Before Departure

Chen Cang only understood the reason for Xiao Xun'er's change the next day, when he read her memories as usual.

As it turned out, Ling Ying had returned early.

The two of them had also learned his true age.

That was hardly a big deal.

On the contrary, for Chen Cang, it brought nothing but benefits.

A smaller age gap made it easier to grow close.

The way Xiao Xun'er now called him "Brother Chen Cang" at every turn was the best proof.

What could Chen Cang do? Let her have her way, of course.

And indeed, after Xiao Xun'er changed how she addressed him, Chen Cang felt a little uncomfortable at first, but after ten days or so, he grew completely accustomed to it.

Whenever he found time each day to stroll around the Xiao Clan with her, the astonished looks from the clan's younger members went from making him slightly awkward to feeling perfectly normal. Deep down, he even began to enjoy them a little...

"Xun'er, want to come take the horse out with me?"

Under a bright moon and sparse stars, Chen Cang came to Xiao Xun'er's courtyard to ask her.

Taking the Void Pegasus Beast out for a romp was practically an ironclad part of his daily routine. Whenever circumstances allowed, neither wind nor rain could stop him.

In Chen Cang's heart, the Void Pegasus Beast was far more than a mount. It was his traveling companion, the little sovereign who had saved his life, and his last hope in times of danger.

Naturally, he had to keep it well pampered.

Only after quite a while did Xiao Xun'er open the door and come out to greet him. Though she still forced a smile, her face was terribly pale.

The moment he saw her like that, Chen Cang knew she must have spent quite a long time cultivating Dou Qi that day.

"Haven't I told you? You need to know when to stop cultivating. As your strength gradually improves, your meridians will grow tougher and wider, too. Little by little, this will stop happening. Once that happens, with your talent, your cultivation will shoot straight up."

Lately, Xiao Xun'er had been much more diligent about cultivating than before. Almost every moment she did not spend with Chen Cang went into cultivation, pushing her body's limits over and over.

After noticing this, Chen Cang had spoken to her more than once.

Unfortunately, it had little effect. She agreed readily enough, then turned around and went right back to doing as she pleased.

And she seemed certain Chen Cang would never truly get angry. Now, whenever something went wrong, she could not even be bothered to hide her pale complexion.

"Don't be angry, Brother Chen Cang. I wanted to use this method to temper my meridians. Brother Chen Cang, I can cultivate safely for longer and longer every day now. That means this method really does work."

Well, not only was she showing no sign of reflecting on her behavior, she was even fishing for praise!

Of course Chen Cang knew that challenging one's limits worked. Reading memories had been the same for him when he was little: first he passed out, then he stayed conscious but suffered through the pain. By now, it had been a long time since he had felt any discomfort.

But just because a method worked did not mean one had to use it. Xiao Xun'er's circumstances were different from his.

He had come from humble beginnings. Some hardship had been inevitable.

Xiao Xun'er, however, had no need to be in such a hurry. She only needed to let her body grow naturally, and every problem would come apart like bamboo beneath a blade.

"Besides, I want to become a little stronger, too. Otherwise, every time we go out, Brother Chen Cang has to put so much effort into looking after me. Even on the Void Pegasus Beast's back, you have to keep most of your attention on me so I don't fall out of the sky..."

It was a simple reason, yet it touched Chen Cang deeply.

She already knew how to be considerate at such a young age. What would she be like when she grew up?

Letting out a long breath, Chen Cang sat down on the ground and beckoned gently.

"Come here. Sit down."

Xiao Xun'er did not know what he intended to do, but she obeyed and sat obediently in front of him.

"Turn around."

Once Xiao Xun'er turned, Chen Cang hesitated no longer. He reached out with both hands and placed them against her back.

"From now on, I'll help nourish your meridians regularly. We have the means, so there's no need for you to suffer like that."

He circulated the Dou Qi within his body and slowly sent it into her, carefully guiding it through Xiao Xun'er's meridians with complete concentration and utmost caution.

Let those old intentions stay in the past. Plans can never keep up with change, after all. As long as my conscience is clear.

What Chen Cang did not notice was a slight stirring in the shadows as he began circulating his Dou Qi. Ling Ying wanted to stop him, but it was already too late. He could only tense his entire body, clench his fists, and pray in silence.

Fortunately, what he feared did not happen.

Only after nourishing her meridians for nearly an hour did Chen Cang withdraw his Dou Qi.

Fine beads of sweat covered his forehead.

It was not a matter of depletion. With an Earth Tier Cultivation Method supporting him, that little expenditure was no more than a light drizzle.

He was in this state simply because he had kept his mind taut for too long.

After all, nourishing someone's meridians left no room for even the slightest carelessness.

Had he only been at the Dou Qi stage, even a mistake would have done limited harm to Xiao Xun'er, and he might have been able to remedy it.

But he was a Da Dou Shi. If he made a mistake, the harm to Xiao Xun'er could be utterly devastating. That was one reason he had been unwilling to take the risk.

Thankfully, there were no mishaps.

And with this first successful experience behind him, he would only become more practiced in the future.

Ling Ying, hidden in the darkness, also felt a great weight lift from his shoulders. He had been no less tense than Chen Cang.

In fact, he had been even more so.

"All right. This isn't something we can rush, nor should we. We'll stop here for today."

"Thank you, Brother Chen Cang. I feel much better."

"..."

Chen Cang did not invite her to take the horse out again. After giving her a few reminders, he left alone.

Xiao Xun'er did not ask to come along, either. She knew Ling Ying must have been frantic just now, and once Chen Cang left, he would surely appear to dissuade her.

But the most dangerous first attempt was already over, and her physical condition really had improved. Besides, she knew Chen Cang through and through, so Xiao Xun'er was fairly confident she could persuade Ling Ying.

If that truly failed, she would simply have to give him a firm order.

Days of torment crawled by like dripping water, while peaceful times flowed like a surging river.

In the blink of an eye, another eight months passed.

Counting up the time, Chen Cang had already been with the Xiao Clan for two years!

Those two years had made his name known to practically everyone in Wutan City, and his fame gradually spread beyond it. More and more people heard that the Xiao Clan in Wutan City had a Guest Elder who was not yet twenty, but already possessed the strength of a Da Dou Shi.

As his influence grew, even Wutan City seemed to become much livelier. New faces appeared every day, and visitors to the Xiao Clan came in an unbroken stream.

Chen Cang politely declined them all.

He was not a monkey in a circus, and he had no interest in standing around for people to gawk at.

Still, every rule had its exceptions, and today, Chen Cang received a special letter.

When he opened it, the elegant handwriting was a pleasure to behold.

Without even looking at the signature, Chen Cang could tell that this was Xiao Yi Xian's handwriting.

Two years had passed, and the girl destined to struggle against fate had finally arrived in Wutan City.

With that, Chen Cang's excuse for remaining with the Xiao Clan had finally expired.

"Countless wonders and magnificent sights still lie ahead. Yes, it's time I set out, too!"