This question from Xiang Haikui completely caught Jing Ran off guard.

His expression showed a trace of astonishment.

As soon as Xiang Haikui asked the question, she immediately wanted to hang her head.

But if she looked down, combined with her question, it would seem like she was looking at his underwear area.

She could only maintain eye contact, touching the “bun” on her head while letting out a couple of forced laughs: “Is my curiosity too much?”

Jing Ran’s thin lips moved slightly, then closed again.

Xiang Haikui quickly added, “If it’s difficult to answer, then don’t. You see, not every question needs an answer.”

This statement made Jing Ran pause again. He put the recommendation letter into his sleeve: “Miss Xiang, being able to notice such details in that situation shows you have strong observation skills.”

After all, at that moment, Jing Ran himself had felt like he was in a dream, in a daze.

Xiang Haikui became modest: “Not really, it’s just because I’m used to observing you.”

That’s why she found it surprising—how could a cool, serious man who rarely smiled, like Ximen Chuixue, wear cartoon underwear?

A cute contrast? Not really. It felt somewhat disillusioning.

“It’s getting late. Seniors should rest now.” Having made the atmosphere too awkward, Xiang Haikui prepared to leave.

She turned and walked toward the courtyard gate.

As Jing Ran was about to close the door, he glanced at her retreating figure.

The cold desert moonlight poured down, enveloping the girl in a faint halo.

Whether it was an illusion or not, in just this short period, she had changed significantly.

The sword box on her back seemed very heavy, yet her spine was straighter than a sword. Even with a blushing face, confidence radiated from her eyes.

Was it because she had established her foundation?

Just moments ago, following the incantation for drawing qi into the body, he had casually tried meditation and also completed foundation establishment.

His body had indeed undergone some changes, but they were far from a complete transformation.

Originally, Jing Ran had thought that cultivation might not be difficult for him.

Now, he needed to take it more seriously.

…

After leaving his courtyard, Xiang Haikui could feel Tian Kuang lying in its box like a dead dog.

It was angry at her for being too timid.

“What else could I do? Should I go back, use you to knock him unconscious, and force myself on him?”

Tian Kuang suddenly came alive, banging against the sword box twice.

Xiang Haikui was speechless. She knocked on the sword box, indicating for it to be quiet: “You don’t understand. This isn’t timidity.”

The next day, Jing Ran departed for the Imperial Capital, Jin Ling City.

When she first heard it, Xiang Haikui thought it referred to the ancient Chinese city of Jinling. Looking at the map, the location was indeed quite similar.

Anyway, it was extremely far from Silver Sand City. Even with good weather, a flying boat would take a month or two.

Xiang Haikui silently watched her father bid him farewell, feeling emotional.

Previously, she hadn’t planned to attend university, but because he went to Jiang University, she had taken two extra part-time jobs and studied desperately for a year.

Although she applied for the worst major at Jiang University, at least she became his schoolmate.

Now, he was going to attend a cultivation academy.

This time she wouldn’t follow him—she had more important things to do.

Yet unexpectedly, Jing Ran, already aboard the flying boat, sent her a mental message: “Miss Xiang, keep up the good work. I’ll answer your question when you become my junior schoolmate again.”

Xiang Haikui was stunned.

“This young man has a promising future,” Xiang Heng remarked at this moment, encouragingly patting his daughter’s shoulder.

Ah, though one could enter Jin Ling Academy through connections, she didn’t even have a spirit root. Going there would only mean being bullied by those noble and prestigious family heirs.

Xiang Haikui understood what was happening—her father must have pleaded with Jing Ran to give her some words of encouragement.

Hoping that she, a salted fish limited by natural talent, would have some motivation to cultivate hard and maybe even take the Jin Ling Academy entrance examination on her own merits.

To walk as far as possible on this path of immortality.

Xiang Haikui was speechless, thinking that she could now defeat a dozen of those academic types with one hand.

Besides, her crush was terrible at encouraging people—using his underwear pattern as bait?

Xiang Haikui could only reluctantly reply “I’ll work hard” to Jing Ran, then began urging her father: “Alright, stop marveling at others. You should go into seclusion—that’s the important thing.”

As she spoke, she yawned.

Last night, she had clutched her sword, staying nervously awake all night, attentively listening to the surroundings.

Though she knew the murderer would only act after her father entered seclusion, she didn’t dare relax.

Xiang Heng asked: “Do you not need me to stay with you longer? I might need to seclude myself for three to five years.”

Xiang Haikui shook her head: “No need.”

Xiang Heng: “Well then, let me arrange things first.”

Someone needed to guard Silver Sand City. Xiang Haikui knew this responsibility would fall to her father’s disciples.

Her father had three disciples.

The youngest disciple was called Wu Mian, with demonic bloodline and innate divine strength. Fond of fighting, he had been picked up by her father on the battlefield beyond the border and raised by hand.

The second disciple, Ye Qianzhi, was a Confucian cultivator who had fled to Silver Sand City and been taken in by her father. He mainly handled Silver Sand City’s internal affairs.

As for the eldest disciple, Meng Xilou, he was the most powerful person in Silver Sand after the Great City Lord.

This power was bestowed by the Great City Lord, but also earned through his abilities.

Meng Xilou came from a great family in the Imperial Capital with an ancestor who had crossed tribulation. Like Jing Ran, he had been a genius and academic star from a young age.

He had entered Jin Ling Academy with the highest score, but gave it up at enrollment.

He came alone to the northern desert to train, reasoning that the harsh, cruel environment was better suited for his rapid growth.

In Xiang Haikui’s dream, among her father’s three disciples, only Ye Qianzhi, who was kind to everyone, treated her well. The other two disliked her.

The third disciple, Wu Mian, liked to bully her. The eldest, Meng Xilou, rarely spoke to her, but couldn’t hide the disgust in his eyes.

These three disciples were all prime suspects in Xiang Haikui’s mind.

Currently, the eldest was out inspecting the territory, the third had gone off to fight someone, and only Ye Qianzhi remained to watch over the household.

“Notify them all to return quickly.” Xiang Heng gave Ye Qianzhi many instructions, emphasizing finally: “Take good care of your little junior sister.”

“This disciple has noted everything.” The refined Ye Qianzhi always spoke unhurriedly. Looking toward Xiang Haikui, he said, “Little Junior Sister, if you need anything, just tell me.”

“Thank you, Second Senior Brother.” Xiang Haikui saluted him with clasped hands. His sleeves were wide, and his hands hidden within, so she couldn’t see them.

A few days later, Xiang Heng took the demon-dispelling medicine and went into seclusion.

His seclusion site wasn’t within Silver Sand City but in a cave not far to the northwest of Silver Sand.

For someone of his level, a secluded location was top secret, but as City Lord, someone had to know in case city matters required his attention.

Previously, Xiang Tianqing had always accompanied him; this time, Xiang Haikui went along as well.

Xiang Heng had never been so happy before entering seclusion, his face maintaining a constant smile.

After he entered the cave chamber and the isolating stone door closed behind him, Xiang Tianqing expertly went to one side, made a hand seal, and lit a wall lamp.

Soon, all the wall lamps in the cave lit up sequentially, their shades in different colors.

Xiang Tianqing lifted her skirt and led Xiang Haikui outside, advising her: “Sister, you must step on the shadows of these lamps, or else the protective formation will attack you.”

Besides stepping on shadows, there seemed to be other tricks, such as certain colors to avoid.

Xiang Tianqing didn’t mention this, and Xiang Haikui didn’t ask, just following her: “Does Father often enter seclusion?”

Xiang Tianqing sighed softly: “To be honest, it’s my fault. When I was young, I was infected with demonic poison and had to be sealed. Father spent a hundred years healing me, but in the process, he developed a condition and was contaminated with demonic energy. He often needs to seclude himself to suppress it…”

Xiang Haikui wanted to ask what would happen if her father lost control.

But she didn’t.

In her dream, she saw things very clearly from her perspective, but when shifting to her father’s viewpoint, the scenes became very blurry.

So she didn’t know what state Xiang Tianqing was in when she acted.

Exiting the cave, Xiang Tianqing had just poked her head out when she pulled back: “Little Sister Kui, we’ll need to wait a while before returning. A sandstorm is coming.”

Xiang Haikui peeked outside. The blazing sun hung in the sky, without even a breeze.

But she trusted Xiang Tianqing’s judgment: “Alright.”

Her father had just entered seclusion and was in the cave below. The person behind Xiang Tianqing wouldn’t choose to act here.

The two sat in the rock cave. Xiang Haikui untied her sword box and used it as a pillow to sleep.

Xiang Tianqing sat cross-legged, perfectly proper.

Xiang Tianqing couldn’t help but examine her: “Sister, is that a sword in your box?”

“Yes.” Xiang Haikui folded her arms and closed her eyes to rest.

“I’ve never seen you take it out.” Xiang Tianqing showed a hint of curiosity.

Xiang Haikui smiled: “Why would I take out my sword in my own home?”

Something about these words seemed to affect Xiang Tianqing, causing her to pause slightly.

Xiang Haikui paid no attention. She was tired, with drowsiness creeping in through the haze.

Then she heard Xiang Tianqing exclaim: “Oh? How is there a snake here?”

Xiang Tianqing stood up and walked to a corner of the cave where many rock fragments had fallen. Among the debris, a small section of a black snake’s tail was visible.

Xiang Tianqing grabbed the tail and pulled the black snake out from under the rocks.

This small black snake had a patch of dark red scales on its head. It seemed to still have consciousness—after being grabbed by the tail, its body coiled.

But it had no strength left, and its body gradually stiffened.

Xiang Tianqing saw that most of the snake’s scales had fallen off, with thin, long wounds visible everywhere, apparently made by sharp objects. It had barely any life left.

There were no such snakes near Silver Sand City; it must have been carried here by a sandstorm from elsewhere.

Xiang Tianqing brought the snake back, planning to take it to the city.

Besides sword cultivation, she was also knowledgeable in medicine from her long illness and understood some alchemy.

She could use it for practice.

Xiang Haikui turned to see her bringing back a snake, and suddenly became energetic.

Xiang Tianqing, seeing her bright eyes, asked: “Little Sister Kui, what is it?”

Xiang Haikui rubbed her hands together: “This snake may be small, but it’s so plump—it must be delicious.”

She loved eating snake meat. Behind the orphanage was a barren mountain where she often caught snakes with some mischievous boys to satisfy their cravings.

Xiang Tianqing was taken aback: “It’s covered in wounds…”

Xiang Haikui had already noticed: “Just add some salt to pickle it—that will make it more flavorful.”

As soon as the thought of eating this snake arose, Tian Kuang Sword in its box became extremely excited. It practically jumped up with a “clang,” as if saying, “Eat it! Eat it! Eat it up!”

Was eating a snake so wild?

Xiang Haikui couldn’t understand its reaction.

Seeing her eager gaze and genuinely hungry expression, Xiang Tianqing found it somewhat amusing.

Having grown up in an environment like Silver Sand City, Xiang Tianqing wasn’t particularly tender-hearted. She had originally brought the snake for practice anyway, so she readily agreed: “Alright, let’s take it back, pickle it first, then stew it.”