AUOF - 119

Ji Hengyu didn’t understand herbs.

He was a sword cultivator. For seven hundred years before meeting Sang Sang, he had spent every day and night with his sword. In fact, even recognizing vegetables, fruits, firewood, rice, oil, and salt were skills he deliberately studied after meeting her. Naturally, he wouldn’t know that Spring Bright Herbs don’t grow in clusters.

Her intense gaze made Ji Hengyu unable to meet her eyes.

Just as he was pondering whether to feign ignorance and muddle through, a brown animal resembling a squirrel, with a glowing tail, jumped into the hole. It looked left and right, confirming safety, then opened its pouch and buried a medicinal fruit underneath. After stomping on it to make sure it was secure, it climbed out of the tree hollow to search for more things.

The two: “...”

“It’s a Pine Squirrel.” Sang Sang suddenly realized, “It seems you happened to fall into the Pine Squirrel’s nest.”

Pine Squirrels were common spiritual creatures living in the mountains.

They liked to eat medicinal plants, any herb could be their food. However, these creatures feared the cold, so they had the habit of storing food before winter arrived. Ji Hengyu had coincidentally fallen into its old nest, which explained the presence of the Spring Bright Herbs.

Storing food wasn’t easy for Pine Squirrels. If all their stored food disappeared, they might die of shock.

After much thought, Sang Sang kindly left three Spring Bright Herbs for them. With brains the size of a grain of rice, the squirrels wouldn’t remember exactly how much food they had stored. After finishing this, the young couple supported each other as they descended the mountain.

The next day, she went to town and sold all the herbs she had picked, earning a total of one hundred and sixty silver taels.

Sang Sang then bought two bolts of fine fabric at the cloth shop and some cured meat and wine, then headed home.

To better integrate into human life, she relied on walking back and forth each time.

But today, feeling pleased and eager to see him, after leaving the town and seeing no one around, Sang Sang cast the Wind Riding Technique, stepping on treetops, her dancing figure light as a feather. Since meeting Ji Hengyu, she rarely experienced this feeling. Now, with the fresh breeze caressing her face, she comfortably squinted her eyes.

Sang Sang didn’t indulge too long; after flying a distance, she resumed walking.

She returned early today, well before the evening mealtime. The village wasn’t strictly regulated, with fewer rules. People gathered in groups of three or four, chatting and laughing.

Seeing her appear, countless gazes naturally fell upon her.

The young couple had settled in Bamboo Creek Village two years ago. Their superior appearances immediately drew gossip. Sang Sang looked youthful, appearing sixteen or seventeen despite being in her twenties, with pale skin that glowed under sunlight.

Even in remote villages, women who loved beauty would wear one or two hairpins, dressing up during festivals. She didn’t; her ink-black hair was loosely tied with a wooden pin year-round. Ji Hengyu had bought her some jewelry, but she disliked wearing it, preferring only the hairpin he personally carved for her. She wasn’t good at dressing up, often wearing coarse hemp clothes, yet even in such plain attire, she couldn’t hide the innate charm in her bones.

Villagers were talkative, unlike noble people in cities with many forms of entertainment. Aside from busy farming, the only way to pass time was to gossip about neighbors. A young couple like Sang Sang and Ji Hengyu, without clear origins, naturally became frequent topics of conversation.

However, usually, they gossiped behind closed doors, not openly discussing others’ affairs in front of them.

Seeing Sang Sang return with bags, the village aunt warmly greeted her: “Lady Sang is back early today.”

Sang Sang wasn’t good at interacting with mortals. Initially choosing to settle here was because of the sparsely populated area, rich in natural energy, beneficial for her husband’s recovery. Even their house was relocated to the farthest foot of the mountain. Seeing the warm greeting, Sang Sang awkwardly responded with a smile, silently quickening her pace.

However, the aunt obviously didn’t want to let her leave easily, stepping forward to affectionately link arms with Sang Sang, “Our hen just laid eggs, all fed with our own grass. I’ll give you a few to try?”

Sang Sang awkwardly withdrew her hand, “No need, my husband can’t eat eggs; he gets rashes.”

She made up an excuse and bypassed the aunt, leaving directly.

Seeing her walk away, the aunt immediately changed her demeanor. Turning to her husband still staring at Sang Sang’s back, she became furious and stepped forward to pinch his ear.

“Though Lady Sang is capable. Look at those two bolts of fabric, both new materials. They cost quite a few silver coins.”

Her words piqued others’ interest—

“Lady Sang’s man looks handsome, but judging by his arms and legs, he can’t do heavy work. With only her selling herbs at home, how much can she earn? Do you think…”

The man spoke, eyes filled with lust.

“Tsk!” The nearby aunt couldn’t bear it anymore and kicked him. “No wonder they call you Scabby. You really have a toad’s brain and a pervert’s heart. Today, my brother from town visited me and said he saw Lady Sang selling quite a few Spring Bright Herbs. She genuinely earns money through her abilities. If you envy her, go collect herbs in the middle of the night yourself.”

□□Head heard this and retorted: “Collecting is fine. Can she, a woman, climb up there? Can’t I?”

The aunt rolled her eyes, unwilling to converse with such filth. This conversation ended unpleasantly.

**

“Husband, I’m back! Come out and help me carry something!”

Sang Sang called into the courtyard. Soon, Ji Hengyu walked out.

He limped, his foot injury not severe, making Sang Sang instantly regret letting him help. In the end, Ji Hengyu forcibly took the two heavy bolts of fabric from her arms.

“Why didn’t you call me ‘dear husband’ today?”

At this, Sang Sang pouted: “When I was selling medicine, a few scholars came along, calling their husbands ‘dear husband.’ I don’t want to share the same title. Who would know if I’m calling you ‘husband’ or ‘scholar.’”

She was always unpredictable, her temper manifesting in ways Ji Hengyu couldn’t understand.

But ultimately, it was a harmless title change, she wanted to change it, so she did.

Ji Hengyu carried the fabric, remaining silent as he walked inside.

Sang Sang vaguely felt something strange about him, “You look unhappy?”

“Hmm?” Ji Hengyu’s tone rose slightly, shaking his head, looking up ahead.

Sang Sang initially didn’t understand. When she followed his gaze, her legs suddenly weakened.

A youth dressed in cloud-patterned robes stood at the threshold, his face as white as jade, habitually smiling, but his eyes were faint, neither truly smiling nor not.

Ji Hengyu finally spoke: “He says... he’s your brother.”

Sang Sang froze.

What was Sang Ning up to this time?

Compared to Sang Sang’s astonishment, Ji Hengyu remained calm. “Let’s go inside first.”

Sang Sang had bought plenty of ready-made food in town today, skipping the hassle of cooking.

Ji Hengyu added a chair to the table in front of the courtyard, arranging the food and wine, respectfully inviting Sang Ning to sit at the head of the table. He accepted the care without hesitation.

The three formed a triangle.

At this moment, Sang Sang felt so awkward she almost fainted. She sat on pins and needles, but to avoid raising Ji Hengyu’s suspicion, she pretended to be oblivious. “You… are really my brother?”

Sang Ning lifted a cup of wine and smiled: “I’ve already told Ji Hengyu everything. I’ve been searching for you for years, traversing the four seas and rivers to find news of you. Seeing you alive now makes me extraordinarily happy…”

Sang Ning’s acting was convincing; he even teared up genuinely while speaking.

Sang Sang was speechless, glancing at Ji Hengyu, who was unusually silent, quietly serving her dishes.

Based on her years of understanding of Ji Hengyu, he definitely wasn’t happy.

— Sang Ning must be crazy!!!

Out of frustration, her grip on the chopsticks tightened involuntarily, then with a crack, the sturdy bamboo chopsticks snapped in half.

Ji Hengyu frowned and quickly held her hand: “Are you hurt?”

Sang Sang shook her head, her smile stiff: “I was just too excited.”

“I’ll go get another pair of chopsticks.”

Taking advantage of his departure, Sang Sang couldn’t endure any longer, grabbing Sang Ning’s sleeve, her expression fierce: “What are you doing?”

Sang Ning also lowered his voice, “How disrespectful. How dare you speak to your elder brother like that?”

He assumed the role of the elder brother, and Sang Sang wasn’t one to back down either. “I am the King of Tianze River; you should listen to me!”

“You should listen to me when we’re outside.”

“Bullshit—”

“Try saying another dirty word to me.” Sang Ning covered her mouth and nose, his gentle demeanor gone, leaving only anger.

Sang Sang was somewhat afraid of her brother, fearfully shrinking her neck, but unwilling to yield, glaring at him with wide eyes, trying to intimidate him.

The siblings faced off, neither willing to back down until Ji Hengyu’s figure appeared from the kitchen. Sang Sang quickly hugged Sang Ning, pretending to sob into his embrace.

Come to think of it, one crying and one hugging did evoke a moving scene of siblings reuniting.

Ji Hengyu’s eyes flickered, suddenly feeling agitated. Throughout his cultivation, he had mostly been calm and composed, never expecting that such trifling matters could irritate him.

If Sang Sang really had a protective older brother, he would naturally be happy for her.

However, before Sang Sang returned, Sang Ning had told him many things. He said they were originally from a prestigious family, separated by war. He had fought on the battlefield, while his sister was lost. After years of searching, finding her was fortunate, and he was grateful for Ji Hengyu’s care over the past seven years.

Ji Hengyu wasn’t stupid.

Between the lines, Sang Ning implied she belonged to the clouds above, while he was just a mortal. How could they match?

Above the clouds, he was the top swordsman; below the clouds, he was mediocre, relying on his delicate wife even for daily life. From Sang Ning’s perspective, it was indeed hard to entrust his sister to such a household.

But what about Sang Sang?

Ji Hengyu had already immersed himself in this harmonious, leisurely life, cherishing every day with her, selfishly hoping Sang Sang would stay by his side forever until she grew old and died.

If Sang Sang left with her brother and didn’t want him...

Ji Hengyu raised his eyes, fiercely staring at Sang Ning’s handsome profile, suddenly harboring an extremely dark and despicable thought.

In a blink, he quickly snapped out of it, his heartbeat momentarily losing balance, filled with panic and disgust, mixed with a hint of surprise.

Born to cultivate the Dao of all beings, how could he... harbor such thoughts.