I made the entire cultivation world cry

Chapter 172 Shocking News (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Before the morning mist had dissipated, Jiang Yi, who had been sleeping on the rooftop absorbing starlight the night before, was awakened by the sounds of the Taoist priests practicing their morning exercises. When she returned to her room, she found a note on the table.

Xin Wushuang said she went out to buy New Year's goods and would be back soon.

Jiang Yi stretched his limbs and strolled out of the courtyard. Outside, he heard neat shouts, and a dozen or so Taoist priests in blue robes were practicing their boxing.

Jiang Yi paused under the corridor, recalling the scene in her dream a few days ago where the disciples of Xuandu Temple practiced swordsmanship in the afternoon.

They are all Taoist priests, and they are equally diligent and tireless, but no matter how hard these people practice, they can never cross the insurmountable chasm between immortals and mortals.

Jiang Yi shook her head slightly, turned past the screen wall, and walked towards the front yard.

Beside the training ground, several young Taoist priests were taking a break leaning against the pillars, but their eyes involuntarily followed Jiang Yi's figure.

"See that? That's a true immortal master, someone even our abbot treats with utmost respect and care. He looks to be only sixteen or seventeen years old. It's truly enviable."

The round-faced Taoist priest next to him clenched his fists, "If only I had spiritual roots too... sigh!"

He swallowed his words halfway through, staring at his calloused palms. He had practiced his boxing for twenty years, sleeping at midnight and rising at dawn, but he probably couldn't even touch the opponent's protective aura.

A cold laugh suddenly came from the back of the crowd. A Taoist priest with slanted eyes crossed his arms and said, "He was just lucky when he was reincarnated. If I had spiritual roots, I would have already reached the Foundation Establishment stage by now."

"What's the use of training in the coldest and hottest winter months, even if we train until we die, we still won't develop a single trace of spiritual energy!"

"If I could become a cultivator even once, I'd actually worship that pillow..."

"Shut up! Are you out of your mind? That's an evil path!"

The Taoist priest with slanted eyes snorted coldly and left with a flick of his sleeve.

The front courtyard of the Taoist temple was crowded with worshippers early in the morning. Jiang Yi leaned against a corner where no one paid attention and watched as a long table was set up under an ancient tree on the east side of the front courtyard, and a long, winding line of young people were queuing up to register.

Most of them were seventeen or eighteen-year-old boys, their coarse clothes concealing their eagerness and youthful vigor. Occasionally, a few girls stood at the end of the line, twisting the hem of their clothes with their heads down.

This is an annual selection exam held by the Taoist temple. Registration is open before the new year, and the exam is held after the new year. It is open to both men and women.

If one passes the exam, one will have the opportunity to be assigned to various towns and cities to assist local temples and monasteries in managing the mortal realm, much like the imperial examinations of ancient dynasties. This is also the best way for ordinary people to change their fate.

Jiang Yi wasn't clear on the specific measures and details, and she was too lazy to ask.

Jiang Yi watched for a while, and then saw Xin Wushuang come in from outside the temple, carrying a steaming oil paper package in her hand.

"Here you go, osmanthus rice cake."

In the morning, Xin Wushuang exchanged spirit stones for some silver with Hu Qiyuan, bought all the things she needed to bring to her family, and even remembered that Jiang Yi had said yesterday that she wanted to eat osmanthus rice cake.

"Thank you, Wushuang."

Jiang Yi liked this about Xin Wushuang the most: she never forced others to follow the rules she followed. She was strict with herself and lenient with others. She practiced fasting, but Jiang Yi did not. Even if she didn't understand, she didn't interfere.

Xin Wushuang looked tired, indicating that the problem troubling her had not yet been resolved.

The two bid farewell to the abbot, and Hu Qiyuan, forcing himself to speak, advised them that in the mortal realm, it was best to use mortal methods and let mortals solve their own problems, and to try not to use magic.

When a place with sparse spiritual energy suddenly experiences a surge of rich spiritual energy, it can cause mountain monsters to mistake it for a treasure, leading them to venture into mortal territory.

Xin Wushuang solemnly agreed and changed into ordinary winter clothes with Jiang Yi, putting away all their magical artifacts, such as bows and arrows and storage bracelets.

She only allowed Wanli to use the Shadowfall to hide high in the sky and keep watch for them.

……

The journey from Shiqiao Town to Wuliu Village took only a short time for the two of them.

Before entering the village, Jiang Yi stopped Xin Wushuang.

"I don't like to associate with ordinary people. I will use the 'One Leaf Obscuring the Eyes' technique to hide myself. You can keep one of these communication talismans in your sleeve. I also have one. We will communicate through the talismans. Don't worry, I'm right beside you."

Xin Wushuang was puzzled but did not refuse, while Jiang Yi was too lazy to explain too much.

After carefully putting away the communication talisman, Xin Wushuang led the invisible Jiang Yi through the familiar muddy paths of Wuliu Village, past several old willow trees covered with icicles, and stopped in front of a small courtyard with blue bricks.

The courtyard gate was half-closed, and the crackling sound of firewood in the kitchen could be faintly heard.

Xin Wushuang took a deep breath and pushed open the door. The busy woman looked up abruptly, the wooden basin in her hand crashing to the ground. "Shuang'er?!" The woman staggered over, her chapped hands gripping Xin Wushuang's sleeve tightly, staring at her in disbelief. "It really is my Shuang'er!"

"mother."

Xin Wushuang's voice became hoarse as soon as she spoke, and her eyes were wet with tears.

"Oh! Oh!" the woman replied, wiping away her tears, and shouted into the house, "Dalang, Yuehe, Shuangyatou is back, Shuangyatou is back."

There was a rustling sound inside the house. First, the eldest brother, Xin Changgeng, peeked out from the east room. He was much stronger than when Xin Wushuang left home, and his face showed signs of hardship, but his eyes were still honest.

Xin Changgeng was stunned for a moment, then his eyes widened in surprise, "It really is twin girls?!"

Behind him, his pregnant wife, Wang, followed him out, clutching half of an unfinished baby jacket in her hand.

Wang was initially surprised, then nervously tugged at her clothes, her gaze sweeping over Xin Wushuang with a mixture of awe and joy. "My... Immortal Master sister is back..."

Second sister Xin Yuehe strode out of the kitchen, her hands still covered in flour. She was much thinner than when Xin Wushuang left home, and her eyes showed more maturity. She couldn't hide her joy and grabbed her younger sister Xin Xiaoman, who was hiding behind her, and pushed her forward.

"Xiaoman, look who's back!"

Six-year-old Xin Xiaoman had two crooked little braids, rosy cheeks, and a pair of round, bright eyes staring curiously at Xin Wushuang.

"Third Sister, can you fly? Everyone in the village says you're an immortal. Can you take me flying?"

Xin Yuehe quickly pulled her younger sister aside and scolded her in a low voice, "Don't be so rude!"

He then looked at Xin Wushuang with a complex expression, a mixture of joy at their long-awaited reunion and a hint of inexplicable estrangement and awe.

"Wushuang, how long do you plan to stay this time?"

Xin Changgeng rubbed his hands together and said with a simple smile, "Let's talk inside! It's cold outside, and your sister-in-law can't stand the cold right now."

The family escorted Xin Wushuang into the house. Wang, with her pregnant belly protruding, asked cautiously, "Immortal Master... are you tired from the journey? Would you like some hot soup first?"

Xin Wushuang shook her head, "No need, I'm practicing fasting."

After a pause, Xin Wushuang's gaze swept across the room, but she didn't see her father. Her heart sank.

"Where's Dad?"

The group fell silent instantly. Xin Wushuang released her divine sense and already knew what had happened.

Xin Changgeng sighed heavily, "That autumn harvest, Dad fell off the haystack... He's had a bad back for three years now and is lying in bed."

Xin Wushuang walked towards the east room, pushed open the door and went in. The room was dimly lit, with only a sliver of light from outside the window illuminating the thin figure sleeping on the kang (a heated brick bed).

The tall, strong man she remembered, who could carry a sack of grain with one hand, was now just skin and bones, his gray hair disheveled and plastered to his sunken cheeks.

He was wrapped in an old, patched quilt, his wrists were covered in bulging veins, and his skin was dry.

Xin Wushuang choked up, and her eyes instantly reddened.

Her parents treated her exceptionally well from a young age. Even though she was slow-witted, her parents didn't look down on her and never mistreated their daughter like other families would.

After she was able to cultivate, her parents' first thought was to protect her. They hid her in the deep mountains, had Uncle Ya take care of her, taught her some self-defense skills, and sent her food and clothing every few days.

When she left home, her parents earnestly told her not to look back, not to worry about home, and that her greatest reward to them was to cultivate herself diligently.

"why did not you tell me?"

Xin Wushuang's mother, Madam He, wiped away her tears and said, "Although Pei Jiazhi broke off the engagement with you, he still treated us like family these past two years, often taking care of us and finding doctors and buying medicine for your father. He told us that you have embarked on the path of immortality, which is a blessing that our Xin family could not have accumulated in eight lifetimes. He told us not to tell you, so as not to delay your cultivation."

"The letters I've written to you over the years were all written by Zhixu. He said he just wanted to chat with you about everyday things. If you want to come back, you will naturally come back. If you don't want to come back, he can't force you to. He said that you cultivators need to be clear-headed. These past two years have been a critical period for you. If you get bogged down by family matters, you'll have big problems in the future."

He cried harder and harder, “It’s all my fault, I couldn’t help it. I made Zhixu write you letter after letter, calling you back. If you want to blame someone, blame me. Your father used to be willing to take his medicine, but this year we found that he couldn’t stand up at all. He was afraid of being a burden to us, so he stopped taking his medicine and eating. He was determined to starve himself to death. I had no choice.”

Xin Wushuang clenched his fists, unable to speak.

At this moment, Xin Changgeng suddenly pulled his second and fourth sisters down to kneel down together, "Third sister, I'll dare to call you sister again. Your immortal sect must have some miraculous pills, right? Could you give Father one to save him? I beg you!"

Xin Wushuang's fingertips trembled. The image of the boy's blood-stained severed hand from last night flashed before her eyes, and she subconsciously took a half step back.

(End of this chapter)