abcnovels
Chapter 33
Chapter 33
Chapter 33
"Are you becoming stupid too, brother?" Li Shiyin frowned, and then hurriedly spat twice, saying "What 'too'? I'm Shiyin!"
Li Shiwen looked Li Shiyin up and down carefully again. Although her face was dirty, the foolish and cute silly energy was ingrained in her bones, and he recognized it at a glance... she was indeed his silly younger sister.
"Shi...Shiyin?" Li Shiwen said uncertainly, "Since when did you become so strong?"
"Humph humph!"
Li Shiyin revealed a smug little expression, swinging Li Shiwen's steel spear in her hand.
This steel spear was Li Shiwen's treasured possession that he brought with him wherever he went and never let go. She had never gotten to play with it before... probably because the spear was so heavy, over 60 kilograms, that she couldn't swing it previously. But no matter, today she had easily snatched it from Li Shiwen's hands.
"I'm a cultivator now!" Holding the spear, she stuck out her waist and raised her chin at Li Shiwen arrogantly, "You mere mortal, bow down to this great immortal!"
And so Li Shiwen gave a knock on Li the Great Immortal's head to bring her back to reality.
From the time Li Shiyin disappeared from his station to now, it hadn't even been twenty days. To have this level of strength, it seemed she had undergone proper cultivation training. But... as Li Shiwen looked up and down at Li Shiyin's dirty state, where was the look of someone cultivating?
"Some great immortal!" He laughed and said, "Even great immortals have to come home with me."
"I'm not going home..." Li Shiyin stabbed the spear firmly into the ground and leaned against it, crossing her arms, "I have a top-grade Spirit Root. I was born to cultivate immortality and seek the Dao... Soon I will become a Sword Immortal. Our Li family will also produce an immortal!"
"You want to become a Sword Immortal that badly?" Li Shiwen stared at Li Shiyin, "Do you know, immortals and mortals are two different worlds. If you want to become an immortal, you have to sever ties with the mortal world. You won't want me as your brother anymore, or Father and Mother either?"
"It's just cultivation! Who said you must sever ties with the mortal world? Once I learn how to fly on swords, I'll come home every day to annoy you to death." Li Shiyin said with her hands on her belly. "Anyway, I must become a Sword Immortal. I'm going to the Underworld to bring Grandpa's soul back. I will definitely find the elixir of immortality to let Father and Mother live forever!"
This silly naive sister!
Li Shiwen was both moved and angry, but today he had to wake her up. He raised his voice and shouted, "The Underworld, Underworld! Let me tell you, there is no Underworld! There is no elixir of immortality! Grandpa is gone! Grandpa is dead and will never come back!
"You're already sixteen, be sensible, will you!"
Li Shiyin lowered her head and said softly, "Grandpa Dong said when people die they become ghosts and enter the Underworld to live in Fengdu and await reincarnation. Grandpa Dong said ghosts can also cultivate and become immortals... I want to go to Fengdu and bring Grandpa back to teach him ghost cultivation methods!"
Grandpa Dong was evidently a figure like a guest elder in the Li family.
Li Shiwen shook his head and said, "Grandpa Dong lied to you."
Little girls always believe in fairy tales, but today Li Shiwen tore apart this fairy tale. Leaning on the spear, Li Shiyin's figure clearly froze as big teardrops fell to the ground, splashing up mud.
Li Shiwen went forward and gently embraced Li Shiyin.
Qin Ran still sat there drinking fruit juice. The juice was sweet and sour, so sour his eyes watered...
There were tens of thousands of reasons for cultivation in this world. Controlling one's fate was the most common; for the longevity of one's parents was the most naively romantic and pitiful.
After hugging Li Shiyin for a while, Li Shiwen pulled her over to sit in chairs in front of Qin Ran and asked, "What is Shiyin doing here?"
"Digging a lake..." Qin Ran said. Before Li Shiwen's expression could turn fierce, he continued, "To train her body and control over her body."
Li Shiwen thought carefully and was able to understand. He nodded and looked towards the huge pit, not daring to believe it. He said hesitantly, "She dug all this herself?"
"Yes." Qin Ran replied.
Li Shiwen was silent as he looked at Li Shiyin, feeling very distressed. Foolish girl, when had she ever endured such hardship? But it seemed she had endured it when Father had disciplined them, maybe no less than this.
Sure enough, Li Shiyin spoke up, "Brother, actually this is pretty fun. Digging out the mud and separating the rocks and mud to stack over there, the mud can be molded into figurines, the rocks are fun for throwing and hitting birds... Also a lot of interesting treasures get dug up. I previously dug up a flying sword, but unfortunately it was rusted..."
A simple-minded person's sadness comes and goes quickly. At this time Li Shiyin was already able to chatter excitedly with red-rimmed eyes. Qin Ran looked over – the intensity was still too low, evidently she had just been playing around.
Feeling her master's terrifying gaze, Li Shiyin hurriedly stopped and switched topics, "Also, no need to worry about muscle soreness or anything like that. Master makes medicinal baths for me every day, and medicinal baths are so comfortable... Brother, you should try it."
"Medicinal baths?" Hearing this, Li Shiwen knew exactly how Qin Ran was treating Li Shiyin.
Unlike Li Shiyin, he understood the value of medicinal baths. If ordinary people's medicinal baths used money, then cultivators' medicinal baths used spirit stones. Spirit stones - an ordinary person would treasure even one as a family heirloom to pass down.
And Qin Ran made them daily for Li Shiyin...
He looked at Qin Ran with a respectful expression, carefully choosing his words. "I happen to know a bit about the Dao Sword Sect as well. I have heard that the four mountain ranges of the Dao Sword Sect cultivate different Daoist methods, among them Dan Peak cultivates alchemy. So you must be the legendary alchemist."
Qin Ran stroked the cat and remained silent.
"Then..." Li Shiwen asked, "Why does Shiyin practice the body and the sword, walking the path of the Sword?"
"She has a Gold Spirit Root, naturally she should cultivate the sword. As for her personality... you know your own sister..." Qin Ran explained.
Li Shiyin was silent. This silly girl Li Shiyin had a simple mind and nerves of steel, lively and bouncing around - cultivating the sword was indeed a good choice for her.
"If you're asking why she became a disciple of Dan Peak to cultivate the sword..." Qin Ran looked at Li Shiyin and smiled, "At first she wanted to learn alchemy and concoct the elixir of immortality herself. I was the one who had her cultivate the sword, and promised to help her find longevity-increasing elixir."
Li Shiwen glanced at Li Shiyin, and Li Shiyin grinned at him. He turned to Qin Ran and cupped his fists respectfully, lowering his head to say, "I apologize for my rude behavior earlier!"
"To not know is no crime." Qin Ran said, "As for Shiyin, she is my own disciple whom I love, so I will naturally help her."
Having said this, Li Shiwen understood the details of Li Shiyin's situation at Dan Peak, and then he spoke:
"This sister of mine has a simple heart and bold nature, also blessed by fool's luck to take you as her master and set foot in the blessed land of Dan Peak. However, she still has to return home.
"Firstly, our parents are at home, and children should not leave home to cultivate immortality while their parents are living. Father sends a letter every day urging Shiyin to return home..."
The map of Yan Country is too small! Already at its edge? This Li Shiwen is not a good person after all. Qin Ran looked indifferently at the fellow - talking for so long and still wanting to take Shiyin home.
However, his first reason makes some sense. Qin Ran remembers that Daoism on Earth had related rules - only children cannot join to cultivate if they still have elders at home, so he will not argue this point.
But just then Li Shiyin secretly pouted and huffed in contempt, clearly harboring some other resentment.
"Secondly, Shiyin is already eighteen this year, time for marriage... My Li family has always been on good terms with the Cheng family of Danyang. Shiyin was betrothed to the Cheng family's young master early on..." Li Shiwen continued.
Well now! Could this be a "Don't Bully the Poor" story? Shocking! The foolish disciple turns out to be Nalan Xinyu!
"Finally..." Li Shiwen's expression became solemn. He looked at Qin Ran and said in a deep voice, "The reason why I have only come to visit you now is because recently there have been many incidents of demonic beasts injuring people in the Hengduan Mountains. I have a premonition that something big is going to happen in the Hengduan Mountains. I want to take this opportunity to send Li Shiyin back, away from this dangerous place."
The Hengduan Mountains? Qin Ran's eyes glazed over slightly. The Hengduan Mountains again!