Four

Xiao Ziyu felt somewhat uneasy. He listened intently to the sounds outside the house, then quietly peered through the crack of the door. Outside stood a little girl, quite a beautiful one at that. Her skin was very fair, and her amber eyes sparkled in the moonlight. She was dressed simply, with only a grayish snake-shaped bracelet on her wrist, which had a somewhat peculiar feeling, reminiscent of the mountain spirits mentioned by his grandfather in stories.

Mother, what should I do? What should I do?

Xiao Ziyu let out a soft "oh" and hurriedly left. That night, he lay on a pile of straw, thinking about Hua Qian's smile

Such a price is not only unattainable for a poor child like him, but even the landlords in the village can only look on enviously. According to records of spiritual cultivation history, there are indeed spiritual practitioners from ordinary families among the major sects, but those are the prodigies among prodigies who can cultivate at five and communicate with spirits at seven, making the sects willing to invest in their training. However, even if the material needs for cultivation are met, life still requires money, does it not? Being selected for spiritual cultivation is akin to becoming an official, or even surpassing it. No matter how hard a poor child struggles, they still have parents to support them and clan members to help; at most, their senior brothers wear silk and satin while they wear old cotton clothes, their senior brothers feast on delicacies while they eat steamed buns and flatbreads. Originally, Xiao Ziyu's father was selected for spiritual cultivation and followed this path. The clan believed he would succeed and generously offered their support, providing some silver each year. Although life was quite difficult, they managed to get by with frugality, and after completing his studies, he could earn some income. This is also the main reason why, after being labeled a fraud, the clan harbored extreme disdain for Xiao Ziyu, even attempting to seize his family’s assets— the invested money had gone down the drain.

Xiao Ziyu took out the jade pendant once again, asking over and over. Although many years ago, he understood that the deities were very busy, slaying demons and protecting the peace of the world, ensuring promotions and wealth, and blessing others with children, leaving no time for a small child like him, he still hoped that some meddlesome and bored deity would descend from the heavens, wave their sleeve, improve his physique, sharpen his mind, and more importantly, bring his parents back, allowing him to have friends, many friends, ... no longer feeling lonely and desolate ... but he still hoped that some meddlesome and bored deity would descend from the heavens, wave their sleeve, improve his physique, sharpen his mind, and more importantly, bring his parents back, allowing him to have friends, many friends, ... no longer feeling lonely and desolate ...

But where should he start

The rural customs are simple and unpretentious, and since ancient times, there has been a tradition of providing accommodation for travelers.

Moreover, even if his father did not lie about his spiritual cultivation, both he and his mother are extraordinary geniuses, yet their son is inherently weak in constitution. How could any great master take an interest in him? A genius must possess some exceptional qualities, right? Whether it is intellect, physique, or ability, he has shown no distinction from ordinary people throughout his life. At most, he has been praised for being somewhat meticulous, but if meticulousness were sufficient to become a spiritual master, then the seamstresses would have long since achieved spiritual cultivation.

Everyone should mind their manners; young people only understand when they have suffered a serious injury. In my younger days, I too had such dreams.

Xiao Ziyu has received many favors from others throughout his life, but he laments his limited abilities, which prevent him from fully repaying them. He is unwilling to accept others' gratitude. He resolutely refuses: "My grandfather said that I have lived for fourteen years and have received help from many people, so I should also help others. Today, you are in difficulty, and I will help you; tomorrow, when I am in difficulty, there will also be someone to help me. This cycle continues, and good deeds never cease. So, you can rest assured and focus on your recovery, do not take it to heart. I will prepare food for you, though it may be simple, I hope you will not mind." Today, you are in difficulty, and I will help you; tomorrow, when I am in difficulty, there will also be someone to help me. This cycle continues, and good deeds never cease. So, you can rest assured and focus on your recovery, do not take it to heart. I will prepare food for you, though it may be simple, I hope you will not mind.

Seeing that the spiritual master had walked far away, the others no longer felt fear and began to mock.

... ... ''

Young man, when you become successful in the future, be sure to lend a helping hand to the uncle

In every lonely and long night, he always thinks of his parents over and over again. At first, he would cry, but now he no longer does so

Suddenly, a gentle knocking sound came from outside the door

Grandfather said that the Mountain Spirit is a forest fairy who helps humanity, but after all, she is still a monster

The injury is more severe than I imagined, and I need to rest for two days before I can set out, the young girl concluded after finishing her treatment, twisting her swollen ankle. She wanted to appear more easygoing, but there was always an indescribable authority and presence in her beautiful eyes, making her request feel more like an order that could not be refused, "Help me"

The girl looked at the serious-faced child and smiled gently

Such loneliness, Xiao Ziyu has long since become accustomed to

In the dead of night, who would come to visit

However, Xiao Ziyu still hesitated; he felt that this beautiful girl was not an ordinary traveler, and he felt a sense of fear in his heart

The young girl seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. She suddenly called out to Xiao Ziyu, asked for his name, and said: "Today, I find myself in a predicament, which is truly unavoidable. I will remember your kindness in my heart, and I will surely repay it in the future"

Do not even mention whether someone like you can be elected; even if you were to strike it rich, just the expenses for your spiritual cultivation—food, clothing, housing, and transportation—who do you expect to cover those costs? Are you planning to follow in the footsteps of your fraudulent father? To swindle a group in the village and then flee? No one would fall for such a trick!

Whispers and rumors penetrate the ears, each word and phrase striking at the heart with pain

The young girl spoke again: "I am in trouble, and I have no money at the moment. Please let me stay for one night. If it is not convenient, I will go next door to ask." She turned to leave, her movements limping, as if she had been injured

He does not regret having given the villagers, who already looked down on him, more fodder for laughter due to his careless words—after all, the villagers already held him in contempt, and those mischievous children would have concocted jokes to mock him regardless of his loose tongue

The girl shook her head: "There is no need, I have no parents, nor do I have a home"

Xiao Ziyu returned holding a medicinal wine, and just happened to witness this scene, stunned and speechless. In his life, he had never seen such a fierce woman, secretly pondering: Could this be the charisma of a spiritual master?

Are the girls from the South Seas all that strange? Although they are strange, they are not unpleasant, and in fact, quite charming

Xiao Ziyu did not know how beautiful the legendary beauty's smile was, but he thought the girl's smile was also very beautiful, like the warm breeze of spring that melts the ice and snow. He realized that a girl could be so lovely when she smiled, so lovely that it made his heart race uncontrollably. Xiao Ziyu felt very embarrassed and did not dare to look at the girl any longer, hurriedly taking his leave.

The legend does not mention whether the mountain spirit will eat people

Xiao Ziyu looked at her indifferent expression and held back for a long time before managing to utter two words of consolation: "Take care."

Xiao Ziyu said nothing, did not refute a single word, and after silently completing his tasks, he retreated to a corner of the kitchen. Reflecting on the events of the day, he struggled to suppress his sadness, yet his eyes involuntarily reddened, with a few unshed tears lingering.

The girl replied nonchalantly, "They are all dead."

Only the prayers that will never be realized are recited repeatedly, day and night, in the hearts and throats of the youth

The more the girl insists that she does not want to stay in Xiao Family Village, the more credible her explanation becomes

He was unaware of how his mind was working, and unexpectedly made such a reckless promise to Yue Wuxia

Xiao Ziyu is a kind-hearted child; he could never bring himself to leave an injured girl outside the door, so he had no choice but to agree. He voluntarily gave up his bedroom for the girl to rest and went to find a few thicker garments to prepare for sleeping in the woodshed.

For some reason, he did not want to disappoint Yue Wuxia, even if just a little; he wanted to fulfill his promise

The girl coldly let out a "hum" without asking him what misunderstanding he had. She took off her shoes and socks, grabbed her ankle joint, and forcefully twisted it. A crisp "crack" echoed in the quiet room, and amidst the painful sound that made one wince just by hearing it, she actually managed to forcibly realign the dislocated joint back into place.

Xiao Ziyu lay in the dilapidated woodshed, unable to sleep for some unknown reason.

It is not easy for the villagers to save two living expenses, and even if a spiritual master were to come and ask to take Xiao Ziyu as a disciple, they would not believe it

Xiao Ziyu became increasingly desperate as she thought more about it

Xiao Ziyu felt a chill all over and cautiously asked, "Where are your parents?"

Although everyone says that it is just polite talk and should not be taken seriously, he feels that Yue Wuxia's gaze when answering was very earnest. He truly believes that he will strive to become a spiritual master.

He regrets having made an impossible promise to Yue Wuxia

The talisman horse is the most expensive mode of transportation available to commoners, made of wood and metal, inlaid with flying talisman arrays. It is enormous, capable of soaring slowly through the sky, covering two to three hundred miles a day, and is not affected by the terrain, making it quite convenient. Luoshui Town is very poor, and only the government possesses such transportation, which is exclusively for the county magistrate and is also used to receive distinguished guests. Occasionally, there are reports of accidents due to old wood or strong winds. If the young girl before me truly fell from a talisman horse and was injured, it is understandable that she carries no baggage and does not appear to be dressed as a traveler.

"Wait!" Xiao Ziyu immediately opened the door, knowing that the notorious old rogue lived next door, someone with a criminal record. If a beautiful girl, injured and reckless, were to run to his house in the middle of the night, it would be like a sheep entering a tiger's den. If anything unfortunate were to happen, he would carry the burden of guilt for the rest of his life. With no other choice, Xiao Ziyu had to welcome this strange-looking girl into his home and suggested, "Although I do not know what happened in the middle of the night, you seem to be in a bad situation. Tomorrow, I will invite a doctor and then go to the county town to help you find an official to search for your parents, if that is acceptable?"

The appearance of my parents in my memory is all rather vague

The young girl called out to him again, pointing at herself, and after a moment, she spoke: "My name is Hua Qian, where 'Hua' refers to the heartless falling flower, and 'Qian' signifies the depth of fate, whether deep or shallow. My friends all call me Qian Qian." She deliberately emphasized the word 'friends,' as if to highlight something, her tone inviting speculation.

He is not unaware of how difficult the path of spiritual cultivation is

"Do you take me for a demon?" The young girl finally perceived his concern, feeling somewhat irritated. "I come from Nanyang, Fengtiandao. My parents were killed by demons when I was too young to understand. I can't even remember what they looked like, so why should I mourn? I want to go to Qicheng. If it weren't for the accident with the talisman horse on the way that threw me off and caused my legs to be injured and hindered my movement, I wouldn't have stayed overnight in this place, Xiaojia Village!"

Xiao Ziyu recalled the several spiritual practitioners he encountered today in Xiao Family Village, as well as the grand event of the spiritual practitioner apprentice assessment that would take place in major cities in half a month. He found his answer and sincerely apologized for his earlier doubts: "I am sorry, I misunderstood. I will go get you some medicinal alcohol for bruises."

As the sun set, the tigress's disdain for the spirit mage was alleviated by the generous tips they had given, and she felt a sense of apprehension regarding Xiao Ziyu's illness, urging him to return home early to rest. She even gave him two leftover steamed buns for breakfast the next day. Xiao Ziyu's home was located on the west side of the village, near a small river. It originally had three rooms, but was in a state of disrepair, with leaks everywhere. Only the main house was barely habitable, and the yard was planted with numerous medicinal herbs.

In legend, there was a sovereign who lit beacons to entertain the feudal lords, all for the sake of winning a smile from a beautiful woman

The merchants coming and going have mentioned in casual conversations the expenses of spiritual cultivation. Just the cheapest talisman paper costs half a tael of silver per sheet, and the vermilion powder used for drawing talismans is said to be equivalent to gold. A good talisman brush can cost several hundred to a thousand taels of silver, and talisman cultivation is already considered the most economical among spiritual practices. As for magical tools, today, that well-informed uncle revealed that even the most inferior magical tool is worth a thousand taels of silver

Xiao Ziyu stood there in a daze, lost in beautiful dreams, until the roar of the tigress jolted him awake: "Useless waste! Why aren't you over here working! Have you washed the dishes? Have you chopped the firewood? Have you boiled the water? All you do is eat and you can't even work, you waste! Trash! Just because a noble person says a few kind words, you take it seriously? Do you want to follow along? Just like your father, a good-for-nothing!"

Once bitten by a snake, one is afraid of the well rope for ten years

It is said that the Mountain Spirit is the sovereign of the forest, born of the natural elements of heaven and earth, without father, mother, or home

At this moment, the young girl spoke: "I am a passing traveler, seeking a place to stay"

What are you thinking in that little head of yours? Have you considered whether you are worthy of being a spirit master? Even the wealthy Lord Xiao from our village wouldn't dare to think of such a thing, yet you have the audacity to overstep your bounds.

You silly child, let me, your uncle, explain to you the difficulties of spiritual cultivation.

What if that talented young man takes it seriously

Xiao Ziyu hesitated whether to open the door