Chapter 169: The Ultimate Eligible Bachelor

Xiao Jihan handed the Xuanling Mirror back to Yan Shu.

Yan Shu reached out and took it, asking no questions. Instead, she looked anxiously at the rabbit meat and urged, "Hurry, hurry! It's about to burn, and it won't taste good if it gets too dry!"

Xiao Jihan took the rabbit meat, sprinkled various seasonings on it, roasted it a bit longer, and handed a rabbit leg to her.

Yan Shu blew on it, tore off a piece of rabbit meat, and popped it into her mouth. "Hoo hoo, so hot, so delicious! Xiao Jihan, your cooking skills are getting better and better!"

Hearing this, Xiao Jihan glanced at her, lowered his eyes, and said in a low voice, "After all, I have nothing. This is all I can do for you, so naturally I must do it as well as possible."

At this moment, he looked utterly weak, helpless, and pitiful—a masterclass in portraying someone who relied entirely on her, poured his heart and soul into doing everything for her, and remained terrified that he hadn't done enough.

Yan Shu: "..."

How did he manage to bring out his inner white lotus act yet again out of nowhere?

Reflexively, Yan Shu blurted out, "Who says you have nothing? You still have me!"

Hearing this, Xiao Jihan's phoenix-like eyes instantly lit up as if filled with starlight. He raised his gaze to look at Yan Shu and gave a soft assent, "Right, I still have you."

Affection level: 66 (Love)
Affection level: 67 (Love)
Affection level: 68 (Love)

Yan Shu arched an eyebrow. The male lead was such a clingy, affection-starved little darling!

After finishing the rabbit, the two of them entered Zhongzhou City.

Zhongzhou got its name because it was located at the very center of the Nine Continents. For both mortals and cultivators alike, it served as a major transportation hub and the most prosperous place in the entire Nine Continents.

The imperial family of Zhongzhou belonged to the Yuwen clan. Unlike other royal families, cultivators were everywhere within the Yuwen clan, and none of them had poor spiritual roots. Ordinary dual-element spiritual roots were already considered the lowest tier of aptitude within the family.

What made people even more envious was that the Yuwen clan not only had countless cultivators, but they were also wealthy.

This wealth did not merely refer to mortal gold and silver, but rather to spirit stones—the hard currency circulating among cultivators!

Within the territory of Zhongzhou, there were several spirit stone veins, and one of them even produced top-tier spirit stones!

The Myriad Treasures Pavilion had been passed down from generation to generation of demon kings over tens of thousands of years, accumulating a very impressive sum by the time it reached the current demon king.

However, compared to the Yuwen clan, this wealth paled in comparison. After all, the Myriad Treasures Pavilion still had to earn its spirit stones, whereas the Yuwen clan only needed to pick up a hoe and dig them out.

It wasn't that other cultivators had never cast greedy eyes upon the spirit stone veins, but the Yuwen clan possessed both a massive number of cultivators and exceptionally high quality. They were the textbook definition of being both wealthy and powerful. Talk about infuriating!

As for Yuwen Che, not only did he possess the best aptitude and the fastest cultivation speed in the entire Yuwen clan, but he was also born to the direct lineage and became the crown prince the moment he drew his breath. If he had lacked spiritual roots, his portrait would undoubtedly be hanging on the ancestral hall walls of the Yuwen clan today.

Therefore, the spirit stone veins, which symbolized the ultimate wealth of the cultivation world, naturally fell into Yuwen Che's hands.

It was no exaggeration to say that Yuwen Che was unquestionably the richest man in the cultivation world and its ultimate wealthy, handsome bachelor!

Sitting in a teahouse, Yan Shu listened to the storyteller slap the clapper and speak of Yuwen Che's exploits with glowing eyes. The audience below, regardless of gender or age, all wore expressions that practically screamed: *He is my husband! He is my son-in-law!* This sight made her heart ache with envy.

Compared to Yuwen Che, the Xuantian Sect was truly pitiful. Located in Yunzhou in the upper-right corner of the Nine Continents, it was horrifyingly poor.

Comparing oneself to others could genuinely make a person die of frustration!

She, too, desperately wanted to join the crowd of listeners and let out a passionate roar.

Just ask yourself!
Who wouldn't want a man who was handsome, powerful, kind-natured, and possessed astronomical wealth?!

Otherwise, in her past life, so many women wouldn't have thrown themselves at Wang Sicong in wave after wave.

A slightly cold gaze fell upon her from beside her, and Yan Shu suppressed her restless heart.

Daydreams were fine to have, but after the dream ended, one still had to recognize one's position and face reality.

Turning her gaze to Xiao Jihan, she said, "It's fine. When it comes to things like spirit stones, having enough is what matters. In the future, we can earn them through our own abilities!"

Hearing this, Xiao Jihan replied calmly, "To those mortals, or cultivators who have no hope of ascending in this lifetime, Yuwen Che's wealth is indeed enough to drive them mad. But to you and me, the mortal realm is merely a temporary stop."

"Once we ascend to the upper realm, these spirit stones will be nothing more than a pile of useless rocks. What matters more is one's own capability, don't you think?"

This, perhaps, was the confidence of a male lead.

Though, come to think of it, he had a point. Once ascended to the upper realm, personal strength was the foundation of existence.

Yet, what did any of that have to do with her?
She was merely a salted fish! A salted fish who simply wanted to enjoy life in the mortal realm, live peacefully, and coast along doing nothing!

However, she naturally dared not voice these thoughts. Whether it was Yuwen Che or Xiao Jihan, both were major powerhouses in her eyes, and entertaining thoughts of latching onto them was better left as a daydream.

To reiterate, a relationship with unequal status would eventually lose its balance. A person should focus on what they possessed themselves rather than gazing at what others had.

Under Xiao Jihan's watchful gaze, Yan Shu hurriedly nodded. "Right, right, right! You're completely right!"

Emerging from the teahouse, Xiao Jihan and Yan Shu restored their original appearances before heading toward the Taichu Sect.

The Taichu Sect existed in alliance with the Yuwen clan, and its mountain gates were located just outside Zhongzhou City.

Backed by the patronage of the Yuwen clan, even the gates of the Taichu Sect appeared exceptionally grand and imposing. One could tell at a glance that it belonged to a prestigious, wealthy powerhouse!

The guards at the gate caught sight of Xiao Jihan and Yan Shu approaching together from a distance and momentarily lost their wits. For no other reason than that the appearances of these two people were simply too extraordinary!

They had never laid eyes on anyone so breathtakingly gorgeous!

Yan Shu and Xiao Jihan reported their identities and the purpose of their visit. The guards finally recovered their senses, their eyes filled with sudden comprehension.

"Please wait a moment, the two of you, while we go report."

Yan Shu nodded and stood outside the mountain gate with Xiao Jihan to wait.

The gate guards used a sound-transmission talisman to relay the message, and not long after, Yuwen Che arrived floating gracefully through the air.

Clad in white robes that matched his ethereal and luminous demeanor, his mere presence made everyone's eyes instinctively light up before he even drew close.

He and Xiao Jihan possessed completely contrasting temperaments. Xiao Jihan was strikingly handsome, while Yuwen Che possessed an air of refined elegance—one resembled fire, the other water.

If Xiao Jihan were to wear red, he would undoubtedly possess a wild, untamed, and soul-stirring beauty that would put all women in the world to shame.

Yuwen Che, on the other hand, was suited for white robes, resembling a crisp breeze and a bright moon, dashing and romantic.

*A man in the mortal world as warm as jade, an peerless young lord without equal*—these words described him most aptly.

Arriving before Yan Shu, Yuwen Che completely ignored Xiao Jihan and instead offered Yan Shu a gentle smile. "Shu'er, you've come?"

Yan Shu actually had no idea why they had come to the Taichu Sect in the first place, but seeing Yuwen Che still brought her some joy. She nodded and said, "Mm, we just happened to pass by and came to check on you."