Chapter 9

Chun Chou advanced in his sleep.

When he woke up, it was already the morning of the third day.

Chun Chou looked dazed. “…I—I slept that long?”

Then he noticed Ling Wuji sitting beside him, observing him carefully. After watching for a while, Ling Wuji said helplessly, “Were you truly cultivating unconsciously? You had no idea at all that you were practicing?”

Chun Chou: “?”

Ling Wuji: “Chun Chou, you’ve advanced.”

Chun Chou froze for a moment, then checked his cultivation level. Overjoyed, he exclaimed, “I’ve reached the sixth level of Qi Refining! I’m actually one level higher than you now!”

That had never happened before. After all, Chun Chou’s mixed spiritual roots were just as famous in Hongye Town as a single top-grade spiritual root—except for the opposite reason. His cultivation speed had always been the slowest.

A faint smile appeared on Ling Wuji’s face as well. “This is a good thing. Maybe the effect of the four expired Spirit Condensation Pills you took has finally kicked in.”

Chun Chou: “…” Please don’t bring up those four expired pills—we’re still good friends, right?!

Only then did Chun Chou notice that many spirit stones around them had lost all their spiritual energy.

He gathered them and did a quick count, discovering that all of Ling Wuji’s spirit stones and those belonging to the ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator had been completely used up.

No wonder no demonic beasts had been drawn to his breakthrough—most of the spiritual energy had come from their own spirit stones.

Chun Chou scratched his head, thinking that his advancement had really not been easy. Then he looked at Ling Wuji again and found that Ling Wuji was staring at him without blinking.

Logically speaking, Chun Chou should have been used to that gaze.

Ling Wuji often looked at him like this when he was doing something or thinking. The moment he sensed Chun Chou needed help, he would immediately step in.

Ling Wuji had always been this gentle, considerate, and attentive.

Chun Chou thought to himself that he had truly chosen a good partner for himself!

His taste was excellent!

So, under that gaze, Chun Chou shifted from sitting atop the tree canopy to kneeling there—and then reached out to tug at Ling Wuji’s clothes.

Ling Wuji paused, then allowed Chun Chou to undo both his outer robe and inner garment, revealing the somewhat ferocious-looking scar beneath.

Chun Chou touched the scar and asked softly, “Does it still hurt?”

Ling Wuji replied, “It doesn’t hurt anymore. It’s just… a bit ugly.”

Chun Chou “studied” the scar back and forth several times, then whispered, “When we earn more spirit stones, we’ll buy some scar-removal ointment. It’ll definitely return to how it was before.”

Eight-pack abs and that V-line—Chun Chou thought—those were still necessary. The scar was a bit of an eyesore.

Ling Wuji: “…”

Ling Wuji said, “Alright.” As long as Chun Chou liked it, he would be fine however he was.

Chun Chou studied the scar for a while longer—the one that had nearly cut across Ling Wuji’s heart—before clearing his throat lightly. “You should put your clothes back on. It’s not quite proper like this. Luckily no one else saw.”

Then he knelt upright, as if intending to turn away.

Ling Wuji, however, caught his arm and handed him a brand-new set of clothes. “You’ve got blood on you. Change into something clean.” After a pause, he added, “I’ll turn around. I won’t look at you. Before we’re married, I… I’ll try not to look.”

He had originally meant to say he wouldn’t look at all before marriage, but then thought better of being so absolute and changed his wording.

He then saw Chun Chou widen his moist eyes at him in disbelief, before his ears quietly turned red.

Ling Wuji truly did turn around, facing away from Chun Chou, and also tidied the clothes Chun Chou had messed up.

Chun Chou: “…”

After thinking for a moment, he righteously chose not to turn around. Changing clothes like this should be fine, right? After all, Ling Wuji had already turned his back.

But just as he had taken off his outer robe, he caught sight of Ling Wuji’s bright red ears. A flicker of embarrassment rose in him as well. He quickly turned around, presenting his back to Ling Wuji, and changed into a new set of clothes.

Mm. From top to bottom. Inside and out, all replaced.

The two childhood sweethearts ate a little more food atop the tree canopy before finally descending.

Fortunately, Ling Wuji’s wheelchair was made of special materials and hadn’t been damaged at all. Chun Chou walked while Ling Wuji sat in the wheelchair, and the two of them discussed their plans. Since they were already in the demon beast forest, they might as well gather some spirit herbs and fruits.

They would leave the forest and enter the city by noon the next day.

After advancing in cultivation, Chun Chou’s perception of plants had grown much sharper. He led Ling Wuji through the forest for an entire day, encountering only a few mild-tempered demon beasts. They didn’t provoke the beasts, and the beasts ignored them in return.

Their packs were now filled with freshly picked spirit herbs and fruits whose names they recognized. Chun Chou even collected some herb seeds and stored them carefully.

They spent another night on the outskirts of the forest. Early the next morning, while gathering more herbs and fruits along the way, they exited the outer perimeter.

They weren’t worried about losing their way. As soon as they left the forest, they saw two towering watchtowers.

The watchtowers seemed to rise into the clouds — truly awe-inspiring.

Chun Chou and Ling Wuji were both stunned. As expected of the cultivation world — extraordinary indeed.

Still… was it really necessary to build watchtowers that tall?

The two country bumpkins couldn’t figure it out, but that didn’t stop them from heading toward the city and lining up to enter.

Chun Chou carried a large bundle on his back. Ling Wuji, seated in his wheelchair, held another large bundle, with two smaller ones hanging from the back. If spirit beasts hadn’t required separate entrance fees, and if they hadn’t actually gathered that many herbs and fruits, Chun Chou would have even summoned their little donkey to carry another pack.

In the mortal world, whenever one entered or left a city, one needed an identity token. But in the cultivation world, Chun Chou discovered that cultivators traveling between cities required no such identification. As long as one’s spiritual power was tested and confirmed to be that of a cultivator — not a demonic cultivator or demon — entry was granted.

However, the testing artifact seemed rather ordinary. If a demonic cultivator or demon had a way to disguise their power, they could likely enter without issue.

Chun Chou thought that this was rather interesting.

Ling Wuji, however, frowned. “Something’s not right. In the books sent by Mayor Qiao of Hongye Town, it was recorded that cultivator identities are supposed to be registered — at least those below the Golden Core stage. This city doesn’t require registration. That’s strange.”

Ling Wuji had read more of those books. As for Chun Chou… he had been busy with something at the time and hadn’t read them.

“Well, we can only go in first and see,” Chun Chou said.

The line moved quickly. Half an hour later, it was their turn.

When Ling Wuji placed his hand on the spirit-testing artifact, his eyes lowered slightly.

The cultivator guarding the device glanced at it, saw nothing unusual, and lazily said, “Five low-grade spirit stones. Next.”

Chun Chou had already given half his spirit stones to Ling Wuji in the forest, so Ling Wuji took out five low-grade stones.

The guard frowned. “How old are these stones? The spiritual energy’s practically depleted! No good — make it six.” He looked Ling Wuji up and down. “Where’d you dig up such old stones? Tsk.”

His gaze drifted toward their bundles of spiritual herbs and fruits, and he paused. A Qi Refining cultivator daring to venture into the demon beast forest wasn’t someone to provoke too much.

Ling Wuji “…”

Chun Chou “…”

Since they are new arrivals, neither wanted trouble. Ling Wuji simply took out another stone.

The guard accepted them with visible disdain.

When it was Chun Chou’s turn, the guard took his six stones with similar reluctance. He probably could have demanded more — these stones were truly ancient, with weaker spiritual energy than ordinary low-grade stones. But again — another Qi Refining cultivator who’d braved the demon beast forest. Better not push it.

He rolled his eyes. “Next!”

Chun Chou: …

Well, it had been many years since spirit stones circulated in the mortal realm. Their stones were probably genuinely old.

At least they entered the city without further trouble.

Perhaps they looked too much like clueless country folk — their eyes carrying that clear, innocent foolishness — because very soon a Qi Refining second-layer boy ran up to them, eyes sparkling.

“Seniors, need a guide? I know Canglan City like the back of my hand! If you want to sell spirit herbs and fruits at the market? I know reliable shops. Want to set up your own stall? I know where to sell your goods fastest! As for lodging,I know the inns here, and the brokers who rent the house. I’m familiar with them all. Senior, please hire me today — I can get everything settled for you in half a day!”

Canglan City?

Chun Chou and Ling Wuji exchanged a subtle glance.

Not right. Something was very wrong.

According to the array guardian, their teleportation should have passed through the seven great sects. If any of the sects wished to accept them — even as menial disciples — the formation would have stopped there. If none accepted them, they would have arrived outside Guiyuan City beneath the foremost sect, Guiyuan Sword Sect.

That teleportation array operated regularly. They only needed to follow the majority of cultivators to reach Guiyuan City.

So how had they ended up in Canglan City?

Where even was Canglan City?

They hadn’t seen the city’s name when entering.

Chun Chou said, “Do you have a map of Canglan City? Or perhaps one including nearby cities?”

The boy was very clever. Upon hearing this, he immediately replied, “Yes, senior!” He then led the two to the roadside and took out three maps: one was a map of Canglan City, one was a detailed map of the cities near Canglan City, and one was a map of the Canglan Continent.

Chun Chou glanced over them before handing all three to Ling Wuji.

“Is there a cheaper restaurant nearby?” he asked.

“Yes, yes! Just ahead. The cook is a mortal, but the ingredients are spiritual. Three dishes and a soup, spirit rice included — only fifteen low-grade spirit stones.”

A mortal?

Chun Chou: …

Considering he only had around a hundred low-grade stones left — and the despised kind at that — he suddenly didn’t want to go.

But he still said, “Lead the way. And tell me about Canglan City. My cousin and I are here for the first time.”

Ling Wuji, who had been focused on the map, looked up at him.

Chun Chou shot him a glare. From now on, they would address each other as cousins in public.

Besides, in the cultivation world, cousins marrying was considered a double blessing. Quite fitting, wasn’t it?

Ling Wuji’s lips curved slightly before he returned to studying the map.

Cousin.

Mm. He had long wanted Chun Chou to call him “Wuji-gege,” but Chun Chou had always refused. “Cousin” would do for now.

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