Ye Shu and Yan Changlan returned to the Lord’s Mansion.
Yan Changlan found a nearby guest room closest to his bedroom for Ye Shu to stay in. After instructing him, he went to the main courtyard to see his father, Lord Yan, to report on the matters of the day’s ceremony.
After seeing him off, Ye Shu closed the door.
The guest room was elegantly furnished and very clean, with a desk and bookshelf by the window, with several books on it.
Overall, it looked quite nice.
However, Ye Shu had broad knowledge and didn’t dwell on material things. After a glance around, he sat cross-legged on the bed, slowly absorbing the energy of heaven and earth, accumulating his power.
About half an hour later, someone knocked on the door.
Since he was expecting someone, Ye Shu had kept some attention outside, so he opened his eyes.
He knew it was Yan Changlan coming.
Sure enough, when Ye Shu opened the door, Yan Changlan walked in and said, “There’s a hot spring in the mansion, and you, brother Ye, have been living in the mountains for years. I suppose you’re tired. You can go and soak in it now. You didn’t eat much during the ceremony just now. Later, you can have a bowl of hot spring noodles and a cup of wine with me.”
Ye Shu was slightly surprised.
A hot spring?
Why was there only a passing mention of hot springs in his original memories? Perhaps they were considered beneficial to mortal bodies in the mortal realm. Ye Shu had soaked in spiritual springs before, which greatly benefited his cultivation. He assumed hot springs had similar effects for mortals.
However, when he had soaked in the spiritual springs before, Ye Shu had always gone alone. Now, being invited by Yan Changlan, it must be… to soak in the hot springs together as friends?
Ye Shu felt somewhat uncomfortable with the idea of soaking with others, but he wasn’t the same Ye clan young patriarch anymore. Besides, he considered Yan Changlan a friend and didn’t want to hurt his feelings, so he agreed: “In that case, thank you, brother Yan.”
When Yan Changlan extended the invitation, he also felt a bit anxious, but for some reason, he found Ye Shu very likable. He was willing to deepen their relationship, so he took the risk of suggesting it. Seeing Ye Shu genuinely agree pleased him greatly.
After a moment’s thought, he said, “Then, let’s go, brother Ye.”
Ye Shu’s gaze softened. “Alright, please lead the way, brother Yan.”
Yan Changlan was even more delighted. He reached out and grabbed Ye Shu’s forearm, saying, “Come, please.”
Ye Shu glanced down but didn’t pull away.
From childhood until now, aside from his grandfather, the only one he had been this close to was Tian Lang… Now, he wasn’t sure…
Before Ye Shu could dwell on it further, Yan Changlan quickly led him through the corridor to a secluded courtyard at the back.
Opening the courtyard door, they were met with swirling heat, making them break out in a slight sweat even before getting close.
Yan Changlan said, “First, let’s change into silk robes in the adjacent room before entering the spring. It’s the most comfortable.”
Following his lead, Ye Shu entered the room beside them. They each changed into a silk robe in separate compartments.
After coming out, Yan Changlan led Ye Shu to another wooden door nearby and pushed it open. Instantly, a wave of heat rushed out, blowing warmly on their faces.
As Ye Shu focused, he saw a hot spring pool ahead, roughly thirty to fifty feet in diameter, made of smooth blue stones.
Yan Changlan pulled him to the edge of the pool.
There were two small stone steps leading into the pool, and near the edge there were several stone seats that were submerged under the hot spring water.
The two of them each walked inside and found a stone seat to sit on.
In an instant, the mildly warm spring water only reached their chests, but it made them feel thoroughly comfortable from the depths of their hearts. The heat penetrated their bodies, causing their faces to flush red, but they felt completely at ease.
Ye Shu sensed it for a while.
He felt that there was indeed something beneficial in the spring water, but it was only useful for mortals. For cultivators like him, it was of no use. However, being enveloped in the water felt pleasant, and he considered it a form of enjoyment to soak a bit longer.
Yan Changlan let out a soft hum and shook a nearby copper bell.
Soon, a servant walked in—not the usual maid seen in such places, but a rough-looking man. He carried a large wooden tray with two bowls of snow-white noodles topped with a handful of boiled greens and a plate of sliced beef, along with two plates of different sauces and a pot of wine with two cups.
Afterward, the man placed the wooden tray in the hot spring between the two of them and then left.
The wooden tray floated in the middle of the two men. It was quite large, almost like having a table placed between them.
Yan Changlan poured a cup of wine and then pushed the wooden cup along the hot spring towards Ye Shu, who caught it with his hand. Then Yan Changlan asked again, “Brother Ye, do you like spicy food?”
Ye Shu glanced at the sauces, picked the non-spicy one, and poured it onto his noodles before taking a sip of wine.
Yan Changlan grinned, his eyes brightening. “Uncle Niu made this sauce himself, and the beef comes from the finest cattle he raises. How is it? Are you enjoying it?”
Ye Shu nodded. “It tastes good.”
Yan Changlan said, “It’s even better with the greens you provided.”
After exchanging these few words, Ye Shu and Yan Changlan ate their food, alternating between bites of noodles, meat, and sips of wine. They chatted occasionally, enjoying the meal.
After finishing eating and soaking for a while longer, Yan Changlan finally spoke up. “Brother Ye, what are your plans for the future?”
Ye Shu replied, “I quite enjoy living in the mountains now, so I plan to continue living like this.”
Yan Changlan hesitated slightly. “Brother Ye… do you still want to practice martial arts?”
Ye Shu was briefly surprised, then shook his head. “No, everything that happened in the past because of martial arts didn’t bring me happiness. Now, living as a country bumpkin in the mountains, I feel more at ease.”
Yan Changlan sighed softly upon hearing this but didn’t press further.
He had a good rapport with Ye Shu and had initially wanted to teach him martial arts. While he couldn’t pass down the martial arts of the Yan family, and it was a bit late for Ye Shu to start martial arts now, making significant progress might be difficult. However, with diligence, he could at least achieve self-defense. Since Ye Shu had no intention of pursuing it, Yan Changlan didn’t insist. He reasoned that as long as he was there, he could provide some extra care for Ye Shu in the future.
Ye Shu acknowledged Yan Changlan’s good intentions and raised his cup in a toast.
Yan Changlan flashed a radiant smile and drank a full cup.
After soaking in the hot spring, the two changed into clean clothes and returned to their rooms to rest.
Before reaching his guest room, Yan Changlan said, “If you need anything during the night, just shake the copper bell in the room.”
Ye Shu nodded. “Sleep well, brother Yan.”
Yan Changlan replied casually, “See you tomorrow.”
And so, they parted ways.
Ye Shu entered his room and continued his meditation and cultivation throughout the night.
As dawn broke the next day, he finally opened his eyes.
A maid brought toiletries to the door. Ye Shu, accustomed to being served, remained composed and then stepped out. He saw Yan Changlan practicing martial arts in the courtyard, with a slight sweat on his forehead, indicating he had been training for some time.
Ye Shu couldn’t help but admire silently: Indeed diligent. No wonder he has such martial skills at such a young age; it’s not just due to extraordinary talent.
So Ye Shu stood there, quietly waiting for Yan Changlan to finish.
After Yan Changlan stopped, he turned and saw Ye Shu, smiling. “Brother Ye, up early, aren’t you?”
Ye Shu replied, “Not as early as you, brother Yan.”
Yan Changlan waved his hand. “I’ve been like this since I was young, already accustomed to it, nothing worth mentioning.”
Afterward, Yan Changlan invited Ye Shu to his room for a chat. “It’s windy here. Let’s have breakfast in my room.”
Ye Shu agreed, and they entered Yan Changlan’s room.
As the young lord of the city, even though the room was quite simple, there was always a certain elegance to it. The room was spacious, divided into inner and outer chambers, with the inner one being the sleeping area and the outer one resembling a study.
Ye Shu quietly surveyed the room, his gaze suddenly falling on a layer of shelves.
Yan Changlan noticed Ye Shu’s gaze and followed it. He saw several small jade bottles on the shelf, each about the length of a thumb, divided into seven colors, each unique. These jade bottles were of ordinary quality but exquisite in craftsmanship, adding a touch of interest to the shelf where Yan Changlan had placed them as decoration.
It seems brother Ye likes them? Yan Changlan’s thoughts stirred slightly. He walked over, took down the jade bottles, and handed them to Ye Shu. “They’re just some trinkets. If brother Ye likes them, feel free to take them.”
Ye Shu paused for a moment but accepted them calmly. “These bottles are indeed useful. I won’t stand on ceremony with brother Yan. When I return, I’ll also send a little something for brother Yan to enjoy.”
Yan Changlan smiled. “Brother Ye, you don’t have to…”
But Ye Shu insisted, “Reciprocity is the way friends interact. However, what I’ll offer might be a bit rough. I hope brother Yan won’t mind.”
Yan Changlan, hearing Ye Shu’s words, felt a hint of anticipation. “Then I’ll look forward to brother Ye’s ‘little something.'”
Afterward, breakfast was brought in by a maid, and they ate together. Yan Changlan then took Ye Shu for a walk nearby before reluctantly bidding him farewell upon Ye Shu’s insistence.
Ye Shu said to him, “Whether it’s a few days or a dozen, I’ll bring the item to you.”
Yan Changlan was pleased and couldn’t help but respond with a smile, “Great.”
After parting ways, Ye Shu returned to the mountains and stored the jade bottles inside the Hunyuan Pearl.
That evening, when the Hunyuan Water descended, he promptly moved the white jade bottle into the bamboo tube, catching the water perfectly, turning it into a droplet-like bead.
As Ye Shu knew, the Hunyuan Water was just as well preserved in the jade bottle as it was in the bamboo tube…
Ye Shu was very satisfied with this jade bottle.
Roughly estimating, each jade bottle could hold about thirty drops of Hunyuan Water. With a set of seven bottles, he would have over two hundred drops, which was sufficient for him at present.
In these days, he consumed half a drop of Hunyuan Water daily. The remaining half was used to water the fields after dilution. However, the fields no longer needed watering, as the vegetables were not yet finished, and the herbs had already grown. The more watered, the longer the plants remained, making it less favorable for sale.
While Ye Shu did need some herbs for cultivation, those available in the mortal realm, such as ginseng, lingzhi, and polygonum multiflorum, were not as beneficial to him as the Hunyuan Water unless refined into pills for consumption. Hence, they were somewhat redundant.
This jade bottle came in handy, allowing him to store the surplus Hunyuan Water that he wouldn’t use.