Chapter 77
The Nascent Soul cultivator hiding in the dark noticed Jiang Mingyan's spiritual sense sweeping past, and his expression couldn't help but become even more embarrassed.
He pushed aside the dense branches in front of him and walked towards the child in red. He called out in a somewhat weak voice, "Yu Hongze."
The red-dressed kid turned around in surprise and said, "Uncle?!"
"Why are you here?"
When Sui Sui heard the name from the little boy in red, her big, dark, and watery eyes immediately opened even wider. The anger on her round face had not yet subsided, and she looked up at her uncle with a hint of venting her anger on him.
The young man was tall and handsome, but he kept his eyes downcast, with a timid, rabbit-like look of panic.
Sui Sui tilted his head hesitantly, like a kitten wandering around on its furry feet after encountering an unknown creature.
This person... is a little strange.
But before Sui Sui could explore further, a familiar breath came from behind him, and a clear voice softly called out, "Sui Sui."
Suddenly, Sui Sui ignored the confusion in his heart and turned around and rushed towards his brother: "Brother!"
Jiang Mingyan caught the puffy and confused cub, his deep eyes softening. "What happened?"
"It's all his fault!" Suisui, a well-supported child, didn't hesitate at all when his brother asked. He raised his little head and began to mutter and complain, "Brother, don't you know, he's really bad!"
The little fellow remembered the young man's name for the red-dressed boy and quickly imitated it: "That's Yu Hongze! Sui Sui also just found out that his uncle calls him Yu Hongze!"
"Sui Sui and Da Hei were just carefully observing our territory when he suddenly appeared from the forest, giving Sui Sui a fright!"
"If Sui Sui hadn't grabbed Da Hei in time, Da Hei would have bitten him all over the face!" Sui Sui snorted.
"Nonsense!" Yu Hongze stood beside the young man, looking at the soft and sticky little ball clinging to the young swordsman's arms. His eyes wandered for a moment, and then he loudly retorted with disdain: "I have a protective spiritual weapon on me. Although your Xuanyan Spirit Dog is powerful, it can definitely not hurt me!"
"Hongze..." The young man tugged at Yu Hongze awkwardly. As soon as his eyes met Sui Sui's clear and curious black round eyes, he immediately looked away as if he had been electrocuted. He tried to raise his voice and said, "Is this the new elder? I am Yu Zhang, who lives on the nearby mountain. This is my nephew Yu Hongze. This time, Hongze was rude and mistakenly entered this mountain and even had a quarrel with your brother. I am really sorry."
The arrogant look on Yu Hongze's face froze: "Isn't this Chong A Peak?"
What that little guy said about 'our territory' was actually true?
Sui Sui raised her chin proudly, like a fiery red fox returning victorious from a battle. She was almost about to spin around in front of Yu Hongze with her big furry tail swinging. "You broke into our territory and even quarreled with Sui Sui, tsk!"
The baby voice plus the "tsk" sound maximizes the sarcasm.
For a moment, the embarrassed expressions on the faces of the uncle and nephew opposite looked as if they were cast in the same mold.
The big black dog that had been protecting Suisui echoed his little master, barking proudly twice with its tail raised high.
Yu Hongze's face flushed red, and he lowered his head and whispered, "Sorry, it's my fault."
"I was wrong, too." Yu Zhang followed his nephew and apologized immediately: "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry."
Sui Sui understood that Yu Hongze apologized, but Yu Zhang also apologized, which really confused Sui Sui. The little guy subconsciously tilted his head to look at his brother.
Jiang Mingyan recalled the figure he had just seen hidden in the deep forest, listening to two children quarreling. He had some guesses in his mind and said, "It's not convenient to talk here. Let's go to the top of the mountain and sit down. It's already cleaned up there."
Sui Sui's face lit up: "Brother cleaned up so quickly!"
"It's not that much trouble." Jiang Mingyan rubbed Sui Sui's furry little head, and the warmth, softness and gentleness that he inadvertently revealed when he lowered his eyes.
"Okay, let's go over there." Sui Sui glanced at Yu Hongze, who was staring at him with a hint of longing. He snorted and said, "Sui Sui is a magnanimous man. I won't bother with you."
After saying that, the little guy twisted his body and asked his brother to put him down.
Jiang Mingyan frowned slightly, feeling a little uncomfortable, but he followed Sui Sui's wishes and leaned over to let go of Sui Sui.
As soon as Sui Sui's little feet touched the ground, she called out to the big black dog and ran towards the top of the mountain, urging them: "Brother, Yu Hongze, and Uncle Yu, hurry up!"
Yu Zhang hesitated for a moment, then was pulled by Yu Hongze and started walking.
Jiang Mingyan chuckled, with a subtle indulgence in his eyes.
In this way, the group reached the top of Qiumu Peak.
Sui Sui looked up at the familiar wooden building in front of her, her eyes widening as she asked, "Brother?"
"Yueyue asked me to take this with me before I left." Jiang Mingyan concealed the complexity in his eyes and explained in a low voice.
The little guy looked left and right and found that except for the different materials used, this palace was a one-to-one replica of the palace they lived in at the bottom of the Linghai Sea.
Sui Sui couldn't help but sigh: "Yue Yue is so nice!"
After expressing his feelings, the little guy happily led everyone in.
"Uncle Yu, please sit down. Yu Hongze, please sit down too." Because the interior layout was exactly the same, Sui Sui greeted them familiarly.
After everyone sat down, Yu Hongze hesitated for a few moments and then took the initiative to tell the whole story.
Yu Zhang was also at the Nascent Soul stage, and the mountain he chose was called Chong'a Peak. There were only the uncle and nephew of the Yu family on the peak.
Today, Yu Hongze got up early and memorized the Taoist scriptures, but he had trouble deducing the formation because Yu Zhang was still in the process of cultivation and had no one to guide him.
Yu Zhang felt a little annoyed. After thinking for a while, he walked out of the yard and strolled around Chong'a Peak.
Chong'a Peak and Qiumu Peak are very close to each other. Yu Hongze was thinking about the formation that he didn't understand, and for a moment of carelessness, he walked into the nearby Qiumu Peak - even he didn't realize it.
Therefore, when he saw the soft and tender little child and the majestic big dog with smooth hair that suddenly appeared, Yu Hongze thought that they were some new disciple of the Taoist who did not know the way and accidentally entered Chong'a Peak.
Having said that, Yu Hongze paused for a moment, glanced at Sui Sui secretly, and whispered, "Then we started arguing."
Yu Zhang, who was sitting carefully on the chair with a stiff body, glanced at Yu Hongze who just said it casually, and couldn't help but smile.
Sui Sui thought about the content of the argument between her and Yu Hongze, hummed a few times, and tacitly agreed with Yu Hongze's statement: "Brother, I forgive him."
Therefore, the content and process of the quarrel are no longer important.
Jiang Mingyan hid the smile in his eyes and didn't say that he actually heard part of it. He just pretended not to notice the little guy's cute little thoughts: "I know."
"Uncle Yu, why do you want to apologize?" Sui Sui's black eyes turned cunningly, and he asked as soon as his brother finished speaking.
"Not long after Hongze left, I woke up from my cultivation. I didn't find Hongze in the yard, so I went out to look for him. When I found him, you guys had just started arguing..."
Yu Zhang lowered his eyes awkwardly: "I don't think Hongze gained much advantage from the conversation. Besides, you are both at the ninth level of Qi training, but you have the Xuanyan Spirit Dog protecting you. If we fight, Hongze will definitely suffer. That's why I didn't go out..."
Sui Sui was shocked: "Huh?"
As a brother who protects his son tightly even if he is not in the right, Jiang Mingyan couldn't help but look sideways.
Under the gaze of the two brothers, Yu Zhang lowered his head even deeper, lowering his eyes, carefully avoiding their gaze: "I apologize to you because I arrived early but did not step forward to stop it..."
Suisui felt dizzy and had a confused expression.
Uncle Yu, what are you talking about...
Yu Hongze sighed, as if he was very familiar with this scene. There was a hint of helplessness between the child's proud and bright eyebrows: "My uncle doesn't like to interact with people. He likes to study the formation quietly by himself..."
As he spoke, admiration flashed in his eyes: "My uncle's formations are amazing! This is because he concentrates on his research and ignores the mundane world!"
...Okay.
Suisui blinked her round black eyes, stroked the big black dog's fur, and leaned quietly against her brother obediently.
This was a matter between uncle and nephew, and neither side had any objection. Therefore, after a moment of silence, Jiang Mingyan said, "Sui Sui didn't suffer any loss, so Senior Brother Yu, you don't have to apologize to Sui Sui."
Yu Zhang smiled at Sui Sui, then stared at the patterns on the ground again.
"Yu Hongze, are you about to pass the tribulation?"
Uncle Yu was silent, and his elder brother was also taciturn. Suisui stepped forward and took the initiative to shoulder the responsibility of communication.
"Yes, I will soon pass the tribulation." Yu Hongze and his uncle had completely different personalities. When he talked about his own cultivation, his eyes flashed with pride: "I am eleven years old this year. After I pass the tribulation, I will be a foundation-building cultivator."
"However, it's appropriate for you to call me 'Senior Brother' now, Sui Sui." Yu Hongze said excitedly, "After all, Sui Sui, you look short and soft, so I think you are younger than me."
"As your senior brother, I will protect you well." Yu Hongze pursed his lips, his eyes full of joy, but he pretended to be indifferent: "You're welcome."
Jiang Mingyan raised his eyebrows slightly, and Yu Zhang even moved his lips, wanting to say something.
But Sui Sui puffed up his cheeks and said angrily, "It's still uncertain who will pass the tribulation first. Maybe by then you'll have to call me Senior Brother!"
Humph, you are the shorty!
Yu Hongze stared blankly at the panting child in front of him for a while, then said with some displeasure, "I'm taller than you, stronger than you, and definitely older than you. Even if we just talk about cultivation, I'll make you call me Senior Brother wholeheartedly!"
"Don't talk big. Wait until you have overcome the thunder tribulation!" Sui Sui turned his little head.
"Just wait, I want you to call me Senior Brother!" Yu Hongze grabbed the corner of Yu Zhang's clothes and said, "Uncle, let's go back now. I want to practice. I must make him call me Senior Brother!"
"Just practice, who doesn't know how to practice? Humph! Just wait and see!" Sui Sui said angrily in a baby voice.
"We'll see!"
The two little guys' quarrel started suddenly and ended abruptly. However, Jiang Mingyan and Yu Zhang both said goodbye calmly, as if they had expected it.
"Bad guy!" After the uncle and nephew of the Yu family left, Sui Sui hugged his brother's arm, puffed up his face and angrily accused him, "He apologized to Sui Sui so straightforwardly before, I thought he was a good person, but I didn't expect him to laugh at Sui Sui for being short!"
Jiang Mingyan looked at the little guy who was shorter than other children of the same age, and was hesitant to speak.
"Sui Sui drinks spirit beast milk every day and eats a lot of food, but he's not short at all!" The little guy, who had no idea what he was doing, argued confidently, "Yu Hongze is three years older than Sui Sui, so it's normal for him to be taller than Sui Sui. Among children of the same age, Sui Sui is definitely not short at all!"
"Brother, am I right?" The little guy looked eagerly at his brother for approval.
Jiang Mingyan looked at the pair of beautiful, wet, round eyes that were like black gemstones, lowered his eyes, and murmured "hmm" softly.
The little guy was happy and murmured, "Bad guy, they are both eleven years old, Shao Jishuang is much better than him..."
The soft, babyish voice grew fainter and fainter. Jiang Mingyan looked over in surprise, only to see Sui Sui's face wrinkled as she pulled a black rope from around her neck: "I forgot about Shao Jishuang..."
Jiang Mingyan's eyebrows jumped, and when he looked carefully, he saw a small and ancient bronze mirror tied to the rope.
Suisui clutched the black rope and looked at her brother pitifully.
Jiang Mingyan suppressed his laughter and picked up the little guy like a kitten and placed him on the empty chair next to him: "It's almost noon. I'll go prepare food for Sui Sui. Sui Sui and Shao Jishuang can play."
Looking at his brother's tall and straight back, Sui Sui wrinkled his nose and said, "Huh!"
But as soon as he lowered his head, the little guy's cute little face smiled like a bright sunflower.
A cub has two faces.
Shao Jishuang looked at Mao Tuantuan, who was feeling guilty in front of the Ruyi Yinhua Mirror, and a hint of helplessness seeped into his bloodshot eyes.
"Shao Jishuang, I'm sorry. Suisui was so busy arguing with Yu Hongze just now that I accidentally forgot about you and didn't think of you later." The little guy apologized sincerely.
"It's okay." Shao Jishuang chuckled softly, her expression gentle. "Just now, Suisui said that her brother is now an elder of Qingmiao Sect, and you have also chosen a mountain to live in Qingmiao Sect. Can I go to Qingmiao Sect to find Suisui later?"
Eleven-year-old Shao Jishuang's features were deep and handsome, like the bright moon and the gentle jade. Although still young, he was already the respected senior brother of the Xuanjian Pavilion's sword cultivators. However, no matter what, Mao Tuantuan was always different in his heart.
"Of course!" Seeing that Shao Jishuang was not angry, Suisui answered happily: "We can practice together and recite the scriptures together! Shao Jishuang can stay as long as she wants."
"Okay." Shao Jishuang's bloodshot eyes were gentle.
"Shao Jishuang, you heard it too, didn't you? Yu Hongze is really too much, he laughed at me!" The little guy snorted, "Wait, I'll ask my brother and then I'll pass the tribulation right away and make him call me Senior Brother!"
"Ming Ruo Daojun—that's the cultivator Sui Sui and my brother met at Qinlu Cliff five years ago. He wanted to take me in as his disciple. My brother said he'd take Sui Sui in if she liked him..."
Sui Sui's topic jumped around, but Shao Jishuang listened very carefully and offered her opinions from time to time. The two children kept whispering like this for a long time until Jiang Mingyan came to call Sui Sui for dinner. Sui Sui then said goodbye to Shao Jishuang reluctantly.
After the meal, Sui Sui gulped down a big bowl of spirit beast milk before he was satisfied.
Jiang Mingyan felt amused and rubbed the furry head of the little fellow who was lying on the bed like a soft pancake with a round belly.
He had also worried about Sui Sui's slow growth, but later Jiang Mingyan and Qi Ling studied it and found that Sui Sui was just developing slower than other children. In fact, he was in good health and had no abnormalities.
Thinking of the little guy's aggressive look when he drank the spirit beast's milk just now, the evil-minded brother smiled in his heart and turned to talk about another thing.
"At the bottom of the Spirit Sea, the water blocks our way, making it difficult to cast spells. That's why I've never used the Soul Seeking Technique I learned in the Library. Now that we're out of the Spirit Sea, how about using it to find my aunt?"
Sui Sui quickly got up and nodded rapidly, "Okay, let's give it a try!"
As he spoke, the little guy moved to the side, leaving enough space for his brother to cast the spell.
Jiang Mingyan felt helpless and amused when he saw this: “Thank you for being so happy.”
"You're welcome~" Sui Sui waved her hand reservedly.
Although they were joking, Sui Sui and Jiang Mingyan became serious when casting the spell.
Suisui watched his brother close his eyes and concentrate on forming seals.
As the spiritual power surged, the gilded spiritual pattern on my brother's forehead became brighter and brighter, and finally became almost dazzling.
"Brother, have you found any clues?" Seeing his brother open his eyes, Sui Sui leaned over and asked in a childish voice.
"In the southwest direction." Jiang Mingyan frowned. "It's a bit strange. Logically, the soul-seeking technique should lead us to a specific location, but now we only have a general direction."
Suisui hugged her brother's arm, scowling for a while, unable to figure things out. Finally, she nestled into her brother's arms and stretched out her soft little fingers to smooth out her brother's furrowed brows: "It's okay. It's good to have a direction. Suisui and brother didn't know anything about it before."
"Sui Sui is right." Jiang Mingyan looked at the little girl who was seriously struggling with his eyebrows, his eyes gentle: "After a few days, we will look for it in the southwest direction."
"Okay." Suisui touched his thick black eyebrows that were finally defeated by the cub and nodded with satisfaction.
"Right, brother, Duobao Pavilion!" Sui Sui suddenly remembered and hurriedly reminded: "We haven't been there since we issued the mission, so does the mission still count?"
"A cultivator can often spend ten or even a hundred years in seclusion. Only five years have passed, so it naturally counts." Jiang Mingyan smiled and comforted the worried little fellow, "Don't worry about the years."
"That's good." Sui Sui breathed a sigh of relief.
On the first night in the new territory, Sui Sui slept soundly, lying on the cloud bed with his legs spread out, which made Jiang Mingyan, who came to visit his beloved brother in the middle of the night, have a smile in his eyes.
The next day, after breakfast, Sui Sui recited the Scriptures in a slow, drawn-out tone under the seemingly gentle but actually cold gaze of his brother.
But after less than half an incense stick of time, the little guy began to get restless: "Brother, when can Suisui overcome the tribulation?"
"Not now anyway," the brother said coldly, "keep carrying."
"Oh, I see--" Sui Sui hummed.
At this moment, the barrier outside the peak was triggered. Jiang Mingyan saw two people outside the barrier with his spiritual sense, opened the barrier, and stood up to greet them.
"Brother!" Suisui jumped off the chair, ran over mumblingly, pulled his brother's hand, smiled ingratiatingly, and his bright and round eyes showed a sense of ignorant innocence.
"Let's go." What else could Jiang Mingyan do? He sighed and walked out with the little guy.
The visitors were Mingruo Daojun and a dignified female cultivator.
Sui Sui recognized her at a glance. He had seen that female cultivator yesterday in the main hall. She was sitting on the chair to the right of the master.
As soon as Daojun Mingruo saw Sui Sui, he smiled amiably. Before Sui Sui and Jiang Mingyan could speak, he took the initiative to introduce them: "This is my senior sister Cang Wu, the previous head of Wuxi Peak, one of the Twelve Peaks of Qingmiao."
"Cangwu Daojun."
"Master Cangwu." Suisui and Jiang Mingyan bowed and greeted him.
Daoist Lord Cangwu had a cold and solemn demeanor, but his tone was gentle: "No need to be so polite."
"I came here today because I have a question to ask you." She said softly.
"Go in first. If you have any questions, we can talk inside." Ming Ruo Daojun walked over and extended his hand to Sui Sui, saying with a smile, "Sui Sui, take me in?"
Looking at the strange smile on Daojun Mingruo's face, Sui Sui was silent for a moment, then very reluctantly pulled one of Daojun Mingruo's fingers and walked towards the palace. As they walked, she discussed with Daojun Mingruo: "Daojun, please don't smile like that next time, okay? It's weird. Daojun usually looks very beautiful when he smiles, and this doesn't look good."
"Okay." Ming Ruo Daojun touched his face and regretfully put away the 'perfect smile' that he had practiced in front of the water mirror for a long time yesterday, which he thought would best bring him closer to children.
When Ming Ruo Daojun returned to normal, Sui Sui breathed a sigh of relief and then softly comforted him, "Daojun, you are very good-looking. Don't be fooled by others. They said you are not good-looking, but they are lying to you! Daojun, don't be fooled and deliberately smile strangely."
“…”
Ming Ruo Daojun accepted this new setting in a few breaths and adapted well: "Yes, what we said makes sense."
"Alas, if I had a well-behaved disciple always by my side, my time would be completely occupied. How could I have time to think about anything else?"
"Alas, what a pity!"
The master of Jiaxi Peak could hear the movement of the abacus beads by Master Mingruo.
Sui Sui's attention was caught by the word 'time'. The little fellow hesitated for a moment and said softly, "How about this, when Sui Sui has time, he can go to Floating Cloud Peak to find Daojun."
The little fellow was calculating in his mind: when his brother grabs Sui Sui and forces him to recite Taoist scriptures in the future, Sui Sui will go to find the Taoist Master!
The big and the small smiled at each other, both very satisfied.
How could Jiang Mingyan not know what Suisui was thinking?
However, his eyes flickered slightly, he smiled gently, and said nothing.
Sui Sui was so happy, but for some reason, she suddenly felt a little cold on her little butt.
After entering the palace and sitting down, Taoist Cangwu stated his intention.
"I'm a medical practitioner. I felt something was amiss when I saw you yesterday." She looked at Jiang Mingyan and asked gently, "Do you know about Meteorite Bone Powder?"
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