Wasn't This Better Than Anything Else?

It was time for a spontaneous trip... ahem, a training journey.

Xiao Yan first packed her luggage, then went to say goodbye to her father. Once Xiao Zhan learned that her teacher had "come for her," he nodded without hesitation and agreed to let her go.

Though Xiao Zhan was deeply reluctant to part with her, he knew that Xiao Yan's sights would not remain confined to little Wutan City.

As her father, he should not stand in the way of his daughter's progress. He only needed to be her support and her shelter from the storm.

Xiao Zhan took out a green "gold storage card" and told Xiao Yan to take it.

"Yan'er, there isn't much else the family can help you with. Take some extra money with you while you're away!"

Xiao Yan wasn't sure how many gold coins were on the card, but she guessed it wasn't a small sum.

Strictly speaking, though, it didn't really count as "a lot."

After all, anything even slightly more valuable was usually traded through barter, such as pills, cultivation methods and combat skills, and rare natural treasures.

So the money on this card probably couldn't buy anything truly "valuable." At most, it would let her buy some lower-grade medicinal herbs to "practice with," or "eat something nice" during her training journey.

Still, it was a token of her father's love, and carrying some money certainly couldn't hurt.

Thus, Xiao Yan didn't refuse. Accepting it would put her father's mind at ease, after all.

"Yan'er, if you have time, you can visit Stone Desert City at the Empire Border. Your eldest and second brothers have been making their way there..."

Naturally, Xiao Yan committed all of Xiao Zhan's reminders to memory.

After saying goodbye to her father, Xiao Yan had barely stepped outside when she saw Xiao Xun'er waiting at the door.

"Big Sister Xiao Yan, are you leaving?" Xun'er took two steps forward and asked softly.

"Mm." Xiao Yan nodded. "Hehe, I was just about to come find you..."

"Why do you have to go away to train? Isn't cultivating at home perfectly fine?" A trace of coldness flashed through Xun'er's eyes. She lightly bit her red lip and spoke in a low voice.

"Is it because of that Nalan Yan?"

"Big Sister Xiao Yan, actually... if you stay with me, I have ways to help you defeat Nalan Yan within the agreed time, too."

Hearing that, Xiao Yan couldn't help letting out an amused laugh.

She didn't think Nalan Yan, who was three years older than her and had only been a Three-Star Dou Zhe a little over a year ago, would pose any threat to her when the three-year agreement came due.

They had never belonged to the same world.

Besides, Xiao Yan didn't believe Xun'er would fail to realize that after seeing her "talent."

So-

"Xun'er, just say whatever's on your mind. This 'excuse' you've come up with is pretty cute..."

"Hmph..."

Xun'er glared angrily at Xiao Yan, then pouted and sulked.

I've got money and a figure... mm... the little lotus has only just shown its pointed bud, but that doesn't matter. Greatness is surely in its future.

What matters is that the people chasing me could line up all the way from the Central Plains to the Ancient Realm!

I've been paying out of my own pocket to provide resources for your cultivation, and you treat me like air? You're actually running off with some "wandering ghost"?

-She was just so angry.

She felt as though her anger might even make her grow bigger.

Tch, go on and "fool around" out there! See who cares! My allowance doesn't come blowing in on the wind, either!

If she hadn't regarded Xiao Yan, the first of the younger generation to show her kindness, as a true friend, why would she have bothered with Xiao Yan's affairs?

Much less filled Xiao Yan('s qi vortex) to the brim with an endless supply of beast flame.

Apart from Xiao Yan, every last one of them-Xiao Mei, Xiao Yu, Xiao Jia Yi Bing-who else could receive that kind of treatment?

She couldn't even be bothered to spare them another glance, okay!

And now that this woman no longer needed beast flame, she had turned around and left her behind to run off with a "ghost"!

Though she knew Xiao Yan was going away for perfectly legitimate training... she was still so angry!

Waaah!

"Hehe, Xun'er, don't overthink it. I have things of my own to do on this trip." A hand gently settled on top of Xun'er's head.

Chuckling softly, Xiao Yan rubbed Xun'er's little head, smoothing her ruffled feathers. "Don't worry. This training journey will only take a year, or less than two at most. I'll be back before the three-year agreement comes due."

"Then we can go to Jia Nan Academy together, all right?"

"Tch, who wants to go to Jia Nan Academy? This young... I don't care about it at all..." Xun'er nearly tripped over her own tongue.

Her tone, however, had already softened considerably.

"Xun'er..."

Xiao Yan knew that Xun'er simply couldn't bring herself to back down. At a time like this, she needed to lower her own stance a little and take the initiative to "apologize."

Having lived two lives, Xiao Yan understood a little of the art of words.

Now she merely had to coax a little girl with a bit of a temper and a somewhat "haughty-but-softhearted" streak. Naturally, it was a breeze.

After soothing Xun'er's little temper, Xiao Yan finally set off on her training journey.

On the open road outside Wutan City, Xiao Yan walked slowly along in white robes, the Heavy Xuan Ruler strapped to her back.

A "big city" in the Jia Ma Empire like Wutan City did have Flying Magical Beast Transit Points, but they were all outside the city.

Rather than take the family's carriage, Xiao Yan had chosen to walk there. It counted as training, too.

Of course, she wasn't alone. Xun'er was beside her-she had insisted on seeing her off.

Since she insisted, Xiao Yan could only give her... ahem, could only agree.

At that moment, the two girls were walking side by side.

Xun'er was still dressed with her usual understated, lotus-like elegance. Xiao Yan, on the other hand, drew considerable attention: her somewhat slender frame stood in stark contrast to the enormous Black Ruler on her back.

From the occasional passing carriage or rider came one astonished look after another.

Xiao Yan ignored all those looks and simply continued walking at an unhurried pace.

Actually, as she walked down the road carrying the Heavy Xuan Ruler, which was almost as tall as she was, something bothered her far more than the strange looks from passersby-the "noise" Apothecary kept making in her mind.

"Tsk, tsk. Tsk, tsk. Tsk, tsk, tsk..."

"...Teacher, if you have something to say, say it. If you don't, just sit quietly. Quit barbering on about it..."

Having reached the limits of her patience, Xiao Yan saw no reason to keep enduring it and sent her voice straight to Apothecary.

Along the way, she used a few expressions Apothecary couldn't understand to "compliment" her.

"Hey, tell me, where did you learn all those lines? You had that little Xun'er wrapped around your finger."

"Good thing you're not some brat of a boy. Who knows how many lovely girls you'd lead astray otherwise..." Apothecary sighed.

Soon, Apothecary grew irreverent again.

"But girl, let's be honest. Sweet words don't do much. If you're willing, I can give you some hands-on lessons later."

"Then you can win that young lady over outright, and your big sister here can enjoy the good life too. Wouldn't that be better than anything else..."