Chapter 61: Concealment

"Did she say anything before she left?"
"No..."
"Then she probably hasn't left yet. Give it a few days and check again."

Hearing this, a warm current welled up in Chen Pingan's heart. Just as he wanted to strike up a conversation with Su Ling, a heavy, ragged snore, as if trying to exhale all exhaustion, rang out in the quiet room.

"Brother Su must be very exhausted..."

Thinking of this, Chen Pingan canceled his original plan, turned around and walked out of the house. He picked up the fish creel from the open ground nearby, a smile on his face, and took small steps toward a nearby stream.

...

When Su Ling woke up, the sky outside had already darkened. A beam of sunset light pierced through the open wooden windows, casting a warm, slanted glow of the evening glow across the indoor floor.

Su Ling propped his body up with one hand, leaning against the head of the bed while massaging his temples, where the throbbing headache had eased significantly. With a slight twitch of his nostrils, he suddenly smelled the fresh and fragrant aroma of fish soup in the air.

Following the scent, he spotted a steaming bowl of fish soup placed on a nearby wooden table. The soup was rich and thick, with tender fish meat faintly visible within.

"Brother Su, you're awake."
"Hurry, drink this fish soup right away."

Seeing that Su Ling had woken up, Chen Pingan, who was busy working in the room, quickly stepped forward, picked up a bowl of prepared fish soup, and handed it to Su Ling.

"Mm."
"I was just getting a bit hungry. You should eat too."

Su Ling stood on no ceremony. He reached out to take the bowl of fish soup from Chen Pingan and tilted his head back to drink the savory broth.

"Mm, after Brother Su eats your fill, I'll eat..." Seeing Su Ling drink the fish soup, Chen Pingan couldn't help smiling, scratching the back of his head with an honest, good-natured laugh.

"Don't leave it until it gets cold."

Hearing this, Su Ling raised an eyebrow, glanced casually at Chen Pingan, and gently reminded him.

"Mm..."

The mundane chat came to an end. After dinner, Su Ling briefly checked the injuries on Chen Pingan's body; although the wounds were severe, they had already been treated, and he only needed a few days of quiet recuperation.

A sense of fullness washed over him, and Su Ling couldn't help but yawn. His demeanor was somewhat weary, as if he hadn't slept enough and was still feeling a bit sleepy.

This was a normal phenomenon, however. After all, he had previously endured a force capable of annihilating all things; though he emerged safe and sound, the pressure was by no means small.

"Chen Pingan, what are your plans for the future?" Su Ling asked out of the blue, casting a casual glance at Chen Pingan, who was washing dishes in the kitchen.

"I..."

Hearing this, Chen Pingan's movements paused. He didn't turn around, only lowered his head to look at the bowls and chopsticks in the basin.

"I want to go out and see the world, to broaden my horizons."
"Oh, and do you have the strength to protect yourself from being defeated by various troubles?"
"Mm, I do. Right now, I'm a martial artist of the second realm, the Wooden Embryo Realm."
"Not bad. When did you break through?"
"Um... I'm not afraid of Brother Su laughing at me, but ever since I went through a life-and-death battle, I woke up and found myself in the second realm of body refining..."
"Very well. Your fortuitous encounter is a bit terrifying..."
"Haha, I'm not like Brother Su. You only need to simply train your physique and your future is worry-free, while I have to take many things into consideration."
"Hm? Listening to you, Chen Pingan, it seems you envy me?"
"No... I do envy you a bit, but I'm not jealous..."
"Just envy?"
"...And a little yearning..."
"That's more like it."
"..."

Conversation hitting a dead end after half a sentence, Su Ling found it rather amusing when he saw that Chen Pingan had nothing more to say and just kept his head down mindlessly washing dishes. He didn't pursue the matter further.

Stretching lazily, Su Ling bid farewell to Chen Pingan, stepped out of the courtyard, and walked toward his own house next door.

Just as Su Ling pushed open the door to his room, an aged and very familiar voice suddenly echoed in his mind—it was Qing Tong Tianjun.

"Kid, are you free lately?"

Hearing this, Su Ling's eyes showed surprise, but he suddenly remembered that he had previously visited Old Yangtou at the medical clinic. As for why Old Yangtou was transmitting his voice across space right now, he probably had something important to discuss with him.

Su Ling knew very well what this important matter was. He lowered his arms and nodded gently.

"Yes, I am, Elder Yang."
"Is that so? Then come to the Immortal Graveyard tomorrow at noon."

Old Yangtou didn't explain the specific matter to him, but Su Ling knew in his heart that the affair of his natal porcelain was finally falling into place.

"Then I shall await your command, haha."
"..."

Hearing this, Su Ling gave an awkward laugh, and the voice in his mind vanished abruptly; Qing Tong Tianjun was no longer paying attention to him.

Standing in front of the door in deep thought, Su Ling turned and walked toward Riding Dragon Alley. He certainly didn't believe that Old Yangtou calling him to the Immortal Graveyard tomorrow was just for a simple chat.

Yet he wasn't worried either; Old Yangtou had his own reasons for whatever schemes he harbored. The only reason he was heading to the blacksmith's shop at this hour was simply to tidy himself up.

After all, the clothes thrown to him casually by his master, Ruan Qiong, were a bit ill-fitting. The tight garments caused the lines of his muscles to be completely exposed.

Su Ling radiated an aura of masculine vigor, which, combined with the rapid recent progress in his spiritual soul cultivation, had made the look Chen Pingan gave him earlier rather strange.

If he hadn't been certain that Chen Pingan was devoted to Ning Yao heart and soul with zero stray thoughts, there's no telling what kind of joke might have come of it.

As for whether climbing the mountain at night would disturb his master's rest, he didn't care much about that. After all, he had clearly seen the carefree figure of his master laughing heartily as he walked down the mountain to drink.

Under such circumstances, it would be a few days before his master returned to the blacksmith's shop. Only his senior martial sister would be left guarding an empty chamber, living alone in the blacksmith's shop...

If he had known that his previous conversation with his master had been completely overheard by Ruan Xiu, he would never have chosen this critical moment—and under the cover of night, no less—to head up the mountain.

Had they crossed paths, Su Ling might not have felt awkward, but on the other end, it would likely be a completely different scene.

...

Thin clouds surged across the pitch-black sky, with the full moon looming in and out of the mist. The light below was somewhat dim, but to Su Ling, it made little difference.

Though Su Ling's formidable physical constitution didn't quite grant him true night vision, he could still clearly discern everything within a hundred meters around him.

Just as Su Ling stepped foot into the blacksmith's shop, a ghostly figure suddenly flashed across the pavilion.

Seeing this, Su Ling's steps paused. Realizing who that figure was, a look of suspicion crossed his face as he couldn't quite figure out why his senior martial sister was deliberately avoiding him.

Su Ling initially wanted to turn a blind eye, but the creepy sensation resembling sharp needles piercing his back prompted him to twitch the corner of his eye. He truly couldn't fathom what his senior martial sister was trying to achieve.

Did this feeling mean his senior martial sister regarded him as an enemy now? Or perhaps she didn't welcome his arrival?

How could that be possible? He had merely gone down the mountain for a trip; why would he be unwelcome upon returning? There was no such bizarre thing happening in the world.