“Senior, how can you be like this? Just because you’re good-looking yourself, you won’t allow others to be good-looking.” Kong Hou walked to the rocking chair and bent down in a bow. “This junior greets Wuming Zhenren.”

Wuming Zhenren, who had been lying motionless, turned his head to look at the young lady standing before him with a bow, then quickly turned his face back: “Won’t save.”

“Senior.” Kong Hou stood up and walked to face Wuming Zhenren directly. “Please lend your assistance, Senior.”

Wuming Zhenren continued to turn over. Kong Hou continued to follow him. After going back and forth like this three or four times, Wuming sat up from the rocking chair. “Little girl, at such a young age, how is your face so thick?”

“When traveling outside, how can one manage if their face is too thin?” Answering this question with a smile, Kong Hou put her hands together and looked at him with pleading eyes. “Senior, please, please help us.”

A fair and tender young lady with large dark eyes, a beautiful dress, and ink-black hair—when such a young lady looks at someone with pleading eyes, whether man or woman, their heart can’t help but waver.

Standing to the side, Huan Zong saw Kong Hou bowing and scraping before others for his sake. He couldn’t help but step forward, wanting to take her away. Wuming Zhenren might not have the medicinal catalyst he wanted. Watching her bend and curry favor made his heart ache.

Lin Hu stepped forward and blocked Huan Zong’s path, using sound transmission: “Young Master, don’t ruin Miss Kong Hou’s efforts.”

Huan Zong looked at him coldly.

Lin Hu remained unmoved and continued transmitting: “We’ve come this far. If we don’t try, how can we know the result? Do you want Miss Kong Hou’s efforts in currying favor to be wasted?”

Looking at Kong Hou smiling obediently at Wuming Zhenren, Huan Zong stiffly stopped in his tracks.

“What did you say just now—that I’m good-looking so I won’t allow others to be good-looking?” Wuming Zhenren smoothed his full head of silver hair and glanced at Huan Zong from the corner of his eye, saying to Kong Hou: “Little girl, although your face is rather thick, your eye for beauty is passable. I can agree to your request, but you must satisfy one condition of mine.”

“Please speak, Senior.” Joy appeared on Kong Hou’s face. “As long as we’re able to accomplish it, we’ll definitely do it for you.”

“All the servants in my medicine hall are silent and dull. If you stay to be my medicine servant for ten years, I’ll agree to help him treat his illness.” Wuming Zhenren stood up from the rocking chair and looked at Huan Zong. “Your complexion is pale, and your five viscera and six bowels all have internal injuries. But for cultivators, these aren’t the biggest troubles. Your biggest problem is that your spiritual platform is unstable, almost on the verge of collapse and shattering. I can temporarily stabilize your spiritual platform, but I can treat the body, not the heart. I can’t help you with the rest.”

Kong Hou hadn’t expected Huan Zong’s physical condition to be this severe. She said urgently: “You have no way either?”

Wuming Zhenren shook his head, speaking without any softening of his words: “None.”

“Being able to stabilize the spiritual platform is still good.” Kong Hou thought for a moment. “If I become a medicine servant here, can I take leave each year to return to the sect to visit family? Being a medicine servant is no problem. I’m just afraid the elders in the sect will worry…”

“No need.” Huan Zong interrupted Kong Hou’s words, blocked her front, and said to Wuming Zhenren: “Thank you, Senior. It’s just that this junior is very clear about my own body’s condition. Miss Kong Hou is still young and doesn’t understand medicinal principles well. I’m afraid she’s not suitable to be Zhenren’s medicine servant. We’ve disturbed you greatly today. We’ll take our leave.” After saying this, he turned around, grasped Kong Hou’s wrist, and walked outside.

“Huan Zong, Huan Zong.” Kong Hou said in a small voice. “Anyway, in cultivation time has no meaning. Ten years isn’t long. Maybe…”

“You’re only sixteen this year. Where do you get the confidence to say ten years isn’t long?” Huan Zong stopped walking and turned to smile at Kong Hou. “Young ladies should enjoy life in their best years. Save talk about ‘in cultivation time has no meaning’ until after you’re a hundred years old.”

His entire life had been spent with the sword, never relaxing for a moment. Only after meeting Kong Hou did he realize how precious youthful time was. Even though cultivators have very long lifespans, time never turns back.

“But…” Kong Hou grabbed Huan Zong’s sleeve hem. “I want you to live well.” Clearly it should be Huan Zong who was most distressed right now, yet he was smiling as he spoke to her. How could there be such a foolish person?

“Silly girl.” Huan Zong laughed softly. “I’m a personally transmitted disciple of Liuguang Sect. Even if Wuming Zhenren is unwilling to help, I can still find others. The sect won’t abandon me.” How could he, a man over three hundred years old, let a young girl become someone’s medicine servant for his sake? Never mind ten years—even one day was unacceptable. He would rather die.

“Let’s go.” Through the fabric of his sleeve, Huan Zong gripped Kong Hou’s wrist and walked toward the carriage. “Kong Hou, you must remember—many things won’t achieve perfection just by compromising and seeking fulfillment.”

Even cultivators couldn’t seek eternal life. He wanted the young lady to understand one principle: life and death cannot be forced. He was born as heaven’s favored child. Even on a journey, he could meet a pure and lively young friend who let him experience different pleasures of life. Wasn’t this also a kind of good fortune?

“Where are you two going? Did I say I couldn’t change the conditions?” Wuming Zhenren stood on the steps, hands tucked in his sleeves, raising his eyebrows at them. “Young people really don’t understand manners. The elder hasn’t finished speaking, yet you’re ready to leave just like that. Come back.”

Kong Hou pulled Huan Zong back and asked with a smile: “Senior, you’re willing to help?”

Wuming Zhenren looked at Huan Zong sideways: “You did act like a man in this.” If this man had been indifferent to the young lady becoming a medicine servant just now, he definitely wouldn’t have been willing to help. Now he was willing to consider it.

Although good-looking men were annoying, good-looking men with a conscience could somewhat make up for this flaw.

“I’m currently researching a medicine, but I’m still missing one very important medicinal catalyst. If you can find this ingredient for me, I can help treat your friend’s illness.” Wuming Zhenren pushed open the medicine hall door and said to Kong Hou: “Little girl, today I’m making an exception based on your good eye for beauty.”

In this world, who doesn’t like others praising them for being good-looking? Although he didn’t like other good-looking men, this certainly didn’t include himself.

“Senior, which medicinal catalyst do you lack?” Kong Hou was somewhat worried. Huan Zong was already missing over ten ingredients. Now Wuming Zhenren wanted them to find medicine too. What if they couldn’t find it?

“A flower that blooms at night, withers in an instant, and disappears when it falls into the mud.” Wuming Zhenren looked at Kong Hou. “This flower is called Blue Silver. Do you have it?”

“Yes, we do! How much do you need?” Kong Hou was overjoyed. Without thinking, she pulled out a large package of petals from her storage ring and presented it before Wuming Zhenren. “Is this enough?” Fortunately, Senior Lin had casually collected these petals last night. Otherwise, they truly wouldn’t have been able to provide them today.

A package of Blue Silver Flowers—an entire large package of Blue Silver Flowers?

Wuming Zhenren somewhat doubted his eyes. Was he seeing an illusion? Blue Silver Flowers were extremely difficult to find. Encountering them in bloom was even harder. Sometimes getting a few flowers was considered lucky. This large package couldn’t be Blue Silver Flowers—it must be roadside wild chrysanthemums, right? He opened the cloth bundle. Whether judging by color, shape, or scent, these were undoubtedly Blue Silver Flowers. He looked at Kong Hou in disbelief, feeling as if he were still dreaming.

In fact, his medicine hall had collected a small box of Blue Silver Flowers. Making this request was just to make things difficult for them, wanting the young lady to say a few more pleasant words before him. He hadn’t expected them to actually produce Blue Silver Flowers, and such a large package at that.

Such a large package!

“Come in.” Wuming Zhenren stuffed the Blue Silver Flowers into his own storage pouch, turned around, and walked into the medicine hall. Kong Hou grabbed Huan Zong’s sleeve and pulled him to hurry and follow.

This medicine hall was not only magnificent outside, but its interior furnishings were also lavish. Medicine servants and attendants moved about. When they saw Wuming Zhenren passing by, they all made way and bowed in greeting.

“Follow me this way.” Wuming Zhenren came to the back courtyard and pushed open a room door. Inside the room was empty except for two meditation cushions and a small incense burner by the window. He walked to the incense burner, took out a piece of incense, lit it, placed it in the burner, then turned to Huan Zong and said: “I’m going to use spiritual energy to examine your meridians in a moment. Don’t resist my spiritual energy.”

Huan Zong silently sat cross-legged on the meditation cushion. Wuming Zhenren sat down behind him, gathered spiritual power in both palms, and placed his hands on Huan Zong’s back.

As soon as spiritual energy entered Huan Zong’s body, Wuming was very surprised. This was actually a five spiritual root cultivator, and his meridians were solid and strong, showing his past cultivation had definitely been very diligent. The spiritual energy slowly approached the spiritual platform. Wuming discovered the spiritual energy inside was chaotic, the spiritual platform nearly shattered, yet even so, the spiritual energy in the platform was still extremely powerful. The spiritual energy Wuming directed in was almost scattered by the powerful force inside the platform. Fortunately, he reacted quickly. Sensing something wrong, he withdrew his spiritual energy, avoiding backlash.

This man whose bone age was over three hundred years actually had higher cultivation than him, an old man who had lived for over a thousand years. If not for the spiritual platform’s problem, his cultivation would probably be even more astonishing.

“Senior, how is it?” Seeing Wuming’s grave expression, Kong Hou hurried over to help him up. “Do you have a method to treat it?”

“Heart demons are unresolved. Though not beyond all hope of treatment, it’s very difficult.” Wuming Zhenren slowly shook his head. Although he found Huan Zong’s face disagreeable, as an elder, he ultimately felt some regret for Huan Zong’s talent. “If he cannot see through it himself, his mental state won’t stabilize.”

He saw that Kong Hou’s cultivation wasn’t high enough yet. She probably didn’t know that the higher a cultivator’s realm, the more dangerous it became when their mental state had problems. Looking back at Huan Zong standing up with an indifferent expression, he snorted lightly: “For the sake of the Blue Silver Flowers, I’ll refine some pills for him. When the spiritual platform becomes uncontrollable, he can take one to temporarily suppress the chaotic spiritual energy inside the platform.”

“Thank you, Senior.” Huan Zong bowed to Wuming Zhenren, but his face showed neither pleasure nor anger, revealing no emotion.

“No need to thank me. This is a fair exchange.” Wuming Zhenren flicked his sleeves. “My medicine hall doesn’t lodge outside guests. Come back here in seven days to collect the pills.”

“We dare not disturb Senior. We’ll stay outside.” Kong Hou gave Wuming Zhenren a big smile.

Wuming Zhenren looked at Kong Hou, then turned to look at Huan Zong. Not knowing what he thought of, he impatiently waved his hand: “Go on, go on. Don’t come bother me these next few days.”

The three were chased out onto the street by Wuming Zhenren. Hearing the heavy sound of the door closing behind them, Kong Hou turned to Lin Hu and said: “Senior Lin, fortunately you had the foresight to collect the flower petals. Otherwise, today we wouldn’t have had anything to give Wuming Zhenren.”

Lin Hu moved his lips but didn’t speak. If Kong Hou hadn’t called Young Master to the roof to view flowers last night, he wouldn’t have known there was such a large expanse of Blue Silver Flowers blooming in the valley. Rather than this being his achievement, it was fortunate that Kong Hou discovered them.

Wuming Zhenren’s temperament was eccentric. Often happy one moment, he’d become angry the next. This time he was willing to refine pills for Young Master—for them, this was an unexpected joy. Although they didn’t obtain the medicinal materials they wanted, this bottle of pills was more precious than the materials.

With pills refined by Wuming Zhenren, Young Master’s body temporarily wouldn’t have any more problems. This put Lin Hu’s mind at great ease. At least this way, they still had time to slowly search for the medicinal catalysts needed in the secret formula.

After receiving the sect’s message, the shopkeeper of Yuxiao Sect’s branch shop dispatched people to guard at the city gate. Hearing from his subordinates that the personally transmitted disciple of the main sect had finally entered the city, he hurriedly brought the things he had prepared long ago and chased them all the way to outside Wuming Medicine Hall.

He sat in the carriage, watching the three people being chased out by Wuming Zhenren. He hesitated about whether to appear at such an awkward moment. At this face-losing scene, the main sect’s personally transmitted disciple probably didn’t want other people to see. Seeing the three preparing to board their carriage and leave, the branch shopkeeper couldn’t sit still. He jumped down from the carriage. “Immortal Elder, please wait. This humble one has been ordered by Sect Master Jinyue to deliver things to the Immortal Elder.”

Huan Zong stopped walking and turned to size up the man running over. This man’s cultivation was only at Qi Refining tenth stage. Dressed like a wealthy landowner, his slightly plump face wore a somewhat ingratiating smile.

“Greetings to both Immortal Elders and the Xianzi.” The branch shopkeeper cupped his hands and bowed. “This humble one is the branch shop manager of Yuxiao Sect stationed in Yicheng. A few days ago, I received a flying message from the main sect. His venerable self instructed this humble one to prepare some things useful for traveling and to wait here for the Immortal Elder’s arrival.”

“You’re saying the Sect Master told you to wait for me?” Huan Zong was somewhat surprised. Why would Shifu suddenly have someone send things over?

“Please inspect them, Immortal Elder.” The branch shopkeeper respectfully presented a storage ring with both hands. “The branch shop is small. We couldn’t collect anything good on short notice. Please forgive us, Immortal Elder.” The branch shopkeeper had long heard of the reputation of Liuguang Sect’s sword cultivators. If displeased, they would draw their swords, so he dared not show the slightest impropriety before them.

“You’ve taken great trouble.” Lin Hu accepted the storage ring and nodded to the branch shopkeeper.

“I dare not.” The branch shopkeeper bowed and stepped back two paces. “This humble one won’t disturb the Immortal Elder’s and Xianzi’s rest. Farewell.”

Lin Hu nodded slightly. After the branch shopkeeper got on his carriage and left, he thought somewhat puzzled: Could it be that because Young Master sent specialties back last time, the Sect Master misunderstood that Young Master was short on spirit stones?

That would make sense. A child who never sent things home suddenly sending gifts to elders could indeed easily make people overthink.

But Young Master had been to secret realms these years and slain evil cultivators. He had plenty of magical treasures and spirit stones on him. How could he be lacking spirit stones? Though suspicious in his heart, it wasn’t appropriate to discuss such matters on the street. Lin Hu drove the carriage to find the best inn in the city. Because they needed to stay in Yicheng for several days, this time he didn’t book guest rooms but instead rented a small courtyard.

“Young Master.” Lin Hu handed the storage ring to Huan Zong. “I’ve checked it. There are no other talismans on it.”

Seeing Huan Zong preparing to casually put away the storage ring, he couldn’t help saying: “Why don’t you look at what’s inside?” With the Sect Master’s character, he wouldn’t rashly have people from a subsidiary sect send things. There must be some misunderstanding here.

Huan Zong sent his divine sense into the storage ring and discovered that besides some magical artifacts, talismans, and spirit stones, many things suitable for girls occupied more than half the space. Hairpins and jewelry flashing with dharma light, dharma robes, flying swords inlaid with various gemstones, and even embroidered shoes of various sizes.

Huan Zong, who had lived over three hundred years, couldn’t understand Shifu’s intentions for the first time. Why send him so many things for women? These clothes—pink ones, yellow ones, red ones—various styles gathered together, probably amounting to dozens of sets.

Seeing Huan Zong’s expression somewhat strange, Lin Hu asked worriedly: “Young Master, is something wrong?”

“Take a look.” Huan Zong handed him the storage ring. Lin Hu took the ring and scanned it with his divine sense, then also fell silent.

After a moment, he said hesitantly: “Could it be that when the sect disciple returned a few days ago, he told the Sect Master you had Miss Kong Hou by your side? These things… might be prepared for Miss Kong Hou.”

Usually he had always thought Liuguang Sect and Yunhua Sect had an average relationship. He hadn’t expected the Sect Master to value Yunhua Sect disciples so much. This storage ring had everything a girl could use, all prepared.

“You mean all these things are prepared for Kong Hou?” Huan Zong took back the storage ring and scanned the contents inside again with his divine sense. This hairpin was made exquisitely and cutely—Kong Hou would definitely look beautiful wearing it. This dharma robe was too large and unsuitable for her. The pink one was better looking.

Seeing Young Master’s divine sense hadn’t withdrawn, Lin Hu coughed twice: “Young Master?”

“Mm?” Huan Zong casually put away the storage ring. “What is it?”

“Nothing. I just wanted to remind you that Miss Kong Hou wants to go shopping this afternoon. Will you accompany her?” Lin Hu asked.

“Mm.” Huan Zong stood up. “I know.”

What did “I know” mean—going or not going? Lin Hu saw him leave the room and head toward the direction of Miss Kong Hou’s room. He shook his head and sighed. After all these years, Young Master was finally willing to learn to enjoy life.

But thinking of Young Master’s physical condition, he would rather Young Master be like a cold sword than like now, constantly worrying about the spiritual platform shattering and losing his life.

Huan Zong came to outside Kong Hou’s room door: “Kong Hou, is it convenient now?”

The door quickly opened from inside. Kong Hou with her hair down said to him: “Huan Zong, please sit for a bit. Wait while I finish combing my hair.” Her skin was fair. With her hair hanging down, her face looked even smaller.

Huan Zong sat down on a chair near the door. His index finger unconsciously rubbed the storage ring as he quietly watched Kong Hou comb her hair.

“When I first came to the cultivation world, I still didn’t know how to comb my hair. To help me comb beautiful double buns, two senior brothers learned hair combing methods from senior sisters of other peaks for several days.” Kong Hou skillfully arranged her hair into a bun. On her dressing table were false hairpieces and various hairpins, filling the entire table. “But no matter how they learned, they couldn’t comb it well. The senior sisters thought they were clumsy, so later the senior sisters combed my hair instead.”

She remembered that during that time, the senior sisters most liked to comb various kinds of buns for her and also prepared many beautiful clothes and hair ornaments, changing her appearance daily with different styles. If she hadn’t later learned to comb her own hair and needed to enter closed-door cultivation, the senior sisters probably would have maintained this hobby for much longer.

“You’re a personally transmitted disciple. Why don’t you have maidservants attending you?” Huan Zong was somewhat surprised. In their Liuguang Sect, the most important thing for personally transmitted disciples was cultivation. To keep them from being distracted, all trivial matters were handled by attendants.

“What would I need maidservants for?” Kong Hou applied a flower ornament between her brows. The bright red flower ornament made her skin look even more fair and tender. “The Five Elements Hall manages sect affairs. For meals, you can go to the dining hall. The sect has no rule about assigning servants to personally transmitted disciples. Handling small matters myself isn’t troublesome.”

Although Yunhua Sect emphasized freedom and ease, they didn’t want to raise disciples into unfeeling people who could do nothing but cultivate. So they wouldn’t assign servants to disciples. However, if disciples wanted to spend their own money to buy servants to enter the sect to serve them, the sect wouldn’t stop them either. But after everyone stayed together for a long time, gradually no one wanted servants attending them anymore.

Not expecting Yunhua Sect to be so casual with personally transmitted disciples, Huan Zong didn’t know what to say.

“Done.” Kong Hou turned to face Huan Zong and pointed to the flower ornament between her brows. “Does it look good?”

This was her first time applying this. She felt somewhat uneasy in her heart.

“Good-looking.” Looking at the flower ornament between her brows—whether peach blossom or pear blossom, he couldn’t tell—Huan Zong nodded without hesitation. “Very good-looking.”

Hearing Huan Zong say it looked good, Kong Hou was relieved. She stood up: “I’ve kept you waiting. Shall we go outside and look around now?” Thinking of what Wuming Zhenren had said, Kong Hou wanted to take Huan Zong to places with lively crowds to help him relax.

Looking at Huan Zong’s calm and waveless face, Kong Hou smiled. Perhaps the one who needed to relax wasn’t Huan Zong but herself.

“Alright.” Huan Zong pinched the storage ring, deciding to give Kong Hou the things inside suitable for girls after they returned. Kong Hou liked beautiful things. If he gave her these clothing and ornaments, she would be happy, wouldn’t she?

The two asked the inn’s staff where the most famous embroidery shop in Yicheng was, then began searching while asking for directions. Every passerby Kong Hou asked was very enthusiastic. The last enthusiastic auntie even directly led them to outside the Embroidery Pavilion.

“Girl, not only do they sell embroidered goods inside, they also sell jewelry.” The auntie secretly glanced at Huan Zong following behind Kong Hou and said in a low voice: “Take your time choosing. A man willing to spend money on you isn’t necessarily good, but a wealthy man unwilling to spend money on you definitely isn’t good.”

After saying this, without waiting for Huan Zong and Kong Hou to react, she twisted her somewhat full waist and walked away.

Kong Hou blinked in confusion. What was that kind auntie just saying?

“Let’s go in.” Huan Zong naturally understood what the woman’s words meant just now. She must have misunderstood his and Kong Hou’s relationship. He, a man over three hundred years old, and a sixteen-year-old young lady—what could there be?

“Oh, alright.” Kong Hou nodded. As soon as she stepped through the Embroidery Pavilion’s entrance, she was attracted by the magnificent dresses and shawls inside. Looking left and right, she felt this one was beautiful, that one was pretty too—the senior sisters would definitely look beautiful wearing them.

Beautiful and exquisite things also had more exquisite prices. After a round of selection, Kong Hou nearly emptied her entire budget. She leaned over the rack displaying hairpins and looked for quite a while before deciding to give up this hairpin she liked, instead buying one more handkerchief each for senior sister and Elder Qiushuang.

“A total of one thousand two hundred and eight spirit stones. Because Your Excellency bought many items, we’ll only charge you one thousand two hundred spirit stones.” The female attendant in a green shirt smiled and accepted the brocade pouch Kong Hou handed over. After pouring the spirit stones into a magical device to count them, she continued smiling: “We welcome your next visit.”

Huan Zong was made dizzy by all these colorful embroideries. Unable to distinguish beauty from ugliness, with Kong Hou’s help, he randomly selected a pile of embroidered goods and had the female attendant wrap them up. Only after walking out of the Embroidery Pavilion did he feel much better.

Seeing his reaction, Kong Hou laughed: “Huan Zong, your complexion looks terrible.”

“Let’s go find the courier station now and send these things out.” Apart from his complexion being paler than usual, Huan Zong’s expression remained very indifferent. His desire to send the things out was just somewhat stronger.

Fortunately, the courier station wasn’t far. When Kong Hou was inputting the destination on the jade slip with her divine sense, Huan Zong suddenly said: “I bought one item too few. Wait for me a moment. I’ll be right back.”

“Alright.” Kong Hou nodded, packed various embroidered goods and letters written to her elders into a storage pouch, and handed it to the flying sword messenger.

“Delivery fee is fifty-eight spirit stones. You can give fifty-five spirit stones.” The flying sword messenger handed the receipt to Kong Hou. “Please rest assured, Miss. We’ll definitely deliver the items on time.”

“Thank you.” Kong Hou nodded. A delivery fee of fifty-five spirit stones wasn’t cheap, but being able to send things to the sect still made Kong Hou happy.

Before long, Huan Zong returned. When Kong Hou saw him handling the delivery procedures, he didn’t put anything new into the storage pouch. “Didn’t you buy the item?”

Huan Zong’s hand delivering spirit stones paused slightly. He lowered his eyelids and said: “I miscalculated.”

“Oh.” Kong Hou didn’t think more of it. She went with Huan Zong to a restaurant to try the local specialty dishes. After walking and browsing, when they returned to the inn, the sky had already darkened.

“Kong Hou.” Huan Zong called out to Kong Hou who was preparing to push open the door to return to her room.

Kong Hou turned back puzzled. Huan Zong placed a small box in her hand. “Rest early.” After saying this, he hurriedly turned and left.

Watching Huan Zong’s departing back, Kong Hou lowered her head and opened the brocade box.

Under the moonlight, a beautiful hairpin lay in the box glowing—precisely the one she had looked at for a long time that afternoon but couldn’t bear to buy.