Cultivating Immortality, Starting from Childhood Sweethearts

Sitting in the courtyard, Xu Ming was practicing his punches.

He had taken off his green robe, tying it around his waist, and was striking punch after punch, each one cutting through the air like the wind. Sweat dripped continuously from his body, highlighting his well-defined muscles.

Xu Ming wasn’t some overly bulky strongman, nor was he like those guys on Blue Star who pumped themselves full of drugs every day.

His physique was purely the result of long-term training—a perfect balance of strength and aesthetics, embodying the ideal Confucian warrior: a scholar who could both govern a nation and slay enemies on the battlefield.

For most women, oversized muscles weren’t the appeal—this type of well-proportioned, athletic build was exactly what they liked.

If a young girl saw Xu Ming’s physique, she might just start drooling on the spot.

Just like this one.

“Ah!”

As Ao Yin’er barged into the courtyard, she let out a startled cry before quickly covering her eyes.

She knew it wasn’t exactly proper to stare at him like this, but his muscles were just so… solid.

She even had a sudden urge to reach out and touch them.

Xu Ming lowered his fists, straightening up as he looked at her. “Miss Ao, shouldn’t you knock before entering someone else’s courtyard? Walking in like this isn’t exactly good manners.”

“I-I saw that your door was left ajar, so I just walked in,” Ao Yin’er huffed, turning her head away—only for her gaze to sneak back toward Xu Ming’s toned abs.

“Is there something you needed, Miss Ao?”

Xu Ming didn’t make a fuss over the small intrusion. She was just a spoiled young lady, no real malice in her actions. Besides, they were both guests in the Northern Sea. After tonight, they probably wouldn’t meet again.

He grabbed his green robe and put it back on.

Watching him cover up his muscles, Ao Yin’er couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed.

He didn’t have to put his shirt on. It’s not like she minded.

“Oh, nothing much. Just came to chat with you,” Ao Yin’er said with a bright smile.

“???”

Xu Ming wondered if he had misheard. “Miss Ao, what did you just say?”

Ao Yin’er lifted her chin, hands on her hips, looking quite pleased with herself. “I came to chat with you!”

Xu Ming: “…”

He really couldn’t figure out this girl’s thought process.

Or was it just a dragon thing? Did they all have zero sense of personal boundaries?

Not that he cared much as a man, but she was a princess—a young lady—showing up alone at a man’s courtyard in the middle of the night just to “chat.”

If word got out, how would she ever get married?

And come to think of it, were they even that close?

She was a princess from the Eastern Sea. He was an official of the Wu Kingdom. Their paths shouldn’t have crossed at all.

They had merely fished together for a short while this afternoon, and now she was acting like they were old friends?

Wasn’t she getting a little too familiar?

“Miss Ao, it’s already quite late,” Xu Ming said tactfully.

By Blue Star’s time, it was already 10 PM.

A girl showing up at a man’s place this late at night just to “chat”? No one who heard that would take it the right way.

“It’s not late at all.” Ao Yin’er looked up at the moon. “Still early. I usually don’t sleep until past midnight.”

So, she was a night owl.

Xu Ming sighed. “Well, I was about to wash up and go to bed.”

Ao Yin’er beamed. “Then just sleep a little later! I have so many things to ask you~”

Inside, she was grumbling.

You like me.

I came to find you.

And yet, instead of taking the chance to get closer to me, you just want to sleep?!

Xu Ming: “…”

“Alright then, Miss Ao, please have a seat.”

After some thought, Xu Ming decided not to kick her out.

She wasn’t a threat to him, and looking at it from another angle, he actually had quite a few questions in his mind. Since she had come knocking on his door, he might as well take the opportunity to see if he could get some useful information out of her.

“Okay~”

Ao Yin’er happily walked over and sat down on a stool.

With a flick of his sleeve, Xu Ming shut the courtyard door.

He didn’t want any passersby to see Ao Yin’er in his courtyard.

Sitting down across from her, Xu Ming poured her a cup of tea. “So, what does Miss Ao want to chat about?”

“Xu Ming, Xu Ming, I have a question!” Ao Yin’er’s eyes sparkled. “How do you land people survive without water?”

“…”

Xu Ming hadn’t expected such an innocent question, and it made him chuckle internally.

At first, he had been a bit wary of this girl.

But now, he realized she was just a naive little girl—clearly someone who had been overly protected all her life.

“Your siblings and your father must love you a lot,” Xu Ming remarked.

Ao Yin’er thought for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah, yeah! I’m my father’s only daughter, and my father and brothers all adore me. Whenever they get something nice, they always save it for me.”

“No wonder.” Xu Ming took a sip of tea and nodded.

Ao Yin’er frowned slightly, a little unhappy. “Hey, Xu Ming, you still haven’t answered my question! How do you land people survive without water?”

“We land-dwellers breathe with our lungs—we absorb oxygen directly from the air. It’s actually the same principle for fish in the water. They breathe using their gills, which filter oxygen from the water into their bodies,” Xu Ming explained.

Ao Yin’er thought about it seriously. “What’s oxygen?”

“Uh…”

Xu Ming suddenly didn’t know how to explain. “Just think of it as part of the air.”

“Ohhh.” Ao Yin’er nodded in understanding. “Hey, Xu Ming, are the tigers on land really that fierce?”

Xu Ming: “…”

“For ordinary people, yes, tigers are definitely dangerous.” He nodded.

“I heard that land-dwelling cats are really cute!” Ao Yin’er’s eyes sparkled again.

Xu Ming nodded. “They’re alright, but cats don’t really get attached to their owners. Personally, I prefer dogs.”

“Do you have a dog?” Ao Yin’er asked excitedly.

Xu Ming: “No.”

“Ohhh…” Ao Yin’er looked a little disappointed.

“Miss Ao, I actually have some questions for you too.” Seeing an opportunity, Xu Ming shifted the conversation.

“Ask away! Ask whatever you want!” Ao Yin’er straightened up, hands on her hips, striking a proud pose that practically screamed, I know everything!

Xu Ming thought for a moment before asking, “What’s the relationship like between the Four Seas?”