“Big-Headed Kid, where did you dig up this broken jar? Don’t go picking up trash anymore, Uncle will make you a better one.”
“Uncle Fei, this is my treasure!”
“Hah, this kid looks quite smart. Why is he just like the other foolish kids, treating any broken bowl or old dish like a treasure?”
Although Shu Han appeared calm and composed on the surface, his heart was pounding wildly.
Most children in Shu Village lacked toys, and many kids dug through garbage around the village. Sometimes they would fight over a broken bowl until their faces turned red. Shu Han was taking advantage of this phenomenon, openly holding his precious Black Jar in his arms without arousing suspicion.
In these poor mountains, there had once been people who killed for a bag of grain.
Immortal Master Zhang had also said that wealth should not be flaunted.
As for the saying that a commoner is guilty only for possessing a treasure, Shu Han didn’t quite understand it.
The Black Jar was too valuable; he dared not let anyone else know about it.
Thinking about the pile of Fufang Grass he had abandoned, Shu Han couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret in his heart.
But he didn’t dare to carry a pile of Fufang Grass back to the village. The villagers all knew that was a treasure used to awaken children. A pile of Fufang Grass would be more eye-catching than a pile of silver.
By the time Shu Han got home, it was almost dark, and neither his father nor his mother was home.
His father was the village carpenter and had gone to the neighboring village to help out these past few days. His mother had gone to the village weaving workshop to do some needlework at night to supplement the family income.
The adults in Shu Village were all very busy, and the children were used to running around on their own.
“Brother!”
As soon as Shu Han entered, his little sister with two pigtails stumbled over to him. She was less than half of Shu Han’s height, and her chubby little hands held four candied dates. Drool dripped uncontrollably from the corner of her mouth as she said urgently, “Brother, these dates were sent by Erdan. I’ve already eaten some; these are left for you. Try them quickly! They’re so sweet!”
Shu Han smiled and rubbed her head. “A-Yun, you eat them yourself.”
Shu Village was surrounded by poor mountains and harsh waters; a few candied dates were already a rare treat for children.
A-Yun swallowed her saliva and said indistinctly, “Thank you, Brother.”
Just as the candied dates were about to reach her mouth, Shu Han swiftly snatched them away.
A-Yun’s little face flushed red as she stammered anxiously, “Bad Brother, didn’t you say you wouldn’t eat them? You tricked A-Yun.”
“A-Yun, would you like to have dates to eat every day?”
“I would!”
A-Yun pouted and said, “But…”
“Wait here. Close your eyes!”
A-Yun was very obedient. She immediately closed her eyes and stood outside motionless.
Shu Han walked into his small room, threw all four candied dates into the jar, and soon he obtained a jar full of fresh candied dates.
After pouring out the jar of candied dates, Shu Han carefully hid the Black Jar under his bed. Then he grabbed a handful of candied dates and came before his little sister.
“Open your eyes and look.”
A-Yun opened her eyes and saw a handful of plump candied dates. Her watery eyes sparkled.
“Brother, where did you get so many dates?”
Shu Han explained, “Today, Brother performed well at the ancestral hall, and Immortal Master Zhang rewarded me. When Brother enters the Dragon Profound Sect, there won’t just be candied dates. In the future, I’ll send A-Yun delicious malt candy every day.”
He thought A-Yun would be overjoyed, but instead, A-Yun’s little mouth pouted. She hugged Shu Han tightly and sobbed, “No, I don’t want dates, I don’t want candy. I want Brother!”
This completely baffled Shu Han. It took him quite a while to coax A-Yun to sleep.
After coaxing A-Yun, Shu Han made sure no one was around the house, closed the doors and windows, took out the Black Jar, and duplicated an entire jar of Fufang Grass.
Looking at the jar full of Fufang Grass, he couldn’t help but feel a bit apprehensive.
No matter how painful it was, he had to absorb all this Fufang Grass!
Shu Han made up his mind and began a sleepless night of torment.
In a daze, he didn’t know which Fufang Grass it was, but Shu Han suddenly felt the burning sensation throughout his body disappear. It felt as if something had kicked open his forehead, making everything clear and bright in an instant.
The burning medicinal effects brought by the Fufang Grass began to gather at the top of his head. Strangely, once that burning sensation entered his brain, it became incredibly cool.
Shu Han grew excited. He finally understood why Erdan and Goudan were so energetic after absorbing the Fufang Grass.
This was the difference between awakened spiritual roots and unawakened ones!
He had finally succeeded!
Shu Han wanted to shout excitedly!
But fearing he would disturb A-Yun’s sleep, he forcefully held it back.
The next day, inside the Shu Village ancestral hall.
Immortal Master Zhang had just taken a sip of freshly brewed tea when he almost choked.
Because he saw that the Big-Headed Kid also had a hazy spiritual glow emanating from his forehead.
He and the village head looked at each other, both showing joy in their eyes.
Shu Village had unexpectedly produced three spiritual root talents, and the news spread quickly.
The village head was so happy that he held a grand banquet in Shu Village, bringing out good wine and good food. The atmosphere was comparable to the New Year.
At the banquet, Immortal Master Zhang boldly declared that because Shu Village had contributed three children with spiritual roots, the subsidies given by the Dragon Profound Sect in the future would increase by fifty percent!
Shu Han’s father heard the news and hurried back from the neighboring village.
Shu Han’s parents patted his head with unspeakable joy. Being selected by the Dragon Profound Sect was even better than passing the imperial examination.
Everyone at the banquet was very happy, except for two people who were unhappy.
One was Goudan. Recalling his previous mockery and sarcasm toward Shu Han, he felt his face burning with shame.
The other was his little sister A-Yun. She held Shu Han’s hand tightly, refusing to let go.
That night, his little sister insisted on sleeping with Shu Han, clinging tightly to his neck without letting go. Although Shu Han was happy, he also found it hard to part. Patting his little sister’s head, he secretly swore that once he achieved some success in his studies, he would return so his parents and little sister wouldn’t worry.
By then, with some cultivation and the Black Jar, the family’s life would definitely get better and better.
After another sleepless night, as dawn was just breaking, he gently released his little sister’s hand, shouldered his prepared luggage, and went out. The Black Jar was carefully placed in his bundle, padded with thick cotton to prevent it from breaking.
At this time, his parents were already waiting outside the door.
Although his parents were happy, watching their eldest son leave home, tears still couldn’t help but glisten in the corners of their eyes.
Shu Han was clever, but he was still a child, fighting back the tears welling up in his eyes.
The celestial master’s carriage was waiting at the village entrance.
Erdan and Goudan were also sent over. Both had cried until their eyes were red, holding their parents’ hands and refusing to let go.
Immortal Master Zhang, however, was used to this kind of thing. After all, they were all children, so he gave the three families ample time to say their goodbyes.
The three children followed Immortal Master Zhang onto the carriage.
As the carriage set off, Shu Han watched his parents growing farther away and bit his lips. Suddenly, he saw a small figure running over, and then he seemed to hear his little sister’s crying in his ears. The tears he had held back for so long finally couldn’t stop flowing. The three children cried together in the carriage.
At this moment, the rice jar at Shu Han’s home quietly filled with rice, and the money jar buried underground also became stuffed with broken silver.
Shu Han naively thought that once the rice was eaten and the broken silver was spent, he would return.