“Xiaoyan Jie.”
At the small courtyard halfway up Tianxin Mountain, the moment Chen Xiaoyan returned and pushed open the courtyard fence, she was immediately pounced on by an unidentified creature.
Chen Xiaoyan’s quick reflexes caught the creature in one swift motion.
It looked like an octopus hugging her, but it was actually her little bug, Chun Chun.
She felt both helpless and happy.
She enjoyed the softness of the girl’s body while inhaling the faint scent of peach blossoms lingering in the air.
If this moment could last forever, how wonderful it would be.
“Xiaoyan Jie, it looks like there’s a topic about you on the world channel,” Chun Chun said, greedily burying herself between the two mountain peaks to take a deep breath.
Ah~ the scent of Xiaoyan Jie.
The fragrance on the Tianxiang Player Characters was all similar; no one knew if it was caused by the many peach blossom trees on Tianxin Mountain or something else, but it was always the smell of peach blossoms.
“I know… Hey, you brat, don’t move, it tickles.”
Chen Xiaoyan’s face flushed bright red as she quickly peeled off the mischievous thing that was moving its head and mouth on her chest.
“Grandma~ Xiangxiang~”
Chun Chun sucked on her fingers like a baby, reluctant to leave her chest behind.
Chen Xiaoyan knew this girl was doing it on purpose, so she rolled her eyes and ignored her.
Inside the small house, she sat on a meditation cushion to cultivate the Xiangyi Technique.
Seeing Chen Xiaoyan start her daily cultivation task, Chun Chun pouted and said with boredom, “Cultivating for several hours only earns ten spirit points? Why are you so diligent?”
“Little gains add up,” Chen Xiaoyan closed her eyes and replied faintly.
Ten points a day, three hundred points a month, roughly equal to the spirit points reward from one dungeon.
“Alright, alright,” Chun Chun gave up and sat down beside her to cultivate as well.
Two hours later.
They opened their eyes at the same time.
Chen Xiaoyan stood up and stretched her arms and legs, preparing to go to Tianxin Pavilion to receive the sect’s daily tasks from Shen Qingqing.
“Xiaoyan Jie, let’s go to the back mountain to see the scenery?”
“See the scenery?”
Chen Xiaoyan was stunned and surprised.
After all this time, this was the first time Chun Chun suggested going out to play, to see the scenery.
“Chun Chun, why did you suddenly want to play today?”
“I’ve been playing this game for more than twenty days, and we still haven’t properly looked around the Immortal Realm. Don’t you think so, Xiaoyan Jie?”
Chen Xiaoyan didn’t object.
Indeed, since playing this game, she was either leveling up, running dungeons, or doing tasks.
The only break she had was the recent Snow Smoke Pavilion gathering at the Moon Gazing Inn.
But Chen Xiaoyan never played the game for fun; it was for money.
Turning the Immortal Realm into her money-making tool.
“Xiaoyan Jie, please, let’s just go to the back mountain and have some fun,” Chun Chun coaxed, seeing Chen Xiaoyan hesitate.
“I’m not going. I still have to check if there are new daily tasks. You can go.”
Chen Xiaoyan didn’t agree.
She already had too many responsibilities; there was no time for sightseeing.
Even with Shen Qingqing’s divine skills backing her up, she couldn’t afford to slack off.
This was a very practical matter.
Without those god-tier skills, Chen Xiaoyan would be just an ordinary player.
Would people like Mu Qingxue, Chun Chun, and Liu Yue treat her the way they did now?
Having experienced the harshness of society, Chen Xiaoyan no longer dreamed of fairy tale endings; everything had to be grounded in reality.
In fact, sometimes Chen Xiaoyan did think about it.
What if one day, Shen Qingqing took a liking to a certain player’s talent, training her like she did herself, passing down those divine skills?
Then her advantage would vanish completely.
So, she had to work even harder.
Perhaps Shen Qingqing saw this very trait, which was why Chen Xiaoyan’s overpowered journey began.
Work hard for a few years, live happily forever—such a simple choice, even the dullest would know what to do.
Besides, she still had to meet with Liu Yue later to discuss the Sword Pavilion and Snow Smoke Pavilion alliance.
Handing this matter over to Mu Qingxue?
Don’t be ridiculous.
These two big shots probably wouldn’t accept each other; if they didn’t see eye to eye, it was safer for her to handle it herself.
“Xiaoyan Jie, you’re not going, I’ll be lonely all alone.”
“But I still have things to do.”
“Do them later.”
“No, later is when there are even more things to do,” Chen Xiaoyan firmly refused.
Chun Chun started crying.
She had never seen this stubborn side of Chen Xiaoyan before.
Going to see the scenery and tour the mountains and waters together—what was wrong with that?
When they were in the sect, it was the only time they had to be alone, and Chun Chun wouldn’t let that chance slip by.
With all those flashy, flirtatious girls outside making her feel insecure, she wanted to use this private time to strengthen her bond with Chen Xiaoyan.
But seeing Chen Xiaoyan’s unyielding attitude, Chun Chun was heartbroken and tearless.
“Then I want to go play with Xiaoyan Jie, is that not allowed?”
“Fine, but only when there’s time. Right now, I’m busy.”
Chen Xiaoyan gently stroked her head and spoke in a soothing voice like calming a child.
Hearing this, Chun Chun seemed to catch a chance, her eyes lighting up.
“You said it yourself, okay? When there’s time, the two of us will go play together,” Chun Chun emphasized the words “the two of us” heavily, as if deliberately reminding her.
“Okay.”
Chen Xiaoyan didn’t hesitate and agreed.
With her plan working, Chun Chun smiled and hugged Chen Xiaoyan’s left arm.
“Then I’ll accompany you while you’re busy, Xiaoyan Jie.”
Chen Xiaoyan nodded and smiled at her.
The two headed up the mountain.
***
“Senior Sister Shen.”
In the inner room of the backyard, Shen Qingqing slowly opened her eyes when she heard Chen Xiaoyan calling outside.
“Come in.”
“Senior Sister Shen, I have come to receive the sect’s daily tasks.”
Shen Qingqing waved carelessly, and Chen Xiaoyan and Chun Chun immediately received the game notification.
The three sect daily tasks were all repetitive, meaning they yielded little spirit points.
“Take them and leave,” Shen Qingqing’s tone was somewhat impatient.
If it had been another elder, being disturbed during a perfect cultivation moment, they might have been tempted to kill.
Only Chen Xiaoyan could tolerate her temper this well.
“Senior Sister Shen, I have one more matter.”
“Speak.”
“The silk ribbon needs to be infused with spirit energy. I’m still at a low realm, so I’m afraid I can’t use it.”
“Are you thinking of changing to a new magic tool?”
“No, I want to switch back to the white jade hairpin. That magic tool absorbs spiritual power automatically; it doesn’t require manual operation.”
Without a word, Shen Qingqing took out the white jade hairpin from her mustard seed pouch and tossed it to Chen Xiaoyan.
The latter caught it with one hand, her face breaking into a big smile.
Chen Xiaoyan took the silk ribbon out of her backpack and was about to hand it to Shen Qingqing.
Unexpectedly, Shen Qingqing refused.
“No need to give it to me. Keep both. These magic tools aren’t very useful above the divine realm, and keeping them with me is pointless.”
“Thank you, Senior Sister Shen.”
“Hmm, if you have any conscience, remember to come to me more often.”
After saying this, Shen Qingqing waved her hand to signal them to leave, then closed her eyes again to continue cultivating.
“I take my leave.”
Chen Xiaoyan turned and left.
After a few steps, she noticed Chun Chun frozen in place, still stunned, and couldn’t help but laugh as she grabbed her and walked out of the inner room.
As soon as the two left, Shen Qingqing mysteriously opened her eyes and looked toward the door.