CHAPTER 467: CHAPTER 467: FLOWER LANTERN_1

Xu Lai was slightly speechless. His sister-in-law was learning the ’Emperor Qingfeng Scripture,’ the most formidable cultivation technique in the entire Universe. A single sentence from this Emperor Scripture was enough to make the Four Immortal Domains fight to the death for it, yet Ruan Lan actually complained that it was tiring.

Yiyi, on the other hand, was very diligent. Her diligence had reached a point where even Xu Lai felt a little ashamed, especially after Little Glutton Yun Jin arrived at Haitang Court after the New Year. Yiyi was even absorbing Spiritual Energy in her sleep.

The strangest one was Ruan Tang. Despite barely cultivating at all, the Emperor Qingfeng Scripture seemed to have been created especially for her. It circulated automatically through her body, and although the Spiritual Energy couldn’t be stored, it was constantly widening her meridians and Sea of Consciousness.

Right now, Ruan Tang could be considered to have one foot in the Cultivation World. Yet both her divine sense and physical strength were comparable to that of a Golden Core Realm cultivator!

Because of this, Xu Lai investigated Ruan Tang’s body every night, trying to understand why she was so compatible with the Emperor Qingfeng Scripture. However, he never found the reason. Instead, his investigations always left Ruan Tang blushing and chiding him.

Every time he searched for the reason, things would inexplicably take a strange turn, to the point where Ruan Tang began to consider moving her bedding to sleep with their daughter. Who could stand being taken advantage of by Xu Lai every day and only getting to sleep at one or two in the morning!

At that moment, Ruan Tang noticed Xu Lai’s gaze. She crossed her arms, her expression wary as she asked, "What are you planning to do now?"

"Nothing," Xu Lai coughed. "I was just wondering why you’re so compatible with the cultivation technique. I’m genuinely curious about the reason."

PFFT.

Are you curious about the cultivation technique? You’re clearly just...

Ruan Tang bit her lower lip and huffed, "You’re not allowed to investigate the reason anymore."

"Could my sister be a cultivation genius?" Ruan Lan asked in surprise.

Xu Lai nodded. That was indeed the case. Among ordinary people, Ruan Tang’s talent for languages was frighteningly impressive. Among cultivators, her talent for cultivation was outrageously strong. The world was never short on geniuses or prodigies, and there were even some who were naturally blessed by the Heavenly Dao.

The first month of the lunar year passed leisurely, and soon it was the fifteenth. After today, the Above the White Clouds company would be back to work.

Xu Lai was at home making tangyuan by hand, a sight that left Ruan Tang, Ruan Lan, and Xu Yiyi completely dumbfounded.

Yun Jin had no interest in cooking and was in the backyard bullying Xiao Hei... along with Beibei.

In fact, the Sea Conch girl Beibei was the mastermind. Upon discovering that Yun Jin’s strength could easily crush Xiao Hei, she was so excited she nearly burst into tears. Using a game console, Beibei quickly formed an "Avengers alliance" with Yun Jin. She then paid Xiao Hei back—with interest—for the half-hour of suffering she’d endured the previous night when the chubby dog had hugged and slobbered all over her.

"Brother-in-law, you must have been a chef before! Your cooking skills are amazing!" by the dining table in the living room, Ruan Lan exclaimed. "I always thought tangyuan were just factory-produced. I can’t believe someone can actually make them, and make them look so beautiful."

"It’s simple. I’ll teach you," Xu Lai said. "First, you do this, then that, and then it’s done just like this. Did you get it?"

Ruan Lan was speechless. I’m completely lost. That lousy brother-in-law... is he trying to fool this fairy? ’Do this, then do that...’ What on earth does he want me to do?!

"Your talent is just not good enough," Xu Lai said, shaking his head. "Look at my daughter. She got it after hearing it just once."

Xu Yiyi had already made three tangyuan. Although they were a bit lumpy and misshapen, they were undeniably tangyuan.

"Yiyi, you teach your auntie," Ruan Lan said, glaring at Xu Lai before turning to her niece with a happy smile. "We’re both young. It’ll be easier for us to communicate."

Xu Yiyi blinked her big eyes and said seriously, "But it’s so easy. You just need hands."

POOF!

Not only was Ruan Lan frustrated enough to cough up blood, but even an eager-to-try Ruan Tang was caught in the crossfire.

Filled with indignation, Ruan Lan ate three large bowls of tangyuan that evening. She seemed determined to exact revenge on Xu Lai and his daughter through sheer gluttony because those two had been too infuriating.

On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Lantern Festival, Sea Temple Island hosted a bustling and lively lantern fair. After finishing the tangyuan, Xu Lai took Ruan Tang and Yiyi to see the lanterns. Ruan Lan, who usually loved crowds, chose to stay home. She had no choice. She was too stuffed to move!

「Sea Temple Island」

A decade ago, the island was the property of the Wan Family; now, it belonged to the Su Family of Hangcheng and the Jiang Family of Liu City. However, these two families only received thirty percent of Sea Temple Island’s annual profits. The remaining seventy percent belonged to Xu Lai.

Watching the bustling crowd on the island, Xu Lai smiled. It looked like he could expect a hefty dividend each year. But his expression quickly soured. The bank card the money was paid into was in his wife’s possession. Ruan Tang insisted that they save the money for Yiyi’s future dowry.

"Dad, we’re going to go play by ourselves now!" Yiyi said, grabbing Yun Jin’s hand before quickly running off.

Ruan Tang felt a pang of regret, as she had wanted to enjoy the lanterns with her daughter. Fortunately, Xu Lai was still by her side.

She gathered the strands of hair that the sea breeze had tousled, then naturally slipped her arm through Xu Lai’s. The two of them chatted leisurely while admiring the lanterns that were either placed along the roadside or floating up into the sky.

"Mr. Xu!?"

A surprised voice called out. A beautiful woman surrounded by a crowd was approaching from a distance—it was none other than Su Daiyi, the Family Head of the Su Family from Hangcheng.

She hurried over and said respectfully, "What brings you here?"

"I brought my wife and daughter to see the lanterns," Xu Lai replied.

Only then did Su Daiyi notice Ruan Tang holding Xu Lai’s arm. Concealing her thoughts, she said, "Hello, Sister-in-law."

"Hello," Ruan Tang replied with a smile.

Behind Su Daiyi stood six young people, ranging in age from about ten to twenty. Although their demeanor clearly set them apart from ordinary people, their faces still held a hint of youthful innocence. These were the juniors of the Su Family, whom Su Daiyi had brought along to nurture. Or rather, they had come to the spiritually abundant Sea Temple Island to cultivate.

These six, along with Su Daiyi herself, all showed traces of practicing the cultivation technique Xu Lai had gifted the Su Family during their last visit to the Dragon Vein of Mount Fu.

They all bowed respectfully in unison. "Greetings, Mr. Xu."

The youths looked at Xu Lai with undisguised admiration and reverence in their eyes, and Xu Lai smiled in acknowledgment to each of them.

After a brief chat, Xu Lai and Ruan Tang went on their way to continue enjoying the lanterns.

A handsome and talented man, a beautiful and virtuous woman—a match made in heaven.

The phrase surfaced in Su Daiyi’s mind as she watched their departing figures. It was this thought that plunged her into a long silence.

She had once thought that just being able to stay by Xu Lai’s side would be enough. But now, Su Daiyi realized that people only grow more greedy. There is no such thing as finding happiness in simple contentment.

"Sister Daiyi, what’s wrong?" a young girl from the Su Family asked, blinking her eyes. They were cousins and had a close relationship, which explained the affectionate term of address.

"It’s nothing," Su Daiyi said, shaking her head. "The cultivation abodes the family prepared for you are ready. Come with me. The future of our family... rests on your shoulders."

"Xu Lai, let’s go make a wish," Ruan Tang said, pointing at a lantern stall up ahead.

Making wishes with lanterns was a tradition of the Lantern Festival in East Sea City. People would write their wishes on a slip of paper and place it inside a lantern. Then, they could either release the lantern to fly into the sky or set it adrift on the sea to bob along with the waves. When she was a child, her grandmother would often bring Ruan Tang and Ruan Lan here to make wishes, telling them kindly, "The gods will hear our wishes."

"Alright," Xu Lai agreed. He would never refuse something his wife wanted to do; he always did his best to go along with her wishes.