“I don’t want this saber anymore!” Jia Jiyou gritted his teeth and shouted when Chen Chang’an ignored him.
Chen Chang’an sat by the pond and said calmly, “Then go outside and throw it away.”
After speaking, he swiftly took off his shoes and stretched his feet into the pond.
Fish therapy continued.
Jia Jiyou’s chest rose and fell violently as he stood there, staring at Chen Chang’an.
“Tell me the truth. What exactly are you doing this for? Don’t tell me it’s just because I’m your brother!”
Only now did he finally sense something unusual.
Chen Chang’an smiled faintly. “What else could it be? I wouldn’t be willing to give such a saber to anyone else. If you think it’s too valuable, then stay with me for another day. How about that?”
Jia Jiyou was so angry he did not even want to speak.
That was 1,000 years of lifespan!
Did he think lifespan was worthless?
And besides, 500 years would have been enough to nurture a weapon spirit. There was no need to use a full 1,000 years.
Although doing so would make the spirit stronger and turn the saber into an absolute top-tier weapon.
Still, it was not worth it!
“Stop being angry. Sit down. Join me.”
Chen Chang’an patted the rock beside him.
Jia Jiyou took a deep breath and sat down next to him, placing his feet into the pond.
“If your wife finds out you did this, she’ll definitely come after me!”
“Trust me, she won’t. And think about it. I used 1,000 years of lifespan. Doesn’t that make my remaining lifespan about the same as yours? After all, you’ll never reach my level in this lifetime.”
Jia Jiyou was utterly speechless.
What kind of reasoning was that?
“Enough about it. As a return gift, stay with me again tonight. Let’s talk more about the past.”
Just as Chen Chang’an said this, a fish suddenly bit his foot.
“Hey! Are you rebelling? That bite was strong!”
With a wave of his hand, a fish flew up before him.
He looked at Jia Jiyou seriously. “Little Ji Ji, it attacked me! Tonight we’re eating this stupid fish!”
Jia Jiyou was silent.
It just ate the skin off your foot…
Another day passed.
The next morning, Chen Chang’an escorted Jia Jiyou to the main gate and watched him walk out.
After taking a few steps, Jia Jiyou suddenly stopped and turned back, frowning. “You really gave me that saber? Should I return it?”
Chen Chang’an replied, “If you don’t want it, just dig a hole outside and bury it.”
Jia Jiyou was speechless.
“Then I’m leaving. Once I finish handling matters at the sect, I’ll come see you again.”
“When will that be?” Chen Chang’an asked.
“Probably shortly before my birthday.”
Chen Chang’an was silent for a moment, then smiled. “Alright. See you then.”
Jia Jiyou nodded and prepared to fly away.
“Wait.”
Chen Chang’an suddenly called out.
“What now?” Jia Jiyou turned back.
“How about staying one more night?”
Jia Jiyou laughed. “Fine, I’ll stay another night. But it’s not because of you. It’s because of the fish in that pond!”
Laughter once again filled the courtyard.
Another day passed.
At the gate again, Chen Chang’an looked at him. “How about… staying one more night?”
Jia Jiyou thought for a moment. “Fine. But not because of you. Because… yes, still because of the fish in that pond!”
And so, after repeated persuasion from Chen Chang’an, Jia Jiyou stayed one extra day at a time for the sake of the pond’s fish, until he had remained for seven full days.
On the eighth day, at the gate—
“How about—”
Before Chen Chang’an could finish, Jia Jiyou gave a bitter smile. “This time there’s urgent business at the sect that I must handle. Even those fish can’t keep me now.”
“Alright. Then come visit when you have time.”
Chen Chang’an smiled faintly.
Jia Jiyou walked a few steps, then suddenly stopped and turned around, looking at Chen Chang’an seriously.
“You keep saying you’re going to die. These past few days, I’ve also noticed you’ve been acting strangely. Tell me honestly. Did something really happen? Because of your wife, do you not want to live anymore?”
No one on the entire continent could kill Chen Chang’an.
If Chen Chang’an were going to die, there was only one possibility.
He did not want to live.
That thought immediately connected to Chen Chang’an using 1,000 years of lifespan to nurture the weapon spirit.
Chen Chang’an smiled. “You’re overthinking it. I said I’m going to die just to get you to help persuade your sister-in-law to come back. If you have time, send her more messages. Maybe if she gets annoyed enough to come hack you to death, you can tell me. Then I’ll be able to find her.”
His wife was extremely powerful. If she truly wanted to hide from him, he could search the entire world and still not find her.
That was one reason he had not left home to look for her.
The second reason was that he feared if he left, she might secretly return to check on him, find him gone, grow even angrier, and leave again, causing them to miss each other entirely.
Jia Jiyou rolled his eyes at him. “Fine. I’ll do my best to help. I’m leaving.”
He waved casually and turned to go.
Chen Chang’an nodded with a smile. “Goodbye.”
Jia Jiyou took two more steps, then suddenly stopped again and frowned at Chen Chang’an.
“I’m still not completely at ease. Swear to me that you won’t die before I do! Otherwise… otherwise I’ll die the very next day!”
He glared threateningly.
Now it was Chen Chang’an’s turn to roll his eyes.
“I swear, if I ever decide to die on my own, then I’m not human. Is that enough?”
“That’s more like it.”
Jia Jiyou grinned smugly, finally reassured.
But just as he walked two more steps, Chen Chang’an called out again.
“Wait.”
Chen Chang’an stepped in front of him and suddenly opened his arms.
Jia Jiyou froze.
What was this?
“Idiot. Give me a hug.”
Chen Chang’an wiggled his eyebrows.
Jia Jiyou suddenly fell silent.
“No. I’m staying longer!” he declared through gritted teeth. “Forget the sect matters!”
His brother clearly had something wrong with his head!
“Get lost! I still want some peace and quiet. Hug me and then leave already.”
Chen Chang’an scolded impatiently.
He knew Jia Jiyou truly did have important matters at the sect to handle.
Jia Jiyou could only open his arms.
Chen Chang’an stepped forward and gave him a tight bear hug, patting his back firmly.
“Take care, my good big son! Hahaha!”
“You! You just wanted to take advantage of me!”
Jia Jiyou punched Chen Chang’an hard in the chest, then left with both anger and laughter in his expression.
Chen Chang’an stood there with a faint smile, watching Jia Jiyou walk farther and farther away.
When he could no longer see him, the smile slowly faded from his lips.
Yet he remained standing there, still gazing in the direction Jia Jiyou had gone.
He stood motionless like a wooden statue for a full two hours.
A gust of wind swept past, bending the grass and trees outside the courtyard like waves, producing a rustling sound.
Chen Chang’an smiled faintly.
Take care.
My good brother.
He turned and walked back into the courtyard, closing the gate behind him.
The courtyard suddenly felt empty.
One man stood there alone, surrounded by silence.
He did not even realize when he had walked back to the pond.
The longevity fish swam eagerly toward him as soon as he approached.
They churned excitedly, as if anticipating his legs entering the water again.
He smiled.
“Stupid fish…”