“Brother Shuo, Sister Xinyue, let’s not chat here. Come inside and sit.”
Mu Jiuxiao invited the siblings into his house, made tea for them, and then asked, “Brother Shuo, Xinyue, you came looking for me, probably not just for idle talk, right?”
“Of course not.”
Li Xinyue looked around Mu Jiuxiao’s thatched hut. “Ninth Brother, your house is too simple, isn’t it? Not a single decoration!”
“Useless decorations I don’t need, useful decorations I can’t afford,” Mu Jiuxiao said helplessly.
In the cultivation world, many decorations have their own functions. Many formations and magical artifacts are made to look like decorations, but he couldn’t afford them. As for buying those useless decorations and displaying them, wouldn’t people laugh at him?
“That’s true.”
Li Xinyue nodded, smiling coquettishly, “Ninth Brother, we came looking for you this time to give you money.”
“Oh, there’s such a good thing?” Mu Jiuxiao also smiled.
“It’s not farming season now, right? My brother and I plan to go to the Qilian Mountains to try our luck. Do you want to come along? We can look out for each other. The Qilian Mountains are full of spiritual objects; just plucking a spirit grass can be worth several spirit stones. If we can hunt a Demon Beast, then we’ll strike it rich!”
Li Xinyue stated her purpose, but Mu Jiuxiao shook his head vigorously. “Sister Xinyue, I just reached Qi Condensation Layer 1. Besides knowing Earth Spirit Spike, I don’t know any other techniques. My martial arts aren’t as good as yours either. If I go to the Qilian Mountains, wouldn’t I be courting death!”
“No, it won’t be like that. Although the Qilian Mountains are dangerous, we’ll only go to the outskirts, not deep inside. Farming is too difficult. We can’t earn a few spirit stones even after working all year. If we continue like this, with our talents, we’ll be tenant farmers for life, with no way out!”
Li Xinyue’s tone was urgent. Clearly, she had thought this through carefully. Although she was young now, youth fades easily. If she didn’t seize the opportunity to break through, would she end up like those old tenant farmers on Luoxia Mountain, being tenant farmers her whole life?
The two siblings endured countless hardships to come to the cultivation world, not to become tenant farmers. They wanted to stand higher and see farther!
They were pursuing the Dao!
“Sister Xinyue, I’m afraid I’ll disappoint you. I have no intention of going to the Qilian Mountains for now.” Mu Jiuxiao still shook his head, politely declining.
For Li Xinyue and Li Shuo, if they didn’t take this risk, they would have no future prospects. But he was different. He possessed Hard Work Makes Up for Clumsiness, and would only get better and better in the future. You are reading on novelping.com, the official source.
Even in farming, he could outperform others!
Next year, just from farming, he could get six hundred and twenty jin of spirit rice. With the quality of his spirit rice, he could sell it for at least sixty-two Spirit Stones. Plus drawing talismans, he could earn at least two hundred Spirit Stones a year.
Moreover, he could help others harvest spirit rice during the busy farming season, which could earn him over ten Spirit Stones. Tsk tsk, he couldn’t spend it all, simply couldn’t spend it all!
Once he saved up some money, he would build a good relationship with Manager Meng and get back that mu of spirit land within his quota. Then he could farm another piece of spirit land and harvest a few hundred more jin of spirit rice.
“Xinyue, everyone has their own aspirations. Little Jiu just became a Qi Condensation cultivator; it’s normal for him not to want to take risks. When I first entered the Dao through martial arts, I also didn’t want to run around recklessly.” Li Shuo saw Li Xinyue looking disappointed and advised her.
Li Xinyue said nothing, just turned and left. Li Shuo nodded to Mu Jiuxiao and also turned to leave.
“Brother Shuo.”
Mu Jiuxiao called him back and took out a Lightning Bolt Talisman from his bosom. “Brother Shuo, take this spirit talisman.”
“Where did you get this?”
Li Shuo was somewhat surprised. He didn’t expect Mu Jiuxiao to return the Lightning Bolt Talisman so quickly.
“I went to the market yesterday and exchanged it with a Water Cloud Talisman.”
Mu Jiuxiao said, then handed Li Shuo several Water Cloud Talismans he had just drawn. “Brother Shuo, although the Water Cloud Talisman isn’t a combat talisman, activating four at once can create a water mist to confuse enemies. It might come in handy at some point. Take them with you.”
“Did you draw these Water Cloud Talismans yourself?” Li Shuo didn’t reach out to take them but asked instead.
“Yes, I drew these Water Cloud Talismans myself. My father fortunately obtained the method for drawing Water Cloud Talismans when he was alive.”
Upon hearing this, Li Shuo accepted the Water Cloud Talismans but left the Lightning Bolt Talisman with Mu Jiuxiao. “Little Jiu, Luoxia Mountain isn’t as peaceful as you think. You should keep this Lightning Bolt Talisman. With it in hand, even if we siblings aren’t around, you can handle a crisis or two.”
“Brother Shuo!”
Hearing Li Shuo’s words, Mu Jiuxiao felt a surge of warmth in his chest. He had held back from them, but even though they were going to the Qilian Mountains, they were still thinking of him.
“Brother Shuo, you take it. I’ll be fine. I’ll draw a few more Water Cloud Talismans, and in a few days, I can go to the market and exchange for another Lightning Bolt Talisman.”
Mu Jiuxiao insisted on giving the spirit talisman to Li Shuo. Li Shuo wasn’t a hesitant person either. He accepted the Lightning Bolt Talisman, clasped his hands in salute, and chased after Xinyue. New chapters come out on novelping dot com first.
“Xinyue, why are you so angry? Little Jiu has a gentle and kind nature. It’s actually expected that he wouldn’t want to take risks in the Qilian Mountains.” Li Shuo caught up with Li Xinyue and walked alongside her.
“I don’t know why I’m angry either. Actually, I already knew his personality and knew he probably wouldn’t go. But when he rejected me, I still felt very sad.”
Li Xinyue turned to look at Li Shuo, her clear pupils filled with confusion. “Brother, am I a very petty person? Otherwise, why would I get angry and embarrassed because someone refused me?”
“No, Xinyue, you’re not a petty person. You got angry and embarrassed because, in your heart, he’s not just someone else.”
Li Shuo’s large hands, like iron palms, now gently stroked her head. Softly, he said, “We’ve been at Luoxia Mountain for ten years now, and we’ve known Little Jiu for ten years too. He’s simple, honest, and straightforward, completely different from those worldly martial artists. You grew up together. Perhaps in your heart, he’s not just a friend or a brother.”
“Then what is he?” Li Xinyue grew more confused.
“That’s something you have to ask yourself. Perhaps you see him as a cultivation companion walking alongside you, hoping he can always accompany you, moving upward together.” Li Shuo said gently.
In the cultivation world, cultivation companions don’t solely refer to male-female partners but also companions who cultivate and practice together.
“Perhaps. I genuinely hope he can become better. But right now, I’m not even as good as him. What right do I have to demand anything from him?”
After being enlightened by her brother like this, Li Xinyue no longer felt awkward. Instead, she turned and asked her brother, “Brother, since Ninth Brother isn’t going, who will we go with this time?”
“The cultivation world is actually quite similar to the mortal world. When it involves benefits, it’s all deceit and scheming. You lack experience, and I don’t trust others. Let’s just the two of us siblings go together. We won’t seek great gains; just consider it taking you to see what the Qilian Mountains are like.”
“Alright.” Li Xinyue nodded.
The siblings had prepared many things for this trip to the Qilian Mountains. Without saying goodbye to Mu Jiuxiao, they left the next day.
Besides them, many other tenant farmers from Luoxia Mountain also entered the mountains. Cultivation is like climbing a mountain. Given any opportunity, who wouldn’t want to climb higher?
And Mu Jiuxiao, as always, continued his unwavering routine: cultivation, drawing talismans, and practicing Earth Spirit Spike!