Chu Jixuan huddled in the corner of the carriage, quietly doubting his life choices. Born noble, doted on by the Emperor Father, even the civil and military officials showed him extra courtesy because he possessed spiritual roots. From birth until his current twenty-one years, he had lived a life of being the center of attention like stars surrounding the moon.

This was the first time he had embarrassed himself so badly, and the objects of his embarrassment were important figures he had to smile and ingratiate himself with. Before coming to visit Jixiang Pavilion, the Emperor Father had mentioned to him that their generation’s ancestors were adopted under that ancestor who went to cultivate, so Zhenren Huan Zong could be considered his nominal ancestor. Though he strongly suspected there was something fishy about this adoption, and Great-Great-Great Grandfather himself probably had no idea about this matter.

What he found even stranger was that the ancestral records didn’t even leave behind Great-Great-Great Grandfather’s name. Could it be that the ancestors worried bad people would use Great-Great-Great Grandfather’s name for evil, so they specifically erased the name?

Huan Zong’s attitude toward Chu Jixuan could hardly be called warm. In Kong Hou’s view, Huan Zong was even warmer toward Liuguang Sect disciples than toward this imperial prince.

The flying horses traveled very fast. In just an hour’s time, they had already left Fengcheng’s territory. Kong Hou lifted the curtain and glanced at the horses soaring through the air, then pulled out two spirit fruits from her storage ring and handed them to Chu Jixuan. “If you go to Wuwei Manor alone, what about that Miss Rumin?”

“Earlier this year, a xianzi from Shuiyue Sect discovered Rumin had immortal affinity and accepted her as an entry disciple. She and I are childhood sweethearts who have almost never been apart. If I can’t join a sect to cultivate, I fear Rumin will give up such a good opportunity for my sake.” Chu Jixuan held the spirit fruits, embarrassed to bite into them in front of his elders. “Who doesn’t want to live long and live well? But I’m afraid that in the long years ahead, she’ll lose all her relatives with no one to accompany her.”

“I can’t bear for her to be lonely and sad, so I simply decided to cultivate together with her, to live longer together.” Chu Jixuan’s face showed a smile. “I’m not afraid of you laughing at me, Xianzi. Before coming, I had already prepared myself for all kinds of humiliation. I never expected my luck would be so good that I’d meet Great-Great-Great Grandfather.”

Though Kong Hou didn’t understand romantic feelings between men and women, she could see Chu Jixuan’s sincerity toward relationships. “It’s good that you have such thoughts.”

She had thought men in the imperial family either were indifferent to women like her father emperor, or like Emperor Jing Hong with harems full of consorts. She hadn’t expected there to be people who treated feelings seriously.

Hearing Kong Hou praise him, Chu Jixuan smiled shyly. “Accompanying the one you love is the most beautiful thing.”

Not coveting immortality, but wanting to accompany that loved one for a longer time.

Bird calls came from outside the carriage. Kong Hou lifted the curtain—outside the window, mountains and fields were covered in snow white. The pear blossoms had bloomed.

“So beautiful.” She leaned against the window, staring dazedly at the mountains full of pear blossoms, not even noticing when petals fell on her hair. Huan Zong looked at her profile and reached out to pluck away that petal.

A faint fragrance entered his nostrils—he didn’t know if the fragrance came from the flowers or from the young woman admiring them.

“Great-Great-Great Grandfather.” Seeing Huan Zong’s expression was peaceful, Chu Jixuan gathered his courage. “Have you been well these years?”

“After leaving the imperial palace, nothing has been bad.” Huan Zong turned to stare at Chu Jixuan for a while. “Are you a descendant of Third Brother’s line?”

Chu Jixuan felt somewhat awkward. The ancestral records did indeed record that his ancestor was Great-Great-Great Grandfather’s third brother. After Great-Great-Great Grandfather left with the immortal master, his ancestor was adopted under Great-Great-Great Grandfather’s name. Later, somehow, his ancestor became emperor, and the line continued down to his generation.

“Great-Great-Great Grandfather, I… I am your descendant.” Chu Jixuan had already guessed why his ancestor was adopted under Great-Great-Great Grandfather’s name back then. Facing the person involved, the immortal master, he was too ashamed to raise his head.

“I left the imperial palace before age ten. How could I have descendants?” Huan Zong’s indifferent eyes shifted slightly. “Change it. From now on, call me Great-Great-Great Grand-Uncle or Zhenren.”

As expected, their line wouldn’t be acknowledged by Great-Great-Great Grandfather. Chu Jixuan felt somewhat disappointed, but having anticipated this, he wasn’t too distraught. “This junior has remembered.”

“Back then, my relationship with your ancestor wasn’t particularly pleasant. I’ve long severed blood ties. The rights and wrongs of the past need not be mentioned again.” Huan Zong’s tone was distant, mentioning the Chu family without emotion or feeling.

“Yes…” Chu Jixuan knelt on the cushion and bowed to Huan Zong.

Huan Zong glanced at him, then leaned against the soft cushions with closed eyes to rest, speaking no more.

The carriage grew quiet again. Kong Hou turned her head and discovered Huan Zong lying down. She lowered the curtain, took a thin blanket from her storage ring and covered Huan Zong with it, then began to meditate with closed eyes.

Watching the two people with their eyes closed, Chu Jixuan was somewhat curious about the relationship between Great-Great-Great Grand… Great-Great-Great Grand-Uncle and Xianzi Kong Hou. Why wouldn’t Great-Great-Great Grand-Uncle let him mention “loving and inseparable,” yet looked at Xianzi Kong Hou with such gentle eyes?

From yesterday to today, he had noticed that Great-Great-Great Grand-Uncle looked at everyone the same way—distant and indifferent. Only when with Xianzi Kong Hou was it different. At those times, his eyes were full of warmth.

Light from outside the carriage secretly slipped through the curtain gap into the carriage, secretly settling on Kong Hou’s skirt. She was so bright she seemed to be glowing.

Huan Zong opened his eyes and grasped the thin blanket draped over him, his eyes fixed on the young woman in the light, his pupils also染上了亮光 taking on a bright gleam.

Heading east all the way, by evening, Kong Hou and the others arrived at the small city where Wuwei Manor was located.

Wisps of cooking smoke rose from the mountain forests. The two guards at the city gate wore old but clean armor, their thin faces showing alert eyes. Seeing flying horses descending from the sky pulling a carriage, both guards became alert.

“Greetings, Immortal Master. May I ask where you come from?”

“We come from Peicheng and have business meeting with Wuwei Manor’s manor master.” Lin Hu handed his identity token to the guard. “Apologies for the trouble.”

“Please enter, Immortal Master.” The two guards had never left their hometown in their entire lives. Hearing that Lin Hu came from the famous cultivation city, their eyes showed envy and curiosity, but no jealousy or resentment.

Entering the city gate, the city was very quiet—not silent but rather tranquil, giving people a feeling of peaceful years with the busy outside world having nothing to do with them. According to visiting etiquette, they should wait until tomorrow morning to visit Wuwei Manor, but they still had to rush to Kuicheng. They could only disturb them in the evening hours, hoping the manor master of Wuwei Manor would forgive their presumption given the generous visiting gifts.

Under the guidance of helpful passersby, Lin Hu drove the carriage to find Wuwei Manor’s location. Wuwei Manor wasn’t the ruler of this city and its location wasn’t particularly good. If not for the three characters “Wuwei Manor” hanging at the main gate, one would think this was just an ordinary slightly larger three-courtyard compound.

Kong Hou jumped down from the carriage. Before she could knock on the door, she heard the clanging of weapons from behind it. Her expression changed dramatically—could there be evildoers committing crimes? Thinking of how Yunhua Sect was still hoping to take Wuwei Manor as an affiliated sect, Kong Hou couldn’t care about anything else. She pulled the Shuishuang Sword from her hair and kicked open the half-old, half-new wooden door.

The moment the door opened, white powder flew toward her face. Kong Hou didn’t dare be careless and waved her sleeve to use spiritual power to create a barrier, blocking the unknown powder outside.

“Osmanthus cakes should naturally be flavored with honey and decorated with osmanthus flowers to preserve the original pure taste of osmanthus.”

“Bullshit! Salt is the source of all flavors—without salt there’s no taste. Osmanthus cakes should naturally be salty as supreme.”

“As a culinary cultivator, to speak such filth—truly unbearably stinky.”

“I not only want to curse you, I want to beat you too.”

Boning knives, vegetable cleavers, and meat cleavers flew everywhere, but the glutinous rice, peanuts, honey, and other ingredients placed nearby weren’t touched by anyone—they were even carefully avoided. As culinary cultivators, they couldn’t easily waver in their cooking philosophies, not even when fighting.

But regardless of which philosophy they held, their respect for ingredients was the same.

The thoughtless disciple who had just scattered flour had already been pinned to the ground and thoroughly beaten by disciples from both sides. The remaining disciples continued their intense exchange over sweet versus salty flavors.

Various knives in the air emitted brilliant magical artifact glows—at first glance, one might think this was a scene of cutting human flesh.

Kong Hou stood there in a daze. Was this what culinary cultivators were like in private?

“Osmanthus cakes are best plain—how can you add honey or salt?” Chu Jixuan said quietly. “Whether honey or salt, both will mask part of the osmanthus’s original fragrance.”

Kong Hou silently turned to look at Chu Jixuan, stepped aside, and pointed at the chaotic scene in the courtyard. “Do you need to go in and discuss with them?”

“That’s not necessary. There are countless people in the world with different tastes—no need to insist too much.” Looking at the various weapons flying around in the air, Chu Jixuan swallowed and retreated three steps. “When cooking, the most important thing is peace of mind.”

Seeing the sun about to set with no sign of Wuwei Manor disciples stopping, Kong Hou had no choice but to clap her hands. “Fellow daoists, I am a disciple of Yunhua Sect with business seeking your manor master. Please inform him on our behalf.”

If evil cultivators came by, they wouldn’t even need to disguise themselves—they could just sweep them all up in one net. From when she kicked in the door until now, they had only cared about battling over sweet and salty flavors, not even noticing someone had arrived.

Culinary cultivators’ persistence regarding food was terrifyingly stubborn.

“What?” Hearing the three words “Yunhua Sect,” the fighting disciples all stopped and recalled their thrown magical treasures. While having junior brothers and sisters carry the ingredients back to the kitchen, they arranged for someone to notify the manor master.

“Your arrival brings light to our humble dwelling, Xianzi.” The lead disciple straightened his clothes and walked before Kong Hou, clasping his hands. He was secretly curious—why would a prestigious sect’s personal disciple suddenly come to their small, minor sect?

“You’re too kind, Daoist.” Kong Hou turned to introduce Huan Zong and Lin Hu. “They are Liuguang Sect disciples. This time we’ve brought a junior and presumptuously disturbed you. Please forgive our impropriety.”

Liuguang Sect?

The disciple thought his ears had a problem. What was going on with these prestigious sect disciples? Had they agreed to come play at their Wuwei Manor together?

“The immortal master and xianzi are too polite. Please come with me.” The disciple had just led Kong Hou, Huan Zong, and the other four a few steps inside when the message-bearing disciple came running out. “Immortal Master, Xianzi, please—the sect master awaits you in the main hall.”

“We wouldn’t dare.” Kong Hou expressed her thanks. “Please lead the way, Daoist.”

“Xianzi, please. Immortal Master, please.”

After Kong Hou and the others went to the main hall, the disciples remaining in the courtyard looked at each other, momentarily speechless.

“That’s just great—we’ve embarrassed ourselves in front of major sect disciples.” Some disciple muttered quietly.

The others turned to glare at him, frightening him into shrinking his neck.

Originally they had envied Jixiang Pavilion—it had looked ready to collapse back then but leaped to become Yunhua Sect’s affiliated sect, gaining prominence in the cultivation world. A few days ago they were still fantasizing that perhaps a major sect would suddenly descend and take them as an affiliated sect. Instead, today two major sects’ disciples saw them fighting behind closed doors. Now they didn’t even dare dream anymore.

When Zhenren Bai’an heard from his disciple that Yunhua Sect cultivators were visiting, the first person who came to mind was the young lady he’d met at the Hundred Flowers Dance in Yancheng. He didn’t know why, but he just had this intuition—perhaps because the way she smiled was too likable?

“Please show them in.”

Hearing voices from outside, Zhenren Bai’an straightened his sitting posture and hid the half-eaten secret recipe pickled pepper chicken feet into a drawer, not forgetting to cast a spell to disperse the pickled pepper smell from the room.

Seeing clearly the appearance of the young lady walking in front, Zhenren Bai’an stood. “Xianzi Kong Hou, Zhenren Huan Zong.”

“We’ve intruded presumptuously and troubled you.” Kong Hou returned the courtesy. After exchanging pleasantries with Zhenren Bai’an and presenting visiting gifts, she explained their purpose.

“Manor Master, this junior has come today with a request.”

“Xianzi jests. What could I possibly help you with?” Zhenren Bai’an’s words weren’t self-deprecating but fact. Their Wuwei Manor had no money, no people, and no rare treasures—what could they help with?

“This favor—aside from the Manor Master, there’s truly no one else who can help.” Kong Hou turned to look at Chu Jixuan standing behind Lin Hu.

“Come here.” Huan Zong’s lips moved slightly, calling Chu Jixuan over. “Manor Master, this is a worldly relative junior from before I entered cultivation. He possesses some spiritual roots for cultivation. He loves culinary arts. Looking at the entire cultivation world, only your sect can accommodate him.”

Accommodate…

Zhenren Bai’an felt this junior probably wasn’t very favored by Zhenren Huan Zong, otherwise his tone wouldn’t be so indifferently calm. With Zhenren Huan Zong’s status, which sect couldn’t he bring his junior into? Why seek out their small, minor sect?

“Young master, please extend your left hand.” Zhenren Bai’an didn’t say whether he refused or agreed. After Chu Jixuan extended his hand, he used spiritual power to probe the spiritual platform and meridians in his body. “How long have you cultivated? Under whose tutelage?”

“Fifteen years, learning the most basic Qi Refining fundamentals with a rogue cultivator hired by my family.” Chu Jixuan saw that this manor master named Bai’an had a transcendent temperament and looked at him with kind and amiable eyes. Feeling very comfortable, he honestly answered the other’s questions.

“Without entering formal tutelage, in just fifteen years you’ve already reached fifth stage Qi Refining cultivation. With such good aptitude, young master, why do you want to enter our Wuwei Manor’s tutelage?” Zhenren Bai’an withdrew his spiritual power and sighed. “Our humble sect is small and poor. If you entered my tutelage, I fear it would wrong you.”

“Manor Master doesn’t know—though I’ve lived in luxury since childhood, I could only research dishes in private, not daring to let my family know my hobby.” Chu Jixuan replied. “Please don’t disdain my dullness, Manor Master. Accept me as your disciple.” Great-Great-Great Grand-Uncle said his aptitude wasn’t good, but the manor master said he had good aptitude. Who should he believe?

“You’re surnamed Chu, young master. What relationship do you have with the capital’s imperial family?” Though he had some inclination to accept a disciple, he wouldn’t speak before clarifying the other party’s identity.

“In reply to Manor Master, this junior is the third son of the current emperor.”

He was an imperial prince, so as his elder, Zhenren Huan Zong…

The capital’s Chu clan was born with dragon fortune—a natural emperor’s fate. This kind of fate might be enviable in the mortal world, but in the cultivation world full of cultivators, the imperial family’s influence and status weren’t particularly high.

They said the capital’s Chu clan, though possessing an emperor’s fate, naturally lacked spiritual roots. They had passed down so many generations with lifespans like ordinary people, without a single clan member embarking on the cultivation path. He hadn’t expected the rumors to be so exaggerated. If Chu family descendants truly were fated by heaven to lack spiritual roots, then what were Zhenren Huan Zong’s and this imperial prince’s spiritual roots?

“If you don’t mind, young master, you may remain at our Wuwei Manor.” Zhenren Bai’an slowly nodded. “But once you enter my tutelage, you must follow the sect’s rules.” These words weren’t just for Chu Jixuan to hear, but also for Huan Zong and Kong Hou.

“Please be at ease, Manor Master. Once he enters Wuwei Manor, he’s your sect’s disciple. All rules will follow your sect’s standards.” Huan Zong said. “I’ve severed worldly ties. Please don’t have any concerns, Manor Master.”

Huan Zong’s words fell just short of saying outright that he had long severed worldly ties and was only bringing the person here—he wouldn’t manage anything else.

Zhenren Bai’an completely relaxed. No one wanted to accept a disciple only to have to worry about the disciple’s illustrious elder backing them. Their Wuwei Manor was poor, but they still had their own principles.

However, after hearing Huan Zong say these words, Chu Jixuan felt somewhat downcast. He secretly glanced at Huan Zong several times, but Huan Zong didn’t look at him. He could only lower his head and obediently listen to them talk.

After settling the matter of accepting a disciple, seeing it had grown dark outside, Zhenren Bai’an said, “Please follow me outside to have some food.”

Hearing the word “food,” Kong Hou was filled with anticipation for Wuwei Manor’s cuisine.

Unfortunately, just as she sat down but before she could pick up her chopsticks, a disciple came to report that Zhaohan Sect’s head disciple Chang De had come to visit.

“Show him in.” Zhenren Bai’an said apologetically to Kong Hou and Huan Zong, “Please wait a moment, you two.” He didn’t know what day it was today—three major sects’ personal disciples had come to their poor, shabby little sect.

Following behind the disciples, Chang De was also very surprised to see Kong Hou and Huan Zong. He paused in his steps and clasped his hands toward them. “Fellow daoists, we meet again.”

“Greetings, Daoist Chang De.” Kong Hou returned the courtesy and invited him to sit together. “Are you also passing through this area, Daoist?”

“Some days ago I heard news that a secret realm will open near Kuicheng in a few days. I want to bring my junior brothers and sisters to Kuicheng to see.” Chang De didn’t hide the matter of the secret realm. Though secret realms had abundant resources, he had never entered this particular one. If Huan Zong and Kong Hou were also interested in the secret realm, going together would allow them to look out for each other inside.

Junior brothers and sisters?

Kong Hou thought of Xianzi Lingbo who required flower petals scattered to clear her path. “The other junior brothers and sisters didn’t come with you?”

“They’re resting at the inn. Remembering Wuwei Manor was here, I came to visit.” Chang De explained. “Since we’re departing early tomorrow morning, I came to disturb you at this hour.”

“You’re too kind, Immortal Master. If you can all come, Wuwei Manor’s doors are open to you twelve hours a day.” Hearing the word “secret realm,” Zhenren Bai’an showed no reaction. Though secret realms contained many treasures, they weren’t things they could compete for. Rather than harboring unrealistic fantasies about entering secret realms only to return covered in injuries or even lose their lives inside, it was better to stay in the manor and cultivate properly.

“Daoist, do you know how many days this secret realm will be open?” Kong Hou asked Chang De.

“Records about this secret realm say it opens for forty-nine days, but after five hundred years of changes, things may be different. To be safe, I plan to have my junior brothers and sisters stay inside for about thirty days before exiting the secret realm.” Chang De worried that Kong Hou lacked experience entering secret realms and might accidentally get trapped inside. “There are many heavenly treasures in secret realms. Even staying a year wouldn’t allow you to take everything. If Daoist Kong Hou enters, you must be very careful.”

“Thank you for the information. I’ll be extra cautious.” One month wasn’t particularly long or short. Kong Hou turned to Zhenren Bai’an. “Zhenren, would you send a disciple to go with us?”

“My disciples have shallow cultivation. Traveling with you would only bring you trouble.” Zhenren Bai’an saw that Kong Hou meant to help them, but he couldn’t lack self-awareness. If it were just ordinary training, even shamelessly begging, Bai’an would ask them to bring two sect disciples along.

But dangerous secret realms were different. The natural traps inside were endless. Those young disciples didn’t yet have the ability to enter.

Seeing that Zhenren Bai’an wasn’t being falsely polite, Kong Hou didn’t press further. She used sound transmission to say to Huan Zong, “Huan Zong, why don’t we travel together with Zhaohan Sect’s disciples tomorrow?”

Huan Zong glanced at Chang De, who had been talking with Kong Hou ever since entering, and replied expressionlessly via sound transmission, “We’ll go on our own. We won’t travel with them.”

Kong Hou turned to look at Huan Zong, wanting to know why he refused.

“I don’t like overly strong flower fragrances.”

Kong Hou: Huh?

“Flower petals placed in baskets for too long not only smell strange, they also attract insects when scattered.”

Kong Hou: “…”

Kong Hou thought that sound transmission was a very great invention in the cultivation world. With its existence, at least half the conflicts in the cultivation world could be reduced.

If Xianzi Lingbo heard those words, the delicious food on the table before her might end up dumped on the floor.