Am I the only good person in this cultivation world?

"Silly girl, it's no exaggeration to say you're silly."

"They're already feeling down... and you still have to criticize them, humph."

Yao Ailan turned her head and rubbed her face against Yao Han's chest.

"I didn't say we'd separate, it's just a possibility. It's just joining a sect, not a matter of life and death."

"What do you mean? Then why are you explaining all this? It's like you're making a will!"

"Is there?"

Yao Han scratched his head; his tone had indeed been a bit heavy just now.

He coughed lightly:

"I didn't explain it clearly to you. The apprenticeship system in these prestigious sects is probably different from what you imagine. Let me think about how to explain it to you... By the way, you should have attended school in the village, right?"

"I've been there. That man was terrifying, even fiercer than you. He'd hit people's palms with a ruler all the time. We all called him the Old King of Hell!"

Yao Han chuckled and continued to explain:

"A village school might have one or two teachers at most. But within this sect, there are countless schools, and the number of teachers is uncountable. So, it's not the teachers choosing the students, but the students choosing the teachers. Sometimes, different teachers will even fight tooth and nail for a good student!"

Ailan blinked and sat down next to Yao Han:

"A teacher stealing a student? Is such a thing even possible?"

"Of course there are, quite a few. However, the student has to be exceptionally talented. In the cultivation world, that means having a high enough spiritual root aptitude, at least three spiritual roots or above, to catch the eye of the sect elders."

"I have dual spiritual roots, and you have dual spiritual roots too, which means we're both 'good students'? So it's possible we'll be assigned to different schools, right?"

"That's right."

Yao Han nodded with a smile. This girl is smart; she understands immediately.

"Then... will students from different schools ever see each other again?"

"Of course we can, but we have to attend classes and cultivate regularly, so we see each other less often than before. When we have free time, it's the same as usual."

"I see, I understand now."

Alan nodded, looking much more at ease.

"What are you going to do with all this if you leave it all to me, bro?"

"How could I possibly give you all of them? I need to keep some for emergencies! Besides, your brother here is quite capable; I can easily earn back these spirit stones."

"Tch, what a braggart."

"Hahaha."

Yao Han smiled without saying a word. He wasn't lying; with the speed at which the spirit stones in his Qiankun Bag could be collected, he only needed to go into seclusion for a year or two to easily accumulate them back.

With the Qiankun Bag in hand, he could quickly acquire more magical artifacts and give Lan'er one or two for self-defense, which would be harmless.

"...No, how about this, I'll keep these things for you for now, and I'll return them to you after I reach Foundation Establishment and Core Formation!"

"Okay, I'll wait for you, brother."

After that, Ailan didn't go back, but stayed by Yao Han's side, pestering him to continue asking about the sect.

He didn't actually know much about these things, since the only place he had ever spent the longest in his life was the Demon Palace, where his entire family had been unfortunately wiped out. So, he only picked out the interesting things to tell Lan'er.

The conversation went on until midnight. Before he knew it, Lan'er fell into a deep sleep, her head resting on his lap, snoring softly.

Yao Han helped her onto the bed, thought for a moment, and decided not to cultivate. Instead, he lay down beside her and slept fully clothed.

Lan'er's nape was fair and clean, exuding a sweet fragrance like citrus.

It smelled wonderful, but Yao Han had no other thoughts in her mind. She simply used the sweet fragrance to fall asleep peacefully.

A long-awaited sleep, undisturbed, free of inner demons and nightmares, peaceful and tranquil.

……

When I woke up again, the sun was already high in the sky.

With a slight tremor of her eyelashes, Yao Han slowly opened her eyes.

Looking to the side, Lan'er was still fast asleep, her arms wrapped around his and one leg resting on his stomach.

Yao Han shook his head with a wry smile. It took him a lot of effort to pull her off him. The little girl mumbled a few words indistinctly and then turned over.

He rolled over and got up, used his cleansing technique to clean his body, and opened the window. The familiar, moist air rushed in, invigorating him.

However, the Yang Stone above Jiuyin Market was still not as warm as the sun outside; it was somewhat cool and he wasn't used to it.

Although he didn't cultivate last night, he felt that he was in great condition, and all the fatigue from the battle was gone.

As was his habit, Yao Han stepped out of the room, assumed a stance in the courtyard, and practiced a set of palm techniques.

Halfway through the practice, the door opened, and Zhou Yunli returned from outside, bowing respectfully to Yao Han.

Good morning, Brother Yao.

"Good morning, what are you doing out so early?"

Zhou Yunli gave an awkward smile, waved his hand, and several streaks of light flew towards Yao Han.

He casually scooped them up, and the light stopped, revealing six or seven stone talismans and jade tablets of various shapes.

With a sweep of his divine sense, Yao Han heard a series of transmitted sounds flowing into his ears, and he immediately understood what these things were.

Unexpectedly, those invitations intended to recruit them actually found their way here.

The news of their move here was no secret; Yao Han just hadn't expected these people to find them so quickly.

"These sound transmission stones and talismans were left outside the door last night. Some people were making a racket and wanted to come in and befriend Brother Yao. I saw that you and your sister were sleeping soundly, so I didn't wake you up. I chatted with them for a few minutes and then sent them away."

"What's wrong, Brother Yunli? Is this a good thing? Although Lan'er and I won't be staying here for long, you can spread the word that this place is protected by the disciples of Shuiyue Palace. With our names on your side, your safety and future business dealings will surely be guaranteed."

Zhou Yunli stood there, stunned, pondering for a long time before suddenly slapping his forehead:

"That's right, how come I didn't think of that! Brother Yao, you're so smart! Hahahaha!"

"Otherwise, why would I have bothered with that Cao Li in such a grand contest yesterday? If things could be resolved without fighting, there would have been no need to fight."

Zhou Yunli nodded seriously, but he was a little uneasy.

Brother Yao, it seems you've been in quite a few fights along the way...

"With Brother Yao's words, things become much easier."

Song Zhiyu pushed open the door and walked in slowly. Today she was wearing a close-fitting light green silk dress, and she looked like she had woken up very early as well.

"We never imagined that just a few months ago we were struggling to make ends meet, but now we are able to settle down under the banner of Shuiyue Palace. We truly do not know how to repay Brother Yao's kindness."

"Repaying with spirit stones will suffice," Yao Han joked, in a good mood.

The couple smiled at each other, and Song Zhiyu tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Brother Yao, rest assured, we will certainly live up to your expectations. However, we still need to do some research in this market to find out exactly what kind of shop to open and what to do."

"Just do what you're good at, no need to rush. If I come across any reliable business opportunities or news in the future, I'll let you know via Feishu... By the way, have you thought about what to name your little shops?"

"Naming? I'm not good at that. Let Zhiyu do it." Zhou Yunli waved his hand.

"Isn't it a bit too early to mention a name now?... But it's good this way; having a new name is a good start. Since Brother Yao has said this, do you already have some ideas?"

Yao Han stroked his chin, pondered for a moment, and slowly spoke:

"I remember when I reunited with Brother Yunli, he said that since the day you two left Ziqiu City, you had wanted to live a carefree and secluded life. Although you have not been able to hide in the mountains and fields, you are still living a secluded life in this market town. Otherwise, let's call it 'Zizai Pavilion'."

"What do you mean by 'leisurely wandering'... Brother Yao, please don't make fun of me. After this experience, I've come to understand that in this world, it's already difficult enough to live a peaceful and stable life. There's no such thing as 'carefree' in life."

"However, the name is excellent. Once we've finished tidying up the front room and are opening for business, we'll definitely ask Brother Yao to inscribe it!"

Yao Han smiled and gave a slight bow:

"must!"