But obviously, no man can accomplish this, the only man who is somewhat close to Zhu Tongjun is the Sect Leader of the Profound Sword Bureau, Sikong Lixu.
But regarding Sikong Lixu, Zhu Pingniang just feels that his brain doesnât work right. After all, he constantly calls Li Zhibai âgreat auntâ, truly making her Ah Bai seem old, and liking him would indeed be a strange thing.
And over the years, Sikong Lixuâs son... Sikong Jingâs brain isnât quite right either.
The father and son both have their brains not working well, naturally, she can only see Li Zhibai.
Oh.
Now with a Xu Changâan, Zhu Pingniang indeed has a fluttering heart, but when she sees Yun Qianâs eyes that never get jealous, she feels she should be buried in the dirtiest mud of the Abyss Sea, how could she have any strange thoughts.
Hmm.
Supporting Yun Qian diligently also counts as Zhu Pingniangâs compensation for her own unworthy thoughts.
As an elder, how can she develop feelings for a junior... moreover, Xu Changâan broke her Glazed Body, and she hasnât had time to be angry yet.
"Focus."
Zhu Pingniang took a deep breath, swung her sleeve, and those grains of tea leaves, vivid in their green, seemed to be gradually unfolding in the soak of boiling hot tea.
The originally dark tone gradually transformed into a crystalline clarity.
The luscious green color made Zhu Pingniang appear momentarily dazed, and for that brief instant, she felt as if she saw Ah Qingâs eyes.
Such a color close to the Heavenly Dao is indeed something extremely beautiful.
Carefully maneuvering the Secret Technique, Zhu Pingniang began to slowly extract the aura of Enlightenment Tea using the power of a Magical Artifact.
ââ
On the deck, Li Zhibai held a wine cup, sipping slowly.
She looked toward the distant spiraling wave of Spiritual Qi, thinking that Tong Jun had already made a move... but did she choose to use the copper mirror?
Thinking it would be a simpler approach? After all, Tong Jun seems not too keen on Yun Qian, but in truth, she could easily extract the aura, though itâs less pure, itâs adequate.
Yet Zhu Pingniang still chose the most pure method, though it consumed immensely of her energy and spirit.
Obviously, she is also quite attentive towards Yun Qian.
Li Zhibai set down the wine cup, feeling somewhat... guilty?
Not really guilty, just finding herself quite amusing.
Honestly, there was a moment when Li Zhibai truly thought Zhu Pingniang would be jealous of Yun Qian, but now it seems she overthought it, after all, she just chatted with Yun Qian, had a cup of tea, although she wore a nightgown sent by Tong Jun to meet Yun Qian...
But Tong Jun is quite a big girl, itâs reasonable for her not to be jealous over such trivial matters.
Hmm.
Reasonable.
Although reasonable.
Li Zhibai bowed her head, looking at the plum blossom embroidered on her robe, at this moment, she truly felt that her Daoist Robe was wasting Tong Junâs craftsmanship.
She hopes Zhu Pingniang and Yun Qian can get along well, not wanting any resentment between them, so... Zhu Pingniang best not be jealous of Yun Qian, as this would impact their closeness.
Therefore, as a sister, treating them equally and not favoring one over the other is the best way to maintain a relationship.
Li Zhibai swirled the wine cup in her hand.
While thinking... maybe she should, like when sheâs with Yun Qian, change into a nightgown to host a tea gathering with Tong Jun?
This way, everything would be even.
ââ
Processing the aura of Enlightenment Tea doesnât require much time, as itâs a lifeless object.
Before long, after completing everything, Zhu Pingniang withdrew the aura of the Enlightenment Tea symbol, she left the Mirror World and supported herself on the table, breathing gently.
The time was short, yet the energy expended was enormous.
Unlike Li Zhibai, she doesnât have Pill Heart Fire to utilize, so the consumption is terrifying.
Clearly, perfectly extracting such an object infinitely close to Dao Rhyme wasnât particularly easy for Zhu Pingniang, especially after her Glazed Dharma Body was broken, she was considered in a severely injured state, appearing somewhat disheveled.
With this thought, Zhu Pingniang wiped her sweat, the fatigue unconcealed in her eyes, until she took out two Elixirs and consumed them, her complexion appeared much better.
This was the reason she did not want Li Zhibai to follow her.
Not wanting Ah Bai to see her, even doing these things, struggling so much after her body was broken...
Tsk.
Could this be any worse.
Zhu Pingniang pulled up her sweat-drenched hair, thinking she really is a poor little thing, clearly wronged by Changâan with the body-breaking technique, yet having to endure injuries to help him.
Perhaps sheâs wronged many, indeed, a bad woman.
But never wronged Xu Changâan.
In this regard, Zhu Pingniang is unburdened.
"Therefore..."
She wants Yun Qian to follow her in learning the Six Arts for Women in the future, becoming the model of the Ancient Hehuan Sect... hoping Xu Changâan will agree?
It should be agreed, after all, she doesnât wish Yun Qian to show herself everywhere, just wants her... as the inheritor of Ms. Guâs skills, a girl who can bring fortune to Mu Yu Peakâs women upon arrival.
This one who can outshine everyone, Zhu Pingniang believes only Yun Qian is worthy, after all, speaking squarely... if there is any good girl left under heaven, she truly cannot recall another.
Even she and Li Zhibai have flaws, not as good as Yun Qian.
But Yun Qian isnât perfect either, that girlâs personality seems somewhat flawed... sometimes inexplicably strange.
However, itâs okay... how could there be truly perfect women in this world?
Impossible.
"..."
Zhu Pingniang suddenly recalled something, blinking with a strange expression.
Perfect woman...
Seems there is one?
Not her deceased Ms. Gu, butâXu Changâan.
Zhu Pingniang suddenly realized, indeed Xu Changâanâs personality resembles a girlâs quite closely.
Xu Changâan is thoughtful, preparing things from every angle, even sometimes complexly layered.
Xu Changâan is also quite adept at taking care of people, domestic chores and culinary skills all-around, his culinary skills and prowess in making preserves completely conquered Zhu Pingniang.
Comparatively, Yun Qian really seems like the served husband, a man idly indulged by his âvirtuous wifeâ.
And Zhu Pingniang just now replaced Xu Changâanâs image in her mind.
Hypothetically, Xu Changâan was not a boy, but a girl, a girl with eight-tenths Yun Qianâs beauty.
Devoted to one, focused, considering everything for you, handling everything so lucidly.
Rational, beautiful, hesitant on the surface but decisive on matters of principle...
She would be nearly the most perfect woman.
This is even more captivating than Yun Qian.
Zhu Pingniang held her face.
But pity, the pity is that heâs a man, the kind that breaks bodies.
So thatâs it.
If Xu Changâan were a girl in a past life, Zhu Pingniang believes she might have believed...
Thus, she canât be blamed for feeling moved, who told Xu Changâan sometimes indeed resembles a girl.
Sometimes Zhu Pingniang found it odd, clearly she should like women, but facing excessively attractive Yun Qian, she remained unmoved.
Indeed, she doesnât actually like girls, but rather her beloved Ah Bai happens to be a girl.
...?
"..." Zhu Pingniang, with a strange look, cast the chaotic thoughts out of her mind.
She was overthinking.
Looking at the copper mirror in hand.
"Itâs all my fault."
She murmured to herself.
If it were not for her always casting glances at pretty girls back then, Qinling wouldnât have grown to be crooked.
With the elder daughter as a precedent, coupled with her great satisfaction with Miss Lu, she thus resists letting these two girls meet.
Thus she resists telling Miss Lu about Qinlingâs matters.
She truly dared not think, if both daughters became crooked... how would she live her days?
One Qinling already left her exasperated.
If even Miss Lu took a fancy...
Then Zhu Pingniang felt, most likely she could only... compromise just like those two gals.
Back then, did Sikong Lixu like Tongjun?
Probably.
Mirror.
Sikong Jing.
Sikong Lixu wanting to ally with Mu Yu Peak, was it because of Zhu Tongjun?
Who knows.