Chapter 176 - 0127 Life should not be all plain sailing.

The Daoist Nun walked up to Xu Chang’an.

She was significantly taller than Xu Chang’an.

Seeing the fatigue in Xu Chang’an’s eyes and brows, the Daoist Nun conjured a golden elixir with a circular pattern. Xu Chang’an glanced at it, and whether it was an illusion or not, he saw a Dao Pattern flash across the elixir.

But upon closer inspection, he saw nothing more.

"Eat this." The Daoist Nun said calmly.

"Yes." Xu Chang’an didn’t hesitate and opened his mouth to swallow the elixir.

As soon as the elixir entered his mouth, it transformed into a pure energy that surged to his crown. After a shiver, Xu Chang’an’s depleted Spiritual Qi was instantly replenished, a glimmer flashed in his eyes, and his essence, energy, and spirit reached their optimal state.

"Sir? What did I just eat..."

"Just a small thing."

The Daoist Nun waved her hand and sat on the Master’s Chair, scrutinizing Xu Chang’an up and down.

Just by sitting there, she exuded an aura of authority.

Although they hadn’t seen each other for a long time, from the moment he entered the room, the atmosphere automatically reverted to a year ago, and both were extremely natural.

The Daoist Nun looked at Xu Chang’an and frowned.

This action stunned Xu Chang’an.

"You’ve grown quite a bit taller." She said calmly. Indeed, young people grow quickly. She remembered when this child first came to Muyu Peak, his face still had traces of childishness, but now... he had become a graceful young man.

"Sir, don’t scare me." Xu Chang’an said with relief, "I thought I had upset you again."

"Have you Open Sourced?" The Daoist Nun asked calmly.

"Yes." Xu Chang’an nodded.

"In over a year, your talent is even worse than I expected." The Daoist Nun said.

Xu Chang’an choked and then said with a wry smile, "I’ve embarrassed you."

"It’s not embarrassing." The Daoist Nun looked outside at the extremely intricate, even frightening barriers and arrays, then glanced at the dust inadvertently on Xu Chang’an’s face, meeting his gaze.

Here... only he could manage it, completely ignoring all the formations and barriers.

——

Being watched by his mentor, Xu Chang’an originally wanted to ask if there was anything she needed him to do... but he couldn’t bring himself to say it, so he sat quietly.

"How could someone seem like an Immortal Reincarnation?" The Daoist Nun thought about the news she recently received, frowning.

When Xu Chang’an practiced cultivation with her, he didn’t show signs of a Sea of Consciousness as solid as a rock, nor did he exhibit any celestial phenomena; he was just an ordinary boy.

In the past, she taught Xu Chang’an in the side hall of the Sword Hall, following protocol, which was merely a matter of lifting a hand.

Until he left, she only learned from others that he could actually see the barrier at the Sword Hall’s center.

"Reincarnation?" Ling Qi enveloped the room, and Xu Chang’an couldn’t hear clearly.

"It’s nothing." The Daoist Nun said calmly, "I summoned you because it’s already been a year."

"A year...?"

"You’ve been taking care of the courtyard for a year." The Daoist Nun took out a Jade Talisman and placed it in front of Xu Chang’an: "I don’t have Spirit Stones to give you, take this Jade Talisman to the Hundred Herbs Garden to exchange for some Spirit Grass used in the Open Source Realm."

"I cannot accept it." Xu Chang’an looked at the Jade Talisman and shook his head.

To him, spending half a day each week managing the Sword Hall barely counted as anything.

A mere lift of a finger.

Even if he was now short on money, he couldn’t accept the reward from his mentor.

"What do you mean you can’t take it." The Daoist Nun looked at Xu Chang’an.

"Just..." Xu Chang’an said, suddenly meeting the Daoist Nun’s stern gaze, feeling a chill on his back.

Yes, his mentor was a very serious and earnest person.

Since she offered him a reward, it must be protocol, and he had no right to refuse.

"I’ll take it." Xu Chang’an accepted the Jade Talisman, hurriedly pocketing it.

"You were working, I’m giving it to you, that’s the rule." The Daoist Nun stood up and issued a dismissal: "Right, you can leave now."

Xu Chang’an: "..."

So, she called him over just to give him "silver"?

What is this about?

He came to help, not for the reward.

"Student... takes his leave." Xu Chang’an sighed softly.

"Mm." The Daoist Nun nodded.

Xu Chang’an had helped her a lot; due to alchemy, the whole courtyard was filled with intricate arrays and barriers, Spiritual Power tangled, breeding weeds, and the weeds were covered with barriers, which normal people couldn’t clear.

She didn’t have Spirit Stones, so she granted Xu Chang’an permission to collect herbs from the Hundred Herbs Garden.

"Wait."

Just as Xu Chang’an was about to push the door open and leave, the Daoist Nun suddenly called him.

Xu Chang’an turned around, looked at the woman on the Master’s Chair, and the light reflected off her ordinary face, making people feel comforted.

The Daoist Nun glanced at the Glazed Jade on Xu Chang’an’s waist.

It’s... the Sect Leader.

——

After a moment of silence, the Daoist Nun said seriously: "I don’t know what’s going on with you, but if you encounter trouble, come find me."

"I’ve already caused you enough trouble." Xu Chang’an sighed helplessly.

"Did you remember?" She asked.

"I remember." Xu Chang’an nodded.

"Go."

After Xu Chang’an left, the Daoist Nun went into the courtyard, looked at the neat arrangement under the sky full of barriers, and shook her head gently.

He managed this far, perhaps he really was some Immortal Reincarnation.

Actually, after Xu Chang’an reached the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer, he was no longer her student, but even now, she continued to "order" him strictly, all because of his efforts and performance over the years.

She unexpectedly really regarded him as her disciple.

It was indeed the first time.

——

At home.

Yun Qian lay on the couch, a thumb-sized candied fruit in her mouth.

Xu Chang’an entered the world to experience various emotions, so a role similar to an elder was indispensable.

Thinking carefully, for her husband, life shouldn’t be smooth sailing; otherwise, many joys would be absent... So watching him work hard for her, she truly was very happy.

——

After leaving the Sword Hall, it was already late in the day, and Xu Chang’an’s expression was somewhat melancholic.

Receiving a reward from someone he respected made his mood difficult to improve.

But knowing how much his mentor feared trouble, she told him to find her when in trouble... this gradually shifted his mood from somber to bright.

Now everything seemed to be moving in a good direction, and there was nothing troubling.

Time to go home.

I wonder how Miss Yun’s cultivation went today.

——

What Xu Chang’an didn’t expect was that just upon returning to Celestial Bright Peak, he saw Wen Li waiting for him by the lakeside.

"Junior Brother." Wen Li walked over to Xu Chang’an, the slightly hesitant expression on her face giving Xu Chang’an an ominous feeling.

"Senior Sister, what’s happened?"

"..."

Wen Li took a deep breath and said: "Junior Sister Yun’s Elixir Field is almost riddled with leaks; she... might not be able to cultivate normally."