The next day, as the morning light streamed through the gauze window onto the brocade quilt, Qin Guiya opened his eyes to find that Liu Qingchan was no longer on the bed.
The faint, unique scent of her body, mixed with the lingering aura of last night's intimacy, still permeated the bedding.
It fully proved the intensity of last night's battle.
He reached out and touched the empty spot beside him, which still held some warmth.
“She woke up so early?”
Qin Guiya muttered to himself, suddenly remembering yesterday's agreement.
Today, he was to take Liu Qingchan to the Spirit Plant Hall on the island.
He abruptly sat up but felt a wave of dizziness.
Even a Cultivator couldn't handle “overtime” until the third watch of the night.
His Divine Sense subconsciously sank into his Sea of Consciousness, and Qin Guiya suddenly froze.
The tender bud on that side branch had actually grown into a complete leaf overnight!
The emerald green leaf had clear veins, and its edges glowed with a faint golden light.
“This growth rate... could it be that I used the Immortal Realm's equivalent of a growth accelerator?”
Qin Guiya was slightly surprised, and an incredible thought surfaced in his mind.
Could the ancient tree's growth be related to his Dual Cultivation with Liu Qingchan?
He carefully recalled the details of last night.
When their Qi intertwined and their Yin and Yang complemented each other, it seemed as if a trace of strange energy flowed from their point of union into his Dantian, then quietly converged into his Sea of Consciousness.
At the time, he was so immersed in the unprecedented pleasure that he overlooked this subtle change.
“The harmony of Yin and Yang gives birth to all things...”
Qin Guiya's heart rate suddenly accelerated.
Could it be that this ancient tree needed Yin and Yang Qi to grow?
“Husband is awake?”
Liu Qingchan's voice came from outside the door, interrupting Qin Guiya's thoughts.
She walked in, carrying a basin of warm water, her hair simply tied up, revealing her fair nape.
Qin Guiya's gaze unconsciously fell on her swaying waist as she walked; it was this slender yet powerful waist that had captivated him last night... “I've brewed a pot of spirit-nourishing tea.”
Liu Qingchan placed the copper basin on the stand; the water temperature was just right. “The Spirit Plant Hall opens at Chen Shi (7-9 AM). Does Husband want to eat now or...”
“I'll wash up first.”
Qin Guiya threw back the covers, suddenly realizing he wasn't wearing clothes.
Liu Qingchan's ears flushed red, and she quickly turned to tidy the outer robe on the clothes rack.
Looking at his Dao Companion's shy back, a strange feeling welled up in Qin Guiya's heart.
For the past ten years, he had never truly looked at this wife, but now, after a night of intimacy, even her movements of tidying his robe seemed pleasing to his eyes.
The water temperature was perfect, infused with a few spirit-nourishing flowers, emitting a faint fragrance.
As Qin Guiya wiped his face, he noticed Liu Qingchan secretly peeking at him through the bronze mirror. Their eyes met in the mirror, and she hastily lowered her head, though she couldn't hide the smile on her lips.
“Come here.” Qin Guiya put down the cloth towel.
Liu Qingchan obediently walked in front of him, only to be suddenly pulled into his embrace.
“Hu-Husband?”
She opened her eyes wide in surprise, her hands hovering awkwardly in mid-air.
Qin Guiya didn't explain, only gently stroked her nape, rubbing a scar there.
“Does it hurt?” he asked softly.
Liu Qingchan's body stiffened, then relaxed: “It hasn't hurt for a long time.”
Qin Guiya wanted to say something more, but he felt the ancient tree in his Sea of Consciousness gently sway, and the newly grown leaf emitted a faint glow.
His heart jolted. Indeed, intimate contact with Liu Qingchan could trigger a reaction from the ancient tree!
This discovery left him both excited and conflicted.
Excited because he had found a way for the ancient tree to grow.
Conflicted because he suddenly wasn't sure if he was holding Liu Qingchan at this moment because he had developed feelings for her, or simply to stimulate the ancient tree?
“Husband?” Liu Qingchan looked up, puzzled. Why was this man acting so strange today?
Qin Guiya released her, covering his slight cough: “Let's eat, then go to the Spirit Plant Hall.”
Breakfast was much more lavish than usual. Besides the regular spirit rice porridge, there was a plate of jade green pastries and several small dishes.
As a Golden Core cultivator, he had long stopped eating breakfast, though Foundation Establishment Cultivators occasionally still had the habit.
These past few years, he often told Liu Qingchan not to prepare breakfast, but she always did, and he had grown accustomed to eating a few bites.
Qin Guiya tasted a piece of the jade green pastry; it was fragrant and melted in his mouth.
“This is...”
“I made it with morning dew and spirit jasmine.”
Liu Qingchan's eyes sparkled, “Husband mentioned yesterday that you were going to the Spirit Plant Hall, and I thought you might need something to refresh yourself...”
Qin Guiya's heart warmed slightly.
In the past ten years, he had never realized Liu Qingchan possessed such ingenuity.
In his memory, she always stood silently in a corner, like an insignificant shadow.
But now, this shadow suddenly had color.
“It's delicious.”
He praised her sincerely, seeing a bright smile blossom on Liu Qingchan's face.
On the way to the Spirit Plant Hall, Qin Guiya deliberately slowed his pace.
Liu Qingchan followed half a step behind him, occasionally stealing glances at the spirit fields along the path, her eyes gleaming with an unusual light.
“Are you very interested in Spiritual Plants?”
Qin Guiya suddenly stopped.
Liu Qingchan almost bumped into his back and quickly steadied herself: “I... I just feel that the evening primrose isn't growing well; its roots might be suffering from insect damage...”
Qin Guiya followed her gaze and indeed saw a Spiritual Plant with yellowing leaves.
His Divine Sense swept over it, and he discovered a nest of spirit ants three inches underground.
This kind of subtle observation ability was definitely not something an ordinary Cultivator could possess.
“How did you notice that?”
Liu Qingchan twirled her fingers: “I... I can't really explain it. I just felt that the plant was 'crying'...”
This strange description stirred something in Qin Guiya's heart.
The Family's 《Myriad Spirit Illustrated Manual》 recorded that people with Spiritual Plant talent could perceive plant emotions, and the higher the talent, the stronger the perception.
Liu Qingchan's “average” talent was probably underestimated.
She was clearly a max-level expert pretending to be a novice!
The Spirit Plant Hall was located on the eastern side of the island, halfway up the mountain, a three-story building.
Two Foundation Establishment Stage guards stood at the entrance, bowing respectfully upon seeing Qin Guiya.
“Old Ancestor Guiya.”
The older guard curiously glanced at Liu Qingchan, “This is...”
“My Dao Companion.”
Qin Guiya said briefly, noticing Liu Qingchan's eyelashes tremble slightly at the address, “I've come to get some Spirit Medicine seeds.”
The guard showed a look of understanding: “Is Old Ancestor planning to cultivate a spirit field in his Immortal Cave? Coincidentally, Old Ancestor Guiheng is on duty today, and he knows the most about Spiritual Plants.”
Stepping into the Spirit Plant Hall, a rich medicinal fragrance enveloped them.
The wooden grids on all four walls were filled with various Spirit Medicines, and in the center were several transparent crystal cabinets displaying rare varieties.
“Eighth Brother? Has the sun risen from the west?”
A middle-aged Cultivator walked out from an inner room, holding an account book.
It was Qin Guiheng, the steward of the Spirit Plant Hall.
Qin Guiya was from a branch of the Qin Family, ranking eighth among those of the “Gui” generation.
Qin Guiheng was the son of his second uncle, ranking twelfth in the branch's “Gui” generation, much younger than him. However, his cultivation was now quite high, having reached the Golden Core Late Stage at over two hundred years old.
Qin Guiya bowed: “Twelfth Brother, I'd like to request some Spirit Medicine seeds.”
Qin Guiheng said with a smile: “I heard you failed to Breakthrough to the Golden Core Middle Stage. I even prepared my condolence money... I was worried you'd be depressed. It seems you're planning to delve into the Dao of alchemy instead?”
His gaze, however, swept meaningfully over Liu Qingchan.
Qin Guiya's heart tightened.
