"Don't pick them, these flowers might be useful."
Rong Zhigao said earnestly that he had clearly been influenced by the "herbal medicine lesson" that Qing Xuanzi had given them on the way.
Rong Jiaojiao nodded: "This is medicine!"
Qing Xuanzi laughed heartily: "Zhi Gao is right. Some of these flowers can be used as medicine, some can be used as spices, but most of them are for ornamental purposes. There are many flowers and plants in the valley, and you can get to know them gradually in the future."
Upon hearing this, the two brothers looked at the flowers as if they were treasures.
As you continue walking, the flowers and plants on both sides of the path increase, interspersed with some unidentified shrubs. Occasionally, the chirping of insects can be heard from among the branches and leaves, crisp and melodious.
Qing Xuanzi smiled and pointed to a patch of grass by the roadside, saying, "Look, there are a few wild strawberry bushes over there. You can come here tomorrow and see if you can find any strawberries."
The two brothers nodded and chattered amongst themselves, occasionally exclaiming in amazement, as if every leaf and every flower was full of wonder.
"Uncle Qingxuan, this place is so beautiful!" Rong Zhigao couldn't help but exclaim. "I've never seen such a beautiful place before."
Qing Xuanzi nodded: "The beauty of the valley lies not only in its scenery, but also in its tranquility and freedom. Here, you can cultivate and play to your heart's content without worrying about the disturbances of the outside world."
"Yes, I will definitely cultivate hard in the future and become as powerful as Uncle Qingxuan!" Rong Zhiyuan said earnestly, clenching his little fist.
Rong Zhigao nodded in agreement: "Me too!"
Qing Xuanzi smiled, and as they spoke, they had already crossed the path through the fields and arrived outside the stone house courtyard.
The stone house is built against the mountain and surrounded by lush bamboo, making it exceptionally tranquil. The roof of the stone house is covered with thick thatch, and the walls are covered with green vines, giving it a particularly rustic feel.
"Wow, what a beautiful house!" Rong Zhiyuan exclaimed, his eyes filled with surprise.
Rong Zhigao nodded: "This place is so beautiful, it's like a fairyland from a fairy tale!"
Qing Xuanzi led the children into the courtyard. The courtyard was clean and tidy, and all kinds of flowers and plants were planted around it. Some of them had bright flowers, and some had a faint fragrance.
In the corner of the courtyard, there was a pond, and above the pond, Qing Xuanzi used bamboo to draw water from the cliff.
"Uncle Qingxuan, is the water here drinkable?" Rong Zhiyuan asked curiously as he approached and reached out to touch the pool.
"Of course you can drink it! This water is cool and sweet, even better than well water!"
He picked up a ladle from the side, scooped up a ladle of water and handed it to Rong Zhiyuan: "Try it, isn't it sweet?"
Rong Zhiyuan took the water ladle, carefully took a sip, and his eyes instantly lit up: "It's so sweet! This water is so delicious!"
Rong Zhigao also came over, took the water ladle that Qing Xuanzi handed him, took a sip, and couldn't help but nod in praise: "This water is really delicious, much better than the water at home!"
Qing Xuanzi laughed heartily: "The water in this valley is all drawn from mountain springs, so it's naturally sweet. If you're thirsty in the future, just come here to fetch water."
The two brothers nodded repeatedly upon hearing this, and Rong Zhiyuan even couldn't resist taking a few more sips before putting down the water ladle.
"Uncle Qingxuan, did you plant all the flowers in the yard?" Rong Zhigao asked, pointing to the flowers and plants in the yard, his eyes full of curiosity.
"Yes, I planted them. Some were transplanted from the valley, and some were found in the mountains." Qing Xuanzi nodded with a faint smile on his face. "These flowers and plants not only beautify the environment, but some can also be used as medicine, killing two birds with one stone."
Rong Zhigao and Rong Zhiyuan looked around and touched everything, extremely excited.
Qing Xuanzi found it amusing and hoped they would still be laughing tomorrow.
He said, "You two play here, and keep an eye on Jiaojiao so she doesn't run around. I'll cook for you."
He then pointed to a small stone house not far away: "The toilet is over there; you should go there if you need to relieve yourself."
The two brothers nodded, and when he went into the kitchen, Rong Zhigao immediately ran over and said, "Uncle, let Zhiyuan and his sister play. I'll help you."
Qing Xuanzi thought for a moment and nodded: "Okay, you go start the fire and wash the pot first, I'll go wash the rice."
The two of them worked together, and soon a meal was ready.
After finishing the meal, Qing Xuanzi said, "You all eat your fill and then rest in the courtyard for a while before going to sleep. Tomorrow we'll start intensive training."
The two brothers, unaware of the terrifying nature of the intensive training Qing Xuanzi spoke of, were still eager to try it out, promising, "Uncle Qing Xuan, we will definitely train hard."
Qing Xuanzi nodded. After the three children fell asleep, Qing Xuanzi got up and walked out of the stone house. The night was deep, with many stars and a bright moon hanging high, casting a cool glow.
The valley was completely silent, with only the occasional chirping of insects adding to the tranquility.
He came to one side of the courtyard, and with a gentle wave of his hands in the air, a faint light flashed, and a huge rock was slowly shaved into a platform.
The stone platform is flat and smooth, covering an area of more than ten square meters, resembling a natural training ground.
Qing Xuanzi stood on the stone platform and nodded in satisfaction.
Next, he began polishing the stone pillars and setting up plum blossom stakes for martial arts practice on the stone platform.
He waved his hands continuously, and the stones gradually shrank until they became stone pillars, neatly arranged on the stone slab.
Each plum blossom stake is about 1.5 meters high, with uniform thickness and an extremely smooth surface.
He drilled nine holes in the stone platform, arranged in a plum blossom pattern, and placed the stone pillars inside, creating nine plum blossom piles: one main pile in the middle and eight secondary piles around it, with a spacing of about 1.5 meters.
Qing Xuanzi stood on the main pillar in the middle, and with a light leap, landed on one of the secondary pillars, then quickly leaped back to the main pillar. The stone pillar remained steady and unshaken.
He smiled with satisfaction. These plum blossom stakes were not only suitable for practicing light-body skills, but also for improving coordination and balance. From now on, it would be the three little ones' domain.
They also wrapped the stone pillars with a thick layer of rabbit skin to prevent them from falling off and hitting their heads.
Then a thick layer of straw was laid on the stone slab, and tomorrow they will start with standing meditation.
After finishing all this, Qing Xuanzi looked at his masterpiece with satisfaction, clapped his hands, turned around and walked into the stone house. Looking at the sleeping Rong Jiaojiao, a smile appeared on his face, as if he was about to see a good show.
The next day, before dawn, Qing Xuanzi cooked porridge in a pot, heated up some steamed buns on top, and then went to wake up the three children.
Rong Jiaojiao rubbed her eyes, still half asleep, and said, "Master, Jiaobao doesn't need to pee!"
Qing Xuanzi was both amused and exasperated: "Jiaobao, wake up, it's time for us to start practicing."
As he spoke, he led Rong Jiaojiao outside.
Rong Zhigao and Rong Zhiyuan rubbed their eyes and yawned repeatedly as they came out of another room and followed Qing Xuanzi into the courtyard.
When they saw the newly added stone platform and plum blossom stakes next to the courtyard, illuminated by the morning star, they were all amazed.
"Wow, Uncle Qingxuan, what is this?" Rong Zhiyuan asked Qingxuanzi, pointing to the plum blossom stake.
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