Chapter 8: Delicious Food on Mortal Realm

The issue with Xiang Haikui completely caught Jing Ran off guard.

A hint of astonishment flashed across his expression.

After asking her question, Xiang Haikui immediately wanted to lower her head.

But if she did, it would seem like she was looking towards his underwear, given the context of her question.

She had no choice but to keep her gaze fixed on his face, touching the bun on her head and laughing awkwardly, “Is my curiosity too much?”

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

Xiang Haikui quickly added, “If it’s hard to answer, you don’t have to. See, not every question needs an answer.”

This statement left Jing Ran momentarily stunned.

He tucked the recommendation letter into his sleeve and said, “Classmate Xiang, given the situation at that time, you still noticed such details. Your observational skills are impressive.”

After all, at that moment, Jing Ran himself felt like he was in a dream, dazed and confused.

Xiang Haikui modestly replied, “Not really, it’s just that I’m used to observing you.”

That’s why she found it surprising. How could a stoic, cool male god like Jing Ran, who resembled Ximen Chuixue, wear cartoon underwear?

Was it contrasting cuteness?

Not really; it felt more like a bit of a letdown.

“It’s late; Senior should rest now.”

The atmosphere had become too awkward because of her, so Xiang Haikui decided to make a quick exit.

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

The cold moonlight of the desert bathed her in a faint halo.

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

The sword case on her back seemed heavy, but her spine was straighter than a sword.

Even with a flushed face, her eyes brimmed with confidence.

Was it because she had built her Dao foundation?

Just moments ago, he had tried meditating according to the spell for drawing Qi into the body and had also completed his foundation building.

There were indeed some changes in his body, but it was far from a complete transformation.

Initially, Jing Ran thought that cultivating immortality wouldn’t be too difficult for him.

Now, he realized he needed to take it more seriously.

After leaving his courtyard, Xiang Haikui could feel Tian kuang lying in the case like a dead dog.

It was angry, upset that she had been too timid.

“What should I do? Should I go back and knock him out with you, then force myself on him?”

Tian kuang suddenly came to life, banging against the sword case twice.

Xiang Haikui was speechless. She smacked the case to quiet it down.

“You don’t understand, it’s not that I’m timid.”

The next day, Jing Ran set off for the capital, Jinling City.

The first time Xiang Haikui heard the name, she thought it was the ancient Jinling City from Huixia. Looking at the map, it was indeed in a similar location.

In any case, it was extremely far from Silver Sand City. Even with good weather, it would take a flying boat one to two months to get there.

Xiang Haikui silently watched her father bid him farewell, feeling a mix of emotions.

Previously, she hadn’t planned on going to university. But because he was going to Jiang University, she took on two extra part-time jobs and studied hard for a year.

Although she applied to the worst program at Jiang University, at least they became alumni.

Now, he was going to a cultivation academy.

This time, she wouldn’t follow. She had more important things to do.

But just as Jing Ran boarded the flying boat, he sent her a voice transmission: “Classmate Xiang, keep it up. When you become my junior again, I’ll answer your question.”

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

Sigh, although Jinling academy could accept students through connections, she didn’t even have a spiritual root. Going there would only mean being bullied by the nobles and elite families.

Xiang Haikui understood what was going on. Her father must have asked Jing Ran to encourage her, hoping to give her some motivation to cultivate harder and try to get into Jinling Academy on her own merits.

On this path to immortality, she needed to go as far as she could.

Xiang Haikui was speechless, thinking that she could now take on a dozen of those academic types single-handedly.

And, male god, you really don’t know how to encourage people, do you? Using your underwear pattern as bait?

Xiang Haikui could only awkwardly reply, “I’ll work hard,” and then urged her father, “Alright, stop being sentimental about others. You should focus on your closed-door cultivation.”

Last night, she had held her sword, tense and unable to sleep, listening intently to her surroundings.

Even though she knew the assailant would only strike after her father began his cultivation, she didn’t dare relax.

Xiang Heng asked, “Do you really not need me to stay with you a bit longer? I might be in seclusion for three to five years.”

Xiang Haikui shook her head, “No need.”

Xiang Heng: “Alright then, I’ll make some arrangements first.”

Silver Sand City needed someone to guard it. Xiang Haikui knew the responsibility would fall on her father’s disciples.

Her father had three disciples.

The youngest was Wu Mian, who had demon blood and was born with immense strength. He loved to fight and was picked up by her father on the battlefield outside the pass, raised by him.

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

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

This power was granted by the Grand City Lord, but he had also earned it through his own abilities.

Meng Xilou came from a prominent family in the capital, with a clan elder who had reached the Tribulation Transcendence stage. He was somewhat like Jing Ran, a genius and top student who had always been in the spotlight.

He had been admitted to Jinling Academy as the top scorer but gave it up upon enrollment.

He came alone to the northern desert to train, believing that the harsh and brutal environment there would help him grow faster.

In Xiang Haikui’s dream, apart from Ye Qianzhi, who was kind to everyone, the other two disciples didn’t treat her well.

Wu Mian loved to bully her, and although Meng Xilou rarely spoke to her, the disdain in his eyes was unmistakable.

These three disciples were Xiang Haikui’s prime suspects.

Now, the eldest was out inspecting the territory, the youngest was off somewhere looking for a fight, leaving only Ye Qianzhi to guard the home.

“Quickly summon them all back,” Xiang Heng instructed Ye Qianzhi on many matters, finally emphasizing, “Take good care of your junior sister.”

“I’ve noted everything,” Ye Qianzhi, always calm and composed, spoke unhurriedly and looked at Xiang Haikui, “Junior sister, if you need anything, just let me know.”

“Thank you, Second Senior Brother,” Xiang Haikui clasped her hands in gratitude.

His sleeves were wide, and his hands were hidden beneath them, unseen.

The place for his seclusion wasn’t within Silver Sand City but in a cave not far to the northwest.

For someone of his level, the location of seclusion was a closely guarded secret. But as the city lord, someone had to know in case of emergencies requiring his attention.

Previously, it was Xiang Tianqing who accompanied him, but this time Xiang Haikui joined as well.

Xiang Heng had never been so happy before entering seclusion, his face constantly smiling.

After he entered the secluded chamber and the stone door, which blocked all energy, closed behind him, Xiang Tianqing, familiar with the routine, walked to the side and cast a spell to light a wall lamp.

Soon, all the lamps in the cave lit up one after another, each with a differently colored shade.

Xiang Tianqing, holding her skirt, led Xiang Haikui out, informing her, “Sister, you must step on the shadows of these lamps, or the protective array will attack you.”

Besides stepping on shadows, there seemed to be other tricks, like avoiding certain colors.

Xiang Tianqing didn’t elaborate, and Xiang Haikui didn’t ask, simply following her lead.

“Does father often go into seclusion?”

Xiang Tianqing sighed softly, “It’s all my fault. When I was young, I was poisoned by a demon and was sealed away. Father spent a hundred years curing me, but in the process, he was afflicted by demonic energy and now needs to enter seclusion frequently to suppress it.”

Xiang Haikui wanted to ask what would happen if her father couldn’t control it. What would she do?

In her dream, the scenes were vivid, but when she tried to view them from her father’s perspective, everything became blurry.

So she didn’t know what state Xiang Tianqing was in when she made her move.

As they exited the cave, Xiang Tianqing peeked out and then quickly pulled back.

“Little sister, we’ll have to wait a bit before heading back. A sandstorm is coming.”

Xiang Haikui looked out; the sun was blazing, and there wasn’t a hint of wind.

But she trusted Xiang Tianqing’s judgment.

“Alright.”

With her father just beginning his seclusion in the cave below, Xiang Tianqing’s backer wouldn’t choose to act here.

The two sat in the rocky cave, Xiang Haikui using her sword case as a pillow to rest.

Xiang Tianqing sat cross-legged, maintaining perfect posture.

Xiang Tianqing couldn’t help but glance at her, “Sister, is that a sword in your case?”

“Yes,” Xiang Haikui replied, arms crossed, eyes closed.

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

Xiang Haikui smiled, “At home, why would I need to draw my sword?”

Something about this statement seemed to touch Xiang Tianqing, who paused for a moment.

Xiang Haikui didn’t pay much attention; she was very tired and began to feel drowsy.

Then she heard Xiang Tianqing exclaim, “Huh? Why is there a snake here?”

Xiang Tianqing stood up and walked to a corner of the cave where there was a pile of rubble, from which a small black snake’s tail was protruding.

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

This little black snake had a dark red scale on its head and seemed to still be conscious, its body coiling as its tail was held.

Xiang Tianqing noticed that many of the snake’s scales had fallen off, and there were long, thin cuts all over its body. It was barely alive.

There were no such snakes near Silver Sand City; it must have been swept here by the sandstorm.

Xiang Tianqing carried the snake back, intending to take it to the city.

Besides practicing swordsmanship, she had also learned some alchemy from her long illness.

She planned to use the snake for practice.

Xiang Haikui turned her head and saw her carrying a snake, instantly perking up.

Xiang Tianqing noticed her keen interest, “Little sister, what’s wrong?”

Xiang Haikui rubbed her hands together, “Although the snake is small, it looks quite plump. It must be delicious.”

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

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

Xiang Haikui had already noticed, “A bit of salt will make it tastier.”

As soon as the thought of eating the snake crossed her mind, the Tian Kuang sword in the case became extremely excited, almost jumping up as if to say, “Eat it! Eat it!”

Xiang Haikui didn’t understand what it was getting at.

Xiang Tianqing, seeing her eager expression, found it somewhat amusing.

Growing up in the harsh environment of Silver Sand City, Xiang Tianqing wasn’t particularly soft-hearted.

She had originally intended to use the snake for practice but agreed, “Alright, let’s take it back, salt it, and then stew it.”