Xu Chang'an walked on the streets of Beisang City, not realizing anything was wrong with the music he was listening to.
"Truly worthy of the Inner Sect's steward, such a magical zither skill," Xu Chang'an's eyes were clear at the moment. After listening to a zither piece at Zhu Pingniang's place, he felt invigorated.
His steps gradually slowed down, then he entered a teahouse by the street, sat down, and ordered a cup of green tea, taking a light sip.
Feeling the taste of the tea on his tongue, Xu Chang'an took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
He didn't hurry to check the updates in the System Mall, as some things had priorities, and he needed to think things through before going home.
Xu Chang'an took out the jade talisman from his chest, holding it in his palm.
This was the stepping stone to the Immortal Sect that Zhu Pingniang got for him.
How would he explain it when he got home?
Would his wife, Yun Qian, who he addressed as Miss but was actually his wife, want to pursue cultivation?
Xu Chang'an couldn't guess his wife's reaction.
His wife's personality was different from most people. Even though they'd lived together for many years, he still couldn't figure out her thoughts, as if... she didn't care about anything.
It might be excessive to say she was indifferent to everything, but sometimes Xu Chang'an felt that she truly had no desires outside of him.
His former Miss, now his wife—Yun Qian, Miss Yun, was an ordinary person, as Xu Chang'an had confirmed over the years.
His wife's strength was little, her physical stamina poor. Sometimes just walking a few extra steps would make her pale, often gasping for breath.
Yet his wife was not ordinary, and could even be described as mysterious.
Many years ago, when he woke up, he was already in the form of a child, having lost all childhood memories, lying extremely weak on the shoreline. Just when he thought that he was going to die shortly after arriving, a woman self-identifying as Yun Qian appeared and brought him to her solitary wooden house.
Xu Chang'an didn't know about Yun Qian's past, only observed that the island she lived on lacked nothing, thinking she might be the eldest lady of some large family hiding there, but unfortunately, living poorly, unable to care for herself.
Thus, after he recovered, Xu Chang'an proactively took up the duties of washing clothes and cooking.
Then... time flew by, and the two continued living together for seven years.
Seven years passed, do you know how those seven years were spent?
The two lived together day and night, Xu Chang'an assuming the role of Yun Qian's caretaker. During this time, he learned to read and write on the island, read through the library, and gained an understanding of the world.
Upon discovering the existence of Immortal Sects and cultivators, Xu Chang'an began to suspect Yun Qian might have connections with them, since he never saw a third person on the island, but the warehouse never lacked supplies, always replenished just as they were about to run out.
Seven years.
This extended time was enough for many things to occur and for many relationships to change, let alone two individuals living intimately.
Thus, when he transformed from child to teenager, their relationship gradually… altered.
Was he a servant rising in rank?
Xu Chang'an sighed helplessly, but he was a normal person, unable to control his evolving feelings towards Yun Qian.
Also, Yun Qian had always been very reserved, leading Xu Chang'an to prepare for potentially spending a lifetime with her on the island.
Yet, just over a year ago, Yun Qian suddenly said she wanted to leave the island and then brought him to live in Qing Province.
In some sense, it could be considered elopement.
Xu Chang'an felt that the luckiest event in his life, spanning this lifetime and the past, was meeting Yun Qian, and moreover, she was willing to be his wife.
When Xu Chang'an first confessed to his wife, she calmly accepted, with an indifferent attitude… at the time making Xu Chang'an feel that she would agree to anyone who confessed to her.
But later, he gradually discovered that Yun Qian considered him special.
He might sound shameless saying it himself, but that's the truth.
Upon arriving at Qing Province, in Xu Chang'an's eyes, the Chaoyun Sect was already a mighty entity, but Yun Qian wasn't surprised, happy, or resistant upon learning he became a Chaoyun Sect disciple with Zhu Pingniang's help.
It seemed as if the mysterious Immortal Sect, revered by the world, was nothing in her eyes.
Such a personality… in Xu Chang'an's view seemed inherently flawed, only interested in things related to him, indifferent to others, even Zhu Pingniang who cared for her.
Xu Chang'an knew Yun Qian held many secrets.
But Yun Qian must have her reasons for not speaking, and Xu Chang'an felt that once he grew strong enough to dispel her concerns, she wouldn't hide anymore.
Xu Chang'an was puzzled since Yun Qian was clearly ordinary, having even seen her cut her finger with a kitchen knife.
If she can get injured, she can die.
Besides her mysterious past, she hadn't displayed any strength or backing to protect herself, totally lacking.
Facing such a frail, temperamentally lacking wife, Xu Chang'an would by no means rest easy letting her live alone in Beisang City, so even though cultivation was very challenging, he would continue to descend the mountain to visit his wife periodically.
Were it not for frequent trips, he might have long reached the Open Source Realm and entered the Inner Sect.
He's not a responsible husband.
Island life was mundane, but at least it allowed them to be together day and night. Yet since coming to Qing Province and Beisang City, he spent the past year striving and cultivating in Chaoyun Sect, rarely home with his wife.
Despite Yun Qian never complaining, Xu Chang'an nonetheless felt guilty.
Xu Chang'an's grip tightened on the teacup, his gaze growing more serious.
The origins of Yun Qian were not important to him, for presently, Yun Qian was his wife, frail-bodied and needing his careful care, all of which were realities.
Other secrets remained unspoken over years of living together, and pursuing them now would be useless.
He would clarify to his wife, hoping she would accompany him to Chaoyun.
After all, in the cultivation realm, strength was the only true currency, and he did not want to face danger in the future, unable to protect his wife.
Speaking of which.
The awakening of his system occurred just a year after leaving the island, so upon discovering his system, he was pleased, hopeful to provide a better life for his wife. Unfortunately, he then learned that the system was a useless entity with flawed intelligence.
Xu Chang'an did not link the abnormality of the system's Celestial Dao Points to Yun Qian, as he would never suspect his wife in any matter.
However, now with the system's unexpected second awakening, Xu Chang'an hoped... his life could undergo change.
Time to see what the system update has brought.
...
Xu Chang'an refilled his tea with the teapot, and a panel, visible only to him, appeared before his eyes.
Opening the mall, he saw three dazzling, glowing gold icons in the originally empty Celestial Dao Mall, accompanied by detailed lines of text below.
[Open Source Talisman, Price: 100, Maximum Purchase Quantity: 1]: When used together with any quality Source Opening Pill, it can directly break through the Qi Cultivation Ninth Barrier, increasing the chance of advancing to the Open Source Realm to ten percent.
[Low-Level Annotation Fragment, Price: 10,000, Maximum Purchase Quantity: 2]: When used, it can raise any Cultivation Technique of Eighth Grade and below to the Great Perfection Realm.
[Low-Level Wood Spiritual Energy Origin, Price: 1,000,000, Maximum Purchase Quantity: 1]: After the Open Source Realm, it can be used to switch the characteristics of Spiritual Power to Heavenly Dao: Wood at any time.
Xu Chang'an's breathing became significantly faster. He set down the teacup, eyes narrowed into slits, shifting his gaze right, eying the towering number.
Remaining Celestial Dao Points: 91,601,667,231…