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Fan Jingmei's boudoir was warm and tastefully decorated, with everything a woman could need.
"Fan Zuo Shi, it's probably not proper for me to be in your boudoir, is it?" Qi Yuan glanced around, his voice calm.
Still clinging to his arm, Fan Jingmei blushed faintly. Her soft voice carried a playful lilt. "I've long admired you. I have no objections to you coming and going from my boudoir."
Qi Yuan smiled, gently withdrawing his arm. Her warm and soft body swayed slightly as he stepped back.
"Alright," he said, "I'll give you a few treasures to sell. Once you gather enough spirit stones, hand them over to me."
He casually tossed two or three bulging storage bags onto the nearby round table.
Fan Jingmei's eyes lit up with surprise. She scanned the contents with her spiritual sense, her lips parting slightly in disbelief.
The items were all rare and valuable. Once sold, they would fetch an immense fortune.
The young master's strength truly defied reason. How many monsters had he slain in the Outer Sea? How could he have amassed such a collection of beast materials and monster cores?
In truth, these treasures were all cultivated within the Chaos Cauldron. Qi Yuan had already sold what he collected from the Outer Sea. The Chaos Cauldron, brimming with yin and yang energy, produced high-level resources. To avoid waste, Qi Yuan had thrown several level-five and level-six demon cores inside and filled up the bags.
If left idle, they'd become a burden. Better to sell them now than forget them later.
Meeting Fan Jingmei along the way had simply given him the perfect excuse to offload them.
Given how much the Miaoyin Sect relied on him now, he had no concern about them mishandling his property.
Before the opening of the Xutian Palace, Qi Yuan's primary goal was to form an infant. He aimed to gather as many spiritual herbs as possible for refining the Ningying Pill.
These rare herbs—Infant-forming Grass, Nine-bend Ginseng, Bone-removing Vine, and Purple-black Ginseng Fruit—were invaluable. If they appeared on the market, they would either sell for sky-high prices or ignite fierce competition.
Trying to secure them ahead of cultivators in the Jindan stage was no small feat.
Qi Yuan had already contacted Sister-in-law Zhou Yuan and asked her to instruct disciples to watch for any news.
The four major chambers of commerce were complex and entangled with various powers. Qi Yuan kept his intentions hidden, quietly asking Xiaomei to stay alert instead.
He also planned to use a secret Dan-formation meeting to gather news from wandering cultivators. Who knew what clues they might bring?
Even though there might be Nine-bend Spiritual Ginseng in the Xutian Palace, the palace had been opened before, and there was no guarantee he would get it. Backup plans were essential.
"What are you thinking about, sir? Please sit," Fan Jingmei asked gently, noticing his absent-mindedness.
Qi Yuan blinked and smiled. "I was thinking about Fan Zuo Shi's beautiful face. It's a blessing to share this moment with you."
"You always tease me..." Fan Jingmei pouted, then quickly grew downcast. "The women around you are all breathtaking. I don't dare compare myself to them."
She had seen girls like Yan Ruyan—cool, charming, ethereal, all of them beautiful in their own way.
Qi Yuan's gaze softened. With his support, and aided by the Dingyan Pill, even the less striking girls like Xin Ruyin had grown astonishingly beautiful.
"Jingmei," he said, "your beauty is unique. Don't sell yourself short."
"Sir, please don't call me Zuo Shi—it feels so distant. Just call me Jingmei."
Her eyes glistened with emotion. Since they already shared such closeness, she didn't want any formality to remain.
Qi Yuan nodded. "Jingmei."
Her face brightened. She poured him a cup of spiritual tea and nestled beside him with a cushion, making casual conversation.
The more she spoke with him, the more she admired him. His knowledge spanned countless fields—it was like a door had opened to a whole new world.
"Sir, since you understand medicine, would you take a look at my feet? Lately, when spiritual energy flows to them, I feel some discomfort in my meridians."
Qi Yuan raised an eyebrow. Whether it was genuine or not, how could he refuse a beauty's request?
"Alright, I'll take a look. If there's a hidden problem, it's best we find it early. But I'll need to remove your shoes—are you comfortable with that?"
Fan Jingmei hesitated for just a second, then nodded shyly.
Qi Yuan knelt down, removed her embroidered shoes, then gently slid off her purple socks. A pair of soft, elegant feet came into view.
"Sir, how could I let you kneel?" Fan Jingmei protested, her voice trembling.
Qi Yuan only replied lightly, "I don't mind. Just sit still."
He took her feet in his hands and examined them carefully with spiritual energy, searching for the root of the issue.
To her surprise, he was completely serious. And for some reason, that made her heart swell with warmth.
There was indeed a slight issue—some minor blockage in the meridians, nothing serious. He transferred magical energy into her feet and carefully treated the problem.
Half an hour would've sufficed, but he continued for a full hour to completely cleanse the meridians.
Unexpectedly, her Yongquan acupoint was particularly sensitive. Fan Jingmei's body glistened with a fine layer of sweat, her breath trembling as she endured the unfamiliar sensation.
As she lay half-asleep, Qi Yuan leaned over and kissed her. She gasped, surprised, but then slowly closed her eyes and responded to his rhythm.
After a while, he picked up her delicate body and carried her to the bed.
There was no need to ask for permission anymore. Her response was answer enough.
Five days later...
At the Miaoyin Sect's main shop hall, Zhuo Ruting returned after delivering invitations. She quickly noticed Fan Jingmei was nowhere to be found. She stopped a disciple and asked, "Where is Fan Zuo Shi?"
"I... I don't know..." The disciple looked panicked.
Zhuo Ruting wasn't so easily deceived. Her Foundation Stage aura surged as she said coldly, "Tell me the truth, or I'll transfer you to a deserted island where you'll never return."
Terrified, the disciple fell to her knees. "Left Envoy Fan and Senior Qi... they've been in the room for days. Please, don't punish me. Please say something kind to Left Envoy Fan..."
What? He came—and she intercepted him?
Zhuo Ruting's heart burned with frustration. She rushed to Fan Jingmei's boudoir and hesitated before calling out, "Sir, Zhuo Ruting seeks an audience."
Qi Yuan's voice came calmly from inside. "Come in."
She entered to find him shirtless, sitting cross-legged on the bed. Beneath the covers, Fan Jingmei lay asleep, her expression one of deep contentment.
Zhuo Ruting's chest tightened.
Qi Yuan opened his eyes and walked barefoot toward her. "The invitations?"
"I've already arranged them. Some have even been sent to the farther islands. We'll hear news soon."
"Good. You've done well. What would you like as a reward?"
"I dare not ask for anything. It was a minor task."
Fan Jingmei stirred and smiled. "Sister Zhuo, are you hoping the young master will love you too?"
Zhuo Ruting flushed pink and looked away. Fan Jingmei laughed and added, "Then you must help your junior sister this time."
Zhuo Ruting hesitated, caught off guard.
Qi Yuan gently pulled her forward. Their eyes met. He stroked her cheek and softly kissed her lips.
Zhuo Ruting froze. It was her first kiss, and her thoughts spiraled in all directions.
Qi Yuan didn't let up. He held her waist, his touch warm and careful, guiding her into his embrace.
Her hands slowly found his back and returned the embrace.
Before long, he lifted her and carried her toward the bed...
Ten days later, Qi Yuan's cultivation had risen slightly, nourished by pure Yin energy. He left the Miaoyin Sect refreshed.
Fan Jingmei and Zhuo Ruting had also gained much through his guidance. He left them with protective items and elixirs.
Back at Miaoyin Sect headquarters, trade was booming. Many male cultivators even asked to marry Zhou Yuan, drawn by the sect's rising prestige.
Zhou Yuan welcomed this, arranging strategic marriages to strengthen the sect.
She was busy with all this when a disciple came to report: the left and right envoys had returned.
Zhou Yuan immediately stopped what she was doing and summoned them.
"I greet the Sect Master," they said in unison.
Zhou Yuan studied them closely. Something felt... different.
Fan Jingmei blushed. "We have not failed the Sect Master. The task is complete."
Zhuo Ruting nodded, cheeks pink.
Zhou Yuan beamed. If this truly tied Qi Yuan's heart to the sect, then she had no more to fear for centuries to come.
She eagerly asked for details, and Fan Jingmei began recounting everything.
Zhuo Ruting remained still—until the end, when her junior sister revealed everything. Her face turned red with embarrassment.
How could she say all that out loud?
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