âMiss, did you need me for something?â Aunt Lan was diligently cleaning away when Dan Fei called for her.
âAunt Lan, did you clean this place up?â
The diligent Aunt Lan said quite proudly, âI started cleaning as soon as the guests left. The front yard has already been swept once. Does miss think itâs not clean enough? If so, Iâll go over it again.â
Aunt Lan was without a doubt, the epitome of hard work. Dan Fei had hired her because of this diligence. But today, sheâd worked too quickly and wrecked Dan Feiâs affairs.
Dan Fei didnât know whether to laugh or cry. âDid you see a pill bottle about this size?â
âPill bottle? Whatâs that?â Aunt Lan was completely bewildered. A pill bottle was too high class an item for a cleaner like her, so sheâd never heard of it.
âJust a small bottle with something inside.â
Aunt Lan slapped her thigh, âOh, I think I picked up something like that. I threw it into the trash pile. Miss, was it something useful?â
Dan Fei shot out like an arrow when she heard the words âtrash pileâ.
Aunt Lan stared off into space for a good while, completely befuddled.
Dan Fei was pinching her nose next to the trash pit, a look of uncomfortable awkwardness displayed on her charming face as she stood next to piles of garbage.
But, when she thought of the fact that Elder Ning had regained the amazing youthful looks from twenty years ago, Dan Fei felt a surge of unknown courage.
She rolled up her sleeves, revealing a pair of jade white arms that were like spring onions, endured the stench and started rifling through the trash.
A tremendous beauty that shook the noble world was going through the trash.
This scene seemed jarring to anyone who might see it. It was a good thing that this was on private property in the Tutor Manor, so there was no worry that anyone would see it.
âFound it, this is it!â Dan Fei suddenly cried out on top of the trash heaps, joyful delight radiating from her eyes.
A pair of jade hands covered in the sludge of trash was holding the pill bottle as the person in question was smiling foolishly.
It was a good thing that the pill bottle was sealed tightly and there were no worries about the pill medicine inside being contaminated.
Just as Dan Fei was transported with joy, Aunt Lanâs exclamation resounded from behind, âAh, miss, what are you doing? Thereâs dog poop in that trash pile, you...â
Dan Fei was in a complete disarray at that moment. Someone had seen this embarrassing moment!
Sludge dotted her face and head, and her arms were covered with even more filth.
âAunt Lan, donât tell anyone about what happened today!â Dan Fei didnât actually know how to be a mean person, but she tried her best to maintain a stern face.
As easy going as her demeanor was, she didnât wish for her ladylike image to be destroyed in a day.
Aunt Lan was unable to make sense of anything when she saw Miss Dan Fei, who usually liked to stay pretty, act so out of the ordinary today and go through the trash!
Was this the Miss Dan Fei who was slightly obsessively fastidious about cleanliness?
After she thoroughly washed herself all over three times, threw away her previously luxurious outfit and changed into new clothes, Dan Fei was like a new person. She grasped the pill bottle like she was hugging a jar of preserves, feeling quite sweet and content.
Women loved to be beautiful, and the butcherâs knife of old age was a beautiful personâs natural enemy.
Dan Fei actually wasnât that old, she was only twenty years old or so. Not to mention she was a natural-born beauty and knew how to take care of herself, so she appeared rather young all around.
However, the psychological impact from Elder Ningâs changes were simply too great.
Elder Ning was a woman around forty years old!
But, the fact that sheâd reverted back to eighteen in the span of a moment as a blow that was simply too much for Dan Fei to bear.
Although Dan Fei was only twenty some years old right now, women were most afraid of the butcherâs knife that was old age, and were most afraid of growing old.
Come to think of, although she was only twenty some years old now, but she was only ten or so years away from being forty.
Ten years would pass by in a hurry. Even a girl like Dan Fei would sometimes think how cruel the fragility of beauty was. She couldnât help but be afraid sometimes.
Therefore, when she heard the name âFour Seasons Eternal Spring Pillâ, how could she not be agitated?
Elder Ning had regained her looks from twenty years ago immediately after taking the pill. The feeling of regaining oneâs youth and the allure of sustained beauty was something that even Dan Fei found it hard to resist.
She suddenly remembered what Jiang Chen had shoved into her hand when she left -- wasnât that the Four Seasons Eternal Spring Pill?
No wonder Dan Fei had hurriedly left back then.
âJiang Chen, if this Four Seasons Eternal Spring Pill is real, then I may grudgingly forgive you for what happened previously!â
Dan Fei lay on her bed and propped her feet up on a chair, thinking back to the matters that had occurred today.
âEternal youth and looks that last as long as the heavens? That fellow spoke frivolously but seemed to allude to the effects of the Four Seasons Eternal Spring Pill. Can it be that this pill has something to do with him?â
When Dan Feiâs thoughts traveled here, she suddenly sat up. A trace of deep contemplation was displayed on her beautiful face.
âThe secrets of the Phoenix-Dragon, the Nine Magnificence Dew Wine... there are a thousand tricks up this Jiang Chenâs sleeve. It isnât impossible to say that this Four Seasons Eternal Spring Pill has something to do with him, is it?â
Dan Fei lightly bit her red lips as a few patches of red flew onto her mesmerizing face.
...
When Jiang Chen returned home, he saw the Qiao brothers completely naked, kneeling in the front yard and bearing rods on their backs.
When they saw Jiang Chen return, their heads drooped almost to the crotch of their trousers.
âYoung master.â Xue Tong felt a bit awkward seeing Jiang Chen enter and walked up in greeting.
âWhatâs this? Bearing the rod in punishment?â Jiang Chen said with a shadow of a smile.
âYoung master, these fellows wouldnât get up no matter what I say. They said that if I didnât beat them, theyâll kneel until they die.â Xue Tong was rather resigned.
Although he was the captain of the eight personal guards, he couldnât really bear to lay a hand on his own brothers.
âXue Tong, stop hemming and hawing like a woman, alright? Why wonât you dare make a move when weâre the ones not afraid of pain?â Qiao Shanâs ornery temper came to the fore.
Jiang Chen walked up bad-temperedly and stomped on both of their butts, sending their faces kissing the ground. âBoth of you, get up and stop looking like fools.â
âNo.â The two brother had tempers like mules. âIt was our fault this time. If you donât hit us, weâll hit ourselves!â
âNumber two, you hit me first. Weâll take turns until we canât move anymore.â Qiao Shan called out.
These two brothers were men of their word as they really picked up the rods and started brutally beating each other.
âPutting on just the right amount of show will be fine. It must be that rogue Qiao Baishi who taught you guys this trick, wasnât it? How would you two sillies have this level of intelligence?â
Qiao Shan and Qiao Chuan had really been getting into things but they froze after hearing those words. Indeed, it had been their uncle Qiao Baishi whoâd taught them this.
âAlright, you guys likely encountered your fair share of hardships in the Black Dungeons, and youâve also beaten yourself appropriately. I didnât say I was going to do anything to you.â Jiang Chen wasnât a harsh person. At the end of the day, the mistakes that his men had committed werenât a big deal.
âBut, we broke the rules and flew into the capital.â
âAnd, in order to save us, the young master gave up a chance to hail Tutor Ye as master.â
Jiang Chen smiled when he heard those words, âTian Shao mustâve blabbed on the way back?â
The two brothers were flabbergasted as they felt that they had also accidentally sold out Tian Shao. They hastily shook their heads, âNo no, we discovered that ourselves.â
Jiang Chen didnât know whether to laugh or to cry when looking at these two sillies. âThe rule of not being able to fly in the capital is a trashy rule. Iâll think of a way to register our Goldwing Swordbirds. As long as we have flight plates, we can fly as we wish.â
âBoth of you hurry up and go dress your wounds. The young master isnât pursuing this matter, so stop being so dramatic.â Xue Tong said as he looked at the Qiao brothers.
The two brothers finally left when they saw that Jiang Chen really didnât seem to want to pursue this matter any further.
âNot bad, Xue Tong. Youâre looking more and more comfortable in your role as captain. I see that your training seems to have reached the peak of nine meridians true qi. Youâre a hair length away from becoming a true qi master?â
Xue Tongâs speed in training was also quite fast. Although he had received aid from Jiang Chen, Xue Tong did indeed possess high potential to begin with.
The other personal guards were all still at eight meridians true qi. Xue Tong was nearing a breakthrough in the advanced realm of true qi and was already half a foot in the true qi master realm of ten meridians true qi.
âI gave you Xue Shaâs bow last time. Come here and Iâll pass onto you a few bow and arrow techniques to enhance your fighting abilities.â
Jiang Chen had Xue Tong follow him into the secret chamber and verbally passed on a few bow and arrow techniques to him. He also gave to Xue Tong the foundations of Godâs Eye and Ear of the Zephyr.
âThese two secret arts are exceedingly important in training your vision and hearing. If you complement your techniques with these two arts, you will have a great future in the path of the bow and arrow.â
Xue Tong was touched as his lips trembled slightly. âBrother, youâre my great savior. Without you, Iâd likely still be toiling away in the Yinglan Tribe of the Jiang Han territory.â
Xue Tong had lost his parents since he was small and had always lived under someone elseâs roof, eking out a living for himself in the Yinglan Tribe.
The chief of the Yinglan Tribe was Jiang Chenâs uncle, and thus Xue Tongâs uncle.
âThatâs all in the past. Even in that kind of environment, you still constantly strived to better yourself. You were bound to improve your circumstances sooner or later.â
Jiang Chen patted Xue Tongâs shoulder as he suddenly lost his train of thought. Then, as he looked carefully into Xue Tongâs eyes, a weird notion popped into his mind.
âXue Tong, have you ever met your parents?â Jiang Chen suddenly asked.
âMy parents died on a trial in the outside world when I was six.â
âThen... do you think that your mother, who was my aunt, looked similar to uncle?â
Xue Tong tried hard to think back and nodded, âIn my memories, the features of my mother and uncle were indeed roughly similar. About sixty or seventy percent so.â
Jiang Chen nodded and smiled, âAlright, train well. Iâve got two Rare Jade Fruits here. When you become a true qi master and stabilize your training at ten meridians true qi, you can eat one of these fruits. It will unconditionally raise your realm by one level, directly elevating you to eleven meridians true qi.â
âWhat?â
Jiang Chen had given one of his Rare Jade Fruits to his father, with two remaining. Now, he rewarded Xue Tong with one, with one left. He planned on awarding the last fruit to whoever broke through to true qi master first amongst the personal guards.
âRemember, you only need to take one of the Rare Jade Fruit. Taking more will have no effect. Of the remaining one, give it to whoever amongst the personal guard who ascends to true qi master first. Iâll give them both to you for safekeeping now.â