Chapter 21 Old Friend "Jin Huan?"

The next morning.

The once lifeless town of Aoki gradually came back to life.

In the market, the joyful atmosphere of the previous night still lingered. People were setting up stalls and opening shops, with wisps of smoke rising from chimneys, creating a serene and peaceful scene.

Hua Xun was awakened by a burst of noisy birdsong. When she opened her eyes, she realized that it was already bright outside.

Since beginning her cultivation with the Divine Lord, Hua Xun had never slept so soundly, and she couldn't help but rub her temples.

Memories of last night flooded her mind, and Hua Xun suddenly sat up.

She drank the sake that Uncle Wu said had been stored for decades. Perhaps emboldened by the sake, she actually pulled the deity along to join the celebrating people.

She laughed merrily with the crowd, while the deity stood to the side, a gentle smile on his face, watching her rudely circle around him, grinning foolishly.

They were neither integrated nor alienated.

Hua Xun's heart pounded nervously, worried that her reckless actions the previous night had displeased the God, so she quickly got off the bed and ran outside.

Hua Xun stopped in her tracks as soon as she reached the door.

The deity stood on the stone path, but instead of looking down to admire the flowers, he gazed at his own palm.

A bright green parrot was nestled obediently in the palm of the deity's hand, nuzzling affectionately, occasionally glancing at the deity with its bright eyes, and then gently pecking at the deity's palm.

The deity indulged the parrot's willful behavior, neither driving it away nor disturbing it, but simply watching it gently.

Just like he was looking at her.

The same compassionate gaze.

The panic in Hua Xun's heart gradually dissipated, leaving only unspeakable bitterness.

The parrot belongs to the neighbor; it started flying over from time to time a few days ago.

Perhaps sensing the gentle aura emanating from the ancient gods emanating from the deity, this parrot always loved to fly around him.

At first, it just stood on the courtyard wall, staring at the god, and occasionally it would fly to the god's side.

Hua Xun was busy luring out the monster at the time, so he didn't pay any attention to it.

Unexpectedly, only a few days later, it was already able to writhe and roll around in the palm of the deity.

Hua Xun pursed her lips, looking at the parrot's feathers, which were as green as the new willow branches in early spring, with a few strands of bright red interspersed among them, like a small "divine bird" carefully painted by a master painter.

Her original form was just a gray crow, without a long tail or bright feathers.

"Awake?" The deity turned around, his voice gentle.

Hua Xun snapped out of her daze, glared at the parrot again, and responded softly.

"Hmm?" As if sensing the sadness in her voice, the deity asked in return.

Hua Xun forced a smile and walked over: "It's nothing, it's just...did I offend the God last night?"

As she spoke, Hua Xun couldn't help but look at the parrot.

Recalling the events of the previous night, the deity smiled and replied, "It's nothing."

The parrot in the palm seemed to sense danger. It suddenly shook its feathers violently, let out a short, defiant cry at Hua Xun, and spread its wings to fly to the next room.

The deity's expression remained unchanged; he showed no reluctance, nor did he look back. He simply withdrew his hand peacefully.

It seems that he can choose whether to stay or leave.

Hua Xun gazed at the God's face. The beautiful parrot flew away, and she felt no secret joy as she had imagined.

She couldn't help but let her mind wander, wondering if the God would feel the same way if she left one day.

Calm and still.

The deity looked at the distracted child and asked in a gentle voice, "Are you feeling unwell?"

Hua Xun snapped out of her daze, quickly shook her head, and finally couldn't help but ask, "Does the Divine Lord like pretty little birds?"

The deity looked at her, but before he could speak, Hua Xun spoke for him: "I forgot, the deity will not show favoritism."

The deity silently acquiesced, then looked towards the courtyard gate.

A few moments later, a respectful voice called out from outside the door: "Is this Miss Hua Xun's residence?"

Hua Xun glanced at Shen Jun and saw the latter nod to her, so she knew that the person outside the door was probably related to the Heavenly Soul of Shen Jun Luo He.

She opened the door and saw two guards standing outside, followed by a carriage and several servants.

"May I ask if you are Miss Hua Xun?" the guard asked politely.

Hua Xun nodded, feigning composure: "It's me."

The guard quickly bowed and said, "My lady invites Miss Hua Xun to her residence for a chat."

"Your mother?"

“That’s right,” the guard said. “My lady is the matriarch of the Chen family in Qingmu Town.”

Hua Xun's eyes brightened slightly. She turned to look at Shen Jun before clearing her throat and saying, "Since it is Madam Chen who has invited me, I will go."

"But my husband must come with me."

The guard exclaimed with delight, "Of course, of course!"

When Hua Xun and the Divine Lord arrived at the Chen residence, it was already half an hour later.

As expected of a wealthy family, the Chen family's mansion was indeed luxurious. The vermilion gate was exceptionally solemn, the stone lions in front of the gate were majestic and awe-inspiring, and the plaque hanging above was made of golden nanmu wood.

A richly dressed, plump woman was waiting at the door early in the morning, accompanied by the slender woman that Hua Xun had seen the night before.

As soon as Hua Xun stepped off the carriage, the woman came forward and bowed in greeting, and the slender woman beside her also bowed.

"I am Li, the widow of the Chen family, and this is my daughter-in-law, Fang."

Hua Xun had never been greeted with such a grand gesture before, and felt a little awkward, so she quickly stepped forward to help the two of them up.

Madam Li continued, “I heard that Miss Hua Xun captured the demon for my Qingmu Town, and my Chen family, like the townspeople, is deeply grateful. If you don’t mind, you can stay at the Chen residence from now on. I have already ordered people to prepare the best guest rooms.”

Hua Xun's eyes lit up as she recalled the parrot's arrogant and domineering manner towards her earlier that day. She turned to look at the Divine Lord and asked, "Sir, shall we move here?"

The deity was never picky about his lodgings. Seeing that the child before him no longer showed the disappointment he had felt that morning, he nodded and smiled, "It's fine."

Hua Xun thought of the parrot's bewildered expression when it flew next door and couldn't find the God, and a hint of joy welled up in her heart: "Then I'll trouble you, Madam."

"No trouble at all," Madam Li hurriedly replied, turning around to instruct the servants behind her to tidy up the side courtyard properly.

Hua Xun remembered the important matter. Although she already knew what it was about, she still asked, "I still don't know why you two invited me here?"

Upon hearing this, Li was touched by painful memories and wiped her eyes with a handkerchief.

Fang Qinglian stepped forward and said softly, "Please come inside and have a cup of hot tea, young lady and young master, and then let your mother-in-law tell you all about it."

Hua Xun nodded and entered the main hall with the Divine Lord.

As soon as she sat down, Fang Qinglian knelt down: "Please, young lady, save my husband."

Hua Xun was startled by the sudden kneeling and hurriedly got up to help her up: "Young Madam, please speak. There is no need to kneel before me."

Fang Qinglian pursed her lips tightly, and after a long while, she said blankly with a pale face, "My husband and I have known each other since childhood and have been married for five years. But I don't know why, two years ago my husband suddenly fell into a coma and we invited countless famous doctors, but none of them could help."

"My mother-in-law even spent a lot of money to invite some Taoist practitioners, but they tried everything they could to wake my husband up."

“Yes,” Madam Li stepped forward and said, “My son Changyan has been sickly since childhood. He was perfectly fine when he first got married, and he and my daughter-in-law were always a harmonious and loving couple. But for some reason, not long after Qinglian married into the family, my son’s health deteriorated. Now he has been in a coma for two years. My poor son is only twenty-three years old and has not even left behind a son or daughter…”

Hua Xun frowned slightly, feeling that Li's words implied that Fang Qinglian was "cursed to bring misfortune to her husband."

Hua Xun looked at Fang Qinglian, whose already thin and bony face had become even paler.

"Young Madam, could you please take us to meet Young Master Chen?"

“Of course,” Fang Qinglian replied, taking the lead in the path.

Hua Xun and the Divine Lord followed.

Just now, Madam Li was leading Hua Xun ahead, while Fang Qinglian followed behind. Hua Xun never got a clear look at her face.

Only now did Hua Xun notice that Fang Qinglian's right ankle was slightly lame, and her right hand, hidden under her wide sleeves, was missing a small section of her little finger.

The wound was straight and flat, as if it had been cut off by a human.

Hua Xun glanced at Li Shi, who was walking beside him.

Compared to the elegantly dressed Li Shi, Fang Qinglian looked rather plain.

After turning through the veranda, you arrive at the bedroom.

“This is the place,” Fang Qinglian said.

Hua Xun entered the room, and the servants quickly removed the screen, revealing Chen Changyan on his sickbed.

Even though he had been in a coma for two years, he only looked a little thinner and paler, but there was nothing else wrong with him. His appearance was delicate and scholarly, and he looked as if he were asleep.

"It was a bottle of divine medicine left behind by a passing cultivator two years ago. One pill a day is all it took to save my son from dying of hunger and thirst," Madam Li explained.

"A miracle drug?" Hua Xun asked back.

Seeing this, Madam Li hurriedly instructed, "Qinglian, quickly go and bring the divine medicine to Miss Huaxun for her to see."

Qinglian curtsied and turned to leave.

Hua Xun couldn't help but frown.

There were clearly maids beside her, yet Fang Qinglian, who had difficulty walking, was sent instead.

The Chen family really did a bad job with Fang Qinglian.

Hua Xun remembered something and asked in his mind, "Can the Divine Lord sense the aura of the Heavenly Soul?"

The divine lord's voice, as gentle as a spring breeze caressing snowflakes, resounded from her sea of ​​consciousness: "I sense it within him."

Hua Xun turned to look at the Divine Lord, only to see him quietly watching Chen Changyan on the sickbed. Noticing her gaze, he looked back at her.

Hua Xun smiled unconsciously and asked, "Aren't you going to get it?"

"I do not yet know what the Heavenly Soul is used for. If I take it without permission, I may harm its life."

Hua Xun hesitated for a moment, then walked to the bedside and was about to take action.

Just as Li was about to stop her, she saw a clear, deep blue light emanating from the girl's fingertips, even more refined than that of the cultivators she had previously invited. She was immediately stunned and stopped moving forward.

Hua Xun placed her fingertips on Chen Changyan's forehead and carefully examined his meridians.

But he was stunned when the magic entered his body.

Chen Changyan's meridians were intact. Mortals feed on the pure energy of the human realm, and now that pure energy was flowing gently and steadily within him.

He's...lost his mind.

Hua Xun looked at the Divine Lord, who clearly already knew, his expression remaining calm and serene.

Hua Xun withdrew her hand, just as Fang Qinglian brought over the divine medicine. She took it and sniffed it; it was just an ordinary fasting pill.

“I already know the reason for Young Master Chen’s coma,” Hua Xun turned to Fang Qinglian and Madam Li and said seriously, “but there are still some things that haven’t been clarified. Let’s discuss them when we get back.”

Seeing Hua Xun's confident demeanor, Li's face lit up with joy, and she nodded repeatedly.

Fang Qinglian's expression changed slightly. She lowered her eyes, curtsied, and thanked him.

Hua Xun returned to the Divine Lord's side and felt his gentle aura. Only then did she finally exhale without making a sound, a hint of relaxation flashing in her eyes.

The deity smiled and said magnanimously, "Very good."

Hua Xun was slightly taken aback, but after realizing that the deity was praising her, she smiled brightly.

Still worried about Chen Changyan's health, Madam Li wanted to stay with him a little longer, so she sent Fang Qinglian to see him off: "I have already ordered someone to prepare wine and dishes. Qinglian, you go with the two distinguished guests to the dining hall and serve them well. I will be there in a little while."

"Yes," Fang Qinglian replied.

The Chen residence was enormous; it took several long corridors and small pavilions to finally reach the dining hall.

After instructing the servants to serve the dishes, Fang Qinglian said softly to Hua Xun and the other person, "This place is very close to the Tingxue Pavilion where you two are staying. After you finish your meal, I will escort you back to your room to rest."

Hua Xun nodded: "Young Madam, you don't need to serve us." Then, remembering something, she asked, "Young Madam, could you tell us if Young Master Chen showed any unusual behavior before he fell into a coma?"

Fang Qinglian's eyelashes fluttered slightly, and she lowered her eyes: "Reporting to Miss, there is nothing unusual."

"He fell asleep late at night as usual, and never woke up the next day."

Hua Xun frowned.

So, Chen Changyan was just unlucky. He must have offended some deity or demon while he was sleeping, and they ripped out his soul.

While I was thinking, all the dishes were served.

Hua Xun hadn't seen such a sumptuous feast in a long time, and her appetite was immediately whetted.

But remembering that the deity only ate porridge, and seeing that the deity truly had no intention of touching his chopsticks, he turned to Fang Qinglian: "Young Madam..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by footsteps outside the door.

As Li walked this way, she politely said to the person behind her, "Master Jin, this way please."

Hua Xun looked up at the sound and saw Li Shi walk in.

“Distinguished guests,” Madam Li said apologetically, “the steward was unaware of your arrival and invited another cultivator from outside. Please forgive him.”

Hua Xun knew that Li Shi probably didn't fully trust him either, which was why she didn't refuse other cultivators entry into the mansion.

She didn't mind, and after saying "It's alright," she looked behind Li.

But when they saw the familiar figure, they widened their eyes in surprise.

This person wore a robe with alternating patterns of pale yellow and black, with a white-patterned, gold-trimmed mustard seed bag hanging from his waist, and had a handsome face with honey-colored skin.

It's very familiar.

Li introduced, "This is the cultivator Jin, whose surname is Jin and given name is..."

"Jin Huan?" Hua Xun called out the name in surprise.

After calling out, she hesitated, feeling that he seemed different from the last time she saw him.

Hearing the voice, Jin Huan looked up at her, his gaze lingering on her and the people around her for a moment before he slowly spoke, calling out each word clearly:

"Miss Hua Xun".

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Author's note: "Jin Huan" is here! (doge)

The deadline is approaching, so I'll save up 1000 words. I'll take a break tomorrow, and the update the day after tomorrow will be at 11 PM.

Before the next chapter is updated, there will be small red envelopes dropping in the comments section of this chapter~

By the way, let me recommend some other pre-orders of the same type:

She cheated on her husband after he ascended to heaven.

Wei Mei and Pei Hexun have been married for ten years. Although he is not romantic, not good at coaxing people, and not very enthusiastic about sex.

Despite holding a high position, he abstained from wine and women and did not take concubines. He devoted himself to the people and the country, and he treated her with respect.

It wasn't until his death that Wei Mei realized that his short life had been nothing more than a calamity.

Everything in the mortal world is his tribulation.

Tribulations of love, poverty, fame, and death.

Only by letting go after experiencing it can one successfully overcome the tribulation.

Pei Hexun relinquished worldly desires and successfully ascended to immortality.

Wei Mei was also one of the worldly people he had abandoned.

After watching Pei Hexun ascend to immortality, Wei Mei cried and cursed, but life went on as usual.

One day, a young man who looked just like Pei Hexun came to her house. He said he was her husband's nephew from before his ascension to immortality and had come to seek refuge with her.

Looking at that face that resembled her husband's, Wei Mei was momentarily dazed.

*

After Pei Hexun ascended to immortality, his cultivation level hardly improved.

Only after asking his master did he learn that there was still a tribulation deep in his heart that he had not yet overcome.

—A karmic calamity.

This calamity was related to his mortal wife.

Pei Hexun decided to return to the mortal world in his true form to end this calamity.

Unexpectedly, on the very night he returned to his mortal mansion, he heard intimate sounds coming from the boudoir of his virtuous and faithful mortal wife…