After retiring from the Yaoqing, Qi Zhimu left and moved to the Luofu permanently. He bought a hot spring villa to manage and named it Qingxin Residence.
Qingxin Residence was situated halfway up a mountain, nestled against the slopes and overlooking the water, far removed from the clamor of the world.
In the early morning, he would occasionally visit the spring source on the back mountain to check the water temperature, pruning the plants along the way as he went.
In the afternoons, he would sit in the courtyard to bask in the sun, watching the clouds drift by while flipping through ancient texts, or perhaps personally brewing a pot of fine tea and serving a cup of plum blossom brew for an honored guest.
There were no piercing alarms, no endless battle reports—only the gurgling of flowing water and the rustling of the wind through the greenery.
The flow of customers was decent, but hiring a few employees was enough to maintain orderly operations.
Everyone who came here could enjoy a rare sense of serenity.
The reason wasn't just the hot springs; it was that during the relaxation process, they would receive a cup of fine wine infused with the delicate fragrance of plum blossoms.
The liquid was clear, its color like amber, with a slightly sweet taste and a long-lasting aftertaste.
With one cup down the throat, most worries would quietly dissolve like snow meeting the sun, putting both mind and body at ease; it was truly miraculous.
When winter arrived and the red plum blossoms braved the snow, their subtle fragrance wafting through the air, Qi Zhimu would personally head to the back mountain to pick the freshest plum blossoms to brew wine.
Initially, this wine was merely a limited-supply gift for the guests.
But before long, the news that one could literally and completely relax their body and mind at Qingxin Residence spread like wildfire.
There were many entertainment options on the Xianzhou that could relieve stress and improve one's mood.
However, after experiencing many of these projects multiple times, one's threshold would increase, especially for the Long-lived Species.
Qingxin Residence was different; every time, the effect was as potent as the first encounter.
As the news spread, business at Qingxin Residence boomed rapidly. The reservation system crashed several times, and the waiting list stretched thirty years into the future.
Many high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants brandished Strale or Credit Points just to seek a room and a cup of wine.
This trend even reached the Interstellar Peace Corporation, and Charlie Death, a P-43 senior business supervisor, visited in person.
"Mr. Qi, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am a business supervisor under the Dragon Bone of the Ten of the Stone Hearts."
Charlie reached out, spreading his five fingers, his eyes burning slightly. "I will pay this amount to buy out the recipe for your plum blossom brew."
At the mention of the name 'Dragon Bone', several images flashed through Qi Zhimu's mind.
That person had said before leaving: The position of Dragon Bone among the Ten of the Stone Hearts is quite special; barring any accidents, it is always recommended and cultivated by the predecessor.
On the surface, the decision of who succeeds as Dragon Bone is made by the supervisor, Diamond, but in reality, it is almost like an inheritance, unless the current Dragon Bone dies unexpectedly.
Qi Zhimu took a light sip of tea, his expression calm.
The flat refusal that was on the tip of his tongue shifted into a different meaning.
"Buying the recipe is useless; only I can brew this wine to achieve this effect."
Charlie was stunned for a moment, but then his eyes darted around, and he immediately switched to a smiling face.
"Then let's cooperate! How about providing a hundred jars a year? I can use the Corporation's channels to package it as a top-tier luxury item! A million Credit Pointss per jar is not a problem!"
"A million?"
Qi Zhimu remained non-committal.
"The worry-forget plum blossom brew is a consumable Curio. I can provide a hundred jars, but this price is not enough to tempt me into cooperating with your company."
"A Curio?!" Charlie almost jumped out of his chair.
If it was a Curio, with that label attached, the price wouldn't just double.
After some bargaining, the two finally settled on a staggering profit-sharing ratio.
Charlie left with the contract, feeling satisfied, as if he could see countless Credit Pointss waving at him.
Qi Zhimu withdrew his gaze, a faint trace of nostalgia appearing on his face... Time flowed on.
Sleeping Snow and Clear Cold had not yet chosen to retire; they, along with Jingliu, submitted transfer applications to move to the Luofu to serve as Cloud Knight Vanguards.
Teng Xiao never expected that even after Qi Zhimu retired, he could still bring him such a boost.
Over these years, the fame of that Vanguard from the Yaoqing with superb swordsmanship named Jingliu had spread across multiple Xianzhou ships.
She had hunted countless Abominations and achieved illustrious military merits.
With such a Cloud Knight Vanguard, being a General would be much easier.
As for the Sleeping Snow sisters, having lost their status as Qi Zhimu's personal guards, they relied on their own strength to shine brilliantly in the Luofu's Cloud Knight Martial Arts Examination.
Both were promoted to Vanguard, each leading troops to continue the campaign.
No matter how busy the warfare was, as long as they returned to the Luofu in triumph, they would always return to Qingxin Residence as soon as they finished their duties.
They had their own exclusive hot spring rooms there.
Of course, Jingliu had one too.
Every time they returned from battle, washing away the blood and exhaustion by soaking in the warm spring water was their most relaxing moment.
Jingliu finished a two-year expedition and, after completing her check-up at the Alchemy Commission, headed straight for Qingxin Residence.
The Foxian girl at the front desk naturally recognized her; when she asked about the boss's whereabouts, the girl shook her head, indicating she hadn't seen him today.
Jingliu didn't mind.
It was currently the time when humans were active at night; her Master was either in the study or soaking in the hot springs.
Entering the bath area where only four people had access, Jingliu's footsteps suddenly halted.
The exclusive hot spring bath used by Clear Cold was lit up.
There were two pairs of shoes outside the door, one large and one small.
The large pair—she could never mistake the size—belonged to her Master.
The bath was well soundproofed, but Jingliu's five senses were even stronger.
She could hear the faint sound of water, low conversation, and even... Clearly, she had encountered such scenes many times, but why did it feel more painful every time instead of becoming something she gradually got used to?
Jingliu stood in the hallway, her body trembling slightly, but she could only close her eyes powerlessly.
Why?
Why could they?
Why was she the only one who couldn't?
Her Master had never set foot in her own bath area.
Jingliu stared fixedly at that door, the light in her pupils rapidly receding, leaving behind a sense of dizziness.
Jealousy, like a poisonous snake, coiled tightly around her heart, biting down and injecting bone-eroding venom.
She really wanted to rush in... really wanted to smash that door open and question her Master... really wanted to destroy the entire villa and kill everyone who could touch her Master.
She wanted to lock her Master up, so he could only look at her, only touch her alone... Jingliu took a deep breath, forcibly calming her emotions.
She knew... she couldn't do that.
Master was already over a thousand years old, belonging to a high-risk group whose mental state was far less stable than that of young people.
Any bit of stimulation could become the final straw that broke him.
If she angered him, or even triggered his mara affliction... then she would truly lose him... completely and forever.
The fear brought by this loss was far beyond what jealousy could compare to.
She couldn't imagine a world without Qi Zhimu, without her Master.
Even if she could only watch from afar, even if she only received a sliver of his charity-like attention, it was better than losing him entirely.
Jingliu's nails dug deep into her palms, carving out bloody marks.
Endure... endure... only by finding Hoolay, only by severing that wolf's head and catching up with the traces her Master once left, could she prove herself... She turned around, taking heavy steps one by one toward her own bath area.
Master, look, I'm very obedient.
Your disciple doesn't make a scene, doesn't cause trouble for you.
As long as you are still here, as long as everything is well... even if your tenderness doesn't belong to me now, your disciple is willing to keep watch over you like this, until... until the day your disciple also turns into a monster.