Longevity: Starting From Getting Down The Mountain And Marrying A Wife

"Master, please have some tea!"

"Thank you."

Yuyao Yu looked at the tea cup placed in front of her. The rising steam carried a refreshing fragrance that was much better than the ordinary spiritual tea found in the market.

Xiaohuan, accompanied by another maid, placed various dishes on the table: spiritual fruits, pastries made from spiritual herbs, snacks made from monster meat...

Yuyao Yu couldn't help but swallow her saliva, feeling a sense of injustice. This was the kind of life cultivators should have, unlike her own home where there was no warmth.

She surveyed the entire hall. It wasn't luxurious, but the decorations were tastefully arranged. Compared to her own home, it was considered poor and shabby.

"Are talisman masters so wealthy?"

Yuyao Yu doubted, then immediately denied the thought, "They must have obtained ill-gotten gains through unscrupulous means!"

Upon hearing the news, Jiang Ping hurried over and respectfully bowed, "I am Zhong Jiangshi, I greet Master Yu! My master is currently cultivating and will be here soon."

Yuyao Yu stood up and returned the gesture politely, saying, "No need to rush, Madam Zhong."

However, Zhong Yan, who had received the report, simply replied indifferently, "Understood."

In the blink of an eye, an incense stick's worth of time passed.

Xiaohuan found the maid from earlier and asked, "Xiaoqin, why didn't you inform the master?"

The young girl was taken aback, "I did inform her, Xiaohuan sister. Hasn't the master arrived yet?"

Xiaohuan went to the tenth courtyard herself and stood at the back door, feeling doubtful.

She knew Yuyao Yu's cultivation level was two levels higher than her master's, so why was she being treated with such neglect?

"Perhaps the master is busy..." After hesitating for a while, Xiaohuan decided not to disturb her further and returned to the ninth hall, shaking her head at Jiang Ping.

Fortunately, Jiang Ping often accompanied Zhong Yan when receiving cultivator guests, so she had gained a lot of experience and wouldn't let the atmosphere become awkward. She chatted happily with Yuyao Yu.

Until an hour later.

The sun set, and darkness enveloped the surroundings.

Jiang Ping was certain that her husband was doing this on purpose, probably due to some grudge against the female cultivator in front of them, deliberately not giving her face.

Moreover, she remembered the last time Tang Xiaoshu's wedding banquet, where so many cultivator guests were invited, but Yuyao Yu, a sixth-level Qi Refining cultivator, did not attend.

"I apologize, Master Yu. My husband often forgets the time when he is cultivating. At this critical moment, it is inconvenient for him to undergo Spiritual Ascension. Please bear with us. If you don't mind, please stay for dinner. After eating, my husband should be here soon."

Yuyao Yu had drunk a bellyful of spiritual tea and was now filled with anger. She wanted to leave.

But the thought of finally mustering up the courage to come here, if she left now, who knew when she would have the courage to come again?

When would the days of being unable to cultivate end?

"In that case, I'll trouble you. I'll wait a little longer."

The polite dismissal received this response. Jiang Ping felt suspicious and smiled, "No trouble at all. Thank you, Master Yu, for gracing us with your presence."

After speaking, Jiang Ping instructed the maids to serve the dishes.

One by one, the concubines of the Zhong family also approached.

Except for Yan Sandao and Tang Xiaoshu, who were busy at the martial arts hall in the western district, the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter were all present.

Looking at their delicate and pretty faces, Yuyao Yu couldn't help but think of what Zhong Yan had said when he visited her last time, "You look average, but you have beautiful thoughts." It seemed that he wasn't intentionally belittling her.

Compared to the five in front of her, although she was not inferior, able to hold her own, she had heard that the Zhong family had two martial artist concubines with good cultivation levels, both of them being first-class beauties in the mortal realm.

At this moment, it was clear that these five were not on the same level.

And the maids in this mansion, each one of them was beautiful and charming.

Especially the one named Xiaohuan, if she were dressed in the fur coats of the masters, she would probably outshine everyone despite her young age.

"Lustful scoundrel!" Yuyao Yu couldn't help but label Zhong Yan in her heart.

The fragrance filled the air, and Jiang Ping smiled, "Simple food and plain rice, please bear with it, Master Yu."

Yuyao Yu's lips twitched slightly, "..."

This was considered simple food and plain rice?

The fragrant spiritual rice, a table full of twelve dishes, a combination of meat and vegetables, with soup overflowing with fragrance, half of which were cooked with various monster ingredients rich in spiritual energy.

As a cultivator for so many years, she had never eaten such a sumptuous meal privately, only attending banquets and gatherings.

And now, in front of her, ordinary mortals were enjoying the treatment of cultivators.

For a moment, she began to doubt if she had become a fake immortal. There must be something wrong somewhere.

"Hmph~"

"I can't come here for nothing!"

"I'll eat up all your rice!"

Yuyao Yu thought fiercely in her heart, but in reality, she ate very modestly.

After eating only two bowls of spiritual rice, she ate even less than Xiaohua—As a sixth-level Qi Refining cultivator, she couldn't lose face! Who cared about this kind of food!

Putting down her chopsticks, Yuyao Yu was about to take the initiative to ask Jiang Ping to remind her husband again.

Outside, the cries of the maidservants could be heard - "Master is here!"

Huālā~

The five concubines sitting around the table all stood up at the same time.

Yu Qingyao, as if infected, also stood up and turned her head to look.

"Husband!"

"Master!"

Zhong Yan stood at the door, paused for a moment, and then smiled and bowed repeatedly, "Fellow Daoist Yu, welcome to the Zhong residence. Zhong Yan is late, please forgive me!"

Yu Qingyao: "..."

Zhong Yan turned his head and glared at the maidservant at the door, "Why didn't you come and inform me?"

The maidservant knelt down with a thud, trembling because she didn't know what had happened.

Xiao Huan also hurriedly knelt down, "Master, please calm down! The maidservant saw that the cultivation room was closed, so I thought it was a critical moment and didn't dare to disturb you without authorization!"

Seeing that Zhong Yan's anger seemed genuine, Yu Qingyao momentarily thought that the servants had neglected their duties.

But how could that be?

The little Qingyao inside her rolled her eyes and smiled, "Fellow Daoist Zhong, please don't be angry. Qingyao heard that Fellow Daoist was cultivating, so I didn't want to disturb you. It's nothing important, so waiting a little longer is fine."

Zhong Yan's expression eased, he glanced at the dining table and waved his hand, "Fellow Daoist Yu, please come to the study to talk."

Chun Xia Qiu Dong looked at Jiang Ping and showed a questioning look.

Jiang Ping shook his head.

On the other side.

After entering the study and sitting down, Zhong Yan waved his hand to create a soundproof barrier. His demeanor changed immediately, and he smiled ambiguously, "You're not qualified as a guest in this residence. You haven't contacted the main family for such a long time."

Why stop pretending now?

Yu Qingyao was speechless and angrily said, "I contacted you with a messaging talisman!"

"Is that so?"

Zhong Yan blinked, "Oh, it seems that the three messaging talismans for you were left in the cultivation room and I didn't bring them with me, so I didn't notice."

Two messaging talismans are paired and can only transmit sound when imprinted with divine consciousness. So, what he said made sense.

Yu Qingyao couldn't be bothered with these excuses and asked, "When did I enter the Zhong residence?"

Zhong Yan shook his head, "Your cultivation level is not convenient for coming here. Just stay at home. If I need you, I will find you. Don't spread the news about being a guest in this residence."

Yu Qingyao understood in her heart, fortunately she didn't act rashly. She secretly thought, she didn't know what dangerous tasks the other party would assign her.

"Is there anything else?"

"???" Yu Qingyao snapped back to reality, her eyes widened, what does he mean? Is he asking me to leave?

She swallowed her saliva and asked with some uncertainty, "Um, can you advance me some salary?"

Zhong Yan chuckled, "I knew it, you came because you're short on money."

"..." Yu Qingyao was speechless, her face turned red. This was the truth and she couldn't argue.

Zhong Yan said, "Salary is paid once a year. You've just started and haven't done anything yet, so how can I advance it to you?"

Yu Qingyao anxiously said, "Wasn't it me who took care of the Xue residence?"

Zhong Yan calmly said, "That was your pledge as a guest in my residence, a qualification assessment."

Yu Qingyao's chest heaved with anger. She took a deep breath and softened her tone as she explained seriously, "I promised to be a guest in the Zhong residence before you agreed. I didn't dare to take on any escort missions without your approval. Last month, the city lord's residence asked me to eliminate a demon, but I refused. Without any income, I can't even afford the rent. You want me to wait for a year before giving me my salary, but I can't even maintain my daily cultivation..."

Zhong Yan tapped his finger on the table, looking like he was seriously considering something.

Yu Qingyao pursed her lips and bowed, "Please, Fellow Daoist Zhong, be lenient and advance me a year's salary. I will fulfill my duties as a guest in the best way possible."

Zhong Yan said, "I said before, the Zhong residence doesn't keep useless people. I can advance your salary, but there happens to be something you need to do. Go on a trip and when you come back, I'll give it to you."

Yu Qingyao's face slightly changed. So he was waiting for her for this reason. "Please tell me, Fellow Daoist."

Zhong Yan waved his hand and threw a package onto the table, "Inside are two hundred spiritual stones and a copied martial arts manual. Take them to the Yangquan market and deliver them to the guard, Ma Zhida."

Yu Qingyao was stunned for a moment and instinctively asked, "Aren't you afraid that I'll take the things and run?"

"Do you dare?"

Zhong Yan sneered and got up to leave the study.

Yu Qingyao: "..."

Hmph, let's see if I dare!

Muttering to herself, she waved her hand and put the package into her storage bag, then hurriedly caught up with him, her face red, "Zhong, Zhong Fellow Daoist, since we're going to the market, I happen to need to buy some supplies. Can you lend me some spiritual stones first? Ten, no, five will do."

Zhong Yan turned his head, looking surprised, "You don't even have five spiritual stones?"

"..." Yu Qingyao was filled with shame and anger, wishing she could find a hole to hide in.

She bit her lip, stared at Zhong Yan for a while, then turned and walked away.