Friendship

It's unclear how much time has passed.

Gu Chang'an rose from the medicinal bath, his muscles subtly defined beneath the rising steam, his skin taking on a faint sheen.

He dressed, let out a long breath, and felt his qi and blood surge within him. His bones and sinews felt as though they had been reforged, leaving him feeling much lighter, as if even his breathing had become smoother.

[Name: Gu Chang'an]
[Lifespan: 30 years 3 months]
[Identity: Martial Artist (Minor Official)]
[Realm: Ninth Rank]
[Constitution: 352 (+4/day)]
[Cultivation Techniques: Mountain Shattering Saber Technique (Yellow Grade Middle Rank, Proficient/+), Green Lotus Poison Scripture (Yellow Grade, Proficient/+), Iron Cutting Saber Technique (Yellow Grade Low Rank, Mastered), Complete Iron Cloth Shirt (Yellow Grade High Rank, Mastered/+), Flowing Wind Steps (Yellow Grade Low Rank, Proficient/+), Mountain Shattering Fist (Yellow Grade Low Rank, Proficient/+), Archery (Mortal Grade, Proficient/+)]

Seeing that his Constitution had actually increased to 352, a jump of nearly 30 points.

Gu Chang'an couldn't help but smile.

It seemed this was the effect of the Body Tempering Pill.

Normally, he would come to Sky Wind Martial Hall for medicinal baths at least three times a week.

One bath a week was free; the rest required payment.

Each one cost twenty taels of silver.

This was already a discounted price from Li Tianfeng, otherwise it would have been even higher.

"Poverty in scholarship, wealth in martial arts" was truly an accurate saying.

Fortunately, Lu Tong had lent him two hundred taels of silver, saving him from financial ruin.

After each medicinal bath, his Constitution would increase by 4-5 points, nowhere near the massive boost he received this time.

This clearly indicated the effect of the Body Tempering Pill.

"This one Body Tempering Pill is truly worth more than its cost... Combined with the medicinal bath, it has actually propelled my cultivation forward by a significant margin."

"At this rate, in a while longer, I might be able to challenge the Eighth Rank!"

Just as he was reveling in the joy of his improvement, a voice called out:

"Kid, finished with your bath? Come eat!"

It was Li Tianfeng's voice.

Gu Chang'an snapped back to reality. As he walked towards the Front Hall, he saw Li Tianfeng and Xie Lanzhi already seated for their meal. The seat beside them was surprisingly empty, seemingly reserved for him.

"Master Xie, Madam," Gu Chang'an greeted.

Xie Lanzhi smiled, "You just went through a tough fight and then soaked in the medicinal bath. It's the perfect time to replenish your qi and blood. Stay for dinner."

Gu Chang'an initially intended to decline, but Xie Lanzhi's gaze was gentle yet firm, leaving him no room to refuse. He nodded, "Then, this disciple will respectfully accept your invitation."

As he spoke, light footsteps approached from outside, accompanied by a faint floral scent.

Gu Chang'an instinctively looked up—

He saw Li Hongye, who had changed into a pale purple dress. Her long hair was lightly tied with a hairpin, and her slightly damp temples clung to her cheeks. Her skin was like snow, and her expression, while languid, held a delicate beauty of someone recovering from battle, a stark contrast to her usual swift and decisive demeanor in her constable uniform.

Gu Chang'an was stunned.

Li Hongye looked even more beautiful now.

Noticing his gaze, Li Hongye raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at her lips. She suddenly walked up to him, grabbed his ear, and grinned fiercely, "Junior Brother, what are you looking at? So entranced?"

Gu Chang'an's ears grew hot, and he quickly replied, "N-nothing! I just... I think Senior Sister looks particularly radiant today."

Li Hongye snorted, "Clever boy, you know how to talk."

Xie Lanzhi chuckled and shook her head, "Alright, alright, stop teasing him. Let's eat."

Only then did Li Hongye reluctantly release Gu Chang'an's ear and turn to take her seat.

At the dinner table, the dishes were plentiful. Li Tianfeng and Xie Lanzhi chatted casually as they ate, creating a relaxed and harmonious atmosphere. Li Hongye occasionally teased Gu Chang'an, and Gu Chang'an, unusually at ease, picked up a piece of fish, its taste exceptionally delicious.

After the meal, Gu Chang'an stood to take his leave.

"Master Xie, Madam, this disciple will take his leave now."

Li Tianfeng nodded, "Go on. Get some good rest, and we'll discuss cultivation tomorrow."

Li Hongye leaned back in her chair and waved a hand gently, smiling teasingly, "Hurry back, and don't let me beat you in your dreams, Junior Brother."

Gu Chang'an gave a wry smile, "Then I'll have to practice my saber even in my dreams."

Li Hongye chuckled and watched him leave.

The moonlight was cool, and the night breeze was refreshing. As Gu Chang'an walked along, he felt an indescribable sense of ease, both in body and mind.

Meanwhile, Li Hongye quietly returned to her room. She looked up at the moon, touched her cheeks, which had felt warm when Gu Chang'an "peeped" at her, and chuckled softly:

"This guy... isn't exactly a blockhead after all."

The night was gentle, a soft breeze rustling the curtains. The lamplight flickered, casting a soft, watery glow on the wooden walls of the house. The gentle clinking of dishes could be heard, and the air inside was filled with the lingering aroma of food and a faint scent of medicinal herbs.

Xie Lanzhi sat by the table, gently placing the last pair of chopsticks into a wooden basket. She turned her head towards the doorway, where the figures of Gu Chang'an and Li Hongye had long since disappeared into the night.

She smiled softly, her tone gentle and tinged with a hint of teasing:

"Look at these two children, they're so well-matched."

Li Tianfeng leaned back in his chair, still holding a wine cup. He gazed at the moonlight quietly falling outside the window. After a moment of silence, he shook his head and sighed softly:

"--No."

Xie Lanzhi started, turning around. "What? You don't approve of your precious disciple?"

Li Tianfeng chuckled lightly, raised his hand, and drained his cup. A complex light flickered in his eyes.

"How could that be? I've taught many disciples in my life, and seen countless geniuses. Gu Chang'an is the one I worry about the least."

"Not only is his talent high, but his character is upright, he's neither servile nor overbearing, he's sensible, knows how to repay kindness, and is never arrogant or conceited. He's not the kind of ungrateful wretch who chases fame and fortune."

He paused, then added softly, "If I could entrust Hongye to him, of course, I would be overjoyed."

Xie Lanzhi frowned. "Then why do you say no?"

Li Tianfeng fell silent for a moment, then said in a low voice:

"It's not because I disapprove of him, but... I worry about Hongye, that she won't be able to keep him."

Xie Lanzhi was taken aback.

Li Tianfeng tilted his head back, looking at the vast expanse of the night sky above Nanning County. The Milky Way flowed across it, but it was still finite.

"Chang'an... his talent is too exceptional. Do you know? From the very first day I took him as a disciple, I knew he didn't belong in this land."

"Nanning County is merely the starting point of his life. In a few more years, perhaps not even that long, he will definitely leave."

"The three prefectures of Beiliang, the Taiyuan battlefield, the great sects and factions... where aren't there talents competing? When he steps into a higher realm, when he stands on a higher peak—what about Hongye then?"

"A golden scale is no ordinary fish, it will become a dragon when it meets the wind and clouds."

"Hongye is our child. I don't want her... to get hurt."

Li Tianfeng spoke word by word. His tone wasn't passionate, but it was steady, as if he had already clearly foreseen the future divergences and their outcomes.

Xie Lanzhi's expression slowly dimmed. "I understand..."

She sighed softly, picked up the cloth napkin beside her, and wiped away the water stains on the table. "But don't you think... they've already developed feelings for each other?"

"I rarely see Hongye wear a dress, let alone in front of an outsider."

Li Tianfeng remained silent for a long time upon hearing this.

Outside, the wind rustled through the bamboo grove, the leaves whispering. He slowly nodded, his voice a little hoarse:

"Yes, as her father, how could I not see it?"

"Hongye has changed. When her eyes look at Gu Chang'an, they shine with light."

Xie Lanzhi looked at him quietly and asked in a low voice:

"Then what do you plan to do?"

Li Tianfeng fiddled with the wine cup in his hand, then set it down, and said softly:

"--I can only say... let fate decide."

"If they are fated, they will stay together forever;

If they are not fated..., then we cannot force it."

The room was silent, only the lamplight swayed gently, unable to illuminate the diverging paths of their future destinies, merely condensing this moment into a warm, soft glow.

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