Lin Xiao, imitating the manner of Senior Liao, took a sip of hot tea and said to Yuan Qing, who was still standing at the entrance, "Fellow Daoist Yuan, you're back? Would you like to join us for a foot soak?"
Beside him, Jiang Youfu nodded enthusiastically, "Come on, Daoist, give it a try—it's really comfortable!"
Yuan Qing was filled with confusion. Do cultivators… really need to soak their feet for blood circulation and muscle relaxation? Usually, circulating spiritual energy throughout the body is enough to dispel any ordinary fatigue.
But he couldn't resist the warm invitation from Lin Xiao and Jiang Youfu, especially with the utterly relaxed expressions on their faces. Unable to refuse their kindness, Yuan Qing decided to give it a try.
Jiang Youfu prepared a bucket with a small massage array for Yuan Qing and then filled it with hot water.
As Yuan Qing, now half-reclining with Jiang Youfu's assistance, placed his bare feet into the bubbling water, allowing them to rise and fall gently just like Lin Xiao's and Jiang Youfu's, he suddenly felt an unprecedented sense of relaxation.
Although this foot soak wasn't as effective as directly circulating spiritual energy, it brought him a profound sense of tranquility and peace. The various hardships he had endured in the sect seemed insignificant at this moment.
For the first time in a long while, he felt a rare, leisurely comfort, reminiscent of the carefree times spent playing with his elder sister before he joined the Tianxuan Sect.
After finishing the snacks that Jiang Youfu had handed him, Yuan Qing leaned back against the couch, feeling the warmth around his feet. Before he knew it, he closed his eyes and drifted off into a deep sleep.
As Yuan Qing's gentle snores filled the room, Liao Pantao emerged from the soul-nurturing pendant on Lin Xiao's chest. He retrieved the half-soaked foot tub from his soul form and quickly retreated to the inner room, not forgetting to grab a handful of snacks from the basket on his way.
After setting up an isolation array in the inner room, Liao Pantao continued soaking his feet in solitude, thoroughly enjoying himself.
The next morning, Lin Xiao and Jiang Youfu set out early.
They had made a great haul the previous day, and today they planned to continue their efforts, hoping for another bountiful harvest. Not only would this help stock their sect's breeding grounds, but it could also earn them a substantial amount of spirit stones.
However, Yuan Qing, who had fallen asleep the night before, was still sound asleep when they left.
Jiang Youfu, concerned, checked his breathing and, after Lin Xiao's correction, also used his spiritual sense to check his heartbeat, pulse, and other vital signs.
Once they confirmed that Yuan Qing was merely in a deep sleep and hadn't somehow overdone the foot soak, they left the cave dwelling with peace of mind.
Yuan Qing felt as though he had a long, long dream.
In the dream, he returned to his childhood.
Back then, he was only six years old, cherished by his parents.
His parents were both Foundation Establishment cultivators, with his father being one of the elders in the Yuan family, recognized for his potential to break through to the Golden Core stage.
Later, when Yuan Qing was tested, he was found to possess a rare dual-element spiritual root of gold and earth.
At that time, he was the pride of the Yuan family, second only to Yuan Zhiyun, with everyone believing that his future was bound to be bright.
However, during a family mission, both his parents went out and never returned. The only news that came back on their expected return date was that they had both perished.
In an instant, he went from being a promising young member of the Yuan family to an orphan with no parents. The way people looked at him changed.
He didn't understand why at the time; he only knew that he cried until his eyes were swollen as he wore mourning clothes and paid his respects to his parents.
In the dream, he saw his younger self, shoulders squared as he clung to his parents' burial clothes in the cold of winter, crying until he fell asleep, only to wake up and cry again.
The scene shifted, and Yuan Qing saw his once bustling, wealthy home now empty, with only a deserted house remaining.
With no one to give him food, he survived by scrounging leftovers.
It wasn't until later that the matriarch of the Yuan family, Yuan Zhiyun's mother, took him in and brought him to the main family.
Those were the happiest years of his life over the past seventeen years.
The dream ended with Yuan Zhiyun playing in the snow with him and the matriarch instructing someone to bring him extra clothes.
When Yuan Qing slowly opened his eyes on the couch, the morning light was streaming in. His feet were still warm and gently moving in the water, while a small fan had been set up beside him, lazily fanning him.
For a moment, Yuan Qing didn't know where he was or what year it was.
After a long pause, he finally came to his senses. He sat up and silently withdrew his feet from the water, using a spell to dry them before pouring out the hot water and storing the foot tub in his storage pouch.
Noticing the fan still gently fanning away, Yuan Qing went over and removed the spirit stone powering it, placing it on the nearby table. The fan immediately stopped working.
Curious, Yuan Qing examined the cleverly designed automatic fan for a while, then shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips.
"These two fellow Daoists are certainly unique, quite interesting."
If only he could have this kind of peaceful life forever.
But for now, that was not an option.
He still had important things to do.
Steeling his resolve, Yuan Qing quickly tidied up the room and left the cave dwelling.
Liu Chun had arrived in Banshang City five days earlier.
Unlike Lin Xiao and the others, Liu Chun was participating in the Fu Master Conference, so he had been assigned free lodging specifically for the participating Fu Masters.
However, not everyone who registered for the Fu Master Conference could stay in these accommodations.
Only those who had passed the initial screening were allowed to stay.
Given that the Fu Master Conference is a grand event held once every hundred years, countless people naturally want to participate. But among them, only a select few truly have the skills and strength.
The organizers couldn't provide free accommodations for all participants, as that would be a significant financial loss for the Fu Master Conference.
Therefore, before the official start of the conference, a few rounds of relatively simple screenings are conducted to eliminate those who aren't up to standard.
Liu Chun, who had both talent and ambition, passed the initial screening with ease.
To ensure the smooth running of the Fu Master Conference, the accommodations prepared for the Fu Masters were very secure. The organizers' goal was to select the most skilled Fu Masters to recruit, so they naturally didn't want anything to happen to these promising individuals.
Having followed the Fu Master Conference for decades, Liu Chun was well-versed in its processes. He knew that the conference tested not only technical skills but also aspects that required cultivation strength.
Despite having little time left, Liu Chun had been diligently cultivating in his room, making the most of every moment.