Chapter 51 (Xiaoman)
Seeing the girl crying so heartbreakingly, Lin Chengye couldn't tell whether the girl had forgotten or she had forgotten that he really did have the identity of the Goddess of Spring.
Lin Chengye pinched the bridge of his nose and said in a gentle voice.
"I'm really not some Spring Goddess, but would you like to come with me? Let's go somewhere else."
The rain hadn't stopped falling in the girl's dark, bright eyes; they were still misty and wet. But upon hearing Lin Chengye's words, the girl pursed her lips, nodded vigorously, and her scorpion braid at the back of her head stood up.
Hold me tight around the neck.
Lin Chengye stood up and patted the girl on the back. Although her martial arts skills had only recently recovered, those memories were almost ingrained in her bones. She had already mastered the lightness skill without much effort, making it more than enough to carry a child.
"It might be a little scary for a moment, you can close your eyes. Let me know when you're ready."
The girl obediently reached out and curled her small body into Lin Chengye's arms.
"Okay, okay," the girl said timidly.
Suddenly, a gentle breeze blew away the rain and mist from the girl's eyes. She stared blankly at the scenery before her, almost forgetting to close her eyes.
She had once looked up and envied the birds in flight, imagining the scenery they saw. But that must have only lasted a moment, because her feet were always still on the ground. More than the sky, she wanted to know if this year's crops would grow taller so she could fill her stomach.
The girl's vision was no longer of towering, dense forests and sparse sunlight. Lush treetops swayed at her feet, and the sunlight generously fell upon her, dispelling the chill from the waterfall.
She even saw the summit of Spring Mountain, which had always been shrouded in mist, stretching into a continuous range, majestic yet silent, nestled in Mengshan City, like a mother who was not good with words.
The girl gasped softly, forgetting all about the tears on her face; her upturned lips stretched almost to the back of her head.
Lin Chengye's every step was steady, far surpassing the way Chai Hu Nan had used her as a punching bag back then.
Before long, Lin Chengye carried the girl back to the Qingluan Xianzhi Temple, jumped into a simple courtyard, and hurriedly called out.
"Bian Yi, are you home?"
There was no response. Lin Chengye seemed to be used to it and casually picked up the food box on the table.
Sure enough, there was a note left below.
The girl's eyes widened, and she excitedly peeked out from Lin Chengye's arms, looking around. She thought to herself, "So the Spring God's abode really is on Spring Mountain, just as my mother described. And the Spring God doesn't live in a golden house after all! He must be a good deity!"
"Today, the young Taoist priest Chuhe insisted on sparring with me. He chased me here, and after I refused and declined in every way, I went with him to the edge of the cliff, to the Divine Crane Terrace."
After reading it, Lin Chengye clicked his tongue softly.
Chu Wuding has been gone for some time, but he still hasn't forgotten to trick Bian Yi. He left a message for Chu He, saying that Bian Yi is quite strong and that if you want someone to teach you, she is the most suitable person.
Moreover, unexpectedly, although Chu He seemed indifferent and uninterested in everything, he was actually a martial arts fanatic.
Bian Yi complained incessantly, as she had to fight Chu He for four or five hours a day before he was satisfied. It had been quite some time since she had spent time in the kitchen researching her little pastries.
Of course, Lin Chengye also had some reservations about this, as she hadn't been able to eat it for quite some time. Although, without the temptation of these material things, she was forced to work even harder and broke through to the third level in one go.
Lin Chengye touched the tip of his nose guiltily, then picked up the girl and hurried towards Shenhetai.
Before they even arrived, the sounds of clashing weapons could be heard from afar. Lin Chengye was very familiar with this; back in the Lin family mansion, such commotion never ceased, as her mother and brother were also very enthusiastic about sparring.
"Chuhe, I'm really quite tired today... Look..."
Bian Yi's helpless voice drifted over, and then the white humanoid figure flickered, dodging a chilling blade that Chu He had cleaved with his staff. The attack struck the rocks behind Bian Yi, splitting them into five pieces.
"Again."
Chu He's gaze was cold as he twirled his long staff in his palm, gathering powerful internal energy once more. In the blink of an eye, the staff left afterimages, and it was almost impossible to see how many strikes were sent hurtling towards Bian Yi. Like shooting stars in broad daylight, each move carried a deafening roar as it pierced the air.
Suddenly, dust billowed up where Shang Yi was standing on the Divine Crane Platform, engulfing her completely.
"Ah...that lady in white..."
The girl trembled, her face turned pale, and she turned away, unable to look any longer.
"Don't be afraid."
Lin Chengye laughed, patted the girl on the back of the head, pulled the girl out of her arms, and whispered.
"The one in white is doing very well."
This move seemed to have used a great deal of force; cold sweat broke out on Chu He's forehead, and his hand holding the stick trembled slightly.
As the dust settled and settled on the ground, a figure gradually came into view.
Bian Yi remained standing in the same spot, holding a sandalwood and black iron fan in her hand. No one could see her movements clearly, and even the hem of her clothes remained untorn.
"Again……"
Chu He seemed to be used to it. She pursed her lips and was about to speak when Lin Chengye suddenly interrupted her.
"Chu He, I have something to discuss with Bian Yi, let's call it a day."
Chu He then noticed that Lin Chengye was standing on the Divine Crane Platform at some point. Her cool gaze swept over Lin Chengye, and she suddenly frowned slightly and said in a cold voice.
"Who is in your arms? This is not a disciple of the Qingluan Xianzhi Temple."
After saying that, Chu He picked up the long stick in his hand and swept it directly at the girl.
Lin Chengye did not expect Chu He to make a direct move, and she did not have a suitable weapon. In desperation, Lin Chengye directly used his palm to block her attack. His "Turning Stone into Gold" technique was pure, yang, and strong. He did not give an inch in the face of her staff technique. The two collided fiercely in the air, creating a gust of wind. Surprisingly, the two were evenly matched, and Lin Chengye did not lose the upper hand.
"...You're already on the third floor?"
Chu He's eyes flickered slightly, revealing a hint of interest. She was already twenty-two, a genius among geniuses, and had only just broken through to the fourth level. Lin Chengye, at his age, was not much inferior to her.
"Chu River."
Lin Chengye's face darkened completely. His words, laced with anger, carried an unmistakable accusation and warning. The girl in his arms was already terrified, completely bewildered by what had happened.
"These are the people of Mengshan City. Every year, a few lucky ones manage to get here after escaping the poisonous miasma in the mountains, but if they don't have internal strength to protect their heart meridians, they will also be eroded by the poisonous miasma."
Chu He's indifferent eyes met Lin Chengye's anger, but she seemed not to hear it and continued speaking calmly.
"If left unattended, it will die in a few days."
It was utterly baffling. Lin Chengye couldn't understand Chu He, nor did she intend to. She narrowed her eyes, looked at Chu He, and gave a cold laugh.
"...Why leave it unattended? This is a human life."
"If you like to play the hero, then go ahead and save one. So what if you save one? There are plenty of others like that down the mountain."
Chuhe put away her long staff, carried it behind her back, turned around and walked down from the Divine Crane Platform. She seemed to remember something and turned back to speak.
"Out of respect for my teacher, I'm reminding you that they don't deserve this."
The hem of the green robe quickly disappeared from Lin Chengye's sight. She looked at Chu He's somewhat thin back, pinched the bridge of her nose with a helpless expression, and said to Bian Yi.
"Never mind her, let's go back first."
...
Back in the courtyard, Lin Chengye briefly recounted how he met the girl. Bian Yi initially wanted to put the girl on the bed to check on her, but the girl seemed very frightened and wary, like a startled cat, so Bian Yi simply let her stay in Lin Chengye's arms.
"It should just be miasma that she inhaled and it got into her brain. I can expel it from her body. There are no external injuries."
Bian Yi took the girl's pulse, then took out several silver needles and inserted them into her back. Bian Yi placed his palm on the girl's forehead and sent in a wisp of internal energy. Soon, the misty miasma leaked out through the silver needles on her back, condensing into droplets of water mist on the needles.
The girl bit her lower lip and remained silent, her face somewhat pale, as she whispered something in Lin Chengye's ear.
"She should actually be about ten years old. She is healthy, but she is very thin and small because she has never had a proper meal."
"Hmm..."
As Bian Yi slowly rotated the silver needle, the girl couldn't help but cry out in pain, but it was as faint as a mosquito's buzz.
"It'll be over soon." Bian Yi gently patted the girl's head with some tenderness.
Sure enough, the water vapor on the silver needle soon disappeared. Bian Yi pulled the silver needle out and nodded to Lin Chengye.
"That's enough, she should remember now. I'll go and cook her some medicine to help with her blood and qi deficiency. You two can talk."
Suddenly, a drop of water landed on the back of Lin Chengye's hand, startling her.
“...My mother said that there is a Spring Mountain God on Spring Mountain, and only the Spring Mountain God can stop the river from being angry. So I came here, I don’t want to die.”
This time, the girl's tears didn't flow as fiercely as they had when they first met; they simply welled up slowly and then gently streamed down her face. The girl cried quietly, and with a deep sense of despair.
"So many people, so many people have been swept away by the water. I'm so scared, I'm so scared..."
Sure enough, the foot of the mountain was already... Lin Chengye's heart tightened, and his hands clenched tightly under his sleeves.
She couldn't stand idly by. From the first day Chuhe told her not to go down the mountain, she had already prepared to go down.
Even if she were still helpless after descending the mountain, she would not choose to close her eyes and plug her ears from the beginning, ignoring the cries of the people. This was the only thing she remembered deeply.
Lin Chengye sighed, raised his hand to wipe away the girl's tears, and said earnestly.
“I am not the God of Spring, but I will go down the mountain with you tomorrow to see what is going on down there. You should rest well today, and tomorrow you will lead the way to find your mother.”
The girl looked at her with some confusion, but spoke very seriously.
"Then you must be the God of Spring. If you weren't the God of Spring, why would you help me?"
Lin Chengye rubbed his forehead, momentarily unable to find a reason to refute her. She actually had a lot to say, such as that she was just going down the mountain to take a look and might not be able to do anything, or that she was just an ordinary person who couldn't bear to see the people suffer.
But the girl clearly didn't understand, and probably no one had ever told them to "go down the mountain and take a look." Yet, even such vague words made them believe it was a divine act of charity.
Suddenly, Lin Chengye felt her sleeve being tugged. Looking down, she saw the girl cautiously looking up at her and saying...
"Spring God, please, could you give me a name? My mother says that if a deity gives me a name, I'll have good luck for the rest of my life..."
The girl's voice grew softer and softer as she spoke, until finally her dark face flushed pink, as if she had exhausted all her strength.
"Don't you have a mother? How come you don't have a name?"
Lin Chengye smiled and shook his head.
"No, I didn't. My mother only calls me 'little girl'."
The girl seemed a little disappointed, and then said...
“My mother is everyone’s mother. She calls all the girls ‘Little Girl.’ But I want to have my own name.”
But they were just strangers who had met by chance. Lin Chengye didn't quite understand what "mother's mother" meant either; he would probably only understand these things when he went down the mountain tomorrow.
Lin Chengye was about to refuse, but seeing the girl's almond-shaped eyes brimming with tears, he could only swallow the words that were on the tip of his tongue. She thought about it seriously, sighed, and said...
"You can call me Xiaoman for now."
Why is it called Xiaoman (小满)?
The girl's eyes, like apricots, sparkled as she looked at Lin Chengye. She carefully clung to Lin Chengye's leg, and seeing that he didn't stop her, she took advantage of the situation and hung herself entirely on his leg.
Lin Chengye helplessly bent down and picked up the girl. She didn't know what was going on, how she suddenly had a little tail.
But the girl's natural dependence on him wasn't bad; it was as if she really was the omnipotent goddess of spring, which gave Lin Chengye a small sense of satisfaction.
She reached out and pinched Xiaoman's nose, speaking softly.
"The Lesser Fullness of Grain brings complete success."
Bian Yi, who had been watching with amusement, suddenly froze. Her own face was reflected in the bubbling medicine pot, and she murmured to herself.
"What a nice name..."
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