Chu Letong took off her glasses and wiped away the fog, her expression both helpless and gentle.
“I only found out when I got home that my parents went on a trip to the Jiangnan water towns a few days ago. They probably won’t be back until the end of the year.”
She was being quite conservative with that statement. If her parents were having fun, they might even move on to other places. As long as nothing happened at home, they could keep traveling until the end of time.
Chu Letong was the only child in her family. Both her parents had pensions, and the family atmosphere was quite loving. Her consistently gentle and quiet nature was partly due to her innate personality, but her family’s upbringing also played a role.
In stark contrast to this family atmosphere, Chu Shiyun shrugged indifferently and pouted. “As you all know, I’m the only one left at home now. I can go anywhere.”
Chu Shiyun’s mother was an only child. During her elementary school years, her maternal grandparents passed away one after another. Just before she graduated from high school, her mother also fell ill from overwork and passed away.
Not long after, her father remarried. Her stepmother brought along a daughter who was about the same age as her.
As the saying goes, “With a stepmother comes a stepfather.”
The new stepmother disliked Chu Shiyun and would often whisper in her father’s ear, successfully driving her back to her hometown to live with her grandfather.
Two years ago, her grandfather passed away, and with him went the last remaining blood relative she felt close to. So yes, she was truly alone now.
Even in such circumstances, she never felt lonely. She had Tang Ximo and Chu Letong by her side, as well as their parents.
She didn’t think there was anything about her worth pity or sympathy. Life had to go on, and she wouldn’t let her family background fill her with dark thoughts.
She wasn’t a fool. After all, her father was still her biological father. Even if he didn’t have much in assets, she, as his biological daughter, still had a share.
There was no way she’d let her stepmother, stepsister, and half-brother take everything. They could dream on!
“Alright, now I’ll take you for a ride on Sword Flight, and then we can head back to the academy for classes.”
As she spoke, she summoned her Life-bound Sword. Wangcai, shimmering with golden light, appeared vividly before the two of them.
This move made their hearts race wildly. They grabbed each other’s hands, squeezing them until they turned red, completely unaware of the pain.
But at the mention of “classes,” Chu Shiyun, who had already stepped onto the sword, had a visceral reaction, her face turning pale.
“Huh? We still have to attend classes? Can I just take practical lessons? I don’t want to sit through theory classes.”
Tang Ximo, standing at the front, turned around and playfully vetoed the idea. “No~pe~!”
The golden flying sword shot toward Taiwei Mountain, but to the naked eye, it looked like a long-tailed meteor trailing a golden tail.
The two of them, having adapted well, were no longer as scared as they had been when they first stepped onto the sword.
Leaning over and pointing at the scattered houses below, they accurately identified whose renovated old homes they were, completely relaxed as if they were on a casual stroll.
Chu Shiyun and Chu Letong thought to themselves: Are you kidding? Even without this sword, our friend could safely fly us through the sky. And now, with an Immortal Sword supporting us, it’s even safer!
Tang Ximo leisurely brought the two of them back to the academy, landing once again in the center of the square in front of Taichu Hall.
With their feet firmly back on the ground, the two of them stood with their backs to the three who were immersed in their cultivation, their excited gazes fixed on the main hall.
Especially Chu Shiyun, who was already fantasizing about being the senior sister of an immortal sect.
“A-Mo is back!”
As soon as Tang Ximo appeared, Little Golden Dragon immediately bounced over to her, eager to please.
The crisp, youthful voice of Little Golden Dragon instantly caught the attention of the two girls.
At that moment, it had no idea what was about to happen and obediently perched on Tang Ximo’s right shoulder.
Seeing this, she grabbed Little Golden Dragon and introduced it: “This is A-Long, the guide of the Cultivation Academy. If there’s anything you don’t understand in the future and I’m not around, you can ask it.”
Unfortunately, the moment the two saw Little Golden Dragon, they seemed to completely ignore Tang Ximo’s introduction.
Chu Shiyun, who was as lively as a mad rabbit, acted swiftly and was the first to scoop Little Golden Dragon into her arms, her mischievous hands reaching for its tiny golden horns.
Beside her, Chu Letong, who appeared as serene as a maiden, somehow quietly snatched Little Golden Dragon from her grasp.
Though Chu Letong seemed calm and gentle on the surface, her hands moved just as quickly when it came to touching the dragon’s horns.
Under the two girls’ alternating strokes and pinches, the once flattering and spirited Little Golden Dragon turned into a wilted lump of clay.
After escaping their clutches, its dragon face wore a deep look of lingering fear as it retreated into its space, refusing to come out.
Little Golden Dragon: My host’s friends are just as terrifying as she is!
With the target of their guide A-Long gone, Chu Letong scanned the slightly empty square and noticed the three people cultivating.
“Uncle, Auntie, and A-Xuan have already started Cultivation!”
Following Chu Letong’s gaze, Chu Shiyun walked over and crouched not far from the three, her face full of curiosity.
Although she hadn’t yet achieved Qi Induction, the three cultivators were surrounded by a significant amount of Spiritual Qi during their practice. Even as an ordinary person, Chu Shiyun could sense the unique aura around them.
“That’s right, they’ve already achieved Qi Induction. A-Xuan is now at the First Level of Qi Refining, while Mom and Dad are a bit slower but close to reaching the First Level as well.”
Hearing this, Chu Shiyun urgently tugged at Tang Ximo: “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s enroll now!”
“Wait a moment. First, you need to undergo Marrow Cleansing and test your Spirit Roots. Don’t you want to know what attribute your Spirit Roots are?”
Chu Letong looked at her seriously, her eyes behind her glasses burning with eagerness.
“Ximo, let’s begin!”
Without delay, Tang Ximo took out the Marrow Cleansing Pills and handed them to the two to consume.
Since her parents weren’t at the academy, she had arranged for them to undergo Marrow Cleansing first so they could enroll as soon as they arrived.
As for these two, since they were already at the academy and not in a hurry to enroll, they could undergo Marrow Cleansing first. Future students would also undergo Marrow Cleansing before testing and enrolling.
Given how much processed and artificial food people consume these days, there are quite a few impurities in their bodies. After undergoing Marrow Cleansing, the results of the Spirit Root test would likely be more accurate.
Her parents and A-Xuan were exceptions—they had tested as having top-tier Spirit Roots even without Marrow Cleansing.
“Sit cross-legged. The duration of Marrow Cleansing will depend on your physical condition. As for the process, I don’t need to tell you—it’s excruciatingly painful.”
The two obediently sat down on the spot, shaking their heads to indicate that a little pain was nothing to worry about!
Compared to the opportunity to cultivate, they believed they could absolutely endure the pain of Tendon and Marrow Cleansing.
Soon, the Marrow Cleansing Pills they had swallowed began to take effect, and the two were immediately wracked with pain, sweating profusely.
Their slightly thin clothes were soaked with sweat from the agony, but they didn’t utter a single cry, as if gritting their teeth to the point of breaking them, determined not to embarrass their friend.
Feeling heartbroken, Tang Ximo turned away and gave an order to Little Golden Dragon in the system space.
[A-Long, exchange for two Puppets and get the cafeteria up and running.]
[How about exchanging the AI robots as well? We can program the robots with culinary skills to serve as chefs, and assign the Puppets to the dormitories as security guards. What do you think?]
After pondering for a moment, it seemed like a good arrangement. Tang Ximo nodded in agreement.
[Exchange two robots and four Puppets. Place two in the dormitories for now, and deploy the other two to guide new students once they arrive!]