"Alright, then, sir, I’ll go take care of my business." Old Bai bowed then retreated.
Luo Anling and Yu Xinlan were attentively listening to the instructions from Dong Xiao and Kong Hou.
"You can freely peruse the Secret Manuals in the Book Pavilion; there are no restrictions on you. All the courtyards are maintained by puppets; I’ll give you the Array Plate to control them in a while. Also, the Snow Spirit Horses are usually roaming in Qingxue Courtyard. When you need to go shopping for ingredients, just tell them, and they will take you there," Dong Xiao said.
Kong Hou, on the other hand, handed over a list of Tianmiao’s favorite foods to Yu Xinlan.
"Take this with you; you can call us through it if needed. Also, these Tokens are for each of you to carry," Kong Hou handed the items to the two of them.
"We have other things to do. Feel free to explore the courtyards on your own. There’s nothing forbidden. Most importantly, please put effort into your meals three times a day; the master really enjoys your cooking. Can we have hot pot tonight?" Dong Xiao asked.
"Sure," Yu Xinlan nodded, "although I don’t have enough materials for the hot pot base with me."
"Go buy them; the Snow Spirit Horses are very fast," Dong Xiao suggested. "We have other matters to attend to; call us if needed."
After Dong Xiao and Kong Hou finished instructing them, they left.
As Yu Xinlan and Luo Anling sat in the Snow Spirit Horse-drawn carriage soaring through the sky, they both felt it was surreal.
"I never dreamed that one day I could ride a Snow Spirit Horse to buy groceries," Yu Xinlan said excitedly as she watched the white clouds quickly retreating outside.
"I also never dreamed that we would become members of the Heavenly Dao Sect. Using your words, what’s it called, auxiliary personnel?" Luo Anling said, somewhat dazedly, as he gazed outside.
"Indeed, haha, auxiliary personnel, we’re quite impressive, really. This is the Heavenly Dao Sect, the pinnacle of existence in this world. By the way, Anling, what realm do you think Tianmiao’s powers are at?" Yu Xinlan curiously asked.
"I don’t know, but I speculate her power must be extremely strong. Although I didn’t witness her effortlessly striking down an Ancient Fierce Beast, I guess she can casually settle what others can’t. Her strength might be nearing divine, yet why she hasn’t achieved Ascension remains unknown. Perhaps she’s merely suppressing her powers?" Luo Anling guessed as he stroked his chin.
"If we can’t figure it out, let’s not dwell on it. We should head to the shop first; I need to get some condiments," Yu Xinlan said referring to her two shops in Taocheng. One sold hot pot and barbecue, while the other specialized in Sichuan cuisine.
"Alright, and we’ll also get some peach blossom pastries and dried fruits from your favorite shop," Luo Anling said with a smile.
Yu Xinlan pursed her lips and smiled. Despite her reluctance to interact much with Luo Anling over the years, he constantly cared for her, always considering her needs.
When the Snow Spirit Horse-drawn carriage appeared over Taocheng, the town buzzed with excitement once again. Seeing a Heavenly Dao Sect carriage again!
When the carriage stopped at this shop and that shop, people saw Luo Anling and Yu Xinlan stepping out and immediately understood. Then everyone was enviously red-eyed, thinking they might never in their lifetime get to ride a Spirit Beast like the Snow Spirit Horse. Seeing them coming to buy groceries, all went speechless.
In an instant, the seemingly lofty Heavenly Dao Sect felt a bit more down-to-earth, didn’t it?