Volume 4 Chapter 4

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Volume 4 Chapter 4: Little Green

Outside the bamboo forest, the sunlight remained bright, but Xu Qingfan’s mood was no longer as cheerful as before.

In Xu Qingfan’s heart, among the people he met from childhood, only three to five left an impression of being elders, from the Second Elder who told him stories, to his master Lu Huayan who introduced him to the world of cultivation, and then his senior Yue Qingru, who was like a brother and a father to him.

Originally, in Xu Qingfan’s mind, Xiao Huazhe was merely a stern elder. Although Xu Qingfan respected and feared him, he hadn’t reached the status of an "elder."

An elder symbolizes care, warmth, and reliance.

However, after the recent conversation with Xiao Huazhe, especially after Xiao Huazhe called himself a "disciple," Xu Qingfan distinctly felt he also considered Xiao Huazhe an elder—stern and rarely smiling, yet one deserving respect.

Sadly, however, the elders, including Xiao Huazhe, could only accompany Xu Qingfan for a very short time before they all left.

Is it fate?

Xu Qingfan sighed softly and shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it any longer. These matters were beyond his control; perhaps one day, when he achieved great success in his cultivation, he would have enough power to change his cruel fate.

Noticing Ting’er watching him, Xu Qingfan smiled slightly, patted her head to reassure her not to worry, and took out the magical items Xiao Huazhe had given him. Instantly, a rich aura of Spirit Qi enveloped him. After playing with them for a while, he brought out the green slip and immersed his Divine Sense into it, allowing the information about the three items to flood into his mind.

It turned out that the long ruler emitting a colorful glow was an earth-level middle-class magical item called the "Rainbow Ruler," an attack weapon. It could transform into a rainbow to strike enemies while dazzling their eyes with its colorful light. Its most terrifying feature was its ability to freely shift between illusion and reality, making it difficult for opponents to defend against.

Xiao Huazhe had crafted this item over more than ten years, using materials from the East Sea’s "Rainbow Stone" and Beichuan’s rays. Though not Xiao Huazhe’s most powerful item, it was one of his proudest creations because he made it by himself.

After reading the "Rainbow Ruler’s" description, Xu Qingfan felt both delighted and disappointed. He was thrilled to have received such an exquisite earth-level middle-class item from Jiuhua’s top expert, Xiao Huazhe. Still, he hadn’t expected it to be so magnificent, rendering his "Green Spirit Ruler" trivial in comparison.

Yet, the disappointment arose from realizing that his current cultivation was only at the Lingji Stage, while earth-level items could only be skillfully wielded by those at the Condensed Core Stage. Although Xu Qingfan could barely control the "Rainbow Ruler," he couldn’t use it fluently or sustain its power.

Suppressing the mixed feelings about acquiring the "Rainbow Ruler," Xu Qingfan continued to examine the other two items’ information, only to find they were just as valuable.

The brass mirror with a gentle glow couldn’t reflect a person’s image and was called the "Earth Mirror." It was a low-level Earth artifact used for assistance. Xiao Huazhe crafted it using East Sea’s "Water Essence" and Southern Wasteland’s "Ancient Bronze," modeled after Jiuhua Mountain’s treasure, the "Heavenly Mirror."

Like the "Heavenly Mirror," the "Earth Mirror" allows users to observe their surroundings and even project their image and voice within a hundred-mile radius. However, compared to the "Heavenly Mirror’s" range of a thousand miles, the "Earth Mirror" only covers a mere hundred miles, making it less impressive.

More importantly, the "Earth Mirror" cannot easily penetrate barriers and formations like the "Heavenly Mirror" can. It also struggles to see through advanced illusions. If the scene a user wishes to view is under a barrier or formation, the image in the mirror becomes blurry. It is also easily fooled by advanced illusions.

Nevertheless, the "Earth Mirror" is still an outstanding auxiliary artifact.

As for the black stone, it is not an artifact but a rare and precious material in the cultivation world called "Starry Stone." When incorporated into an artifact, it can greatly enhance its power and level. This "Starry Stone," though only the size of a child’s fist, is sufficient to enhance four or five artifacts. Xiao Huazhe acquired it through great effort and cost, yet he never used it, and it ended up with Xu Qingfan unexpectedly.

After reviewing the detailed information of these artifacts and materials, Xu Qingfan couldn’t help but feel elated. Obtaining one of these would be a lifetime dream for a cultivator like him, yet he received three at once, like a beggar becoming a king. If it were not for Xiao Huazhe knowing his end was near and seeing Xu Qingfan as his heir and half-disciple, acquiring even one of these would be a dream for Xu Qingfan.

While feeling happy, Xu Qingfan suddenly realized that his joy and luck were based on Xiao Huazhe’s tragedy, which wasn’t appropriate. He secretly scolded himself for being despicable, but nonetheless, his original sorrow was eased without him realizing it.

As Xu Qingfan’s emotions fluctuated, the "Nimbus Cloud" carried him and Ting’er to the top of Jiuhua Mountain, in front of the "Herb Garden."

The peak of Jiuhua Mountain is over two thousand feet high, covered with snow and swept by cold winds year-round. Xu Qingfan initially worried that Ting’er wouldn’t withstand the climate, so he kept an eye on her expression, ready to use the "Green Spirit Arm Protector" to shield her if needed.

Xu Qingfan was surprised to find that on the way to the top of Jiuhua Mountain, Ting’er showed no signs of cold or fear. Instead, she watched the snowy world with interest, her eyes full of curiosity. Xu Qingfan then remembered that Ting’er had lived in the Southern Wasteland since childhood and had probably never seen snow before.

Just as Xu Qingfan felt relieved at Ting’er’s calm expression, he suddenly noticed some subtle changes in her appearance, which startled him again.

It turned out that at some point, a very faint black flame had appeared around Ting’er, forming a person-shaped shield that clung to her skin and clothes, protecting her. The flames were so thin that Xu Qingfan wouldn’t have noticed if he hadn’t been looking closely. All the snowflakes and cold wind that tried to reach Ting’er were burnt away by this black flame shield, allowing her to stand comfortably in the harsh weather. Yet her clothes and hair remained unharmed by the flames.

By carefully observing Ting’er’s expression, Xu Qingfan discovered that the flame shield was not something she purposefully conjured. With her current level of skill, she wouldn’t be able to control fire so expertly; it seemed to be originating naturally from within her.

"Ting’er, since the magic pearl transformed your body, just how many secrets are you hiding?"

Looking at Ting’er’s serene face, with the black flame’s traces now so apparent, Xu Qingfan couldn’t help but ponder silently.

Noticing Xu Qingfan’s curious gaze, Ting’er looked up at him with confusion. Xu Qingfan sighed inwardly but decided to hide his surprise, pointing to the worn-out courtyard of the "Herb Garden," and said with a smile, "Ting’er, we’ve arrived. We’ll be training here for a while. An old gentleman lives inside, and he’s very nice and skilled. You can ask him if you have any questions."

Hearing this, Ting’er looked curiously at the rundown courtyard, seemingly puzzled at why the skilled old gentleman that Xu Qingfan mentioned would live there.

At that moment, Liu Huaxiang’s aged, raspy voice unexpectedly called out from within the Herb Garden.

Liu Huaxiang spoke with a hint of nonchalance, "Kid Xu, did you come to my old house, knowing I could hear you, so you said that just for me?"

Xu Qingfan was slightly taken aback but then quickly smiled and said, "You saw right through me. I guess I’m really not cut out for scheming."

Being with this easy-going old man Liu Huaxiang, even someone like Xu Qingfan, who usually had a very reserved personality, would crack a harmless joke or two.

While speaking, Xu Qingfan controlled the "Nimbus Cloud" to land, pushed open the shabby wooden door of the "Herb Garden," and walked in with Ting’er.

The Herb Garden needed to plant various Spiritual Herbs for Jiuhua Mountain, so it covered a vast area, about several dozen hectares large. But even so, the large green cocoon, several feet high, was still prominent in the courtyard. Liu Huaxiang, still crouched beside the cocoon as he had been last time, appeared even smaller and frailer.

Seeing Xu Qingfan and Ting’er enter the yard, Liu Huaxiang first carefully examined Ting’er, his eyes showing a hint of surprise, clearly noticing something unusual about Ting’er. Then he turned to Xu Qingfan, as if with a deeper meaning, and said, "No one is born a master of scheming, but in the face of life’s deceptions and unpredictable human nature, having some cunning is necessary, especially if you intend to lead a group or a clan. Even if it’s against your will, even if it goes against your original intentions, for the sake of the future of your followers, cunning is essential. The good thing is, scheming can be learned. Just because you don’t know it now doesn’t mean you never will."

Hearing Liu Huaxiang’s words, Xu Qingfan paused slightly, not understanding why Liu Huaxiang was telling him this. Just as he was about to say something, he noticed Liu Huaxiang’s pale complexion and couldn’t help but think of his martial uncle Xiao Huazhe, so he asked, "Martial Uncle Liu, is your internal injury getting better?"

Sensing the concern in Xu Qingfan’s question, although a bit frustrated that Xu Qingfan didn’t engage with his topic, Liu Huaxiang’s eyes showed a trace of warmth. He smiled and said, "Much better. Internal injuries naturally heal with time."

But Xu Qingfan recalled what Xiao Huazhe had said earlier, that all the elders staying on Jiuhua Mountain were forced by Zhou Huahai to take the "Sky Spiritual Pill." So he asked again, "Martial Uncle Liu, you’ve been staying at Jiuhua Mountain all this time, did Zhou Huahai trouble you? To my knowledge, every elder left behind was forced by him to take the ‘Sky Spiritual Pill.’ Martial Uncle, did you take it?"

Liu Huaxiang paused slightly, noticing the sadness in Xu Qingfan’s eyes, he immediately understood the reason and gently asked, "Did you just come from Xiao Huazhe?"

Xu Qingfan replied sadly, affirming it was true.

Liu Huaxiang sighed softly and said slowly, "It’s such a pity about Xiao Huazhe. Among his peers of the ‘Hua’ generation, he and Zhang Hualing were the most promising to advance to the Mahayana Stage and become masters. Unfortunately, Xiao Huazhe encountered this situation, and Zhang Hualing was hindered by mundane affairs, delaying his cultivation. It’s such a pity."

Hearing Liu Huaxiang’s elder-like assessment, Xu Qingfan was a bit startled, but concerned for Liu Huaxiang’s safety, he didn’t dwell on the oddity and simply nodded in agreement before continuing, "Then, Martial Uncle Liu, did Zhou Huahai force you to take the ‘Sky Spiritual Pill’?"

Liu Huaxiang shook his head with a smile, "During the time Zhou Huahai was threatening the other elders, I happened to be away on business, so he couldn’t find me. How could he force me to take any ‘Sky Spiritual Pill’?"

Hearing this, Xu Qingfan felt a bit relieved but curiously asked, "Didn’t you say you never leave the mountain?"

Liu Huaxiang laughed heartily, "Just because I say I don’t leave the mountain doesn’t mean I can’t sneak out. Otherwise, if I didn’t die by Zhang Xusheng’s hand and ended up suffocating to death stuck in Jiuhua Mountain, wouldn’t that be ridiculous?"

What Xu Qingfan didn’t know was that during that time, Liu Huaxiang had gone to Penance Valley to seek help from Venerable Deaf Mute Blind. Otherwise, even with Li Xuhan’s determination to kill Zhang Xusheng at all costs, he couldn’t just stand by while Zhou Huahai wreaked such havoc among half of the elders in Jiuhua.

While Xu Qingfan and Liu Huaxiang were chatting, Ting’er had been staring intently at the large blue cocoon next to Liu Huaxiang. After a long while, Ting’er seemed to confirm something, breaking free from Xu Qingfan’s hand, and quickly stepped beside the cocoon. To Xu Qingfan and Liu Huaxiang’s surprise, she gently touched its rough surface, her eyes filled with joy, and softly murmured, "Little Green."

It seemed as if the evolving Little Green heard Ting’er’s call. The once calm and dim green cocoon suddenly burst with powerful waves of Spirit Qi, while dazzling green light illuminated the entire sky. Ting’er and Liu Huaxiang’s figures were quickly engulfed by the brilliant glow.

Witnessing this scene, Xu Qingfan was taken aback, fearing for Ting’er’s safety. Just as he was about to rush over and pull Ting’er out, Liu Huaxiang’s voice suddenly reached him.

"Hey, calm down. Your Ting’er is in no danger. Take a good look, the evolution of the Blue-eyed Cloud-foot Beast is a once-in-a-century spectacle."

Hearing Liu Huaxiang’s words, Xu Qingfan, knowing he wouldn’t be deceived, paused in his tracks, squinting against the intense light to closely observe the changes in the green cocoon.

As the blue light and Spirit Qi waves grew stronger, the cocoon seemed to shrink, as if being absorbed, transforming gradually into the shape of a beast.

Finally, an even more intense wave of Spirit Qi and blue light erupted, accompanied by the mighty roar of the beast from within. The power of this giant beast’s roar was so great that the skies shifted and the earth cracked, forcing Xu Qingfan to stagger back several steps despite his cultivation, his insides churning.

After a long while, the light dissipated, revealing a fully grown Blue-eyed Cloud-foot Beast in front of Xu Qingfan — the evolved Little Green. Its imposing presence surpassed even its mother’s, with its bright azure eyes gleaming powerfully.

What reassured Xu Qingfan was, although Little Green had now transformed into a great creature, it still recognized Ting’er. It affectionately nudged Ting’er with its head, despite its now immense size, looking rather comical. Xu Qingfan worried that Little Green might accidentally hurt Ting’er with its size.

Clearly, Xu Qingfan’s concerns were unfounded. Despite Little Green’s large size, its movements were gentle. With its head’s attentive nudging, the usually aloof Ting’er even let out a cheerful chuckle.

Just then, as Little Green was playing with Ting’er, it suddenly seemed to notice something. Its nose twitched, and the mischievous affection in its eyes disappeared, replaced by intense wildness. It turned to look at Xu Qingfan, who felt a fierce, wild energy rushing towards him.

"Awoo…"

Upon recognizing Xu Qingfan as the one who had killed its mother, Little Green no longer cared to play with Ting’er. Feeling the power of revenge, it lifted its head and howled fiercely before launching itself at Xu Qingfan with wild ferocity!