Do old friends need to be especially nervous when reuniting?
Wu Yingxue thought it shouldn't be necessary.
Time flows like water, fleeting and unstoppable.
Time brushes past like the wind, silent and unassuming.
When meeting someone important, the past becomes hazy, as if the long wait was just yesterday, leaving no room for hesitation or helplessness.
As long as she could see him again, her restless heart would settle.
But still.
The princess didn't want their reunion to be too casual.
It was a precious moment.
A moment when the moonlight breaks through the clouds to illuminate the dark waters, where the outline of the moon meets the surface in perfect harmony, creating a symphony of light.
"It seems that the start of the new year is approaching in his world?"
Strolling through chaos.
Drifting through time and space.
An elegant figure more mature than Xu Xi remembered.
With a flick of her wrist, she spun her long spear, casually creating a series of twirling patterns that resonated with the Dao and shook the heavens, forming a cascading sea of realms.
The new year was approaching, the most crucial time of the year.
The princess still remembered that snowy night.
The flickering candlelight.
The gentleness with which Xu Xi wiped the corner of her mouth.
"Indeed, I should give him something," she thought, her movements speeding up as she pierced through several demonic realms.
Worlds collapsed, Dao principles were condensed, all converging in her white palm.
A long time ago.
Xu Xi had once gifted the princess a paper flower.
Now, with her strength increased, the princess wanted to prepare a special gift for Xu Xi.
That was why she continued wandering through the chaos.
Seeing her teacher again would be easy, but choosing a gift for him was difficult.
At least.
The gift mustn't be inferior to those two presences.
The princess was always competitive, and that, she had never changed.
In the real world, Yanshan City.
Xu Xi raised his head slightly, his gaze catching the clear blue sky, but his powerful spiritual energy had already enveloped everything, accurately locking onto the fleeing figure of the red dragon.
"Does that red dragon have some misunderstanding about me?"
Rex Santos' panicked expression.
Caused Xu Xi to feel slightly puzzled.
He had never intended to kill the red dragon.
After all, dragons were rare in the real world, and if the red dragon were gone, cultivating dragon blood herbs would become a bit harder.
If he let his sister and the Black Witch act.
Being the Eternal Supreme in every sense, solving the dragon blood herb issue would be easy.
But that would be like cheating, taking away the fun of cultivation.
Therefore.
Xu Xi had never considered harming the red dragon, who, being quite sensible after realizing the strength difference, willingly donated its blood.
Today, however, the red dragon had been frightened into a frantic escape.
"I'll have to find a time to reassure it," Xu Xi thought.
"Otherwise, the quality of the dragon blood might drop and affect the growth of the dragon blood herbs."
Xu Xi shook his head.
Stepping out of the courtyard.
He had already explained things to Mo Li and Krisha.
Telling the two girls not to continue searching for the martial world.
Having concerns for the common people, Xu Xi used spatial magic once more, stepping out from the courtyard entrance to the outskirts of Yanshan City in an instant.
He arrived just in time.
Everything fell into place.
Official workers were wrapping up their final preparations, filling large iron cauldrons with various foods.
There was Niu's heart-stealing steamed white rice.
And tender, springy meat that the refugees dared not imagine.
"Eat," the blurry eyes of a leader brimmed with desire, saliva subconsciously dripping down, but the people hesitated, casting anxious glances at Xu Xi.
Xu Xi smiled and nodded.
Only then did they feel at ease.
They dug into the food bravely yet timidly, scooping out portions for themselves and their families.
The soup's surface floated with a layer of oil.
The juice was clear.
It looked scorching hot.
Steadily, wisps of white steam rose, carrying precious warmth, gently brushing against the faces of those eating.
A bold sip, and the warmth flowed through the body, as if revitalizing it with a second spring.
The people came alive.
Drinking the rich soup, swallowing their tears alongside it, they drank faster and faster.
"Mother, take it slow," Niu carefully remarked, using a spoon to blow on the hot broth until it wasn't as scalding, then gently placing it near his mother's lips.
One sip, then another.
Until his mother had eaten enough.
Niu finally picked up his own bowl, using chopsticks to pluck small bits of rice into his mouth, chewing it meticulously.
His teeth ground it finely.
His tongue rolled it around, savoring every bit.
Finally, it transformed into a familiar look of unreserved joy: "Brother Xu, the steamed white rice is so delicious!"
"Eat more if you like it," Xu Xi chuckled, finally saying what he had always dared not say in the martial world.
"There's plenty of food here, eat as much as you want."
"Mmm!"
Niu nodded excitedly.
He sped up his eating.
Holding the bowl in his left hand, chopsticks in his right, he rapidly shoveled food into his mouth.
Niu was brave, bold enough to eat big mouthfuls, cramming the rice into his maw for the first time.
It was delicious.
Really, really delicious.
Niu ate happily, gazing at the rice in his bowl, then at his mother, and the familiar faces of Qingniu Town.
He was filled with joy.
Sweet steamed white rice was delicious, but eating it with everyone was even better.
Niu was satisfied, standing up, holding his empty bowl, and daring to refill it again bravely.
Soon.
More and more brave people followed suit.
They, like Niu, tried to serve themselves more, seeing that the workers didn't stop them, and happily filled their bowls again, adding two extra slices of meat loaf.
Xu Xi wasn't hungry, so he didn't join in.
But his smile didn't pale in comparison to that of Qingniu Town's residents.
Like a gentle breeze in summer.
Relaxed, warm.
His lips curved upwards, revealing a pleasant mood.
"Boom! Boom!"
Unfortunately, before they could finish, the sky darkened rapidly, thunder roared, and lightning flashed.
A sudden downpour began.
Xu Xi waved his staff, casting massive spells: a wind barrier and a water shelter.
They blocked out all the storms.
Allowing the people to eat in peace.
A heavy rain poured down like a waterfall, the dense curtain of water stretching from the heavens to the earth, but upon touching the magic barrier, it was repelled instantly.
The strange spectacle drew gasps of amazement from Niu and the others.
They were certain of their earlier guess.
Brother Xi must be the Star Venerate or Celestial Emperor who could summon wind and rain.
Xu Xi just smiled lightly.
"That should be enough..." Xu Xi waved the staff again, drawing on natural elements to form a shelter, helping the people stay dry and shielded from the weather.
Any further tasks, like arranging housing for the refugees,
Were matters for the Supernatural United Bureau to handle.
There were many people.
Relocating them to the Earth would require careful planning. Xu Xi decided to leave it to professionals.
After all, he couldn't just stuff them into his own courtyard.
"Time to go home, I'll check on Niu and the others tomorrow."
After bidding farewell to the people, Xu Xi turned away.
The rain poured furiously.
Just as he was about to use spatial magic, at the edge of his vision, he saw a familiar figure holding an umbrella, standing quietly, waiting.