aircannonsinc Chapter 18 Lazy Winter, A False Alarm
Chapter 18 Lazy Winter, A False Alarm
Jiang Ci'an readily ignored the question, instead reaching out to take his childhood sweetheart's hand and leading her towards the backyard.
"Don't think about anything else. He's just a guest. Let's go back and continue our cultivation. We can't fall behind."
Xiao Xiao pursed her lips, glanced down at the hand that was being held, and gave a muffled reply.
"Oh." (⩌⤚⩌)
Xiao Xiao was slightly annoyed by the protagonist's attempt to change the subject.
However, she still obediently nodded and followed Jiang Ci'an back to the backyard.
There was nothing she could do. She would probably be angry with anyone else, but with her own Ci'an... she could only forgive him.
Just before entering, Xiao Xiao couldn't help but turn her head and glance again in the direction where Dong'er and the others had left, her eyes filled with a deep, unsettling light.
I hope he's just a guest.
……
……
the other side.
On the street, Da Ming and his group were walking towards the two shops.
The three of them walked through the bustling crowds and around two streets before the two shops came into view.
The shops, located side by side, are not large and are in a somewhat remote location, forming a tacit silence with the surrounding shops that are closed.
As Da Ming was examining the shop's exterior and planning how to renovate it, Wang Dong'er suddenly spoke up from behind him.
"Eldest Uncle, Second Uncle."
Da Ming stopped, turned around, looked at Xiao Dong'er's serious expression, and asked gently:
"What's wrong, Dong'er?"
Wang Dong'er looked up, her blue-pink eyes reflecting Da Ming's gentle face, and asked earnestly, "Can I be friends with him?"
Da Ming paused slightly, not answering immediately, but continued to ask, "Why did you suddenly think that way?"
Wang Dong'er thought for a moment, then looked down at her toes. After a while, she looked up again, her voice softer: "I guess... I feel like he's a bit like me, after all, I'm also an orphan?"
Her words were somewhat cryptic, but Da Ming understood them.
Erming opened his mouth as if to explain something, but was stopped by Daming's gaze.
Da Ming looked into Xiao Dong'er's clear eyes and nodded gently:
"That's for Dong'er to figure out herself. How about you go after things settle down for a while?"
Wang Dong'er visibly relaxed, a smile spreading across her face, and nodded vigorously: "Okay!"
Confused, Erming used his soul power to transmit his voice, his tone tinged with doubt: "Big brother, why?"
Da Ming remained calm and replied telepathically: "Dong'er has always lived on the mountain, without any playmates or parents by her side. As for us, we are only elders."
"It's normal for Dong'er to want to make friends now that she's out here; we don't need to stop her."
Da Ming paused, then added, "Of course, just in case, we should still check on the two children."
Erming had some doubts, but he didn't refute them. He nodded slightly to Daming and then turned to make the arrangements.
Meanwhile, Da Ming led Dong'er into the shop, planning the name of the shop while his thoughts raced through his mind.
He agreed to Dong'er's request for two reasons.
Firstly, Dong'er really needs a few friends.
This child grew up in the mountains with his two old men since he was a child, and his peers dared not approach him because of their status.
Although she has an outgoing personality, being alone all the time is not a long-term solution.
The boy looked calm and polite, and the girl beside him was also quiet. It wouldn't be bad if they could become Dong'er's playmate.
Secondly, there's the talent of those two children.
He saw it at a glance.
The boy's soul power fluctuations were calm and restrained, clearly indicating that he had already reached level sixteen.
The girl next to her was also quite good, level 15.
At this age and at this level, aside from being two geniuses with ample resources, these two children must have worked extremely hard in their cultivation, otherwise they could not have achieved such a level of cultivation.
This is all the more commendable.
In contrast, Dong'er...
Although he awakened his martial soul at the age of three, he had to take medicine because of his congenital weakness. He only obtained his soul ring after his body stabilized at the age of six.
I've had a Soul Ring for so long, and I'm only level fourteen.
You should know that Dong'er grew up eating all kinds of rare and precious herbs. Her first soul ring was absorbed beyond her level, and her soul power immediately jumped to level thirteen after the absorption.
However, almost half a year has passed before he was promoted one level!
Anyone who sees this will shake their head.
Having two hardworking playmates around might even inspire Dong'er.
Of course, this is on the premise that the investigation is successful.
While I was thinking, I arrived at the backyard of the shop.
Da Ming collected his thoughts, glanced down at Xiao Dong'er who was looking up at the new house, and smiled:
"Let's go, Dong'er, let's pick a room first."
Dong'er cheered and rushed in first.
Da Ming smiled and followed.
……
……
Time passed slowly.
In the blink of an eye, more than a month has passed.
Ping An Pharmacy, in the backyard.
The autumn sun slanted down from above the courtyard wall, bathing the entire training ground in a warm golden light.
Inside the training ground, Xiao Xiao was still dressed casually, carrying two small black cauldrons on her shoulders, with one more hanging above her head. When all three cauldrons appeared together, the black suppressive power poured down like a waterfall, enveloping her figure in a deep darkness.
Even so, Xiao Xiao continued to channel her soul power into the cauldron, gradually increasing its weight in an effort to maximize the effect of the "Body Tempering Technique".
Jiang Ci'an sat on a stone bench not far away, holding a freshly prepared tonic in his hand, taking small sips while silently refining its medicinal power.
Compared to Xiao Xiao, who needs to rely on the pressure of the Soul-Suppressing Cauldron to maximize the efficiency of the "Body Tempering Method," he, who has been through hundreds of times, can do it more easily.
As long as the supplements are sufficient, his cultivation efficiency can be maintained at its limit, making him seem the most relaxed.
With a sliver of his attention focused on Xiao Xiao's situation, Jiang Ci'an watched the slowly moving cloud shadows on the horizon, his thoughts naturally wandering.
To be honest, the past month or so has felt unreal.
In the first few days, he was still a little nervous, wondering if Da Ming and Er Ming would launch a surprise attack.
But the result...
A month has passed. Apart from Da Ming sending someone to say that the two shops would be renovated and that a lot of gold soul coins would be sent as compensation, he has not seen Da Ming, Er Ming, or Wang Dong'er again.
It seemed as if nothing had happened, and none of the contingency plans he had prepared were of any use, as if he had really worried for nothing.
However, this also proves that things were not as he thought.
It was probably just a coincidence that Da Ming and Er Ming brought Wang Dong'er to Shrek City.
Although the reason is unknown, he is safe for the time being, which is a good thing.
Jiang Ci'an pulled himself out of his thoughts and sensed the soul power within his body.
After more than a month of cultivation, his soul power has improved again, reaching the peak of level sixteen. In another two or three days, he will probably be able to break through to level seventeen.
In that case, it seems we can start planning for the second spirit ring in advance.
He pulled out an internal soul beast encyclopedia that he had recently purchased from the Nine Treasures Chamber of Commerce from his sleeve, opened it, and his eyes wandered between the pictures and descriptions of various soul beasts.
As he was watching, suddenly a servant hurriedly approached and whispered in his ear:
"Young Master, Mr. Ning has arrived. He said the carving knife you requested has been delivered."