From what Xu Qingxian knew, the king never reversed his decisions unless something truly significant was at stake.
So what had Xu Jiaojiao done to make the king change his mind?
Xu Qingxian knew it could not be that simple. He glanced at his sister with a deep gaze. After a brief pause, he nodded slowly.
"That is good news. I am curious, why did he change his mind?"
Xu Jiaojiao simply smiled and shook her head. "Of course, despite being the king, he is still our father in the end. What father would willingly let his own son die?"
It was a reasonable excuse, but Xu Qingxian was not convinced in the slightest. He sighed. Since his sister had refused to tell him the full truth, it was clearly something he could not handle for now.
When his strength increased to a higher level, he would step out of the Cold Palace and have a proper conversation with that cheap father of his.
For now, with nothing else to do, Xu Qingxian glanced at Xu Jiaojiao and said, "Sister, since you are here, why not join me for lunch?"
Xu Jiaojiao's eyes widened slightly, then she nodded. "It has been a while since I ate something substantial. It should be nice to savor the taste. However, brother, are you sure it will be alright for me to eat? You need the nourishment more than I do."
Xu Qingxian waved his hand nonchalantly. "Do not worry too much about it. Come, join your brother for a meal."
He cast a sidelong glance at Lin Fan, and the scholarly youth immediately stepped forward, retrieving several delicacies from his spatial ring.
A series of exquisite dishes appeared on the table, each one releasing fragrant steam that swirled in the air. The aromas instantly filled the surroundings with an enticing scent that made the stomach rumble.
Xu Qingxian picked up a pair of chopsticks lying nearby. It seemed Lin Fan had expected this visit, as he had prepared far more food than usual.
Taking a bite, Xu Qingxian closed his eyes and savored the flavor. The tender meat melted on his tongue, rich spices tingling his taste buds. The warmth of the food spread through his body, chasing away the ever-present chill of the Cold Palace.
Soon, he and his sister became completely engrossed in their meal. According to the memories from his predecessor, it had been an incredibly long time since he and Xu Jiaojiao had shared a meal together.
After they grew up, certain things naturally faded away, replaced by responsibilities and distance. This moment of peace and enjoyment felt like a rare treasure to both of them.
After a brief while of eating, as though remembering something, Xu Jiaojiao spoke up with her mouth half-full of stuffed buns.
"Brother, I received your message saying you needed cultivation techniques to study while you are here."
Xu Qingxian's eyes brightened at her words. "Yes, Sister. Were you able to obtain any on your way back?" he asked curiously.
A grin spread across Xu Jiaojiao's face. "Of course I did."
As she finished speaking, she waved her hand, and immediately a pile of scrolls dropped to the ground beside them.
Xu Qingxian was slightly startled, his eyes fixated on the scene in front of him.
The scrolls looked old and worn, some even tattered, yet a few radiated a faint but intense glow.
In fact, even with his cultivation at the peak of Qi Condensation, Xu Qingxian could sense faint fluctuations of qi seeping from the pile. He shook his head lightly. It appeared that his sister had brought back some high-grade techniques.
Xu Qingxian did not dwell on it too long. He stepped forward and began examining the pile, his fingers brushing over the scrolls as he checked their classifications.
Mortal grade, Earth grade, and even Heaven grade techniques were present.
He was genuinely surprised. According to his understanding, obtaining such techniques was an incredibly difficult task.
"Sister, it seems you went through quite a bit of trouble for this," Xu Qingxian said, casting her a meaningful glance.
Xu Jiaojiao waved her hand dismissively and muttered with a muffled voice, "It is nothing, nothing to worry about."
Xu Qingxian did not press the matter further and turned his focus back to the scrolls.
'I should see if perhaps I can try cultivating one of the Mortal-grade techniques,' Xu Qingxian thought to himself.
If he could cultivate even one of those basic techniques, he would no longer have to rely solely on what he had.
With that thought in mind, he picked up a small scroll from the pile. It was labeled: Blackwind Punch.
'A fist technique?' Xu Qingxian mused, quickly unrolling the scroll. His eyes scanned the series of densely packed, complex characters etched across the ancient paper.
After a few moments, Xu Qingxian's expression shifted into a strange one.
'It seems I am hopeless at this.' He did not need to waste any more time and promptly placed the Mortal-grade scroll back on the pile.
Based on his estimation, it would take him at least three months to fully master this technique. In that time, if he had a few basic techniques instead, he could become far stronger with less effort. There was no point in wasting his energy here.
Xu Qingxian sighed and continued rummaging through the pile. Eventually, his hand landed on something... unimpressive.
A small smile formed on his lips. At a glance, he could tell it was a basic technique.
"According to Lin Fan, you wanted basic techniques as well, so I asked them to include that in the collection," his sister's voice came softly from the side.
Xu Qingxian nodded and opened the scroll.
It was a basic movement technique. Another simple but invaluable skill. Xu Qingxian felt a wave of joy wash over him. With his experience, he could completely master it within three days.
In fact, having already mastered two basic techniques, he had a faint feeling that he could grasp this one in even less time.
He smiled warmly, turned to his sister, and asked, "Is this the only basic technique in the pile?"
Xu Jiaojiao thought for a moment and then nodded. "It should be," she replied, returning to her food.
Nodding at her response, Xu Qingxian picked up his chopsticks and resumed eating as well. At the same time, he said calmly, "I am not interested in the advanced techniques. Sister, you did not have to go through so much effort. Just the basic techniques are enough for me."
Xu Jiaojiao frowned slightly, her gaze shifting toward the pile of scrolls. After a short pause, she sighed and replied evenly, "Do not worry, Brother. I will try to find more basic techniques for you. Although they are considered common, since everyone treats them like trash, they are surprisingly hard to come by."
"Take your time," Xu Qingxian replied lightly, not pressing the matter.
Today was the fifth day. In a few weeks, he hoped to comprehend enough basic techniques to prepare himself for the Transmigration Group Trial.
Soon after, he and Xu Jiaojiao finished their meal, and she finally left with Lin Fan.