Chapter 142: The Hot Potato

"Yes! Master, if in the future I go down the mountain with Elder Sister, Xiaomeng, and Songtarer to gain experience, our very first stop will be Chang'an City..." Yan Chixia said with high spirits.

Upon hearing this, Bai Xiaoyue could not help overflowing with boundless yearning for that future life of adventure as she said:

"Wonderful! Younger Brother, if we go to Chang'an City in the future, we shall rent a courtyard there. The four of us—you, Xiaomeng, Songtarer, and I—will live there for some time and thoroughly 'gain experience' together."

"Bai Elder Sister is entirely right!" Tu Xiaomeng chimed in with great excitement. "If we live in Chang'an City in the future, let's rent a large courtyard right in front of the Xuanwu Gate... Heehee, if we live there, we'll definitely cross paths with Li Shimin! To be honest, I really want to see what Li Shimin looks like!"

"Hehehe..." Songtarer chuckled honestly. "Xiaomeng, now I finally know that Li Shimin is the Emperor!"

"Right, Li Shimin is the Emperor," Daoist Master Qingxu took up the conversation. "Chongzi, you might not know this, but the area around the Xuanwu Gate is beneath the Son of Heaven's very feet and is part of the forbidden imperial palace grounds. There are no commoner residences there, let alone any vacant large courtyards waiting for you to rent and live in. Besides, Li Shimin is the Emperor; he dwells deep within the palace and under normal circumstances rarely ventures outside... Therefore, even if you go to Chang'an, I'm afraid you won't encounter Li Shimin. However, other reigning officials of the court, such as Cheng Yaojin, Qin Qiong, and Yuchi Gong, you might just run into if you go to Chang'an City—because Cheng Yaojin, Qin Qiong, and Yuchi Gong are military generals who enjoy visiting taverns to drink..."

Before Daoist Master Qingxu could finish, a blur flashed before their eyes, and She Meier suddenly appeared right in front of them, smiling brilliantly as she said:

"Hello everyone, I've arrived!"

Seeing She Meier, Daoist Master Qingxu, Yan Chixia, Bai Xiaoyue, Tu Xiaomeng, and Songtarer all greeted her in turn. She Meier answered each of them one by one, her radiant gaze falling upon the delicious food and fine wine spread across the lawn as she said with a mouth-watering expression:

"Oh, it smells so good! Yan Chixia, why is your breakfast today so lavish? Could it possibly be your birthday?"

"Hey, Elder Sister, you are truly uncanny!" Without waiting for Yan Chixia to reply, Tu Xiaomeng said in profound astonishment, "Today really is Older Brother Yan's eighteenth birthday! And today happens to be Bai Elder Sister's eighteenth birthday as well!"

"Really?" She Meier asked, pleasantly surprised. "Such a coincidence? Yue'er, Yan Chixia, is today truly both of your birthdays?"

"Indeed!" Bai Xiaoyue answered with a charming smile. As she spoke, she shifted her body slightly to the side, making room. "Elder Sister, hurry and sit here with us. Let us share the wine and partake in the feast together."

"Alright, then I won't stand on ceremony!" She Meier said with a merry laugh, immediately moving close to Bai Xiaoyue and sitting down. "Yue'er, Yan Chixia, happy birthday!" With a flick of her hand, a white jade vase and a small golden gourd flashed out from her storage ring, landing in her delicate palm.

She Meier first handed the white jade vase to Bai Xiaoyue, saying:

"Yue'er, this bottle of 'Nectar' is Elder Sister's birthday gift to you."

"Thank you, Elder Sister, for this generous present!" Bai Xiaoyue said with great delight, immediately taking the bottle of Nectar.

Immediately afterward, She Meier handed the small golden gourd toward Yan Chixia and said:

"Yan Chixia, this is the 'Beauty-Preserving Pill' I just refined. Take it as a birthday gift!"

"Haha..." Yan Chixia smiled broadly. "She Meier, many thanks for your kind intentions!" With that, he reached out, took the small gourd into his hand, and after storing it away in his storage ring, he said in a clear voice, "She Meier, come, let us drink freely and heartily together!"

Thus, Daoist Master Qingxu, Yan Chixia, Bai Xiaoyue, She Meier, Tu Xiaomeng, and Songtarer once again joyfully drank and feasted together.

After finishing breakfast, everyone turned to their respective tasks.

Daoist Master Qingxu went straight to the alchemy room to continue refining his "Tiangang Protective Invisible Garment"; Bai Xiaoyue, Tu Xiaomeng, and Songtarer all returned to their respective rooms to continue cultivating their primordial qi; while Yan Chixia and She Meier remained in his room, where he taught her the [Paper-Drawn Talisman Daoist Magic].

When it came to learning the [Paper-Drawn Talisman Daoist Magic], She Meier was truly hopeless. Ever since the day she started learning the [Paper-Drawn Talisman Daoist Magic] from Yan Chixia, more than three and nearly four years had passed, yet she still had nothing to show for it, failing to achieve even the most basic results. She Meier was long used to this and cared not a whit, because "the drunkard's intent was not in the wine"; she had other motives, and learning the [Paper-Drawn Talisman Daoist Magic] was merely a pretext. Therefore, she intended to persevere unremittingly in her studies.

At this, Yan Chixia could only curse his bitter fate and suffer a severe headache. Yet, for the sake of the bigger picture, he had no other choice but to endure and keep teaching, teaching, and teaching...

Today, however, Yan Chixia had reached the absolute limit of his endurance! For no sooner had She Meier seated herself at the desk and faced the orchid he had drawn for her on the talisman paper than—before she had even picked up the ink brush—she suddenly began complaining of a "headache," sweetly and coyly demanding that Yan Chixia massage her temples.

Yan Chixia flared up in anger. Naturally, he had no intention of blindly obeying and giving her a massage. Instead, he suddenly smiled and said:

"Haha... She Meier, shall we discuss something?"

Hearing this, She Meier suddenly felt that something was amiss and immediately raised her guard, asking:

"Discuss what?"

Yan Chixia said:

"She Meier, I think you're studying the [Paper-Drawn Talisman Daoist Magic] far too exhaustingly! If you keep studying like this, I'm afraid you might wear yourself out. Therefore, I'd like you to take a temporary 'leave of absence'—meaning a year-long extended vacation. What do you think?"

"Ah?" She Meier was startled out of her wits, thinking to herself, *How could this ever do? Yan Chixia, if I don't see you for a whole year, how can my plan to make you fall in love with me ever succeed? Hmph, you want to pack me off with a single stroke? Not a chance in hell!*

With a sharp motion, she sprang to her feet, her face falling as she sternly demanded:

"Yan Chixia, what is the meaning of this? Why is it that the moment I sit down, you demand I take a 'leave of absence'? You actually want to give me a year-long vacation?" At this point, she let out a cold laugh. "Yan Chixia, don't forget that my studying the [Paper-Drawn Talisman Daoist Magic] with you was a 'pact' made between my master and your master! At the time, your master personally promised that you would teach me diligently... How is it that before I've even learned the [Paper-Drawn Talisman Daoist Magic], you are already reneging on your word? What kind of logic is it to go back on your promises like this? Yan Chixia, I demand a reasonable explanation from you! Otherwise, I won't let this rest!"

Confronted by She Meier's stern and severe reproaches, Yan Chixia found himself on the defensive and was momentarily struck dumb, stuttering:

"This... this..."

"This what? Yan Chixia, could it be that you've run out of arguments?" She Meier pressed relentlessly.

Yan Chixia suddenly realized that She Meier was not someone to be trifled with, and it seemed this hot potato truly could not be shaken off! Since that was the case, maintaining harmony was the best course of action. Clearing his throat, he forced a smile and said:

"Heh, She Meier, look at this belligerent posture of yours, as if I were your enemy... Can't you refrain from pressing your advantage so relentlessly? I was wrong! Let's just pretend those words urging you to take a 'leave of absence' were never spoken, alright?"