‘Senior Brother, living as a mortal? Returning to simplicity and truth, the Dao follows nature?’

Chu Xiaolian stood by the edge of the field, staring in shock.

‘High! This realm was simply too high! Good thing Old Yan pointed it out, otherwise I would never have been able to tell that Senior Brother was this insane!’

Chu Xiaolian looked over at Ye Chengying beside him.

And saw that Ye Chengying, at this moment, was staring at Li Hanguang without blinking.

Those beautiful eyes were filled with seriousness and focus.

Clearly, Second Senior Sister also knew Senior Brother was living as a mortal, only Chu was the bumpkin making a fuss.

These… people of the immortal sect really did have knowledge Chu couldn’t compare to.

‘Mm, from now on I should listen more and talk less, so I don’t embarrass myself.’

Li Hanguang was still continuing to cut the rice.

Ye Chengying stood by the field, staring at Li Hanguang without moving.

Chu Xiaolian also wanted to be like Second Senior Sister and “comprehend and learn” at Senior Brother’s side as he walked the path of living as a mortal.

But he didn’t gain a single insight.

Chu Xiaolian realized in disappointment, that his comprehension seemed not to be that high.

Otherwise, there was no way he wouldn’t be able to comprehend anything at all.

After all, Second Senior Sister was watching so mesmerized.

She definitely had gains, maybe she had already comprehended a supreme, wondrous method.

When she led the way earlier, Second Senior Sister had said: Chu should feel honored, because the number of people qualified to come here and meet Senior Brother could be counted on one hand.

That’s right!

If it weren’t true trust, how could Senior Brother possibly display his Dao for others to see?

This was Senior Brother valuing him!

‘Damnit, could it be that even Second Senior Sister’s comprehension is stronger than mine?’

Chu Xiaolian had to admit it.

He stared at Li Hanguang for half an hour and didn’t comprehend even a hair.

Right now, there was only one thought in his head: I don’t understand it, but it sounds awesome.

‘...No wonder Senior Brother said that only after I defeat Mu Yuehua at the Yaochi Holy Land will I have the qualifications to follow him. Right now, I really am far too lacking. Senior Brother let me watch him living as a mortal right beside him, handing me such a huge opportunity for free, and I still can’t catch it at all! Ah—!!! How can I be this useless! Old Yan is probably laughing at me in his heart!’

Thinking this, Chu Xiaolian’s face flushed red, and even his aura grew restless.

Chu Xiaolian’s cultivation had already reached Qi Refining seventh level.

His strength wasn’t weak, and the moment his aura grew restless, the fluctuations of spiritual energy swept out in all directions.

* * *

‘Someone’s here!’

Li Hanguang was focused on cutting rice in the field, but now he also turned around.

When he saw Chu Xiaolian and Ye Chengying standing on the ridge, staring at him, Li Hanguang’s heart thumped.

‘Holy shit! How did Chu Xiaolian get here so fast? I haven’t even finished cutting the rice and setting up the scene I’m going to use for showing off!’

Li Hanguang had estimated that with Chu Xiaolian’s pace, he’d need at least another half an hour to arrive.

Who knew this kid would arrive early and directly disrupt his setup!

It was like doing that thing.

You haven’t even done enough foreplay, and you just come straight in!

No preparation at all!

‘Am I going to get found out?’

Li Hanguang felt a little guilty, because everyone outside thought he was a Golden Core True Person.

‘What Golden Core True Person personally cuts rice? Just use divine sense to control a flying sword, whoosh-whoosh a few times, and wouldn’t these few mu of rice be done in minutes? With me personally cutting rice like this, one look and you can tell I’m a Qi Refining noob!

Could it be that Li’s lifetime of reputation is going to have his disguise blown on the spot today? No! I still haven’t drawn this kid’s fire spiritual root yet, if my disguise gets blown, wouldn’t all my effort be wasted? I want fire, I want fire!’

…Even though he was panicking like hell inside, Li Hanguang still forced himself to keep his face from showing any change.

He looked extremely cold and indifferent.

When he glanced back at the ridge, he even had the bearing of a banished immortal giving a slight nod.

It made people sigh unconsciously: how could there be someone so transcendent and refined in this world!

Chu Xiaolian and Ye Chengying arriving early made Li Hanguang a bit flustered.

He quickly used Omniscient Insight to check Chu Xiaolian’s information, maybe if he was lucky he could refresh some info for some hints.

Then there would still be room to save this!

[Chu Xiaolian: Third young master of the Chu family of Hong City, has already taken Hao Ran Sword Saint Yan Chixiao as his master, learned the Nine Revolutions Tempering the Spirit Art, cultivation greatly advanced, currently in a state of self-doubt, his faith in you is rising.

Faith Value: 124~125~126 (can draw a lottery)]

“???”

‘What the hell! Wasn’t Chu Xiaolian’s faith value 85? I was just about to use a long string of outrageous lines, talk him into a passionate frenzy on the spot! But I haven’t even said anything yet, so how did this guy’s faith value break a hundred?’

…Omniscient Insight could see through all information about people, things, and objects, but it had one limitation.

The information it refreshed was random, it might only be part of it, it would definitely be correct, but not necessarily comprehensive.

For example, Li Hanguang could see that Chu Xiaolian’s faith value was rising right now.

But… he didn’t know why it was rising.

Still, Omniscient Insight let Li Hanguang understand quite a bit.

For example, Chu Xiaolian had already taken Hao Ran Sword Saint Yan Chixiao as his master, and his strength had greatly advanced.

No wonder he could arrive so quickly.

Li was careless, Chu Xiaolian really did have a protagonist’s fate.

Since ancient times, what protagonist ever cultivates slowly?

“Looks like… there’s some misunderstanding.”

Li Hanguang had a guess in his heart, but there was no way to explain it now.

He steeled himself and gave Chu Xiaolian and Ye Chengying a slight smile, put away the sickle, and clasped his hands behind his back.

Then Li Hanguang moved his feet and slowly walked toward the edge of the field.

One step, one mud pit.

He didn’t walk fast, because he needed to stall for time and think of outrageous lines.

Of course, the more important reason was: sword-flight was a method for Foundation Establishment cultivators.

And he, Qi Refining third level, only deserved to wade through mud to shore.

But in Chu Xiaolian’s eyes…

Every step Senior Brother took looked that much like returning to simplicity and truth!

As if he wasn’t stepping in mud at all, but stepping on the natural great Dao, filled with an indescribable flavor.

Even though Chu couldn’t comprehend Senior Brother’s realm at all, just watching it felt extremely high-level!

Li Hanguang’s feet finally stepped onto the ridge.

He washed his hands and feet in the irrigation ditch by the field in an orderly manner, and didn’t use any water-type spell.

It looked natural and harmonious.

But he was still stalling for time.

After washing everything clean, Li Hanguang walked to a wooden table by the field, pulled out a chair and sat down.

“D-Don’t stand there, sit too!”

At this moment, on the wooden table, there was a small stove, and on the stove a pot of rice wine was being warmed.

A faint fragrance of alcohol rose along with the stove’s flame and spread out.

This wasn’t any precious fine wine.

If, back in Lingxiao Pavilion, the tea Li Hanguang treated Chu Xiaolian to was the most top-grade spiritual tea, then this pot of rice wine was as ordinary as it got.

It was just fermented from mortal rice, it had no effect for helping one comprehend the Dao, and it had almost no spiritual energy either.

This was completely just ordinary rice wine that mortals drank!

But Chu Xiaolian grew even more solemn.

‘Senior Brother, he really has already begun living as a mortal! No! I can’t let Senior Brother realize I’m such a country bumpkin that I can’t even tell he’s living as a mortal. That would be too shameful.’

Thinking this, Chu Xiaolian forcibly pressed down the shock in his heart, and squeezed out a calm, cool expression on his face.

Just force it.

He smiled and said, “I didn’t expect Senior Brother would actually walk the Dao of living as a mortal.”

‘As long as I’m calm enough, I won’t embarrass myself!’

‘The Dao of living as a mortal?’

Li Hanguang froze slightly.

After thinking a bit, he suddenly understood.

‘Wonderful! So I actually walked the Dao of living as a mortal? Forget you not expecting it, even I only found out today! Fine—Li won’t pretend anymore, I’m laying my cards down! I’m living as a mortal!’

A smile hooked at the corner of his lips, Li Hanguang poured out a cup of warm wine.

After draining the cup, he looked at Chu Xiaolian and said mysteriously, “Don’t spread this matter.”

Chu Xiaolian nodded heavily.

“Mm!!! Please rest assured, Senior Brother, Chu will definitely keep his mouth shut!!!”