Zi Yan's Growth, the Bearing of an Old Acquaintance

"Zi Yan, what's wrong with you these past two days?"

After leaving the Jia Ma Empire, Qin Yu and Zi Yan headed east towards the nearest city with Spatial Wormhole.

But after only a few days, Qin Yu realized something was wrong.

At first, Zi Yan was as lively and playful as ever, but in the last two days, she has been unusually quiet.

"Is it still because of what happened before? Well, I won't stop you this time. Come on, give me a few punches to vent your anger."

Qin Yu tried the most direct and simple method, which ended up making Zi Yan laugh.

"Oh no, that's not it."

Zi Yan laughed and playfully punched him, but that smile lasted for less than two seconds before being replaced by a melancholy.

"So... what, you've started thinking about the meaning of life?"

After a moment of contemplation, a glint of light flashed in Qin Yu's eyes, as if he had discovered some crucial clue.

It seems I was right when I said Zi Yan had grown up; she's already entered this stage.

"More or less, but not quite. It's like I suddenly realized I don't even know what I am anymore, it's a bit..."

If Zi Yan were still the same little girl she used to be, saying this might sound like she was trying too hard to be profound.

But now, when Zi Yan says these words, it seems quite normal.

It's an inevitable part of a child's growth.

"You're not something, you're... why does that sound so strange?"

"It's good that you know."

The half-finished sentence made Zi Yan chuckle, and at the same time, she understood Qin Yu's meaning, feeling a warmth in her heart.

Two or three more days passed, and Zi Yan slowly expressed some of the thoughts that had been building up in her heart. She visibly relaxed a lot.

Qin Yu didn't launch into a long lecture; he simply listened quietly. Occasionally, a few thunderous remarks would leave Zi Yan both amused and exasperated.

She was speaking very seriously, so how come Qin Yu always manages to come up with so many ridiculous and absurd things?

Moreover, after careful consideration, Zi Yan found that what Qin Yu said made perfect sense.

Qin Yu: Otherwise, just pretend I didn't go through this phase.

This discovery, however, made Zi Yan begin to doubt herself from a different perspective.

Guided by Qin Yu, Zi Yan looked back at the things she had said before and felt extremely embarrassed and ashamed.

What am I even saying?!

By the night they arrived in the city where the Spatial Wormhole was located, Zi Yan's growth phase had been accelerated under Qin Yu's forceful guidance.

She's nothing special; she's Zi Yan, and she has a group of good friends, a really, really good group of friends—that's enough.

As for the rest, there's no need to think about it too much.

Seeing Zi Yan's brows gradually relax, Qin Yu knew his goal had been achieved, so he didn't say anything more.

Only when Zi Yan no longer feels embarrassed or ashamed of her thoughts from a while ago will she have moved on to the next stage.

During this stage, he will not participate too much.

"Ugh~ I'm exhausted after traveling for so many days straight. Don't wake me up tomorrow, let me sleep in."

Qin Yu and Zi Yan had barely rested on their journey, so as soon as Zi Yan arrived at their resting place, she collapsed onto the bed and fell fast asleep.

Zi Yan rested, but Qin Yu still had plenty of energy, so he went out before it got dark.

He needed to understand the situation of the Spatial Wormhole in this city, since this was not the Horizon City that Xiao Yan and his group had visited in the original story.

This place is called Windbreak City, and the family surnamed Shen controls the Spatial Wormhole within it.

"Wow, your fees are pretty high."

Upon learning the cost of traveling through the Spatial Wormhole, Qin Yu was somewhat surprised.

Although he could afford the expenses, that didn't stop him from complaining.

"Where is it too high? It's been this price for years. If you think it's too high, look for the reasons within yourself first."

Hearing what the person in charge said, Qin Yu wasn't angry, but he couldn't help but laugh out loud.

This person in charge seems to have a familiar air about them.

"Why are you laughing?"

Qin Yu's laughter, to the person in charge, sounded like a provocation.

"Nothing, I just suddenly thought of something happy."

"What's making you happy?"

The person in charge pressed him relentlessly; in his eyes, Qin Yu was constantly provoking him!

"I can afford the toll."

Upon hearing this, the person in charge immediately swallowed back the words that were about to be spoken.

How do I connect this?

He doesn't seem to be... provoking me?

"You..."

"What, is it wrong to be able to afford the toll?"

"No."

After struggling for a long time, the person in charge could only helplessly admit defeat.

"Brother Qin Yu?"

Just as Qin Yu was about to leave, a somewhat familiar voice came from behind him. Qin Yu turned around and saw that it was Shen Yuan, his former classmate from the Jia Nan Academy.

"Joan of Arc eating a mud duck? I thought I was seeing things."

Shen Yuan moved closer and, after seeing Qin Yu's appearance clearly, couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

Although he hadn't seen Qin Yu for several years, Qin Yu had changed so much.

Windbreak City, the Shen Clan...

Oh~~

So this guy's family lives here.

"After going through some things, my appearance has indeed changed somewhat."

"Well, I heard about this from some of my fellow clansmen who are studying at the Jia Nan Academy. I just didn't expect you to have changed so much."

Shen Yuan scratched his head; compared to when he was at the academy, he was now noticeably more composed.

Moreover, what he heard from his clansmen was not just the change in Qin Yu's appearance.

Demon Flame Valley, Black Emperor Sect, Feng Alliance... one after another, the forces of the Black-Corner Region were forcefully eliminated, and he had "heard of" them.

Because the descriptions from his fellow clansmen were so outrageous that only one or two out of ten sentences sounded like something a human could say.

Shen Yuan could only roughly reconstruct the situation based on their words.

"Young Master, who is this...?"

Seeing how familiar Shen Yuan and Qin Yu were, the person in charge couldn't help but lean over to Shen Yuan and whisper a question.

"Oh, a friend I met at the Jia Nan Academy. You should recognize his name; Qin Yu."

"Qin..."

Upon hearing Qin Yu's name, the person in charge's expression instantly changed.

"Alright, you can go ahead and do your thing."

Shen Yuan distracted the person in charge with a glance, and then chatted briefly with Qin Yu.

Shen Yuan is now a Sixth-Grade Alchemist, holding a very high position in the Shen Clan, and his responsibilities are far greater than before.

"Don't worry about the Spatial Wormhole. I'll have someone choose the most suitable time to send you to Central Plains."

"Thank you, take this."

Qin Yu felt that his relationship with Shen Yuan wasn't close enough, so since Shen Yuan had provided such a convenience, he felt he had to reciprocate in kind.

"This is..."

"A sixth-grade Heavenly Profound Flame Pill isn't anything particularly valuable."

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Shen Yuan's eyes, but it quickly turned into understanding. He patted his chest at Qin Yu, indicating that he would handle the matter well.

This is also the style he prefers.