Chapter 144: Rice Eater, Rice Soul
In this world, weapons and treasures usually match the level of the cultivator using them.
But the higher the level of the weapon, the easier it is for it to connect with its owner.
It makes using it feel more natural and matches the owner’s habits perfectly.
However, in the current realm of cultivation, the highest-grade treasures are still just weapons from the Great Ascension stage.
Gu Yingmian’s Dream Jun Sword is already a legendary weapon renowned across the world.
Everyone knows this sword is one of a kind, but only Gu Yingmian truly understands that the power of the Dream Jun Sword far exceeds what people can imagine.
This sword is not just the culmination of her life’s work.
It embodies the ambition passed down through generations in the Sword Flower Palace.
The sword’s origin traces back to a piece of meteorite iron from beyond the heavens.
At first, no one knew the unique properties of this iron; they only recognized its immense hardness and suitability for forging, as it contained a vast amount of spiritual energy within.
A rare treasure of the world.
Thus, the first master of the Sword Flower Palace paid a great price, gathering the most renowned blacksmiths across the land and took years to forge this Dream Jun Sword.
Yet, ultimately bound by some invisible limitation, the Dream Jun Sword never managed to break through the Great Ascension stage’s treasure tier.
From the first master onwards, every disciple in the Sword Flower Palace firmly believed that the sword’s limits were far from reached.
It would surely become a true immortal sword, breaking through the boundaries of the world, unlike any other.
So the successive masters of the Sword Flower Palace passed down their teachings and nurtured it, hoping to allow the Dream Jun Sword to make that leap.
Gradually, the sword developed a spirit, growing stronger under the nurturing of countless masters.
But the final boundary remained stubbornly unbroken.
If one had to compare, it was like the final cut in a group-buying deal—so close yet so far from satisfaction.
Gu Yingmian had inherited the Dream Jun Sword for over a hundred years.
This century of nurturing rendered her nearly inseparable from the sword. She witnessed the Dream Jun Sword inching closer to that boundary under her care.
But now, Young Master Sang had only performed a simple repair.
And the sword visibly increased in quality.
For Gu Yingmian, it was hard to tell whether to be surprised or worried.
“Young Master Sang… how did you repair the Dream Jun Sword?” Gu Yingmian could no longer hold her curiosity and asked softly.
“This…”
Seeing Young Master Sang’s troubled expression, Gu Yingmian shook her head, “If it involves family secrets, consider my inquiry audacious.”
It wasn’t that Young Master Sang didn’t want to share.
It was that he genuinely didn’t know how to explain.
Should he really tell Gu Yingmian that the method was to brutally pummel it into shape?
“I’m not trying to hide anything,” Young Master Sang forced an awkward reply, “It’s just that the repair method requires a special constitution, and only I can use it.”
Gu Yingmian appeared a bit disappointed, lowering her gaze, “I see.”
“But Young Master Sang, your repair of the Dream Jun Sword benefits my Sword Flower Palace.”
“If there’s anything Young Master Sang wishes for, feel free to ask.”
Oh dear.
How could she say that?
If she put it that way, he might as well casually pick a hundred or eighty swords from her Sword Vault to take back to his company.
He could sell them for cash if the company didn’t want them.
Though Young Master Sang’s mind briefly fantasized about such a delightful scenario, he ultimately only shyly said, “I dare to request a sword to replace my deceased friend…”
“Easy enough.”
Gu Yingmian smiled lightly, “Choose any sword from the Sword Vault.”
“Thank you, Palace Master!”
——
——
Though he was choosing a sword, Young Master Sang didn’t actually use swords himself.
He recalled promising Yan Rouwan before he left that he would bring her a gift.
So, in the Sword Vault, Young Master Sang carefully selected a beautifully shaped sword with a swallow-tail handle, thinking, This should please Senior Sister Yan.
Suddenly, a familiar sweet voice came from behind him, “Young Master Sang~”
He turned to see Qiu Ju standing there, hands behind her back, looking at him coyly.
“What’s up, Qiu Ju? You also here to pick a sword from the Sword Vault?”
“No, I came specifically looking for you.”
Qiu Ju blinked her beautiful eyes, looking a bit bashful as she spoke softly:
“Tonight… my sister and I were planning to cook something ourselves.”
“But we ended up with too many ingredients and can’t finish.”
“I just wanted to ask… would Young Master Sang like to come over and eat with us?” She looked at him with a hint of expectation.
Young Master Sang hesitated a moment after hearing this.
“Ah, is it inconvenient for you, Young Master Sang? Then maybe another day—”
“No. I’m just a bit worried,” he said earnestly, “You’re not the type that says they can cook, but end up making something inedible, right?”
Qiu Ju: “…”
“While we may not be gourmet chefs, my sister and I are quite confident in our cooking skills.”
She looked at Young Master Sang with slight frustration, “Wouldn’t you know if you tried it?”
It’s not that I doubt you.
The last person who said something like that was Si Jingzhu.
The result? Something even a dog wouldn’t touch. Jiao Jiao even threw up on the spot.
I could do better myself.
But since they were so sincerely inviting him, Young Master Sang felt he had to agree, “Alright then.”
Qiu Ju instantly brightened up, “Great! My sister and I will wait for you, Young Master Sang!”
“You must come~”
Watching the cheerful girl leave, Young Master Sang began to strategize whether he should exchange some detox potions in the system shop just in case.
By evening, when he sat at the dining table of the sisters’ home and looked at the spread of dishes, he suddenly realized.
What he needed wasn’t detox potions.
It was takeout bags.
He’d need a lot of bags to take some food home for a late-night snack.
To be honest, the food at the Sword Flower Palace cafeteria was way too bland, just a few vegetable dishes repeated over and over. Young Master Sang was almost sick of it.
Now that he saw a whole table of aromatic and colorful dishes, he couldn’t help but feel a bit envious.
“Young Master Sang, how is it?”
Qiu Ju took off her apron, her cheeks flushed as she looked at Young Master Sang, “Try our cooking!”
“Al-all the credit goes to that girl Qiu Ju dragging me into this,” Chun Lan stubbornly looked away, insisting, “I didn’t plan to cook so many nice dishes.”
…Here we go again, here we go again~ Her sister really can’t admit her heart.
Qiu Ju covered her mouth, secretly chuckling.
…Can’t let Young Master Sang think it was me who cooked. I can’t steal Qiu Ju’s chance to impress her crush.
Chun Lan muttered to herself.
While Young Master Sang was already beyond caring, picking up chopsticks and wolfing down food.
He didn’t notice the complex expressions of the two girls.
“Delicious! You two really can cook well.”
As he ate, Young Master Sang didn’t forget to praise them: “Whichever man marries you two will be truly blessed.”
One sentence made both sisters’ faces flush in an instant.
They exchanged glances and quickly looked away.
“All the credit goes to my sister’s cooking,” Qiu Ju blurted, “Any man who marries my sister gets a true wife.”
“N-no way…” Chun Lan quickly waved her hands, face reddening, “It’s all my sister. I-I was just helping…”
“It’s your fault.”
“No, it’s yours.”
“Sister’s.”
“Mine.”
Seeing the two stubbornly refuse to yield, Young Master Sang, mouth full, couldn’t help but murmur:
“What’s the difference?”
“You sisters are so close to each other, you might as well marry the same man.”
Chun Lan: “…Huh?”
Qiu Ju: “…Huh?”
Oh no.
Could it be that Young Master Sang wants both sisters?!
Both Chun Lan and Qiu Ju simultaneously had the same wild thought.
What now? Let me serve one husband alongside my sister… Qiu Ju’s face turned as red as an apple.
That jerk isn’t satisfied with just one younger sister; he wants… even me? Chun Lan’s heart raced uncontrollably.
What to do? If Young Master Sang really wants both sisters, I wouldn’t mind, but will my sister get jealous and angry?
What to do? If he truly wants me too, I can’t bear to leave my sister, but what if she gets disheartened and withdraws?
In an instant, both sisters’ hearts raced wildly, introspective thoughts swirling.
Meanwhile, an oblivious glutton had already quietly devoured half the dishes on the table.
He even scooped two bowls of rice!
“Yum, delicious.”
He finished the last bite of rice, then contentedly leaned back in his chair, rubbing his bulging belly.
“You sisters really can cook well. Hehe.”
But Chun Lan and Qiu Ju didn’t reply.
Both fixed their piercing gazes on Young Master Sang.
It seemed they were trying to glean something from his expression.
Feeling increasingly uncomfortable under their intense stare, Young Master Sang gradually became shy, carefully asking:
“So… do you charge for this meal?”
“…”
Chun Lan and Qiu Ju shot him a resentful glare.
“We, the sisters, treat you as guests, so of course, you don’t have to pay, Young Master Sang.”
“But I’m just curious if you found the meal satisfactory?”
“Satisfactory, absolutely satisfactory.”
Then, the three just stared at each other wide-eyed.
Young Master Sang wasn’t sure what to say; since they were staring at him, he just stared back.
Both of them felt their cheeks blush under his gaze, and it was Chun Lan who nervously asked:
“Young Master Sang, staring at my sister doesn’t mean you’re captivated, right?”
“Of course not… you’re jumping to conclusions, sister.” Qiu Ju pouted, her eyes darting away from Young Master Sang, “Young Master Sang is clearly looking at you.”
“Definitely looking at my younger sister for her beauty.”
“No, no, he’s admiring how beautiful you are.”
“Young Master Sang.” The sisters turned to him in unison, “Which one of us were you looking at?”
Young Master Sang looked eagerly at both of them.
“Uh… um.”
“I just wanted to ask.”
“About those two dishes, the Kung Pao Chicken and Spicy Stir-Fried Pork. Can you still eat them?”
“If you’re full, should I take some home for a late-night snack… do you mind?” He asked eagerly.
Chun Lan and Qiu Ju: “…”
