Chapter 38

Su Zhen held her milk tea, observing the house ahead from the bridge.

Though at first glance it resembled a pleasure boat pavilion, a closer look revealed distinct differences: it lacked the traditional division of front, middle, and rear cabins, and the pillars and tiles were all crafted from wood. The planks were cut with extreme precision, and the pillars were smooth and rounded, glowing with a warm sandalwood hue and marked by faint, spiral patterns.

"What material is this?"

She walked to the door and touched the entirely transparent panel. It was fitted with two slim, square wooden handles on both sides.

"Rainbow Jade Crystal?"

"Correct. I specifically had it fired this way. The ordinary glass around here is too brittle and not nearly as clear." Xiao Yu watched her from behind. "There’s a magnet underneath. Yes, that’s how you open it. If I didn't install this, the wind would blow it open; this spot is a wind tunnel."

Even after having seen all manner of strange and wondrous houses in the Demon Realm, she had never encountered anything like this. Su Zhen couldn't help but give it a curious push. She opened it, but rather than entering, she quietly closed it again.

On this vast lake, there was only this one house. With no separation into main chambers or side wings, it was clearly the master's private sanctuary. Previously, when Xiao Yu visited her courtyard, he never went inside, preferring to sit outdoors; naturally, she would not presume to step into his room now. Moreover, the transparent door offered no concealment; the interior was fully visible from outside.

Xiao Yu, however, seemed entirely indifferent. "Do you like this style of decoration?" He was clearly eager for her to observe and comment.

Su Zhen looked up and studied it earnestly. "...Where did you get the inspiration for this, Senior?"

The hall was expansive, devoid of screen partitions, with light oak-colored floors that were pristine. Sections of the walls were made of transparent crystal, allowing the cool moonlight to spill in, framing the shadows of trees and the shimmering water, creating an atmosphere of profound tranquility. The furniture was minimalist; the typical high-backed tables, Eight Immortals tables, and grand master chairs were nowhere to be found.

Wooden bookcases were embedded into the walls, stretching from floor to ceiling, packed so tightly with books that there wasn't a sliver of space left. The desks and tables were topped with crystal, and the entire room lacked even a single carving; even the handrail of the spiral staircase was made of simple, varying lengths of wood.

Su Zhen observed for a long while. "I believe this is the first time I’ve seen this... style."

Xiao Yu chuckled. "Do you think it’s alright?"

"I think it’s quite nice." Su Zhen said sincerely, "And as long as you like it, that’s what matters. After all, it is your house. Did your fellow disciples say it was bad when you invited them over?"

Xiao Yu shook his head immediately. "I’ve never invited anyone here before. No one else has seen this house."

Su Zhen was stunned.

"My first residence wasn't here. Back then, I lived not far from the Mingxin Hall. Our Master had many disciples, and dozens of large and small courtyards were clustered within a few dozen miles..." To a cultivator, that qualified as being neighbors. "My quarters back then were unremarkable; everything from the trees in the yard to the furniture inside was left behind by another senior. I didn't care—I rarely sleep, and I rarely went inside anyway."

Xiao Yu said calmly, "Later, everyone either left or passed away. My cultivation improved, and I became confident enough to claim a spot and keep others away, so I moved out."

Su Zhen understood. "So you built this house yourself? I didn't realize you were skilled in construction."

"It's alright. I know a little."

Su Zhen was speechless. "Is that the same 'little' you know about forging divine artifacts?"

Xiao Yu shook his head repeatedly. "It really is just a little. I wouldn't dare boast in front of an expert."

Su Zhen was surprised. "Who told you I was an expert? I only... know a little, too."

The two fell into a momentary silence.

Su Zhen looked down at her milk tea, sipping until the cup was empty, causing the tapioca pearls in the straw to jump and make a sound.

"You said earlier that these were called 'pearls.' Why call them that?"

"Don't you think they look like pearls? Among the things that resemble them, 'pearl' is the most pleasant-sounding name. We couldn't exactly call them 'coal balls,' could we?"

"...That's true."

She turned and sat on the railing of the small porch, adopting an extremely casual posture—one leg dangling, the other resting on the railing, her back leaning against a pillar. With the keen eyesight of a Seventh-Rank cultivator, she could see everything clearly, even in the dead of night.

Ripples stirred on the lake, and the mist in the mountains was serene. Su Zhen closed her eyes slightly, then caught a sweet scent; the milk tea in her cup had somehow been refilled. She resumed drinking.

A shadow flickered in front of her, and Xiao Yu sat opposite, adopting the exact same posture, leaning against the other pillar. He was very tall, with long legs, and although the porch was spacious, the two of them sitting opposite each other meant their ankles were nearly touching. Of course, given their cultivation, they could perfectly control every muscle and bone; if they didn't want to touch, not even a thread of their robes would graze each other.

Su Zhen chewed on a pearl and said vaguely, "This place is excellent, Senior. You've adapted to the terrain, borrowed the scenery, and the house is appropriately sized without being constrained by walls." She raised her free hand and gave him a thumbs-up.

Xiao Yu laughed again. "I was wondering if you were waxing poetic, but you were just thinking about the house? Well, find another spot, and I'll build an identical one. Just the mountain scenery will suffice. Pick a suitable place, create a lake with spiritual energy, and when the time comes, I'll provide the materials, and you can draw up the blueprints yourself."

Su Zhen’s eyes flickered. This was by no means a difficult task for her. She began to imagine it in her mind.

Xiao Yu suddenly added, "Or, I could give this one to you. You could carry it with you at all times."

Su Zhen was dazed. "Carry it with me?"

He said casually, "It’s just the technique of 'the universe within a sleeve' or 'days and months in a pot.' You’ll be able to learn it soon."

Su Zhen: "..."

The typical Qiankun bag or jade jewelry used by cultivators were indeed for storage, but people could not enter them; one could only retrieve items from the outside. Compared to crafting storage vessels, the technique of "the universe within a sleeve" did not require a medium; it involved shaping space directly with one's own hands, making it far more complex and difficult. Most cultivators couldn't even craft storage vessels, let alone perform such a feat. As for "days and months in a pot," it was an elegant name for a highly profound secret art, one of the most difficult spatial techniques to master.

"Creating a small world?" One that could hold people, with its own sky and earth, seasons of reincarnation, or eternal spring—all determined by the creator. It was fundamentally different from a space that held inanimate objects!

Su Zhen had heard of it, of course, and even read relevant texts. "Only those at the Quasi-Saint Realm can even attempt it, and many Quasi-Saints can't do it at all." Some couldn't learn it, while others didn't want to waste the time.

Xiao Yu was calm. "Use mine for now. Once you reach the Quasi-Saint Realm, you can just forge one yourself."

Su Zhen was speechless. "Senior, you truly..." In her past life, she had reached the Golden Immortal Realm. Although she hadn't lived long after that, she had never grasped the slightest hint of how to progress further. "You have a near-blind confidence in me." Whether it was the belief that she would reach the Quasi-Saint Realm or that she could master such a high-level technique. She wasn't particularly afraid, but that was only because of her memories from her past life. But he didn't know that. ...Or did he?

Su Zhen bit her straw and looked up at him.

Xiao Yu looked utterly disapproving. "How is it blind? Look at how much earlier you reached the... cough, the Spirit Severing and True Immortal realms compared to me. By that logic, you will certainly become an Immortal Venerable before I do."

Su Zhen nearly choked. "Is that how it works? Don't forget, there are many others with talent similar to or even greater than ours who perished in their youth." The Tianyuan Sect had such people, more than one or two. They died before their strength could mature—some killed by demonic cultivators, some devoured by the demon race, and some targeted by experts for their powerful spirit treasures.

Xiao Yu lowered his head to drink his milk tea. "I haven't forgotten. Many die at every checkpoint before ascension, but what does that have to do with you?"

Su Zhen looked at him thoughtfully. "Senior, do you really believe I will be so smooth sailing?"

Xiao Yu looked up. "Because—"

For a moment, Su Zhen almost thought he would say he would always help her, no matter the hardships.

Xiao Yu suddenly smiled, a brilliant light shimmering in his deep eyes. "You are strong."

He said this in a calm and certain tone, unhurried and clear. It wasn't a solemn declaration or a form of encouragement, but something said with absolute naturalness because he truly believed it.

Su Zhen was momentarily speechless. She had seen too many elders offer encouragement to the young, saying things they didn't believe—or didn't quite believe—hoping the listener would take it to heart. Thus, she could tell that Xiao Yu truly meant it.

"Not only do you have perception, perseverance, and talent, you are also calm in the face of danger and capable of handling all kinds of trouble..." Xiao Yu put down his cup. "How many people in this world, with the cultivation of the Spirit Severing Realm, could stand fearless before a Soul-Devouring Sect priest and dare to confront him?"

Su Zhen froze. She couldn't say anything, knowing that guy's personality.

Su Zhen: "...If the world's number one sword cultivator who could slay a Demon God was just two streets away, anyone else would dare to do it too."

Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? When you were fighting him, could you even remember who I was?"

Su Zhen was choked. She thought to herself that this guy really understood her too well. "We didn't really fight; it was just a feint."

Xiao Yu stood up tall. "Regardless, my confidence in you is well-founded, not blind. If it had been anyone else, I certainly wouldn't have let them cross swords with someone like Yao Wan."

"Hmm, no." He shifted his tone. "If it weren't you, I wouldn't care whether they lived or died."

Su Zhen stood up, feeling a mix of amusement and complex emotions. Xiao Yu seemed entirely unaware that he had said something that might invite speculation; he simply pointed to the house ahead as if nothing had happened. "Want to go in and sit?"

Su Zhen thought about it and didn't decline, following him inside. Everything was visible from the outside anyway, and the strange objects in the hall made her a bit curious.

"You can sit over there for a while." Xiao Yu looked toward the center of the hall. "Or do whatever you like. I know if I invited you upstairs, you would likely refuse..."

Su Zhen thought that was true; there was no proper bed on the first floor, and it was obviously upstairs. No one would go into a friend's bedroom on the first visit. However, the object in the center of the hall did look fresh. It appeared to be a soft couch for sitting or reclining, resembling a Luohan bed, covered in velvet, with snowy-white cushions that looked as soft as clouds.

As soon as Su Zhen sat down, she sank completely into the cushions.

Su Zhen: "..."

It was truly comfortable. She was too lazy to move, so she kept her posture, letting her cup float in the air to land on the side table. Then, she relaxed and closed her eyes, curling into the cushions.

"...Does it feel good to lie down?" A low voice sounded in the hazy air. "Want to try this?"

A shadow fell over her eyelids. A cooling sensation touched her lips.

Su Zhen opened her eyes.

A round, snowy-white dumpling was held before her lips, coated in sugar frosting. It smelled incredibly sweet and looked soft and cute. She opened her mouth and ate it. As soon as she bit through the thick, chewy rice skin, sweet juice flowed out—it tasted like mango.

Su Zhen suddenly came to her senses and turned to look at the side.

Xiao Yu was crouching beside her, holding a plate in one hand and ivory chopsticks in the other, his expression quite subtle.

Su Zhen sat up silently. Before she could speak, he had already spoken.

"Reclining on my sofa, being fed by me."

A look of contentment seemed to bloom on his handsome, perfect face.

"It’s truly wonderful. I feel like I could die without regrets now."