I Was Actually Teased

After seeing off Su Yi, Chen Ping'an didn't enter the courtyard. Instead, he headed towards a direction in the small town. He needed to buy some things.

He realized he lacked knowledge about the cultivation world. He needed to buy some books to read up on it.

In the center of Qingyuan Town, in front of a shop tucked away in a quiet alley, Chen Ping'an paused to look at the signboard.

"Realm of Myriad Books."

It was a good name.

Chen Ping'an went into the bookstore like an old hand. "Manager Duan, I'm here. Are you in?"

This was a bookstore filled with bookshelves. Before long, a woman came out from the back courtyard.

She appeared to be twenty-five or twenty-six years old, very beautiful with ruby lips, pearly whites, and skin as fair as jade. Her figure was curvaceous in all the right places, giving off a sense of full ripeness.

A man with even a slight lack of restraint would likely pounce upon seeing her. Those with keen observation would also notice a tiny red mole on her neck.

"Mr. Chen, you've come! It's been a long time since you last visited my store. What kind of book are you looking for this time?" The woman smiled at Chen Ping'an, her demeanor somewhat coquettish.

But if one looked closely, they would see a glint in her beautiful phoenix-like eyes.

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Indeed, it has been a while. How's business lately?"

Duan Xinxin shook her head and sighed. "Same as usual, barely making ends meet. You know, it's hard for a weak woman like me to get by. I really wish I could find a good man to marry." She gave Chen Ping'an a meaningful look, full of coquetry.

Chen Ping'an was momentarily stunned, his face flushing red. He quickly changed the subject. "Ahem, Manager, let's not talk about that. Do you have any books about the cultivation world? Like those with common knowledge about cultivation?"

This bookstore was quite miraculous. Whenever Chen Ping'an needed a certain type of book, he could always find it here, as if the store had every book imaginable.

The manager also gave Chen Ping'an a very mystical feeling. He felt like he had seen her somewhere before, even prior to his transmigration. He had asked her about this before, but she would just playfully tease that he must have dreamed about her, a certain kind of dream he couldn't describe, which was why she seemed so familiar...

Upon hearing his request, Duan Xinxin bit her lip. "Every time I bring that up, you change the subject. No fun. As for that kind of book, I just so happen to have one. Let me go check the back courtyard."

With that, she swayed her hips as she walked away. Chen Ping'an's face was still a bit red, but he shook his head and smiled, no longer dwelling on it. He felt the manager was just habitually coquettish, perhaps having teased many innocent men like himself before.

In truth, Chen Ping'an had considered taking the manager up on her invitation, to have a romantic tryst. But then he thought about how he might die due to his system mission, leaving her a young widow, so he dismissed the idea. Moreover, he could not yet forget the her from his previous life.

The manager soon returned with a rather new book in her hands. "Here you go."

'Common Knowledge of the Cultivation World.'

There really was such a book...

Chen Ping'an gave a wry smile and looked at Duan Xinxin. "Manager, I really feel like you have every kind of book here."

Duan Xinxin laughed. "Well, did you even look at the name of my bookstore?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head and smiled, feeling she was just boasting, so he didn't press further. He asked about the price instead.

Duan Xinxin said, "No need for money. Take it, it's not worth much anyway. Consider it a token of affection." She laughed.

Chen Ping'an was speechless once more. Teasing me again...

However, well aware of her unrestrained personality, Chen Ping'an didn't respond. He took out some silver and left it on the counter before turning to leave with a casual wave of his hand, looking quite dashing in that moment.

Duan Xinxin leaned against the doorframe, her posture quite alluring, and watched Chen Ping'an leave. After he disappeared into the alley, she revealed a teasing smile.

"This silly fool, he really has changed so much compared to millions of years ago."

Suddenly, the entire bookstore vanished into thin air, leaving nothing but an empty alley...

Chen Ping'an walked back while humming a tune, carrying the book he bought. Seeing a watermelon vendor, he bought one watermelon and then another, knowing Su Ling liked them.

When he returned to the courtyard, Su Ling was already awake. Seeing the two watermelons Chen Ping'an was holding, she leapt up and down excitedly.

Watching Su Ling's adorable behavior put Chen Ping'an in a great mood. Now he knew how to make Su Ling happy – one watermelon wasn't enough, he'd have to get two!

In the afternoon, the sunset dyed the horizon crimson. The remaining sunlight faded as the sky transformed into a perfect watercolor painting.

Chen Ping'an read the book he bought together with Su Ling. After reading all afternoon, he gained much more understanding about the common knowledge of the cultivation world.

He even came across a section about opportunities.

"So this 'opportunity' in the eyes of cultivators does indeed mean a fortuitous chance, but it has to be related to cultivation?"

Chen Ping'an pondered, feeling a bit confused. He had thought Mu Ronggong and the others were just using "opportunity" to mean eating a meal!

But according to the book's description, did the "opportunity" they always mentioned after meals have something to do with cultivation?

Chen Ping'an fell into deep thought. "Related to cultivation... does that mean eating a meal can lead to a breakthrough? Nonsense, the book says unless you consume some heavenly treasured ingredient, there's barely any possibility. So the food I make is a heavenly treasure?"

Chen Ping'an glanced towards the kitchen. The rice and vegetables were just things he bought in town. If they were heavenly treasures, wouldn't this town be famous already?

"It seems they just really enjoy the tea and meals I cook, finding them so incredibly delicious that it feels like an opportunity that's hard to come by. And the way Long Lao spoke so slowly shows his high status – he must have tasted such fine delicacies before, so he wasn't too surprised."

With this understanding, Chen Ping'an felt it made sense more or less. But to be sure, he still needed to ask Mu Ronggong and the others to clarify.

He could also take the opportunity to ask about why they kept calling him "Senior," as well as questions about establishing a sect for his mission task, which was proving quite difficult.

"Sigh, I'll have to ask them about founding a sect while I'm at it. This mission is really hard."

Chen Ping'an felt dejected.

At Leanmountain Sect's mountain peak, Mu Ronggong, Zhang Shaofeng, Mu Rongyunhai, and Zhang Qingxian landed one after another, all looking exceptionally happy and chatting animatedly.

"So it's settled, we'll choose that mountain peak!" Mu Ronggong said with a smile.

Zhang Shaofeng nodded. "Yes, it's decided then. By the way, should we let Senior know? After all, Senior is now the Ancestral Patriarch of your sect."

Mu Rongyunhai said, "Of course we have to inform Senior about such an important matter concerning the sect. Senior will definitely agree to this good news."

The four felt it was feasible and planned to rest before going to find Chen Ping'an.

At that moment, as if sensing Mu Ronggong and the others, Mu Rongxue came out from the main hall. "Grandpa, where have you all been these days? I thought you had gone missing..."

Mu Rongxue said exasperatedly.

Mu Ronggong smiled. "Your Grandpa Zhang and I have decided to merge our two sects into one, and we'll also give it a new name!"