The wind keeps its promise, the flowers bloom without fail, time gently caresses our fingers, and the years leave behind the fragrance of plum blossoms.

——

Five years later.

Qingzhou, the Marquis's residence.

Plum Garden.

In the winter snow, an ancient and charming plum tree stands among the pavilions and waterside terraces, its branches lush and full of vitality, its branches reaching out in all directions and laden with delicate flowers.

Under the tree was an inkstone, and beside it was a little girl in a bright red cotton-padded jacket, diligently wielding a wooden sword.

She was as beautiful as a porcelain doll, with bright and intelligent eyes. However, her small brows, which would furrow from time to time as she struggled to wield her sword, made people feel a little more affection for her.

"You like practicing swordsmanship?"

A celestial figure appeared in the courtyard, accompanied by the fragrance of plum blossoms. He looked with a smile at the little girl practicing her sword under the tree.

"Who are you? "

The little girl stopped practicing her sword and stood under the plum tree in the snow-covered courtyard, looking at the very handsome uncle.

"Why haven't I seen you in the manor before?"

"My name is Qin Haoren."

"Are you Daddy's friend?"

"...I guess so."

Do you know how to use a sword?

"Yes, it will."

"So, are you good at it?"

"sharp. "

How powerful is it?

"Number one in the world."

The wind stopped, the snow ceased, and the flowers bloomed silently...

The little girl under the tree suddenly wrinkled her delicate nose and chuckled:

"Don't brag. My mother says good-looking men are all show and no substance. Ten of you wouldn't be enough for my father to beat with one hand."

"Is your dad very powerful?"

"Of course! My father is the renowned Marquis Guanjue, and my maternal grandfather is the number one swordsman in Qingzhou. Why would I need to learn swordsmanship from you?"

The little girl put her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest, speaking with great pride.

"Wow...that's amazing!"

Qin Shou chuckled.

"Then I'll go chop up one of your dads and show you how powerful I am?"

"...You...you bastard..."

Sizzle!

Suddenly, Qin Shou pointed his fingers and slashed, splitting the sky above his head in two.

The little girl stood under the plum tree, gazing up at the cracked sky, her mouth agape in surprise, forming an "o" shape. Endless sunlight streamed down, falling on her exquisitely beautiful face.

Thump!

The little girl knelt in the snow, bowing sincerely in worship.

"Master, please accept my bow!"

"I won't be your master, I'll only be your teacher."

"Master, sir, aren't they different?"

“They’re different.”

"What's different?"

"The characters are different."

“........”

From then on, Qin Shou became the tutor of the eldest daughter of the Qingzhou Marquis's family. In addition to teaching her to read and write, he also taught her cultivation and swordsmanship.

Oh..., and I'm also responsible for telling her different stories every day to lull her to sleep.

......

......

The sun rises and the moon moves, spring goes and autumn comes.

The plum trees in the Hou Mansion's courtyard bloomed for a year and then withered for another year, repeating the cycle endlessly.

The immortal under the tree remained unchanged, while the girl wielding the sword grew up day by day.

"Sir, am I doing well?"

"very good! "

"Haha, I'm awesome, aren't I?"

"sharp. "

"Then, sir, will I become the most powerful female swordsman in the world?"

"Yes, it will."

"Hehehe, sir, could you continue teaching me swordsmanship like this?"

"OK. "

Amidst gusts of wind and snow, the vibrant colors of spring arrive. The red cotton-padded jacket is replaced by a green vine skirt, and the girl under the tree gazes out at the world.

......

Sixty years later.

She became the youngest Nascent Soul cultivator in Qingzhou's history.

Qin Shou gave her a celestial sword that he had personally forged.

She held the immortal sword, her face beaming with smiles.

explain,

"One day, I, Mu Qingyan, will become the most powerful female swordswoman in the world!"

......

The Jiazi year transforms into a deity.

A century of emptiness.

Time keeps passing in the outside world.

However, time seemed to stand still in this courtyard.

Clang!

Another winter has arrived.

The plum trees are in full bloom.

The immortal beneath the tree bathed his hands, burned incense, and began to play melodious music on his zither.

Like the tinkling of jade pendants, the lingering sound echoes around the beams.

The beautiful young woman, now blossoming into a graceful young lady, was asleep with her hands resting on the table, draped in a snow-white fox fur coat.

Petals fell on her temples; she was more beautiful than the flowers.

Perhaps it was because of the celestial music that the girl slept so soundly.

Upon waking from her dream, her eyeshadow overlapping, she suddenly raised her eyes, smiling brightly as she looked at the immortal playing the zither and said:

"Sir, am I beautiful?"

"beautiful. "

"Does the gentleman like me?"

"Hehe, what teacher wouldn't like their own student?"

"oh-- "

The girl, drawing out the last syllable of her voice, suddenly asked with a sly glint in her eyes:

"Sir, do you think Nangong Liuli is more beautiful, or Mu Qingyan from Qingzhou?"

Clang!

Qin Shou's fingers, which were playing the zither, paused slightly, and the strings trembled wildly.

After a short while, things returned to calm.

"In my heart, whether it's Nangong Liuli or Mu Qingyan, they have always been the same person."

"oh. "

The girl pouted, resting her chin on her overlapping hands. Suddenly, she tilted her delicate head to look at Qin Shou, her bright eyes sparkling with a smile. "But I don't want to be Nangong Liuli anymore. Her life was too tiring; she could never even reach your level. But Mu Qingyan is different. Mu Qingyan has countless possibilities. She's confident she can open the gates of immortality and stay by your side forever."

But Mu Qingyan is different. She has countless possibilities; she is confident she can open the gates to immortality and stay by your side forever...

The girl's voice seemed to echo in Qin Shou's ears... In his hazy state, he seemed to see again those eyes from his past life, eyes as clear and cold as glass, filled with sorrow...

It turns out that the immortal path she sought was so that someone could always be by her side...

Clang!

The sound of the zither rose again beneath the tree.

The immortal's thoughts were in turmoil.

A clear, deep voice drifted on the wind and snow under the plum tree in the courtyard.

"The wind keeps its promise, the flowers bloom without fail, and today the maiden awakens from her dream..."

Tender feelings, unfathomable intentions, a sigh of alluring beauty on the path to immortality...

......

"Qin Beast, shall we get married?"

The girl opened her eyes wide and stared blankly at the immortal playing the zither before her.

Zheng—

The strings of the zither broke, and the celestial music ceased.

This time, the Qin beast did not hesitate.

"good. "

"Huh!? Really?!"

The girl jumped up happily, pounced on Qin's back, and stretched out her slender white arms to hug Qin's neck.

"No taking it back, or you'll be a beast."

"good. "

"I want a formal marriage with proper betrothal gifts, a phoenix coronet and embroidered robes, and a vow of lifelong commitment."

"And what about the next life?"

"We won't be apart even in the next life!"

"What if you're reborn as a pig in your next life? I can't exactly marry a pig, can I?"

"Oh dear...you're the pig, your whole family are pigs...even if I were a pig, I'd be the most beautiful pig..."

"Isn't that still a pig?"

"...Aaaaaahhhhhh...I'll scratch you like a pig!!!"