“Your Highness, this humble servant came by the King’s command. To return like this… would make it truly difficult to report back! Enemy kingdoms have been restless lately, and His Majesty worries they might attempt to harm you secretly. Your Highness, please allow this servant to accompany your journey. I will return once you are safely back at the Degree Immortal Sect.”

Qin Xuan Ya frowned slightly, her usually expressionless beautiful face now showing traces of helplessness.

Yuan Qing tried to persuade: “Junior Sister Xuan Ya, we’re going to Northern Luzhou where dangers lurk everywhere. Having General Yu Wen along means one more person to help look after us.”

Li Changshou suddenly spoke in a calm tone: “Did Junior Brother Yuan Qing know this general beforehand? I didn’t hear the general state his name earlier.”

“Ah, yes,” Yuan Qing glanced at Li Changshou and said with a smile, “I grew up together with Junior Sister Xuan Ya, and we entered the Degree Immortal Sect together. This general is named Yu Wen Ling, the most trusted commander of Xuan Ya’s father. He usually guards her father’s side. His rushing here to protect her shows the situation must truly be precarious.”

So the ice queen and the warm gentleman were childhood friends…

Li Changshou bowed slightly: “I spoke out of turn.”

“Sixth Princess, Your Highness,” Yu Wen Ling called out with furrowed brows.

Qin Xuan Ya looked toward Master Jiu who was lounging at the gourd’s mouth, her gaze carrying a slight plea.

“No matter, no matter,” Master Jiu waved her hand lazily from the gourd’s edge, her voice somewhat drowsy. “If he’s your family guard then let him come along. A newly ascended immortal brute can’t stir up any waves under my watch. Hey, big guy, go sit at the back of the gourd. Don’t make any noise later. Though letting you follow isn’t quite proper, fortunately there’s no sect rule prohibiting disciples from having their own guards when going out.”

Yu Wen Ling bowed: “Thank you, Immortal Master.”

After speaking, the burly man floated toward the back of the large gourd with his giant axe. Master Jiu pointed her finger, and the immortal light around the gourd slowly opened a gap.

Seeing this, Li Changshou casually walked two steps sideways, then circled to the front of the gourd and bowed to ask: “Master Jiu, may this disciple sit behind you?”

Master Jiu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry: “What, you’re over a hundred years old and still shy around strangers? Come sit. Your master said you were cautious by nature – he wasn’t wrong.”

“Senior Brother Li, please sit here,” Qin Xuan Ya rose voluntarily, giving Li Changshou a slightly apologetic smile as she stepped back.

“Thank you,” Li Changshou nodded, ignoring the two somewhat sharp gazes from behind as he calmly sat in Qin Xuan Ya’s former spot.

Those two gazes still came from Liu Yaner and Wang Qi, clearly displeased with Li Changshou’s ‘xenophobic’ behavior, probably feeling it lacked the proper bearing of Degree Immortal Sect disciples.

Li Changshou naturally chose to ignore them.

As Master Jiu continued “gourd-riding” northward, Liu Yaner and Wang Qi, seemingly to mock Li Changshou, deliberately went to chat with Yu Wen Ling.

However, the burly Yu Wen Ling was taciturn by nature. The three engaged in awkward conversation, repeatedly killing the mood.

It wasn’t until Yuan Qing couldn’t bear listening anymore and actively joined the chat that the atmosphere became smoother.

Li Changshou didn’t even look back, his right hand remaining tucked in his sleeve while strands of spiritual consciousness spread around him.

Before deciding to personally go to the southeast of Northern Luzhou, Li Changshou had carefully considered everything and inquired with his acquainted Hundred Mundane Hall steward, learning that the immortal escorting sect disciples for training this time was Master Jiu, who had been responsible for this direction in previous times.

Though Master Jiu had cultivated for less than a thousand years, her strength was extraordinary. She possessed formidable divine abilities and several powerful magical treasures personally bestowed by the Sect Master. It was said her cultivation realm was approaching the Celestial Immortal stage.

—The normal cultivation realms for cultivators after becoming immortal were, in order: Yuan Immortal, True Immortal, Celestial Immortal, Golden Immortal, Great Dao Immortal, and Limitless Primal, known as the ‘Celestial Path.’

More importantly, Master Jiu was one of the few sect immortals who had some connection with his master.

Li Changshou originally thought that since few people went to Northern Luzhou for training, having this immortal’s protection nearby would be much safer than going alone.

He hadn’t expected such a situation to arise halfway…

Glancing at Yuan Qing and Yu Wen Ling from the corner of his eye, Li Changshou pondered internally. He slowly closed his eyes but had no mind for cultivation, maintaining a state ready to deploy the Wind Escape technique at any moment.

At least being closer to Master Jiu gave some sense of security…

Eh?

“Hehe… just one small sip, we’re still far from there, won’t cause any trouble, won’t cause any trouble…”

The Wine Immortal straddling the gourd’s mouth made strange laughing sounds, hugging her wine gourd and secretly taking another sip. Her face immediately flushed red, and she licked her lips with lingering satisfaction.

Li Changshou: …

Perhaps he should find an excuse to leave the group and proceed alone.

Heaven help me.

…

Half a day passed without incident.

The sun set in the west as dusk passed, and stars filled the sky.

Sitting on this ten-zhang-long gourd surrounded by ethereal immortal light and the faint scent of wine, Li Changshou held a bamboo scroll, reading quietly.

The others had entered meditation, including Yu Wen Ling sitting at the back.

Master Jiu lay sideways at the front of the large gourd with half-closed eyes, letting the wind blow through her messy short hair. Her appearance truly differed from typical immortal maidens – quite distinctive in character.

Li Changshou quietly savored the Dao techniques recorded in the book scroll, analyzing how they operated. But his spiritual consciousness remained spread out, continuously monitoring the surrounding ten-zhang range.

Due to previous intentional vigilance training, this wasn’t much burden for him.

A wine gourd suddenly appeared before his vision. Li Changshou solemnly shook his head and said: “Thank you, Master, but this disciple isn’t good with alcohol.”

“How boring,” Master Jiu rolled her eyes, jumping up from the gourd’s “stopper” to sit on its edge, gently swaying the cleanest part of her body – her slender legs.

After a wine hiccup, Master Jiu asked as if casually: “Changshou, your master… is close to becoming immortal, right?”

“The tribulation should be within three to five years,” Li Changshou put the scroll on his leg, watching this Master Jiu before him.

Master Jiu was actually one of the few people who had visited Small Jade Peak during his hundred years since entering the sect.

“Ah,” Master Jiu sighed, deliberately using an old-fashioned tone as she turned her back to Li Changshou and lectured:

“Back then several of us got along well. What a pity about your master – he had good aptitude too, but after being injured once his foundation was damaged, and he still can’t fully recover even now. Changshou, actually despite your master not being immortal yet, his understanding of our Degree Immortal Sect’s Dao techniques isn’t inferior to any thousand-year immortal…”

“Master speaks too kindly,” Li Changshou showed a slight smile, his eyes narrowing somewhat – an expression he rarely showed to anyone besides his master and junior sister.

Li Changshou said: “My master has always given his all in teaching me and my junior sister. To us, master is like a parent.”

“Speaking of which, what’s going on with your cultivation? Only at the ninth stage of Chi Shen after so many years – can’t you comprehend Return to Void?”

Master Jiu turned her head to glare at Li Changshou, “This master heard when first entering the sect that your Small Jade Peak had bad luck, and it seems that wasn’t wrong. Give me your hand, let this master check your aptitude… I remember your aptitude was quite good when you entered the sect, right? Don’t tell me you’ve really been confused by that muddle-headed master of yours!”

Li Changshou’s brows immediately furrowed tight. Though this Master Jiu meant well, but…

If she made physical contact to examine him, being a True Immortal expert, his cultivation level hidden by magical techniques would definitely be exposed!

Master Jiu had already extended her wine-scented right hand toward him. Li Changshou instinctively shifted back and smiled awkwardly: “Master, it’s improper for men and women to touch each other, this seems inappropriate.”

“Improper for men and women to touch? Who says that? Never heard of it!”

Master Jiu immediately showed a look of disdain, “We cultivators pursue freedom from constraints, wandering unfettered in the world. Why care about those messy mortal etiquettes? Quick, stretch out your hand! Don’t tell me something went wrong with your cultivation? Wasn’t your aptitude quite good?”

“Master, this isn’t appropriate… A few years ago, this disciple suddenly developed a condition where touching women causes full-body convulsions!”

Li Changshou instantly stood up, his footwork fluid as his body left two afterimages, smoothly appearing behind Qin Xuan Ya, looking at Master Jiu with a bitter smile.

Master Jiu blinked, suddenly seeming to discover something.

That footwork he just used to shift position…

“The Dragon Cloud Exploring Step? Not bad, kid, you’ve learned such a difficult technique?” Master Jiu’s expression suddenly became strange, “Your master said you were only interested in escape techniques. Don’t tell me these hundred-plus years… you’ve focused entirely on these!”

“This disciple has always cultivated diligently, never slacking for a moment… Hm?”

That gentle touch.

Li Changshou looked down at the slender finger gently poking his inner thigh, several black lines instantly appearing on his forehead.

Following the slender finger, he saw a smooth white jade-like arm, as if carved from the finest mutton-fat jade. Further up were fire-red shoulder straps and collar, and that beautiful face tilted slightly with a trace of curiosity.

Qin Xuan Ya!

‘A few years ago suddenly developed a condition where touching women causes full-body convulsions!’

Li Changshou’s mouth twitched frantically, but he made a decision almost instantly.

This was also a ruthless move – completely disregarding his external image, his whole body began trembling, gritting his teeth to control his muscles as they started twisting. His face showed pain, his eyes rolled back sharply, and foam formed at his mouth…

Damn it…

Qin Xuan Ya, aren’t you supposed to be an ice queen?!

Damn it!