Chapter 3, The Banquet
Novice Task: Practice Silent Zen Meditation for twelve hours. Completion Reward: Improvement of physical constitution, no penalty for task failure
Listening to Shi Lan's roar, the dark figure in his mind paid no attention at all, as his fingers swiftly danced across the luminous screen before him, searching for every bit of information about the Lingyang Realm, continuously calculating ways to escape from the Lingyang Realm
As she walked, Zique couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed; this young master was nearly of age, yet he remained so oblivious to romance. Could it be that the rumors about the young master having a penchant for male affection were true
Shi Lan abruptly pulled apart her hair, then untied the belt at her waist and removed her outer robe
When Shi Lan first met Shi Tianlu in person, coupled with the lingering feelings left by the previous master, he could not help but be awed by the aura emanating from Shi Tianlu, momentarily lost in thought
If a servant speaks ill of their master behind their back, being caught would be a minor issue; here in the Lingyang Realm, where human life is fundamentally undervalued.
After receiving the information about the closed-door meditation, Shi Lan looked at the light screen in front of her and sincerely apologized, realizing that she had wrongfully blamed the system. The system was indeed quite benevolent, as there was no punishment for failing the novice task.
The forces existing in this world exhibit an extremely strong sense of repulsion towards him and the system, making it problematic even to absorb energy necessary for the system's normal operation
The purple sparrow's gaze dimmed, it bent down and replied with a word, then turned and led the way
All you need to do is keep your mouth shut
In just two minutes, the beauty who had just emerged from the bath transformed into a handsome young gentleman
The figure let out a sigh of relief, feeling somewhat pleased with himself. He had seen all kinds of storms and tempests; dealing with a little girl like you was nothing but a piece of cake.
This wave of sadness was accurately conveyed to the figure busy in front of the screen, causing a pause in the figure's movements, and a slight discontent arose in their heart regarding the system's emotional synchronization feature.
Feeling the frenzied output of Shilan, the already irritable emotions of the figure were increasingly trending towards being uncontrollable. If it were not for the system binding, which prevented him from taking action against the host, his first course of action would be to twist off this woman's head
Shi Lan opened the door and stepped out with his hands behind his back
... ...
However, no matter how he calculates, it is a deadlock, and relying solely on his own strength, he cannot find a way out
In order to cope with such emergencies, Su Lanyue had previously trained Shi Lan, so although Shi Lan's movements are swift now, she does not appear flustered in the slightest
Young Master, the head of the family requests your presence for dinner in the Yishui Hall
In the entire Stone Mansion, only her bedroom has a continuous supply of hot water for twelve hours, which can be considered an additional privilege
The maid outside the door, seeing that Shi Lan did not respond, was about to step forward to knock on the door
Creaking sound
Aside from the hair still being wet, there are no abnormalities whatsoever
After slightly furrowing her brows, Shi Lan swiftly turned over and got out of bed, quickly rushing to the wardrobe to pull out a new wrap cloth and began to dress herself hastily
In the center of the hall, there is a round table, which is already mostly occupied.
Shi Lan did not look at her much, but raised his chin, indicating for her to lead the way ahead
Taking a light breath of the somewhat cool air, Shi Lan shed the remaining garments and walked into the adjacent bathroom
Su Lanyue, capable of becoming the wife or concubine of a city overlord, naturally possesses exceptional beauty and grace, which Shi Lan has evidently inherited quite well, perhaps even surpassing her.
As the "legitimate eldest son," Shi Lan, despite being a natural invalid, was not bullied by anyone in the household, and even behind her back, few dared to speak ill of her
When he reached the collar of the white undergarment, Shi Lan's hand paused slightly. After gritting his teeth, Shi Lan's fingers trembled as he pulled apart the garment, revealing the tightly wrapped binding cloth around his chest
Lowering her head to glance at her clothes covered in dust, as well as her bare feet glistening on the water stains, Shi Lan stepped forward to the wardrobe, took out a set of clean clothes, and placed them on the bed
On the road, many guards and servants of the residence encountered Shi Lan, all of whom respectfully bowed and made way for him
Shi Lan's tumultuous emotions gradually calmed down; with the sudden arrival of this system, she finally felt a sense of assurance in her heart
The ears have finally found peace
Shi Lan cast a glance and quickly retrieved information about this maid from her memory; she was the maid beside Su Lanyue, named Ziqu, and had been in the Shi residence for less than two years.
Upon entering the hall, Shi Lan was taken aback, feeling somewhat constrained in her demeanor
Seeing that the external system had not responded for some time, the individual began to express the essence of vulgarity, warmly inquiring about the possibly non-existent family of the system
Yet at this moment, her heart felt like a stagnant pool, devoid of any ripples. It seemed as though there was a missing element within her that could excite her upon witnessing such a scene
It is her cheap father, Shi Tianlu, the head of the Shi family
After walking for a little over a quarter of an hour, Shi Lan finally arrived at the Yishui Hall
A sense of loss emanating from the depths of the soul tightened Shi Lan's heart
Shi Lan was feeling somewhat exhausted from the scolding when the task panel on the screen in front of him began to flicker
The band of fabric fell in circles, and Shi Lan's gaze involuntarily began to glance towards the mirror standing beside the wardrobe
Seated at the main seat was a middle-aged man, appearing to be in his forties, dressed in a purple robe. The man had a robust physique, with slightly graying temples, and his eyes sparkled with brilliance as they opened and closed, emanating an indescribable sense of pressure.
Meanwhile, the practice methods of silent meditation flooded into Shilan's mind
In the center of the bathroom is a three-meter square bathtub. Shi Lan walked to the side of the bathtub and pressed the switch, causing streams of steaming water to slowly flow out and fill the bathtub.
Looking at the reflection in the mirror, Shi Lan felt somewhat bewildered. She had thought that she would be very excited, even to the point of doing some indescribable things
After a brief contemplation, a figure opened the system panel and began to modify the task interface
Just as Shi Lan was feeling melancholic, a voice called out from outside the door
In the mirror is reflected a beautiful woman with her upper body bare, her long hair reaching her waist, skin as white as jade, and a face unadorned with powder yet still as radiant as peach and plum blossoms. Her eyes, when they move, resemble a clear spring of sweet water, refreshing to the heart and soul
"Young Master." Ziqiao bent down to pay her respects, her gaze shifting, subtly showcasing her graceful figure.
Shi Lan actively began to complete the novice tasks and started practicing 'Silent Zen'
... ...
After finishing her bath, Shi Lan returned to her room, casually draping two pieces of clothing over herself before lying down on the bed, her heartache momentarily difficult to recover from
Shi Lan instinctively wanted to respond, but suddenly remembered the practice of silent meditation he was currently engaged in, and the words nearly escaped his lips.
Shilan followed closely behind Zique, winding and turning as they made their way to Yishui Hall