Walnut used me to boost her sales performance.

Walnut's eyelashes twitched, but she still didn't open her eyes.

As Jiang Bai continued to climb, the night grew darker, the stars in the sky became brighter, and the moon hung high in the sky, making it easy to see the way even without a lamp.

Seeing the summit so close at hand, Jiang Bai didn't put her down and climbed up in one go.

Only after putting Hu Tao down did Jiang Bai realize that his legs no longer belonged to him, and he trembled slightly when he stood up.

"Hiss~" Feeling the soreness in his calf muscles, Jiang Bai gasped.

I only intended to carry her for a while so she could rest, but I ended up carrying her all the way to the top of the mountain in one go. This is the consequence of my overexertion.

Hu Tao yawned and opened her eyes.

The first thing you see is a vast sea of ​​clouds, with no other place to stand except for a small patch of flat ground beneath you.

Looking around at the scenery, she was momentarily bewildered. "Where am I? Have we arrived yet?"

She stood up and peered down. It was indeed very high up, but it seemed somewhat familiar.

"Not yet, this is Qingyun Peak." Jiang Bai pointed to the sky, "The place we're going to is in the sky."

"The sky?" Hu Tao looked up and peered out, but saw nothing but stars.

"We'll fly up for the rest of the way," Jiang Bai said with a mysterious smile.

Jiang Bai took out his pocket watch and checked the time. There were still several tens of minutes until 12 o'clock. It would take at most ten minutes to go upstairs. There was no rush.

Jiang Bai leaned against the central stone pillar, unwilling to move. "Let's rest for a while. I can't walk anymore."

"You said you'd only carry me for a little while, so why did you carry me up here all at once?"

"I just didn't want to disturb the sect leader because he was sleeping so soundly! His birthday is coming up soon, and it wouldn't be good for the birthday boy to get tired." Jiang Bai smiled, looking like he wasn't exerting himself at all.

Seeing his trembling legs, Hu Tao understood.

"You're just showing off. If you can't carry me anymore, just put me down. I'm not a delicate person."

She pulled out a small stool, patted it, and said, "Put your legs up here, and I, the head of this sect, will take pity on you and give you a massage!"

"Then I won't stand on ceremony!" Jiang Bai put his legs up on the small stool.

The head of the hall massages my legs—such a good thing is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity!

"This master's leg massage service is not something everyone can enjoy."

Hu Tao rolled up her sleeves, squatted down, and pressed along the meridians on the acupoints through her pants to relieve the soreness in her muscles.

"Oh~ it hurts, it hurts!"

Jiang Bai's pig-slaughtering screams echoed from the mountaintop, startling a large flock of birds that had already drifted off to sleep.

"Speaking of which, Master, we've been in such a rush to get here, Xiangling and the others probably won't make it in time, right? Looks like it'll just be the two of us celebrating her birthday~"

Jiang Bai looked regretful, but was secretly overjoyed.

"Who told you to come all this way to celebrate your birthday!" Hu Tao said expressionlessly, striking hard.

"Ouch! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts..."

Chapter 181 Happy Birthday to My Hall Master

Having rested enough, Jiang Bai stood up.

"Let's go, Master, let's go up!"

Activating the mechanism at the mountaintop caused a wind field to rise from the ground, and Jiang Bai spread his wings of wind and flew into the sky.

Walnut took off behind her.

This wasn't her first time visiting the summit of Qingyun Peak, but it was the first time she had learned that there was a path leading up to it.

With the wings of wind, she rose up, and a staircase made of floating stones slowly appeared. She climbed up the floating stones, higher and higher, until the mountains below seemed distant.

A huge platform came into view, and Hu Tao cheered and jumped onto it.

This place is much higher than the summit of Qingyunding; you could say you've truly arrived at the top of the clouds.

Looking around from here, the mountains below become silhouettes, and the view is unobstructed, allowing you to see further and more expansively.

She could even see the huge, towering trees of Sumeru City from afar.

Looking up from here, the starry sky seems almost within reach.

"Wow!"

Hu Tao cheered excitedly, looking around, while Jiang Bai was afraid she would fall.

"How was it, Master? Wasn't it amazing!"

Seeing her so happy, Jiang Bai was also in a good mood. All the hard work of the past few days had been worthwhile.

"Absolutely fantastic!"

Walnut's eyes were so bright that even the stars in the sky couldn't outshine them.

Jiang Bai's eyes crinkled as he laughed freely.

Walnut sat on the ground, looking up at the starry sky.

The night sky is so close, the stars seem almost within reach.

Time slowly ticked down to 12 o'clock, and a new day had begun.

Happy birthday, my lord.

Jiang Bai pulled out a cake from behind his back and presented it to her. The 16 candles on it were lit, and the flames flickered, as if they were also cheering for the birthday girl.

Looking at the cake shaped like a little ghost in front of him, the little ghost excitedly popped out and let out a silent cheer.

It likes this design.

The flickering candlelight cast shadows on Hu Tao's face as she looked at Jiang Bai, who was holding the cake, with an unusually gentle smile.

When did you start preparing?

"Of course, I started preparing many days in advance~ Hurry up and make a wish and blow out the candles, you'll be 16 years old after blowing out the candles."

Hu Tao closed her eyes, clasped her hands together, and made a wish.

She pondered her wish deeply, and soon her furrowed brows smoothed out, a smile spreading across her lips. She made a wish in her heart, a wish for a bright future.

Amid Jiang Bai and Xiao Youhun's cheers, she puffed out her cheeks and blew out all the candles in one breath.

The little ghost clapped its hands and excitedly darted around.

Jiang Bai took out a knife and quickly cut the cake into several pieces.

"Come on, birthday person, start eating!"

Taking a bite of the cake, the sweet cream spread across my tongue—that was the taste of happiness.

Turning to look at Jiang Bai, he opened his devilish mouth and swallowed a large piece of cake in one gulp. However, because his mouth was not big enough, cream got stuck around his lips. He muttered as he chewed that it wasn't sweet enough.

Hu Tao laughed without holding back, "When it's your birthday, I'll make you a cake made with sweet flowers, so you can experience a sweet feast..."

"I've written it down, Master, you can't go back on your word!"

"Anyone who goes back on their word is a little dog!"

Eating cake atop the clouds, gazing at the stars, with laughter constantly filling the air, Hu Tao felt that this birthday was exceptionally special.

The extraordinary daughter of the Hu family has come of age, and the vast sky and clouds bring forth all things.

The fire butterfly flutters its wings like plum blossoms, and as night ends and dawn breaks, its fragrance lingers in the dream.

The wind rises, the clouds move, and life is impermanent.

Flowers bloom, rocks are silent, and all things are clear and bright.

After eating the cake, I felt sleepy.

There's a protective barrier set up by immortals here, so you don't have to worry about getting cold if you sleep right on it.

Jiang Bai yawned, took out his sleeping bag, and crawled inside.

He was so tired that he didn't have the strength to build a coffin.

"Master, please get some rest. I won't see my gift until morning."

"Ah."

Hu Tao took out a tent and sleeping bag, wiped herself down in the tent, changed into her pajamas, crawled into the sleeping bag, and quickly fell asleep.

In the early morning, the blinding light directly woke Jiang Bai.

The sun had not yet risen, but the sky was already bright.

Jiang Bai, who had already gotten up, cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted into the tent, "Master, get up!"

"I'm so sleepy, don't make me noise..."

Hu Tao muttered something and rolled over in the tent.

"If you don't get up soon, I'm not going to be polite!" Jiang Bai rubbed his hands together, ready to open the tent and drag her out.

Feeling the noise outside was too loud, Hu Tao covered her ears, pulled the blanket over her head, and drifted back to sleep.

Seeing that Hu Tao wouldn't get up no matter how much he called, and with a sliver of red sun about to rise in the sky, Jiang Bai had no choice but to open the tent, crawl inside, and carry Hu Tao out along with her sleeping bag.

Hu Tao was still not fully awake. She vaguely felt that she had left her original sleeping place and struggled uncomfortably, trying to move to a more comfortable place to continue sleeping.

Jiang Bai felt as if he were holding an enormous caterpillar that was still spinning its pupa.

Jiang Bai lifted the blanket covering her head, exposing her to the bright light.

This trick worked. Hu Tao was soon forced to open her eyes by the bright light and made eye contact with Jiang Bai.

Looking at the enlarged version of the face, Hu Tao's eyes widened, completely bewildered by the situation.

"What are you doing! Shouldn't I be in my sleeping bag?!"

"Why isn't the hall master getting up?" Jiang Bai said resentfully.

If she doesn't wake up soon, she'll miss the sunrise.

Hu Tao's eyes darted around, but he spoke with a straight face, "This hall master is at the age where he is growing and needs plenty of sleep."

I was so tired yesterday, how long have I slept? It would be a miracle if I could get up now.

"Too."

Jiang Bai thought about it and felt it made a lot of sense. The hall master was in the developmental stage and needed to get enough sleep.

"Then, Master, watch the sunrise before you go to sleep!"

"sunrise?"

Hu Tao looked towards the east, where the sun was rising. The sun had not yet risen, but the sky was already tinged with red.

The crimson color, like flames, gradually spread, soon covering the entire sky.

"Yes."

Jiang Bai changed his position so she could see the sunrise better.

As he gazed at the rising sun, he recalled everything that had happened since he awoke, a gentle smile playing on his lips.

"Since I awoke in the coffin, the sunrises and sunsets I've watched with the Master are the most beautiful sights I've ever seen."

"I've always wanted to find a place with a great view and no one to disturb me, where I can watch the sunrise, the sunset, the clouds roll and unroll, the mountains and rivers, and the sun, moon and stars..."

His voice was soft, but he spoke very earnestly.

"I've been looking for a place like this before the leader's birthday. I found it a few days ago. Although we were a bit rushed, we managed to get here."

"I want to dedicate this most beautiful view to my leader and wish him a happy birthday."

"Floating clouds and stars, sunrise and sunset, I want to watch them all with the Hall Master."

Chapter 182 Comparison is the thief of joy

As dawn breaks, myriad silver rays pierce through the darkness.

Perhaps it was the vibrant sunrise, but a blush spread across Hu Tao's face.