Chen Ping'an bade his teacher farewell and left the alley early that morning.
Thinking of the Betrothal Letter his teacher had given and Ning Yao had accepted, Chen Ping'an was in a good mood.
The old cultivator charged with guarding the alley set the White Jade Dojo back in place. Apart from cultivation, the old man had no other interests in this life anyway.
Liu Jia truly just enjoyed cultivating. As for advancement, he wouldn't force it. It could come or not; he sure as hell wasn't going to spoil it.
But something was strange. Had his disciple been struck by lightning again yesterday because he hadn't protected the boy's Dao? For once, Zhao Duanming hadn't noisily practiced those martial arts moves. Instead, he'd spent the whole night diligently practicing Breathing and Exhalation, cycling the Lesser Celestial Circuit again and again with the River Cart Transport Technique of the Golden Elixir Restoration lineage. Perhaps sincerity had worked its magic, because he was doing a respectable job of it.
That night, besides cultivating himself and circulating spiritual energy through the Greater Celestial Circuit, Liu Jia had used his Visualization Supernatural Power to roam his own vast Golden Jade Forest like an immortal riding a crane. He had descended from the Crimson Palace on a white crane and contemplated the waters at the Bridge of Longevity to comprehend the Dao. The old cultivator had also kept part of his attention on the path of Zhao Duanming's circulating qi, so he could pick out flaws afterward and help his disciple fill the gaps.
Chen Ping'an stopped near the alley entrance and waited a moment. Then he curled his fingers as though knocking on a door and tapped lightly. Smiling, he said, "Old Immortal Master Liu, mind if I drop by?"
When the knock