Twenty-seven Dao Origin Stones. To Jiang Wang now, it was an insignificant number, practically negligible.

But looking at this box, not even filled to the brim, he felt they were more precious than anything else in the world.

Jiang An’an was only six. She had just turned six on the fifteenth of last month.

That day, Jiang Wang was in Linzi, locked in a life-and-death struggle with Wang Yiwu.

How could a six-year-old child accumulate twenty-seven Dao Origin Stones?

He could almost picture it – little An’an, scrounging and pinching, like a tiny miser, collecting these treasures in her eyes.

Jiang Wang stared blankly at the box of Dao Origin Stones, and Jiang An’an blinked her eyes, “These were all earned running errands for Senior Brother, Senior Sister, and the others… Can they help you with your cultivation?”

She didn’t say it outright, but her eyes were clearly seeking praise.

Jiang Wang snapped back to reality, and swept Jiang An’an into a hug. “They’re a huge help! If I ever reach transcendence, it’ll be thanks to you! Jiang An’an, how are you so capable?”

Jiang An’an giggled, a look of triumph on her face.

After a while, Jiang Wang said, “Actually, I have a gift for you too.”

“You being back is the best gift!”

Jiang An’an’s words were sweet, making Jiang Wang laugh heartily, but the expectation in her eyes betrayed her.

“What gift?” she asked softly.

Jiang Wang put little An’an on a stool, and then began taking gifts out of his storage container, one by one.

Cloud-Fire Silk Candy from You Country…

All sorts of famous Qi Country tea snacks…

Iron Marrow Fruit sent by Lian Que from Nan Yao City…

Linzi’s famous Eight-Sound Tea, Misty Maiden’s Zither, Drunken Marquis, Cloud Hidden…

All unique delicacies that Jiang Wang had tasted. No matter where he was, he always remembered his greedy little sister. So, anything he tasted and found delicious, he had prepared a portion for Jiang An’an.

These were the delicacies he had gathered from his travels, and also all the experiences he was sharing with his sister.

With each item he placed down, Jiang An’an’s eyes shone brighter. By the end, her eyes were crescent moons.

“Brother, you’re the best!”

“With good food, who wouldn’t think I’m good?” Jiang Wang said with a hint of disdain, before taking out an exquisitely crafted pink storage box.

“This storage box is for you. You can put anything you can’t finish in the box, and it won’t spoil. You can eat it slowly later.”

This storage box was extremely beautiful. The surface of the box was engraved with a chubby squirrel, lifelike and vivid.

It was a Squirrel Box, a high quality product that Mo Sect had just begun selling this year. Compared to the ordinary storage box that Jiang Wang used, it had twice the capacity, yet was more compact and refined.

Storage boxes were expensive. An ordinary storage box cost around a hundred Wan Yuan Stones, and this pink Squirrel Box cost as much as three hundred Wan Yuan Stones!

Jiang Wang hadn’t been willing to buy one for himself, but he had prepared one for Jiang An’an.

Along the way, Xiang Qian was always complaining that Jiang Wang was stingy, and that his spending was too restrained. Jiang Wang himself was meticulous in his dealings with Hell Gate, even “nitpicking” with Chong Xuansheng. Xu Xiangqian was constantly leeching off others in Linzi, squeezing Li Longchuan and Yan Fu dry, but it was extremely difficult to get anything out of Jiang Wang…

But Jiang Wang hadn’t always been like this. When he was in the outer sect of the Dao Academy, he also lived in the moment, spending money freely, and lavishly spending any silver he got.

When did he start to “change”?

It was from the moment Jiang An’an started cheating in school to earn money, wanting to help him pay back Zhao Rucheng.

At this moment, Jiang An’an had already started licking the Cloud-Fire Silk Candy. Sweets were always her favorite, and the Cloud-Fire Silk Candy, like a cloud resting on a bamboo stick, looked very appetizing.

She held the Cloud-Fire Silk Candy in one hand, and tightly clutched the Squirrel Box in the other, almost giddy with laughter. “It’s so beautiful!”

Jiang Wang helped her wipe her mouth, and casually asked, “Qingyu-jiejie said you’re ready to open your meridians, right?”

Having studied in the Lingxiao Pavilion for so long, Jiang An’an naturally knew what opening meridians represented, and nodded her little head vigorously.

“Then I’ll talk to Ye Qingyu and arrange for you to open your meridians tomorrow.”

Jiang Wang let go of her hand, “Eat slowly. I’ll go back to the Tingyun Pavilion first.”

In fact, Jiang An’an’s foundation had long been laid, and she could have opened her meridians long ago, but Ye Qingyu had been trying to get ahold of a Earth Origin Pill, and had been waiting for so long. They had already decided that if they couldn’t get it by the end of the year, they would use a Grade A Meridian Opening Pill. This time, Jiang Wang brought the Earth Origin Pill that Chong Xuansheng helped him get, so there was no need to wait any longer.

Jiang An’an hurriedly put down the Squirrel Box, and suddenly grabbed the corner of Jiang Wang’s clothes. Of course, she couldn’t bear to put down the food in her other hand.

She looked at Jiang Wang with pleading eyes, “Don’t go…”

Jiang An’an lived in a very internal part of Lingxiao Pavilion. As an “outsider,” Jiang Wang entering this deep was already inappropriate. If it weren’t for the Xiao-character jade token that Ye Qingyu gave him, he wouldn’t have been able to enter at all.

Staying here to rest would be even more disrespectful.

Jiang An’an had been taken care of very well, having cultivated in Lingxiao Pavilion for so long. Naturally, Jiang Wang wanted to respect this place even more.

Ruffling An’an’s hair, Jiang Wang smiled, “I have things to do. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

As soon as Jiang Wang said he had things to do, Jiang An’an, no matter how reluctant, didn’t pester him anymore. She just pouted, “Oh.”

“I’ll take you out to play after you open your meridians tomorrow,” Jiang Wang coaxed.

Jiang An’an immediately smiled again, “It’s a deal!”

Inside the Tingyun Pavilion, Jiang Wang was using the Xiao-character token to communicate with Ye Qingyu about arranging for An’an to open her meridians tomorrow.

After all, Jiang An’an was now a disciple of Lingxiao Pavilion, and it would be best to carry out such a major event as opening meridians under the protection of Lingxiao Pavilion.

Ye Qingyu had specifically set up this Xiao-character token so that as long as Dao Origin was injected, it could be used to communicate with Ye Qingyu at any time within the Lingxiao secret realm.

There was a gentle knock on the door, and Xiang Qian’s voice rang out, “Jiang Wang!”

Without waiting for Jiang Wang to respond, he pushed the door open and entered.

“I knocked, though.” He added.

Jiang Wang could only temporarily stop chatting with Ye Qingyu, and helplessly asked, “What is it? Is there anything that can’t wait until tomorrow?”

Xiang Qian walked a few steps melancholically before finding a chair to sit down, his face full of worry, “Did you explain to An’an that my eyes are just a little dull, and that I’m not always half-asleep?”

He looked truly worried. But the problem he was worrying about was truly boring…

However, this was also in line with Xiang Qian’s personality. If this person were to speak of the grand scheme of things, the sun would be rising in the west.

Faced with his question, Jiang Wang was very honest, “We didn’t talk about you.”

“Impossible! My Azure Empyrean Swordflight is so dashing, who wouldn’t envy it? Children definitely can’t resist!” Xiang Qian retorted decisively, but his momentum quickly dropped, “Didn’t you really mention me at all?”

Jiang Wang spread out his hands, believe it or not.

Seeing him like this, Xiang Qian was very dissatisfied in his heart, “You specifically called me to accompany you on this long journey, just to show off how cute your sister is and how beautiful your little lover is?”

It was Jiang Wang’s turn to be embarrassed. Ye Qingyu was still listening on the other end of the Xiao-character token!

“My relationship with Fellow Daoist Ye is that of gentlemen. Don’t talk nonsense…”

“Get real!” Xiang Qian waved his hand, and coldly laughed with the air of a love guru, “You’re even willing to have An’an, your cute little sister, stay here to cooperate with you. What kind of girl can you not seduce? Your wicked ambitions are obvious!”

“An’an is in Lingxiao Pavilion for other reasons. Fellow Daoist Ye is purely helping…”

Jiang Wang was interrupted halfway through his explanation.

“Don’t try to hide it from me with your level of skill.” Xiang Qian pointed to his dead fish eyes, “These eyes of mine have seen too much!”