3: Chapter 3 Fellow Daoist, remember to come often!

Ye Baiyuan took out the eighty-two Spirit Stones she had saved for a long time and stacked them on the counter one by one.

Jiang Xuan finished counting them and pushed three bottles of qi-regulating pill toward her.

The next moment, the System's voice rang in his ears:

[Congratulations to the shopkeeper for completing a transaction. Transaction price: eighty-two Spirit Stones. Cultivation rebate gained: 16.4. Contribution points gained: +1!]

[Cultivation: Qi Refining Stage 3]

[Progress: 24.2%]

A warm current surged from his Dantian, noticeably more abundant than last time, flowing through his Meridians for a full cycle, with spiritual power strengthening slightly wherever it passed.

Jiang Xuan remained calm on the surface, but he was secretly satisfied inside.

Ye Baiyuan carefully put away the three porcelain bottles and looked up at him. The blush on her face had not yet faded, and her voice was small:

"Then when... shall we..."

Jiang Xuan tilted his head to look outside.

The sky had already darkened, and the last traces of the sunset were fading from the rooftops on the west side of the town.

The pedestrians on the street had mostly dispersed, and a few dim lanterns were lit one after another in front of each house.

He smiled. "It's getting late. Let's close the door."

As he spoke, he stepped out from behind the counter, closed the wooden door from the inside, and flipped the small wooden sign to the "Closed" side once again.

Once the door was closed, the sounds of the street outside seemed far away.

Only the two of them remained in the room.

Jiang Xuan turned around, walked to Ye Baiyuan, bent down, reached out, and swept her up into his arms.

Ye Baiyuan reached out her arms to hook around his neck, burying her face in his chest. Her heartbeat was so fast she could hear it herself.

She did not struggle, nesting quietly in his arms, her body slightly curled.

Jiang Xuan carried her through the curtain behind the counter and into the room in the Backyard.

...

Before long, a rustling sound came from the room.

Ye Baiyuan, with her back to him, gripped her collar with both hands and slowly peeled the pale green dress off her shoulders.

The sound of fabric sliding against skin was exceptionally clear in the quiet room.

The dress slipped down her figure, finally piling softly at her feet.

The candlelight flickered, casting her shadow onto the wall, slender and trembling slightly.

She stood there, her skin glowing with a faint, warm color under the candlelight, her waist slender and supple, her legs straight and long.

She did not turn back, but the red on her ear tips had already spread to the back of her neck.

Then, Jiang Xuan stepped forward, picked her up, and gently placed her on the bed. He used his fingertips to lift her chin, making her meet his gaze.

Her eyelashes were trembling, and her eyes held both nervousness and shyness.

"Have you thought it through?" he asked.

Ye Baiyuan looked away, her voice so small it was almost inaudible: "Mm..."

Just this one word, with a slight tremor in the ending.

Jiang Xuan said nothing more and leaned down, his lips landing on hers.

Soft and slightly cool, with a hint of tense stiffness. He was not in a hurry, deepening the kiss bit by bit.

Until her fingers, which had been gripping the bedding, gradually loosened, and her breathing became less rapid.

He leaned in closer, feeling the violent heartbeat in her chest transmitting through her skin, beating one after another, fast and heavy.

Ye Baiyuan spoke intermittently, her voice crushed into her gasps: "..."

Jiang Xuan paused and looked down at her.

She covered half her face with one hand, and the eye that was revealed was wet, the corner of her eye flushed with a faint red.

"This is so embarrassing... I don't want this..."

Jiang Xuan couldn't help but chuckle. He reached out, pulled away the hand covering her face, interlaced his fingers with hers, and pressed them against the pillow.

"Be good, listen to me."

Ye Baiyuan bit her lower lip and turned her face away, refusing to look at him.

But her body slowly relaxed.

The chirping of insects outside the window and the rustling sound of the night wind blowing through the treetops in the distance blended together.

They were gradually drowned out by the small, fragmented sounds inside the room.

The flame on the candlestick jumped again and again, and the wax dripped down the candle body, congealing into a small puddle on the copper tray.

The night was very deep.

...

The next morning.

The first glimmer of light appeared on the horizon outside the window, and the silhouettes of the distant rooftops under the sky were just beginning to take shape.

Jiang Xuan opened his eyes.

Ye Baiyuan was still fast asleep in his arms, her breathing light and even.

She was curled up on her side in the crook of his arm, her dark hair scattered on the pillow, with a few strands resting against her cheek.

A faint blush still remained on her cheeks, and the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned; he wondered what she was dreaming of.

Jiang Xuan watched for a while, then gently pulled his arm out, moving carefully for fear of waking her.

Last night had indeed been quite exhausting.

He put on his clothes, and a faint, elegant scent of orchids clung to his lapels, drifting into his nostrils, now and then.

It was the scent on Ye Baiyuan's body.

Jiang Xuan walked out of the room and went to the Backyard.

The morning air was cool, carrying the scent of dew and earth.

He sat cross-legged on the stone platform in the courtyard and slowly closed his eyes.

The first ray of the morning sun crossed the courtyard wall and landed on his forehead, the warm sensation of light seeping in through his skin.

Then, he began to circulate his Cultivation Technique.

This Cultivation Technique was named "Spirit Fusion and Qi Tranquility," which he had exchanged from the System store after saving up ten Contribution Points.

The core mantra was: "Qi is clear and condensed; gather it to restrain the form."

Cultivation required following the flow of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, taking in the pure spiritual energy from the outside world bit by bit, and refining it into one's own.

It was said to be created by a powerful Loose Cultivator during their travels across the world, focusing on absorbing Heaven and Earth and wielding power through Qi.

Upon completion, one could unleash unparalleled Moves that could swallow mountains and rivers, sweeping away armies, making ordinary people tremble at the sight.

When cultivated to the extreme, one could control the Qi of Heaven and Earth, seize the essence of Heaven and Earth, absorb the natural power of Heaven and Earth, and unleash infinite energy.

Of course, that was a matter for the very distant future.

At present, Jiang Xuan was still laying the foundation; with every breath he took, he could only draw a very thin wisp of Spiritual Qi into his body.

But fortunately, the quality was pure, and with time, it would not be in vain.

About half an hour passed.

A creak came from behind him; the room door was pushed open.

Ye Baiyuan walked out, leaning on the doorframe. Her steps were a bit unsteady, pausing every two steps.

She looked up and happened to meet Jiang Xuan's gaze as he looked back.

Those beautiful eyes immediately glared at him, filled with coquettish annoyance:

"Where is the remaining qi-regulating pill?"

Jiang Xuan stood up, fished a small jade bottle from his Storage Pouch, and tossed it toward her.

Ye Baiyuan caught it steadily, pulled out the stopper, peeked inside, and only after confirming it was correct did she show a faint smile.

Finally, she could thoroughly clear the stagnant Spiritual Qi in her Meridians.

She carefully put away the jade bottle, straightened her slightly disheveled collar, lifted her chin, and said:

"Then I'm leaving now."

Jiang Xuan followed with long strides, personally seeing her to the shop door.

"Fellow Daoist, remember to come often." He smiled and pulled open the wooden door, and the sunlight flooded in.

"You won't find another place in all of Tingfeng Town that offers the prices I give you."

A thin flush appeared on Ye Baiyuan's face again, and she gave a soft "Mm."

Jiang Xuan continued: "By the way, if you have any friends who need to buy Medicinal Pills, Magical Artifacts, or anything else, introduce them to me, and I'll give you a commission."

Ye Baiyuan had already stepped over the threshold, but upon hearing "commission," her steps came to a sudden halt.

She turned back, her eyes lighting up: "Really?"

"Naturally." Jiang Xuan patted his chest, looking completely sincere.

Ye Baiyuan stared at him for two seconds, then suddenly burst into a giggle:

"You, you're always thinking about business no matter what you're doing."

After saying this, she turned and left, her pale green skirt swaying a few times in the morning light before quickly disappearing around the street corner.

Jiang Xuan leaned against the doorframe, watching her walk away, a smile on his lips.

...

The sun was high in the sky.

The people in the town gradually increased.

A woman around thirty years old appeared at the shop entrance.

She was wearing a pale purple dress, her face dignified and beautiful, and her demeanor held a hint of cautious restraint.