Cultivating Immortality, Starting from Childhood Sweethearts

After leaving the palace, neither the Xu family nor the Qin family knew that Xu Ming had returned from the Rootless Secret Realm, so no one came to pick him up.

However, this didn’t matter much—Xu Ming simply got into the princess’s carriage.

“This is for you.” Wu Yanhan took out a pair of immortal weapons.

Looking at the gloves up close, the aura they emitted was incredibly rich, as if merely approaching them would grant profound insights.

Xu Ming smiled and gently pushed Wu Yanhan’s hand back. “These immortal weapons suit you perfectly. You should keep them—they will be of great help to you. Besides, I already have an Immortal weapon. Even if I were in the Ascension Realm, I wouldn’t be able to wield two immortal weapons at once.

“Not to mention, if an immortal weapon isn’t refined, it’s a waste. I’ve already refined a longsword and can’t refine these gloves as well.

“Besides, these gloves chose you, not me.”

Wu Yanhan thought for a moment but remained insistent. “You can keep them for now. If you come across something valuable, you can trade them. I doubt anyone could refuse an immortal weapon.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the immortal gloves in her hand trembled slightly, as if protesting.

If he were this immortal weapon, he’d be anxious too.

It had finally found its master and managed to leave the Rootless Secret Realm, only to have its owner dismiss it so easily, ready to trade it away.

Anyone would be upset in that situation.

And after all, it was still an immortal weapon—didn’t it deserve some dignity?

“There’s no need,” Xu Ming shook his head. “If I need something, I’ll get it myself. And, Yanhan, there’s really no need for us to be so formal with each other. If I ever need something, I’ll ask you, and if you ever need anything, I’ll give it to you. It’s not about favors or debts between us.”

Wu Yanhan let out a soft laugh. “You say we don’t need to be so formal… Then tell me, what exactly is our relationship?”

Xu Ming: “…”

Faced with her deep gaze, Xu Ming found himself momentarily speechless.

What kind of relationship did they have if they didn’t need to be so formal?

Even blood brothers still settled accounts properly.

Other than parents and their children, only a married couple would have no need to keep track of who owed what.

But were he and Wu Yanhan a married couple?

Clearly not.

And yet, they had shared the bond of husband and wife.

Xu Ming fell silent, unable to answer her question.

Wu Yanhan’s cheeks turned slightly red as she looked away.

She realized that her words had sounded like she was asking Xu Ming for a formal title, as if seeking recognition for their relationship.

But she had no need to ask for such a thing!

She didn’t bring up the matter of giving Xu Ming the gloves again.

She admitted to herself that Xu Ming was right—there was no need to draw clear lines between them.

What was hers was his.

Still, a flicker of irritation rose in her heart.

Because she thought of Qin Qingwan.

When the time came, who would Xu Ming make his principal wife?

With that thought, Wu Yanhan clenched her fists. She resolved to train even harder once she returned.

“I must carve my own path as a martial artist! If I don’t, then in a hundred years, when my beauty fades, how will I compete with Qin Qingwan?”

Before long, the princess’s carriage arrived at the Xu residence.

After bidding farewell to Wu Yanhan, Xu Ming stepped inside.

When the guards at the gate saw that Xu Ming had returned, they immediately rushed to report the news.

“Young Master Xu is back!”

“Young Master Xu is back!”

As they ran, they shouted.

“Go inform the Old Ancestor!”

“Go inform the Master!”

“Go inform Madam Chen!”

Maidservants and attendants hurried through the Xu residence, making the place lively in an instant.

Seeing how much the Xu family valued his return, Xu Ming merely smiled faintly without saying anything.

He had long seen through the nature of these people, but it didn’t really matter to him.

In powerful noble families, wasn’t this just how things worked?

When you had value and were rising to prominence, you were treated like a master.

When you were of no significance, just an ordinary person, no one would even spare you a glance.

And when you caused trouble, the family might even find ways to distance themselves from you.

Xu Ming walked straight toward his mother’s courtyard.

As he stepped inside, he saw his mother sitting there weaving clothes, while her maid Chunyan was preparing tea for her.

“Mother,” Xu Ming called softly.

Hearing his voice, Chen Suya trembled slightly. She turned around and looked at her son, her eyes filled with joy.

“Young Master, you’re back!” Chunyan also exclaimed happily. “Why have you returned so soon?”

Though it had been several dozen days in the Rootless Secret Realm, only three or four days had passed in the main world.

“Come, let Mother take a good look at you. Are you hurt?” Chen Suya quickly put down her knitting and rushed forward, touching her son with eyes full of relief and happiness.

“Mother, don’t worry, I’m fine. If something had happened to me, how could I be standing here?” Xu Ming chuckled, feeling that his mother was worrying too much.

“Oh, right, Mother—this is for you. Chunyan, you have some too.” Xu Ming took out a dozen flowers.

“Young Master, what are these?” Chunyan asked curiously. “They’re so beautiful.”

“These are Rejuvenation Flowers. They’re not for decoration; they’re meant to be consumed,” Xu Ming smiled. “Brew them into tea, and they will slow down the aging process and enhance beauty. I picked them in the Rootless Secret Realm—you won’t find them anywhere else.”

“Oh, Young Master, you should just give them to Madam. These are too precious. I—I don’t deserve them!” Chunyan was startled and quickly tried to return the flowers. In her mind, the Rootless Secret Realm was a place where only immortals could tread, filled with treasures. Even a single flower from there must be extraordinary.

“Ming’er gave them to you, so just accept them. If you keep being so reserved, not only Ming’er, but even I will be upset,” Chen Suya pretended to scold Chunyan.

“Madam…” Chunyan hesitated.

“Exactly, Chunyan, just keep them. The effects of these flowers aren’t limitless. After consuming these two portions, their benefits will reach their peak, and drinking more won’t make a difference,” Xu Ming reassured her with a smile.

He had to give Chunyan a gift as well—she had been incredibly loyal to his mother and took great care of her.

Back when he was a child, Chunyan had helped his mother through many difficult times.

Now, since Chunyan likely had no plans to marry, she would stay by his mother’s side for decades to come. Treating her well meant ensuring that his mother was well cared for.

Having Chunyan by his mother’s side put his mind at ease.

Originally, Xu Ming had wanted to bring them even better gifts.

But most of the spiritual herbs and treasures in the Rootless Secret Realm were meant for cultivators—if ordinary people consumed them, the effects might backfire.

Hearing his words, Chunyan finally accepted the gift.

More than the value of the flowers, what truly touched her was the fact that the Young Master still remembered her.

Xu Ming chatted with his mother about recent events.

He made everything about the Rootless Secret Realm sound easy and uneventful—just a simple treasure hunt, nothing more. His main goal was to reassure her.

His mother, in turn, said that nothing much had happened recently. She had been sleeping well, with no headaches or dizziness.

But Xu Ming didn’t quite believe her.

He had a strong feeling that the other soul residing within his mother was hiding something—probably preparing for a decisive strike when the time was right.

Half an hour later, a maid arrived at the courtyard, informing them that the Old Ancestor and the Master had invited Chen Suya and Xu Ming to join them for a meal.

Chen Suya didn’t refuse.

Since his mother agreed to go, Xu Ming had no choice but to follow.

The banquet was nothing more than a standard welcome-back feast, meant to show care and affection for Xu Ming.

Xu Ming didn’t reject their goodwill.

He also gave the Old Ancestor and the others some gifts. While these items were exclusive to the Rootless Secret Realm, they weren’t particularly valuable—there were better alternatives available in the outside world.

But the Old Ancestor and the others didn’t mind at all.

As long as Xu Ming was willing to give them something, even roadside weeds would have been enough.

Because it showed that, deep down, he still held some goodwill toward the Xu family.

Xu Ming also gave some vitality-enhancing fruits to the elder men in the family.

They were knowledgeable enough to recognize what these fruits were, and the fact that Xu Ming was the one gifting them made them even more delighted.

After the meal, Xu Ming returned to his courtyard to rest.

As soon as he opened the door and stepped inside, a fragrant breeze swept past him, and the door was immediately shut behind him.

Before he could take another step forward, a delicate scent of rouge and powder filled his nose.

Looking down, he saw Zhou Wanfeng clinging to his shoulder, her soft curves pressing tightly against him—so much so that he could even feel them change shape against his body.

Although Xu Ming wasn’t particularly interested in Zhou Wanfeng, he had to admit that her body was incredibly supple.

“Young Master, you’ve been away for so many days—did you miss me?” Zhou Wanfeng traced small circles on his chest with her fingertip.

“I was only gone for three or four days, wasn’t I?” Xu Ming replied.

He had spent just over thirty days in the Rootless Secret Realm, which translated to only three or four days in this world.

“Oh, Young Master, how can you say that?” Zhou Wanfeng pouted. “You spent over a month in the Rootless Secret Realm—shouldn’t you have missed me in all that time?”

She rested her head against his chest and murmured, “But for me, it was only three or four days apart, and I was already missing you terribly.”

Lifting her head, she gazed into his eyes with a look so tender it seemed to melt.

“While you were gone, I could only hold onto your blanket for comfort. Every morning when I woke up, there was always a big wet patch on it~”

Xu Ming: “…”

He suddenly felt like he needed to replace everything on his bed. He’d ask Chunyan to change the entire set later.

“Senior Zhou, please have some self-respect. If you’re truly feeling too lonely, I know a few highly skilled blacksmiths—perhaps they could craft some, shall we say, companions for you.”

If not for the fact that she had been protecting his mother recently, Xu Ming would have already pushed her away.

“Oh, Young Master, you’re so mean~ Saying such embarrassing things—I don’t understand at all~”

Zhou Wanfeng raised her little fist and playfully pounded his chest.

Xu Ming’s eyebrow twitched.

You don’t understand?

You probably understand far more than I do.

“Senior Zhou, how has my mother been these past few days? Has there been anything unusual?” Xu Ming asked, getting straight to the point.

Although his mother had told him she had been eating and sleeping well, he wasn’t reassured in the slightest.

Not everything could be seen on the surface.

Zhou Wanfeng sat down on a chair and poured herself a cup of water. “That other soul inside your mother has indeed been rather quiet these past few days, but that’s because I had a fight with her.”

Xu Ming: “…”

“Please, Senior Zhou, explain in detail,” Xu Ming said, his voice carrying a trace of urgency.

In his past life, he had been an orphan—he had never known what it was like to have family.

In this life, though his so-called father had never cared for him, his mother had carried him, raised him, and taught him. Xu Ming had witnessed it all.

It was from his mother that he had first experienced what family truly meant.

If Xu Ming had a weakness, it was his mother.

But if he had an untouchable, unforgivable boundary—his reverse scale—it was also his mother.

No one could harm her. No one.

Zhou Wanfeng knew this well.

So she put away her usual teasing tone and spoke seriously.

“On the second day after you left, the other soul inside your mother seized control for the first time and took over her body.

I appeared immediately and fought her.

Her cultivation in life must have been extraordinary. Even though your mother has never cultivated or tempered her body, that soul was still able to push her to the Golden Core stage simply through her understanding of the Dao’s laws.

If it were anyone else, I would’ve just killed them on the spot.

But this is your mother’s body—I couldn’t act recklessly.

I could only suppress her for now.

That’s the only reason she’s been quiet these past few days.”

Xu Ming: “…”

He took a deep breath and asked, “Did she say anything?”

Zhou Wanfeng sighed.

“She knows about our plan.

She knows we’ve already called someone to remove her from your mother’s body.”

Pausing for a moment, Zhou Wanfeng looked at Xu Ming and said, “She asked me to pass on a message to you.”

Xu Ming’s brows furrowed.

“What did she say?”

Zhou Wanfeng met his gaze and spoke slowly.

“She told me to tell you—

Son, don’t waste your efforts. Mother can’t bear to leave you… and she never will.”

“Boom!”

The moment Zhou Wanfeng finished speaking—

Xu Ming threw a punch backward.

The wooden door behind him exploded into countless splinters, scattering in the air.

His fists clenched tightly.

His voice was cold.

“Then we’ll see who wins in the end!”