NOVPUBPeach Blossoms in Full Bloom
On the first day aboard the ship, Xu Shulou woke up early. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Bai Roushuang hovering outside the window on her sword, waiting for her with an excited expression. Seeing this, Xu Shulou decided not to linger in bed and quickly changed her clothes to join her junior sister for breakfast.
The fifth floor of the ship housed numerous eateries. As the two descended, they were greeted by a smiling attendant who asked, "Esteemed guests, what cuisine would you prefer for breakfast? For Shandong or Suzhou dishes, take the left path; for Cantonese or Sichuan, the right. If you'd like to try cultivation world specialties, proceed straight ahead."
Having spent considerable time in the cultivation world, Bai Roushuang had come to realize that few cultivators truly dedicated themselves to culinary arts. Merely adding a rare spiritual herb to a dish was enough for it to be touted as a "cultivation world specialty," though most of these dishes paled in comparison to mortal cuisine. She warily glanced at the nearby sign and, sure enough, noticed that the patrons of this eatery were mostly mortals eager for a novel experience.
The two ultimately chose Suzhou cuisine. Once seated, a server brought out small portions of delicate dishes—three-delicacy wontons, fermented glutinous rice balls, and crab meat lion’s head—all relatively light in flavor.
Bai Roushuang still hadn’t quite figured out Xu Shulou’s dislikes when it came to taste. It seemed that whether the food was mild or spicy, sweet or salty, sour or bitter, as long as it was delicious, Xu Shulou would enjoy it.
The floor was lined with large windows, and as the ship took flight, passengers seated by the windows could admire the majestic mountains and rivers stretching into the distance.
The two enjoyed their meal while taking in the breathtaking scenery outside.
After breakfast, another attendant approached and asked, "We have specially invited makeup artists and hairdressers on board to serve our esteemed guests. Would the two young ladies like to give it a try?"
Since they were here to enjoy themselves, they decided to indulge in the full experience. Xu Shulou and Bai Roushuang happily followed the attendant to the eighth floor, where the Ninglu Pavilion was located.
The pavilion offered makeup services and also sold cosmetics, jewelry, and other accessories.
Unlike mortal cosmetics, those in the cultivation world were made from spiritual flower extracts, gentle on the skin and resistant to smudging during meals. The makeup would last for over a month unless removed with a special herbal solution. The only drawback was the steep price.
At the moment, several mortal women were excitedly browsing the selection.
The hairdresser styled Xu Shulou’s hair into a loose single-coil bun, letting the rest cascade naturally over her shoulders, giving her a slightly languid air.
The hairdresser was effusive with praise: "Your hair is so well-maintained! Do you have any secrets?"
Xu Shulou pondered seriously before answering, "As a mortal, I exercised and took care of my body. After becoming a cultivator, I focused on cultivation. A healthy body and high cultivation level naturally lead to good hair."
"..."
Once her hair was done, the makeup artist applied a fashionable peach blossom makeup, even painting a tiny pink blossom beneath the corner of her eye for an extra touch of charm.
Xu Shulou examined herself in the mirror and noted that while her features remained the same, her overall demeanor appeared much softer.
The makeup artist’s skill was undeniable—she had transformed the battle-hardened Xu Shulou into a delicate, sheltered noble flower.
Bai Roushuang was stunned. "This is incredible, Senior Sister. You look completely harmless now. If you don’t speak, no one would ever connect you with the Xu Shulou who—ahem, I mean, the usual Xu Shulou."
Xu Shulou shot her a suspicious glance, sensing an insult hidden in those words.
The makeup artist then asked with a smile, "Miss, did you bring any jewelry? If not, we have many styles for you to choose from."
Xu Shulou thought for a moment and retrieved the wooden box Xiao Ya had sent as a gift. "There should be some in here."
Sure enough, among the gifts selected by Xiao Ya’s mother, the imperial consort, were many exquisite pieces of mortal jewelry. The consort was evidently a perceptive woman—whether she had inquired about Xu Shulou’s preferences or not, even the silk flowers she chose were ones Xu Shulou adored at first glance.
The makeup artist selected a peach blossom hairpin, several pink jade hairpins, and a gold-inlaid peach blossom step-shake to adorn Xu Shulou’s hair. She also found a pair of pink pearl earrings and fastened them, then added an intricately carved jade ornament at her waist. Finally, she clasped a jade bracelet linked to a ring around Xu Shulou’s wrist. When Xu Shulou stood, the delicate chime of jade accompanied her movements.
Bai Roushuang studied her. "It’s rare to see you dressed so elaborately. How does it feel?"
Xu Shulou flexed her limbs. "No issues. It won’t hinder me in a fight."
"..."
With her lifebound sword strapped to her back, Xu Shulou headed to the deck with her junior sister.
The vast deck was already crowded, making it easy to distinguish mortals from cultivators at a glance.
It was midwinter, and the mortals were bundled in thick coats, while the cultivators strolled about in light spring attire, unfazed by the cold.
Many of the mortals were wealthy—rumor had it that two of the thousand-spirit-stone luxury cabins had been booked by mortals.
Those in the shared bunks were almost exclusively mortals. Cultivators could fly on their swords and had no reason to spend thirty spirit stones to squeeze into a shared space unless they had peculiar preferences.
Thus, most cultivators aboard were here purely for leisure.
Among the mortals, some sought novelty, while others used the ship as convenient transportation to visit relatives or travel to distant posts. It was said one minor official was even taking the ship to his new assignment.
At a glance, the mortals outnumbered the cultivators on board.
An unspoken hierarchy had formed—cultivators above mortals, and the wealthy above those crammed into shared quarters.
The ship was passing a famous mountain. Bai Roushuang leaned over the railing to look down. "This is amazing. It feels completely different from flying on a sword."
Xu Shulou lazily rested beside her. "In the mortal world, doesn’t riding a boat feel different from swimming?"
Bai Roushuang thought this was flawed logic but couldn’t immediately refute it.
The ship glided smoothly through the air without the slightest turbulence.
Nearby, a section of the deck had been cordoned off for a game of cuju, where a group of mortal children kicked a ball around. Beside the field stood a small pavilion where attendants served various beverages to guests.
Xu Shulou wandered over and ordered a cup of warm date wine.
Before long, the ship made a stop at the outskirts of a mortal city.
A nearby cultivator grumbled, "Why are we stopping in the mortal realm? It’s just delaying the scenery."
Xu Shulou considered this and explained, "This business primarily caters to mortals. Cultivators are just here for novelty, but mortals actually need this kind of transport."
The man looked up and saw a lovely female cultivator with soft, peach-blossom-like features standing before him. His complaints vanished instantly, and he murmured, "What a vision—peach blossoms in full bloom, a beauty standing in quiet grace."
With practiced charm, he clasped his hands and asked, "Might I ask if the young lady boarded alone or with a companion?"
"With my junior sister."
The male cultivator smiled smugly, "Then might I invite you two ladies to join me for a drink at the tavern on the sixth floor? There’s a private section reserved for esteemed guests—ah, I see you’re also a distinguished guest. My apologies for not recognizing it earlier."
Bai Roushuang’s expression turned peculiar—was this her senior sister’s romantic admirer?
Xu Shulou smiled faintly. "Let’s exchange names first."
"Of course," the man clasped his hands in greeting. "I am Li Zhuoran of the Incense-Burning Valley. May I ask for the lady’s name?"
In the cultivation world, there were no taboos about sharing one’s name with strangers. Xu Shulou returned the gesture. "Xu Shulou."
Li Zhuoran froze. "Xu Shulou of Dustless Island?"
"Indeed."
"My apologies, Lady Xu. I won’t disturb you further." The man forced a laugh and scurried away as if fearing he’d be beaten if he lingered too long.
Bai Roushuang marveled inwardly at this abruptly ended romantic encounter. Look at my senior sister—no matter how stunning her face, it couldn’t overshadow her formidable reputation.
As she mused, a child’s startled cry rang out from the nearby kickball field.
Xu Shulou turned and saw a mortal girl being hurled over the ship’s railing.
Frowning, she darted forward like a wisp of smoke, her elegant robes tracing a graceful arc through the air. She caught the pale-faced child mid-flight, just as the cultivator who had thrown her shouted, "No need to interfere, fellow cultivator! She bumped into me and spilled osmanthus wine on my robes. I only meant to scare her—I was going to catch her myself."
Xu Shulou held the girl, soothing her with gentle pats until the child clung to her neck, pouting but no longer frightened. Then she levitated to the man’s eye level. "If you pull such a stunt again, I’ll seal your spiritual power and toss you overboard myself."
The man took one look at her face and immediately clamped his mouth shut, nodding meekly.
Xu Shulou couldn’t help but ask, "Why so obedient?" Most people would’ve argued back.
The man covered his head and fled. "Xu Shulou, don’t cut me down!"
"...You know me?" Xu Shulou set the girl down and chased after him, looking aggrieved. "Do you have some misunderstanding about me? I’m not the type to casually slash people."
His companion whispered, "You did just threaten to throw him overboard."
Xu Shulou had no retort. She spread her hands at her junior sister. "See? This harmless makeup does nothing. People still assume the worst of me."
Bai Roushuang hesitated. "Well… it’s just makeup, not a disguise."
Xu Shulou tilted her head. "Wasn’t it this bad before. Is it because I recently killed Wei Xuandao?"
"Exactly. The rumors about Wei Xuandao’s death keep getting wilder. Before I came to find you this morning, I overheard a version where you fought your way through Lingxiao Sect’s elders seven times before taking his head. Even though everyone knows Wei Xuandao was a villain, he was at the peak of the Divine Transformation stage. After killing him, your reputation has spiraled out of control—though some of it might be your enemies fanning the flames." Bai Roushuang sighed. "And senior sister, don’t tilt your head like that. You look too innocent. It doesn’t match your terrifying reputation."
Xu Shulou took a sip of warm jujube wine. "Well, time will fade all things."
Bai Roushuang muttered, "Unless you keep cutting people down as time passes."
"..."
"Ah?" Bai Roushuang suddenly leaned over the railing, pointing. "That’s the village I grew up in. It’s so clear from here."
Xu Shulou joined her. "Want to visit?"
Bai Roushuang considered it seriously before shaking her head. "No. My mortal ties are already severed."
"..."
She sighed. "Life is unpredictable. If my mother hadn’t sold me to a brothel back then, I might never have encountered this immortal path. But to say I’m grateful for those hardships? Absolutely not. I’m not that magnanimous."
Xu Shulou pulled her into an embrace. "It’s all in the past."
Bai Roushuang smiled faintly and pointed again. "That’s the nearest town to my village. There was a sugar painting stall there. As a child, I always wanted one but never got the chance. I’d just stand at the door, envying the other kids with their sugar creations."
Xu Shulou followed her gaze. "Let’s go see if the stall’s still there today. If it is, I’ll buy you one."
Bai Roushuang blinked. "But what about the ship? You paid two thousand spirit stones—we can’t just waste that..."
Xu Shulou raised a brow. "This ship moves slower than I do. We can catch up anytime."
Bai Roushuang finally allowed a small, happy murmur. "Then… it wouldn’t hurt to look."
No sooner had she spoken than her ever-reliable senior sister leaped overboard, winking at her mid-air. "Today, I’ll give you back a piece of your childhood."
