Misty Rain of the Old Times

"Emerald Valley? Is that the martial arts force that Tingyin belongs to?" Upon hearing Guo Qingxue's words, the little princess's eyes lit up, but then a trace of melancholy flashed across them.

Guo Qingxue turned to look at her, puzzled, and asked, "Who is Tingyin? Judging from the name, she's a woman?"

At her level, she couldn't possibly come into contact with someone of Tingyin's cultivation level, and she had never even heard of that name. After all, it belonged to the previous two generations. However, she would definitely remember the Fairy of Misty Clouds. Few people outside knew the name Tingyin.

"Of course she's a woman, and she's the most beautiful woman in Yuhua Kingdom, as everyone knows. Little Xue, don't you know?" The little princess nodded and glanced in Chen Xuan's direction as she spoke.

Subconsciously shaking her head, Guo Qingxue hesitated and said, "Ah... I really didn't notice those things."

Why would a girl like her pay attention to the Ten Beauties? Besides, she hasn't been in Yuhua Kingdom for long, and she was in a bad mood recently because of Chen Xuan, so she has even less time to pay attention to these things.

Having already conceived a child with his wife, Chen Xuan knew exactly what she was thinking. She was probably trying to bring Tingyin home, but was hesitant because of her age. At most, she would keep her outside. They had discussed this topic more than once. When it came to finding him a concubine, she was always at the forefront, completely lacking any possessiveness or obsessive desire. Her only thought was to continue the Chen family line.

This is what you call the demeanor of a leading lady.

Chen Xuan was speechless at his wife's antics. To avoid her bringing up the past, he quickly changed the subject, saying, "Speaking of which, Xiaoxue, you martial arts people are quite leisurely, wandering around all day. No wonder there's a saying: 'Once you enter the martial arts world, the whole world is your home.'"

Even if you're leisurely, can you be as leisurely as your husband? I've never seen you do anything productive. You're not even proactive with your concubines. You lie down all day rather than sit. But that's fine, it saves me trouble. No, it's not worrying at all. I still have to worry about you.

Muttering to herself, the little princess continued to diligently make baby clothes, having barely stopped since confirming her pregnancy.

Guo Qingxue's heart tightened, worried that Chen Xuan might misunderstand her as someone who was always out in the public eye and was idle. She quickly explained, "No, Brother Chen, we actually have a lot of things to do. Running around all this time is not our choice. We're out in the wind and rain, there's no such thing as a glamorous life. If we had the opportunity, who wouldn't want to enjoy life?"

I was just chatting casually, why are you in such a hurry? Silent to himself, Chen Xuan chuckled and said, "So what do you guys usually do? I'm not a member of the martial arts world, so I haven't looked into it specifically. I just kill time since I'm idle anyway."

Guo Qingxue felt very happy just being with Chen Xuan. She seemed to have endless things to say, and once she started talking, she went on and on: "To be honest, I haven't been busy with much. Before completing my apprenticeship, my main focus is naturally on cultivating and improving my strength. Once my cultivation reaches a certain level, I'll have to contribute to the sect. I don't know about other sects, but in our Cold Mountain Sword Sect, inner disciples need to have opened all eight extraordinary meridians to graduate. After graduation, there are many more things to do: exchanging ideas with other sects to enhance the sect's influence, going to various places to oversee sect affairs, and if evil people appear within the sect's sphere of influence, we must also take action to eliminate them and maintain peace. Like the time my senior brother went to Green Jade Valley for exchanges a few days ago, which deepened cooperation and understanding between the two sects. And yesterday, my uncle and I went there to investigate the missing woman, all to punish evil and promote good, thus enhancing the sect's prestige..."

Listening to her eloquent narration, it did match Chen Xuan's impression of people in the martial arts world, but he still felt something was missing. Taking advantage of a gap in her speech, he asked curiously, "So what is your main source of income? People in the martial arts world also have to make a living, right? I've seen many people in the martial arts world who are actually living a very frugal life. Some of them casually throw out a silver ingot and say, 'Keep the change.' You can't rely entirely on robbing the rich to help the poor, can you?"

This question clearly stumped Guo Qingxue. As the daughter of the Cold Mountain Sword Sect's leader, she had never worried about money; she was never short of it. After a moment's thought, she said, "Well... I haven't paid attention to the sect's finances. However, we righteous sects would never engage in plundering under the guise of 'robbing the rich to help the poor.' We have legitimate livelihoods and sources of income. For our Cold Mountain Sword Sect, our biggest source of income is ice silkworm silk, which accounts for 80% of the ice silkworm silk business in surrounding countries. Other forces can hardly get involved, but it still attracts envy. Fortunately, we can still manage. Since my grandfather passed away, our Cold Mountain Sword Sect has been on a downward spiral, and we have had to give up some profits. But this year is better. At the beginning of the year, one of my senior uncles broke through to the Innate Realm, and another is in seclusion and breaking through, so he should be close to achieving it soon. I have to thank Brother Chen for those pills last year. I'm not too clear about other sources of income, but there should be restaurants, escort agencies, and various commissions, right?"

Seeing her racking her brains to describe the situation of the Cold Mountain Sword Sect, Chen Xuan was a little amused and exasperated. If he had any ill intentions, this girl might have been able to expose the secrets of the Cold Mountain Sword Sect to him.

As Chen Xuan listened attentively, his gaze was drawn to a patch of snow-white. It was Guo Qingxue's pair of delicate white feet beneath her skirt, small as warm jade, with toes as adorable as silkworms.

They all had to take off their shoes in the carriage, and Guo Qingxue's shoes were exposed because of her posture.

Noticing Chen Xuan's gaze, Guo Qingxue's ears turned red. She curled her toes slightly but did not pull her skirt back, pretending to be nonchalant. If there were no other people around, what harm would there be in letting Brother Chen play with her?

Chen Xuan wasn't being pretentious; he admired the scene for a while before turning his gaze away. He didn't bother inquiring about the Cold Mountain Sword Sect's situation, as he wasn't interested in such things. Instead, he pondered, "Speaking of yesterday's commotion, I wonder if that Grandmaster-level expert, Tingyin, noticed anything. As one of only two Grandmaster-level experts openly recognized in the Jade Flower Kingdom, what kind of reaction will she, or rather, the Azure Valley before her, make? Oh well, it's none of my business."

The princess, engrossed in her needlework, glanced at Chen Xuan, thinking to herself that although her husband didn't say it, he was still thinking about Tingyin, the most beautiful woman in Yuhua Kingdom. Her husband couldn't find any fault with her beauty, even if he went against his conscience. She wondered what kind of charm she possessed...

Guan Peng, standing behind on the road, watched the convoy depart with a pale face, his heart breaking and his spirit broken, like a lost soul by the roadside.

Does my junior sister hate me that much? She'd rather be someone else's concubine than say a word to me. What's wrong with me? Can't I just change?

He could say he watched Guo Qingxue grow up, from her first unsteady steps to her current graceful figure. In previous years, they were just like brother and sister, but at some point, he developed feelings for her and rejected many women who took the initiative to show interest in him. He was almost thirty years old and still not married.

As the senior disciple of the Cold Mountain Sword Sect and a leading figure of the contemporary era, he is about to break through the Ren and Du meridians and reach the innate cultivation level. He is being groomed to become the next sect leader, otherwise, how could he represent the Cold Mountain Sword Sect on a mission to the Green Valley?

Perhaps he himself did not realize that, in addition to admiring Guo Qingxue, the junior sister he had watched grow up, he also felt a strong sense of security that if they could get married, he would be able to take over the position of sect leader in the future.

Unfortunately, he had never heard of the saying that green plums are no match for those that fall from the sky.

Watching the convoy depart, taking his junior sister with it and his heart with it, he knew in his heart that, aside from the group of beautiful women surrounding Chen Xuan, he truly couldn't compare to her in any way. Since his junior sister's mind was made up, no matter how heartbroken he was, he had to face reality. He wouldn't let love turn into hate, but there was still a sliver of resentment in his heart.

He stood there bewildered in the wind for an unknown amount of time until the convoy disappeared from his sight. Reluctantly, he turned his gaze away and, as if his soul had left his body, returned towards Yucheng.

He suddenly thought of something, and his eyes lit up.

"Actually, I still have a chance. A few days ago, I went to Emerald Valley and overheard a secret. The Supreme Elder of Emerald Valley has the cultivation of a Grandmaster, but he's a womanizer. I'm quite handsome, so if I show my face more often, I don't expect to win her favor, but if I can get some guidance from this Grandmaster, my cultivation will definitely advance by leaps and bounds. If I reach the Innate Realm in the future and reappear before my junior sister, she'll definitely think more highly of me. If I treat her with care and sincerity, with so many women around Chen Xuan, if my junior sister is neglected, seeing my kindness will surely make her change her mind. As long as I keep treating my junior sister well, even if it takes ten years, twenty years, even ice can melt."

Thinking this way, he suddenly felt motivated, and the dejection on his face vanished. No matter how slim the chance was, there was still a glimmer of hope.

Perhaps this is just someone's self-comfort and self-pity, but what can you do if they enjoy it? Everyone has to have their own life goals, regardless of whether they can be achieved or not. Don't ask how ridiculous it is; isn't that the meaning of life?
There are only a few people in the world with such a bad mentality who go crazy when they can't get what they want. Guan Peng was trained by the prestigious Hanshan Sword Sect, so how could his temperament be so fragile? It's just that his motivation to work hard is really lamentable.

In a beautiful valley where spring reigns all year round, flowers bloom in abundance, creating a breathtaking scene.

In a quiet courtyard deep within the mountains, a stunningly beautiful woman stood silently lost in thought beneath a crabapple tree. Before her, even the most vibrant flowers paled in comparison. She seemed to radiate a divine glow, like a fairy descending to earth. Any words of praise would seem inadequate to describe her.

Her expression was a mixture of anger and resentment, her thoughts drifting off into the distance.

This is Tingyin, the Supreme Elder of Emerald Valley, also known in the martial arts world as the capricious and ethereal fairy. The word "ethereal" does not describe her appearance but her personality, which is unpredictable. One moment she may be speaking kindly to you, and the next she may be ruthlessly killing you with a frosty expression. Such a personality makes people tremble with fear and avoid her at all costs.

In addition, she has a little-known personality flaw: she is prone to infatuation with handsome men and is exceptionally tolerant of them. However, precisely because of this, when she thinks you are just so-so, she can turn on you faster than flipping through a book. This is how she became so capricious. Therefore, although she has profound cultivation, she is both loved and hated by everyone in Green Valley, and they dare not let her out unless absolutely necessary.

Her infatuation with handsome men is a personality flaw, but not stupidity. Her experiences in her youth taught her to maintain a certain distance no matter how much she admired them, and she was never taken advantage of.

Her life was like a cheat code; her cultivation advanced rapidly, and she was undefeated before meeting Chen Xuan. Who could possibly take advantage of her? Countless people with ill intentions, drawn by her infatuated nature, became stepping stones to her fame.

After her last trip, her infatuated personality has gradually improved since she returned. There are three reasons for this. First, she was shocked by Chen Xuan. Her cultivation level, which she was most proud of, was completely powerless in front of the eighteen-year-old Chen Xuan, which made her feel ashamed. Second, after seeing Chen Xuan, no one else was worthy of her attention, and they didn't even have the right to make her have a fit. Finally, and most importantly, Chen Xuan's advice when they parted ways made up for her shortcomings in cultivation techniques, and her condition was greatly alleviated.

"Even a bright mirror is not a platform, so where can dust settle?" These mere ten words seemed to bring her something new every time she pondered them.

However, ever since then, she could never forget that figure and would think of him from time to time. She knew that it wasn't just a simple case of infatuation, but more like the arrival of spring for an old aunt.

So she recovered, but seemed to have gotten even sicker.

Lost in thought for an unknown amount of time, she finally pulled herself together and sighed softly, her otherworldly beauty now tinged with melancholy.

I was born before you were born, and you were born after I had grown old. I met the person I wanted to meet at the wrong time. No matter how beautiful I am, he will definitely be bothered by the age gap. What should I do?
We agreed that he wouldn't contact me first, and I shouldn't bother him. Sigh, how is he doing lately? Does he ever think of me? Is he with someone special by his side, not lonely?

My thoughts raced, but I couldn't hide my longing for you, the one I couldn't see.

Looking into the distance, her eyes flickered. She calmed her mind and decided to start cultivating. She thought to herself that with his talent, it was inevitable that he would reach that realm. When that time came, she would follow him as his protector. Her cultivation level would not be high enough. That way, she could stay by his side all the time and it wouldn't be breaking her promise.

As she cleared her mind of distractions, she looked down at the beautiful valley below, where the Emerald Valley sect was located. Many disciples lived there, mostly girls, and all of them were quite beautiful and well-proportioned. After all, Yuhua Kingdom was known for producing beauties.

Girls, by nature, have a gossipy heart, especially when a group of girls are together.

With her senses at the level of a master of sound perception, nothing in the entire Emerald Valley could escape her notice. In a short while, she heard a great deal of information, and a hint of surprise flashed across her dreamlike face.

"Qin Yan is dead? Without that obstacle, my old friend Yu Zhi will definitely stir things up! How can that be? We're friends, but I'm not happy about it. As her sister, she has to stand by me. So don't expect to be happy either. Stop tripping her up, why don't you go beat her up? That would be so much fun. Bullying my old friend is one of the few times I get a good laugh. She's never won against me, and she doesn't like me but can't do anything about it. Her helpless, glaring expression is so amusing."

Biting her fingers and whispering, the old lady's beautiful eyes grew brighter and brighter, her gloomy mood vanished, and she couldn't wait any longer. In a flash, she disappeared into the quiet courtyard.

Song Yuzhi, who was overseeing the overall situation in the Jade City Palace, suddenly felt a chill. She sensed something unpleasant was about to happen. Her brows furrowed, but she had no clue what was going on. She decisively shifted the blame, cursing under her breath, "That wretched brat! One slap not only made me weak and sick, but also disrupted my menstrual cycle and made me paranoid! Don't fall into my hands, or I'll spank you until your bottom is raw..." (End of Chapter)