Chapter 7: The Years Have Yet to Await
"It's nothing, brother. I think you are overthinking. Uncle will surely be able to turn the situation around with his wit, even if he encounters trouble," said Xiaoyuer gently as she sat down beside Liu Feng. "I believe you have been too tense lately. How about I accompany you to the teahouse to relax? That way, you won't have to spend the whole day lost in thought."
Liu Feng had also been angry, but this jade pendant was related to his own identity, and he could not bring himself to discard it. Perhaps it was the legendary artifact he had read about in novels before; Liu Feng felt somewhat comforted by this thought. Otherwise, if it were utterly useless and drained the spiritual energy he had painstakingly gathered in his dantian over several months in an instant, Liu Feng would have considered swallowing it whole to vent his frustration.
Otherwise, do not be deceived by the new host's gentle demeanor and cordiality towards guests; however, those who violate the established rules will face dire consequences. Some outsiders have served as excellent cautionary tales. As the tea house staff escorted the two to the private room upstairs, the lively chatter resumed downstairs.
However, Xiaoyuer has yet to give her consent to the in-laws. It is not that there are no intermediaries sent to persuade her; rather, they have all been dismissed by Wu Ma and Dou Yin. Xiaoyuer and Liu Feng generally understand their intentions. Dou Yin has also half-seriously brought it up with Xiaoyuer, but as soon as the topic is mentioned, the girl blushes and runs away. She should be willing, Liu Feng can sense that, but he cannot articulate his own feelings towards Xiaoyuer. Although they have grown up together as childhood friends, he is truly unable to distinguish whether his feelings are of love or sibling affection.
Taking a deep breath, Liu Feng stood up and brushed off his clothes. "Well, my uncle has certainly experienced much more than we have. He should be back in a few days. Come on, Xiaoyuer, let me take you for a stroll." Looking at the smiling Xiaoyuer beside him, Liu Feng suddenly felt a warmth in his heart. He must have worried her these past few days. Although he had not shown it, Liu Feng could still sense it. This feeling, Liu Feng silently sighed to himself.
Five years ago, while attempting to break through to the third level, he inadvertently discovered that this jade pendant could absorb the spiritual energy he was gathering. Liu Feng felt quite surprised. When he inquired with Dou Yin, Dou Yin examined the jade pendant carefully but said nothing, only advising Liu Feng not to worry and to continue his cultivation. However, Liu Feng found the path of cultivating his techniques increasingly difficult. Each time he felt that his spiritual energy was abundant enough to attempt a breakthrough to the next level, he would soon realize that the energy was rapidly being absorbed by the jade pendant.
This young man is Liu Feng, who has grown into a graceful youth over the course of ten years. During this time, Dou Yin has imparted all his knowledge to Liu Feng, to the extent that there is nothing left to teach.
It is still the snowy winter, still that courtyard, and in the blink of an eye, ten years have passed. When a white light appeared in the eastern sky, the door of the small house was pushed open, and a boy dressed in a white cotton coat stepped out, stretched lazily, looked at the heavy snow covering the courtyard, and stomped his feet in dissatisfaction
For the first time in many years, Liu Feng felt somewhat unaccustomed and worried without Dou Yin by his side. However, thinking of Dou Yin's skills, he reassured himself that personal safety was not a concern, and thus he settled down to continue his daily practice and studies as usual
Waving off the attendant who brought tea and snacks, the two began to enjoy their tea and snacks while listening to the ramblings and boasts of the crowd downstairs, which could be considered quite a pleasant leisure spot. Suddenly, a man spoke loudly and said: "Ladies and gentlemen, tomorrow is the hairpin ceremony of the beloved pearl of Prince Lan of Yubing City in Dongyu, who is the younger brother of the Emperor of Dongyu. It is said that this person is exceptionally talented, not only loving his people as his own children and governing with benevolence, but also being skilled in warfare. Therefore, he is stationed in Yubing City, which borders the Western Han, and his cavalry, the Lanjiang Iron Cavalry, is one of the few elite troops in Dongyu's army. Tomorrow, Yubing City will be celebrating joyfully, and not to mention the beauty of the little princess of the Lan family, the lively scene will surely be something to yearn for!"
The recent warm-up exercises had warmed Liu Feng's body. He set the broom aside and began to practice his punches in the courtyard. It was not that Liu Feng had forgotten to pay his respects to Dou Yin; rather, he had left a month ago right after the Lantern Festival. This was the first time in fifteen years that Dou Yin had gone out, and he said nothing when he left, only leaving behind a letter urging him to continue his studies diligently and not to worry.
After lunch, on the steps under the eaves, Liu Feng watched Dou Yin gather various schools of thought for him. In fact, he had already read most of them. However, reading here was also a good way to pass the time, especially in winter while basking in the sun, feeling relaxed and comfortable. Yet, in recent days, Liu Feng felt increasingly restless, sensing that something might go wrong. Could it be related to his uncle? This feeling had been growing stronger lately, and Liu Feng, feeling somewhat flustered, set the book in his hands aside.
Over the past decade, Xiaoyue has become a standard beauty. Liu Feng is grateful that Xiaoyue is not in a later era; otherwise, her mere presence would surely cause a sensation. Her beauty is a combination of delicacy and vivacity, appearing fragile yet harboring a tenacity within her character. Otherwise, she would not have been able to cultivate the Danxing Reverse Meridian to the sixth level in just ten short years.
After Liu Feng finished a set of martial arts moves, the red sun in the east had already revealed a small part of its figure. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he sat cross-legged on the steps of the eaves and began to practice the Longyin Heart Method, holding the jade pendant, which contained a red five-clawed dragon, in his hand
At dawn, Liu Feng finally cleared the snow in the courtyard. Fortunately, the snow showed signs of stopping; otherwise, Liu Feng would have to continue wielding the broom.
A heated discussion and endless speculation around this topic suddenly erupted downstairs. Liu Feng glanced back at Xiao Yue'er and noticed a fleeting glimmer of expectation in her eyes. Since there was nothing else to do, and given that Yubing City was not far away, Liu Feng resolved to take Xiao Yue'er to have a look. He had never witnessed such a lively scene in his life, especially for a young lady like Xiao Yue'er. His uncle's departure had left him somewhat anxious, so he thought it would be a good opportunity to relax.
In the past, Liu Feng was not very willing to take Xiao Yue'er out, as the teahouse was a mixed crowd, and Xiao Yue'er, being a light beauty, could easily attract trouble. However, in recent years, things have changed. Although this girl has become increasingly charming, after learning martial arts, she can generally handle ordinary people. Moreover, this little girl can be considered a half-expert herself. Therefore, during his free time, he enjoys taking her out for a stroll. After all, Liu Feng is a person from a previous life and does not hold the belief that girls should be kept cooped up at home, unable to meet outsiders for their entire lives.
Yet, while some leave, others arrive, so the town has not fallen into decline. The owner of the teahouse moved away several years ago, and Dou Yinsuo simply bought it, hiring a few assistants to manage it for him. When he has nothing to do, he sits there, listening to the stories of travelers from the north and south, sharing tales of strange occurrences and experiences, which can be considered a form of entertainment
The teahouse remains the liveliest place in the town, where people from all corners of the world converse in various accents and with * illustrations * in hand. As Liu Feng and Xiao Yue'er stepped inside, they immediately attracted a lot of attention. After all, both of them are exceptionally good-looking and possess great charisma. However, no one dared to approach them, as there is a well-known rule in this teahouse: do not cause trouble here.
Brother, are you worried about Uncle again? Have some tea, Uncle is such a good person and has such high martial skills, he should be fine. I don't know when Xiaoyue appeared beside me, handing over a cup of tea. Liu Feng took it, sipped a little, and said, "Xiaoyue, Uncle has been gone for more than a month, and there hasn't been any news at all. Recently, I have been feeling uneasy, and I am afraid..." In fact, the shadow of that year has always lingered in Liu Feng's heart. It must have been a huge force; could Uncle have encountered trouble? However, he couldn't tell Xiaoyue, otherwise, there would be one more person to worry.
Half an hour later, Liu Feng ceased his cultivation, took several deep breaths, and opened his eyes to examine the jade pendant. The spiritual energy he had compressed in his internal circulation for over two months had been completely exhausted, yet the jade pendant in his hand showed little change. If one disregarded the fact that the swirling dragon inside appeared even more vibrant, it had looked this way several years ago. Liu Feng felt a sense of helplessness rising once again.
The town remains that simple little place; although conflicts have occurred in some areas over the past decade, they have yet to reach here. However, those with insight understand that, because this is one of the few land routes leading to Dongyu, war will inevitably come.
Forget it, Liu Feng shook his head; there is no use in forcing such matters. He stood up to stretch his limbs. At this time, Aunt Wu should have prepared breakfast, so it would be better to go over early to avoid making her anxious. During his meditation earlier, Liu Feng could sense that Aunt Wu had come several times not far behind him, perhaps not daring to disturb him, which is why she remained silent each time.
In a few months, it will be the coming-of-age ceremony for Xiaoyuer, also known as the hairpin ceremony. In this lifetime, great importance is still placed on this ritual, and even families of modest means will celebrate it to demonstrate their affection for their children. Once the hairpin ceremony is conducted, the girl can officially be married off to the family that has previously been betrothed to her.
Outside the front hall, Aunt Wu was still waiting there, just as before. Upon seeing Liu Feng, she hurriedly approached him, her face filled with concern. In this life, Liu Feng had no memory of his biological mother, but Aunt Wu truly provided him with a tangible sense of maternal love. In Liu Feng's heart, Aunt Wu had already become his mother. Smiling, he comforted Aunt Wu and took her hand as they walked into the front hall together, where little Yue'er was smiling and watching the two of them enter.
Apart from being stuck at the fifth level of the Longyin technique two years ago, Liu Feng has made significant achievements in other areas such as poetry, song, and military strategy. Particularly in the understanding of martial arts, Liu Feng shows a remarkable trend of surpassing his predecessors.
Last night, the wind was blowing so fiercely that I knew it would snow, so I hurried to clean the yard; otherwise, Aunt Wu might slip. Thinking of this, I quickly picked up a broom from the side and walked into the yard, taking a deep breath, using the broom as a medium to practice my skills while sweeping the snow.
Having made up his mind, Liu Feng decided to prioritize nourishing the jade pendant before advancing to the next level of cultivation. After reaching the fifth level, he began to absorb spiritual energy daily, storing it within his small circulation, and then allowing the jade pendant to absorb all of it.
In the past decade, the emperors of the Western Han Dynasty vigorously implemented reforms, leading to a continuous increase in national strength, and even the size of the military became unprecedentedly large. The atmosphere in Han Yu grew increasingly tense. A major war seemed imminent, prompting the residents here, except for those who could move, to evacuate. What remained were only the elderly, who were difficult to relocate, and some displaced persons.