Chapter 428 - 173: Zhao Xin’s Progress

A warmth spread through Xu Lei’s heart.

That was right. Here in the Sun Palace, one could also cook meals.

However, the ingredients could only be grown in one’s own courtyard. As for things like seeds and soil, they must have been brought from the Mortal World to the courtyards of the Celestial Palace long ago. In any case, every house’s courtyard already had soil, water, and so on.

Of course, within this Ninefold Celestial Treasure Tower, one could simply absorb the Spiritual Mist and not eat at all.

Some people abstained from food completely, feeling that eating still had a slight effect on their Cultivation.

But quite a few people would secretly grow a little for themselves and eat from time to time.

There just wasn’t any meat, though.

Only some vegetables and rice.

「Soon.」

The two of them were sitting together at the dinner table.

"Ah! Open wide!"

Zhao Xin asked with a smile, "Uncle Hui Chi, do you like having me as your sister?"

"Of course I do. Having you by my side makes me feel very at ease."

Xu Lei paused for a moment, then smiled. "I especially like the way you look when you say ’Amitabha Buddha.’"

"Alright then. From now on, I’ll be your sister, so you have to listen to what I say, okay?"

A playful smile appeared on Zhao Xin’s face. "If you like hearing your sister call herself ’sister,’ I’ll say it more often. I’ll say it for you again tonight."

Xu Lei smiled and agreed, and the relationship between them grew even closer.

"Uncle Hui Chi, do you still remember our days in the Mortal World?"

Zhao Xin suddenly said with a sigh, "Back then, we had so much meat to eat. I never thought that after our Ascension, we’d be forced to eat vegetarian every day!"

"Of course I remember. I’ll never forget those days."

Xu Lei nodded. "Yes, I never expected life after Ascension to be like this. Our lifespans have certainly grown longer. The Spiritual Mist here can extend one’s life. At our Realm, we could already live for several hundred years, and with the help of this Spiritual Mist, we can live even longer. The only thing is, we have no freedom. We’re trapped inside this Ninefold Celestial Treasure Tower, with no meat to eat either."

"Let’s just work hard together and try to pass the trials as soon as possible."

A flicker of determination flashed in Zhao Xin’s eyes. "Then we can return to the Mortal World together and relive those happy times. To be powerful and immortal, yet still be able to go back to that mundane life of daily chores and frequent Charitable Giving... now that’s what I call a truly free and leisurely eternal life."

"We can definitely do it."

Xu Lei gripped Zhao Xin’s hand tightly and said with conviction, "We will."

The two looked at each other and smiled.

「After they finished their meal.」

Xu Lei and Zhao Xin went their separate ways to cultivate.

In truth, neither of them needed to eat, but they still wanted to satisfy their carnal desires.

After all, if a person’s basic desires go unfulfilled for too long, their mind can become twisted.

As for his current life, Xu Lei found it fairly acceptable.

After all, some of the other Cultivators didn’t even have a Dao Companion.

He now had the beautiful Zhao Xin accompanying him, and they could engage in Charitable Giving whenever they pleased. Although he had no freedom and had to be a vegetarian, the daily sessions of Charitable Giving with Zhao Xin made him very happy.

「And just like that, another three months passed.」

「That evening.」

Xu Lei was in Zhao Xin’s courtyard, holding her as they engaged in Charitable Giving.

Unexpectedly, Jue Gen’s voice sounded from outside the gate.

It turned out he had come over to deliver some vegetables he had grown himself.

He was fawning over her with all sorts of gentle and soft words.

But of course, Zhao Xin didn’t dare make a sound.

She frantically covered her mouth.

"Senior Sister, since you’re cultivating, I’ll leave now. I’ll just put the vegetables here. Remember to get them," Jue Gen said, still fawning over her.

He had no idea that Zhao Xin, inside, was in the middle of being given frenzied Charitable Giving by Xu Lei.

"Ah."

Suddenly, Zhao Xin couldn’t help but let out a sound.

"Senior Sister, so you’re not resting after all?"

Jue Gen, who had been about to leave from outside the gate, thought his actions had moved Zhao Xin. He asked excitedly, "Are you finished with your Cultivation?"

"Don’t!"

Of course, just then, Zhao Xin quickly uttered a single word: "Don’t!"

"What’s wrong, Senior Sister? These vegetables are quite good. Why don’t you want them?"

Jue Gen added, "I know you don’t like me yet, but you can think of me as a friend first! It’s okay for friends to accept a small gift!"

This left Xu Lei speechless.

Seeing that the guy wasn’t leaving, Xu Lei thought about stopping.

"I said I don’t want them!"

But to his surprise, Zhao Xin motioned for Xu Lei to continue while simultaneously saying to Jue Gen outside, "Take all your vegetables and go. When I say I don’t want them, I mean it!"

With that, she wrapped her arms around Xu Lei and kissed him wildly. "Uncle Hui Chi, keep going! My ’don’t’ was for him, not for you!"

Xu Lei couldn’t help but let out an amused laugh.

After that, Xu Lei didn’t say anything else and simply held Zhao Xin, slowly continuing their Charitable Giving.

"Senior Sister, I’ll be leaving now then."

Jue Gen said from outside, "Since I brought these vegetables all the way here, I’m not taking them back. If you don’t want them, you can just throw them away."

Then he left.

And Xu Lei began his frenzied Charitable Giving.

「When they were finished.」

Zhao Xin actually went outside to throw the vegetables away.

"Senior Sister, you came out?" To her surprise, Jue Gen was still waiting outside. He got very excited when he saw her. "My vegetables are really quite good. Please just accept them, okay?"

Zhao Xin froze, secretly relieved that she hadn’t cried out wantonly earlier.

"I really don’t want them, Junior Brother. Please just take them back..." Zhao Xin seriously refused again, but Jue Gen remained completely unreceptive.

So, Zhao Xin could only return to the house.

Inside, Xu Lei embraced her from behind.

The two of them lay silently against each other on the bed.

"What is all this?"

Zhao Xin said helplessly, "We’re truly in love, and we were Dao Companions in the Mortal World! Now that we’re here, it feels like we’re having a secret affair!"

Xu Lei couldn’t help but frown slightly.

It was true. If it weren’t for Yuan Kong, there would be no need to hide from this Jue Gen at all.