Chapter 61: Past Life Causes (Part 2) “Good night, sister.”…
In the study of the Zhu Mansion, Xie Rangchen closed the book and pinched the corners of his eyes that were sore.
It took him two days to figure out the current situation.
First of all, this is the Zhu Mansion, the home of my junior sister; secondly, in the illusion, his identity is her brother, named Zhu Liansong; finally, based on the time points sorted out from reading a large number of books, the time in the illusion is at least three hundred years earlier than outside.
Three hundred years ago, Zhu Ciying, who later became his junior apprentice sister Aying, was born in a merchant family in the mortal world.
The Zhu family has been engaged in business for generations and is very wealthy.
Zhu Ciying has been living a life of luxury since childhood and is the spoiled jewel of the Zhu family.
But later, she died at the age of only eleven.
One person guards his sword, one person is forced into a desperate situation, one person resolutely uses the technique to release the troops, and the other person waits hopelessly until his five senses are scattered and his soul falls apart.
Xie Rangchen clutched the front of his shirt, his heart aching with pain.
After entering the illusion, he realized that Zhu Ciying already had a happy family and family members who loved her.
But when they first met in Qingwei Sect, the first thing she said to him was, "Brother, I haven't had any family for a long time. Please don't send me away. I like Qingwei Sect and I want to stay in Qingwei Sect."
What was her mood when she said this?
He closed his eyes tiredly, raised his head and exhaled, and the pain in his heart continued for a long time.
In this world, almost no one can accept standing at the beginning of their loved one's happy life and watching her slowly walk towards the inevitable death.
Too cruel.
"A Song." There were two knocks on the study door.
A beautiful young woman came into the house, holding the baby in her arms. She said softly, "You've been reading for so long. Rest your eyes. I've asked someone to bring you some hot soup."
Xie Rangchen quickly stood up: "Mother."
Zhu Liansong's mother is named Shu Mei. She is beautiful, talented, gentle and virtuous, but just like the "Mei" in her name, she has tenacity in her bones.
Xie Rangchen sat obediently, holding the hot soup and drinking it mouthful by mouthful.
Shu Mei watched him from the side, teasing the baby girl in her arms from time to time.
Everything in the illusion had actually happened. His soul was attached to Zhu Liansong, and every word and action came from Zhu Liansong, not himself.
"Are you tired, mother? Let me hold my sister for a while." After drinking the hot soup, he regained most of his strength.
"Is it for A'ma to hold the baby, or does Song'er want to hold the baby himself?" Shu Mei asked with a smile.
Xie Rangchen: "It's me."
He carefully took his sister from her mother's arms and gently poked her cheek with his fingertips. The baby's face was pink and cute, and as soft as dough.
The sleeping baby girl seemed to sense something, hummed twice in displeasure, and opened her eyes.
Xie Rangchen looked at her and paused.
He felt sincerely that his sister's eyes were so beautiful, black and bright, like the black gems stored in the warehouse.
The young boy was stunned for a moment, then suddenly turned to his mother and said, "Mom, come and be a witness!"
Shu Mei: "Witness what?"
Xie Rangchen held out his pinky finger, swearing a pinky promise like he usually did with his playmates. His voice was childish, and his expression was extremely serious. "I ask my mother to be my witness. I wish Lian Song, as a full brother, will protect my sister and lead a fulfilling life."
As soon as he finished speaking, his fingers suddenly tightened.
He looked down and saw that it was his sister who responded to him and miraculously grabbed his finger.
The young boy had incredible intuition.
Zhu Ciying smiled at him, and the temperature from her fingers was warm and burning, like the sun in the sky.
Shu Mei held the two children in her arms and smiled very happily.
Soon, Zhu Ciying turned one year old, and her father Zhu Lingyun spent a lot of money to hold a one-year-old banquet for her.
Xie Rangchen got up very early. The first thing he did was to get dressed, wash his face, and run to his sister's yard.
"Brother." Zhu Ciying waved at him.
She learned to speak earlier than to walk, and she speaks eloquently and clearly, which makes her very popular with her family.
"Come on, I'll take you to the front hall." He is now nine years old and has gained a lot of strength compared to last year.
Xie Rangchen habitually opened his arms to hug her, but Zhu Ciying only held one of his hands: "Brother, let's go."
He understood what she meant. She had grown up and didn't need to be carried around anymore.
So, he extended his other hand to touch her head instead. It turned out that the always strong-willed junior sister had begun to show her potential since she was a baby.
Zhu Ciying immediately put away her smile and frowned unhappily: "You won't grow taller."
Xie Rangchen: "Brother will protect you."
After a moment of silence, he added, "The kind that lasts a lifetime."
He grabbed her hand and walked out of the yard. The boy's palm was not big, but he could firmly hold the hand that was even smaller than his.
There are more than a hundred guests coming to the mansion today. The Zhu family decorated the house with lights and held a grand banquet. It was even more lively than the Chinese New Year.
According to the custom passed down for thousands of years, a one-year-old birthday party is held for every baby in the family.
The banquet was simple: a space was cleared and set out with brushes, inkstones, calligraphy and painting, instruments of music, chess, and painting, as well as weapons like the Four Books and Five Classics, swords, spears, and bows and arrows. The baby was then allowed to choose. Whatever the baby got would determine the direction in which she would be nurtured in the future.
Of course, this is just an entertainment activity to satisfy babies' curiosity and should not be taken seriously.
But Zhu Liansong himself is an exception.
My mother said that my father wanted him to learn martial arts, so he arranged a bunch of swords, guns, bows and arrows at the one-year-old banquet, but he didn't seem to be very interested in them. He walked around without taking anything.
My father immediately became discouraged and ordered someone to get some books. While the servants were getting the books, he picked up a Luban lock from a pile of weapons and sat on the ground to play with it.
Seeing him obsessed with the Luban lock, his father just smiled. At night, he would cry to his mother, "Does our Song'er want to be a tinkerer? I carefully prepared so many beautiful swords, why didn't he choose any of them... Is it because I didn't choose the ones he liked?"
"Maybe he doesn't like it." Mother laughed at him for crying in front of her even though he was already a father.
Zhu Lingyun didn't care about those empty things. He only knew to show his true self and purest emotions in front of his wife.
So, after their second child was born, he secretly tried every possible way to untie his knot. For example, he often carried Zhu Ciying to the study, inadvertently letting her see a wall full of swords; when Zhu Ciying was just learning to walk, he would go to her small courtyard and practice sword techniques...
He is determined to win the one-year-old celebration this time!
Besides, he had been busy preparing for the full Zhuazhou banquet for more than half a month! Only success was allowed, failure was not.
"Master, everything is ready." The butler took advantage of Zhu Lingyun's free time to report in a low voice.
"Have you taken all the books, calligraphy and painting, etc. far away?"
"They're all locked in the warehouse."
Zhu Lingyun nodded with satisfaction: "It's getting late, go ask Song'er to bring Manman over."
"Yes." The butler took the order and left.
Zhu Lingyun smoothed out the wrinkles on his clothes and glanced at the open space not far away. The butler had filled it with sharp swords according to his instructions.
A quarter of an hour later, the protagonist of the one-year-old celebration banquet arrived.
Zhu Ciying, who had just turned one, walked unsteadily in front, her face, which bore a striking resemblance to his, full of stubbornness. Xie Rangchen followed closely behind her, his arms slightly outstretched, ready to catch her if she fell.
When Zhu Lingyun saw this situation, he frowned, rushed forward, picked up Zhu Ciying, and let her sit in his arms.
Zhu Ciying opened her mouth and called out, "Father."
Zhu Lingyun pinched her soft face and said, "Manman, let Daddy show you the gift he prepared for you."
As if eager to learn the winning number, he quickly walked into the banquet with his daughter in his arms. He bent down and put her down, making sure she was firmly on her feet before letting go. "Go pick what you like."
Zhu Ciying rolled her black eyes, and wherever she looked, she saw swords of different styles and lengths, inlaid with various colored gems.
Xie Rangchen was a step behind her. After seeing the object on the ground clearly, he covered his eyes with his hands.
He was speechless about his father's behavior.
Although my father had a talent for business since childhood and made the family business flourish after taking over, his real hobby was not gold, silver, or treasures, but swords.
He loves swords and swordsmanship.
Crazy and never tired of it.
When he was young, he did not choose a sword at the one-year-old celebration, and his father regretted it for a long time.
Xie Rangchen looked up at his younger sister who was at a loss as to what to do.
To be honest, he didn't object to Manman learning swordsmanship, because Manman was his blood relative. No matter what Manman did, he would unconditionally support and affirm her.
Zhu Ciying stood there for a long time without moving.
"Manman probably doesn't like it..." Zhu Lingyun said a little dejectedly.
Xie Rangchen looked silently at the long sword on the ground, then looked at the delicate and pretty little girl. All he could think of was the satisfied smile that would unconsciously appear on her face every time she held the sword many years later.
Suddenly, an answer came to my mind.
not necessarily.
On the contrary, you might like it very much.
Sure enough, his idea was soon confirmed.
"Dad, Jian, I like it."
Zhu Ciying pointed at a sword, turned around and tugged at her father's sleeve, her eyes bright and pure: "Dad, brother, let's practice sword together."
*
At the end of winter again, a heavy snow fell on earth.
Zhu Ciying is two years old and Xie Rangchen is ten years old.
As soon as the snow stopped, Zhu Ciying pulled her brother to the yard, clamoring to build a snowman.
Xie Rangchen patiently taught her: "First, grab a handful of snow and hold it in your palm. Then squeeze it tightly. Then, roll it slowly on the snow until it becomes a big snowball."
She obediently grabbed the snow and rolled a snowball.
In the cold winter, Zhu Ciying wore a red jacket and skirt, and a red tiger-head hat sewn by her mother, with a white pompom on each side.
The snowball rolled bigger and bigger, and her nose and face were blown red by the wind.
Xie Rangchen leaned lazily against the tree, watching her running around in the snow with great enjoyment.
If I were not in this illusion, I would probably never see such a lovely junior sister in this lifetime.
After a while, a snowball rolled to his side. Zhu Ci's eyes were filled with anticipation: "Brother, brother, snowball."
Xie Rangchen helped her stack the two snowballs, one large and one small, on top of each other. The snowman took shape.
"Are your hands frozen?" He leaned over, took her hands and placed them on both sides of his neck.
Transferring temperature using your hands is too slow; directly touching the human body is faster.
"I'm not cold."
She ran away playfully, hugging the snowman. After a while, she suddenly turned back to look at him and said helplessly, "Brother, it has no hands."
Xie Rangchen looked around, picked up two dead branches and inserted them into the snowman's body: "Now I have it, it can be hugged full."
"Great!" She happily hugged his legs and rocked him left and right, acting coquettishly towards him, "Brother, can I also have a kitten snowman?"
He looked down at her. Zhu Ciying had her big watery eyes open and furry ears embroidered on a tiger hat. She looked cute and naive, just like a kitten that had not yet grown into a big tiger, which made people's hearts melt into a pool of warm water.
"Brother will do it for you." He rubbed her head.
The day after building the snowman, Zhu Ciying had a high fever and was bedridden.
Xie Rangchen didn't go anywhere. He stayed by her bedside, fed her medicine personally, and replaced the cold water-soaked towel countless times to help her cool down.
Zhu Liansong put aside all business matters and found the best doctor in the city to treat his young daughter.
Shu Mei took care of the affairs of the mansion alone, and came to help him take care of Zhu Ciying when she had time.
The illness came on with such force that she took herbal medicine for three days without any improvement. She would often mutter in her sleep, "Dad and Mom, please don't blame my brother. It was Manman who was too playful and didn't take good care of himself."
Xie Rangchen moved a stool and sat at the head of her bed. He took off the handkerchief from her forehead, soaked it in cold water and put it back.
Zhu Ciying turned over uncomfortably, opened her eyes and called him drowsily, "Brother."
Despite the fever, he was conscious.
It's a blessing in disguise.
"Manman." Xie Rangchen said in a hoarse voice, "Hold on a little longer. Father is going out to find a very, very good doctor."
"Brother, a very good doctor is treating Manman, so Manman doesn't need to drink the medicine?" Zhu Ciying's eyes lit up, almost pleading, "The medicine is so bitter, I don't want to drink a drop."
"How can the disease be cured without taking medicine?" He tucked in the corners of the quilt for her.
His father, mother, and he all like spicy food, but Manman is different. He is very picky about food and will not eat anything other than salty food.
The young boy forced a smile and patted her head. At ten years old, he had read many books and could already articulate some life philosophies: "Life is a mixture of all five flavors. You have to experience them all before you can truly cherish the things you love. Manman is no exception."
"When you recover from your illness, I will teach you a new set of sword techniques, as well as the mechanical techniques I recently researched."
Zhu Ciying saw the sadness between his brows dissipate a little, and then smiled at him: "Okay, brother, keep your word."
Then he fell into a deep sleep due to exhaustion.
Xie Rangchen tried to condense his spiritual power again, but as expected, he failed again.
This is an illusion, and he is just an ordinary mortal boy. How can he have spiritual power?
Besides, even if it existed, it would be useless.
Everything in the illusion is fake, but what happened really happened.
He stroked the girl's hot cheek, and the tenderness in his dark eyes was all surrounded by a misty water vapor, which fell drop by drop and wet the pillowcase.
The weather outside the house is changing, the sunlight comes and goes, and the house is bright and dark.
Xie Rangchen raised his hand to wipe his face. When his fingers touched what seemed to be water, he slowly lowered his eyes, his gaze fixed on the wetness of his fingertips.
If you count it up, this is the first time he has shed tears in his two lifetimes.
It’s because the beloved one is suffering from illness and no one can save her from suffering.
Although his reason told him that his junior sister would be safe.
But his heart was still tightly gripped, as if it would burst at any time.
He was immersed in the illusion, watching his junior sister grow up little by little in the honey pot, as bright as the morning sun.
But he also hated himself for being in this illusion, seeing her suffering and lying on the sickbed.
He knew better than anyone that no doctor in the human world could cure her illness. Zhu Ciying was born with a sword bone, and this illness wasn't caused by a cold or fever, but rather by her lack of spiritual energy due to her lack of cultivation, which prevented her from controlling the power of her sword bone.
No matter how much medicine you drink, it won't help.
He knelt before her bed and buried his head in her hand.
Who will come, who will come and save my Manman...
"Song'er! Song'er!" Zhu Lingyun's urgent cry pulled him out of his grief.
Xie Rangchen hurriedly wiped the tears from his face.
He opened the door obediently and welcomed him into the house.
"Father."
"Song'er, I met an immortal outside. He has great magical powers and he said he can cure Manman's illness!" Zhu Liansong patted his shoulder excitedly. "I invited the immortal over. Manman can be saved!"
Immortal? Is he a cultivator? Xie Rangchen thought silently, and heard a familiar voice from afar: "Your son really takes good care of your younger sister. The brother and sister love is deep."
This sound...
He looked up in surprise, and a very familiar face was reflected in his eyes.
The man was wearing a snow-white Taoist robe and had a jade token hanging around his waist.
The word "Qingwei" is engraved on the jade plaque.
Master!
Jiang Zunyue glanced at the girl lying on the bed and said softly, "Don't worry, since I'm here, I will make sure your sister is safe."
Xie Rangchen clasped his hands together and bent very low: "I beg you, Immortal, to heal my sister!"
"Okay, I will." Jiang Zunyue responded to him while pointing to a few acupoints on Zhu Ciying to clear her blocked meridians.
Her blood-red face gradually returned to its normal color.
Zhu Lingyun touched her forehead and beamed with joy: "The fever has subsided! Immortal, you are truly powerful and capable. Thank you so much for saving my daughter's life!"
"No, no," Jiang Zunyue said modestly, "Your daughter was born with a sword bone. Her bones are amazing. If she practices swordsmanship in the future, she will definitely achieve enlightenment. It's just that she hasn't truly started practicing yet, and she can't control her innate power, which is why she has a high fever."
"Today, I helped clear her meridians and transfer her spiritual energy, but it's only a temporary solution. Every day she doesn't practice, her sword bone consumes her, and she remains weak all year round."
"Why don't you let her become my disciple and I'll take her to Xiangzhou."
Zhu Lingyun was surprised and delighted, but his last few words also filled his face with worry: "Manman is still young, and Xiangzhou is a long and arduous place. My wife and I can't bear to be separated from her... What should we do?"
Jiang Zunyue had already considered this: "It's hard to break away from the world of mortals, and it's hard to let go of family ties. It seems that our master-disciple relationship is not strong enough."
"I've sent my apprentice to collect herbs. After taking them, they'll keep her alive for three years. After three years, you'll need to find the Disease-Free Grass for her. Only it can improve her physique and allow her to withstand the power of the sword bone."
After he finished speaking, he looked towards the door with a feeling: "Hey, the herb picking is back. Pretty fast."
"Master." The young man's voice was gentle.
Xie Rangchen's fingers trembled slightly, he turned around with difficulty, and his pupils suddenly shrank.
He saw his twelve-year-old self, half his clothes stained with blood, yet he looked completely unconcerned. The Jade Phoenix Sword hung at his waist, the boy's eyes dark, his murderous intent still lingering. He gently pulled herbs from his shirt, a mixture of tenderness and murderous intent.
He handed over the medicine respectfully, but Zhu Lingyun did not rush to take it. Instead, he asked him if he was injured since there was so much blood on his clothes and whether the injury was serious.
"It's not my blood," the boy explained. "I got it when I killed the monster guarding the herbs."
That's right.
Xie Rangchen belatedly remembered that when he was twelve years old, he went down the mountain with his master to travel, and he did go up the mountain to kill monsters and collect herbs, but he didn't care who the medicine was for at that time.
He turned to look at his sleeping junior sister.
It turns out that the seeds of fate between them were planted so early.
*
After Zhu Ciying woke up from a good sleep, all the tiredness in her body was gone, and she felt even more energetic than before she fell ill.
I heard from my brother that the doctor my father found is an immortal wandering in the mortal world. He not only possesses boundless magical powers, but also has superb and exquisite swordsmanship.
He cured diseases that were difficult for others to cure with just one herb.
Zhu Ciying was very curious and chased Zhu Lingyun to ask what the immortal looked like.
"The Immortal Master looks about the same age as me, and he's accompanied by a young Taoist priest who's about twelve years old. Actually, he personally went up the mountain to pick your medicine."
"But there are monsters in the mountains that eat people," she asked worriedly, "Is he okay?"
Zhu Lingyun scratched her nose and said, "No. Think about it, he must be very powerful since he studies immortal arts with immortals every day."
Zhu Ciying was ignorant and naive. He only knew that since his father said he was great, he must be very great.
She turned to the next question: "What does Daojun look like? Is he handsome?"
"Hmm... let me think about it." Zhu Lingyun tied a jade pendant around her waist while recalling the past.
He was a man of limited knowledge, and to prevent his daughter from looking down on him, he racked his brains and used the words he had learned from his wife: "Perhaps his eyebrows and eyes are picturesque, and his spirit is handsome. If you add the pair of red moles under his eyes, then he has the appearance of a phoenix and a dragon."
His eyebrows and eyes are picturesque, his spirit is handsome, and his figure is like a phoenix and a dragon.
Zhu Ciying remembered this silently and used it as a standard to measure who was the most handsome Taoist Lord.
She looked down at the jade token her father had given her. There were two words engraved on it: "Like floating clouds and startling dragons", extremely beautiful.
Later, when Zhu Ciying was learning to read, she first begged Xie Rangchen to teach her two words:
"Qingwei".
*
When Zhu Ciying was five years old, the power of his sword bone went out of control, tormenting him all day long. He couldn't eat or sleep, and he quickly lost weight.
Xie Rangchen still stayed with her every day, talked to her, and taught her how to play with the wooden box with the mechanism.
Zhu Lingyun and Shu Mei discussed it and decided to put aside all business matters and take care of Zhu Ciying wholeheartedly, while also asking where they could find the disease-free grass.
By chance, they met an immortal who told them, "Disease-free grass? I heard someone saw it in Huaijiang Mountain in Xiangzhou."
Zhu Lingyun ordered the servants in the mansion to harness a carriage, take enough silver and money, and the whole family set out on a long journey to the world of cultivation.
In the border area between the human world and the world of cultivation, demons often cause trouble, and many disciples of immortal sects often come down the mountain to this place to eliminate demons.
Zhu Ciying and his family arrived safely in Zhenchang City and stayed in an inn to rest as usual.
At night, heavy rain poured down, and the deafening thunder mixed with lightning illuminated the man's rain-soaked face.
"Lian Song, listen to your father. Take Manman and these valuables with you, and follow Daojun's instructions to escape!"
He tied the package to the back of the sturdy young boy, and his eyes, which were usually gentle and calm, were now filled with anxiety.
A group of monsters suddenly attacked the city at night, and countless immortal monks were killed or injured. At this critical moment, they decided to use their last strength to form an array to send the elderly, the weak, women and children in the city away safely.
Shu Mei looked worried and said, "Manman is weak, Song'er, you should pay more attention to taking care of your sister."
"Father and Mother." Raindrops dripped down Zhu Ciying's straw raincoat.
She looked up blankly at Zhu Lingyun loosening his grip on her hand, and saw Shu Mei take off the red jade hanging from her waist and put it around her neck.
Shu Mei's eyes were filled with tears. Zhu Lingyun put his arm around her shoulders and gave her one last warning: "A Song, the Disease-Free Grass can heal your sister's frail body. Remember, if you have the chance, be sure to go to Huaijiang Mountain and get it."
Xie Rangchen once again hated the illusion immensely.
Why? Why did he have to watch his junior sister and her loved ones part ways in death?
How much he wanted to destroy the illusion.
After tonight, he will be the only one left in the Zhu family.
What should I do with my Manman in the future...
He knelt in the blood, kowtowed three times to Zhu Lingyun and Shu Mei, and almost squeezed out the words through his teeth: "I obey the order! I will definitely live up to my parents' trust!"
The young boy had grown up. At thirteen, he grabbed his sister's soft, chubby hand and squeezed it tightly. The force was so strong that Zhu Ciying couldn't help but frown.
"Brother, where are we going?"
"Let's find the disease-free grass to cure you." Xie Rangchen wiped the water off his face with his sleeve, and led her into the magic circle without looking back.
"Then after I recover from my illness, can I learn swordsmanship from Daddy like you?"
Xie Rangchen suppressed his heartache and said, "Of course."
"Really?"
"When did my brother ever lie to you?"
Zhu Ciying looked back for the last time. Her parents, who were hugging each other tightly in the rain, waved to her, their lips opening and closing constantly, their voices drowned out by the thunder.
She didn't hear a word.
Turning around, he wiped the water droplets on his face, not sure if they were rain or tears: "Then we have to find the disease-free grass quickly!"
*
Before dawn, Xie Rangchen carried Aying down the mountain with a lantern.
After walking on the mountain road all night, he fell more than a dozen times, his white shirt was covered with mud, and his hair was a mess like a chicken coop.
The young master, who had grown up in luxury, saw himself in the muddy water and his body was in disarray. Suddenly, his nose felt sore and he felt extremely wronged.
But it was soon suppressed again.
Dad said that he is now the little adult in the family. He is the full-fledged older brother and has to take on the responsibility of taking care of his younger sister.
It's just that my clothes are dirty, there's nothing to cry about.
He was carrying his unconscious sister on his back, with a heavy bag hanging around his neck that hit his chest with every step he took.
Xie Rangchen didn't dare to stop for a moment. He could smell the girl's hot breath behind his ear. He tried to call "Manman" several times, but there was no response.
His heart slowly sank to the bottom.
After finally getting down the mountain, I found a doctor to see me, but just like before, no medicine worked.
Xie Rangchen held Zhu Ciying, who had a high fever, and his heart felt like it was burning in fire.
"Why don't you ask the Taoist priest to come and take a look?" The doctor pointed him in the direction. "Ten miles ahead is Jingzhou's Changning Mountain, a secluded immortal sect. Rumor has it that the mountain master has a strange temper and won't respond to persuasion. She only interacts with those who please her."
"Your sister's condition is urgent. Go and give it a try. If the mountain master is willing to lend a hand, he will definitely be able to save her life."
Changning Mountain.
Xie Rangchen was shocked.
If the master's wife is willing to help, the junior sister will definitely be saved!
The young man traveled day and night and soon arrived at the foot of Changning Mountain.
It is summer now, the best time for the scenery of Changning Mountain.
There was a thatched teahouse at the foot of the mountain. Xie Rangchen paid for a pot of tea and offered Zhu Ciying some water first.
"A pot of tea." A young and beautiful woman walked into the teahouse and gently placed the spirit stone in her hand on the wooden table.
Xie Rangchen looked up when he heard the voice. Her voice... he was not mistaken. It was actually Shi Xiangyue!
Seeing her extraordinary temperament, unlike that of an ordinary person, the young man guessed that she was a cultivator from Changning Mountain and begged hurriedly, "Sister, please save my sister!"
The woman had a veil covering her face and her eyebrows were frivolous. She was obviously pleased by his call of "sister".
Shi Xiangyue stepped forward and said, "Let me take a look."
"A natural sword bone... a rare talent."
"It's a pity that I didn't practice, and the power of the sword bone got out of control, causing a high fever."
Her diagnosis was almost identical to the one his father had found three years ago! The young man was certain she could save his sister.
Shi Xiangyue helped Zhu Ciying to clear her meridians, but in doing so he caught the familiar remnant of spiritual power in her meridians.
She lowered her eyes slightly and accidentally caught a glimpse of the jade pendant on the girl's waist, and her eyes trembled.
Qingwei.
She instantly knew that this child was someone Jiang Zunyue was protecting.
Since she is the one he wants to protect, he will help her a little more.
"When she wakes up, I'll teach her how to draw Qi into her body and let her officially begin her cultivation." She explained the pros and cons to the young man. "Your sister's sword bone is still in its growth phase and requires a large amount of spiritual energy to nourish it. During this initial period, the spiritual energy she cultivates will be taken away by the sword bone until it is fully formed."
"Don't worry, as long as she doesn't slack off during her training, she will be able to stay healthy and won't have a fever again."
"I will definitely encourage Manman to practice diligently." The young man's voice choked with emotion. "Thank you, sister."
"No need. If you want to thank someone, thank the owner of this jade token." Shi Xiangyue said, "If it weren't for him, I wouldn't care too much."
After a stick of incense had passed, Zhu Ciying's fever subsided and he slowly woke up.
"Full!" Xie Rangchen was ecstatic.
Brother.
Zhu Ci opened his mouth but could not utter a single sound.
"Manman, you... can't speak anymore?" Xie Rangchen's mind went blank, his lips trembled a few times, and in the end he said nothing, silently hugging the girl in his arms.
Zhu Ciying could feel his trembling body.
Shi Xiangyue felt her pulse and said, "This is a sequelae of the sword bone burning for too long. The chances of recovery are slim."
"Don't be afraid, Manman." Xie Rangchen caressed the back of her head and pressed her into his arms. He kept reassuring himself that his future junior sister would be able to speak when she joined the Qingwei Sect.
Perhaps after some time, her sequelae will be cured.
With the guidance of Master Xiangyue, Zhu Ciying spent an afternoon learning how to draw Qi into the body.
"Born with Sword Bone is truly a monstrous talent. For an ordinary person to learn how to draw Qi into the body, it would take at least seven days, or at most a month."
Shi Xiangyue's fingertips slowly slid across the jade token, her beautiful dark eyes were calm, with only confusion in them.
"Remember, sword bones are the most nutritious for demons. Be careful in the future, or you'll lose your life."
Xie Rangchen's eyebrows twitched for no reason.
He silently lowered his head and glanced at Zhu Ciying.
A terrible thought suddenly arose in my mind.
He is the last relative of my junior sister.
It will be six years before my junior sister joins the Qingwei Sect.
It seemed that he didn't have much time left to spend with her.
"No matter what happens, I will protect Manman."
The boy said firmly.
*
Xie Rangchen always remembered his father's words and found the disease-free grass to improve his sister's physique.
The world of cultivation is divided into nine provinces, with Jingzhou being thousands of miles away from Xiangzhou. The two young mortal children, lacking spiritual power and unable to wield swords, could only rely on their feet to travel.
In addition, Zhu Ciying was weak and often needed to meditate for most of the day to cultivate his spiritual power, so it took him a very long time to walk a thousand miles.
The treasure left by Zhu Lingyun was not valuable in the world of cultivation. Xie Rangchen had no spirit stones on him, but fortunately he had loved studying mechanical arts since he was a child. He earned some spirit stones by helping people repair houses and making mechanical puppets in the sect, and barely made a living.
The brother and sister depended on each other for two years. They traveled through mountains and rivers and finally arrived in Xiangzhou after traveling thousands of miles.
Xie Rangchen spent ten spirit stones to buy a batch of wood and built a wooden house according to the drawings he drew. The remaining wood was all used to make a wardrobe and dressing table for Zhu Ciying.
The seven-year-old Zhu Ciying was taken good care of by him. However, because her spiritual energy was often devoured by the sword bones, her body looked a little thin and she was shorter than her peers.
At fifteen, he was already very tall.
On an ordinary day, Xie Rangchen carried his toolbox and went out to repair something.
"I'll be away for a while this time. There's food prepared in the kitchen. If you're hungry, just light a fire and heat it up before eating. I'll probably be back in the evening. If you want to eat or play something, I'll earn some spirit stones and bring it back to you."
Zhu Ciying gestured: [Brother, I don't want anything. Come back soon.]
"Okay." Xie Rangchen raised his hand with a heavy heart and touched the soft black hair on her head.
Two years have passed, and the sequelae left by the sword bone still exist. No matter how he guides her, Zhu Ciying cannot speak or make a sound.
He always told himself to be more patient, but the time he spent with her became less and less with each passing day.
He didn't dare to think about how painful the days ahead would be for his junior sister after she lost her last relative, him.
He couldn't help but recall the time when she helplessly grabbed his white dragon jade pendant and moved her lips several times before making a sound, saying to him, "Senior brother, I haven't had a family for a long time." At that moment, she was probably crying her heart out.
Junior Sister, how long is a long time...
No one told him the answer.
After Xie Rangchen left, Zhu Ciying sat in meditation and absorbed the spiritual energy, which circulated through his meridians for several cycles and then flowed into his dantian, where it gradually condensed into spiritual power.
It was soon taken away by the sword bone.
Her body was still weak and she couldn't sit for too long, so she simply lay down and rested for a while.
She didn't know how long she had slept when she vaguely heard someone talking and the sound of something being moved.
"Hey, where did you put the spirit stone?"
"Have you searched this side? How about your side?"
“No!”
"Fuck, why are these two brats so cunning! Where are they hiding?"
Zhu Ciying's sleepiness disappeared in an instant. She opened her eyes slightly and saw two people acting suspiciously.
Her first reaction: Thief!
There's a thief in the house!
They want to steal my brother's spirit stones!
no!
That was earned by my brother through hard work. In a few days, he will need to rely on this spiritual stone to buy food and continue his journey.
Zhu Ciying secretly took out the wooden sword from under the bed while they were not noticing her.
*
On the way, Xie Rangchen was very nervous.
He looked at the bustling street ahead, stood there for a while, then turned around and ran home.
"Manman——"
He pushed the door open, holding the door frame with one hand, and was stunned by the scene before him without even having time to breathe.
There were obvious signs of a fight in the house. The wardrobe he made for Manman fell to the ground, and the blood on the wooden boards had not dried yet, dripping and staining the floor red.
Amidst the mess on the ground, Zhu Ciying looked at him, holding a wooden sword, with blood covering half of her face.
In an instant, Xie Rangchen felt a lump in his throat and rushed forward to protect her, silently shedding tears where she couldn't see.
Zhu Ciying gestured to him happily: "Brother, thieves broke into our house and stole the spirit stones. I chased them all away!"
"You reckless little lunatic!" He choked up, but didn't mean to blame her. "If the spirit stones are gone, they're gone. I can earn them back. Why would you risk your life against them? Look at you now, you look like a little lunatic."
He scraped the blood from her nose and said, "In my eyes, a mountain of spiritual stones is not as precious as your life."
Zhu Ciying gestured hurriedly: [Brother, I'm sorry.]
"No need to apologize. There's nothing wrong with protecting what you cherish." Xie Rangchen rubbed her head and said seriously, "I'm your brother, your closest blood relative. Since you were born, I swore in front of your parents that I would ensure you a fulfilling life and a long, worry-free life."
"So, no matter how old you get, as your elder brother, I will never let you go."
The boy used a clean handkerchief to clean the blood off her face bit by bit.
"Full."
"With me here, you can do whatever you like. Whether it's practicing swordplay or studying sword techniques, as long as it's what you like, I support you."
*
It was the coldest month of winter that year.
It was Zhu Ciying's birthday, and Xie Rangchen went to the market early in the morning to buy fresh meat and vegetables.
At night, a sumptuous meal was served on the table.
Zhu Ciying was already very hungry after practicing for a whole day, but she did not eat in a hurry. Her brother taught her to pay attention to etiquette when eating.
Xie Rangchen pushed the longevity noodles to her and said, "Make a wish."
Zhu Ciying closed her eyes and made a wish.
Unfortunately, before her wish could be fulfilled, she was spotted by a demon, who set fire to the wooden house that her brother had worked so hard to build.
“Full!”
The moment the roof beam collapsed, Xie Rangchen flew over and protected her under his body.
With such a heavy beam pressing down on him, Xie Rangchen vomited blood on the spot and his spine was shattered.
"Manman, brother is fine." He was barely breathing, but still comforted her, not letting her worry about him.
Zhu Ciying opened her mouth but couldn't make a sound. All her strength was concentrated on her fingers that were tightly clutching her brother's clothes.
She was very scared.
I'm afraid she will lose her last relative.
She hated it.
Why was she born with sword bones?
Without that bone, could she be the carefree daughter of the Zhu family?
She was also confused.
I made a wish to be with my brother forever, why doesn’t such a simple wish come true!
The fire burned almost everything she and her brother owned.
The night is long and the fire is raging.
The thick black smoke made it impossible for people to open their eyes. The demon wantonly slaughtered the village where mortals lived, searching for the sword bone from house to house.
This place is remote and far away from the city. If you want to pass on the message and ask the monks to come and eliminate the monster, it is simply a daydream.
Xie Rangchen remained conscious due to the pain, but Zhu Ciying had already fallen into a coma after inhaling a large amount of smoke.
She was also feeling uncomfortable in a coma, frowning, her body struggling unconsciously, and her mouth moved several times but she couldn't speak.
Xie Rangchen guessed that she was probably thirsty.
But there was fire burning everywhere around, where was the water?
The young man thought for a while, then made up his mind, bit his fingertips and put them on her lips.
"Full, drink quickly, it's water." He spoke with difficulty, guiding her to drink his blood.
Perhaps it was out of the human instinct for survival, the dazed Zhu Ciying actually listened to his words and sucked the blood that flowed from his fingers.
One finger of blood was not enough, so Xie Rangchen bit the second one until all ten fingers were broken. Zhu Ciying no longer reacted and curled up safely in his arms.
The boy gave one last tired smile.
He knew he would not survive the night.
But if he died like this, he would be very unwilling. He hadn't seen his father and mother grow up yet.
Before he lost consciousness, he touched the jade token on Zhu Ciying's waist for the last time.
He sincerely thanked it. If it had not created a barrier to isolate the flames, he and his sister would have been burned to ashes.
"I'm very glad."
"I die, and live fully."
The young man closed his eyes sleepily, and in his final moments, he uttered the most ordinary words of his past countless days and nights:
"Goodnight, sister."
The jade token shattered.
*
Dozens of miles away, the city was brightly lit.
It was a rainy night. In front of a dessert shop, an old woman enthusiastically handed a paper bag to a young man and said, "Daojun, your cakes are all packed."
"Thank you." The voice of the young Taoist holding an umbrella was gentle, like a stream that had just melted its ice in March.
The young man had a stunning appearance, with phoenix eyes and thin lips, and a pair of red moles under his eyes that added a touch of charm to him.
From a distance, his long hair was as black as ink, tied into a high ponytail with a red hairband. The moon-white, narrow-sleeved, round-necked robe made him look as gentle as water, and the red jade belt around his waist added to the unrestrained and flamboyant look of a young man.
He is tall and graceful, with the bones of a crane and the demeanor of a pine tree.
Just standing in the busy city attracted many passing female cultivators to look at him.
He looked up at the night sky, where dark clouds covered the stars.
Suddenly, a familiar spiritual power wave rose into the sky from a certain direction.
The young man's eyes moved slightly, and he looked at the direction where the spiritual power was as if he had sensed something.
Master’s jade token message?
Xie Rangchen lowered his eyelashes and in the blink of an eye he arrived at a village dozens of miles away.
-----------------------
The author has something to say: About animal sculptures:
I wish you a full of proud cats [cat claws]
Xie Tiantian is... a scheming big-tailed wolf disguised as a gentle and reliable big dog [dog head holding a rose]
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