73: Chapter 73 Only by understanding the minute details of all things can one perceive the infinity of the Great Dao.

Jiang Xuan raised an eyebrow and asked in confusion, "I'm not going up on stage to compete; I'm just going to watch the fun. What's wrong with that?"

Su Yue grew anxious, propping up her graceful upper body, the snowy whiteness at her chest dazzling to the eyes.

Her tone was serious: "That won't do either!"

"You are currently only at the 8th Stage of Qi Refining. Once you arrive at the Ascension Valley region, where Loose Cultivators gather and the good and the bad are mixed together..."

"If you encounter danger, how will you escape?"

"If you really can't hold back and want to go, then I will go with you!"

Hearing this, a warm current flowed through Jiang Xuan's heart.

This girl was clearly terrified of encountering Wu Yingshan, yet now, for the sake of his safety, she was disregarding even the need to avoid her enemy.

It had become a mutual concern for each other.

He pinched her cheek with a smile: "Silly girl, I don't have any enemies."

"Even if I bump into Wu Yingshan of the Five Poisons Sect there, he won't know that it was me who protected you back then."

"If I really brought you along, with Fairy Su's beauty that could topple cities, that would be truly eye-catching. Trouble might just come knocking on our door automatically."

Su Yue furrowed her willow-leaf brows, her red lips slightly parted, just about to refute a few more words.

Jiang Xuan, however, suddenly straightened his waist and rubbed heavily against that soft spot.

Su Yue's body instantly softened into a pool of autumn water, all her strength drained away in an instant.

The words that had just reached her lips transformed directly into a sweet, melodious moan, stuck firmly in her throat.

Only a pair of watery Phoenix eyes remained, glaring at him in mock reproach.

Jiang Xuan gently stroked her long hair and coaxed her softly: "Alright, put your heart at ease."

"I am, at the very least, a Cultivator at the 8th Stage of Qi Refining with plenty of tricks up my sleeve. As long as I don't go looking for trouble, I have more than enough ability to protect myself."

"You just stay obediently in the shop, Cultivate with peace of mind, and wait for me to return."

Su Yue was left completely without a temper after being handled by his overbearing yet gentle methods.

She stared at him intently for a long while, and in the end, could only sigh helplessly and nod.

The two pressed closely together again, falling into a deep sleep in each other's arms.

...

A few days later. In the front hall of the Yunyou Shop.

"Big Brother Jiang, are you going to the Ascension Conference today?"

An Luoling held a cup of freshly brewed Spirit Tea, her eyes full of reluctance as she curiously asked.

"Could it be that you want to go and compete for that foundation establishment pill?"

Jiang Xuan lay comfortably on the rattan chair behind the counter, hands pillowing the back of his head, and replied slowly:

"Compete for what foundation establishment pill? Fighting to the death is so tiring."

"I'm just going to broaden my horizons and see how those veteran Loose Cultivators engage in combat."

Beside him, Ye Baiyuan leaned in. She was wearing a white martial outfit today, which outlined her youthful and firm curves.

She tilted her head, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, her face full of confusion:

"But, taking the spirit boat from the merchant alliance in Tingfeng Town to Ascension Valley takes at least half a day's journey."

"The conference officially starts tomorrow; why are you not in a hurry to leave at all?"

Hearing this, Jiang Xuan sat up unhurriedly. With a thought, he pulled up the System panel that only he could see.

[Realm: 8th Stage of Qi Refining] [Progress: 98.7%]

He picked up the teacup and took a sip, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"No rush, it won't be too late to leave in a while."

Not long after, a Loose Cultivator walked in from outside and hurriedly bought a bottle of Medicinal Pill.

[Congratulations, Shopkeeper, on completing a transaction. Transaction price: twenty Spirit Stones. Obtained Qi Refining rebate 4, obtained Contribution Points +1!]

[Realm: Qi Refining Stage 9] [Progress: 2.7%]

A vast amount of spiritual power exploded within Jiang Xuan's body.

His Meridians widened, his aura became steady, and his whole body was filled with an explosive sense of power!

Jiang Xuan stretched his limbs, his bones emitting a series of crisp cracks.

Qi Refining Stage 9!

With this strength as a foundation, this trip to Ascension Valley could finally be considered to have a secure basis.

He stood up from the rattan chair and brushed off his hem: "Alright, the time is about right; I should get going."

...

Before leaving, Jiang Xuan fished out a golden, gleaming token from his sleeve and handed it to Su Yue, his tone solemn:

"This golden token is the hub for the shop's core defensive Formation."

"During the two days I am away, if any blind, tough characters come looking for trouble, activate it directly."

"After the Formation is activated, it will instantly suppress the opponent's Realm, while the three of you inside the Formation will be completely unaffected, enough to protect yourselves."

Su Yue reached out and took the golden token, which still held a bit of warmth, and gripped it tightly in her palm.

Her cold, clear Phoenix eyes hid an inseparable worry as she softly urged:

"Do not be impulsive when acting outside, pay attention to safety, and come back early."

Beside her, An Luoling couldn't help but step forward, her snow-white little hand gently tugging at Jiang Xuan's sleeve, her voice soft and sweet, carrying a hint of pleading:

"Big Brother Jiang, how about... letting Luoling go with you?"

"The journey is long and dusty; with Luoling by your side, I can help you undress and relieve your fatigue, and serve you well."

Ye Baiyuan was not to be outdone, straightening her proud figure and saying crisply:

"I've wandered around the outskirts of Ascension Valley before; I know the route very well. How about I lead the way for you?"

Jiang Xuan smiled and shook his head, reaching out to rub each of the two little girls' heads.

"No need to go through the trouble; I'm only going for a day or two, it's not like I'm going on a long journey."

"The three of you taking good care of the shop's business is the biggest help to me."

Speaking of this, he turned his head to look at Su Yue and asked: "By the way, what was the name of that guard from back then?"

Su Yue met his gaze for a few seconds, her thin lips parted slightly, and she spat out a name: "Daoist Wen Bao."

"Ten years ago, he was at the 6th Stage of Qi Refining. If he hasn't died by now, he has probably managed to grind his way to the Peak of Qi Refining."

Jiang Xuan silently repeated the name in his heart and nodded: "Alright, I'm leaving."

Having said that, he turned around, strode across the threshold with large, swift steps, and walked toward the merchant alliance in town.

The three beauties, each with their own unique charm, stood at the shop entrance, their gazes all glued to that tall, straight back until he disappeared around the street corner.

The atmosphere in the small shop suddenly became somewhat gloomy; the usual laughter and joy seemed to have been drained away.

Ye Baiyuan rested her chin on her hands and lay on the wooden counter, muttering listlessly:

"Strange... I clearly know he'll be back in two or three days at most, but why does my heart feel so empty?"

An Luoling twisted her fingers, gazing at the street corner like a stone statue waiting for her husband, her tone carrying an inseparable attachment:

"He's only just left... and Luoling has already started missing Big Brother Jiang."

Su Yue silently withdrew her gaze and tucked the golden token into her sleeve.

She did not join in, but simply turned around and walked toward the Backyard, leaving behind a sentence that was cold yet carried a hint of softness: "Call me if anything happens."

...

Half an hour later, the spirit boat of the Tingfeng Town merchant alliance rose into the air.

The massive hull of the boat broke through the clouds, and the Formation on the boat circulated, blocking all the high-altitude gale winds outside.

Inside the boat, it was as flat as walking on level ground; not even a strand of hair would be blown messy.

Jiang Xuan stood alone by the ship's rail, hands pressing against the wooden railing, looking down.

Within his view, the sea of clouds churned, and white mist surged.

Occasionally, a few solitary, towering mountain Peaks pierced through the clouds, resembling immortal islands in the sea.

Placed within such a vast and boundless world, Jiang Xuan only felt the pent-up frustration in his chest suddenly clear away.

An indescribable sense of heroism welled up spontaneously.

Observing the vastness of heaven and earth, only then does one realize one's own insignificance.

Understanding the minutiae of all things, only then does one realize the boundlessness of the Dao.

Before this vast and boundless sea of clouds, the deceit and treachery of Cultivators for a few Spirit Stones or a Medicinal Pill seemed so insignificant.

Jiang Xuan closed his eyes, his breathing rising and falling with the rhythm of the spirit boat breaking through the air.

At this moment, his state of mind was surprisingly clear and bright, as if he had developed a wonderful resonance with this heaven and earth.

Regarding this path of Cultivating and seeking the Dao, Jiang Xuan faintly gained a few more points of thorough realization.