Rong Xueci didn’t seem to take it too seriously and responded gently as a matter of course: “Of course.”

Shen Qixi understood Rong Xueci’s mindset.

It was just a conversation with his wife—he could definitely handle it.

After all, he was an Immortal Venerable. The dangers of the cultivation world were hardly a challenge for him, let alone trivial matters in a marriage with a mortal wife.

“Madam, please return quickly with the disciples of Beichen Sect and wait for me at the abode.”

Shen Qixi absentmindedly replied, “Mmm.”

“Should I inform others of your whereabouts?” she asked.

“No need. I don’t like to be disturbed.”

Rong Xueci’s tone suddenly turned somewhat hurried, as if he were hiding something. “Madam, from now on, don’t worry about anything. Just return early and rest.”

Before Shen Qixi could continue the conversation, his voice completely vanished from her ears.

Shen Qixi sighed softly.

How could she not be curious about anything?

Rong Xueci gave her the feeling that she simply couldn’t hold onto him.

The distance between them as husband and wife was growing.

This time, when he returned, she would have a thorough, honest conversation with him and clarify everything.

“Immortal Venerable’s wife, shall we go?” a young disciple came over to ask Shen Qixi’s opinion.

Earlier, Shen Qixi had slain the Mirage Sea Serpent. Her fearless, calm, and independent courage in turning the tide had made the young disciple view her in a new light.

“Let’s return to the sect first,” Shen Qixi said, neither submissive nor overbearing.

If they stayed outside any longer, another crisis might occur.

At this point, returning to recuperate was the best choice.

To prevent further casualties among the surviving disciples of Beichen Sect, the young disciple gathered everyone together and brought out a large flying boat artifact. They all boarded the flying boat to return to the sect.

[Flying Boat]

[Description: A common flying artifact suitable for all ages, capable of carrying multiple people. Advantages: stable and safe. Disadvantages: relatively slow speed.]

[Piloting Requirement: Cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage or above.]

Shen Qixi glanced casually at the flying boat, and its label and description appeared before her eyes.

Foundation Establishment stage—soon. She was only one level away from becoming a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

On the way back, now that they were out of danger, everyone began to relax.

“Senior Brother Zhao, did the Immortal Venerable leave any instructions?” a Beichen Sect disciple asked respectfully.

“The secret realm at Kunshi Cliff is no longer safe. Master must be handling the aftermath. We should return early and avoid causing him any trouble,” Zhao Ruorui said, lifting his eyelids.

Zhao Ruorui pondered the identities of the mysterious individuals they had encountered in the secret realm.

He would need to report this to the elders of Beichen Sect upon their return.

“Yes, Senior Brother.”

The disciples on this expedition were relatively inexperienced, having come for training. Once they relaxed, they began to chat openly.

“Immortal Venerable’s wife, thank you,” they specifically expressed their gratitude to Shen Qixi.

Zhao Ruorui looked over in surprise.

When he learned that Shen Qixi had saved the young disciple and the other Beichen Sect disciples from the Mirage Sea Serpent, he was even more astonished.

This shiniang didn’t seem so incompetent after all.

Zhao Ruorui felt conflicted.

As for the disciples’ gratitude, Shen Qixi was actually a little surprised.

Rong Xueci’s appearance had made her think that everyone would only see him as the one who deserved the credit.

[Hehe, but you completed the side quest and gained the recognition of the young disciple and those Beichen Sect disciples.]

[Plus, you genuinely saved them—of course they’d thank you.]

In the cultivation world, luck is also part of one’s strength.

Even if they believed Shen Qixi had relied on an artifact to defeat the Mirage Sea Serpent, the fact that she had stepped forward in such a situation and delivered a fatal blow had completely overturned their perception of her as just a mortal.

At that time, they had been unable to control their fear of the Mirage Sea Serpent.

Yet Shen Qixi had managed to ignore such emotions.

That simple strike of hers was actually far from easy.

If she had feared the Mirage Sea Serpent, it would have agitated the serpent, allowing it to complete a new evolution and making the situation even more dangerous.

But the Mirage Sea Serpent did not evolve.

This meant… Shen Qixi was completely unafraid!

Simply astonishing!

She possessed an incredibly strong ability to remain calm in battle.

Shen Qixi didn’t know the disciples’ specific thoughts, but she calmly accepted their gratitude.

[Are you not happy?] the system asked curiously.

“It was luck at the time. The situation was actually very dangerous—I can’t let it go to my head.”

“I feel my cultivation is still insufficient,” Shen Qixi replied inwardly.

At that moment, she had borrowed Rong Xueci’s power for a brief experience.

Rong Xueci possessed such immense strength in this world, and she envied that.

[Don’t worry, you’ll surely make a stunning comeback one day!]

[“Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—do not bully the young for they are poor!”]

Once again, the system passionately recited such lines.

Anyway, she would become better than before, right?

At the very least, she could become a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

If she could successfully advance, she would be satisfied for now.

A hundred years of suppressed life had conditioned Shen Qixi to subconsciously restrain her emotions.

So no one knew that Shen Qixi was on the verge of a breakthrough.

After getting familiar with Shen Qixi, the disciples felt pity—it was a shame the Immortal Venerable’s wife had such poor spiritual roots. Her cultivation would likely stagnate at the late Qi Refining stage.

After returning to Beichen Sect, Shen Qixi parted ways with the others and went back to the abode she shared with Rong Xueci.

[Ding! Side quest activated: Accept and complete any one mission from the Beichen Sect’s mission board. Rewards: experience points, random blind box x1.]

Shen Qixi pondered inwardly—it seemed multiple side quests could be active simultaneously.

The quest to find Elder Huaying had a one-month time limit, which was tight but manageable. Elder Huaying, with her high cultivation, had gone missing—there must be danger lurking behind it.

She should improve her own cultivation first before undertaking this side quest.

Sect missions…

She had never done them before.

Generally, disciples in the sect could accept commission tasks posted on the bulletin board at the Assignment Hall, provided by elders or those in need of help.

Completing missions would yield rewards.

In the past, as the Immortal Venerable’s wife, Shen Qixi had never taken on sect missions.

She had been curious once, but Rong Xueci saw no need.

“Madam, those rewards are insignificant. If you want anything, just tell me,” Rong Xueci had said to Shen Qixi at the time.

When he spoke of sect missions, there was a dismissive, almost condescending tone in his voice.

Rong Xueci had absolutely no need for such rewards.

Back then, Shen Qixi had just followed Rong Xueci to the cultivation world, trembling with anxiety, afraid of making mistakes and embarrassing him. Naturally, she obeyed his words.

Later, Shen Qixi gradually realized that the disciples of Beichen Sect looked down on her and often mocked her, making her even more afraid to take on sect missions alone.

Now, with just a bit more experience, she could reach Foundation Establishment.

She would definitely choose to take on this side quest.

No outside opinion mattered more than her own advancement.

Without resting, Shen Qixi left her room. But as she was about to descend the mountain peak, she hesitated.

Should she wait for Rong Xueci to return?

Shen Qixi gazed into the distance, where white cranes flew across the sky.

But Rong Xueci hadn’t even told her when he would return. Why should she cling to such a vague hope and wait for him?

She also wanted to move freely within Beichen Sect.

When he returned, he would only need to ask around to find out where she was.

With that thought, Shen Qixi left the mountain peak.

A short while later, she used the sect’s teleportation array to arrive at the entrance of the Assignment Hall.

Inside, the disciple on duty was a drowsy-looking young man.

Noticing someone approaching, he looked up and asked with a smile, “Little junior sister, here to take on a mission?”

Above his head floated the labels: [Cultivation Second Generation], [Lazy], [Loves to Slack Off], [Warm-hearted], [Mission Assigner], [Supporting Character].

Shen Qixi paused.

He didn’t know who she was.

Of course—she rarely left the abode, so not everyone in Beichen Sect recognized her.

Now, dressed in sect robes, she was likely mistaken for an ordinary outer sect disciple.

Shen Qixi curved her eyes into a smile and asked curiously, “Is there anything suitable for me?”

“Hehe, little junior sister, you must be a new disciple,” the young man said warmly. “You can’t just take any mission recklessly. Let me help you find something.”

He stepped out from behind the antique-style desk and counter, raised his hand toward the bulletin board, and instantly, several mission scrolls flew into his hand.

“These are more suitable for you—not too difficult.”

“Which one would you like?” He handed the scrolls to Shen Qixi.

Shen Qixi looked them over: tasks like cleaning the herb garden, organizing artifacts, clearing out low-level demons and beasts… nothing too hard, suitable for Qi Refining cultivators.

Shen Qixi asked the system inwardly, “If I take all of them, will the side quest rewards change?”

[Uncertain, but side quests are random.]

[You might encounter new side quests while completing these missions.]

It was worth a try—opportunities might arise.

“I’ll take all of them,” Shen Qixi said.

The young man clutched his chest dramatically. “Little junior sister, are you serious? If you finish all these missions, you probably won’t have any rest today.”

This seemingly delicate junior sister was actually so diligent!

“It’s fine,” Shen Qixi said. “I have plenty of time.”

Instead of idly waiting in the abode for her husband, she broke into a smile.

The young man was momentarily dazed—the junior sister looked truly lovely when she smiled.

“Little junior sister, remember to balance work and rest! Don’t overexert yourself!” Moments later, the duty disciple waved at Shen Qixi’s retreating figure.