So Mellow

After Ye Chuan carried Lan Xiaoke away as if holding a small kitten, the Sword Spirit finally settled down and began to observe the surroundings.

The house wasn't small, filled everywhere with a warm, yellowish-toned, rustic wooden furniture style. Although there were some pieces she didn't understand, it was a place that felt warm and cozy.

The Sword Spirit withdrew her gaze and then asked Bai Qianshuang, "Master, this place looks very comfortable, a suitable place to live."

"However, it's just a bit too small."

Compared to the grand halls of the Jade Void Sect in the past—no, even compared to the newly built halls—the house before her eyes seemed far too small.

If many cultivators were crowded in here, wouldn't it feel exceptionally cramped?

"There's nothing wrong with this," Bai Qianshuang said.

"Don't laugh at its modest scale; within lies the warmth of ten thousand measures of spring."

The Sword Spirit nodded upon hearing this and began to look around more carefully.

Bai Qianshuang watched the Sword Spirit curiously examining everything and said softly,

"This place is completely different from the Tianxuan Continent. I'll take you out for a walk so you can get familiar with it."

The Sword Spirit nodded in agreement, her white robe glowing softly under the warm yellow light.

She walked with light, unhurried steps behind Bai Qianshuang, instinctively retracting the spiritual energy around her, appearing no different from an ordinary girl.

Pushing the door open, the afternoon sunlight spilled over the two of them. The Sword Spirit slightly narrowed her eyes, adjusting to this warmth that seemed different from the sun of the Tianxuan Continent.

The weather was fine, though the Sword Spirit also noticed that the sun in the sky didn't seem different from Tianxuan's after all.

Are the stars the same in every world?

"This place... looks particularly run-down?" The Sword Spirit noted this. Although the courtyard and the house exterior looked quite refined, the street appeared very dilapidated.

"This is called a 'chengzhongcun'," Bai Qianshuang explained.

"Chengzhongcun?"

"An old urban village."

"I see. But why did Senior Ye choose to live here?"

"This is where he was born."

"His hometown... I understand."

As Bai Qianshuang and the Sword Spirit just reached the roadside, moving shadows caught the Sword Spirit's attention—

On the street, various iron-shelled contraptions weaved back and forth. Some were small and delicate, others wide and bulky. They moved very fast, yet without a trace of spiritual energy fluctuation.

The Sword Spirit instantly tensed up, her gaze wary as she stared at those metal shells:

"Master, are these all magical artifacts? Why are there so many, and why is no one using spiritual energy to control them?"

On the Tianxuan Continent, artifacts that could carry people at high speed were extremely precious, difficult for ordinary cultivators to obtain, let alone something so ubiquitous on every street and lane, usable by everyone.

Seeing this, Bai Qianshuang said directly, "No need to be nervous. These aren't magical artifacts. They're called 'cars'."

"They aren't powered by spiritual energy, but by electricity and petroleum, the energy sources of this world."

She pointed to a gas station in the distance and briefly explained the principle of cars, her tone calm yet tinged with familiarity.

The Sword Spirit suddenly understood:

"So that's it... This world actually has such marvelous things that operate without spiritual energy. Master, you know so much."

In her view, being able to understand the things of another world was in itself an extremely impressive skill.

Hearing this, Bai Qianshuang was momentarily stunned, an inexplicable, faintly elated warmth rising in her heart.

Could she one day be someone else's teacher?

She looked down at her fingertips, suddenly remembering when she first arrived in this world, it was Ye Chuan who taught her bit by bit in the same way—

Teaching her to recognize traffic lights, teaching her to use a phone, teaching her to distinguish all those strange and curious things.

Back then, she must have been just like the Sword Spirit is now.

"Master? What's wrong?" The Sword Spirit called softly, seeing her lost in thought.

"It's nothing," Bai Qianshuang came back to herself and gently shook her head,

"I just remembered some things from the past, when someone also taught me about this world like this."

Her tone held a trace of imperceptible tenderness, and even the sunlight falling on her hair seemed especially gentle and lingering.

The two walked side by side, the scenery along the way keeping the Sword Spirit's eyes wide with wonder.

When they reached a street corner, Bai Qianshuang stopped and pointed to a small, exquisitely decorated shop ahead:

"Let's go sit there and try a drink from this world."

It was a milk tea shop. Cute cartoon stickers adorned the glass door, and a faint, sweet fragrance wafted from inside.

As soon as they reached the shop entrance, the surrounding gazes converged on them in unison.

The previously noisy street corner quieted down a bit. Passersby stopped in their tracks, their eyes full of amazement and puzzlement.

"Oh my god... Are they twins? They're so beautiful!"

"Not only do they look identical, but their auras are both incredible too. One is cool and elegant, the other gentle and graceful. Absolutely stunning!"

"Quick, take a picture. Their looks are simply off the charts!"

Some whispered discussions, others secretly took out their phones to snap photos, their eyes glued to the two, unable to look away.

The Sword Spirit merely looked at the passersby with curiosity, while Bai Qianshuang, long accustomed to such attention, calmly pulled the Sword Spirit into the shop with an indifferent expression.

The shop staff also paused for a moment before hurriedly stepping forward to greet them:

"What would you two beauties like to drink?"

Saying this, they handed over the menu. The Sword Spirit took it, looked down, and was surprised to find she could understand all the text on it without any hindrance.

Feeling astonished, she looked up and asked Bai Qianshuang:

"Master, I can actually understand these words. Could it be that this world is actually a secret realm somewhere within the Tianxuan Continent?"

Bai Qianshuang was also stumped by the question. After a moment's hesitation, she shook her head:

"No, it's just a coincidence."

She wasn't sure of the reason either and could only guess.

The Sword Spirit nodded, not fully understanding but not probing further. Her gaze fell on the novel names on the menu, filled with curiosity.

Bai Qianshuang ordered two cups of the signature pearl milk tea, one with regular sugar, one with less sugar.

Soon, the two cups of milk tea were served, rich and sweet-smelling, refreshing to the heart.

The Sword Spirit, following Bai Qianshuang's example, inserted a straw and began to drink. She was a Sword Spirit, to be precise, the will incarnate of Bai Qianshuang's sword.

However, because she was in a semi-corporeal form, the Sword Spirit could indeed drink milk tea.

And she could taste it.

"This flavor... is so rich and delightful," the Sword Spirit was quickly captivated by the taste of the milk tea. She could feel this beverage was incredibly delicious.

"Of course, this is something unique to this world," Bai Qianshuang said, seeing the Sword Spirit's amazed expression, introducing it like a seasoned connoisseur.

"Try sucking up the pearls inside."

"The texture is unique."

Seeing that the Sword Spirit seemed to have fallen in love with drinking milk tea, Bai Qianshuang mentioned that there were many more things here that were delicious and good to drink.

"No wonder Master can't forget this place," the Sword Spirit said.

"So many delicious foods."

"It's not for the food," Bai Qianshuang immediately said, though after uttering this sentence she seemed to lack conviction and added,

"It's because here, I found a sense of belonging."

"Is it because of Senior Ye?"

"Mmm..."

"Have you two engaged in intimate relations?"