This was how Blue Silver Academy cultivated.
The Dao followed nature.
After Dugu Yan and the others entered a meditative state,
Chen Xuan strolled along the academy's paths, holding Ah Yin's hand.
"Xuan, aren't you worried?" Ah Yin suddenly asked.
"Worried about what?"
"Tang San." A chill flashed through Ah Yin's eyes. "He won't let this go. Neither will Yu Xiaogang."
"And Tang Hao is still backing him."
"I know." Chen Xuan didn't slow his steps. "He's just a tiger with its teeth pulled. Nothing to fear."
"But..."
"Ah Yin." Chen Xuan stopped and turned to look at her. "Have you forgotten how strong I am?"
Ah Yin froze.
That was right.
She had only thought of Tang Hao as a Titled Douluo, a successor of the Clear Sky Sect.
She had forgotten that the man beside her was a Level 99 Peerless Douluo.
One of the beings standing at the very pinnacle of this world.
"I was overthinking it." Ah Yin gave a self-mocking smile.
"You weren't overthinking. You just care too much."
Chen Xuan reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"Don't worry."
"In this world, no one will ever be able to hurt you while I'm by your side."
"No one."
Chen Xuan's promise was like a calming pill, soothing the last ripple in Ah Yin's heart.
"Mm."
Ah Yin said no more. She simply linked her arm through his a little more tightly.
The two walked on in silence, passing through stretch after stretch of Blue Silver Grass.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting flecks of light on the ground that swayed gently with their steps.
On the distant lawn, five disciples sat cross-legged, eyes closed in meditation.
Their breathing was long and steady, blending with the Blue Silver Grass around them, as though they had become part of this sea of life.
A faint emerald current circled Dugu Yan, carrying the imposing air of an empress.
Ning Rongrong, meanwhile, radiated a gentle, pure, seven-colored light.
Ye Lingling's Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul hovered behind her, scattering specks of white light that nourished the grass beneath her.
The brothers Shi Mo and Shi Pan were like two slabs of rock, their auras steady and solid, deeply rooted in the earth.
"They're progressing quickly," Ah Yin said softly.
"Because their hearts are pure."
Chen Xuan's gaze swept over the five of them.
"No distractions, no desire for profit. They simply feel, accept, and merge with the world around them."
"That's the essence of 'the Dao follows nature.'"
"Unlike Yu Xiaogang's training methods. They seem ingenious, but they're full of contrivance, with traces of human interference everywhere. They're a lesser path."
Ah Yin nodded, deeply agreeing.
She was the Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor herself, and understood the ways of nature better than anyone.
Chen Xuan's methods seemed casual, but in truth, they pointed straight to the source of the Great Dao.
Back in the courtyard behind the mountain,
the afternoon sunlight had grown languid, casting a warm glow over everything and making people drowsy.
Chen Xuan was still lying in his private rocking chair, gently swaying as he rested with his eyes closed.
Ah Yin reclined in a more elegant woven-rattan lounge chair beside him, engrossed in a travelogue about the continent she had found somewhere.
She had slipped off her shoes, and a pair of snowy-white, delicate feet peeked out from beneath her pale blue skirt, swaying lightly in the air.
Their arches were graceful, their toes round as pearls, and they gleamed with an ivory sheen in the sunlight. Every inch was a flawless work of art.
The courtyard was quiet.
Only the breeze brushing through the Blue Silver Grass made a soft rustling sound.
After some time, Ah Yin set down her book and let out a contented sigh.
"I'm a little tired."
She stretched, her graceful curves on full display.
Chen Xuan opened his eyes.
His gaze fell on her gently swaying feet.
"I'll massage them for you," he said.
Ah Yin froze for a moment, then a charming flush spread across her cheeks.
"Mm," she murmured, her voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz.
Chen Xuan rose from his rocking chair and walked over to hers. Without hesitation, he knelt on one knee.
He reached out and gently took one of her feet in his hand.
Soft.
Smooth.
Supple as if boneless.
That was Chen Xuan's first impression. The touch was like fine warm jade, impossible to put down.
Ah Yin's body tensed slightly, and her toes curled reflexively.
A strange, tingling sensation rose from the sole of her foot and spread through her body in an instant, almost making her let out a soft cry.
Chen Xuan said nothing. He simply cupped her little foot in his warm palm, pressing it with his fingertips in a peculiar rhythm, neither too lightly nor too firmly.
His technique was professional, and his pressure just right.
He found every acupoint and meridian with precision, easing the tension there.
Ah Yin's rigid body gradually relaxed.
She closed her eyes, her long lashes trembling slightly, her face wearing a blissful, dreamy expression.
It wasn't merely physical comfort. It was also a sense of peace and dependence that came from deep within her heart.
This man was her sky, her haven.
Whenever and wherever they were, as long as he was there, she could let go of every disguise and every show of strength.
Sunlight filtered through the tree canopy, casting soft shadows across his profile and making his handsome features seem even more sharply defined.
Ah Yin gazed at him, her heart tender.
Just then,
a hurried footstep broke the tranquility.
"Teacher."
It was Dugu Yan's voice.
She stood at the courtyard entrance, looking a little uneasy.
"What is it?"
Chen Xuan didn't pause his movements or lift his head as he asked.
"Someone... someone outside is asking to see you."
Dugu Yan sounded hesitant.
"He says he's Ning Fengzhi, the sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
"Oh?"
Chen Xuan's hands finally stopped.
He slowly released Ah Yin's foot, stood up, and brushed off his robe.
"Let him in."
His tone remained as indifferent as ever, as if the visitor weren't the sect master of one of the Upper Three Sects, but some insignificant passerby.
Ah Yin sat upright too and quickly put on her shoes, returning to her usual gentle, dignified appearance. Only the blush on her face had yet to fade completely.
Soon,
three figures entered the courtyard, led by Dugu Yan.
The man at the front was middle-aged, with a jade-like face and a refined bearing. He was none other than Ning Fengzhi, sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
He wore a smile that was just right, but a probing, solemn look lurked deep in his eyes.
Two old men followed behind him.
The one on the left was tall and thin, with a gaunt face and a plain gray robe. He was like an ancient sword sheathed in its scabbard—plain on the surface, yet hiding a sharp edge within.
Sword Douluo, Chen Xin.
The one on the right was even more unusual.
He was short, even a little hunched, with a head of messy hair and a playful smile on his face. He walked with an unsteady, drifting gait, as though he had no weight at all.
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