My Dreams Connect to Ancient Times

"...Yes." The Steward looked as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately held his tongue. He simply gave a respectful assent and slowly withdrew.

After he left, Zhao Zheng said with a wry smile,

"You really don't have to do all this. My Adoptive Grandfather doesn't much care for such fanfare..."

Lü Niangrong's smile was radiant.

"It's just a small token of our appreciation... By the way, I've been meaning to ask you, what's the story behind calling him 'Adoptive Grandfather'?"

"That's a bit of a long story." Zhao Zheng shrugged, then said, "Oh, right. Little Jianxue is clamoring for some candy gourds, so I'm about to go buy her some... Want any? I can get you a stick."

Lü Niangrong chuckled softly and blinked.

"I'm a little too old for those... But I'll go with you. I've been swamped with business lately and haven't had a proper break in ages. I've been in Jiangling all this time and haven't even had a chance to really see the city."

She paused, then added thoughtfully,

"Should we ask Daoist Lu to come along? I've noticed he's been holed up cultivating for the past two months, never setting foot outside."

"Sure, I'll go ask him."

Zhao Zheng gave a decisive nod. He walked to an inner room, knocked, and went inside. He then respectfully explained the idea to the old man seated within.

Lu Xuan raised his eyelids. He was about to refuse, but a sudden premonition struck him. Cause and Effect trembled, and his five apertures of Form, Sound, Smell, Taste, and Touch, as well as his Dao Generating One, all stirred in response.

He narrowed his eyes. Unable to divine the reason for the premonition, he simply agreed to go.

"Then let's take a walk through Jiangling City. I've been here for so long, and it's true I haven't had a proper look at the city... Bring the child, Jianxue, as well."

'By my calculations, my "past" self and Grandpa Chu should be arriving in a few days. There's no rush.'

"Yes, Adoptive Grandfather."

Zhao Zheng bowed respectfully.

A short while later, the group of four left the lavish residence of the Lü's Trading Company. Lu Xuan walked in the lead, his gaze lowered. Half a step behind him, Zhao Zheng carried a jubilant Lu Jianxue, walking alongside Lü Niangrong.

As they walked down the street, Lu Jianxue's eyes were quickly captivated by all the things on display, and she began to drool.

"Candy gourds, sugar figurines, candied fruit, sugar paintings, roasted chestnuts..."

Her craving grew with each item she named. By the end, Little Jianxue was fidgeting impatiently, her big, watery eyes shining with excitement.

Lu Xuan chuckled. 'This girl... when it comes to her sweet tooth, she could almost give Xiaoyan a run for her money.'

'I definitely gave her the right name!'

He had given the little girl the name Lu Jianxue, with his own surname. The name Jianxue ("to see snow") had a dual meaning. First, it was because of the great snowstorm that had covered a hundred thousand li. The second reason was that, after the years he'd spent in a dream of Ancient Times, Lu Xuan had begun to miss Yan Jiangxue.

Thus, he had chosen the name Jianxue.

As Lu Xuan was shaking his head in amusement, Lü Niangrong began to tease the little girl.

"Little Jianxue, do you want some? Call me 'Big Sister,' and I'll buy them for you..."

"Big Sister! Big Sister! Big Sister!" Lu Jianxue's eyes shone. "I said it three times, so you have to buy me three times as much!"

The three adults couldn't help but chuckle. Zhao Zheng touched his forehead in resignation, and a speechless Lü Niangrong rubbed the bridge of her nose. Just as she was about to say something, suddenly—

"The Buddha is compassionate."

They all instinctively turned to look. A fat monk stood to the side, a wide grin on his face as he toyed with a string of enormous Buddhist Beads.

At some unknown point, a deep gray mist had descended, completely shrouding the sky.

The fat monk slowly ambled over, offered a bow, and spoke with a smile to the old Daoist who looked to be on his last legs.

"Benefactor, this humble monk observes a darkness between your brows. A bloody calamity awaits you... a bloody calamity indeed!"

Lu Xuan's eyes narrowed. Beside him, Zhao Zheng erupted in fury.

"Watch your mouth, monk!"

Lü Niangrong wasn't angry, but she was amused. 'A monk telling a Daoist he has a dark aura between his brows and faces a bloody calamity...'

The fat monk maintained his wide, cheerful grin.

"Oh, my. This humble monk is merely speaking the truth."

"You...!" Zhao Zheng rolled up his sleeves and glared, ready to step forward, but a withered hand blocked his path.

Lu Xuan held Zhao Zheng back and took a slow step forward. He lifted his eyelids, revealing pupils that were once murky and plain but now held countless starlines, ebbing and flowing with streams of Chaos Qi.

"May I ask for the eminent monk's Dharma name?"

The fat monk gave a sinister chuckle, patting his large belly and adopting a compassionate expression.

"Your bloody calamity, Benefactor... has it not just arrived?"

As he spoke, he stepped aside. From all directions—in front, behind, and to the sides—men with hostile expressions began to close in. Lü Niangrong's expression changed in an instant.

"The Bai Family, the Fan Family, the Duanmu Family..."

Meanwhile, the fat monk spoke again, his grin as wide as ever.

"Before asking for this humble monk's Dharma name, Benefactor, shouldn't you first state your own?"

Lu Xuan didn't spare a glance for the ever-increasing number of Cultivators on the street, keeping his narrowed eyes fixed on the fat monk.

"This humble Daoist is called Profound Clarity."

"This humble monk..." The fat monk placed his palms together in a gesture of compassion. He appeared solemn and dignified, yet there was a palpable demonic aura hidden within his bearing.

"This humble monk... is Maitreya."