Xiao Qing, standing to the side, was completely conquered by the taste of these grapes. Her hands couldn't stop moving, plucking one after another and popping them into her mouth.
Princess Tianyao, abandoning all pretense of decorum, used both hands, terrified that Xiao Qing would finish them all first.
"Xiao Qing, leave some for me!"
Seeing Xiao Qing eating even faster than she was, the Princess grew anxious.
"Prin... Miss, you're obviously eating more than me!" Xiao Qing mumbled, juice leaking from the corners of her mouth.
Ye Qingyun watched, dumbfounded.
It’s just a bowl of grapes, isn't it? Is there really a need to be this worked up? Could it be that this world lacks something as common as grapes? Surely not?
Under the intense "battle" between the mistress and her maid, the bowl of grapes was soon wiped clean. By the end, neither of them even bothered to spit out the skins.
Watching the two of them with juice smeared all over their faces, Ye Qingyun was speechless.
Princess Tianyao finally realized how unseemly she had acted. Her face turned bright red, and she felt too embarrassed to even look at Ye Qingyun.
"Please forgive my lack of manners, Young Master. I truly... I have never eaten grapes this delicious before!"
Ye Qingyun offered a stiff smile. "It's fine, it's fine. As long as you enjoyed them."
"Miss, my stomach feels so hot," Xiao Qing suddenly said.
Princess Tianyao turned to look, only to see Xiao Qing’s face flushed a fiery red, with wisps of white steam rising from her head.
"Xiao Qing, what’s wrong?" Princess Tianyao asked, clearly worried.
Xiao Qing was her personal maid and they had grown up together. Though they were mistress and servant, they were as close as sisters.
"I... I feel like a ball of heat is darting around inside me, and it’s like there’s so much energy gushing out!" Xiao Qing panted, her breathing ragged. "I can't, I can't hold it back!"
Xiao Qing leaped up and began running frantically around the courtyard. She ran faster and faster, her feet seemingly picking up speed as if propelled by the wind.
Princess Tianyao was shocked. *Could it be that Xiao Qing has successfully undergone Spirit Opening and become a martial artist?*
Ye Qingyun, however, was even more baffled. *What is with this girl? Did she take stimulants? Should I give her a drug test?*
Before Xiao Qing had even finished running, Princess Tianyao’s own body began to change. White steam began rising from her head as well, and waves of rich, thick energy surged from deep within her.
"This is..." Princess Tianyao gasped in astonishment.
She had just broken through her realm, advancing from the Spirit Opening (middle) to the Spirit Opening (late) stage. And now, there were signs that she was surging toward the Spirit Opening Great Perfection.
Martial cultivation consists of eight great realms: Spirit Opening, Origin Gathering, Core Condensation, Heaven Reaching, Spirit Refining, Aperture Return, Essence Transformation, and Peak Inquiry. Each realm is further divided into four levels: early stage, middle stage, late stage, and Great Perfection.
Princess Tianyao was young, yet she had already reached the Spirit Opening (middle) stage, having just broken through to the late stage. Now, her cultivation seemed unstoppable, visibly racing toward the Great Perfection.
Xiao Qing slowed to a halt as waves of spiritual energy rippled out from her. Princess Tianyao stared in shock. "Xiao Qing, have you entered the Spirit Opening Realm?"
Xiao Qing looked lost. "I... I don't know either."
Princess Tianyao hurried over and grabbed Xiao Qing's wrist to check her pulses. What she found nearly scared her out of her wits. It wasn't just the Spirit Opening Realm—she had already reached the Spirit Opening (middle) stage!
Princess Tianyao was thunderstruck. "Xiao Qing never had any talent for cultivation, but now she's already at the Spirit Opening (middle) stage. And I am only a step away from the Spirit Opening Great Perfection."
The more she thought about it, the more terrified she became. Her mind went back to the grapes they had just eaten. *Could it be... because of the grapes?*
Princess Tianyao immediately looked at Ye Qingyun and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Master, for your generous gift!"
Ye Qingyun scratched his head. *Master? Where? Is she talking about me? I’m not even that tall.*
Seeing Ye Qingyun’s reaction, Princess Tianyao felt a jolt in her heart. She immediately remembered the warning from that large golden dog.
"My apologies, I misspoke," Princess Tianyao quickly corrected herself, terrified of angering this expert.
*He must be hiding here in the guise of a mortal,* she thought. *He is likely trying to gain enlightenment from a mundane life. If I expose his identity, he will surely be displeased.*
Ye Qingyun didn't pay it much mind.
"I have disturbed you today, Young Master. I have nothing to repay you with, so please, accept this." Princess Tianyao reached into her robes.
Ye Qingyun was startled and waved his hands frantically. But when she pulled out a golden token, he felt a flicker of disappointment—he had actually expected her to pull out something "indescribable." Still, he kept waving his hands.
"No, no, that’s too kind! I only gave you a few grapes, there’s no need for such a valuable gift." *Does this woman have a screw loose? Trading such a large gold medal for grapes? What kind of family is this rich?*
"You must accept it, Young Master!" Princess Tianyao insisted.
Ye Qingyun had no choice but to take it.
"Well then, if you want more grapes in the future, just come by. I have plenty; I can't even finish them all."
Princess Tianyao’s mouth twitched. Those grapes were clearly not ordinary items; they were likely impossible to find in the mortal world. Yet for a master of this caliber, they probably counted as nothing at all.
Still, hearing those words from Ye Qingyun, Princess Tianyao was secretly overjoyed. She had managed to form a connection with this master. This was a heaven-sent opportunity!
***
**Chapter 4: The Rabbit Loves Meat**
"Er, I don't think I know your name yet."
As Ye Qingyun saw them to the edge of the courtyard, he suddenly asked. Princess Tianyao froze, realizing she, too, didn't know the name of the expert standing before her.
"My name is Chu Yanyu. May I ask how to address you, Young Master?"
"I'm Ye Qingyun."
*Ye Qingyun?* Princess Tianyao repeated the name to herself. Truly, he was a master beyond the world—his name was so simple and unadorned, yet refined in its own way.
"My name is Xiao Qing," the maid added hurriedly.
Ye Qingyun smiled. Chu Yanyu quickly pulled Xiao Qing away, leaving in a flurry of embarrassment.
Ye Qingyun watched them go. "Decent looking, but they sure can eat." He shook his head and turned back into the courtyard.
Down at the foot of the mountain, the mistress and her maid were walking.
"Princess, why were you so polite to that fellow? You even gave him the royal golden token!" Xiao Qing asked, sounding puzzled.
"That man is definitely a master hidden from the world. Didn't you see that dog? Its strength was terrifying, and the wonders inside his house are things I’ve never even heard of," Chu Yanyu said, her heart still racing. "I only stayed there for a short while, and I’m already on the verge of entering the Spirit Opening (late) stage. You, who had no talent for cultivation, have now become a martial artist. All signs point to the fact that this man is unfathomable. I must build a relationship with him; this is our great chance."
Xiao Qing listened, mesmerized. "Then, Princess, why not ask him to help us deal with the Song Family?"
Chu Yanyu shook her head. "A master like that... the fact that he allowed us to meet him is already a massive favor. If I force a request for his help, I will only cause him displeasure."
Xiao Qing gave a faint "Oh" of understanding.
"Let’s go. We must return and tell my father."
Chu Yanyu took Xiao Qing and immediately left Fuyun Mountain.
After they left, Ye Qingyun grew bored again. His mind began to wander, tempted to head down the mountain to look around, but he was terrified of encountering danger. After much thought, he decided to stick to exploring the mountain itself.
And so, Ye Qingyun took Damao for a stroll through the hills. Damao was in high spirits, bounding through the woods. Whenever they encountered small mountain beasts, Damao would immediately chase after them, sending the creatures scurrying in a panic.
Soon, Ye Qingyun had wandered all over Fuyun Mountain. It was a very ordinary mountain, though he did make one discovery. Damao returned to the courtyard trotting happily, holding an injured rabbit in his mouth.
Ye Qingyun originally thought Damao wanted to eat the rabbit, but to his surprise, after bringing it back, Damao didn't eat it at all—he started "treating" the rabbit’s wounds instead. Heaven knows how a dog treats a rabbit's wounds, but the rabbit was soon hopping around actively again. Ye Qingyun didn't mind; he already had a dog, so a rabbit was fine, too. It would keep him company.
Feeling hungry, Ye Qingyun started cooking. A large pot of stew was soon ready, filled to the brim with all sorts of meat.
Ye Qingyun carried it out to the courtyard, and the aroma wafted through the air. Damao and the rabbit both crouched by the side, waiting for him to share. Ye Qingyun picked out a bone with some meat and tossed it to Damao, then picked up a mushroom and tossed it to the rabbit.
To his surprise, the rabbit didn't want the mushroom; it kept staring at the meat in Damao’s mouth. Ye Qingyun chuckled and tossed a piece of meat to the rabbit. The rabbit immediately began eating it happily. It was the first time Ye Qingyun had ever seen a rabbit that liked eating meat.
At the same time, three figures arrived at Fuyun Mountain. They were two men and one woman, all quite young and wearing identical attire.
"The demon beast escaped into this mountain and vanished."
"It must be hiding on the mountain. It's injured, it can't have gotten far. We must track it down immediately."
"Agreed!"
The three ascended the mountain, searching everywhere. Soon, they discovered bloodstains. "It’s here, alright!"
The trio was overjoyed and followed the trail toward the summit. Not long after, they found themselves at Ye Qingyun’s home.
All three stopped in their tracks. *Someone actually lives here?*
They stepped forward, startling Ye Qingyun, who was right in the middle of eating his stew. He looked at the three of them, completely bewildered.
"Who are you?" the only woman in the group asked.
"Who are you guys?" Ye Qingyun put down his chopsticks and asked in return.
The woman was about to speak, but the two men behind her pulled her back.
"What's wrong?" she asked, looking at them in confusion.
The two men were looking solemn, pointing at the rabbit that was currently eating meat by Ye Qingyun’s feet.
*Hiss!* When the woman saw the rabbit, her expression changed too. This was the very demon beast they had been tracking so desperately! To think it was here, sitting by this person's feet, eating meat!
Ye Qingyun looked at them, his heart tightening. *These three guys... they look like trouble. I’d better be polite so I don't lose my head!*
Ye Qingyun stood up and flashed a friendly smile. His smile, however, only made the three of them more nervous.
"There’s no aura on this man at all. He looks like an ordinary mortal," the woman whispered hesitantly.
"Impossible," the tall young man said with certainty. "If he were a mortal, he would have been eaten alive by this rabbit demon long ago."
"Exactly," the other, a chubby young man, agreed. "Living in a place like this, he can't be a mortal."
The woman grew even more confused. No matter how she looked at it, he seemed like an ordinary person.
"Can I help you three with something?" Ye Qingyun asked, rubbing his hands together.
The tall young man bowed his fists. "May I ask, sir, what is your name? Are you living in seclusion here?"
Ye Qingyun touched his head. *Living in seclusion? I suppose you could call it that.* "Er, my name is Ye Qingyun. I do indeed live here."
The tall man scanned the environment. It was very ordinary, very simple. It looked exactly like the kind of place a hidden master would choose for seclusion.
"Sir, have you seen a rabbit demon?" the tall man asked pointedly.
Hearing this, the rabbit not far away shuddered. Damao, gnawing on a bone nearby, slanted his eyes toward the rabbit. Under Damao's gaze, the rabbit didn't dare move, just kept eating the meat honestly.
"A rabbit demon? What rabbit demon?" Ye Qingyun hadn't the faintest idea what they were talking about.
The tall man pointed to the rabbit. Ye Qingyun found it funny. *Isn't this just a regular rabbit? What rabbit demon?*
He walked over and scooped the rabbit up. The rabbit was extremely docile. "You mean this one? My dog brought it back. It was injured at the time, but it’s definitely not any 'rabbit demon' like you say."
Ye Qingyun held the rabbit and walked toward the three of them. They immediately assumed a defensive posture, looking incredibly tense. They had expended a sect treasure just to manage to wound it; otherwise, even the three of them combined would have struggled to face the beast. Yet, in this man’s hands, the rabbit was so incredibly docile?
***
**Chapter 5: The Docile Rabbit Demon**
The chubby young man pulled the tall one back again.
"Junior Brother, what is it?" the tall man asked, confused.
"Senior Brother, we might have encountered a truly terrifying figure," the chubby youth said with a solemn expression.
The tall man nodded in deep agreement. The woman, however, remained skeptical. "Is it for real? I can't tell at all."
The chubby youth clicked his tongue. "Look at that rabbit demon. It doesn't even dare to move in that man's hands; it’s clearly terrified of him. To make a demon beast like that so afraid—what else could it be? He must have unfathomable cultivation!"
The woman looked toward the rabbit. True to the chubby youth’s words, the rabbit was not only docile, it was actually trembling. Though the woman was slow to react, she wasn't stupid. Only a hidden master could produce such a scene.
The three looked at each other, all with the same expression of *of course it is*.
Ye Qingyun was getting a headache from their behavior. At that moment, the three walked over and bowed in unison.
"We are disciples of the Mysterious Sword Sect, tasked by our sect to capture this rabbit demon. We apologize for disturbing your residence, sir. Please forgive us."
*Mysterious Sword Sect?* Ye Qingyun felt a shiver. He’d run into sect disciples. Good thing he’d been polite, or he might have been done for. *It seems the cultivators in this world are quite reasonable as long as you treat them well.*
"It's fine, it's fine! I rarely get visitors anyway," Ye Qingyun laughed.
"May I ask your name, sir?"
"Ye Qingyun."
"Greetings, Senior Ye!" the three bowed again.
Ye Qingyun was speechless. *Senior? Do I really look that old? Are they mocking me?*
"I'm not a 'Senior.' I'm just an ordinary person," Ye Qingyun quickly clarified.
Hearing this, the three felt even more certain. *He is definitely a master hiding here, wanting to experience the life of a mortal. Since he doesn't like being addressed as a senior, we shouldn't ruin his fun.*
"My apologies for the rudeness, Brother Ye," the tall man said with a smile.
After some introductions, Ye Qingyun learned their names and backgrounds. All three were disciples of the Mysterious Sword Sect. The tall man was the senior brother, Li Chenyuan; the chubby one was the second disciple, Zhao Wangchun; and the sweet-faced girl was the junior sister, Xu Jing'er. The Mysterious Sword Sect was one of the three great sects within the Tianwu Dynasty, and the current sect leader, Xu Changfeng, was Xu Jing'er's father.
Knowing they were from a sect, Ye Qingyun naturally wanted to butter them up. In this strange world, he was powerless—a total weakling. Making connections with sect members was a good way to find a tree to lean on.
He enthusiastically welcomed the three into his courtyard. Despite their fear of the rabbit in Ye Qingyun's arms, they followed him inside.
"Have you eaten? Would you like to have some food here?" Ye Qingyun asked warmly.
Li Chenyuan waved his hands frantically. "No, no, that won't be necessary!"
Ye Qingyun was still hungry, so he said, "Alright, feel free to look around, I'll keep eating." He sat down and continued with his stew.
Li Chenyuan and his companions were too embarrassed to actually wander around, so they stood in the yard, pretending to admire the flowers and plants.
But as they looked, their expressions turned to ones of sheer horror.
"Senior Brother, look! Is that... Clear Origin Grass?" Zhao Wangchun asked, pointing to a patch of lush green grass, his voice trembling with shock.
Li Chenyuan drew a sharp breath. "It is indeed Clear Origin Grass!"
The three were stunned. Clear Origin Grass was a rare material for alchemy, only found in ancient mountains. To find such a massive patch here—and it looked to be at least five hundred years old—was incredible. They were beyond excited. If they could take some of this back to their sect, it would be a massive contribution.
Ye Qingyun watched them, puzzled. *Why are they getting so excited over a patch of grass? It’s just common grass, isn't it? I just tidied it up a bit. What is their problem?*
"Senior Brother, is that... the legendary Seven-Leaf Red Fruit?"