A life of leisure is worse than a life of flowers and splendour

The group had been walking non-stop for nearly two hours, without a single break. Everyone was concerned about Du Shuangshuang's health; she looked quite frail, and they wondered if she could endure such a long journey. However, in response to everyone's concerned looks and inquiries, Du Shuangshuang firmly shook her head, assuring them that she was fine.

Her bright eyes flashed with eagerness and desire, and she murmured, "I'm fine, let's go down the mountain quickly! Don't waste time, I just want to go home early..." It seemed that the thought of returning home gave her endless motivation, making her forget her fatigue and hard work.

Strangely enough, despite the long and arduous journey through the mountains, Du Shuangshuang felt incredibly relaxed and at ease, as if an endless supply of energy was constantly flowing through her. Each step she took felt incredibly light, with no trace of fatigue. She was secretly amazed, puzzled by her energy, but at the moment, she had no time for reflection. Her only concern was reaching the foot of the mountain as quickly as possible, returning home. She wondered if her grandfather would be worried sick if he couldn't find her.

The other three had a foundation in martial arts and had been traveling around all year round, so they were a little tired after walking down the mountain. In contrast, Du Shuangshuang was in a hurry and full of energy all the way, and he could even enjoy the scenery along the way while rushing.

Seeing the fatigue that could not be concealed on several people's faces, he said slowly, "Oh, this road is really long. I'm so tired. Finally we're here." He wiped the non-existent sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.

The three of them looked at her and wanted to roll their eyes. "Are you really tired?" She walked so fast even though she was tired. She didn't look tired at all. The three grown men wanted to save face, so none of them complained of being tired. They walked all the way back without taking a break.

This villa, known as "Qianshan Villa," stands like a dazzling pearl set against the backdrop of a majestic mountain range. Its grand scale and imposing presence create a natural harmony with the surrounding majestic peaks. The villa's layout is exquisitely designed, with pavilions and towers scattered throughout, like a beautiful scroll unfolding.

Wandering through it, you'll see winding paths leading to quiet places; a small, exquisite stone bridge spans the gurgling stream, under which the water is crystal clear and fish swim happily; and the vast lake is like a huge mirror, reflecting the sky and the surrounding beauty. The breeze blows, the waves sparkle, and it is refreshing.

The living area alone was several times larger than the general's residence, demonstrating its luxury and spaciousness. Night fell quietly, and the world was gradually shrouded in darkness, but Qianshan Villa was brightly lit, like a city that never sleeps.

Du Shuangshuang knew that traveling at night was inconvenient and dangerous, and she always listened to advice. So, she stayed here for the night and would set out on her journey home tomorrow.

Fearing that Grandpa would be too worried, Doctor Zhong promised to send a letter to Grandpa, asking him to write it as soon as possible, so that it could be delivered to Grandpa tonight. The letter was short and contained only the following: Grandpa, I am fine, don't worry.

Although he was in Pingyao City, he also had property here at the General's Mansion, including the Qingping Cloth Shop. Du Shuangshuang decided to get some sleep and rush over the next day to get some money to spend. He had nothing of value on him except a jade pendant. He couldn't just walk back like a beggar.

As soon as Du Shuangshuang stepped into the room, a clever and well-behaved maid came up to greet her and asked softly, "Miss, the hot water is ready. Would you like to simply wash up, or would you like a maid to help you bathe?"

Hearing this, Du Shuangshuang was delighted. She had originally only hoped to solve the problem of food and clothing here, but she didn't expect to receive such thoughtful and considerate service. This treatment was really beyond her expectations, and she was very satisfied and surprised. After all, after going through so many twists and turns, being able to find a stable place to live and enjoy such generous treatment was already a blessing. Thinking of this, Du Shuangshuang couldn't help but smile brightly and said to the maid, "That's great! I'm going to take a good bath and relax!"

"Miss, do you need any flower petals? Do you need a milk bath or a medicinal bath?"

Uh, are there so many requirements for taking a bath? In the past, it seemed that the maids always prepared it themselves. Du Shuangshuang never asked questions and just used whatever was prepared. "Just a rose petal bath is fine."

"Okay, Miss, I'll get ready and call you when I'm done."

Du Shuangshuang nodded, and the maid retreated and prepared to leave.

The maid was quite attentive, adding rose essential oil in addition to the flower petals, filling the room with fragrance. Du Shuangshuang had only briefly washed herself in the cave before, without any bath products, and had worn the same clothes for days, so they were incredibly dirty. Add to that the long walks, and she felt like she was going rancid.

The two maids helped her take a comfortable bath and even prepared a change of clothes. Du Shuangshuang was so moved that she almost cried. After changing into clean clothes, she felt much more comfortable.

After taking a bath and having the maid help her dry her hair, Du Shuangshuang no longer needed the maid's service and went back to her room to study the things in her space.

On the table were several plates of snacks and a pot of perfectly warm tea. Du Shuangshuang ate a few snacks with the tea to fill her stomach. Then she began to study. To be more precise, Du Shuangshuang wanted to read the books; she hadn't figured out anything else. As for the items in the space on the ring her mother had left her, Du Shuangshuang had stored them in the Duobao bracelet. The small bracelet inside helped her identify what they were and whether she could use them.

Xiaozhuo had said that cultivating immortality required spiritual roots. He didn't know what his spiritual roots were, but he definitely had them because his body was highly compatible with spiritual energy. He would know his spiritual roots when he began practicing.

To practice, one must first choose a method that suits one's own practice. Of course, there are some common ones, but I have no choice. The only ones my mother left me are the Xiaoyao Tiandi Jue, which is not limited to spiritual roots, and the Chiyan Jue, which is suitable for fire spiritual roots, in a Duobao bracelet.

For her, the only option was the Xiaoyao Tiandi Jue that her mother had left her. It had a nice name, Xiaoyao Tiandi, and Du Shuangshuang wanted to live a carefree life, but she was afraid it would be difficult. The Great Xia Kingdom was a mess, and Du Shuangshuang looked down on those people anyway. Xiaozhuo had heard that Xiaoyao Tiandi Jue was probably a top-grade local-level technique, but an incomplete one, as it could only be cultivated to the level of Spiritualization, and beyond that, there was nothing to be done. Furthermore, this technique was best used in conjunction with a suitable sword technique for better results. If paired with the right sword technique, it could be considered a heavenly-level technique, but it also depended on the sword technique's compatibility.

The levels of martial arts are divided into Tiandi Xuanhuang, with Huang level being the lowest and most common. Each level is further divided into upper, middle and lower grades.

As for the realm of cultivation, it starts from drawing Qi into the body. After opening up the meridians throughout the body, successfully running the exercises for one cycle will return the spiritual energy to the Dantian. Once the Dantian is successfully opened up, the process of drawing Qi into the body is completed, and one enters the first level of Qi Refining.

The Qi Refining Stage is divided into ten levels. The first three levels form a minor realm, namely the Qi Refining Strong and Loyal Stage. Breaking through to the tenth level leads to the Great Perfection of Qi Refining. Breaking through to the tenth level leads to the Foundation Establishment Stage, a major realm breakthrough. It can be said that only after reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage can one be considered a true cultivator, able to fly with a sword, while cultivators in the Qi Refining Stage can only fly with the help of flying magic tools.

Du Shuangshuang knew all the words in the book, and it was easy to understand. It even came with pictures. The first thing she had to do was sit in the position described in the book. Of course, it wasn't a fixed position, but it was more conducive to getting into the state. She quietly felt everything around her until she could sense the light in the air, which was aura.

The five elements of spiritual energy each have corresponding colors. During cultivation, one can only sense attributeless spiritual energy and spiritual energy that matches one's spiritual root's attribute. The air is mostly attributeless spiritual energy, with attributed spiritual energy being rare. Only in special environments is attributed spiritual energy more abundant. Silvery-white is metal spiritual energy, green is wood spiritual energy, black is water spiritual energy, red dots are fire spiritual energy, yellow is earth spiritual energy, and white is attributeless spiritual energy.

Of course, in addition to the five elements, there are also mutated spiritual roots. The spiritual energy corresponding to the mutated wind spiritual root is light blue light spots, the spiritual energy corresponding to the mutated thunder spiritual root is purple light spots, and the spiritual energy corresponding to the mutated ice spiritual root is also black light spots. Because ice and water can be transformed into each other, having an ice spiritual root can transform water into ice, but if it is a water spiritual root, water cannot be transformed into ice. In essence, they all use water.

Du Shuangshuang sat cross-legged on the bed with her eyes closed, her five hearts facing upward, concentrating her mind and taking it all in. As she sat there, she almost fell asleep, then was woken by a knock on the door.

"Miss Du, the master wants to ask you whether you want to go out and have dinner with everyone or eat in your room?" the maid whispered at the door.

"Send it to my room." Du Shuangshuang didn't hesitate at all. She didn't know anyone here, so it would be best for her to stay in her room. It would make her feel comfortable and cause less trouble to the host.

Dinner was unexpectedly sumptuous, with a huge table filled to the brim. It was much grander than the one at the general's mansion. At the general's mansion, I only had three dishes, two meat dishes, one vegetable dish, and a soup. Of course, I could order one dish at each meal, but if I wanted more, I had to pay for it myself. But this huge table, with ten dishes in total, was such a luxury. Dinner was usually simple, but here, there was so much variety.

"Your house is so, so..." Du Shuangshuang couldn't think of the right words to describe it. If she said it was extravagant, it would seem like she was blaming others for spending their own money. Du Shuangshuang felt that if she said too much, she would just be looking for trouble. Forget it, at most she could have another meal there tomorrow morning, but she still couldn't help but remind them.

"Well, I usually eat less. Just prepare a bowl of porridge, two steamed buns, and a side dish for me for breakfast tomorrow."

"Actually, the food at your mansion is usually very simple. I heard from the kitchen that the second young master specifically instructed the kitchen to make the meal more sumptuous, for fear of neglecting the distinguished guests." The maid helped Du Shuangshuang serve a bowl of rice and a bowl of chicken soup, and picked up the public chopsticks to serve her.

"Ms. Du, what dishes do you like?"

After being served by the maid for a period of time, Du Shuangshuang adapted well. She would point to the dishes she liked, wait for the maid to serve her the dishes, then pick up her chopsticks and start eating.

"Second son?"

"Yes, the eldest son is ill, and the second son has invited a miracle doctor to treat him."

"Oh." Du Shuangshuang understood that the second young master must be Su Yichen. He knew whose food he was eating and whose things he was using. When he returned, he would ask his family to repay the favor. As for the life-saving favor, that could only be left to grandfather to handle. He was not good at these interpersonal relationships. He just needed to eat well, dress well, and live well.