Chapter 296
Since the innate conditions were insufficient, they would rely on resources.
This wasn’t a sudden thought of Chen An.
In fact, for the past few months, every time Chen An visited, he would bring an unequal amount of Qi Gathering Pills for Mu Sanniang.
The effect of these Qi Gathering Pills was simple: to help people absorb spiritual energy better and quickly establish a Spirit Platform.
For low-level cultivators who had already entered Qi Refining, these pills could also accelerate their cultivation, though the effect was not as significant as higher-grade pills.
For Inner Sect disciples like Chen An, these Qi Gathering Pills were not particularly precious.
But for the Outer Sect, they were the most popular pills in the Pill Hall, without exception.
An ordinary Outer Sect handyman disciple, relying on the meager spirit stones earned from daily chores, could only save up for three to four months to exchange for one pill at the Pill Hall.
Yet, every time Chen An came, he would give Mu Sanniang two or three pills.
Cumulatively, it must have been no less than dozens of pills.
Logically speaking, with so many pills given, she should have already reached the Qi Refining stage.
But Mu Sanniang, for some reason, was stuck at the last step, unable to cross that threshold.
Chen An wasn’t in a hurry, but he was worried that the girl’s mental state might be affected.
Fortunately, Mu Sanniang didn’t show too much discouragement.
Lost in thought, Chen An came back to his senses, took out a small medicine bottle from his embrace, and placed it in the girl’s hand.
He smiled and comforted her, “Sister, don’t worry, we’ll take our time. The key is to build up a strong foundation for a breakthrough.”
Upon hearing this, Mu Sanniang lowered her gaze and softly hummed in response.
It was unclear if she had truly listened.
Seeing this, Chen An didn’t know what else to say, so he changed the subject and talked about other things.
Most of the time, he was the one speaking, and the girl listened quietly.
The topics weren’t anything new; they were all about Chen An’s experiences in the Inner Sect.
In the small house, with the candlelight flickering, they were like this – one speaking, one listening.
Occasionally, the girl would respond, but there was no other sound.
Suddenly, Mu Sanniang spoke, interrupting him.
She gripped the small bottle in her hand, her light blue eyes cast down, and softly asked, “These pills, you gave them all to me, don’t you need them yourself?”
Chen An was startled, then chuckled, “Sister, why do you ask this again? Didn’t I already explain it before?”
Mu Sanniang shook her head and stubbornly continued to look at him.
Chen An sighed, his expression grew serious, and spiritual energy surged around him.
A thin flame appeared out of thin air, illuminating the space between them.
He then waved his hand again, and the flame extinguished.
After doing this, Chen An met Mu Sanniang’s gaze.
He smiled with a hint of pride.
“Sister, I’m already close to the middle stage of Qi Refining. These Qi Gathering Pills don’t work on me at all, so it’s better to leave them for you.”
“Sister, you might not know, but these Qi Gathering Pills are most effective for people like you who haven’t officially embarked on the path of immortality.”
Chen An said this while blinking, his words sincere and truthful.
This question from Mu Sanniang was not the first time.
Initially, Chen An had to put in a lot of effort to convince her to accept the pills.
Now, as time passed, the girl’s thoughts seemed to have changed a little.
She stared blankly at the boy before her, instinctively reached out, and caressed his face, murmuring,
“Why are you so good to me?”
Chen An felt a tickle from her touch but resisted the urge to pull her hand away, replying without hesitation, “Sister, you’re talking nonsense again. If I’m not good to you, who else should I be good to?”
Upon hearing this, Mu Sanniang lowered her head, her voice becoming weaker.
“But…”
“I really am useless.”
Indeed, no matter how well they hid it, there was always a vulnerable side.
At times like these, encouragement was especially needed.
Chen An took the hand she had placed on his face and said firmly, “Sister, you are not useless.”
“When Sanniang saved me from that snowy field, I was utterly amazed.”
“You had so much strength, and you even called me an idiot…”
As he spoke, Chen An’s mouth was suddenly covered by something soft.
It wasn’t the girl’s lips, but her tender hand.
Mu Sanniang’s face flushed slightly, and she quickly denied, “I, I never called my little brother an idiot!”
Her slightly guilty demeanor, in Chen An’s eyes, was extremely cute.
He blinked, didn’t pursue the matter, and instead changed the subject with a smile, “Mhm, anyway, Sister just needs to know that you always have a little brother who admires you.”
As he finished speaking, silence fell again in the room.
After a moment, the girl’s voice softly echoed.
“Brother, I’m a little cold.”
Cold?
Chen An was stunned upon hearing this.
He immediately looked up and saw the girl had already fallen towards him.
She plunged into his embrace.
Mu Sanniang’s hands tightly clasped around his neck, her lips intimately brushed against the boy’s ear.
“Hug me…”
“I won’t be cold if you hug me.”
She whispered, and her warm breath quickly caused Chen An’s ears to visibly redden a little.
The boy pouted, a bit dazed by the sudden attack.
With their skin touching and in close proximity, Chen An could clearly see the fine hairs on the girl’s face.
And the intoxicating, faint fragrance.
After living in the Outer Sect of the Tai Xuan Sect for a year, Mu Sanniang no longer had to worry about food or drink.
Her body had also developed rapidly over this year.
The girl’s face began to mature, and the candlelight shone on her profile, flickering and brilliant, like rosy clouds.
Chen An had always known that his sister should be very beautiful, but because her hair usually obscured her features, he rarely saw her complete face.
Thinking of this, his gaze subconsciously fell on the girl’s dark hair, and he murmured, “Sister, your hair has grown longer…”
Mu Sanniang didn’t look up, maintaining her position with her arms around Chen An’s neck. “What’s wrong, Brother? You don’t like it? I’ll cut it off later.”
“No, I quite like it.”
Chen An replied, then suddenly his body stiffened, and his expression became a little nervous.
Because he felt as if something was nibbling at his ear.
Warm and soft.
“Wait, Sister, this isn’t appropriate…”
Chen An steadied himself and quickly stopped her.
Mu Sanniang’s actions paused, but she didn’t let go, only asking indistinctly, “Why?”
She seemed very confused.
Chen An coughed softly, “It’s just, not very appropriate…”
The girl hummed an “Oh” and didn’t insist.
But she didn’t let go either and proposed another condition.
“Then can you wash my feet?”
The girl gently lifted the hem of her skirt, revealing her fair, slender legs beneath.
They were neither thin nor plump, but perfectly proportioned.
Her smooth skin gleamed with a snow-like radiance.
Chen An forced himself to look away, wanting to righteously refuse loudly.
But the girl had already raised her bare feet and placed them into Chen An’s embrace.
Mu Sanniang’s eyelashes trembled, and her voice was very low.
“My feet are cold too, and I need my brother to hug me.”
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(End of this chapter)
