CHAPTER 132: 0101 NEAR THE FLOWERS IS NOT THE ORIGINAL INTENT (2-IN-1)_2

"..."

Playing cards?

Xu Chang’an rubbed his forehead.

Does this count as cultivation?

Moreover, the Spirit Stones he struggled to earn would become the stakes on the card table for these senior sisters... truly incomparable.

After calming himself, Xu Chang’an picked up a watering can, took a detour to the main hall, and indeed saw the notice about taking a few days’ break.

Thinking of the previous conversation, Xu Chang’an slowly let out a breath of relief.

He knew that this Senior Lu was a "fangirl" of Wen Li... and a devoted one at that.

Senior Wen was very popular, and he had thought that being a Guide would cause some trouble, like the jealousy of young ladies or something, but it seems he was overthinking.

Even someone as cautious and meticulous as him found it difficult to listen to Senior Lu "planning" for him and saying how she didn’t have a good impression of this place...

Sigh.

One day, if he truly felt a sense of belonging to Muyu Peak, it wouldn’t be surprising.

Of course, the prerequisite for that sense of belonging is that Yun Qian must be here.

——

Xu Chang’an brought the watering can to the flower garden outside the East Wing, looking at the open doors and the transparent Fire Stones, thinking it was fortunate the East Wing was open. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have a place to exchange for the other treasures Yun Qian needed.

Xu Chang’an didn’t rush into the hall to exchange treasures but started working first.

Blooming flowers are a symbol of beauty.

Outside the East Wing, there was a beautiful scenery. As far as the eye could see, there was a delicate flower garden, with green leaves and stems hidden within them, and a complex floral fragrance carried by the gentle breeze, closing his eyes would transport him to another world.

Most of the flowers here were personally planted by the senior sisters residing nearby, so they were always taken care of. If Yun Qian moved here in the future, she would have the opportunity to plant flowers of her own here.

In the tranquil courtyard, Xu Chang’an’s eyes moistened slightly as he focused on the spiritual power pathways of each flower, slung the bamboo basket of gardening tools over his back, and carried the watering can, beginning to comb through and care for the Spiritual Qi of the flowers one by one.

Work is work and must always be done seriously, especially since there are Contribution Points up for grabs.

——

"..."

?

Inside the East Wing, a veiled woman watched Xu Chang’an, busy outside in the garden with a bamboo basket on his back, through the intricately carved window, unblinkingly.

Flowers merely used as decoration outside the East Wing wouldn’t bear Spirit Fruit, just a sprinkle of Spiritual Power should be enough, right?

Some worthless flowers, worthy of such dedicated care, one by one?

Even when faced with Tribulation Thunder earlier, she hadn’t seen Xu Chang’an be this serious.

An Immortal entering the mortal realm, acting as a florist for some girls; this contrast made her bite her lip involuntarily.

——

While Xu Chang’an tended to the Spirit Grass outside, going from one plant to the next was quite fast, and before long, he found himself feeling better.

There was no pressure when taking care of the greenery, plus he earned quite a few Contribution Points.

Indeed, farming was something engraved in his bones.

"..."

Xu Chang’an felt helpless, thinking to himself how pathetic he was; in this Immortal Sect full of powerful individuals, he wasn’t focusing on ascending soon but tending flowers could make him smile?

There were many powerful people in the Immortal Sect.

The barrier from Outer Disciple to Inner Sect Disciple was significant; from Inner Sect Disciple to Peak Guardian, or Timekeeper was another; and as for Peak Master, that was a position only the leader of a sect could possibly attain.

In Xu Chang’an’s eyes, he hadn’t seen anyone at the Peak Master Level; the highest level of cultivation he had encountered was Fang Sishi from the Steward Hall of Muyu Peak.

In comparison, each of these Peak Masters must be a major figure in the cultivation realm, an existence he couldn’t hope to rival.

But what was truly terrifying was that above these people, there was the Chaoyun Sect Leader reigning like a monarch.

According to the senior sisters he had heard from, the mysterious and powerful Sect Leader Chaoyun, who lived in seclusion, was barely seen by anyone. To say without exaggeration... other Peak Masters seemed as fragile as children before her.

Xu Chang’an couldn’t quite grasp how powerful that level of strength would be, but it should indeed be akin to an Immortal.

And then the Chaoyun Sect and the Demon Sect stood equally matched, making the world unsettled.

It was astounding that there could be two people as powerful as the Sect Leader.

If this morning’s Thunder Tribulation had indeed been caused by the Sect Leader, her cultivation would advance even further?

It was getting absurd.

Xu Chang’an squinted his eyes.

At worst, if he wanted to protect Miss Yun absolutely securely in this world, it meant he had to get close to, or even surpass, these two Immortal-like individuals.

Slowly Plan Chang’an... can it be achieved quickly? Could it be an urgent goal?

He didn’t even know how much his realm differed from those Immortal-like beings.

However, his mindset was good. Even though he was watering flowers at this moment, tending to the Spirit Grass could also help him better control Spiritual Power; as they say, the tower of nine levels rises from the ground; a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Who could say, did the Sect Leader never water flowers in her younger days?

"Snap."

As Xu Chang’an pondered, he suddenly heard footsteps, and he turned his head toward the East Wing, where a woman in a green dress stepped over the threshold, her hair in disarray, wearing a veil, appearing quiet and calm.

She rubbed her eyes, seemingly a bit drowsy, and upon seeing Xu Chang’an watering flowers, leaned against the door and asked, "Junior Brother, it clearly just rained, isn’t it superfluous for you to water the flowers now?"

"Senior Sister?"

Xu Chang’an looked at the woman in the green dress, finding her features somewhat familiar, but then thinking that it was normal for the girls on Muyu Peak to look familiar, he said, "Does Senior Sister not often go out?"

"I supposed I stay in... quite a bit." The woman in the green dress thought she intentionally changed her identity and used an efficient way to make connections.

Wearing a veil and altering her appearance was to avoid Xu Chang’an recognizing they had met once before.

She needed a name; otherwise, where would the connection come from?

"Shi..." she paused before pointing to herself and saying to Xu Chang’an, "Shi Qingjun."

"Xu Chang’an," Xu Chang’an politely replied.

This meant they had met.

"Steward Sister..." Shi Qingjun’s gaze wavered for a moment and said, "The steward sisters went to handle the Celestial Tribulation matters, I’m filling in, temporarily overseeing the East Wing."

"So that’s how it is." Xu Chang’an thought if she was filling in, she must be a senior sister with some status, and he said, "The flowers here are also important and need someone to care for regularly."

"Important? In what way?" Shi Qingjun shook her head. "House flowers and wildflowers are different; house flowers need proper care, but these are wildflowers."

"If someone likes them, they’re not considered wildflowers," Xu Chang’an said, recalling his own Miss Yun, and he looked up, saying, "Senior Sister, I am not a Flower Protector; these flowers were personally planted by the senior sisters, I’m merely working."

Because he accepted the task and worked, asking him whether caring for flowers had purpose?

He was doing it to earn Contribution Points.

To be precise, he was doing it so Miss Yun could have something to eat, so... tending to these colorful flowers wasn’t his intention.

Hence, roadside wildflowers should not be picked.

These girls were like flowers.

"?"

Shi Qingjun looked at Xu Chang’an’s face, always feeling... his words held deeper meaning, seeming to talk about more than just flowers.

She merely wanted to know if tending flowers was related to "Enlightenment."

Everything done by an Immortal Reincarnation was worth observing.

So far, did she really gain something?

"Is tending the flowers interesting?" Shi Qingjun asked earnestly.

Xu Chang’an, thinking he would soon rely on Shi Qingjun to purchase treasures, responded politely, "Has Senior Sister planted anything before?"

"Perhaps, a long time ago, I can’t remember."

"Then that’s not interesting." Xu Chang’an shook his head.

He had seen many impulsive senior sisters on Muyu Peak, and this senior sister, who looked idle at first glance, might complain that he wasted her time if she tried and found it unfruitful, so he chose to be cautious.

"I saw you doing it happily, thought there must be some deeper meaning." Shi Qingjun responded with disappointment.

"Earning Contribution Points is enough to make one happy," Xu Chang’an coughed, straightening his posture before the senior sister, "After all, I’ve been a bit... tight on resources lately."

Unlike the clearly marked prices on the White Jade Platform, if he bought treasures in the East Wing, the executor would be the senior sister in front of him, and she had the authority to give him a discount within a certain range.

He hoped she was an easygoing person.

"By the way..."

Shi Qingjun was about to speak when suddenly the color of the sky changed, and the morning sun was obscured as if night had suddenly fallen.

She raised her head to see above, the overcast clouds stacked in nine uneven layers, nearly a hundred celestial thunder strikes appeared like golden snakes dancing wildly, wreaking havoc in the sky, creating an apocalyptic scene.

Her pupils dilated, seeing Xu Chang’an, standing with his back, carrying a bamboo basket and holding a watering can.

Could it be, was watering flowers truly considered Enlightenment?

Was he about to undergo Tribulation again?