Cui Yuanbai was the first to complete his task and return. The jade tablet Chu Jun gave him could produce sound, so he didn’t need to strain his eyes to see it, but he still needed time to memorize everything. This proved quite difficult for him. After stumbling through his memorization for over a month, he finally emerged from the cave.
From a distance, he saw Ning Buwei and Chu Jun holding Ning Xiu as they stood in front of the flying boat. His gloomy mood instantly brightened. He ran while shouting, “Dad! Father! I’m back!”
He rushed like a gust of wind to the two men and jumped onto Ning Buwei.
The little fellow had grown taller, but was still somewhat thin. Ning Buwei could carry him with just one arm. Cui Yuanbai, likely feeling stuffy after being confined in the cave for so long, chattered away to Ning Buwei. “Dad, I memorized a very thick book,
I had to memorize several pages every day, and was punished if I couldn’t learn them. There was a wild boar outside the cave that bothered me daily…”
Then he turned to Chu Jun and said, “Father, after I finished memorizing, the jade tablet shattered, and I couldn’t piece it back together no matter how I tried.”
“It’s fine. The shattering means you’ve learned it thoroughly,” Chu Jun nodded.
Cui Yuanbai sighed with lingering fear, then jumped down from Ning Buwei. Ning Xiu also fussed to be put down, so Chu Jun set him on the grass.
“Did Xiao Shan miss me?” Cui Yuanbai reached out and vigorously rubbed Ning Xiu’s chubby cheeks.
“Ya~” Ning Xiu’s mouth was distorted by the rubbing, but he grinned happily.
Cui Yuanbai lifted him up with some effort. “Xiao Shan, you’ve gotten fatter.”
“Da~” Ning Xiu nodded and wiggled his body to indicate he wanted to be put down.
So Cui Yuanbai set him down, and Ning Xiu took his hand and walked five or six steps forward, proudly sticking out his little belly. “Ah!”
I’ve become more awesome now~
Cui Yuanbai looked at him with delight. “Xiao Shan is so great!”
Ning Xiu led him back by the hand, stood in front of Ning Buwei to show off, “Da~ Father~”
Ning Buwei crouched down and patted his head, saying in an exaggerated tone, “Wow, how did you get so amazing? You’ll be running by tomorrow!”
Ning Xiu imitated his surprised expression with wide eyes, then laughed happily. He even excitedly jumped up and down on the spot—though his feet never left the ground—fully expressing his grand ambitions. “Da!”
I knew I was awesome!
Then, due to his mistaken self-assessment, he let go of Cui Yuanbai’s little hand.
He wobbled forward a few steps, then fell flat on the ground with a splat, and immediately burst into tears.
The whole process happened so smoothly that Ning Buwei didn’t even react until he heard the crying, then quickly helped Ning Xiu up.
Chu Jun had been quietly watching the entire time.
Ning Xiu initially stopped crying after just a couple of sobs and stood up with the help he was given, but seeing his father coming to comfort him, his tears suddenly became unstoppable. He refused to stand anymore and stretched out his arms, wanting Ning Buwei to carry him.
Ning Buwei quickly picked him up and examined his chin, which indeed had a small scrape.
“Wu~” Ning Xiu immediately cried more pitfully.
Father~ Face hurts~
Seeing him cry so miserably, Ning Buwei prepared to cover the wound with spiritual energy, but was stopped by Chu Jun.
“He can do it himself,” Chu Jun said with a hint of resignation in his voice. “He hasn’t seen you for a while; he’s just seeking attention from you.”
After speaking, he wiped the tears from Ning Xiu’s cheeks and said gently, “Try it yourself.”
Ning Xiu looked at Chu Jun and hiccupped, tiny teardrops clinging to his eyelashes, about to fall but not quite. Then a bit of golden spiritual energy floated out from his small hand and settled on his chin, instantly healing the wound.
Chu Jun produced a round little stone from somewhere and handed it to him. “Well done.”
Ning Xiu hiccupped once more, then happily hugged the little stone and showed it to Ning Buwei. “Ah~”
I have another one now!
Ning Buwei: “…………”
Cui Yuanbai, with his keen nose, stuck his head into Chu Jun’s sleeve and indeed saw a pile of small stones in the storage pouch. He withdrew and looked eagerly at Chu Jun. “Father, I want one too.”
Chu Jun said, “Recite the Mind-Clearing Technique once for me to hear.”
So Cui Yuanbai put his hands behind his back and fluently recited it once through. Chu Jun then randomly asked him several questions, which he answered with some struggle.
Only then did Chu Jun nod, indicating that he could choose one himself.
Cui Yuanbai picked a small white pebble and held it up to the sunlight, examining it with fascination, looking as if he’d struck gold.
Noticing Ning Buwei watching him, Chu Jun gave him a faint smile.
Ning Buwei: “…………”
Doesn’t it prick your conscience to deceive two innocent children like this?
Evidence proved it did not.
A few days later, Ning Buwei lazily reclined on a couch, using spiritual power to float a dozen or so small stones, arranging them into various patterns. Cui Yuanbai and Ning Xiu, who was standing by the couch, watched with their heads tilted back in fascination, occasionally offering appreciative gasps.
Ning Buwei smiled smugly, then used his spiritual power to lift the two youngsters up, allowing them to float high near the ceiling to catch the scattered stones. Two thin red threads were wrapped around his fingers, controlling their direction like flying kites.
Whenever Ning Xiu or Cui Yuanbai was about to catch a stone, he would casually move his finger, making it just out of reach.
Chu Jun walked in to find this scene.
Now he understood why the storage pouch for stones was getting lighter, and why Ning Xiu and Cui Yuanbai were becoming noticeably more mischievous.
A small stone wrapped in spiritual energy flew toward Chu Jun.
Chu Jun reached out to catch it, but the little stone seemed to have eyes of its own, deftly gliding around his fingers, leaving a cool sensation, lightly touching his fingertip before suddenly flying back to Ning Buwei’s hand.
Ning Buwei was propping his head with one hand, while his other hand loosely held two thin red threads. The white stone wrapped in black spiritual power landed on the back of his hand, rolled twice, and was caught between his slender fingers.
He smiled lazily at Chu Jun, who was slightly startled.
Ning Buwei had actually well-combined the strengths of Ning Gu and Li Xiaohan, possessing excellent bone structure and a handsome appearance. Having been raised well by Ning Xingyuan, his every movement unconsciously carried the solemn clarity of a noble family’s young master.
Sometimes, a person’s inherent nature is difficult to completely conceal.
Sunlight streamed in through the window. Ning Buwei comfortably narrowed his eyes, then released another red thread to wrap around Chu Jun’s wrist. He even tied a butterfly knot in good spirits and slowly pulled him toward himself.
Chu Jun followed the thread’s force forward, finally stopping in front of the couch.
Ning Buwei raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”
Just as Chu Jun was about to speak, Jiang Yizheng’s jubilant voice came from outside. “Father! Venerable!”
So Ning Buwei got up and stood with Chu Jun at the window to look out. They saw Jiang Yizheng standing below the flying boat, covered in dirt and dust, excitedly waving to them. “I also found Lingzhu and Big Yellow and Little Black! I brought them all back with me!”
Ning Buwei turned to Chu Jun with a puzzled look.
Chu Jun was silent for a moment, then said, “…I was afraid Yizheng would get lost, so I had Big Yellow take Little Black to bring her back.”
Ning Buwei looked down at Jiang Yizheng’s excited appearance and leaned on the window to ask her, “What insights did you gain from the stone tablet?”
Jiang Yizheng scratched her head and looked up at him and Chu Jun, her face full of confusion and uncertainty. “The tablet was covered with all sorts of bizarre pictures. I studied it for a long time but couldn’t understand it, so I gave up and wandered around the nearby peach grove. I thought it’s better not to force myself—”
As she spoke, her eyes grew brighter. “I brought back many peaches, they’re so sweet! I also kept some seeds to plant when we get home.”
“Home?” Ning Buwei asked, confused.
“The Venerable said we have a big mansion in Li City!” Jiang Yizheng shouted, then pulled Lingzhu toward the flying boat. “Also, Lingzhu’s hand has grown back!”
Ning Buwei clicked his tongue. “What sort of insight did she gain?”
“It’s quite good,” Chu Jun’s eyes carried a hint of amusement. “What she just said took me several hundred years to understand. Yizheng has a pure mind, appearing simple but actually wise. Her achievements may not be low.”
Ning Buwei was somewhat surprised. Then Jiang Yizheng brought Lingzhu into the room. Though young, Lingzhu was much more composed and calm. She handed the medicine cauldron back to Chu Jun with both hands and bowed. “Thank you, Venerable, for your guidance. I have refined the Bone-Growing Lotus into my body, and my right hand has regrown. Lingzhu will never forget this kindness.”
Chu Jun nodded slightly, accepted the cauldron she offered, and gave her further instructions on how to nurture her recovery. Lingzhu acknowledged that she would carefully follow his advice, then cautiously glanced at Ning Buwei beside Chu Jun.
Ning Buwei gave her a mischievous smile, attempting to frighten the young girl.
Unexpectedly, Lingzhu wasn’t scared at all; she even curved her eyes and smiled with pursed lips.
Feeling quite unsuccessful, Ning Buwei rubbed his nose and brought Ning Xiu and Cui Yuanbai back down.
Ning Xiu and Cui Yuanbai were sweaty from playing. Seeing both elder sisters and Big Yellow and Little Black return, Ning Xiu was very excited. He took each of their hands in turn to demonstrate his new skill of walking five steps, and was finally given a juicy large peach by Jiang Yizheng.
Ning Xiu stared in astonishment at the peach, which was almost as big as his head, and swallowed hard. “Ah~”
So big and fragrant~
While the group of children were busy eating peaches, Ning Buwei glanced over and asked Chu Jun, “What has Zizhang gone to do?”
Chu Jun watched the children making a commotion in the room and replied unhurriedly, “He’s gone to break through a fate tribulation of his own.”
