C9 There Are so Many Psicrystal in the Valley(1)

Just before noon, Zhong Wen, in high spirits, moved swiftly through the forest with a lightness in his step. Upon closer inspection, one would notice his toes barely touching the ground like a dragonfly skimming water, his body seemingly floating mid-air, his movements elegant and nimble, and his speed astonishingly fast.

The Zephyr Walk was an exceptionally sophisticated technique, yet it was only employed by the disciples of the Vale of Healing for gathering panaceas on treacherous cliffs and similar locales. To Zhong Wen, this seemed like a gross underutilization of such a divine skill.

With his spiritual power, he now executed the Zephyr Walk with ease, reveling in the evening breeze against his face and watching the trees blur past, feeling like a wind-swept youth.

"If I were to start delivering packages, would any other couriers stand a chance?" he mused, convinced he had tapped into the Zephyr Walk's true potential.

The moment he activated the storage ring within the Vale of Healing, he was astounded by its contents. The Lord of the Vale didn't even bother to store Psicrystals in the ring. The roughly ten-cubic-meter space was littered with a myriad of exotic treasures, rare panaceas, and panacea seeds, with Psicrystal Cores carelessly strewn in a corner like discarded toys, keeping company with the ordinary Psicrystals that Zhong Wen had added.

Unlike the panaceas grown in the Vale, those within the ring remained vibrant and full of life, unaffected by the passage of time. This was a unique feature of the storage ring: within its confines, time stood still, preserving items exactly as they were placed, unchanging. Consequently, it was unsuitable for storing living beings.

Beyond his newfound wealth, Zhong Wen stumbled upon an unexpected delight. Thirsty before his departure from the Vale, he went to the lake for a drink, but the water was so salty that he spat it out immediately, the taste shockingly bitter. Annoyance quickly gave way to excitement as he realized he had discovered a saltwater lake.

Zhong Wen, who had been subsisting on nothing but simple meals for days, silently retrieved the Lord of the Vale of Healing's furnace from his storage ring. He filled it to the brim with lake water and took it with him.

If the Lord of the Vale of Healing ever found out that Zhong Wen was using the top-level furnace, which he had spared no expense to commission, as a mere container for lake water, he would be livid enough to rise from his grave in outrage.

By the time Zhong Wen made it back to Whispering Blossoms Palace, it was nearly dawn, and the sky was beginning to lighten.

Employing the Zephyr Walk, he had hurried all the way there. With his spiritual power being so faint, despite the technique's low consumption, he was still soaked in sweat.

He quietly opened the door, only to be surprised to see Liu Qiqi already practicing her swordplay in the courtyard.

Was she always this diligent?

Their eyes met, and a fleeting moment of awkwardness hung in the air.

"Did you go out last night?" Liu Qiqi asked, her voice tinged with caution.

"I woke up in the middle of the night, unable to fall back asleep, so I went for a run to get some exercise," Zhong Wen quickly improvised.

"Your body is indeed too frail," Liu Qiqi observed, seeing Zhong Wen drenched in sweat and out of breath. She seemed to buy his story, "Go and rinse off in the back. Since you haven't cultivated your spiritual power, it's easy to catch a cold if you don't dry off after sweating."

Zhong Wen nodded, "Miss Liu, do you always start your sword practice this early?"

"My master gets up even earlier," Liu Qiqi replied, her eyes shining with respect as she spoke of her mentor, "I wonder when I'll be able to reach my master's level."

"With your dedication, you're bound to succeed," Zhong Wen said with an encouraging smile before dashing back to his room to grab a washbasin. He then headed to the backyard well to draw water.

Watching Zhong Wen's retreating figure, Liu Qiqi sensed something different about him, yet she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.

She shook her head, puzzled, and dove back into her sword technique training.

Upon returning to his room, Zhong Wen shed his shirt and began to wipe down his body with a cloth dampened in well water from the basin. Despite it being summer, the mountain air was not too hot, and the well water felt cool against his skin. Thankfully, having begun his practice of the Art of Eternal Breath, he could withstand the chill.

He had just finished wiping his upper body and was removing his trousers when a knock sounded at the door.

"Come in!" Zhong Wen called out, quickly pulling his pants back on.

Wang Quanxin entered and caught sight of Zhong Wen shirtless. A blush crept onto her cheeks, but she didn't look away. Instead, she looked him over with a hint of curiosity.

"What can I do for you, Wang Quanxin?" Zhong Wen inquired, reaching for his shirt.

"I was about to do some laundry and wondered if you had any clothes that needed washing. I could take care of them for you," Wang Quanxin said in her soft, gentle voice, exuding a calm and refined aura. "Since you're washing up, why don't you hand over the clothes you've taken off?"

"This... I only have this one outfit," Zhong Wen admitted, scratching his head sheepishly.

Wang Quanxin paused, then burst into laughter. "Oh, I apologize, that was thoughtless of me. Let me take your measurements, Young Master Zhong. I'll pick up a few sets of clothes for you when I head down the mountain to buy groceries."

Widow Wang, naturally beautiful, became even more captivating with her smile, causing Zhong Wen's heart to flutter.

"Wang Quanxin, are you heading down the mountain? May I join you?" Zhong Wen's mindset had shifted dramatically overnight, shedding his previous timidity and growing curious about the world below.

"Whispering Peak is quite high, over 800 meters. Mr. Zhong, you've only just recovered; wouldn't descending the mountain be too exhausting?"

"Not at all, I'm nearly fully healed. Resting further might actually do more harm than good. A bit of exercise could speed up my recovery," Zhong Wen replied, shaking his head. "Also, Wang Quanxin, please don't call me Young Master Zhong. If it's alright with you, just call me Zhong Wen."

"Alright then, Zhong Wen, come down the mountain with me later. I'll show you around the village and we can pick up a few sets of ready-made clothes," Wang Quanxin offered cheerfully.

"Then, just give me a moment, I need to finish wiping down... my body," Zhong Wen stammered, avoiding the more specific term he had in mind.

"I'll tidy up a bit more, and then let's meet in the courtyard shortly," Wang Quanxin, being the worldly woman she was, quickly caught on and left with a smile.

Once Wang Quanxin had gone, a relieved Zhong Wen hurriedly finished cleaning himself. His clothes were still damp, but he couldn't worry about that now. He dressed quickly and headed to the courtyard.

Wang Quanxin was already there, waiting at the courtyard entrance, dressed in a light yellow garment with a rose-red sash cinching her waist, highlighting her elegant figure.

"What's all this?" Zhong Wen inquired, noticing the two large bags she was holding in each hand.

"These are goods for trade. We need to take them down the mountain to sell," Wang Quanxin explained, her slender frame managing the weight of the bags with apparent ease.

"Let me carry them for you," Zhong Wen offered eagerly.

"No need, no need. You're a guest; I can't let you handle these," Wang Quanxin demurred, shaking her head.

Without further ado, Zhong Wen took the bags from her, insisting, "As a strong man, I can't stand by and watch a lady do the heavy lifting."

"Zhong Wen, what are you saying? With an old woman like me here, why should I let you men do the dirty work?" Wang Quanxin clearly didn't grasp Zhong Wen's reasoning, given the male-dominated world they lived in.

"Old? Wang Quanxin, you're far from it. If you hadn't mentioned it, I'd have mistaken you for a young heiress in her prime," Zhong Wen complimented.

Wang Quanxin burst into laughter, "I thought you were a straightforward man, but it turns out you've got quite the silver tongue."

Their playful banter brought them closer, and they set off down the mountain, chatting and laughing all the way.

Zhong Wen hoisted two large bags, feeling the spiritual power within him flow ceaselessly to every limb and bone. He trekked through the mountain paths for the better part of the day without a hint of weariness, marveling at the remarkable efficacy of the Art of Eternal Breath.

Ahead of Zhong Wen, Wang Quanxin moved with a light step and a spirited demeanor.

"Wang Quanxin, are you a cultivator as well?" Zhong Wen inquired, unable to contain his curiosity.

"I'm just a farmer; such blessings are beyond me. But I've been working at Whispering Blossoms for quite some time. The Lady of Whispering Blossoms couldn't stand to see me toil so, and she graciously taught me some techniques for cultivating Qi. I've practiced them daily, and my health has greatly improved. Even climbing the mountains doesn't leave me fatigued."

"It seems the Lady of Whispering Blossoms is truly benevolent," Zhong Wen commented with admiration.

"Ms. Lin is akin to a living Bodhisattva, an almost celestial being," Wang Quanxin replied, her face glowing with reverence.

Their pace was swift, and in no time, they reached the base of the mountain. From there, Zhong Wen could gaze upon the verdant expanse of farmland stretching into the distance.