Wind chimes tinkle under the eaves, snowflakes drift down between the eaves.

Qin Shou gazed at the small figure kneeling in the snow, at the stubborn look in his eyes, and knew that the baby he had picked up from the Turtle River many years ago did not belong to Turtle Mountain.

"well..........."

All emotions coalesced into a deep sigh, which, along with the wind and snow swirling from the eaves, echoed over Turtle Mountain, lingering for a long time.

"Child, get up."

A gentle spiritual force swept away the wind and snow from Xiao Siwu's body.

Xiao Si looked up excitedly and met Qin Shou's eyes, which were filled with sorrow.

"Disciple Xiao Siwu greets Master."

Inside the ancestral hall, Qin Shou sat high on it, with Changsheng standing to his left and Yicheng to his right.

Seven-year-old Xiao Si knelt down and respectfully offered a cup of hot tea.

Glug!

Qin Shou took the tea and sipped it.

He immediately put down the teacup and gently touched Siwu's forehead with his palm.

"Si Wu, from this day forward, you will be the fourth disciple of Qin Shou, the second-generation sect master of my Kao Shan Sect."

"Get up and offer incense to your grandmaster, eldest grandmaster, and second grandmaster."

"Yes, Master."

Xiao Siwu stood up and respectfully offered incense to Qin Shou's master, senior brothers, and senior sisters. He then walked to Changsheng and Yicheng and bowed earnestly.

"Si Wu greets Senior Brother and Third Senior Sister."

"Hello, junior brother."

Changsheng responded with a smile.

Yi Cheng scratched her head. "Master, is the goose... like Senior Sister, someone else's Senior Sister?"

Qin Shou nodded, "Yes."

Yi Cheng rolled her little eyes and asked, "Master, can the goose command Si Wu to do work?"

Qin Beast: ? ? ? ? ?

Xiao Siwu: "................."

Changsheng patted Yicheng's head. "Yicheng, junior brother is meant to be cherished."

Yi Cheng looked up, somewhat confused, "Senior Sister just asked Goose to help her with chores. Goose is Senior Sister too, can't Goose ask Si Wu to help Goose with chores?"

Changsheng remained silent.

Yi Cheng looked at Si Wu and said seriously, "Si Wu, from now on you have to learn to wash dishes, wash vegetables, and do laundry... understand?"

Xiao Siwu: ............................

Congratulations! You have successfully recruited an apprentice. You are rewarded with an "Apprentice Recruitment Gift Pack." Would you like to open it?

"Open"

[Vermilion Bird Manual: A divine-level cultivation technique; those with the Vermilion Bird bloodline will achieve twice the results with half the effort in its cultivation...]

【Flaming Dragon Devouring Heaven Sword: A top-grade spiritual treasure containing a wisp of the essence of an ancient flame dragon. It can summon nine flame dragon soul shadows to fight for it. When a cultivator undergoing tribulation activates this sword, it possesses the power to destroy the heavens and the earth】

[Nine Spirits Secret Technique: The human body has nine spiritual apertures. Cultivators can separate a wisp of their essence to enter the nine spiritual apertures and condense nine spiritual souls. Each time a spiritual soul is condensed, the cultivator's combat power will double, up to a maximum of nine times.]

"Four Nothingnesses, this is the cultivation technique I will impart to you, called the [Vermilion Bird Manual]. It complements the Vermilion Bird bloodline within you. I hope you will cultivate it diligently."

Qin Shou passed on the Vermilion Bird Manual to Xiao Siwu.

"Disciple thanks Master."

Xiao Si bowed and kowtowed.

From then on, Turtle Mountain lost the bouncy Xiao Siwu and gained Xiao Xuan, who practiced swordsmanship day and night and diligently cultivated his skills.

Flowers bloom again this year.

On this day, Yi Cheng, who had grown a little taller, proudly showed off in front of Qin Shou.

Qin Shou made her stand under the pillar in front of the eaves, measured her height and carved a mark on it. There were already 13 marks on the pillar, 10 of which were carved by Qin Shou and 3 by Chang Sheng.

Above these 13 scratches, there is another scratch, which represents Wenqing's height.

Yi Cheng said, "My senior sister said that she will come back to see the geese when they grow as tall as her."

So every year after Wenqing left, Yicheng would pester Qin Shou to carve her height on the pillar.

Therefore, Wenqing has been away from the mountain for 13 years.

Thirteen years have passed~

Qin Shou remembered that Wen Qing was also 13 years old when she first went up the mountain.

"well........."

Qin Shou sighed softly and looked up at the clouds in the sky.

The white clouds over Turtle Mountain remain the same, but those who went up and down Turtle Mountain have never returned.

"Master, Master, you haven't praised the goose yet!"

Yi Cheng, hands on her chubby waist, proudly tilted her plump head back, her little eyes seeming to say, "Master, please praise me! Master, please praise me!"

Wow! Yicheng, you're amazing!

Qin Shou gave a thumbs up, indicating that he was already very familiar with this business.

"Hehehehe............"

Yi Cheng proudly shrugged her little shoulders, then ran to the old mulberry tree and boasted to Da Mei, "Da Mei, look! The goose has grown taller! You haven't grown taller yet, goose goose goose..."

"Yi Cheng, I've already told you, we demon beasts are different from you humans. Besides, you've only grown a tiny bit taller; even if I look closely, I can't tell."

Da Mei's daily rebuttal to Yi Cheng.

"Nonsense, Master Goose has measured the goose, and the goose has at least grown taller... grown taller... it just has grown taller, humph!"

Yi Cheng turned her head away indifferently. She didn't want to talk to Da Mei anymore because she felt that Da Mei was just jealous that she could grow taller.

"Yi Cheng, Yi Cheng, let's go patrol the mountain. Let's catch that big black turtle that bit me last time and stew it."

The chubby boy transformed into a human, his little eyebrows furrowed, and he spoke the most ferocious words in the most innocent childish voice.

"Alright, let's call Black Rabbit, and the geese will go together."

Yi Cheng ran to the center of the courtyard and faced Si Wudao, who was practicing his swordsmanship:

"Siwu, Siwu, the geese have gone on patrol. Do you want to come with them?"

"I won't go, Third Senior Sister."

Xiao Siwu shook his head and continued practicing his sword.

"Okay, let's go, geese! Hehehe, Little Fatty, Big Beauty, let's charge!"

One of them, Cheng and Ma, took the lead, carrying a spiked club and charging down the mountain.

Qin Shou sat under the eaves, watching the young man in the courtyard practice his sword while drinking his own brewed wine. He would occasionally speak up, pointing out what Si Wu was doing wrong and what could be improved.

Si Wu's comprehension is indeed very high; he can often understand things after Qin Shou explains them only once.

In many cases, he can even apply what he has learned to other situations, adding several variations to the original swordsmanship to make the swordsmanship itself even more powerful.

"Is this the legendary chosen one?"

Qin Shou smiled, raised the remaining spirit wine in his cup, and gently sprinkled it onto the clouds in the sky.

The wine, named "Smoke and Clouds Fill the Sky," is brewed from twelve kinds of fire-attribute spiritual herbs and plants, combined with the sunset glow on the horizon. It contains a vast amount of fire-attribute energy. If someone with low cultivation level drinks it, they will instantly feel as if they are engulfed in flames, their internal organs being burned to ashes.

On this day, the clouds over Turtle Mountain shone brightly for miles around, like flames burning, a truly magnificent sight!