Leisurely Daily Life

Xǔ Tiānlí’s body recovered remarkably quickly after he awoke, or at least, that was his perception.

The mere fact of entering the First-tier thrilled him for days on end.

He was so eager that he could barely wait for Qín Yuè to begin teaching him the next lesson immediately.

Faced with such fervent enthusiasm from her student, Mù Qīngyǔ decisively refused him.

Her reasons were twofold:

Firstly, Xǔ Tiānlí had only just recovered, and his body required more time to recuperate.

Secondly, even a First-tier Spirit Wielder should not grow arrogant.

To bite off more than one could chew would be unwise; it was better to adapt to his current strength.

Though Xǔ Tiānlí didn’t quite understand, he knew that on the path to becoming stronger, his master was the seasoned veteran.

Even if he couldn’t grasp the underlying reasons, he firmly believed her actions were necessary.

After all, if she truly intended to harm him, would she bother to pretend to teach him how to grow stronger?

Moreover, she had indeed saved the children of the orphanage, defeated the leader of the Wolf Fang Gang, and contributed to ridding Wufeng City of a menace.

Such a person, no matter how bad, couldn’t be truly evil.

Surely, she couldn’t be worse than that damned Mù Qīngyǔ, could she?

While Xǔ Tiānlí entertained these thoughts, Mù Qīngyǔ was merely stalling, unwilling for him to catch up to her too quickly.

Over the next week or so, Xǔ Tiānlí, with an abundance of idle time, found things to occupy himself.

He no longer expected to earn money from the agency, so he spent his days at the orphanage, doing whatever he could for Director Wang and earning a small living allowance.

After entering the First-tier, Xǔ Tiānlí’s strength far surpassed that of an ordinary person.

Physical tasks that once required immense effort could now be completed with effortless ease.

Mù Qīngyǔ often sat in the courtyard, watching Xǔ Tiānlí busy himself inside and out.

In the scorching summer heat, Xǔ Tiānlí would sometimes shed his shirt, working bare-chested.

Though his well-defined muscles weren’t exaggerated, they were slick with diligent sweat, making him appear quite handsome.

‘Tsk, tsk.’

‘Lean when dressed, muscular when undressed.’ Mù Qīngyǔ, having once been a man, was genuinely envious.

Despite Xǔ Tiānlí’s tireless efforts, the orphanage’s financial struggles remained unchanged.

Director Wang had been a caregiver there since his youth, outlasting other colleagues over decades to eventually claim the director’s position.

“The day I’m buried, this orphanage will likely be sold,” Director Wang lamented.

“What about the children?” Xǔ Tiānlí asked.

“I’ll ask acquaintances for help, ensuring they find good homes,” Director Wang replied with a bitter smile.

“If only we had more money; without it, nothing is possible.”

With money, they could hire more caregivers, provide better environments for children with congenital illnesses, and avoid the worry of the orphanage closing down.

Ultimately, money truly was the root of all sin.

Xǔ Tiānlí, having followed his father as his little assistant since childhood, understood this principle deeply.

But what could he do?

Their conversations with Director Wang invariably veered into such melancholic topics.

Neither noticed that Mù Qīngyǔ, who had been feigning rest with closed eyes in the courtyard, had been eavesdropping the entire time.

‘They’re all unfortunate souls,’ Mù Qīngyǔ couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

In her previous life, she was merely a corporate drone… No, ‘drone’ might be an overstatement.

She had never held a job for more than two years, constantly moving from place to place, changing careers.

She deeply understood the hardships of a nomadic life and the suffering of the poor.

If the original Mù Qīngyǔ hadn’t broken off the engagement with Xǔ Tiānlí, she could have grandly appeared now, bringing welfare to the two disheartened men.

The Four Sacred Courts, after all, was the second-ranked Spirit Wielder power within the Sacred Dynasty, surpassed only by the Heaven’s Will Bureau.

A young lady with such a background could significantly alleviate the orphanage’s financial woes with a slight gesture.

Alas, having already decided to sever ties with the Four Sacred Courts, she had no intention of relying on that power any further.

She only had the meager pocket money from when she ran away.

It was enough for herself, but as for aiding the orphanage, she might as well just dream on.

However, even without money, Mù Qīngyǔ possessed her own unique way of easing Xǔ Tiānlí’s worries.

For instance, around lunchtime now, Xǔ Tiānlí led the children to gather in the living room to watch television.

After they went inside, Mù Qīngyǔ quietly approached the living room door, peeking in to observe.

“Wow, it’s Yīn Qiáo sister’s show!”

“I want to watch, I want to watch.”

“Why is it a rerun?”

“Sister Yīn hasn’t released a new show in ages.”

The television was currently playing a highly popular program in the Sacred Dynasty from recent years.

It was an idol show produced by Century Star Agency, featuring a superhero live-action drama aimed at young children.

The figure on screen, clad in vibrant attire, performing exaggerated movements, and shouting chuunibyou-esque lines while slaying otherworldly demons, was none other than their most popular artist—Yīn Qiáo.

Mù Qīngyǔ had always doubted the authenticity of this program.

Could a Spirit Wielder truly be willing to become an idol artist?

Fighting alien demons, singing, dancing, and acting in a live-action drama—just thinking about it would be exhausting.

“Didn’t we just watch this a month ago?”

“It’s been so long since a new episode came out.”

“I want to see Sister Yīn fight monsters, not sing and dance.”

The children chattered about how, two or three months ago, this popular artist had suddenly announced a hiatus due to injury, causing quite a stir.

But this wasn’t Mù Qīngyǔ’s concern.

She only noticed that Xǔ Tiānlí was also staring intently at the television screen, his gaze fixed for a long time.

Pressing her lips together, she stepped forward with steps so light they were almost imperceptible.

“What, is that your type?”

His master’s voice suddenly rang out beside him.

Xǔ Tiānlí turned his head to meet her golden eyes.

“Ah, Master…”

“Didn’t I tell you not to call me that outside?” Mù Qīngyǔ lightly tapped his head.

“Sister Qín.”

‘Everyone already sees our relationship, anyway,’ Xǔ Tiānlí thought, swallowing the words.

“Master, you’ve misunderstood.”

“I’m just watching with these little ones.”

Though Yīn Qiáo had a sweet appearance, her lively and energetic personality wasn’t within Xǔ Tiānlí’s preferred type.

“Hmph, is that so?” Mù Qīngyǔ watched him with interest, as if asking, ‘So, what kind of woman do you like, young man?’

Xǔ Tiānlí’s ideal type would be someone devoted to family, gentle, and capable of sharing both joy and hardship with him.

Regrettably, he had yet to meet such a person.

“Right, the soup is still simmering!”

Xǔ Tiānlí suddenly remembered and rushed to leave the living room.

“Don’t worry, I’ve already checked on it for you.”

Mù Qīngyǔ’s words made him stop, turning to look at her in surprise.

Meeting his gaze, Mù Qīngyǔ merely shrugged.

“You are my student, after all.”

“Is there any objection to me looking after your daily life a little?”

“Ah, no, none at all.”

Xǔ Tiānlí not only had no objections but was exceedingly pleased.

‘Master is not only gentle inside but also knows how to care for people daily.’

‘Unlike some young lady from a major power who only considers her own feelings, she’s practically perfect…’

‘Hiss, what am I thinking?’

Xǔ Tiānlí’s expression immediately fell.

Upon closer reflection, aside from her somewhat cold exterior that made her seem unapproachable, Sister Qín seemed to perfectly match his ideal in all other aspects.

Xǔ Tiānlí quickly halted his train of thought.

‘She only sees me as a student; I absolutely cannot harbor ill intentions towards her.’

‘Even if I do, I must suppress them!’

‘Xǔ Tiānlí, Xǔ Tiānlí, you wouldn’t want to end up split in half by Master like that mountain, would you?’

“If my student can’t even manage their daily life, it would waste my extra energy.”

“Understood, Master.”

“It’s all my fault.”

“No, don’t take it to heart.” Mù Qīngyǔ’s tone softened considerably.

“I mean, you should take better care of yourself.”

“Don’t be misled by illusory things, as it’s easy to stray down the wrong path.”

The unspoken meaning was that she wanted him to let go of his hatred, to stop constantly talking about revenge, as it wasn’t good for her heart.

However, judging by Xǔ Tiānlí’s expression, Mù Qīngyǔ felt he hadn’t grasped her true meaning.

“I understand.”

Xǔ Tiānlí suddenly became serious.

“Thank you, Master, for your concern and guidance.”

“I will certainly take good care of myself and never stray down an evil path.”

“I will keep your teachings in mind until I personally make Mù Qīngyǔ regret her actions.”

‘Indeed, I think a little amnesia for you wouldn’t be so bad.’

Mù Qīngyǔ could see the flames in his eyes burning even more fiercely.

‘Is it really that hard to just let go of hatred and be a good person?’

Even more annoyingly, having misunderstood Mù Qīngyǔ’s words, Xǔ Tiānlí’s fighting spirit soared, and he even pestered Mù Qīngyǔ after lunch.

‘If I keep making excuses, he’ll probably start to suspect me.’

‘It seems I can’t slack off any longer.’

“Alright, it looks like you’ve fully recovered.”

Mù Qīngyǔ maintained a calm expression.

“I think the time is right; it’s time to begin the next lesson.”

“Good.”

The scenes Xǔ Tiānlí envisioned in his mind were like those in novels: deep mountain cultivation, meditating under a waterfall, or trekking alone through dangerous, ancient forests.

Xǔ Tiānlí had always yearned for such experiences since childhood.

He believed his current physical fitness was excellent, and he was capable of enduring hardship.

He was prepared for his master to throw him into the wilderness for training.

Then, Mù Qīngyǔ stood up, a radiant smile gracing her face.

“Come, let’s go to the streets.”

“Ah, the streets?” Xǔ Tiānlí blinked.

“What are we going to do there?”

“Shopping, of course.”

“Aren’t you about to begin your third lesson?”

Mù Qīngyǔ had already taken a few steps, glancing back at him.

Xǔ Tiānlí stood stunned for a moment, then quickly dashed to catch up.

‘It truly befits a reclusive master from the deep mountains; their teaching methods are always so peculiar.’