL) Chapter 48

Once you noticed someone, the whole world seemed to turn into her. No matter where Bai Moqing went, she could see Sikou Yan.
On the screen hanging high over the building, Sikou Yan’s endorsement ad played again and again. At the bus stop, posters for Sikou Yan’s new movie were pasted on the signboard. A casual glance into a shop by the street showed a life-size standee of her, smiling beautifully enough to topple a nation.
Even after returning home, Bai Moqing could not escape Sikou Yan’s figure.
Dust rolled, and yellow sand filled the sky. Sikou Yan wore armor, holding the reins in her left hand and a long zhewood lance in her right. She led thousands of troops out through the city gate, stabbing, sweeping, and cutting down enemies on all sides. Her sharp eyes looked forward. She threw the long lance from her hand, and in the next second, she drew the sword from the horse’s back and leaped into the air.
The scene changed. Sikou Yan wore black armor and held a sword as she climbed the steps, walking step by step toward the highest imperial throne in the mortal world. All she left the crowd was a lonely back.
“Qingqing, this movie premieres at midnight tonight. Can we go watch it?” After seeing the trailer, the little orange cat felt the female lead was very much to her taste. She turned to look at Bai Moqing. Bai Moqing was staring at the TV screen in a daze, as if thinking about something.
The little orange cat jumped onto Bai Moqing’s shoulder and patted Bai Moqing’s cheek with her paw pad. “Qingqing, what are you spacing out about?”
Bai Moqing came back to herself. Seeing the little orange cat’s worried eyes, she rubbed her head. “I was thinking about some things.”
Remembering Sikou Yan’s press conference, Bai Moqing opened Weibo. Sikou Yan’s video was still at the top of the trending list. She tapped it open, and Sikou Yan’s graceful figure appeared, elegant as a swimming dragon. The little orange cat tilted her head against Bai Moqing’s cheek and said excitedly, “Isn’t that the female lead from just now?”
Bai Moqing nodded. “It’s her.”
“So her swordsmanship is this good.” The little orange cat had only sighed halfway when her eyes suddenly widened. “Huh? Qingqing, her swordsmanship looks a lot like yours.”
Bai Moqing tilted her head slightly toward the little orange cat. “It looks like mine?”
“A few moves are similar.” The little orange cat used her paw as a sword, cutting upward in a backhand arc, then turning the sword and pulling it back. “These two moves. I’ve seen you use them.”
One sentence woke Bai Moqing. She grabbed the little orange cat by the back of the neck and lifted her onto the tea table, then closed her eyes. On her Divine Terrace, the tiny Bai Moqing sitting cross-legged rose gracefully with a sword in hand. Each move overlapped like layered illusions.
All the sword moves were demonstrated in only a few seconds. Bai Moqing opened her eyes and looked at the phone. The video on the phone was still playing.
No wonder it had felt familiar. After being broken apart and blended together, her own swordsmanship was exactly what Sikou Yan had used.
You don’t recognize me anymore?
An old friend taught me.
Sikou Yan’s words overlapped in her ears, echoing again and again. Bai Moqing froze in shock. The old friend she had mentioned could not be…
“Qingqing, what’s wrong?”
Seeing Bai Moqing’s expression suddenly freeze, the little orange cat became worried and immediately changed into human form. Bai Moqing shook her head to show she was fine, then closed her eyes again.
Her divine sense spread out. The bright, wine-colored night entered her field of vision. Bai Moqing had been close to Sikou Yan before and remembered her aura. She wanted to find Sikou Yan and ask what relationship Sikou Yan had with her.
Yet she could not find her.
This had happened before when she tried to find Xiao Xing. Now it happened again when she tried to find Sikou Yan. Bai Moqing opened her eyes and looked at the deep, endless night sky outside. Should she go ask Xiao Xing?
As if their hearts were connected, the moment Bai Moqing thought of Xiao Xing, Xiao Xing appeared in front of her. Her ink-black hair fell over her shoulders. Dressed all in black, she looked like a night spirit. Her coat was open, but the rise and fall of her chest could not be seen clearly. Xiao Xing glanced at Feiyue, and Feiyue very tactfully left the living room to them.
“You’re interested in Sikou Yan?” There was no questioning in her tone, but Bai Moqing understood Xiao Xing’s gaze at once. She pulled Xiao Xing down onto the sofa and answered with a smile, “A little interested.”
Someone who could become a celebrity naturally had a face and figure far beyond ordinary people. Someone who could become Best Actress had acting skill she could control freely, and lines she could deliver at will. All of those were attractive shining points.
“What part of her interests you?” Xiao Xing narrowed her eyes and lifted Bai Moqing’s chin. “Her looks, her body, or her personality?”
Bai Moqing moved Xiao Xing’s hand away and slowly said four words. “Her past.”
Before Xiao Xing could misunderstand, Bai Moqing told her about meeting Sikou Yan.
After listening, Xiao Xing fell into thought. She remembered the first time she had met Sikou Yan.
It had been at a charity banquet.
Sikou Yan had worn a pure white evening gown and intimately linked arms with a real estate boss in a suit, strolling in as if she were walking a red carpet.
People around them whispered about their relationship. It was said that Sikou Yan had just graduated from an acting academy and entered the entertainment industry. She had not even filmed one drama yet, but had already found a backer. The person on her arm right then was the backer she had just climbed onto.
Actors, models, and singers hooking up with rich businesspeople was normal in the entertainment circle. The attendees at this charity banquet were all businesspeople. After gossiping for a while, they turned back to talking about investments and cooperation.
Xiao Xing had also attended that banquet. She held a glass of red wine and stood with her assistant in a corner of the hall, watching the false faces of the crowd with boredom.
When the charity auction began, Xiao Xing spent two hundred thousand on an ink landscape painting by some unknown painter. She left her assistant to handle the follow-up and got up to leave.
She had just walked out the door when Sikou Yan lifted her skirt and chased after her. Her face was filled with the joy of finally meeting someone who understood her. It turned out that the ink landscape painting had been painted by her.
A charity auction was not a professional auction. It was only a casual excuse to donate money. Xiao Xing did not think the painting was especially good. It was simply the first item to be auctioned. If it had been anything else, she still would have spent two hundred thousand to buy it, then left after buying it.
“President Xiao, my name is Sikou Yan. Thank you for buying my painting.” Ignoring all the eyes watching from behind her, Sikou Yan hugged Xiao Xing and warmly expressed her gratitude and joy.
Xiao Xing pushed her away coldly and said in a cool voice, “No need to thank me.” Then she left.
After that, whenever there was a banquet, Xiao Xing would run into Sikou Yan. No matter how coldly Xiao Xing treated her, Sikou Yan continued as before, talking to her, holding her hand, hugging her, and linking arms with her. She was so enthusiastic that the people around them formed the mistaken impression that she was pursuing Xiao Xing.
Only after Sikou Yan joined a film crew and became busy filming did she stop frequently appearing before Xiao Xing.
Their meeting seemed as if it had happened only yesterday, but when Xiao Xing thought back, several years had already passed. If Sikou Yan were not an ordinary mortal, Xiao Xing would not have failed to know it. Xiao Xing raised a hand and tucked a fallen lock of Bai Moqing’s hair behind her ear.
“Do you want me to ask her out so you can look carefully and see whether she is a cultivator hiding her cultivation?”
“Sure.” Bai Moqing reached into Xiao Xing’s coat and smiled as she pulled Xiao Xing close. In the blink of an eye, the two people on the sofa vanished.
The soft bed sank. Bai Moqing hugged Xiao Xing and rolled twice across the bed, then braced both hands beside Xiao Xing and lifted herself up. “President Xiao, I remember the company’s financial reports had a section for film and television investment.”
So it was not to roll in bed. It was to call her to account.
“Does Secretary Bai have opinions about that part of the company’s investments?” Xiao Xing held Bai Moqing’s waist, flipped over, and pressed Bai Moqing beneath her. Smiling, she told the truth. “Film and television investment has nothing to do with Sikou Yan. Not one cent of my money was invested in any movie she acted in.”
Seeing Bai Moqing press against her shoulder to push her away, Xiao Xing caught her wrist. “You don’t believe me?”
“I believe you.” Seeing the familiar desire rising in Xiao Xing’s eyes, Bai Moqing struggled by instinct. Xiao Xing had taken her half to death last night, and her body still had not recovered.
Xiao Xing cast a spell, and Bai Moqing’s body instantly lost its strength. Xiao Xing smiled in triumph. “In front of me, you’re just like the little orange cat.”
Before the powerful Xiao Xing, Bai Moqing had no ability to resist at all. A feeling of inferiority suddenly rose inside her again. It spread through her heart, making it ache tightly. Bai Moqing closed her eyes and called weakly, “Xiao Xing.”
Seeing Bai Moqing’s mood suddenly sink, Xiao Xing quickly removed the suppression. “I was only playing with you just now.”
Bai Moqing sighed and opened her eyes. At this moment, her bright eyes held hesitation and struggle. Their eyes met. Xiao Xing looked at Bai Moqing in silence. She knew Bai Moqing had something to say.
After a long while, the hesitation in Bai Moqing’s eyes disappeared. In its place was determination and a relieved smile. “I have a secret to tell Xiao Xing. Can we keep the Heavenly Dao from knowing?”
“No. Do you still want to tell me?” Xiao Xing smiled and stroked Bai Moqing’s cheek. Bai Moqing’s face felt ticklish, and she pressed Xiao Xing’s hand. “Then I want to tell you even more.”
That “no” completely erased the fear in Bai Moqing’s heart. Now she could be sure that no matter what Xiao Xing’s identity was, Xiao Xing would protect her.
“I am cultivating inside the barrier, trying to escape the Heavenly Dao’s rules and cultivate immortality.” Bai Moqing looked at Xiao Xing expectantly. No surprise appeared on Xiao Xing’s face. She looked back at Bai Moqing very calmly.
“That? I already know.”
Her tone was also very calm.
Bai Moqing: “…”
She should have thought of it long ago. Nothing could be hidden from Xiao Xing.
Her body suddenly felt cool. A hand slid in, following the line of her waist and pressing against softness. “What are you doing?” Bai Moqing trembled and held Xiao Xing’s hand.
Xiao Xing pinched teasingly. “You hid something from me. I’m punishing you.”
“Didn’t I just tell you…”
The rest of her defense was sealed between Xiao Xing’s lips.
An Huaigu stood with her arms crossed, leaning against the door. Tang Yue had taken off her coat, rolled the sleeves of her pure white shirt to her elbows, tied her long hair behind her with a hair tie, and put on An Huaigu’s apron. She lowered her head and chopped tomatoes.
The knife struck the cutting board in rhythm. In the blink of an eye, a palm-sized tomato had been cut into small pieces by Tang Yue. Judging from her knife work, Tang Yue probably cooked for herself often.
An Huaigu was watching intently when Tang Yue suddenly turned and glanced at her. “Assistant An, you’re watching so hard my body is getting hot and my lower belly is tightening.”
Those frivolous words instantly scattered the good impression An Huaigu had just developed. An Huaigu’s face turned cold. “Focus on making dinner.” Her tone made it sound as if Tang Yue really were her little nanny.
“Yes, Assistant An.” Tang Yue turned back, picked up a small ceramic bowl, cracked two eggs into it, and beat them evenly with chopsticks.
Ten minutes later, two bowls of tomato egg noodles, complete in color, fragrance, and taste, were carried out of the kitchen. An Huaigu raised a brow. “This is all you’re giving me?”
Her mouth was picky, but her body was honest. She could not help swallowing.
“This is light and nutritious.”
Tang Yue handed An Huaigu the chopsticks and spoon. Just as An Huaigu took them and lowered her head to eat, Tang Yue suddenly pressed the back of her hand to An Huaigu’s forehead.
“You’re not hot anymore. The illness came suddenly, and it went quickly too.”
Seeing that An Huaigu was about to hit her, Tang Yue quickly withdrew her hand and looked at her with a smiling face. “If your hand gets hurt, I won’t be able to take care of you.”
Tang Yue stressed the words “take care.” An Huaigu rolled her eyes. “Careful, or I’ll whip you.”
“I couldn’t ask for more.” Tang Yue’s eyes lit up, eager with anticipation.
Buzz, buzz, buzz. A phone suddenly rang. Bai Moqing pushed Xiao Xing away and turned her head, burying her face in the quilt. The tips of her exposed ears were red enough to drip blood, trembling slightly from shyness under another person’s gaze.
“A phone call is enough for you to push me away?” Xiao Xing leaned over her, kissing Bai Moqing’s ear as her hand gently stroked the fragrant long hair.
The phone tossed aside rang with the determination of not stopping until it was answered. It paused for two seconds, then started ringing again.
“Xiao Xing, answer the phone first.” Bai Moqing breathed hard and reached out to pull the phone back from where it was about to fall off the bed. Her half-lidded eyes saw the caller ID, and she instantly sobered.
She handed the phone to Xiao Xing. “Sikou Yan is calling you.”