Immortal after a Hundred Reincarnations

She hoped Xu Lei would keep trying and win Jingchun over.

She added that while Jingchun had a Dao Companion in the past, they had never officially performed Dual Cultivation.

Therefore, Jingchun was actually still a maiden—just a particularly well-developed one.

Xu Lei was surprised to hear this.

But he just laughed it off.

’If I’m going to live here long-term and be with Zhao Xin...’

’I really do need a more compelling official reason.’

’Well, since Zhao Xin suggested it, I’ll just let her think that way.’

’As long as I don’t actually make a move on Jingchun, it’s fine.’

After that, Xu Lei indeed made no real advances toward Jingchun.

Instead, he was perfectly respectful, addressing her as "Sister-in-Law."

His Cultivation continued, as did his secret relationship with Zhao Xin as her Dao Companion. They just had to be more careful and secretive during their "Charitable Giving," which only added to the excitement.

Other than that, nothing much had changed.

「Another half a month passed in the blink of an eye.」

Then one day, a very, very old Daoist Nun suddenly arrived.

Zhao Xin called her Grandmaster.

It turned out she was Jingchun’s mother!

She was also a True Daoist, but she had grown old and frail before her Cultivation reached a level where she could prove her Dao.

As a result, she had neither attempted Ascension to face the Thunder Tribulation, nor had she continued her Cultivation to seek long life.

Her Cultivation had already begun to decline, and now she was simply waiting for death.

She was just like an ordinary old woman from the mortal world.

The only difference was that this particular old woman had lived for a very long time.

Her husband, Jingchun’s father, was said to have also been a Daoist originally.

But he had passed away many, many years ago.

Thus, Jingchun’s mother, the Grandmaster, was now consumed with worry over Jingchun finding a lifelong partner.

Furthermore, this time the Grandmaster had brought a male Monk with her, one who looked to be around the same age as Xu Lei.

She was insisting that Jingchun spend time with the Monk and try to become Dao Companions.

This gave Jingchun a splitting headache.

After all, her heart belonged solely to her Dao Companion—the one left in a vegetative state after being injured—and her only wish was to revive him.

But the Grandmaster threw herself on the ground and began to wail.

Although Jingchun lived in the inner courtyard, Daoists were supposed to be renunciants, and such a public discussion about marriage was unseemly.

If the ordinary Daoists in the Daoist Temple overheard, it would create a bad impression.

So Jingchun had no choice but to patiently ask the Grandmaster to stop shouting.

Meanwhile, Xu Lei and Zhao Xin were secretly in the adjacent courtyard, both pressing an ear to the wall to eavesdrop and enjoy the show.

The two of them had been taking advantage of their shared free time, planning to sneak into one of the rooms for a vigorous round of "Charitable Giving."

But the racket the Grandmaster was making was considerable, so of course, it had startled Xu Lei and Zhao Xin.

They had rushed out into their courtyard to listen from behind the wall.

The two were silently eavesdropping.

"Mother, I... I actually have a Dao Companion!"

They were completely caught off guard when Jingchun’s voice suddenly carried over the wall. "His name is Hui Chi," she said, "and he’s a Buddhist Disciple.

It’s true! He’s been staying here at the Daoist Temple recently!"

Her words left both Xu Lei and Zhao Xin utterly dumbfounded.

The two of them couldn’t help but stare at each other.

Of course, they immediately understood what Jingchun was planning.

"Xin’er, what if your master asks me to act as her shield?"

Xu Lei immediately whispered, "What should I do? Should I agree or not?

Should I help her or not? I’ll do whatever you say."

"Well..."

Zhao Xin pursed her lips. "I suppose you should help her.

My master is so hopelessly devoted.

It seems that forcing her to spend time with another man would just be torturing her.

When I think about it, I can understand how she feels.

After all, I’d be the same way if I were in her shoes.

How could I possibly spend time with another man if my heart already belongs to someone I can’t let go of?

Wouldn’t that just be wasting the other guy’s time?"

"So you’re saying I should help?"

But Xu Lei was worried. "Are you sure? Aren’t you afraid that your master might actually fall for me one day? What would we do then?"

"Uncle Hui Chi, you’re pretty full of yourself, you know,"

Zhao Xin said with a sweet smile. "You’re always telling me that I’m beautiful and I know it!

Well, look at you! You’re no different!

My master has been hopelessly devoted for years!

Countless men have pursued her, but not one has managed to move her heart in the slightest!

What makes you think you’ll be any different?"

"I definitely won’t be the one to pursue your master,"

Xu Lei said. "But what I’m worried about is what happens if she suddenly falls for me on her own?

Won’t you fly into a jealous rage?

Besides, it would be terrible if this ended up affecting the relationship between you and your master."

Although Xu Lei’s concerns might have sounded absurd and delusionally overconfident,

they weren’t entirely baseless.

Throughout his second life,

women had flocked to him like a tide.

The more women a man had, the more women seemed to flock to his side.

Sometimes, the rules of the world were just that perverse.

Xu Lei had experienced this firsthand.

In the years before Su Chun and his other companions had passed away from old age,

the number of women in Xu Lei’s life had constantly increased, to the point that he sometimes felt overwhelmed.

He would have to rush to several different places in a single month, performing "Charitable Giving" over and over again.

Even though all the women by his side were beauties, he sometimes felt a little numb to it all.

And most of the time, it wasn’t as if Xu Lei had intentionally pursued them.

The women just threw themselves at him.

Zhao Xin had been no different.

Back then, Xu Lei had just seen his mortal women pass away from old age.

He had been planning to clear his mind and live a quiet, carefree life for a while.

He had no intention of getting involved with Zhao Xin at all.

He had simply been looking after her as if she were a child.

After all, while Zhao Xin’s age at the time was old enough for a mortal in this world to marry and have children,

among Cultivators, she was still considered a child, at an age where one was expected to abstain from lust and love.