“Nian’er is amazing!”
At Xuanyuan Jiong’s request, Chen Juenian demonstrated the Hundred Arms Art and the Sealed Dust Bow.
Xuanyuan Jiong had long heard of the Hundred Arms Art’s reputation, but the Sealed Dust Bow?
Looking at the long bow in her child’s hands, Xuanyuan Jiong was deeply puzzled.
‘Oh well, as long as my Nian’er has grown stronger, that’s what matters.’
“I never thought Sister Mu would give Nian’er two Peerless Martial Skills. It seems she truly likes you a lot…”
“…”
Indeed, but it wasn’t the kind of like that Chen Juenian wanted, nor the kind that Xuanyuan Jiong was thinking of.
“With these two Peerless Martial Skills to protect you, Nian’er should now be able to hold your own against a Core Formation Stage cultivator.”
“Mhm, by the way, Mother, didn’t you say today we’d go out for a walk?”
Remembering this, Xuanyuan Jiong and Chen Juenian cleaned up the outer courtyard, which had become a bit messy from all the shooting, and finally walked out through the front gate side by side.
This was the First Stratum of Beyond the Heavens.
Xuanyuan Jiong didn’t need to worry about anything unexpected happening.
She just had to stroll here peacefully with her child.
The so-called beautiful scenery was nothing more than green mountains and clear waters.
Xuanyuan Jiong had seen it all during her Training Journey more than a decade ago, but now, looking at this scenery together with her child, she felt something strangely different.
“Nian’er.”
Eventually, they reached the summit of the tallest mountain nearby.
At the mountain’s peak stood a pavilion.
From within it, they could overlook everything around them.
“Do you remember? The mountain where we used to live also had a pavilion like this.”
“Nian’er remembers.”
“You were still small back then. When I carried you up there, I thought you’d be scared, but you weren’t afraid at all… I’m remembering these things again. Back then, Nian’er couldn’t even walk yet…”
Chen Juenian awkwardly looked away.
“Nian’er~”
“Those were childhood matters.”
“Can Nian’er look at me the same way you did when you were little?”
Turning his head back, Chen Juenian looked at Xuanyuan Jiong, whose eyes held only him.
“That’s right. I thought Nian’er’s eyes were beautiful even back then. Looking at them now, they’re exactly as I imagined.”
“..”
Pulling her son’s shoulders close, Xuanyuan Jiong felt an indescribable sense of peace.
Chen Juenian fell asleep in the pavilion, lulled by the gentle breeze.
‘If only it could stay like this forever. Him always by my side, accompanying me.’
‘Always by my side, until… eternity.’
Breathing in the reassuring scent of Chen Juenian, Xuanyuan Jiong slowly closed her eyes as well.
—
As the sun set in the west, Chen Juenian and Xuanyuan Jiong woke up one after another and slowly made their way down the mountain.
Something felt a little strange to Chen Juenian—Xuanyuan Jiong had become noticeably quieter after waking up.
Completely different from her non-stop chatter on the way up.
It wasn’t until they reached the mountainside that Xuanyuan Jiong suddenly spoke:
“Nian’er, you’ll always love your mother, won’t you?”
“Of course. Nian’er will always love Mother.”
“Even if one day Nian’er finds a Dao companion, starts a family, and is completely separated from Mother—”
‘Oh no.’
Chen Juenian guessed it—
Xuanyuan Jiong had probably dreamed of something.
No wonder…
“That won’t happen.”
“I believe you, Nian’er.”
After saying this, Xuanyuan Jiong gradually returned to the version Chen Juenian was familiar with from the start, her words becoming more frequent again.
—
Less than five miles from the small courtyard they had bought was a town.
Most of the people in this town were mortals, with only a few Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators living among them.
After coming down the mountain, Xuanyuan Jiong pulled Chen Juenian over here.
Although cultivators could abstain from eating after reaching the Spirit Transformation Stage through inedia, Chen Juenian clearly still needed food.
Usually, he only ate abstinence pills, which could fill the stomach but were flavorless and odorless.
Xuanyuan Jiong couldn’t bear to let her child eat that stuff every day.
Even back when they were in the Xuanyuan Clan, she would bring delicious food from the clan’s kitchen for Chen Juenian every day.
As for why she didn’t cook herself?
Back on Juenian Mountain, she had tried making food for the infant Chen Juenian, but without exception, he spat it all out.
‘The things I make must be really bad.’
What Xuanyuan Jiong still hadn’t realized to this day was that the real problem was that Chen Juenian hadn’t grown teeth yet and couldn’t chew.
Luckily, back then, she had left some preserved baby food on the mountain to raise the child, which ultimately saved his life.
“This place looks good. Let’s go in and try it!”
“Alright.”
Chen Juenian and Xuanyuan Jiong sat down in a clean restaurant.
As soon as they were seated, a little girl trotted over to their table.
“What would you two guests like to eat?”
Taking the menu the girl handed over, Xuanyuan Jiong squinted at the crooked handwriting and managed to identify a few dishes.
“How about… braised saber-toothed pig trotters, spicy bear paw, and this grilled fish…”
Xuanyuan Jiong spoke as she lifted her head and saw Chen Juenian patting the little girl’s head.
“That’ll be all.”
Handing the menu back to the little girl, Xuanyuan Jiong stood up and moved her stool to where the girl had been standing—right beside Chen Juenian.
“Nian’er, when you’re out in public, you can’t just go around patting other people’s daughters on the head. That’s very rude.”
“Nian’er understands.”
“Mhm, but Nian’er can pat your mother’s head.”
“…”
Well, it seemed he had no choice but to do it.
Reaching out, Chen Juenian placed his hand on Xuanyuan Jiong’s head and gently stroked it.
“When you were little, I used to do this a lot… but Nian’er probably doesn’t remember anymore.”
“I remember, Mother.”
“Really?”
“Mhm.”
“Then does Nian’er remember the first time we bathed together?”
That, Chen Juenian did not remember.
Seeing her child suddenly fall silent, Xuanyuan Jiong leaned slightly toward Chen Juenian and spoke softly:
“I clearly remember that Nian’er wasn’t afraid of water. When I used to bathe you, you never had any reaction… but that one time, Nian’er absolutely refused to stay in the water.”
“Mother, please, don’t—”
“I think maybe it’s because Nian’er already had your own thoughts by then, so naturally, you developed a fear of water.”
Pulling his hand back, Chen Juenian could only nod along, pretending not to know anything:
“Nian’er isn’t afraid anymore.”
“Then how about tonight, we bathe together for old times’ sake? What do you say, Nian’er?”
When was the last time they had bathed together?
Back on that Immortal Mountain, when Chen Juenian still couldn’t walk.
Ever since then, Chen Juenian would never agree to it no matter what.
Even if he reluctantly agreed later, he would deliberately stagger the times.
It was completely different from the shared bathing in the mountain’s spirit pool.
“Let’s not, Mother. Look at me—I’m this old now. Won’t people laugh at us if we do something like that?”
“Only the two of us will know. How could anyone laugh at us? Nian’er…”
Placing her hand on Chen Juenian’s thigh, Xuanyuan Jiong used a tone that was nearly impossible for him to refuse:
“You’ll listen to your mother, won’t you?”
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