For the matter of Jiang Wang gifting his Dao merits earned from the Three Cities Meet to others, almost no one could understand it, save for Ling He.

But no one would interfere.

Jiang Wang owed nothing to anyone, and save for Jiang An’an, he needed not be responsible to anyone.

However, while chatting with Zhao Rucheng, Jiang Wang still expressed his apologies: “Rucheng, originally, your third brother should have helped you gather enough for an Aperture Opening Pill first, but…”

Zhao Rucheng instead chuckled, “There are so many difficult people and matters under heaven, can you help everyone?”

“I don’t have any grand ambition to benefit the world and save the common people. But since some things have collided with me, I can’t turn a blind eye. You didn’t see the way their eyes were red. Those people, they don’t even bat an eye when shedding blood in battle…” Jiang Wang sighed, “It reminded me of when we returned from Little Forest Town, and those senior brothers who locked themselves in their rooms to secretly cry.”

“My third brother! I’d rather you had some grand ambition,” Zhao Rucheng said with a smile, his tone half-serious, half-joking. “One old good-for-nothing like Boss is enough.”

Jiang Wang was silent for a moment, then said, “I just want you to know that your third brother isn’t unconcerned about your future. It’s just that I was soft-hearted at the time. Our brothers can quickly accumulate Dao merits together doing tasks. The common people of Three Mountains City may not have so much time to wait.”

Zhao Rucheng looked at him. “I just want to tell you. I really don’t need it.”

“Your talent is excellent, it shouldn’t be wasted.”

“Who says that happy things are always related to ‘waste’?” Zhao Rucheng said with a grin. “Is spending a thousand gold for a smile a waste? But it makes me happy. Is wasting time a waste? But it makes me happy. I have money, I have talent, but so what? It is precisely wasting them that makes me happy!”

“…” Jiang Wang said, “It’s good that Boss didn’t hear that, otherwise he’d lecture you for half a day.”

“Hahahaha,” Zhao Rucheng laughed loudly. “So every time he starts lecturing me, I immediately tell him that I’m going home to work hard! Then I run away.”

The two chatted and laughed as they walked past the gate of the Dao Academy.

It was then that they noticed a naked man hanging suspended in the air above the jade lion statue on the left side of the gate.

His hands were bound to a horizontally growing branch, a branch belonging to a strange tree growing on the courtyard wall – undoubtedly conjured by Daoist arts.

The man’s head was hanging low, his long hair disheveled. His exposed skin was fair, but a bit too thin and lacking muscle.

A wooden board hung around his neck, with the words “Betraying one’s master and destroying one’s ancestors, a crime unforgivable. Air-dried for three days, as a warning to others.”

The more Jiang Wang looked, the more familiar he felt. He focused his gaze and finally confirmed that the person was Huang Azhan.

“What happened?” he asked Zhao Rucheng.

Zhao Rucheng stifled a laugh and said, “Last night, he went to smash Xiao Tiemian’s door while wearing a mask, and got caught red-handed. So now, he’s personally demonstrating the consequences of betraying one’s master and destroying one’s ancestors.”

“Why did he do that?” Jiang Wang asked, completely clueless. “Why pick a fight with Xiao Tiemian of all people?”

The Maple Forest City Dao Academy had three people one should never provoke: Xiao Tiemian of the Arts Institute, the cook in the dining hall, and Dean Dong in the early morning.

It was said that Dean Dong had a particularly bad temper when he woke up, and was most likely to get angry at that time, so everyone tried to avoid him during that period.

The Dao Academy’s dining hall actually had a rich variety of dishes, no less than a typical restaurant. The only problem was, you couldn’t choose what to eat, it all depended on the cook’s mood. So it was only natural that he was untouchable.

The first on the list was Xiao Tiemian of the Arts Institute, which showed the depth of the shadow he cast on the Dao Academy’s disciples…

Yet Huang Azhan dared to stroke the tiger’s backside. One had to say he was daring beyond belief.

“Hahahaha,” Zhao Rucheng laughed. “Weren’t we responsible for welcoming the Three Mountains City cultivators before? A teacher said his image wasn’t good, so they didn’t let him lead the team and had Elder Ling do it instead. That teacher was Xiao Tiemian. After the Three Cities Meet, the more Huang Azhan thought about it, the angrier he got. Last night, he drank some wine and decided to give Xiao Tiemian a piece of his mind.”

Jiang Wang was speechless. “…”

He was born to be alive, why did he have to seek death?

Huang Azhan had been hanging his head with his hair down, just trying his best to hide his identity. But he couldn’t stand Zhao Rucheng enthusiastically explaining everything here, and laughing so happily.

Huang Azhan heard it all and his anger flared in his heart.

“Brother Rucheng,” he said, finding it difficult to put on a show while hanging, but still flicking his long hair and revealing a very friendly smile, “Give your brother a hand.”

“Hey!” Zhao Rucheng responded merrily, then suddenly turned around, “Oh dear, I forgot about something important!”

He hurried away with great strides.

Huang Azhan bared his teeth and slowly looked at Jiang Wang.

Jiang Wang pointed in the direction Zhao Rucheng left. “I’ll go see what’s wrong with him.”

He also ran away in a puff of smoke.

It was obvious what Huang Azhan was plotting. But even if they were given the courage, they wouldn’t dare to take down the person Xiao Tiemian had hung up.

You should know that Huang Azhan had quite a few friends, but where was a single one of them now? They didn’t even dare to pass through the main gate, and planned to use the back door for the next few days.

…

Speaking of important things, Zhao Rucheng really wasn’t lying.

Today was the twelfth day of October, the day after the Three Cities Meet, and also Jiang An’an’s birthday.

Jiang Wang had prepared for this day long in advance.

The sliced mutton and mutton soup from Cai’s Mutton Shop, the pastries from Guixiangzhai, the charcoal hotpot from Du Dewang… Jiang Wang had ordered everything early, and it would be delivered directly to his home when the time came.

He had also gone to the market early in the morning to buy many fresh ingredients, preparing to show off his skills for his beloved sister – because it was still a secret, Zhao Rucheng hadn’t desperately stopped him.

Ling He had mysteriously left the city last night, saying he was preparing a surprise for Jiang An’an.

Zhao Rucheng had asked someone to buy new clothes from Yunxiangzhai as a gift, and was about to go back to retrieve them.

Jiang Wang hadn’t informed anyone else, so as not to give them the impression that they had to prepare gifts.

Huang Azhan could be called over to join the gathering, as An’an was also very familiar with him… but his being hung on the tree was an interesting program in itself.

It could be said that everything was ready, all that was missing was An’an finishing school.

Jiang Wang calculated the time, separated from Zhao Rucheng for the moment, and went to Mingde Hall alone. He was going to pick up Jiang An’an and bring her home. If An’an had any other friends, like that little girl named Qingzhi, he would also invite them to play at home.

Today was Jiang An’an’s birthday, Jiang An’an’s first birthday without her mother. It could also be said to be a summary of his and An’an’s lives during this period.

He wanted to give An’an a happy and joyful birthday, without the slightest bit of sorrow.

This was Jiang Wang’s most important arrangement in the recent period of time.

…

Zhao Rucheng carried a box of custom-made clothes from Yunxiangzhai in his left hand, and held a gorgeous brocade box in his right hand. Inside was a piece of smokey jade, an excellent material for magic tools, which could be worn to nourish one’s blood and Qi.

The clothes from Yunxiangzhai were already expensive, but the smokey jade was even more priceless. But to Young Master Zhao, money was no object.

When he arrived at the Jiang residence in Feima Lane, the door was locked.

Zhao Rucheng didn’t care, and jumped directly over the wall, put down the gifts, and found a deckchair in the courtyard to lean back on comfortably.

After a while, Ling He ran breathlessly to the outside of the courtyard, not even having had time to clean the mud off his clothes.

He was carrying a huge turtle in his hand, which looked to be at least three hundred years old.

This big turtle had been roaming in Green Willow River for a long time, Ling He had discovered it long ago, but only this time did he put in a lot of effort to catch it. He planned to give it to An’an to keep, as it could ensure longevity.

If she didn’t believe in that, it would be great for soup.

He was much more honest, seeing that the door was locked, he planned to wait outside.

Hearing the movement, Zhao Rucheng shattered the lock from the inside and let him in.

Then, the person delivering the mutton arrived, the person delivering the charcoal hotpot arrived, and the person delivering the pastries arrived.

Time passed little by little.

Finally, Jiang An’an returned home and found that the lock was broken.

She pushed open the courtyard door and saw a table full of delicacies in the courtyard, and Ling He and Zhao Rucheng with their gifts.

“Where’s your brother?” Ling He asked.

“Where’s my brother?” Jiang An’an asked.

They said it in unison.

…

Today was Jiang An’an’s birthday.

Ling He and Zhao Rucheng had arrived with gifts.

Jiang An’an herself had returned home.

But Jiang Wang had not returned.