In a room at Luo Yueguan in Ziyun Pavilion.
The room was currently excessively lively.
Bai Jin and Bai Li were on one side, Luo Yueguan and Luo Qingyu were on another, while Chu Xianning was with Jiang Huai on a third side. Wen Wanwan had already woken up and was now sitting beside Jiang Huai.
Luo Qingyu and Bai Li first recounted everything that happened in the Immortal Spirit Secret Realm. Apart from encountering the brothers Mu Jiaoyang and Mu Linxing, which caused some trouble, everything else was fine. Each of them had gained some opportunities. Luo Qingyu obtained a Daoist magic inheritance, and her cultivation level advanced to Fifth Level Transc.
Bai Li’s cultivation level advanced a little less. She was now at First Level Transc, but she had acquired a heaven-tier ink-colored greatsword, which she really liked.
After they finished recounting their experiences, Bai Jin began to introduce herself. Over a decade ago, she had encountered a secret realm, which was not just a simple secret realm but the world of another dimension. By a stroke of luck, she entered that world to cultivate. The cultivation resources and Spiritual Qi in that world were more than ten times richer than in this world. She cultivated until she reached the Ninth Realm before being detected by the Heavenly Way of that world and expelled, returning to this world.
Now, she was already at Ninth Realm cultivation, First Level Supreme.
Bai Li then introduced Jiang Huai to Bai Jin. She casually grabbed Jiang Huai’s arm and told Bai Jin about how they met and how Jiang Huai had taken care of her all these years. Jiang Huai sat there obediently, feeling a bit lost. Facing a big shot at the Ninth Realm, the pressure was immense.
Bai Jin glanced over subtly. She noticed that when Bai Li spoke of Jiang Huai, the joy in her eyes was more than just a little.
She quietly took note of this and said gently, “In a few months, the Monster Clan’s Monster Emperor Inheritance Secret Realm will open. If you still want to stay in the Eastern Region for a little longer, you can stay for another month. After one month, Mother will come to pick you up to return to the Western Region.”
Bai Li hesitated for a while, then averted her face. “I want to think about it some more…”
“Alright, there’s no rush to give me a reply in a few days. Mother will be staying here with you for a few days first.” Bai Jin replied softly. Bai Li obediently agreed.
With nothing else to do, it was naturally time to return. Luo Yueguan took out her Spirit Boat. Her Spirit Boat was incredibly large and luxuriously grand, easily accommodating seven rooms. After everyone chose their rooms, the Spirit Boat took to the sky and sailed towards Moon Wave Continent.
Meanwhile, Jiang Huai gently knocked on Chu Xianning’s door.
The sunlight outside the Spirit Boat was bright. Chu Xianning had never liked overly intense light, so the curtains in the room were all drawn, allowing only a hazy light to filter in.
She sat on the edge of the bed, her slender waist held straight. When the door opened, her eyes quietly looked at Jiang Huai in front of her, her face cool and indifferent. Jiang Xiaohu gently closed the door and said in a low voice, “I’ve come to report my encounters in the Daoji Ancestral Land to Master.”
Chu Xianning nodded slightly.
Jiang Huai brought over a chair and began to brew Jasmine tea. Chu Xianning came to sit at the tea table opposite him, listening as Jiang Huai recounted his experiences in the Daoji Ancestral Land. Jiang Huai described everything in detail, including how Wen Wanwan healed him in the cave using the miraculous properties of the Grand Xuan Sacred Body.
As he reached this part, Chu Xianning’s eyelashes trembled slightly, but she did not interrupt him.
“Regarding the lifespan issue, it was true that only five years remained. However, Wanwan and I went to kill a bunch of Evil Cult cultivators from Linglong Continent, and we managed to extend my lifespan by another two hundred years. Master doesn’t need to worry too much.”
“Good,” Chu Xianning nodded gently.
She remained silent, her gaze fixed on Jiang Huai for a long while. Jiang Huai felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze. After a few seconds, he scratched his head and asked in a low voice, “Master, why are you staring at me?”
Chu Xianning was silent for a long time, then said softly, “If there’s ever a choice like that again, I hope you would choose to hide in the cave.”
“What would Master choose then?” Jiang Huai couldn’t help but ask.
Jiang Huai suddenly felt an inexplicable restlessness in his heart.
After receiving the life-extending Spirit Medicine on Guanxue Mountain, she had personally inquired with the disciples who had heard the news and learned of Jiang Huai’s predicament in the Daoji Ancestral Land. Upon learning that he had no more than five years left, she had immediately used her soul to search for Jiang Huai’s aura. At Ziyun Pavilion, she had used her reputation to borrow a large sum of Spirit Stones to purchase information to track Jiang Huai’s whereabouts. Only last night did she receive news that Jiang Huai had arrived at the Immortal Spirit Secret Realm. She hadn’t slept all night, rushing there on her sword, and happened to arrive just as Luo Yueguan was confronting Mu Lanyan.
She had been restless all night, unable to calm down, her chaotic thoughts nearly overwhelming her mind. Only seeing Jiang Huai and hearing him say that he was safe did she finally calm down, as if waking from a long dream.
“You don’t need to concern yourself with what I would choose. I want you to be obedient!”
Jiang Huai scratched his head. “Actually, I thought about hiding in the cave back then…”
“Then why didn’t you hide?”
“I couldn’t bear it. Master taught me since childhood to be kind. If there’s an opportunity, I should still…”
Before Jiang Huai could finish speaking, Chu Xianning suddenly stood up and reached out to grab his collar.
Jiang Huai froze, gazing at her face.
He had never seen Chu Xianning so agitated before.
“Forget everything I’ve ever taught you. From now on, if you encounter such a dangerous situation again, just survive. Don’t worry about anyone else, understand!”
Jiang Huai lowered his head slightly, looking at Chu Xianning’s fair, white wrists. Her arm seemed to be trembling slightly.
“Mmm, okay, I heard you. I’ll listen to Master,” Jiang Huai replied softly. “From now on, if there are such choices, I will definitely choose to protect myself and preserve my life to continue being filial to Master.”
“Promise me,” Chu Xianning released his collar and gently lifted his chin with her fingertips. She had already stood up and leaned in, looking into Jiang Huai’s eyes. The distance between them suddenly became very, very close, so close that Jiang Huai could feel her breath on his cheek.
Jiang Huai’s heartbeat suddenly quickened, his throat felt tight, and for a moment, he didn’t know what to say, feeling a little breathless.
The closer he was to Chu Xianning, the more distinct her faint fragrance seemed, subtly tickling Jiang Huai’s nose. Jiang Huai’s head felt a little fuzzy. “How can I promise that?”
“Promise me you won’t put yourself in danger again. Promise me you won’t act impulsively again…”
“Doesn’t Master always dislike interfering with others’ freedom the most?” Jiang Huai suddenly said something foolish.
“So what you just said was just to coax me?” Chu Xianning’s voice trembled slightly.
“Of course not. I promise, I promise, isn’t that enough? Master knows I listen to you the most. Why else would I need to promise?”
Jiang Huai answered in a hurry. In a daze, he seemed to see a few tears welling up in Chu Xianning’s eyelashes.
“Swear it,” Chu Xianning said coldly.
“I swear, I swear I will never put myself in danger again. If I fail to do so, I will not be worthy of being Chu Xianning’s direct disciple, nor will I be worthy of drinking another cup of wine with Chu Xianning.”
After Jiang Huai said this, Chu Xianning, who was holding his chin, suddenly froze.
She sat back down, turned her face away. After about a few seconds, she suddenly lifted her leg from under the table and gently kicked Jiang Huai’s leg.
“Who wants to drink with you?” Chu Xianning’s cool voice became very soft.
“I remember Master promised me that we could have a drink together when we returned.”
“Then prepare the banquet on the Spirit Boat tonight, and the seven of us will drink together.”
“That won’t do,” Jiang Huai also turned his face away. “Drinking with a group of people is one thing, but having a quiet drink and heart-to-heart conversation with Master alone in the courtyard is another. These two things cannot be mixed up.”
Jiang Huai vaguely felt that Chu Xianning might have guessed that he wanted to take advantage of her when she was drunk to do something bad to her.
Sometimes, you have to trust your intuition! Jiang Xiaohu!
Chu Xianning turned her face away. When she turned back, the tears on her eyelashes had already evaporated, as if what Jiang Huai had seen before was just an illusion. Her eyes had returned to their cool and indifferent state. She said, “You… since you and Wen Wanwan have already consummated your marriage, you cannot let her down.”
“Naturally. I know what I’m doing. After reporting the matter of the Daoji Ancestral Land to Master, I should go and be honest with Qingyu.”
“Have you thought about what you’re going to say to Luo Qingyu?”
“The truth,” Jiang Huai sighed softly, a hint of sorrow still on his face.
Chu Xianning turned her face away. “Then you deserve it. Who told you to promise a marriage contract to Luo Qingyu yourself?”
“Qingyu likes me. I can’t let her down.”
“Do you have to like whoever likes you?”
“Perhaps I’m just like this. I don’t know how to refuse. I’m always worried about hurting others’ feelings by refusing them, and my own heart feels empty. I don’t quite understand what true liking is. Perhaps when I respond to someone’s liking, I do like them.” Jiang Huai scratched his head.
“Then if someone never likes you, will you still like her?”
“No,” Jiang Huai answered very honestly. “If I like someone for a very, very long time and don’t get any response, I’ll obediently give up. Otherwise, it’s just causing trouble for the other person.”
“But I don’t feel like you’re someone who would give up,” Chu Xianning’s voice seemed to carry a hint of gritted teeth.
“If that person truly doesn’t like me at all, I will give up. But if she occasionally softens her heart and is indecisive towards me, when I think there’s hope, she seems to move away from me again. But whenever I want to give up, she is kind to me again… Master, tell me, if there is such a woman, is she very excessive?”
“Then she should be heartless, right?” Chu Xianning looked directly into Jiang Huai’s eyes.
“I’m not her, so I can’t guess her thoughts. But if I feel that my liking for her will only cause her trouble, I will obediently leave.”
Jiang Huai blinked innocently and changed the subject. “No, Master… so, the wine we agreed on, are we still drinking it or not? Master isn’t going to go back on your word, are you? You already agreed…”
The little scoundrel in front of him put on that pitiful look again.
Chu Xianning turned her face away, feeling a little guilty for a moment.
“We’ll talk about it when we get home.”
Jiang Huai froze for a moment.
The word “home” inexplicably touched him. He chuckled, “Mmm, we’ll talk about it when we get home.”
