Chapter 370

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Chapter 370: The Little Golden Tree Trembles

Girls’ Dormitory

Strictly speaking, this wasn’t Bai Wei’s first time here—he had actually visited many times.

The dormitory where Michelle and Judy lived was the girls’ dormitory. Bai Wei had seen both the things he should and shouldn’t have, countless times. Whether it was Michelle or Judy, both were European and white, with striking features. And Bai Wei? He was simply an observer, like watching a movie—detached and unaffected.

But here, in this dorm, with the black-haired, short-haired sporty girls and the glasses-wearing literary ones, there was a variety of personalities. They were all close-knit, making it hard for Bai Wei to maintain that detached, objective perspective.

Carrying Yoshine Ise upstairs, Bai Wei caught the attention of many. There weren’t many girls at home today—most were either light or asymptomatic sword witches—so there was no need to visit Kamiji Village for the blessings and baptism of the small golden tree.

Though not many, there were still about twenty girls present, most of whom had been living at the shrine headquarters for a long time. Young and in training, they had yet to reach the age where they were sent out on assignments.

In simpler terms, they were a group of young girls waiting for marriage.

When they saw someone from the Ming Country, their expressions were nothing short of intriguing.

This group of sword witches was like the girls in a school—curious, not reserved or distant. The only males they regularly encountered were the clergy. These priests, who came from various shrines, were mostly from Kamiji Village, accounting for 70% of their ranks.

As Bai Wei walked up, many of the sword witches poked their heads out, observing him carry Yoshine Ise, much like seeing a giant panda carrying a small raccoon. Their eyes gleamed with curiosity.

“I knew it,” Bai Wei muttered.

Yoshine Ise smiled lightly. “It’s just a temporary passion that will fade quickly.”

She turned and waved secretly to her sisters.

Bai Wei opened the door to the dormitory, pushed it open, and averted his gaze. The sword witches began to gossip.

“You were just showing off, I could tell.”

“Ugh, he’s actually a handsome guy. How did Yoshine Ise manage to attract him?”

“Exactly, Igarashi never mentioned this, right?”

“Is he a relative? Like a cousin, a cousin once removed, or a sibling?”

“I don’t think so… The appearance is too different, and the aura is unlike an ordinary person. Doesn’t seem like someone from a shrine.”

At that moment, a young sword witch entered, singing a little tune. She had a cute face with two ponytails and carried a red-tasseled spear on her shoulder. She had just finished her training and approached curiously.

“What’s going on? Why is everyone gathered here?”

Someone answered, “Ise brought a man with her.”

Immediately, another voice chimed in, “Spread the word, Ise has brought a man to stay overnight!”

The next voice added, “Spread the word, Ise has brought a man tied up to stay overnight!”

A third voice joined in, “Spread the word, Ise has brought a man tied up to stay overnight for everyone to join in!”

Kiriko Mizuko, one of the sword witches, exclaimed, “This is outrageous, too strange! Let me have a look.”

She hurried over to Ise’s dormitory door and pushed it open. “Ise, I’m coming in!”

Just then, she saw Ise sitting on a chair, and Bai Wei washing tea utensils.

Mizuko froze, and after a moment of hesitation, she stammered, “White, white…”

Bai Wei glanced at her and greeted, “Hello.”

He recognized Kiriko Mizuko from Shikoku Town and the logging trip.

Kiriko Mizuko exclaimed, “It’s really Brother Bai, alive!”

Bai Wei raised an eyebrow. “When did I die?”

Kiriko Mizuko rushed in, kicked off her shoes, stood on one foot, and flung them off before kneeling.

“How come you have time to sit here? It’s too polite of you! Since you’re here, you should have given a heads up.” The girl from Shikoku was very enthusiastic.

Yoshine Ise added, “We already gave a heads up to each other, with me.”

“Right, Mr. White also saved your life, so now we’re comrades.” Kiriko Mizuko patted her thigh and then asked, “Where’s Igarashi? Has she not come back?”

Yoshine Ise replied calmly, “She’s quite busy.”

“Oh, I see,” Kiriko Mizuko was about to continue speaking when Yoshine Ise interrupted.

“Let’s give Mr. Bai some space. Did you just finish exercising?”

“Yeah.”

“You smell sweaty.” Ise tapped her head. “Why don’t you go wash up?”

Kiriko Mizuko sniffed. The smell wasn’t overpowering, but she immediately jumped up, “I’ll go wash up right away! Brother Bai, wait for me!”

Bai Wei: “… What do you mean by going back after taking a shower? What are you implying?”

“And you guys eavesdropping!” Yoshine Ise shouted at the door. “I have something important to say, gather everyone here now!”

Footsteps echoed in the hallway.

“So energetic,” Bai Wei teased.

“Yes,” Yoshine Ise nodded before turning around to glance at him again. “Wait a minute, Mr. White, what are you doing?”

“Brewing tea,” Bai Wei replied.

“But I have tea leaves from Ise Shrine…”

“I want to brew cherry blossom tea.” Bai Wei opened his hand, revealing three petals from the Blossom of Life Taker, glowing softly with pink light.

“This isn’t Heroic Spirit Principle…”

“It’s just a few remnants I plucked off Jingūji without thinking. They have a pleasant aroma, perfect for tea.” Bai Wei tossed the petals into the tea caddy, started boiling water, and as the petals hit the hot water, a refreshing fragrance filled the room.

Yoshine Ise was dumbfounded. “You’re really using them to make tea…”

“What about it? Sakura tea, sakura cake—never had, never eaten?” Bai Wei smiled. “I’m actually quite good at making them.”

Yoshine Ise sighed and put a hand on her forehead. If the couple from before saw this, they’d probably vomit instantly.

Bai Wei, swiftly boiling and brewing tea, didn’t care for formalities. The Yingzhou tea ceremony focused so much on ritual that by the time it was ready, it was often too cold to drink. In Bai Wei’s opinion, they were more concerned with style than substance.

Ise’s room was fully stocked with tea sets. She must have received similar training, but she had no interest in it. Most of the sets were just decorations. Now, Bai Wei casually borrowed one.

As Bai Wei prepared the tea, cleaning the utensils with grace, Yoshine Ise found herself captivated. Perhaps it wasn’t the ceremony itself that intrigued her, but the fact that she was seeing a new side of him. One can only see a person from one perspective, but with closeness, more aspects reveal themselves. She felt lucky to know someone as multifaceted as him.

“Alright,” Bai Wei finally poured the tea out, the color nearly unchanged, a faint pink hue glowing within.

“Wow~” The exclamations filled the room.

Yoshine Ise turned around to find more than ten sword witches behind her, filling her dorm.

She felt a pang of disappointment. If she’d known, she would have sneaked the tea in secretly—she wanted it for herself.

“Who wants to taste it?” Bai Wei nudged the cup. “It’s slightly hot now.”

“I’ll do it.” Yoshine Ise didn’t hesitate. She picked up the teacup, blew on it, and took a sip. A rich aroma filled her throat, spread to her lungs, and seemed to cleanse her from the inside out. She exhaled a faint white mist, her mouth watering with the lingering fragrance.

She froze. Is this tea? What have I been drinking before—sewage from the drain?

Bai Wei poured himself a cup, took a sip, but his reaction wasn’t as strong as Ise’s. “It’s a bit weak. After all, the ingredients aren’t that good.”

It wasn’t as flavorful as the tea made from golden tree leaves. Bai Wei thought about the little golden trees in Yingzhou. Once they reached ten meters tall, he could pick leaves and brew some tea.

When it came to brewing tea with mystical plants, Bai Wei was the professional. He had spent years perfecting how to preserve flavor in the water, rather than letting it evaporate. The tea wasn’t just water—it was like chi, with energy that circulated in the body, improving health over time.

For Bai Wei, it had no effect; his golden bloodline rendered him immune. But for ordinary witches, it was highly beneficial.

In the past, at Black Rose meetings, he would always brew Golden Tree tea. No witch could resist. The Emperor’s handmade tea often caused disputes—no one could agree on who would get the last cup, leading to physical fights. Charlotte, though, had learned to sneak a sip, often using the same cup without a second thought.

Now, observing the sword witches in front of him, all holding cups of tea, he saw their faces filled with nostalgia, as if they had experienced a moment of enlightenment. It was like watching a group of cats enjoying catnip.

After everyone finished their tea, Bai Wei put away the remaining half.

“Remember to leave some for others.”

“Yes~”

The sword witches settled down, eager to ask questions. “How old are you, sir?” “Where do you work, sir?” “What is your annual income?” “Can you afford a house and a car?” “What kind of people are you attracted to?”

With so many questions, Bai Wei answered what he could, using his communication skills to smoothly guide the conversation. In fact, with more people around, he felt more at ease, taking control of the situation.

The girls had forgotten why he was there in the first place—he came to hide from being chased. But he didn’t feel it either. It felt like a tea party with friends, without a hint of nervousness.

Indeed, there was no rush. So far, only one samurai from the shogunate had come. As for the police, they were probably in chaos. Unless the shogun himself took action, no one in Yingzhou could arrest him.

Most high-ranking officials wouldn’t do small tasks themselves. People like Bai Wei, skilled in both sword and gun, were rare in this world.

Bai Wei wasn’t in a hurry. He was waiting—for the other side to show impatience. If they couldn’t catch him, they would be the ones getting frustrated.

Even with the shogunate and police powers, they wouldn’t be able to catch him. A failed operation could lead to serious consequences—like dereliction of duty, much like failing to defend a city in ancient times.

Bai Wei wasn’t in a rush because the other side had already failed once. If they expanded their operation, it would only attract more attention.

If both sides were playing chess, then Bai Wei was making an unpredictable move.

All he had to do was hide. Eventually, the opponent would reveal their impatience.

When that time came, Bai Wei would know who was targeting him.

Of course, after defeating the shogunate swordsmen, the enemy might choose to retreat. But if they retreated, how would Bai Wei lure them in?

He pondered, then took another sip of tea, a smile tugging at his lips.

Yoshine Ise raised an eyebrow. “What are you thinking about?”

Bai Wei answered truthfully, “I’m thinking whether I should go out tonight, visit the police station or the shogunate, and sing them a ‘thank you’ song with a megaphone.”