“Because Chu Feng discovered and thwarted Zhou Ji’s plot in time, preventing the Holy Land from suffering major losses, and because his merits are outstanding, with the approval of the Holy Master, he is hereby exceptionally promoted to a senior outer-sect disciple.”
After finishing her announcement, the female steward took out a blue token and handed it to the young man before her. At the same time, she noticed the Holy Saintess and Elder Liu standing nearby.
Recently, a rumor had been circulating within the Holy Land…. that the Saintess and Elder Liu had fallen in love with the same man.
Given their status, no one dared to talk about it openly; people only whispered about it in private.
But seeing the situation now, the rumor might not be groundless after all. The Holy Saintess and Elder Liu were actually appearing together in this young man’s cave dwelling, instead of staying in their residences within the Holy Land’s core area.
“Th-This praise really makes me feel a bit ashamed.”
Chu Feng was only a minor second-rank cultivator. It could be said that he hadn’t contributed much throughout the entire affair, yet they were calling his merits outstanding.
“Little brother, you’re being too modest. This appointment was personally written by the Holy Master.”
The female steward’s words were filled with envy. Being able to receive a letter of appointment personally written by the Holy Master was exceedingly rare.
“Now that the token has been delivered to you, I should be on my way.”
“Sorry to trouble you to make the trip, big sister.”
Watching the female steward’s figure fly away, Chu Feng examined the blue token in his hand.
There was writing on both sides—uh…
Alright then. Starting today, I, Chu Feng, am going to learn how to read!
Nearby, Liu Xueyao was slowly decocting the medicine, while Liu Shijing was reading a scripture.
Seeing the steward leave, she put down the book and spoke with a hint of sourness in her tone:
“Hmph! When you see a young and pretty woman, you call her ‘big sister’ but when it’s someone older, you call them ‘senior’.”
The mature beauty’s expression even carried a trace of the tsundere pride usually seen only in young girls.
Her voice wasn’t loud or soft. It was just enough for Chu Feng to hear clearly.
What was going on with Liu Shijing?
That remark left him a little confused. Could it be… jealousy?
The thought had barely surfaced when he dismissed it as impossible. Liu Shijing probably hated him, if anything.
If Liu Xueyao had said something like that, there might have been a slight possibility.
“Since senior doesn’t like me calling you that, then from now on… should I call you big sister as well?”
Unexpectedly, Liu Shijing let out a soft sigh, her expression tinged with a bit of melancholy.
“Forget it. This seat is already at this age.”
Now Chu Feng truly didn’t know what to say. “Senior” wouldn’t do, “big sister” wouldn’t do either…. what was left? Call her wife?
He was pretty sure that if he dared to say that out loud, he wouldn’t end up well.
Just then, Liu Xueyao spoke up, “Husband, it’s ready.”
Just looking at the pitch-black medicinal soup Liu Xueyao had finished brewing, Chu Feng felt as if he could already taste that indescribable bitterness.
Even after drinking it for so long, he still couldn’t get used to it.
It was just too bitter.
Liu Xueyao, however, seemed to take great pleasure in this, and Chu Feng couldn’t figure out why.
So, wanting to end this painful ordeal as quickly as possible, Chu Feng tried to gulp it all down in one go.
“No.”
But Liu Xueyao insisted on feeding it to him spoonful by spoonful.
In the end, the one who truly suffered was still Chu Feng.
It was just too bitter!
***
“I heard the Sky Mending Secret Realm has closed? Is that true?”
“Of course it’s true. All the disciples who were sent out earlier have already returned. Haah, why didn’t they keep it open a bit longer? It would’ve been my turn soon.”
“You? Tch! Why don’t you take a good look at yourself with those filthy eyes. Stop being so full of yourself!”
Several male disciples were chatting when suddenly they sensed the ground shaking violently.
All of a sudden, an enormous spirit boat appeared in the sky. On the boat stood a gigantic sword erected upright.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
In an instant, sharp sounds tore through the air as many elders of the Yaochi Holy Land appeared.
When the outer sect master, Mu Liuxuan, saw the spirit boat, she immediately recognized the force behind it.
The Profound Sword Pavilion!
“Haha, to have the outer sect master of the Yaochi Holy Land personally come out to greet us…this really makes this hall master feel deeply honored.”
As the words fell, a red-haired young man slowly stepped forward. The moment he appeared, surging sword intent spread outward, as if he himself were a peerless divine sword.
Mu Liuxuan’s gaze narrowed when she saw the red-haired youth. Cold light flashed in her eyes.
“One of the six hall masters of the Profound Sword Pavilion, Mad Sword. To barge into my Yaochi Holy Land with such arrogance… are you trying to start a war?”
“Haha, Sect Master, your words are a bit too severe. I came this time only to ask your esteemed Holy Land to hand over one person….a man. Our Profound Sword Pavilion is willing to offer three ten-thousand-year spiritual herbs in exchange.”
Mad Sword stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his face full of arrogant confidence.
Behind him stood a young man, a vicious glint flashing through his eyes.
Ten-thousand-year spiritual herbs! And three of them!
Mu Liuxuan hadn’t expected the Profound Sword Pavilion to offer such an enticing price. Even for the Yaochi Holy Land, ten-thousand-year spiritual herbs were extremely rare.
But that also meant the man the Profound Sword Pavilion wanted was absolutely worth three such herbs. Since when had the Yaochi Holy Land possessed a male disciple with talent of this level?
Even Mu Liuxuan grew curious and asked, “Who is this person, to be worth your Profound Sword Pavilion paying such a heavy price… three ten-thousand-year spiritual herbs?”
“We…Uh…yes, that’s right. We discovered that this child is extremely suited to sword cultivation. He was practically born to practice the sword. That’s why our Profound Sword Pavilion is willing to spend heavily….uh, I mean, heavily on herbs.”
Mad Sword made up a reason on the spot. As for the real reason, that was something he absolutely couldn’t say….if he did, the Yaochi Holy Land would never release the person.
“And what is this person’s name?”
“Chu Feng.”
***
After much painful reflection, Chu Feng finally decided that he had to start learning how to read.
First of all, he needed to find a teacher. But within the Yaochi Holy Land, there were very few people Chu Feng actually knew.
In the end, he could only ask the Holy Saintess sister to teach him how to read.
Chu Feng saw Liu Xueyao take out a small book about the size of a palm, roughly twenty centimeters long. It was somewhat similar to a miniature version of the Xinhua Dictionary from his previous life.
“So… many?”
Before Chu Feng had even begun studying, his head already started to ache.
He weighed the book in his hand. Although it was very light, the weight of the knowledge inside it was heavy!
Bang!
The next moment, a book nearly as tall as he was was placed beside it.
“This is?”
“The one in your hands, husband, is the table of contents. This is the complete volume.”
Heavy. Chu Feng was stunned. This time, even the physical weight of the book was heavy as well.
Liu Xueyao took out a stack of paper, drew one sheet, and began to write.
She stood before the desk with the poise of a slender pine. Holding the brush steadily, she painted with strokes that flowed like dragons and serpents, exuding scholarly elegance.
One had to admit, a beauty writing characters was truly pleasing to the eye. Not only was the person beautiful, but the writing was beautiful as well.
Before long, a single character was finished.
Chu Feng looked at the character on the paper and asked, “Sister Saintess, what character is this?”
“Love.” Liu Xueyao handed the brush to Chu Feng. “Husband, would you like to try?”
Chu Feng took the brush, feeling that writing just one character should be fairly simple.
He copied it stroke by stroke, and before long, he finished writing it. It might not have been ten out of ten, but it was at least seven out of ten.
However, Liu Xueyao gently shook her head and said, “Husband, that’s not right.”
“Not right?”
Chu Feng was puzzled. Had he written it wrong?
“The character is correct, but the strokes are wrong.”
After that, Liu Xueyao directly came up behind Chu Feng and took hold of his hand.
In an instant, an icy cool sensation spread from the back of his hand. Her delicate body pressed close, making him feel as though he were wrapped in softness. A faint, elegant fragrance drifted over, filling his senses.
Only then did Chu Feng realize that he was now being held in Liu Xueyao’s embrace.
“Wait, Sister Saintess—”
“Husband, carefully feel the strokes.”
Liu Xueyao held the hand with which Chu Feng gripped the brush and began teaching him slowly, starting from each individual stroke.
Hearing this, Chu Feng fixed his eyes on the brush, trying to focus his attention. However, the soft pressure coming from behind made it impossible for him to concentrate no matter what he did.
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