CHAPTER 108: 088 HERITAGE AND CHANG’AN

Forget it.

Teaching Junior Sister Yun how to cultivate is what she should focus on next. To be honest, although Yun Qian gives her a peculiar feeling, Wen Li is also somewhat intrigued by Yun Qian, thinking she’s a very pretty, clean girl.

Lazy, straightforward in speech, but inexplicably likable.

The list Wen Li gave Xu Chang’an was pre-arranged. These entry-level low-level elixirs were available as needed, but she still let Xu Chang’an prepare them for Yun Qian, as it was the rule.

Yun Qian is his wife. Xu Chang’an had accumulated quite a few Spirit Stones and Contribution Points over the past year, but he was like a treasure-hoarder, only taking in and not giving out.

The Junior Sisters on Muyu Peak all knew that their Junior Brother was very "stingy," generally only carrying Demon-Exorcising Talismans, and not seen buying anything else.

Wen Li also wanted to see how important Yun Qian truly was in his heart and how generous he would be.

——

——

On Celestial Bright Peak, Xu Chang’an returned to his room. Yun Qian approached to speak, but Xu Chang’an gently placed a finger on her lips.

"Shh." Xu Chang’an’s gaze was focused: "Don’t speak yet."

"...Oh."

Yun Qian silently knelt beside Xu Chang’an, not disturbing him.

With Wen Li’s medicinal list in hand, Xu Chang’an read it very carefully and noticed Wen Li’s attentiveness. She had listed everything from medicinal baths to improve physique, elixirs to clear meridians, and talismans for calming the mind.

This is the convenience of having a guide.

If only someone had helped him this way back then, he wouldn’t have been stuck at the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer for so long.

But thinking back, even if he understood these things at the time, he had no Spirit Stones to prepare for such expensive medicines.

This highlights the benefits of having a faction. Being an Inner Sect disciple in a sect like Chaoyun comes with cultivation benefits, spiritual medicine, and guides, sparing many detours.

Xu Chang’an put down the list and suddenly wrapped an arm around Yun Qian’s waist as she was in a daze, earnestly saying, "I must work hard."

"What are you saying?" Yun Qian looked at him.

"I said, whatever those sect disciples have, I will try to prepare the same for Miss." Xu Chang’an took a deep breath, contemplating that it might be difficult to use all his savings for these elixirs for Yun Qian, but he would try his best.

"I am Miss’s only resource. If I don’t work hard, what will you eat?" Xu Chang’an carefully put away the list.

"Resource?" Yun Qian thought for a moment and calmly said, "Then I want to be your resource too."

"I’ll rely on you, then." Xu Chang’an stretched lazily and then looked at his wife, curiously asking, "Why is Senior Wen still drinking tea? It must be cold by now, it’s too impolite."

"I don’t think it’s impolite. She seems to enjoy drinking tea," Yun Qian said.

"Is that so?" Xu Chang’an asked curiously, "Miss, what did you and Senior Wen talk about?"

"Chang’an?"

"Which Chang’an?"

"You."

Yun Qian thought about it and said, "I think she’s talking about you, though she was speaking of ’enduring peace.’ But I feel...she was still talking about you."

"Don’t make it sound so serious, and what’s it got to do with me?" Xu Chang’an grimaced, helplessly saying, "Why did the conversation go so far?"

This feels very odd; Xu Chang’an finds it hard to imagine Yun Qian would discuss such far-reaching "topics."

"Just casual talk," Yun Qian pointed to the writing on the wall, saying, "She loves your writing and was looking at it constantly, so she mentioned it."

"Writing?" Xu Chang’an looked over.

Peace and prosperity?

He thought they genuinely had a topic to discuss, but it turned out to be idle conversation, saying whatever came to mind.

Yun Qian blinked and took out a candied plum. After biting it, she looked at Xu Chang’an.

She thought "enduring peace and stability" referred to her husband.

But Yun Qian won’t draw conclusions herself; she will ask her husband and listen to him. Whatever he says goes.

"What is peace?" Yun Qian asked.

Xu Chang’an was startled: "Miss, you’re asking me what peace is? This is something you can ask?"

"What do you mean."

"Nothing." Xu Chang’an coughed and said, "Speaking of peace, it inevitably includes living in prosperity and stability, though this world has never truly seen peace, which makes it enticing."

Just like how the annals of history always speak of immortals emerging, reality outside of Beisang City remains unstable.

"Do you want Chang’an for yourself, enduring peace and stability, or peace for the world?" Yun Qian asked again.

"?" A question mark floated above Xu Chang’an’s head. He picked up the part he could understand and casually said, "Didn’t I say peace isn’t so easy to attain? But in the Cultivation Realm, if anyone’s cultivation surpasses everyone else’s, maybe...peace will arrive someday?"

Just like how Chaoyun Sect and Demon Sect stand opposed, making the world still unstable.

"Like this?" Yun Qian swallowed the plum.

"Miss, if you’re not interested in such grand principles, there’s no need to forcefully understand them," Xu Chang’an chuckled while looking at Yun Qian’s frowning face, "Those grand principles aside, on to the little ones... Miss, the peace I’m after isn’t world peace but my little corner of it."

"What do you mean?" Yun Qian asked.

"Your Chang’an, my Chang’an," Xu Chang’an isn’t chasing grand ideals, just wanting Yun Qian to be safe and progressing in her cultivation.

"So I am Chang’an." Yun Qian blinked as she said, "Yet you’re chasing Chang’an, and haven’t you already caught me?"

"That sounds strange." Xu Chang’an’s eyelid twitched, rubbing his forehead, "I just want you to cultivate well; if you can’t defend yourself, how can I be at ease?"

"Didn’t you say you’d protect me?"

"I haven’t forgotten, no need to keep reminding me." Xu Chang’an felt he was about to be spun around by Miss Yun, and suddenly said, "Today... I don’t have to return to Muyu Peak."

"And then?" Yun Qian opened the package Xu Chang’an brought and said, "I want some wine."

"Go wash up." Xu Chang’an squinted slightly, lifting Yun Qian off her feet and into the bath’s Mystic Passage. He gently patted her belly and said, "You wash first, today...I’ll serve Miss well."

"I’ll be waiting, act quickly." Yun Qian blinked rapidly and obediently went for her bath.

——

Outside, Xu Chang’an took out the Spirit Fruits he brought, sliced them, arranged them, skillfully warmed the wine, and frequently glanced toward the bathroom.

Since he pledged to take the initiative,

he might as well be more proactive.

Taking the fruit platter and wine, Xu Chang’an took a deep breath and entered the bathroom.