Setting aside his envy of Lu Yang’s romantic peach blossom luck, Meng Jingzhou was still his close friend.

“Come to think of it, we haven’t encountered any incidents when we go out lately,” Meng Jingzhou remarked as he scooped up a block of duck blood curd. “Like when we went to be judges together, played in the mountains, visited the seaside...”

Lu Yang recalled those outings. Each time, there had been a murder case—locked-room mysteries, perfect alibis for everyone, and no leads on the perpetrator.

The culprit was cunning, and their methods were inscrutable, but who was Lu Yang? As the Everlasting Immortal Fairy’s strategist, how could any murderer escape him?

Lu Yang simply asked Tang Chuanwu to commit suicide and reverse time, naturally bringing the truth to light while saving lives.

The only issue was that Meng Jingzhou couldn’t remember what had happened at all. “I told you so. Running into trouble when we go out is just a coincidence. See? Nothing happened these last few times.”

Lu Yang nodded vigorously, agreeing with Meng Jingzhou.

While eating hotpot, Lu Yang cooked meat, vegetables, and tofu skin, while Meng Jingzhou cooked pig blood, duck blood, and beef blood. There was no overlap in their food choices and fighting over food, making for a harmonious atmosphere.

Thanks to Lu Yang’s romantic peach blossom luck, by the end of the meal, Meng Jingzhou’s complexion was flushed red with anger.

~~~

As Lu Yang descended the mountain, he mulled things over.

“That move of Old Meng casually tearing open space to get a plate was cool.”

Lu Yang observed it with envy. I also want to fling my sleeve and have a table full of exquisite dishes appear.

“Xiao Yangzi, your Town in Palm can do that.”

Town in Palm could be used in two ways: one was its combat form, transforming into a giant palm, while the other involved forming a spatial pocket within the palm to store objects temporarily.

Lu Yang shook his head firmly. He had always held strict standards for his spells and technique. “Immortal Fairy, the key point is the gesture of flinging the sleeve. Although outsiders may not see the difference, I can’t fool myself.”

“Oh.” The Everlasting Immortal Fairy nodded despite not really understanding.

As they spoke, Lu Yang arrived back at Heaven’s Gate Peak.

“Second-in-Command, you’re back?” Yun Mengmeng sat on the monarch chair, her legs on the table. She waved at Lu Yang and took out some dried roasted potato slices from her sleeve, munching away.

“You want some?” Yun Mengmeng pulled out another bag of potato slices from her sleeve.

“Second-in-Command, this idea of yours is great. Roasting potatoes over burning moon laurel branches really makes the flavor different.” The roasted potato slices had already been delicious, but with Lu Yang’s advice, Yun Mengmeng’s version had become even tastier.

“I’ll have some then. Wait, where did you pull these potato slices out from?” Lu Yang noticed that Yun Mengmeng kept pulling things out from her sleeve, as if the space inside was infinite.

Yun Mengmeng grinned proudly. “I just learned Cosmos in Sleeve from Little Zhi. I no longer need to take food from my storage ring; I can just reach into my sleeve. It’s so convenient.”

“Cosmos in Sleeve...” Lu Yang’s eyes lit up. This is exactly the kind of spell I want!

“Sister Mengmeng, can you teach me?”

“Sure.” Yun Mengmeng licked the potato crumbs off her fingertips and clapped her hands, agreeing without hesitation.

“Second-in-Command, I remember that you already know spatial spells. You should be able to master this easily.”

Yun Mengmeng led Lu Yang to the mountainside of Heaven’s Gate Peak, where the terrain was gentler, making it a good spot for practicing spells.

The two sat on small stools as a one-on-one tutoring session began.

Yun Mengmeng cleared her throat. Her expression turned serious, a stark contrast to her usual lively and cheerful demeanor.

“As the name ‘Cosmos in Sleeve’ suggests, it refers to a sleeve that contains a cosmos capable of encompassing all things... What did Little Zhi say after that? Oh well, forget it, let’s skip that part.”

Yun Mengmeng remembered that when she had learned this spell, Yun Zhi had spent ages explaining its origin, significance, and combat applications. Listening to all that had made her head spin.

I don’t want the Second-in-Command to go through that same suffering. It’s better to just teach him how to execute it directly.

She reverted to her usual self. “Follow me. Calm your mind, gather your qi, and breathe naturally.

“Recite the chant: Expand the sleeve to contain the heavens, draw objects into the bosom, observe qi at its subtlest, perceive emptiness without a trace...

“Close your eyes and focus your attention on the minute fluctuations around you. Sense those ‘fluctuations.’ They are spatial ripples.”

Lu Yang’s talent for learning spells needed no elaboration. He calmed his mind, gathered his qi, and recited the chant, completing these steps in the blink of an eye. After that, he used his heart to perceive the surroundings, quickly sensing the spatial ripples.

“Sister Mengmeng, I’ve sensed the spatial ripples.”

Yun Mengmeng had long heard about Lu Yang’s exceptional talent in spells. Everyone praises him effusively. Now that I’ve seen it today, it’s even more impressive than I’d imagined.

“Not bad. You’re even faster than I was when I learned it.

“Keep that feeling. Following the spirit energy circulation patterns and the chant I taught you, imagine your sleeve merging with space and becoming capable of encompassing all things...”

In a flash, a full day passed. Lu Yang was brimming with energy and felt that he had learned enough. “Let me try.”

Cosmos in Sleeve was a renowned spatial mighty ability, demanding extremely high talent in spatial spells. Without such talent, even a Fusion or Transcendent Tribulation cultivator couldn’t master it.

For someone like Lu Yang to learn it in just a day, no Divine Transfiguration cultivator could surpass his learning speed.

The Everlasting Immortal Fairy also knew this spell. Since the steps that Yun Mengmeng taught were correct, she saw no need to interrupt.

“Quick, give it a try!” Yun Mengmeng urged excitedly. This was her first time teaching someone, and it brought her a great sense of accomplishment.

She brought out several bags of dried roasted potatoes and gestured for Lu Yang to put them away with his sleeve.

“Expand the sleeve to contain the heavens, draw objects into the bosom... Cosmos in Sleeve!”

Lu Yang extended his sleeve and swept it over the potato slices placed on the ground.

Yun Mengmeng stared expectantly at the roasted potato. Suddenly, her vision went black. She couldn’t see anything, as if even light had been drawn into the sleeve, turning the area into a land of darkness.

“Could it be that I’ve also been drawn into the Second-in-Command’s sleeve?”

Lu Yang also panicked. He found himself unable to see anything.

Light returned from above. Looking up, the two saw an enormous piece of cloth that had been blocking the sunlight, now lifted by Yun Zhi.

Yun Zhi gazed helplessly at her good sister and dear junior brother. “Which one of you created such a huge garment that has covered half of Heaven’s Gate Peak?”

I was sitting peacefully on the monarch chair, drinking tea, when the sky suddenly turned dark. I thought someone was attacking.

Lu Yang. “...”

Yun Mengmeng looked at Lu Yang with admiration. “I get it now. The sleeve became large enough to contain all things. So this is the true Cosmos in Sleeve!”

~~~

“Old Meng, can you show me your dharma manifestation?”

“What for?”

Meng Jingzhou looked at Lu Yang in puzzlement, but he still unleashed his Supreme Pure Yang Dharma Manifestation. It was colossal and majestic, standing so imposingly that it could intimidate villains. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

“Does your dharma manifestation need clothes?”