Chapter 370: White Family

Chapter 368: The Bai Family

Hearing Gouwa's shout, with a creak, the door opened.

Gao Zhijian, bare-chested, frowned as he looked at him. Despite the bitter cold, steam-filled sweat poured from his body.

“Can you smell it? Little Yang and his wife are steaming buns today! Pork and green onion!”

Seeing Gouwa's mischievous look, Gao Zhijian slammed the door shut.

Through the door, Gao Zhijian listened as Gouwa’s complaining voice gradually faded away. “Ugh, how boring. Lu Xiucai was much more fun. I wonder where that kid went; I haven’t seen him in so long, I actually miss him a little.”

Only when the sounds completely died down did Gao Zhijian turn around. With steady hands, he grasped the heavy halberd shaft. With a low roar, he pulled it up abruptly.

This massive halberd was exclusively for Peng Longteng, and in Gao Zhijian’s hands, it looked so out of place, like a child riding a giant horse.

After vigorously swinging it a few times, a tremor shook the ground, and the massive halberd shattered the stone slabs beneath it into countless cracks.

Gao Zhijian, breathing heavily, looked down at his trembling hands, where fractured veins were faintly seeping blood.

Gao Zhijian turned and walked to the front of the house, picking up a book with both hands. It was the military strategy book he had found on the deceased Peng Longteng.

As his trembling hands smeared blood onto it, entirely different content instantly appeared before him. It was a cultivation technique for strategists!

He sat cross-legged, eyes wide, concentrating his killing intent wholeheartedly as instructed by the book. He gathered this intent and circulated his vital energy according to the book's steps, completing a full cycle.

Gao Zhijian circulated his energy repeatedly. Sitting cross-legged, he resembled a wide-eyed Arhat in a temple, an intimidating sight. Wisps of faint, almost invisible bloody aura emanated from his body, and his physique seemed to swell slightly.

Just then, an insect flew by. As his eyes suddenly swept across it, the insect instantly stiffened, fell to the ground, and died.

“Time to eat! Time to eat!!” Little Yang’s shouts made Gao Zhijian slowly close his eyes.

When he opened his eyes again, he had reverted to his former simple, honest self.

Having seen Peng Longteng's appearance, he always felt this technique was dangerous, so he wanted to try it himself first. If it proved effective, he would tell the others.

Gao Zhijian walked to the well in the courtyard, drew a bucket of ice-cold well water, and poured it over his head. After washing away the sweat, he dressed, opened the door, and headed towards the mess hall.

When he arrived, he saw the others drinking hot porridge and eating fragrant meat buns.

No one was formal; they were very relaxed, eating and chatting casually regardless of gender or posture.

Gao Zhijian picked up a bowl, used his chopsticks to pick up a bun, and sat down alone to eat. He didn't serve himself porridge from the pot but instead poured a bowl of dark, aged vinegar.

He took a bite, then dipped the bitten part of the bun into the vinegar, soaking it thoroughly before putting it into his mouth. He ate very slowly, occasionally glancing towards the door.

As people gradually dispersed, Little Yang scratched his head in confusion. “Is Senior Sister Xiaoman not eating again?”

After thinking for a moment, he covered a bowl of buns with a dish plate and, with the round-faced woman, began to scrub the pot and wash the steaming baskets.

Gao Zhijian, witnessing this scene, picked up the last bun from the bowl, put it in his mouth, then drank the remaining vinegar in one gulp. He then picked up the bowl of buns and walked outside.

His destination was clear: the Bai family ancestral hall. As he rotated the three monkeys arranged side-by-side, a secret door instantly appeared before him.

Gao Zhijian bent down and entered. The oil lamps on the surrounding walls had already been refilled, making the previously gloomy staircase much brighter.

When he re-entered the main hall, he saw Chun Xiaoman softly chanting something. “Disciple raises eyes to the clear sky. All masters are by my side. Twenty-four heavenly beings assist disciple with ruler and dragging knife. Dragging knife transforms into goose feather. Iron ruler transforms into lamp wick. Rolled stone transforms into water bubble….”

Hearing footsteps, Chun Xiaoman turned around. Upon seeing Gao Zhijian, her eyes immediately lit up. “Zhijian, come quickly and see! Am I chanting it wrong? Why is there no reaction?”

Gao Zhijian took the book from her hands.

After examining it for a moment, he first handed her the bowl of buns. “Eat.”

Since last time, Chun Xiaoman had noticed that Gao Zhijian seemed to have regained his energy. From then on, he would speak only one word, as long as it conveyed his meaning to others.

“I’m not eating. Just let me see the book first.” Chun Xiaoman seemed impatient, pushing the bowl away.

Gao Zhijian, however, didn’t think so. He pushed the bowl back to her again. “Eat.” His attitude clearly conveyed that he wouldn’t speak until she ate.

Xiaoman reluctantly took the bowl and began to eat the buns in small, hurried bites. While eating, she asked, “Has Miaomiao returned?”

Gao Zhijian, still examining the book in his hands, shook his head.

“Where on earth did that girl go? She didn’t even send a message back.” Chun Xiaoman, who had just been complaining, suddenly thought of something, and her heart sank. “Do you think she might have….”

As she said this, she quickly reassured herself, “No, she wouldn’t do anything foolish again.”

Eating hurriedly while distracted by her chaotic thoughts, Chun Xiaoman predictably choked, clutching her neck and hiccuping.

Gao Zhijian put down the book and gently patted Chun Xiaoman’s back with his broad hand, helping her clear her throat.

Once she had caught her breath, Chun Xiaoman turned to Gao Zhijian and said, “If this doesn’t work, let’s gather everyone and search again in the place Miaomiao disappeared. There’s been no news at all, and I’m truly worried.”

“Mm.” Gao Zhijian nodded.

Just as Chun Xiaoman continued to eat her bun, Gouwa, holding a letter, excitedly rushed in from outside. “Hey! Junior Sister Bai sent a letter!”

Chun Xiaoman immediately stood up anxiously. “Where is she now? What does the letter say?!”

“Why are you asking me? I can’t read!” Gouwa handed the letter to Gao Zhijian, who was nearby.

Only after Gao Zhijian conveyed the message did Chun Xiaoman understand: Bai Lingmiao was fine. She was in the capital attending to some trivial matters and would return once she was finished.

“It’s good that she’s fine, it’s good…” Chun Xiaoman, who had been anxious for so long, finally let out a long sigh of relief. During the days Bai Lingmiao was away, she had nightmares every night.

Gao Zhijian leaned closer to the letter, carefully examining it for a while before stammering, “Th-th-this… this is… Senior Brother Li’s handwriting!” Only Senior Brother Li would like to write such neat, blocky characters with charcoal.

“Haha.” Gouwa pointed at Chun Xiaoman and scoffed, “What did I tell you? When that young couple fights, you, an outsider, shouldn’t meddle. You might be helping her scold her husband, and then the next day they’ll make up. See? Didn’t I tell you so?”