Three days later.
At the entrance of Murong Manor, the carriage that had brought them stood quietly in place. The porridge stall was still open, and many mbers of the Murong family had co out to see them off.
"Xiao, make sure to train diligently under Young Friend Li, understand?"
"If you lack anything, just send word ho."
Murong Hai stood at the gate with his hands clasped behind his back, every wrinkle on his face creased with kindness. Now, he no longer seed as imposing as when they first t—more like an ordinary old man.
"Understood, Grandfather."
Murong Xiao nodded earnestly.
Glancing around, he scratched his head and asked, "Where’s Brother Li?"
"I’m here."
A voice drifted over with the wind.
Yet before the sound fully reached them, the man himself had already arrived.
Murong Xiao turned to find Li Mo standing atop the carriage, his robes fluttering gently in the breeze.
"Windshadow Steps?"
He blinked in surprise.
How did Brother Li know their family’s secret, high-tier movent technique?
"I gave the thod to Young Friend Li only three days ago."
Murong Hai could only sigh in amazent now.
He could clearly tell—Li Mo’s earlier display showed he had already mastered the technique to a minor degree.
It seed the young man was naturally suited to this movent art, had experienced a sudden enlightennt, and possessed extraordinary comprehension to begin with.
"Brother Li, have you been studying Windshadow Steps all these days? No wonder I barely saw you."
"Not entirely."
Li Mo shook his head slightly.
He had reached major proficiency in Windshadow Steps on the first day.
His talent in movent techniques was actually quite average—he had simply exhausted the insights he’d gained from aiding ordinary people in their martial pursuits.
"Oh, right, you were also training." Murong Xiao nodded, though not entirely following.
Li Mo toyed with the ring in his palm, smiling without a word.
Over the past three days, most of his ti had been spent figuring out how to imprint the aura of the World Seed onto the Ancient Intent Ring.
It was no simple task, requiring imnse focus and energy.
Li Mo had consud nurous sixth-grade recovery elixirs just to replenish his expended vitality.
Fortunately, he had succeeded in the end.
Now, through his guidance, the Ancient Intent Ring bore a "backdoor" left by the World Seed.
The coachman arrived.
"Grandfather, we’re leaving now."
"Elder Murong, let’s keep in touch."
Li Mo also waved from the carriage.
The carriage slowly began moving.
Along the road, refugees and beggars who had co to receive food looked up at the passing vehicle, their numb expressions suddenly flickering to life.
They all knew.
The Great Benefactor Li had promised that even after his departure, the charity kitchen would continue operating.
"Great Benefactor Li, take care!"
"When I make sothing of myself, I’ll build a shrine in your honor!"
"May your martial path flourish!"
...
Listening to the gratitude pouring from both sides of the road, Li Mo felt an unfamiliar emotion stirring in his chest—this was the first ti so many had looked to him as a beacon of hope.
He exhaled deeply and let the carriage curtain fall.
"Let’s make a stop at Mud Corner Alley first."
"Right away!"
The coachman hurriedly complied.
Now, he wouldn’t dare disregard Young Master Li’s words—even the young clan head deferred to him.
...
Mud Corner Alley.
The ramshackle houses still stood, cluttered with broken belongings, but the air no longer carried the sa lifeless despair.
Over the past three days, Li Mo had visited daily.
And each ti, he would cook for them.
"Brother Li hasn’t co yet today?"
"Will Brother Li bring candied hawthorns today?"
"I want donkey rolls..."
"All you think about is food."
The little beggars bustled about the courtyard.
Suddenly, the mute child began making excited noises—his ears were the sharpest. The other children rushed to the courtyard entrance.
Sure enough, the sound of a carriage approached.
"Brother Li!"
"Today, I’ll teach you how to make lotus-leaf chicken and roasted at. Simple dishes—you’ll be able to make them yourselves later."
Li Mo entered, chatting with them as usual. By now, he was thoroughly familiar with this group of little rascals.
"G-good morning."
Jiang Chulong greeted him timidly.
Her face was still smudged like a stray cat’s, making it hard to gauge her complexion, but her voice carried more strength than before—proof of her improving health.
She even had enough energy to help now.
"I... I’ll help... chop the vegetables."
"Sure."
Li Mo flicked water droplets from his hands.
But after a long pause, Jiang Chulong still hadn’t moved.
Her hesitant voice ca again:
"I don’t... don’t have a knife..."
"Here."
Li Mo casually handed her the Crimson Sky Sword from his waist.
Strangely enough, the usually aloof Crimson Sky had been unusually restless these past few days—around Jiang Chulong, it acted like a cat intoxicated by catnip.
In her hands, the sword beca docile, slicing whatever she directed it to without complaint.
Thus, the precious mystic weapon temporarily served as a kitchen knife.
"Y-you... you’re using that to chop vegetables?"
Murong Xiao stamred in disbelief.
"It’s... not very... convenient."
"This sword... isn’t good."
Jiang Chulong replied haltingly.
Murong Xiao: "!"
Li Mo: "..."
The princess’s sense of value was truly peculiar.
A sack of rice was a treasure to her; a hundred-tael silver note could leave her gaping for half a day.
Yet when faced with mystic weapons or phoenix feathers, she treated them as utterly ordinary.
Li Mo had once asked her about it, leading to the following exchange:
"People... will die without food..."
"What about silver notes?"
"Silver... can buy... food..."
"Don’t you realize this sword could fetch a lot of silver?"
"Could it? But I’ve seen... many better ones before..."
Pills, mystic weapons—things most considered precious, she regarded as commonplace.
Likely, such things had been abundant in her past life, leaving her with no grasp of ordinary people’s realities.
Yesterday, she had found a broken rattle drum. After Li Mo repaired it, she cherished it like a priceless artifact.
It was baffling.
A strange kind of sheltered ignorance.
Soon, the al was ready.
But this ti, Li Mo didn’t eat with them.
Instead, he called Jiang Chulong aside and first pulled out a piece of paper.
"This is the deed to this abandoned house. From now on, you’re not refugees or beggars—you’re its rightful owners."
"Owners?"
Jiang Chulong accepted the deed in a daze, carefully folding it before tucking it into the pouch containing the phoenix feather.
"And this."
Li Mo produced the Ancient Intent Ring from his robes.
Without hesitation, he slid it onto her slender finger.
Jiang Chulong: "!"
Her mother had once told her—rings were tokens of betrothal!
When a man gave one to a woman, it symbolized devotion. Accepting it ant binding their fates together.
It also ant... babies would co soon.
In Jiang Chulong’s mind:
Accepting a ring = soon having babies.
Brother Li was handso, gentle, told wonderful stories, and could cook...
But... but she wasn’t ready!
Yet if she refused, he’d surely be heartbroken...
"Little Stutterer?"
Across from him, Jiang Chulong seed to have short-circuited.
Even through the gri on her face, her blush burned crimson.
Li Mo waved his hand in front of her eyes, puzzled.
"Brother Li... this... this is..."
"Oh, this item was entrusted to by soone to deliver to you."
Young Li promptly shifted the bla onto the "Ice Block."
If it was sothing from the Ice Block, she’d probably accept it, right?
"So... that’s how it is..."
Jiang Chulong relaxed slightly, yet a trace of lancholy lingered in her expression.
With the ring now on her finger, her previously cald heart suddenly felt hollow, as if sothing vital was missing.
"Well, I’ll be on my way now."
"Where... are you going?"
"Back to the Qingyuan Sect. But don’t worry, I’ll return in a while."
As the young man reached the doorway, he turned to bid her farewell with a smile.
Jiang Chulong pressed her lips together, watching him take step after step away from her.
Then, driven by an inexplicable surge of courage, she called out:
"Brother Li... wait."
"You... you haven’t seen... what I really look like yet."
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