A Punch for You

Cangzhou City.

On the bustling streets, two strikingly beautiful figures—one tall, one short—walked among the dense crowds.

One was a remarkably handsome human, the other a dragon, the kind of pair that should have turned heads. Yet, the people on the street seemed not to notice them at all.

As the two moved through the lively market, the crowd somehow parted effortlessly before them.

Qinghe gazed around with curiosity, her eyes lingering especially on the prettier trinkets.

Mortals might be weak, but their hands were clever.

Some of the ingenious things they crafted left even Qinghe impressed.

It had nothing to do with cultivation—it was an indescribable sense of awe.

Fragile beings accomplishing extraordinary feats, that overwhelming feeling of the small achieving the grand.

Xie Lingyu spoke calmly, "Are you sure you can still get back through the mountain gate if you keep slacking off like this?"

"What does 'slacking off' mean?" Qinghe asked, tilting her head in confusion.

Recalling someone’s explanation, Xie Lingyu replied,

"It means neglecting your duties to do things that make you happy."

"Eh?" Qinghe blinked, then her face lit up with understanding. With a hint of excitement, she grinned,

"Then slacking off is very important! Qinghe loves slacking off."

Xie Lingyu: "..."

This dragon was truly beyond saving. She used to think their master was too strict, but now it seemed the discipline had been far too lax.

Noticing Xie Lingyu’s silence, Qinghe asked curiously,

"Who came up with the term 'slacking off'? It’s so novel and fun!"

Xie Lingyu glanced at her, her tone cool.

"You think the one who coined that term could be a great master?"

Qinghe retorted confidently, "Why not?"

Xie Lingyu replied flatly, "Before you say 'why not,' take a look at yourself. With your temperament, could you ever become a great master?"

Qinghe froze, her earlier excitement dimming slightly.

That… was hard to argue against.

She felt she was still light-years away from becoming someone like Grandma Bai—an unfathomably powerful figure who seemed beyond all constraints.

Sometimes, the gap felt like an insurmountable chasm. Even as a dragon, she doubted she could ever catch up to Grandma Bai in this lifetime.

But still…

"Isn’t happiness important too?" Qinghe mused, then looked at Xie Lingyu earnestly. "Not everyone—or every demon—can become a great master. But happiness is something anyone can have."

"Eating at Zhiweiju in Tianyan Sect makes me happy. Being with you makes me happy. Even when Grandma Bai scolds me, when she’s in a good mood, being with her is still happiness."

"If becoming a great master means giving these up, then I’d rather not be one."

Xie Lingyu’s gaze lingered on Qinghe, taking in the sincerity in her bright eyes.

"Then rest assured—you’ll never become a great master."

Qinghe blinked, unsure if she’d just been insulted. There was no solid evidence, but…

Was that supposed to be comforting?

No, that was definitely an insult!

Pouting, Qinghe shot Xie Lingyu a wounded look, silently protesting the unfair remark.

Xie Lingyu coughed lightly, steering the conversation away.

"If you keep slacking off like this, given our master’s temper, you’ll probably end up sleeping at the foot of the mountain."

Qinghe grumbled, "Ugh… Grandma Bai didn’t explain anything properly! She just said there was 'opportunity' in Cangzhou, but what kind? Where? She left everything vague!"

"If it were truly important, Grandma Bai wouldn’t have sent me—she’d have come swinging her giant blade herself."

"Whatever she’s having me look for can’t be that crucial. Honestly, I think she just wants to mess with me."

"Besides, we’re already in Cangzhou. We checked the waterside earlier and found nothing. Now we’re just… expanding our search."

Xie Lingyu shook her head helplessly as Qinghe "searched for opportunity."

From the waterside, she’d followed her nose, muttering excuses, all the way to a steamed bun stall.

Sniffing the fragrant aroma, Qinghe beamed. "Boss! How much for these buns?"

The stall owner jumped at the sudden voice, staring at the girl who’d seemingly popped out of thin air. She looked about thirteen or fourteen, with little antler-like horns on her head.

But her clothes were fine, her skin fair and delicate—clearly from a wealthy family.

Then again, rich folks with too much time on their hands did stranger things than wear antlers.

"Three copper coins for a big meat bun! Fresh meat, same-day!" the stall owner answered.

Qinghe frowned.

Copper coins?

She knew about spirit stones, gold, and silver, but she’d never heard of "copper coins."

The stall owner took her confusion as further proof—this girl wasn’t just wealthy, she was from a powerful family.

Before he could explain, a soft clink sounded on his counter. Looking down, he saw a small piece of silver.

When he glanced up again, the girl was now accompanied by an exquisitely beautiful woman with an icy demeanor.

The kind of beauty he’d never seen before.

But beauty didn’t feed his children. A solid meat bun was far more practical. After a brief glance, his eyes returned to the silver.

Xie Lingyu had placed it there. "Enough for a full batch. Pack them to go."

"Right away!" The stall owner eagerly scooped up the silver.

These two were generous, no doubt.

But why did they always appear so abruptly? If it weren’t broad daylight, he’d have been scared stiff.

Was this how nobles greeted people these days? Just popping up out of nowhere?

Soon, the two were walking down the street again—the smaller one now carrying a large bag.

Qinghe stuffed bun after bun into her mouth, her expression blissful.

"No spiritual energy, but so delicious! And so cheap! Just a tiny bit of silver for this many. I love this place!"

"See? Cangzhou does have opportunity—and it smells amazing!"

Xie Lingyu sighed. "If you just want to slack off, why drag me along? I’m returning to Tianyan Sect tomorrow. I’ll leave you some silver—enjoy your 'opportunity' here alone."

"Heh!" Qinghe smirked, her eyes glinting mischievously. "I was there when Grandma Bai asked you about your old flame!"

"Don’t think I’m clueless. I’m sharp!"

"You were punished and sent to Yuzhou City in Xuanwu Kingdom. If you met someone special, it must’ve been there, right?"

"Even though this is Chizhou, it’s still within Xuanwu Kingdom."

"Auntie Lingyu, you say you’re going back to the sect, but really, you’re planning to visit your old flame, aren’t you?"

Xie Lingyu’s eyes narrowed—and her fist shot toward Qinghe’s face.