Chapter 340

“Is the rose milk cake ready to come out?”

Ning Ning timed it perfectly, sniffing the rich sweetness wafting through the air. She looked up at the person standing beside her. “It smells super amazing!”

Pei Ji smiled faintly, seemingly resigned to her eager urging.

He reached out to lift the wooden lid off the steamer.

As the steam rose, the girl’s laughter, clear and sweet like bellflowers, echoed through the room.

Unconsciously, the bitter chill of deep winter had arrived.

The mountains of the Xuanxu Sword Sect were shrouded in thick, pristine white.

Fluffy snowballs clung to branches, and when the wind blew gently, snowflakes danced in the air like scattered feathers.

The cold was everywhere, frosting windows.

When Ning Ning leaned close to speak to him, puffs of white mist escaped her lips.

Pei Ji thought to himself, “That mist must be warm.”

It had been over a month since they returned from Tianhe desert.

Pei Ji, who had suffered the most severe injuries, had spent much of the time bedridden, recovering most of his strength only recently.

Lin Xun and Tian Xianzi had completely exhausted their spiritual energy during the battle and had returned nearly lifeless, like dried fish.

Thankfully, after careful treatment, they had fully recovered.

Most remarkable of all was Wen Hemian.

Pei Ji didn’t know him well, only that Elder Jiang Xing’s spiritual sea of consciousness had been damaged.

During the desperate battle with the demon god, he had fought with the resolve to die, using every ounce of his strength.

Yet, at the critical moment, the long-lost spirit of the Zhuxie Sword suddenly appeared, using its immense spiritual energy to shield his spiritual sea of consciousness and save him from death.

The demon forces suffered a crushing defeat. The Two Element Dust Formation was resealed, and the major sects of the cultivation world gathered in the Tianhe desert the following day to discuss the demon clan’s affairs.

All the mysteries were resolved.

The villagers who had perished in the desert years ago were finally vindicated.

Coincidentally, when collecting the remains of the dead, they discovered a Lone Moon Lotus growing nearby.

Through years of change and desolation, it had stood there steadfastly, witnessing the story that unfolded and quietly accompanying the buried souls beneath the sands.

Despite the thrilling events, the sudden upheaval finally concluded safely.

Time moved on, bringing them to the present day.

The deep winter season was a time for reunion.

The disciples under Tian Xianzi’s tutelage had finally gathered together.

After a serious yet lively discussion, they decided to rely on themselves to prepare a feast.

It was known that Lin Xun could make stir-fried watermelon, Tian Xianzi could stir-fry pumpkin, He Zhizhou could only engage in his usual recklessness of committing suicide, and only Pei Ji could actually cook.

Several scheming gazes simultaneously landed on the silent boy dressed in black.

The renowned Xuanxu Sword Sect indeed has such sinister intention.

The rest knew nothing about cooking.

After breaking five plates, four jade bowls, three melons, two eggs, and crushing Tian Xianzi’s deeply indebted heart, Pei Ji unceremoniously kicked them out of the kitchen.

Only Ning Ning, who seemed the most reliable, was allowed to stay.

Outside, the group clamored about their hunger.

With the air of a true host, Ning Ning waved her hand and decided to teach Pei Ji how to make a traditional sweet from her hometown—rose milk cake.

The word ‘teach’ was a bit generous.

Ning Ning was only skilled at eating, completely clueless about the steps involved.

She could only describe the general ingredients and flavor.

Pei Ji listened carefully and simply responded with an “Oh.”

To her surprise, after some tinkering, he managed to recreate it perfectly.

Ning Ning loved watching him knead dough.

Pei Ji took every task seriously, whether it was sword practice or making desserts.

When he wielded a sword, his eyes were cold and sharp, with endless depth in their inky blackness.

It was as if nothing in the world mattered to him, his entire being exuding a chilling aura of decisiveness and lethal intent.

But once in the kitchen, that sharpness disappeared without a trace.

The hand that held the sword was slender and beautiful, pressing firmly into the starch. The knuckles turned faintly white, contrasting with his pale pink nails, giving off an inexplicable sense of softness and charm.

His long lashes, dark as crow feathers, quietly cast a shadow over his eyes.

His lips, a gentle peach blossom hue, no longer looked as pallid as when he was ill.

No matter what Pei Ji looked like, Ning Ning found herself liking him endlessly.

When the rose milk cake came out of the steamer, its warm, milky aroma quickly filled the room. It was accompanied by the rich sweetness of rose syrup, wrapping her heart in waves of happiness.

This dessert wasn’t difficult to make. Balls of starch filled with sugar, milk, and rose jam, were round and plump, topped with a drizzle of honey and rose syrup.

Under the sunlight, they shimmered with a soft, glossy glow.

The appearance alone was mouthwatering, let alone the enticing aroma.

Seeing her eyes light up, Pei Ji picked up a slightly cooled piece and brought it to her lips.

Ning Ning took a big bite, savoring half of it.

The honey’s sweetness burst forth, soaking into the milk cake with each bite.

The flavors mingled with the milk, creating an indescribable delight.

The cake itself was steaming hot—not uncomfortably so—its warmth swirling on the tongue. It carried a delicate floral note of roses, while its soft, fluffy texture felt like stepping onto a cloud.

She was blissfully happy.

Snowy days, warm desserts, and the world’s best boyfriend.

Ning Ning closed her eyes contentedly and hugged Pei Ji tightly from the side, rubbing her head against his arm. “It’s so, so, so good! This dessert deserves to be classified as a Grade-1 Protected Food in the cultivation world! You have to try it!”

Pei Ji, uncertain about the taste, had been a little nervous.

Now, with her enthusiastic praise…

After a month of convalescence, he hadn’t had many moments of intimacy with her.

Being hugged so suddenly, his entire body stiffened, and the tips of his ears reddened slightly, making him even more tense.

Ning Ning tilted her head, watching as he ate the remaining half of the cake. “Well? How is it?”

Pei Ji replied, “…It’s good.”

“I know even more recipes. I’ll teach you bit by bit.”

She reached up to wipe away a streak of rose syrup at the corner of his lips, her expression brimming with joy.

“Are you a little kid? How can you get food on your face while eating?”

Pei Ji stayed still, quietly gazing at her.

His lips, stained deep red by the rose syrup, appeared even more vivid than usual. Her pale fingers brushed over them gently.

Ning Ning opened her mouth slightly, her lips bright red, her pupils reflecting his image—his and only his.

The surrounding mist blurred the scene, while snow fell softly from the trees outside.

Before she could finish wiping his lips, her wrist was firmly held in place.

Her eyes met his deep black gaze.

For no apparent reason, her heart began to race.

It was a dangerous look.

She heard him speak, “I—”

He intended to say something—perhaps an explanation or a prelude to affectionate words.

But the sentence ended after the first syllable.

The boy swallowed his remaining words, leaned down, and lowered his head.

Ning Ning’s heart leaped into her throat.

They had kissed before.

The first time was fleeting, just a tentative brush of lips. The second was when Pei Ji was consumed by his inner demons, his actions driven by instinct and completely uncoordinated.

Looking back, it felt like a distant dream.

But now—

Now was different.

(T/N: this is chapter 122, and there are about 10 more chapters before this novel is complete..hehe)