Perhaps it’s from learning storytelling from Chen Ye.
The little girl’s stories were full of danger, yet intriguingly humorous.
They made the two listeners occasionally chuckle and sometimes frown in empathy, dispelling the inexplicable gloom.
The little girl sighed inwardly:
"Master, oh Master, if it weren’t for you, Qing Jun couldn’t be bothered to entertain people."
Who would have thought.
That one day, it would be her, Qing Jun, who had to cheer people up!
...
Time flew by.
In the blink of an eye, ten days had passed.
During these ten days, Zhiwei became proficient in wielding three Gourd Swords, making a preliminary entry into the Gourd Art.
For Zhiwei, the Gourd Swords were a major upgrade.
Her original Canchen was just a Lower Grade Second Tier Flying Sword, while the three Gourd Swords were each Top Grade Second Tier Magical Treasures, and even when Zhiwei forms her core, the three Gourd Swords can return to being Spiritual Artifacts.
As for the Great Derivation Wind-Thunder Sword Formation, there was not enough time to comprehend it.
This Sword Formation, in its complete state, requires seven Gourd Swords to deploy, making it a formidable ultimate move.
But fortunately, three Gourd Swords were sufficient to form a sword formation.
And Zhiwei’s cultivation was insufficient; the three Gourd Swords were more than enough for her. Only a Golden Core True Man could use seven Gourd Swords to deploy the formation.
As for Chen Ye, his progress was equally rapid!
He summoned the panel.
[Heart Slaughter Sword Technique (Minor Achievement): 7/100]
Though it’s only Minor Achievement, it already means he can perform the Heart Slaughter Sword!
"However...I’ve been slowly nurturing this sword, accumulating proficiency to train it to Minor Achievement. I haven’t activated it yet, and I don’t know how significant the side effects might be."
Chen Ye pondered.
From the Heart Slaughter Sword Technique, Chen Ye knew that once the sword is used, it would harm himself.
Especially since Chen Ye was still a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.
Thus, he hadn’t tried the sword.
"Forget it, anyhow, it’s an extra trump card. If I encounter any crisis in the future, at least I have another card up my sleeve."
Chen Ye firmed his resolve and swallowed a Purple Sun Pill.
Over the past few days of cultivation, he had successfully recovered a portion of his lost cultivation. He estimated that after another half month of practice, he could begin attempting a breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Third Layer.
As for Qing Jun.
These days she was playing wildly all around the Divine Mist Valley, turning what once was a serene cultivation spot upside down.
Even Mao Cheng couldn’t handle her.
So how could the other members of the Mao Family dare to intervene?
"Forget it. Since she’s been dedicated to cultivation for so long, let her play... However, she did help me thoroughly explore the true state of the Divine Mist Valley. Now I can go find Sister Qingzhu and avoid those watching eyes."
With this thought, Chen Ye rose and headed to the bamboo grove.
Xiaoli was already peeking from beyond the yard. Seeing Chen Ye arrive, her round face blossomed with a smile:
"Quick! There’s no one else here right now."
While speaking, she glanced around furtively, as if Chen Ye were sneaking to meet someone in secret.
Under the swaying bamboo shadows, the wood cabin was tranquil.
Xiaoli’s expression, as if guilty of some theft, made Chen Ye chuckle silently.
But speaking of sneaking...
It didn’t seem entirely incorrect?
These recent days.
He was having great fun with Sister Qingzhu...
"Ahem, keep it down."
Chen Ye lightly cleared his throat, adjusted his collar, and pushed the door open.
Inside, Mao Qingzhu was sitting by the window at a small desk, her brows slightly furrowed as she held a pen suspended.
Today, she wore a moon-white gauze dress with a sheer shawl of the same color over it. Her long hair cascaded like a waterfall, loosely pinned up with a simple white jade hairpin, with a few strands of hair lazily cascading down her neck and before her smooth forehead, making her skin appear snow-white, gentle as a picture.
Chen Ye’s gaze involuntarily lingered on her.
The white-robed woman was ever so slightly leaning forward in her seated posture, making her waist appear even slimmer, tempting one to measure it with their hands.
With a gauze belt cinching her waist, it produced a breathtaking silhouette.
The breeze blew in, stirring the light shawl, faintly outlining the smooth curves of her hips and waist, full and upright, yet appearing exceptionally soft due to her seated posture, like a magnolia flower about to bloom, quietly perched on the cushion.
"Bro...Brother Ye?"
At the sound of the door opening, Mao Qingzhu suddenly looked up.
Seeing it was Chen Ye, her bright eyes rippled with joyous surprise.
In her life, the first two decades were dedicated to cultivation, the next ten confined within the courtyard, tedious and dull.
Only in recent years, upon meeting Chen Ye and Qing Jun, did her once monotonous life become vibrant.
"What are you writing, Sister Qingzhu? So mysterious."
Chen Ye strolled forward, habitually sitting behind Mao Qingzhu, wrapping his arm around the beauty’s slender waist.
"Noth... nothing." Mao Qingzhu instinctively pressed her hand over the paper hidden in her sleeve, her fingertips trembling slightly, "It was just... jotting down random things in idle moments."
Chen Ye, feeling the softness under his hand and inhaling the faint fragrance emanating from Sister Qingzhu, felt quite at ease.
This is the life a cultivator should live!
Not toiling away in the fields day after day!
"Qing Jun was here earlier, right? Did she have fun?" Chen Ye mischievously inquired despite his antics.
"Yes, she came in the morning."
Mentioning Qing Jun, Mao Qingzhu’s tensed expression relaxed slightly,
"She’s still so lively, chattering non-stop, reiterating the matters of Calm Hall and Heart Slaughter Cave, even mimicking that old nun jumping in rage to perfection..."
She couldn’t help but smile as she spoke, then suddenly, as if recalling something, her eyes turned, casting a playful sidelong glance at Chen Ye,
"It’s all because you spoiled her, Master. And... um, that’s not allowed..."
She hurriedly used her delicate hand to stop Chen Ye’s wandering hand.
"I spoiled her?"
Chen Ye raised an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly, closing the distance,
"If Qing Jun was spoiled by me, then wasn’t I spoiled by Sister Qingzhu?"
Mao Qingzhu, flustered by his gaze, instinctively leaned back, the hand covering the paper unconsciously loosening, revealing a corner of the document.
Upon it were beautiful, small script letters, seemingly reading "Qing," "Peace," "Joy," and suchlike.