“Holy Lord Teacher, after resting for two days, I still need to keep fusing the Nether Flame into my Lifebound Sword. I won’t emerge until the Merchant Alliance’s major auction begins.”
“Fair enough. I’m not well-versed in artifact forging, so Chen Xi will have to teach you… Then after you finish the auction, we can spend some proper quality time together?”
“Uh, s-sure.”
“Good boy~”
With that, Jialan Fairy patted Yan Zhen (Eight Years Old)’s little head again. The gesture alone showed how pleased she was.
Yan Zhen, by contrast, felt troubled. It wasn’t that he disliked his Holy Lord Teacher; it was just that her “motherly love” seemed a bit excessive.
Who turned someone small just to cuddle them like a human hot water bottle?
She hadn’t been like this in their past life. The change must have happened after her rebirth—clearly something had shifted in that time.
—Did Beautiful Female Master provoke her? I remember them fighting before.
“Yan’er, finish the rest of the milk cakes, okay? Heaven and earth nurture all things; we cultivators mustn’t waste food.”
Jialan Fairy offered her habitual admonition, picking up the remnants of his cakes to feed him. After one, she had him sip some tea.
The milk cakes’ ingredients were a bit unusual, but they were tasty, and Yan Zhen was used to such things by now. He polished them off without fuss.
Once finished, Yan Zhen felt the mystic power in his body surging uncontrollably, as if he’d swallowed an Eighth-Tier Mystic Pill.
Saint Milk was incredibly nourishing. His Holy Lord Teacher apparently couldn’t control its potency yet—probably a new skill she’d just learned.
And she’d learned it for him.
Something stirred in Yan Zhen’s heart. Reflecting, he realized he’d been somewhat distant toward his Holy Lord Teacher.
Though their “reunion” hadn’t been long, she was always the one seeking him out—special training, comforting him during the Seven Peaks Consecutive Battle.
Yet he’d never gone to pay respects or check on her. He wasn’t acting like a proper disciple at all.
Since he’d taken her as his master, he should fulfill a disciple’s duties: basic intimacy, respect, and care.
With that thought, Yan Zhen grew serious. He wriggled his small body around in her embrace until he faced her and looked up into her eyes.
Jialan Fairy looked puzzled.
“What’s wrong, Yan’er?”
Yan Zhen scratched his cheek, then shyly wrapped his arms around her waist.
“You’ve worked hard, Holy Lord Teacher, making cakes just for me.”
Hearing this, and seeing his bashful, adorable little face, Jialan Fairy’s heart melted. Golden light shimmered in her eyes, overflowing with maternal warmth.
“Yan’er~~~” Jialan Fairy hugged him tightly, as if to merge him into her body. She leaned down slightly, gazing at him with boundless affection. “If you like them, I’ll make them every day from now on.”
—Oh wow, every day? I’d over-nourish myself to death.
“Pastries are best in moderation. Every day would get tiresome.”
“You’re right; you’re so thoughtful, Yan’er.”
“I feel my mystic power surging all over now. Holy Lord Teacher, could you summon a Lotus Root Person for me to spar with?”
“You want to vent your mystic power? I’ll spar with you.”
“Better not. I’d never beat Holy Lord Teacher, and getting thrashed the whole time wouldn’t be fun at all.”
“You silly child… Fine, I’ll call a Lotus Root Person to fight you.”
It took a full incense stick of time for Yan Zhen to finally calm the restless surge of mystic power, though his meridians remained painfully swollen. It would likely take two or three days to fully refine it all.
After all, he was merely at the Mystic Lord Realm, and those eight pieces of milk cake in four flavors were a tremendous supplement even for a Mystic Venerable expert.
Once the battle ended, Yan Zhen asked his Saint Lord Master to restore him to his original form. He then pulled a platinum small box from his storage ring and handed it to her with a shy smile.
“Saint Lord Master, this is just a little token of my appreciation. I hope you’ll accept it.”
“A gift for me?” Jialan Fairy was pleasantly surprised as she took the platinum small box. “May I open it and take a look?”
“Please do.”
“I’m so curious what Yan’er has made for me.”
Jialan Fairy flipped open the lid, and a pillar of platinum light rose from within. It halted at eye level, hovering obediently in place.
In the presence of a Saint, even a mere Tier 5 Mystic Artifact dared not act out.
As the platinum glow gradually faded, the artifact’s true form was revealed—a bracelet adorned with a carved white lotus, resembling an oversized lotus ring.
Aside from her storage ring, Jialan Fairy wore no other jewelry. Her beauty was so breathtaking it could topple empires; she shone brighter than the sun itself, rendering any adornments superfluous. Her natural, bare-faced elegance was enough to captivate the world.
She had never been one for such external trinkets, yet this White Lotus Bracelet stirred something in her. She extended her jade-like hand and gently lifted it, examining it closely.
“Did you craft this yourself, Yan’er?”
“Yeah, and I’ve gotten pretty good at it. The workmanship is solid,” Yan Zhen explained. “I noticed your hands were bare, Saint Lord Master, so I thought it might suit you. If you don’t like it, that’s fine—I can refine something better later and give it to you then.”
“How could I not like it? You made it for me, Yan’er. Of course I love it.”
Jialan Fairy slipped the White Lotus Bracelet onto her left wrist. The white band blended seamlessly with her slender, luminous arm, accented only by faint platinum veins.
“It’s my first time wearing something like this. Does it suit me, Yan’er? What do you think?”
She gave her wrist a playful shake as she spoke.
“Looks great, Saint Lord Master,” Yan Zhen replied without hesitation. “You’re so beautiful and elegant—anything looks good on you.”
It was the honest truth. He wasn’t a professional jeweler, and the rings and bracelets he crafted weren’t as exquisite as he might have hoped. It was the wearer who brought them to life.
It wasn’t just his Saint Lord Master—even Cai Lian, Mentor Yu Xuan, Meng’er, and Xian’er were the same. Their stunning looks and refined auras made the rings sparkle all the more brilliantly once worn.
“Such a sweet talker. Then I’ll keep this bracelet,” Jialan Fairy said, patting Yan Zhen’s head with a rare, subtle smile curving her lips. “Good boy, Yan’er. That was thoughtful of you.”
Yan Zhen grinned sheepishly. He had originally planned to wait until he grew more familiar with his Saint Lord Master before giving it to her.
But after this incident, the distance between them seemed to have shrunk considerably.
Honesty was the best bridge between people. If you kept your thoughts bottled up, how would anyone know what was on your mind?
Of course, too much honesty could be awkward—it left others unsure how to refuse.
The experts in novels always loved speaking in riddles, constantly muttering about “heaven’s secrets that cannot be revealed,” making you want to slap them silly. Why was his Saint Lord Master the opposite, always saying exactly what was on her mind—and once she started, she couldn’t stop?
“Saint Lord Master, I’ll head back now.”
“Go on. Cultivation is important, but don’t forget to care for those around you. The Snake Consort is nearing the end of her pregnancy and might feel anxious. As her husband, Yan’er, you should pay her extra attention.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Yan Zhen nodded vigorously. To avoid a lecture, he slipped away like a puff of smoke.
