By the time Shu Lan came down, Qin An had already chosen a manual for array masters.
"Xiao An, have you made your choice?"
"I've made my choice, this is the one I'll pick." Qin An handed the array master's manual to Shu Lan.
"Hmm, it's good to learn about formations. It can increase your combat power in battles later. You did a great job!" Shu Lan flipped through the notes and gave her opinion.
"Thank you for the compliment, Master."
After Qin An made a copy of the array master's handbook, Shu Lan led Qin An to Tinglan Peak.
Qin An looked at the beautiful mountains and exquisite buildings with great joy. "Master, is this where we'll be living from now on?"
“That’s right.” Shu Lan ruffled Qin An’s nice-smelling hair. “We’ll be staying at Tinglan Peak from now on.”
Shu Lan chose the room closest to the small hall and assigned it to Qin An. "This will be your residence from now on."
"Thank you for the arrangement, Master." Qin An looked at the room. Although he was satisfied, he felt a little disappointed at the thought that he could no longer sleep with his master.
"If you need anything, you can come to me anytime. I live in the small hall."
"Okay, I understand. Thank you, Master." Qin An nodded, looking forward to his life here.
Shu Lan and Qin An tidied up Tinglan Peak. Qin An even went to the small kitchen to make some pastries for Shu Lan to try.
Qin An's culinary skills have improved considerably. The pastries he makes are not only delicious and beautiful, but also exquisite and flavorful. Shu Lan always praises them after tasting them.
Qin An felt very satisfied every time Shu Lan finished eating the pastries he made.
As night fell, after Shu Lan and Qin An had dinner, Shu Lan sent Qin An to her room to sleep.
Shu Lan lit an oil lamp and carefully read the alchemist's notes under the lamplight.
In the middle of the night, a torrential downpour suddenly began, accompanied by occasional claps of thunder.
The wind rattled the windows, making a "clattering" sound, and a few gusts of wind that leaked in flickered the candle flame on the oil lamp.
Shu Lan got up and closed the window a little, then turned to look in the direction of Qin An's room. "I wonder how well Xiao An is sleeping now?"
On the other side, Qin An was tossing and turning in bed, covered in sweat, repeatedly shouting, "No, don't hit me!"
The daytime assessment still affected Qin An; he was now having nightmares in bed. He recalled his childhood, remembering how weak he was, constantly being beaten and injured…
"mother!"
"Boom!" A bolt of lightning ripped through the night sky, and a deafening clap of thunder simultaneously jolted Qin An awake from his nightmare.
"Huff, huff." Qin An sat up abruptly on the bed, panting heavily. The image of his mother's tragic death still flashed through his mind.
Qin An lay on the bed catching his breath for a long time before gradually coming back to his senses. He turned to look out the window and saw that Shu Lan's room was still lit. Seeing that light, Qin An's heart immediately calmed down.
Qin An got out of bed, put on an overcoat and shoes, and headed towards Shu Lan's room.
"Knock knock knock." Shu Lan was engrossed in reading the journal when suddenly there was a knock on the door.
Shu Lan put down her notebook and went to the door. As soon as she opened the door, she met Qin An's expectant eyes.
"What's wrong?" Shu Lan asked, noticing Qin An's pale face. "Did you have a nightmare?"
Qin An nodded without saying a word. He continued to gaze longingly at Shu Lan, the whole child exuding a pitiful air, like a little puppy lacking security.
Shu Lan looked at Qin An's pleading expression and her heart softened. "Can't you sleep? Do you want to come in and sleep?" Shu Lan said, moving away from the doorway.
Qin An quickly stepped into Shu Lan's room and went straight to her bed, climbing up in a few quick movements.
Qin An spread out the blanket, and the little one curled up inside, covering most of his face except for a pair of bright eyes that looked at Shu Lan expectantly.
Shu Lan looked at Qin An's adorable little face and couldn't help but chuckle softly. He walked to the bedside, lifted the other side of the quilt, took off his shoes and coat, and lay down on the bed.
Shu Lan flicked a wisp of spiritual energy from her finger, extinguishing the oil lamp and plunging the room into darkness.
Qin An quickly rolled into Shu Lan's arms, and Shu Lan hugged him back. Qin An buried his head in Shu Lan's clothes, inhaling the pleasant fragrance of magnolias on her body, and his heart gradually calmed down.
Shu Lan gently stroked Qin An's back, patting it lightly. "Are you afraid of thunder?"
Qin An remained silent, neither confirming nor denying. He simply reached out and embraced Shu Lan's slender waist.
Seeing that Qin An did not answer, Shu Lan did not press him for an answer, but simply continued to comfort him.
Gradually, with Shu Lan's constant soothing, Qin An slowly drifted off to sleep, his dream filled with the fragrance of magnolia blossoms. Shu Lan, holding Qin An, then fell into a deep sleep as well.
The next morning, Shu Lan and Qin An woke up at the same time. Qin An greeted Shu Lan first. Shu Lan looked at Qin An with a half-smile.
Qin An couldn't sit still under Shu Lan's teasing expression any longer and quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, Master Brother, I had a nightmare last night and was so scared that I came to bother you. I didn't mean to." After saying that, he lowered his head in embarrassment.
Seeing Qin An's embarrassed look, Shu Lan stopped teasing him. "It's alright, it was my oversight. If you want to move in later, then move in. You can move out when you're older."
"Really? Thank you, Master!" Qin An's eyes immediately lit up, as if stars were twinkling within them.
Seeing Qin An's excited expression, Shu Lan was also infected by it and chuckled softly as well.
And so, every night Qin An would move into Shu Lan's room and sleep with her.
Qin An cultivated on Tinglan Peak, practicing swordsmanship, and spent the rest of his time studying formations. Shu Lan would occasionally guide Qin An's cultivation, and sometimes she would demonstrate swordsmanship to him, correcting his mistakes step by step.
Days passed by like this. Soon it was the beginning of the month, the time when the sect's disciples and elders received their monthly stipends.
Every month, the disciples and elders in the sect can receive cultivation resources, and Shu Lan and Qin An are no exception.
Early in the morning, Shu Lan gave her token to Qin An, asking him to collect her monthly allowance on her behalf.
Qin An, holding Shu Lan's token, descended Tinglan Peak. On his way to Wan Shi Tang, a dark figure suddenly blocked his path.
"stop!"
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