The Gaudy Peacock

Shen Ziheng and the others saw the Jade Bone Sword beneath his feet and recognized its extraordinary nature at a glance. Its spiritual aura was so forceful that such a thing was truly rare.

For a sword cultivator's sword to be stored within the dantian, it needed to be nourished by spiritual energy for a period of time.

Yet this sword had not undergone any nourishment and could already be stored in the dantian. This showed that it had already given birth to spiritual intelligence.

Shen Ziheng stood at the edge of the boat and looked at Feng Wuhen, who was flying on his sword to his left. "Ah Hen, this is the natal spirit sword you mentioned a couple of days ago, right? It really does look extraordinary!"

Feng Wuhen adored his natal spirit sword. Hearing Shen Ziheng ask, he happily began introducing it. As he spoke, Qin Xiaoran and the others quietly gathered around as well.

"I named it Jade Bone. Its main body was forged from Wind Spirit Jade along with several other materials, using a special secret method.

Although it feels much like jade when touched, it is actually incomparably sharp—able to slice through iron like mud.

Martial Uncle Zhou said that Jade Bone had already developed spiritual intelligence the moment it came out of the furnace, though it was very weak. He told me to prepare myself for Jade Bone to reject me, but I never expected us to be so compatible!"

When Meng Hongying and Qin Leyan learned that the Jade Bone Sword was made entirely of jade, they found it novel and wanted to touch it.

"Junior Brother Feng, stop flying on your sword for now. Hurry and land so we can admire your sword!"

Bing Ling echoed Meng Hongying, "Yes, yes, I want to see it too. I've never seen a jade sword before. At the very least, I need to broaden my horizons properly."

Although Shen Ziheng and Qin Xiaoran said nothing, they were clearly looking forward to it as well.

Seeing that they all wanted to look, and since he truly wanted to show it off a little himself, Feng Wuhen guided his sword onto the deck and stepped off.

The instant he got down, he was immediately squeezed aside. Meng Hongying dragged Qin Leyan over, and the two of them were the first to touch the sword.

As they approached, Jade Bone let out waves of humming. Qin Leyan softened her voice and said gently, "Don't be afraid. We just think you're very beautiful and very impressive, so we wanted to take a closer look at you."

When Qin Leyan had been possessed by Ling Ji, she had possessed the spoiled, willful temperament of a young miss. But the real Qin Leyan was, much like her spiritual root, a person as gentle as water.

She looked at people softly, and her tone was gentle too. No matter who stood before her, they could not help softening their voice, not daring to speak loudly.

Jade Bone had not wanted just anyone touching him, but this person was very gentle, and his master, standing to one side, did not stop her. He could only endure the discomfort. After each of them touched him once, he swiftly fled back into Feng Wuhen's dantian.

Then, using the spiritual energy within Feng Wuhen's dantian, he gave himself a bath. Jade Bone's newly born spiritual intelligence believed that only his master, or friends who were likewise sword spirits, such as Azure Waves, could touch him in this world.

If anyone else were to touch him in the future, it could only be his master's future Dao companion, one who would share life and death with him!

Watching Jade Bone vanish in a flash, Bing Ling stomped her foot. "That guy ran way too fast! I'd only just touched him. I hadn't even figured out what he felt like before he disappeared."

Shen Ziheng had only touched it once as well, but even that single touch had allowed him to sense that this sword truly differed from other swords.

Although Meng Hongying had not touched it for much longer than the others, the sword really had felt like jade. After satisfying her curiosity, she began to feel a little hungry.

After reaching Foundation Establishment, one could begin Grain Avoidance. Still, young people were bound to crave tasty food.

"I'm hungry. Did any of you bring anything to eat?"

Meng Hongying rubbed her stomach and looked pitifully at the others. Hearing this, Qin Leyan took a large food box from her storage ring. When she lifted the lid, fragrant dishes were revealed inside.

"My mother worried about me, so before I set out to train, she specially made a lot of food and put it in this food box. This box keeps things warm, so the dishes are still hot. If you don't mind, let's eat together!"

Meng Hongying was hungry and did not stand on ceremony with her. She picked up her chopsticks and began eating dumplings. "Mmm, Senior Sister, your mother's cooking is so delicious!"

Qin Leyan picked up a piece of bamboo shoot and placed it in her bowl. Seeing how happily she ate, Qin Leyan felt happy as well. "If you like it, eat more. Mother prepared plenty. Besides the dishes, there are pastries too. After we finish eating, I'll get you some pastries."

Feng Wuhen and the others ate happily as well. Shen Ziheng had been thinking of learning Grain Avoidance as soon as possible, but seeing everyone eating, and with Feng Wuhen even placing food in his bowl, he stopped holding back and picked up his bowl and chopsticks to eat.

It took nearly half a month to travel from Mount Grand Mystery to Radiant Moon City by flying boat. Setting foot on solid ground again after half a month gave them a down-to-earth feeling.

Outside Radiant Moon City, they put away the flying boat and paid spirit stones as the entrance fee. They had originally intended to fly straight in.

But Qin Xiaoran thought that these little ones had hardly ever gone out to have fun, so he wanted to walk around and let them see some of the bustle.

There were cultivators and mortals in the city. The mortals sold ordinary goods, simple snacks, and toys of various kinds.

Feng Wuhen used copper coins to buy several sticks of candied hawthorn, giving one to each of them. He had once seen the children in the village eating candied hawthorn and envied them, but he had no money, and no one would buy any for him.

Now that he had money, he wanted to buy every single thing he had once wanted but never possessed, to make it up to himself.

While the group was eating candied hawthorn, a surprised voice sounded behind them. "Qin Xiaoran? Hey, it really is you! But why are you eating candied hawthorn, something only children eat? Since when did you have such a hobby?"

Hearing the commotion, Feng Wuhen raised his head to look. He saw a "little man of light" standing before him, and his eyes were immediately stung until tears threatened to spill out.

He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. Shen Ziheng hurriedly passed him a handkerchief, and Feng Wuhen, whose back was turned toward the other person, wiped his eyes.

After wiping them clean, he complained inwardly, Who is this? How does Eldest Senior Brother know such a gaudy peacock? Not only are his clothes so flashy, he's wearing so much jewelry too. When the sunlight hit it, it stung my eyes until my tears kept pouring out. I couldn't even make out what he looked like.

If we took this gentleman out at night, there'd be no need for candles to light the way!

Hua Yichen had only just greeted Qin Xiaoran when he heard someone criticizing him, calling him a gaudy peacock and comparing him to a candle. His face instantly darkened with anger.

Against all that glittering jewelry, his dark expression was particularly obvious. Qin Xiaoran immediately realized that Hua Yichen could hear Feng Wuhen's inner thoughts too.

To keep this fool from exposing himself, he pulled Hua Yichen aside and sent him a voice transmission. "Don't rush to speak. Listen to me first.

What you just heard was my junior brother's inner voice—the boy in white.

His name is Feng Wuhen, and he is my little martial uncle's newly accepted disciple. You cannot tell him that you can hear his inner thoughts, so keep your mouth tightly shut for me. Otherwise..."

Qin Xiaoran waved his fist at him. The meaning was obvious: if this fellow dared expose the matter, he would not mind giving him a beating.