Douluo Continent: My name is Yang Jian, and I achieved sainthood through my physical body

Qian Renxue's gaze moved slowly through the crowd, a smile on her face, but her eyes were focused on scanning both sides of the street.

Then, she saw Yang Jian.

The young man in white stood at the edge of the crowd on one side of the street, neither squeezing to the front nor retreating to the back, but standing in a position where he could see the carriage clearly and also see the people around him.

He stood with his hands at his sides, tilting his head slightly in her direction, his expression calm, neither excited nor indifferent, as if watching a performance that had nothing to do with him.

But the gaze of those eyes made Qian Renxue clearly feel his presence at that moment.

Her gaze lingered on him for a moment, as if confirming something.

His gaze shifted slightly, landing on the slender blue figure beside Yang Jian.

She was a blue-haired girl, slender, with a pretty and youthful face. She was talking to Yang Jian with her head turned to the side, her lips slightly moving and her eyes curving into a shallow arc.

Qian Renxue's gaze lingered slightly on that figure, and her brows twitched almost imperceptibly.

The change was so subtle and fleeting that even her attendants didn't notice it.

The next second, Qian Renxue casually looked away and continued to smile and wave to the people on the other side of the street. That subtle change in emotion was perfectly concealed by her smile.

The carriage drove past Yang Jian, its wheels rolling over the stone pavement, making a dull, continuous sound.

The gilded car body gleamed warmly in the setting sun, gradually disappearing into the red and gold light at the end of the street.

Yang Jian withdrew his gaze and turned to walk towards the courtyard.

Shui Bing'er followed him for a few steps, and the two walked side by side through the noisy streets.

The further you walk, the farther away the sounds of gongs and drums and cheers become, and the surrounding air gradually dissipates from the enthusiastic atmosphere, returning to its usual quiet.

When they reached a fork in the road, Yang Jian stopped and turned to look at Shui Bing'er: "I'm going home."

His tone was calm and direct, as if stating a fact that required no explanation.

Shui Bing'er paused for a moment, and her steps also stopped.

She looked in the direction he pointed; it was a quiet alley with a pomegranate tree at the entrance.

He looked down at the street beneath his feet, then gazed into the distance where cheers could still be faintly heard.

She realized that she really should say goodbye.

From the day he left the cliff, she followed him all the way, through forests, across fields, into towns, reading notices, encountering the dragon and snake couple, entering the city, and watching the coronation ceremony.

I followed them for three whole days.

If we continue, it will really be inappropriate; it will just become a case of refusing to leave.

A faint blush rose to her face, tinged with embarrassment, as if she felt bad for following him around these past few days.

She forced a smile, a crescent shape that concealed the unreadable emotions in her eyes: "Well... I originally wanted to come to Tiandou City to take a look around. I've never been here before, so I thought I'd take this opportunity to see what's going on."

She took half a step back and waved her finger lightly at her side: "You go back, I'll walk around by myself. See you again if fate allows!"

Without waiting for Yang Jian's reply, she turned and quickly walked to the other side of the street.

His steps were quick and hurried, like a startled bird taking flight. He quickly turned into the alley next door and disappeared behind the wall.

Chapter 229 Can't I even come over for a free meal?

Yang Jian looked in the direction where the blue figure disappeared, feeling a little confused, but didn't think much of it.

He withdrew his gaze and turned to walk towards the courtyard.

Pushing open the courtyard gate and stepping inside, the courtyard was very quiet.

The osmanthus tree is still in the same spot, its dense branches and leaves creating a small patch of shade.

A few pale yellow flowers quietly bloomed on the branches, spreading a sweet and lingering fragrance.

A few blossoms had already fallen to the ground, forming a small circle of soft yellow on the bluestone pavement.

Xiao Wu was squatting on the steps next to the osmanthus tree, holding a carrot in her hand and crunching away.

She turned her head to look at the sky above the courtyard wall, which was tinged with a light red by the sunset, and chewed slowly and deliberately.

Hearing the sound of the courtyard gate, she turned around and saw Yang Jian.

My body stiffened slightly; that reflexive tension, though worn away by time, still lingered faintly.

She put down the carrot, stood up, and wiped her hands on her clothes, as if trying to make herself look more natural.

She forced a smile, her voice tinged with nervousness yet trying to remain calm: "Welcome home."

Yang Jian did not respond, and his gaze did not linger on her for even a second longer.

He walked straight across the courtyard, pushed open the door, and went inside.

His mental energy spread out silently, quickly sweeping across the entire room—Zhu Zhuqing was not there; there was no trace of her upstairs or downstairs.

Xiao Wu stood on the steps, watching his figure disappear into the doorway. She looked down at the half-eaten carrot in her hand, squatted back down, and continued to crunch away.

The sound was exceptionally clear in the quiet courtyard.

Yang Jian walked into the living room, sat down in a chair, and crossed his legs to circulate the Eight-Nine Arcane Technique. Golden light flowed slowly across his skin.

The sky gradually darkened.

The light in the courtyard changed from bright yellow to a calm dark orange, and then from dark orange to gray-blue.

The echoes of the celebration could still be faintly heard from the distant streets, but the sound grew fainter and fainter, and farther and farther away.

Yang Jian heard the sound of the courtyard gate being pushed open.

The sound was soft but clear; it was the familiar way the door opened, the familiar force.

He slowly finished his practice and opened his eyes.

The door was quickly pushed open, and Zhu Zhuqing appeared in the doorway. She was still wearing the light-colored clothes she had worn when she left, her hair was slightly disheveled by the evening breeze, and a few strands of hair brushed against her forehead.

She walked in and glanced at Yang Jian. Her gaze lingered on his face for a few seconds, as if confirming something, or perhaps simply looking at him.

Then she asked her first question: "Where have you been all this time? I woke up the next day and you were gone."

His voice was calm and natural, without any hint of blame or eagerness to press for answers; he was simply stating the facts and asking for clarification.

Yang Jian's answer was brief and general: "I just took a walk around."

Zhu Zhuqing seemed to have expected this answer, nodded, and didn't ask any further questions. She glanced at him again, then turned and walked towards the kitchen: "I'm going to cook."

She bent over in the kitchen to clean the stove, chop vegetables, and prepare ingredients, her movements still nimble and natural.

The blade struck the cutting board with a steady, rhythmic thud.

It was as if he had never left, as if the void during this time had simply been filled by a dream.

When dinner was ready, Yang Jiao and Yang Chan returned.

As soon as Yang Chan entered the door, she exclaimed, "It smells so good!" and rushed into the kitchen, only to be shooed out by Zhu Zhuqing with a smile, who told her to wash her hands first.

"Go wash your hands, they're dirty." Zhu Zhuqing's voice came from the kitchen, tinged with laughter.

Yang Chan backed out of the kitchen, still smelling the aroma of food in the air, her face full of satisfaction.

Yang Jiao followed him in and paused slightly when he saw Yang Jian sitting in the living room. Then, a gentle smile curved his lips, and he said in a calm and warm voice, "You're back."

The words were spoken softly and steadily, as if they were only meant for Yang Jian.

The family sat around the table, just about to pick up their chopsticks, when there was a knock on the courtyard gate.

The knocking was neither hurried nor slow, but with a natural rhythm. It was as if the person knew exactly who they were looking for and was certain they would be invited in, neither too unfamiliar nor too overly familiar.

Yang Chan volunteered to jump up and open the door. When she unlatched the door, she still had a piece of meat in her mouth, her cheeks bulging.

The person outside the door made her pause in her chewing motion.

Xue Qinghe stood at the door, dressed in a low-key dark casual outfit. He was not wearing a crown or court robes, and looked like an ordinary young man going out to visit someone.

However, the quality of the fabric and the tailoring still reveal the meticulous attention to detail.

His overall demeanor and posture are impossible to conceal.

He smiled at Yang Chan, his voice gentle and friendly: "Xiao Chan, I've come over for a meal, are you welcome?"

Yang Chan swallowed the meat in her mouth with a thud, then nodded frantically, her hair swaying with the movement. She stepped aside to clear the doorway: "Of course you're welcome! Please come in!"

She turned around and called into the house, "His Majesty has arrived!"

Yang Jiao put down his chopsticks, stood up, and bowed slightly towards the door: "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Zhu Zhuqing had also stood up, put down her bowl and chopsticks, and the chair made a slight dragging sound on the ground.

She leaned forward slightly, about to bow in greeting.

Yang Jian reached out and pressed down on her wrist.

The pressure wasn't heavy, but it was very clear. His fingers rested on her wrist, the meaning was clear—she didn't need to get up.

Zhu Zhuqing was stunned for a moment, looked down at the hand pressing on her wrist, and then looked up at Yang Jian's face.

His face was expressionless, but the gesture itself said it all.

She slowly sat back down.

Qian Renxue walked into the living room and glanced at the people around the table.

His gaze lingered for a fleeting moment on the hand Yang Jian was using to hold Zhu Zhuqing's wrist. It was a very brief glance, so quick it was almost instantaneous, before he looked away.

She casually sat down on an empty chair at the table, her posture as natural as if she were eating at home. She even reached for the chopsticks in front of Yang Chan, looked at them, and then put them back.

Her voice was relaxed and casual, with a familiarity that bordered on the taken for granted: "What, can't I even come over for a meal? I just ascended the throne today, and all those ministers in the palace were sitting so formally at the banquet, I really couldn't eat."

She turned her head to look at Yang Jian, a cryptic smile playing on her lips, as if waiting for his reaction.

Yang Jiao's gaze swept back and forth between Yang Jian and Xue Qinghe twice, and his eyebrows twitched slightly.

It was as if he was reorganizing the information in his mind and reassessing the depth of the relationship between his younger brother and the new emperor.

Yang Chan's mouth was slightly open, and the chopsticks in her hand were suspended in mid-air.

She glanced at Qian Renxue for a moment, then at Yang Jian, as if quickly piecing together a puzzle piece she hadn't even realized she was working on before.

Zhu Zhuqing sat next to Yang Jian, her gaze calm and focused on Qian Renxue.

Her intuition told her that things were not quite the same as she had previously thought.