A few white-robed disciples were weaving through the streets and alleys.

“Senior Brother, look at that woman—she’s so pretty.”

The man being spoken to looked in the direction his junior sister was pointing.

He saw a man and a woman walking down the street.

The man’s appearance was exceptionally plain, so ordinary it could only be called unremarkable.

His features weren’t striking in any way—neither handsome nor ugly—so average he would disappear in a crowd.

However, the woman beside him was a stark contrast.

Her beauty was stunning, breathtaking.

In an instant, she drew a lot of attention.

“Tsk, that guy must have some insanely deep cultivation!”

“What makes you say that?”

“How else could he marry such a beautiful wife?”

Di Nü Feng: (^▽^)

Di Nü Feng thoroughly enjoyed this kind of compliment.

She practically floated as she walked.

This whole time, Li Xuanxiao had felt like he was babysitting.

Super dad?

“........”

A few days later.

Winds howled, rain poured down in torrents.

Inside a dilapidated mountain god temple—

Li Xuanxiao and Di Nü Feng stepped inside.

“Nothing. Can’t find anything.”

Di Nü Feng put away the compass, throwing another tantrum.

She shouted about wanting to charge back to Tian Sha Hall immediately.

But just moments later, she was laughing heartlessly over a novel.

“Li Xuanxiao, how do you read this character?”

(○´ ་།｀)ﾉ

Li Xuanxiao: .........

As they spoke, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded from outside the temple.

“Hurry!”

A group burst in.

It was the same white-robed disciples from a few days ago.

“Huff huff!”

“Senior Brother, you don’t think that old demon is still chasing us, do you?”

“Quick, check on Fourth Junior Sister—she’s the most poisoned!”

“Little Junior Sister!”

The temple was dim and dark. None of them noticed Li Xuanxiao and Di Nü Feng standing there.

“Cough cough cough~”

Li Xuanxiao cleared his throat lightly.

“Who’s there?!”

A shout of alarm instantly rang out.

“Everyone, don’t act rashly.”

Li Xuanxiao used spiritual power to light a flame.

“It’s you guys!”

The bearded man in the lead recognized Li Xuanxiao and Di Nü Feng from a few days earlier.

“I know some medicine. Mind if I take a look?”

Li Xuanxiao looked at the injured young woman—her wounds were turning black. Clearly, she’d been poisoned.

The bearded man gave him a suspicious once-over.

Li Xuanxiao’s expression was full of goodwill.

“Senior Brother, let him try. We can’t cure the poison in Junior Sister.”

The bearded man cupped his hands. “Then we’ll trouble you.”

“No need to be polite.”

Although Li Xuanxiao had never met these people before, the moment he looked at them—

He saw their spiritual seas were bright and pure, free of haze or filth, and they radiated a righteous aura.

People who carried such righteousness were certainly not evildoers.

So he decided to help.

First, Li Xuanxiao fed the poisoned girl a pill, then treated her with silver needles.

Soon, the girl who had been deep in delirium opened her eyes weakly.

The others were overjoyed and thanked him profusely.

Li Xuanxiao smiled faintly. “What kind of trouble have you all run into?”

“Fellow Daoist, we’re disciples of the Nine Palaces Tomb. We didn’t expect to run into a Nascent Soul old demon—nearly lost our lives.”

“I see.”

Another handsome young man hesitated for a moment, then made up his mind and took out his waist token.

“I’m the second prince of Rong Kingdom. May I ask where you’re from, Fellow Daoist? I will repay your kindness one day.”

Everyone around him was slightly shocked—no one expected their companion to reveal his royal identity so openly.

The crown prince of Rong had died young, so the second prince was the successor.

Now he was exposing his identity to a stranger. This was bound to be surprising.

“No need for thanks. Just lending a hand.”

Li Xuanxiao waved it off calmly.

Rong Kingdom? What tiny country is that?

He couldn’t quite recall.

Li Xuanxiao searched his memory—there were over a hundred countries across the Central Plains. Too many to remember.

Right then, the wind outside suddenly turned violent, like something had been provoked. It howled, rushing toward them.

At the same time, an eerie laugh echoed from the storm.

“You killed my disciples and think you can escape?!”

The voice was cold and full of murderous intent, lingering ominously in the air.

“It’s that Nascent Soul demon chasing us!”

Everyone was stunned.

Li Xuanxiao turned to Di Nü Feng and said, “Can you handle it?”

“No time!”

Di Nü Feng didn’t even lift her head.

“Come on, I’ll tell you how to read that character.”

“No need. Based on the context, I already figured it out,” Di Nü Feng replied smartly with a grin.

Oh-ho~ I underestimated you.

“I’ll make you something delicious tomorrow.”

“Don’t want it!”

“I’ll tell you a story.”

Only then did Di Nü Feng look up and stare at Li Xuanxiao.

He’d already told her all four classic novels during this time.

Li Xuanxiao thought for a moment. “I’ll tell you a story about two male leads—childhood friends—a refined young master and an honest, sincere servant.

They grow close, become strangers, and in the end, can they mend what was broken?”

Di Nü Feng’s eyes lit up. “What story is this?”

“Young Run Tu.”

She hadn’t heard of that one.

Di Nü Feng hesitated, then her figure vanished from the temple.

“Jie jie jie!!”

The Nascent Soul demon’s laugh suddenly cut off.

“Don’t imitate this Venerable’s laugh!”

In just the blink of an eye, Di Nü Feng reappeared in the temple, squatting in front of Li Xuanxiao.

“Tell it.”

“In a bit. I’m still healing someone.”

“Tell it now!”

[○･｀Д´･ ○]

“I said wait a bit,” Li Xuanxiao said helplessly.

Di Nü Feng twitched at the corner of her eyes, clenching her fists and sulking off to the side.

The others watched this scene and immediately understood.

Someone whispered, “What a shame. So pretty, but not too bright.”

Di Nü Feng: ..........

Li Xuanxiao hurried to stop her from killing someone.

“Relax. I just want to twist his head off, that’s all.”

“Let it go, let it go, let it go!”

“..........”

Soon enough, Li Xuanxiao finished healing the injured female cultivator.

Everyone thanked him profusely, though they also felt some fear and awe toward Li Xuanxiao and Di Nü Feng.

Earlier, some of the male cultivators had kept stealing glances at Di Nü Feng,

But after she instantly obliterated that Nascent Soul demon, no one dared look again.

With strength like that—could she be at Spirit Transformation Stage?

“Fellow Daoist, how should we address you?”

“Just call me Zhang Haoran.”

Since Li Xuanxiao was traveling with Di Nü Feng, he naturally used a fake name and appearance.

“Brother Zhang, we don’t know how to repay your life-saving grace.”

“Just a small favor.”

They chatted for a bit longer, the conversation drifting.

Then the handsome young man—the one who claimed to be Rong’s second prince—shared a recent rumor.

He said a genius had been discovered in a certain county in Rong: only four years old, but already at the Foundation Establishment Stage, and had even killed a demon.

Hearing that, Li Xuanxiao, who hadn’t cared at first, immediately perked up.

Four years old... Foundation Establishment?

Hiss~

...........