### Chapter 256: I Really Like This Gift
Yun Zhonghe had memorized all the “special” services offered by the Xia Family Business.
If given a chance in the future, he definitely wanted to experience these meticulous and thoughtful services firsthand.
After that, Yun Zhonghe carefully selected some thoughtful gifts from the Xia Family Business.
Since he was going to visit and ask for a favor, it would be rude to go empty-handed, so he had to prepare something.
The value of the gift wasn’t the key; what mattered was the thought and respect behind it.
As a representative of the new disciples, Yun Zhonghe had a good relationship with his classmates and kept an eye on various trends.
He learned from other girls that a certain kind of essential oil containing various fragrances was recently all the rage in the Cultivation Realm.
This essential oil was not only versatile and effective in calming one’s mind and helping to stabilize one’s Dao Heart, but it also made the user’s body emit a charming aroma, quickly becoming a hot topic among female cultivators.
Although Yun Zhonghe didn’t know much about it, it was the perfect gift for Qin Hongye, given how popular it was among female cultivators.
However, this essential oil didn’t come cheap; every drop was painstakingly extracted from high-grade spirit plants, and a complete set could make thousands of spirit stones vanish in an instant.
In terms of cost-effectiveness, it was rather low!
Though it had some cultivation benefits, in comparison, a second-grade calming pill selling for around a hundred spirit stones could achieve the same calming effect, if not better.
Indeed, no matter the world, women’s money was the easiest to earn.
Yun Zhonghe had planned to buy just one set of essential oils as a gift, but after hesitating in front of the counter for a long while and weighing the options, he decided to grab a second set.
During this time, he had been busy with cultivation, studying, and dealing with various chores, and his contact with Sister Jiu’er had been minimal; the two hardly had a chance to meet.
However, Sister Jiu’er had continued to help clean the house for Yun Zhonghe and often left behind some carefully made health tonics to help him build up his strength.
She was so dedicated that Yun Zhonghe noted it in his heart.
So, he thought he should also bring a set for Sister Jiu’er to express his gratitude.
Sister Jiu’er loved beauty and pursued fashion, and this essential oil, fragrant and refreshing, would surely delight her.
Yun Zhonghe even imagined Sister Jiu’er’s joyful expression upon receiving the gift, and a smile unconsciously tugged at the corners of his mouth.
Sister Jiu’er’s happiness was his happiness; that sense of achievement and satisfaction was irreplaceable.
Just as he was about to leave the Xia Family Business, his attention was caught by a new type of essential oil being sold separately.
Cedar oil! It was said that applying this oil could provide a cooling effect and invigorate one’s spirit.
Yun Zhonghe’s eyes lit up as he suddenly thought of a big use for it, knowing it would come in handy later.
Without hesitation, he bought several bottles.
The staff at the Xia Family Business, noticing Yun Zhonghe’s generosity and that he was a prestigious purple-gold member, treated him extra enthusiastically and gave him the new cedar oil as a free gift.
Yun Zhonghe left feeling ecstatic, thinking he made a killing.
The Xia Family Business felt the same.
But in the end, who really lost out?
…
After returning to the Xuantian Sect, the days slipped by like flowing water, quietly accumulating several days of time…
Sunlight filtered through the clouds, mottled and scattered across the bluestone road of the Xuantian Sect. Today, after returning from the lecture at school, Yun Zhonghe hurried straight to Xuantian Peak.
The date agreed with Qin Hongye was today.
Wearing the waist token given by Master Qin, Yun Zhonghe passed through Xuantian Peak without a hitch. Even the usually stern gatekeepers greeted him with smiles, their attitudes respectful.
Yun Zhonghe was already familiar with the terrain of Xuantian Peak; he skillfully navigated the stone paths, heading straight for the Master’s Hall.
Of course, not directly into the main hall, but to the elegant little courtyard where Qin Hongye resided next door.
Before he could knock, it seemed as if they had a telepathic connection, for Qin Hongye had sensed his presence in advance.
The beauty had been waiting there for quite some time.
Just as Yun Zhonghe was about to knock, the door creaked open slowly, as if gently welcoming him inside.
Today, Qin Hongye wore the robe that Yun Zhonghe had gifted her back in Qingzhu Town. However, it had clearly been tailored and modified thoughtfully to better fit her graceful figure, accentuating her alluring curves exquisitely.
As she stood at the door, the hem of her robe cascaded gently to her ankles, revealing a glimpse of her slender and fair calves, like the most delicate porcelain, exuding a soft luster.
She stood sideways, her figure enchanting, akin to a fairy stepping slowly out from an ancient scroll.
Her face was ethereal and otherworldly, with a faint smile twinkling in her eyes, making it impossible to forget her at first glance.
To be frank, in terms of looks and figure, Qin Hongye was indeed impressive.
Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many players in the original game standing up for Qin Hongye, protesting against the unfair treatment given to this character. This woman, who secretly harbored deep feelings for Huang Aotian, was cruelly pushed onto the villain’s path by the writer, even meeting her demise at Huang Aotian’s hands. How tragic!
If it came to it, a side story would suffice.
But no worries, Yun Zhonghe had already paved the way for her true side story!
“Miss Qin, it’s been a while since we last met. Ever since we parted, I’ve been busy with various matters and haven’t found the time for an appointment. I truly apologize.”
Yun Zhonghe stood in front of Qin Hongye’s courtyard, politely and humbly speaking.
Upon hearing this, Qin Hongye’s lips curved into a gentle smile, and she softly replied, “It’s no problem; as long as the Young Master is willing to grace me with your presence, I am already very happy.”
Her demeanor appeared as calm and graceful as always, as if there were no waves at all, and then she gestured for Yun Zhonghe to enter: “Please come in.”
However, only Qin Hongye knew that within her, a flood was currently raging.
For some time now, she had been relying on this outfit to absorb Yun Zhonghe’s scent to alleviate the turbulent energy surging within her. Her fingers were a bit damaged and painful from the constant rubbing and picking.
Every day, her fire-type spiritual energy surged forth like a fountain, uncontrollable, and she had even unintentionally broken through the bottleneck of the Golden Core Stage and advanced to the fourth level!
You must understand, Qin Hongye had never truly focused on cultivation; her days were almost entirely filled with endless thoughts of Yun Zhonghe. Even so, her cultivation had grown like a bird with wings, soaring at an incredible speed.
Perhaps she had successfully developed a path unknown to anyone else.
However, recently, the scent of Yun Zhonghe had diminished somewhat; the fragrant aroma from her clothes had become faint. Just smelling it was no longer enough to satisfy her insatiable desire.
To be honest, she wished she could strip Yun Zhonghe down and tie him tightly to the bed to freely ravish him and claim him.
Yet she had to restrain herself; she couldn’t let this desire cloud her judgment, or else it would scare Yun Zhonghe away.
Though Qin Hongye had some slightly twisted inclinations, she wasn’t a mindless person. She knew what she was doing and understood how to suppress her urges.
Therefore, in front of Yun Zhonghe, she always maintained an attitude of grace and elegance, as though the feverish desire within her had never existed.
“Miss Qin, last time I came to visit too hastily and didn’t prepare any gifts. This time I specially brought a token of my regard; please make sure to accept it.”
Once Yun Zhonghe was invited inside, he took out a beautifully packaged box of essential oils from his inner pocket and gently placed it in front of Qin Hongye.
Qin Hongye picked up a bottle of essential oil, and her eyes immediately sparkled with excitement: “Ah! This is really nice.”
She merely glanced, and countless scenes of using the essential oil instantly surfaced in her mind, each one filled with temptation.
For instance, pouring this essential oil on her own luscious bosom, then pushing Yun Zhonghe to experience it…
Or gently holding the refreshing essential oil in her warm mouth, letting Yun Zhonghe personally feel what the true “Song of Ice and Fire” was.
That intermingling of heat and cold, that passionate collision would surely intoxicate both of them, making them unable to extricate themselves.
As Qin Hongye thought of this, a playful smile crept onto her lips, her eyes flashing with excitement.
Hiss, ha… what an excellent toy! No wonder it’s a gift from Brother Yun; she truly loves it~
At that moment, Yun Zhonghe keenly noticed the subtle shift in Qin Hongye’s expression, a tinge of unease rising in his heart.
Could there be a problem with the essential oil? Is it a fake, a inferior product that Qin Hongye discovered??
That shouldn’t be the case; this was manufactured by the Xia Family Business, renowned for its quality. He spent a thousand spirit stones on it!
Just as Yun Zhonghe was fretting, Qin Hongye had already restored her usual demeanor, smiling as she said, “Thank you! I really like it; I think I’ll have use for it shortly.”
Yun Zhonghe: ?
Now Yun Zhonghe was even more perplexed. He genuinely couldn’t understand the circumstances in which this essential oil would be useful shortly.
But Qin Hongye’s graceful and courteous manner, along with her gentle and considerate words, revealed no issues whatsoever.
Perhaps he was overthinking it.
“Young Master Yun, please wait a moment; I’ll go prepare some snacks. Today, I have a special treat for you!”
As Qin Hongye spoke, her eyes curved into crescent moons, her voice filled with flirtatious charm, almost dripping with sweetness.
“Sure.” Yun Zhonghe lightly responded, not contemplating these details too much. He was more concerned about how to deal with the matter involving a million spirit stones.
Once Qin Hongye elegantly turned to leave, Yun Zhonghe sat alone on the soft couch in the living room, patiently waiting for her return.
He glanced around and began to savor the decor of the living room.
The antique furniture and exquisite ornaments revealed the homeowner’s unique taste and sophisticated style, causing him to nod appreciatively at Qin Hongye’s taste.
At that moment, his gaze was drawn to an odd object on the tea table beside him—a palm-sized copper mirror that he hadn’t noticed before.
It resembled a common bagua mirror, yet there was an inexplicable air of mystery about it.
Yun Zhonghe paused slightly, clearly recalling that there had been nothing there when he first entered.
But since it was placed there, it must be the homeowner’s personal item; as a guest, it would be courteous not to touch.
Yet just as he was about to avert his gaze and patiently wait for Qin Hongye, an inexplicable impulse surged within him, compelling him to pick up the copper mirror for a closer look.
Yun Zhonghe’s eyes fixated on the mirror, his gaze seemingly magnetized, unable to shift even an inch.
In the air, peculiar waves began to ripple, spreading like ripples in water, before silently settling into his eyes.
His gaze started to become hazy, and his thinking slowed down.
“If… if I don’t pick it up and take a look, wouldn’t that be disrespecting the homeowner!”
Yun Zhonghe suddenly blurted out such a statement, completely opposite to his previous thoughts.
How strange, it felt like something was off, as if… common sense had been inverted.
Yun Zhonghe couldn’t pinpoint what was strange, especially in that moment, as the peculiar energy of the copper mirror continued to affect him, making his thoughts more chaotic. He began to feel that, out of courtesy, he should “mess around” with the homeowner’s personal belongings to express his respect.
Thus, with trembling hands, he picked up the copper mirror and scrutinized it closely.
The surface of the copper mirror was smooth, crafted from ordinary spirit copper, with delicate engravings but no runes; it simply depicted a design, appearing rather mundane.
From any angle, it looked like an utterly ordinary mirror, with nothing remarkable about it.
However, when Yun Zhonghe looked through the copper mirror at his reflection, that strange energy wave seemed to find its outlet, instantly penetrating deeper.
The glimmer in Yun Zhonghe’s eyes dimmed…
At that moment, outside the living room, Qin Hongye was carrying tea and snacks, quietly observing every move inside through the window.
Gradually, her lips curved upward, shining with excitement.
She had succeeded!
No wonder it was the mysterious item that Qin Hongye had spent a fortune to acquire from a reclusive master, capable of silently altering others’ common sense, twisting their perceptions!
Moreover, this magical mirror possessed a powerful allure; even a fleeting glance, without direct contact with the mirror, would invoke the power of cognition alteration, drawing the target step by step into the abyss, making it inevitable for them to pick up the mirror and plunge into complete cognitive distortion.
It was said that as long as one’s spiritual energy had not reached the Consolidation Stage, almost no cultivator could escape its grasp, and the lower one’s spiritual realm, the more significant the effect.
Of course, this cognitive alteration wasn’t entirely irreversible. It would only target certain contents, not altering one’s personality, enabling one to live and communicate normally as long as they didn’t trigger the modified keywords in daily interactions.
But once those sensitive points were touched, their behavior would become exceedingly bizarre, completely defying logic.
The critical part was even if the magic mirror’s power ceased, the target’s memories of that period would automatically recalibrate to the most reasonable state, as if nothing illogical had ever happened; they would bear no suspicion or awareness.
With such a wondrous effect, Qin Hongye simply couldn’t resist and instantly spent big to acquire it!
Qin Hongye cherished this incredible and powerful item deeply, having made a hefty investment for it on a whim, filled with anticipation and curiosity about its actual effects.
She was eager to discover to what extent Yun Zhonghe’s cognition had been altered and how his behavior would transform.
This unknown and anticipation heightened Qin Hongye’s excitement.
Hiding slyly behind the window, her body trembled uncontrollably, her eyes sparkling with hearts, her expression blissful like a lovesick girl.
Drool was hanging from her lips.
Soon, Qin Hongye gracefully re-entered the living room, bearing exquisite tea and snacks, her steps light.
A sweet smile adorned her face, blooming like flowers in spring, vibrant and tantalizing.
Her voice was like silver bells, crisp and pleasant, tinged with a hint of flirtation: “Young Master Yun, thank you for waiting.”
As she spoke, her beautiful little face flushed a rosy hue, adding to her charm.
Yun Zhonghe, seeing this, quickly rose to his feet, politely responding: “Not at all, Miss Qin, you’ve worked hard.”
His demeanor remained calm, unchanged from his usual self.
Qin Hongye entered the living room and gently placed the teacups and snacks on the table.
Then, she slowly raised her head, her gaze fixed intensely on Yun Zhonghe’s face, as though he were the only man she could see.
She was very curious about what effect the magic mirror was having.
“Today’s snacks are a bit special—crafted with care by Hongye!”
Yun Zhonghe, upon hearing this, first lifted a teacup and took a sip. The rich aroma wafted up, refreshing and invigorating.
Qin Hongye’s culinary skills were as excellent as ever!
No doubt she had practiced a lot!
“Delicious!”
Yun Zhonghe couldn’t stop praising her.
Hearing the compliment, Qin Hongye’s smile blossomed even more radiantly, the alluring expression in her eyes becoming even more pronounced.
She still hadn’t seen the effect of the magic mirror.
Cautiously, she took several dishes of exquisite snacks and placed them one by one in front of Yun Zhonghe, her gaze never leaving his face, trying to catch any hint of an unusual reaction from his subtle expression changes.
How strange; he wasn’t acting weird at all.
Could it be that the magic mirror was faulty?
“Eh? Is this… daifuku?”
Just when she was lost in thought, Yun Zhonghe suddenly exclaimed in surprise.
“Daifuku?”
Qin Hongye was taken aback, completely unsure of what Yun Zhonghe meant; she didn’t comprehend what daifuku was.
But judging by his tone, it seemed to refer to some kind of snack.
However, all Qin Hongye had prepared were some flaky pastries.
What stunned Qin Hongye even more was that Yun Zhonghe’s gaze didn’t land on the dish she had handed him but instead curiously settled on her chest.
The bulging mounds were her soft, creamy daifuku!
Yun Zhonghe was puzzled; why could he still see such a thing in the Cultivation World?
But Yun Zhonghe happened to love chewy things; daifuku, with its glutinous skin and sweet cream filling, had always been a favorite. Every time he took a bite, the tender skin would gently burst open, the silky cream oozing out, coating his lips with a flavor that brought an indescribable sweetness and satisfaction—a true delight for his taste buds.
When he “discovered” this delightful surprise among Qin Hongye’s carefully prepared snacks, a wave of uncontainable joy surged within him.
“Miss Qin, I won’t hesitate then.”
Yun Zhonghe politely acknowledged, then directly reached out to grab Qin Hongye’s “daifuku!”
“Yun, Young Master?!”
Qin Hongye’s eyes widened in shock, staring incredulously at Yun Zhonghe’s stunningly handsome face, just inches away.
Though she hadn’t grasped what was happening, it was evident that this was the effect of the magic mirror!
Yun Zhonghe had mistaken her for a snack.
At that moment, in Yun Zhonghe’s perception, he was merely picking up a tempting piece of daifuku.
He felt the soft texture in his hand, the outer layer neatly wrapped in delicate fabric, and his heart silently praised: No wonder it’s Qin Hongye; she’s incredibly considerate, even thinking of dust protection.
Even through the fabric, he could clearly feel the full cream inside, the rich and sweet taste seeming to carry a hint of warmth.
“Yun, Young Master…”
Qin Hongye’s voice trembled as she noticed the heat in Yun Zhonghe’s gaze. Unknowingly, she lowered her head, biting her lip as a blush arose on her face, filled with excitement and shyness.
“This daifuku you’re making is amazing.”
Yun Zhonghe’s words carried genuine praise; he seemed immersed in that unique sweetness and softness, completely oblivious to the oddity of his actions.
Listening to Yun Zhonghe’s accolades, Qin Hongye, who had barely managed to maintain an air of dignity and reserve, could no longer restrain herself.
She instinctively grasped Yun Zhonghe’s wrist, as if inviting him to explore this “delicious” experience more deeply.
“Young Master Yun, don’t be modest; please enjoy to your heart’s content~”
With eyes full of expectation, her flirtatious glances surged like tides.
The carefully worn clothing smoothly slid from her shoulders, revealing her skin as warm and radiant as jade, along with breathtaking beauty…
…
Meanwhile, at the grand and solemn entrance of the Master’s Hall—
Just moments ago, Yun Zhonghe had passed this way, and now two women had arrived.
Master Youyue and Mu Jixue!
Today, Master Youyue intended to seek Master Qin’s insight regarding preparations for Mu Jixue’s Golden Core.
However, coincidentally, Master Qin was currently out and wouldn’t be returning for a while.
The two planned to wait in the Master’s Hall for Master Qin.
With the time dragging on, they decided to wander around, admiring the beautiful scenery surrounding the Master’s Hall.
