With that face so close, so striking, Qin Xiangyi’s presence was almost overwhelming.
Maybe it was just Jing Shuxuan’s imagination, but as she got closer, she could even catch a whiff of a pleasant fragrance.
She couldn’t quite describe what it was, but after taking a breath, she felt an urge to breathe in again.
They clearly used the same shampoo and body wash, but somehow, the scent on Qin Xiangyi was just more alluring than her own.
That strange feeling made Jing Shuxuan’s heart beat even faster.
She tried to calm herself down, but the more she tried, the less control she had.
This kind of torment made her want to let go of Qin Xiangyi, but she was worried that if she did, Qin Xiangyi might overthink it.
Her brain was sending signals, telling her she was tired and exhausted, but her body was unusually excited by that scent.
Thinking about work tomorrow, Jing Shuxuan decided she should say something to Qin Xiangyi, but before she could speak, she could already sense Qin Xiangyi’s breathing.
It was so steady and peaceful, as if she’d really fallen asleep in her arms. Jing Shuxuan felt helpless, and thinking about everything Qin Xiangyi had been through lately, her heart ached for her.
In the end, she didn’t struggle and just fell asleep in that position.
After tossing and turning for about ten minutes, Jing Shuxuan was completely worn out, and her breathing finally evened out.
At that moment, Qin Xiangyi’s eyes suddenly opened.
She quietly slipped out of Jing Shuxuan’s embrace and got out of bed.
Worried that Jing Shuxuan might wake up, she called for Hua Nu.
Qin Xiangyi: Hua Nu, do you still have any of that sleep aid aromatherapy you used last time?
Hua Nu: Of course I do, but if you want to use it on an ordinary human, you’ll need to dilute it first.
Qin Xiangyi: How long will that take?
Hua Nu: Just a few minutes.
Qin Xiangyi did the math—it probably meant a few minutes in the Flower God Ring would be the same in the real world.
She waited patiently for a few minutes, and Hua Nu floated over, holding a small ceramic bottle.
The bottle was exquisite, looking just like an antique.
But Qin Xiangyi couldn’t understand how, when the Flower God Ring was supposed to be empty, Hua Nu could always produce so many things.
Hua Nu: Do you have any other questions, Flower Master?
Qin Xiangyi: I’m just curious.
You all say you don’t have much, but you always manage to pull out all sorts of strange things.
Hua Nu replied, “Each of us has a storage ring.
The things inside are frozen in time, and we only take them out when we need them.”
Qin Xiangyi suddenly understood, thinking of all those novels with storage rings or qiankun bags.
But if everyone had one, that meant there was a lot in those rings—or maybe, this Hua Nu in front of her was actually loaded.
Seeing the gleam in Qin Xiangyi’s eyes, Hua Nu laughed, “Flower Master, are you short on money? I see gold is valuable here, but where I’m from, it’s just a material for making weapons.
If you want some, just say the word.”
Hua Nu’s tone was respectful, but from the way she spoke, it was clear her storage ring was packed with good stuff.
In her backstory, Hua Nu had lived the longest and was the housekeeper for Flower God Huang Quan, so it was easy to imagine how much wealth and resources she had.
Qin Xiangyi: I’ll ask if I ever need money.
What I really need right now is strength.
There’s still about half an hour until sunrise, so I’m going to get some training in.
With that, Qin Xiangyi opened the Flower God Ring and went inside.
She left Shaoyao behind to keep an eye on Jing Shuxuan, just in case she woke up and got the wrong idea while Qin Xiangyi was busy.
Hua Nu was very pleased with Qin Xiangyi’s attitude, because once she was inside the ring, she didn’t need to use her divine sense to communicate with Qin Xiangyi.
So she said, “Flower Master, you really are the most hardworking human I’ve ever met.”
Qin Xiangyi smiled.
She wasn’t about to tell Hua Nu that she already knew she’d get beaten to a pulp by the villain in Paradise City, and this time, it was going to be especially brutal.
Qin Xiangyi was both scared and afraid of pain, so of course she wanted to work hard before heading to Paradise City.
“Heh, I just don’t want to be too weak to protect you all,” she said, still keeping her tone polite.
Hua Nu smiled back, her expression even more meaningful.
“But I always feel like you know more than you let on, as if you can see the future.”
Qin Xiangyi smiled but didn’t answer, putting on an air of deep wisdom.
Hua Nu might look kind and friendly, but she was the hardest flower person to win over, second only to Flower God Huang Quan.
If Qin Xiangyi wanted Hua Nu’s genuine respect, she’d have to work twice as hard.
Once she truly earned Hua Nu’s loyalty, Hua Nu would become her most capable assistant, not just someone who acted obedient on the surface but was still wary of her behind her back.
“Alright, enough talking, let’s get to work.
The technique I’m giving you now is the simplest sword art.”
With that, Hua Nu flicked her wrist and produced a longsword.
The sword was beautiful, clearly expensive just from the craftsmanship.
Even more amazing, it glowed faintly—not like those cheap toy swords, but with a real sense of power.
With just a gesture from Hua Nu, the sword seemed to come alive and move on its own.
Qin Xiangyi was fascinated, but then Hua Nu grabbed a branch from a nearby tree.
Even more amazingly, with just a few shakes, the branch suddenly grew longer.
With a gentle sweep, a strong wind blew through the air.
“Granny Hua, aren’t you supposed to be a healer? How come you’re so good with a sword too?” Qin Xiangyi was even more confused.
Hua Nu hid her displeasure and continued, “Of course I used to have martial arts skills, but someone didn’t like it and had them taken away.”
She said it calmly, but there was a storm brewing beneath the surface.
Qin Xiangyi made a mental note—if Hua Nu ever betrayed her, it would definitely have something to do with this.
Hua Nu was a bit of a wild card, always seeming like the rebellious type.
“Alright, enough talk.
I’ll only show you once—how much you can learn is up to you.” With that, Hua Nu tossed her the sword.
The move caught Qin Xiangyi off guard.
She thought the branch was for her, but instead, she got the real sword.
As Hua Nu began her sword dance, Qin Xiangyi focused on memorizing every detail.
Thanks to the photographic memory she’d copied from Shaoyao, it was like she could never forget a single detail after seeing it once.
Her memory was like a recorded video she could replay over and over, every detail perfectly preserved.
By the time Hua Nu finished her sword routine, Qin Xiangyi had pretty much absorbed it all.
