Publish Time: 2026-07-05 18:32:00
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«Chapter 544: Just How Many Peach Blossoms Are There!
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Chen Changsheng said, “This is Ruyi, the child from the neighboring courtyard.”
Hearing this, Ruyi argued, “Uncle Chen, I’ve grown up, I’m not a child anymore.”
“Is Ruyi not a child?”
“I’ve said it many times, no! No!!”
Ying En smiled warmly and glanced at Chen Changsheng, saying, “Ying En has never heard Uncle Chen describe someone like this before.”
Ruyi paused, looked at Uncle Chen, then shyly turned her head away.
Chen Changsheng didn’t bicker further with Ruyi. Instead, he said, “Please come in, Dragon Princess.”
Ying En nodded and stepped into the yard.
Chen Changsheng then called out, “Ruyi, go heat some tea.”
Ruyi let out a light humph and said, “Fine, I’ll go!”
She seemed rather unwilling.
For a moment, she wasn’t sure who this woman was. If she was a rival for Sister Yun or Sister Aqing’s affection, she’d have to be careful!
But this lady kept calling him “Uncle Chen,” leaving Ruyi puzzled.
Stealing a husband was understandable, but stealing an uncle? How odd!
Ying En probably understood the situation. After sitting down, she remarked with a smile, “She’s a straightforward girl.”
Chen Changsheng replied, “She’s always been undisciplined, Dragon Princess, please don’t mind it.”
“I won’t.”
Ying En smiled warmly. “Ying En thinks Miss Ruyi might just be the one to help Uncle Chen lighten up. That’s truly a good thing.”
Chen Changsheng’s gaze drifted toward the kitchen, watching Ruyi’s busy figure. This girl really was different from most people.
The Dragon Princess then handed Chen Changsheng the herbs she’d brought.
Ying En explained, “These are the spiritual herbs Uncle Chen requested. There are also some others you might find useful later.”
“Thank you for the trouble, Dragon Princess.”
“You’re too polite, Uncle Chen.”
Ying En then inquired, “Uncle, are these herbs for alchemy? Ying En recalls this seems to be the formula for the Youth-Preserving Pill?”
Chen Changsheng paused briefly. “The Dragon Princess knows alchemy too?”
“I studied a bit long ago, fiddled around with it, but never achieved anything worthwhile.”
Ying En chuckled. “I suppose alchemy just isn’t suited to me.”
She paused before adding, “Speaking of which, Ying En is quite curious why Uncle is refining Youth-Preserving Pills.”
For someone with Uncle Chen’s skills, he likely wouldn’t need such pills. So they must be a gift—and surely for a woman.
Moreover, only mortals would typically need Youth-Preserving Pills.
A mortal woman? Her gaze mirrored Ruyi’s intense curiosity when questioning about Yun Xiang earlier.
Burning curiosity lit up her eyes.
Chen Changsheng replied calmly, “They’re a gift.”
Ying En asked, “Might Ying En ask which lady has such fortune?”
Chen Changsheng found the question increasingly odd. “This probably isn’t something you yourself would normally ask, Dragon Princess?”
Ying En never usually pried into such matters.
Almost certainly, it was the Old Dragon King’s curiosity at work.
Ying En nodded, admitting, “To be honest, Uncle Chen, my father sent me to ask.”
“Mr. Chen had known it.” Chen Changsheng offered a helpless smile. The Old Dragon King always had questionable motives.
Ying En smiled. “Still, Ying En truly is curious. What kind of lady could win Uncle Chen’s special regard?”
Chen Changsheng only said, “We share a deep bond, but it hasn’t reached that level yet.”
Hearing this, Ying En’s eyes sparkled. Uncle Chen hadn’t dismissed the possibility outright? So there was hope?
Her own curiosity flared.
She didn’t press further, content to know this much. It wouldn’t do to embarrass Uncle Chen.
Just then, Ruyi brought the tea.
Ying En received it with both hands, saying, “Thank you, Miss Ruyi.”
Ruyi offered a faint, rather insincere smile. “You’re welcome.”
She then sat down.
Chen Changsheng blinked. “Isn’t there any for me?”
Ruyi blinked back innocently. “It’s right here, Uncle Chen. Can’t you pour yourself some?”
Chen Changsheng was both exasperated and amused. “You… Oh well.”
He poured himself a bowl of tea and took a small sip.
Ruyi sniffed lightly, then scooped up Lihua the cat and started petting it.
Lihua stretched out its paws, thoroughly enjoying the attention.
Suddenly, Ying En asked, “I wonder, Miss Ruyi, when did you first meet Uncle Chen?”
“Are you asking me?”
Ruyi looked up. “I was six. The Righteous Army had entered the city those years ago. Times were very hard.”
How could she ever forget?
Ying En said thoughtfully, “That must be over ten years ago…”
Ruyi nodded. “Sixteen years.”
She then asked, “May I ask—how should I address you, Sister?”
“Just call me Miss Ying.”
“So, when did Sister Ying meet Uncle Chen?”
“Let me think…”
Ying En pondered. “Twenty years? Thirty?”
She shook her head, sighing softly. “I can’t quite remember anymore.”
Years spent focused on cultivation blurred the passage of time, but indeed, it had been a very long while.
Ruyi froze at these words. She looked Ying En over carefully.
She didn’t seem much older. If that were the case…
There could only be one explanation.
So Ruyi asked directly, “Sister Ying, are you an Immortal… or a Monster?”
Ying En smiled gently. “A bit of both.”
Ruyi stared blankly, confused.
She then turned her questioning eyes toward Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng explained, “Your Sister Ying is the daughter of the Dragon Lord, the Goddess of Tianjiang of the Tongtian River.”
Ruyi looked at Ying En, who nodded in confirmation.
Ruyi’s mouth fell open. For a moment, she couldn’t process it.
“Dr…Dragon Princess?!”
Seeing her shocked expression, Ying En asked, “I thought Miss Ruyi might have been somewhat prepared? It wasn’t my intention to startle you.”
“No, I…” Ruyi felt flustered.
She wasn’t scared of Lihua or Hong Jin, having interacted with them often – they weren’t Great Demons anyway.
But the person before her now was…
“Do…dragons truly exist?” Ruyi’s voice still held disbelief.
Ying En nodded. “Of course they do. Uncle Chen and my father are close friends. Furthermore, many years ago, a water-dragon was in peril during its Water Crossing ritual. Uncle Chen aided it, and it transformed into a True Dragon.”
This barrage of information left Ruyi speechless.
Her eyes darted between Chen Changsheng and the Dragon Princess. She opened her mouth several times but couldn’t utter a word.
It was just too much to take in.
After a few moments of internal struggle, Ruyi asked, “So… Sister Ying’s dad is the Dragon Lord worshipped in the Dragon King Temple?”
Ying En nodded. “That’s correct.”
Ruyi turned to Chen Changsheng. “And Uncle Chen is good friends with the Dragon Lord?”
Chen Changsheng nodded. “We became acquainted many, many years ago.”
Ruyi stood up, her eyes filled with bewildered realization.
She finally understood…
Why Uncle Chen hadn’t offered a single stick of incense when he accompanied her to the Dragon King Temple all those years ago.
After all…
Who burns incense for their own close friend?
«Chapter 544: Just How Many Peach Blossoms Are There!
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