The Hidden Immortal

Chapter 120 The Harmony of the Five Elements (Ten Thousand Character Chapter)

As he meticulously copied each stroke, the insane level of control required made Chu's control over spiritual energy even stronger.

However, the lightning protection talisman is of such a high grade that it will be ruined if there is even the slightest mistake.

When the parchment was about 60% complete, it suddenly burst into flames.

"It's too difficult."

Chu Xun shook his head, waved his hand to gather water vapor, and extinguished the burning parchment.

Just then, Youyou skipped in from outside and asked, "Master, what are we having for lunch?"

Chu Xun looked into her big, dark eyes and said, "You can't eat radish leaves anymore."

She made a "yo-yo" sound; she only eats vegetarian food.

They especially love to eat the radish greens in the vegetable garden, which makes the field mice crawl over every day and chirp incessantly, all complaining about them.

They have already regarded the vegetable garden as their own territory, and apart from the eldest crow, the second weasel, the third rabbit, and Master Chu, no one else is allowed to touch it.

"That----"

"Salt cannot replace food."

"That----"

"The grass by the wall is a rabbit burrow; let's leave some for them."

In the end, Chu Xun went to the vegetable garden and picked a few lettuce stalks.

Yoyo doesn't like cooked food, and she doesn't need to peel lettuce; she can just hold it and gnaw on it.

Crunch—

Crunch—

It's crispy, juicy, and has a slightly sweet aroma.

She sat on the stool by the door, munching on lettuce while leisurely swinging her legs.

Four weasels took turns jumping around on it, having a great time.

The crows on the eaves looked down.

Although Youyou is a transformed fairy, she is much stronger than them.

But being kind-hearted and timid by nature, the livestock in the yard were not afraid of him.

Wei Ting walked over unnoticed, rubbing his eyes, and asked, "What time is it?"

He has been getting sleepy more and more lately, and sometimes he sleeps for the whole day.

This is a characteristic of remnant souls, and it becomes more pronounced over time.

Until one day, it completely loses the characteristics of a soul and becomes a confused, disoriented soul that knows nothing of the world.

At that time, there will be no other way out but to disappear into the world.

Even if they wanted to be reborn as animals, it would be impossible.

Youyou got up from the stool and carefully stepped over the weasels to avoid stepping on them.

Then she hopped over to Wei Ting and said, "Dad, do you want some lettuce? It's not spicy."

Wei Ting patted her head, his face full of affection: "You eat, Dad isn't hungry."

Chu Xun walked over, and Wei Ting's figure was already somewhat blurred.

The remnant soul cannot hold on for much longer.

The woman in the house was barely clinging to life, and the day when she would have to speak the most difficult thing to do was drawing near.

"Would you like something to drink?" Chu Xun asked.

Wei Ting's eyes lit up slightly: "Have a drink."

Chu Xun brought over the Bai family's old shop's Yu Nian brew, which was not much different from the Wan Ting Yue wine that cost ten taels of silver a jar in Fenggu City.

Youyou quickly stuffed the lettuce into her mouth, making her mouth bulge, and then ran to get a jar of wine.

There were two bowls on the table. She busied herself wiping them clean and then pouring wine into them.

Chu Xun and Wei Ting sat down, but there weren't many snacks to go with their drinks.

Wei Ting reached for the bowl, but his hand passed right through it.

He was stunned for a moment.

Chu Xun pushed the wine bowl forward and said, "Are you still half asleep? You look like you're drunk, you can't even reach the bowl."

The wine bowl was enveloped in spiritual energy, and Wei Ting was able to pick it up when he reached out.

He chuckled and said, "I'm getting old, my eyesight is failing, these old bones of mine are really not up to par."

"Think back to those days when we were escorting goods, we could traverse mountains no matter how high or roads no matter how far. Even a few hundred meters away—"

As Wei Ting spoke, a hint of doubt and distress appeared on his face.

"What was it a few hundred meters away again?"

Taiguang and Shuangling are the two souls of Heaven and Earth.

One governs life, the other governs wisdom.

However, in the remnant soul state, all of this was constantly weakening, and things that could be remembered before were gradually forgotten.

Chu Xun picked up his wine bowl and clinked it against his: "Drink first, then think about it slowly."

Wei Ting picked up the wine bowl, took a sip, and then began to stare blankly.

This is his daily routine, nothing unusual.

Chu Xun didn't disturb them and stayed by their side.

After a long while, Wei Ting seemed to suddenly come to his senses and turned to look outside: "Huh, when did it start raining?"

"Just got off," Chu Xun said.

Wei Ting suddenly smiled and said, "I remember that after we drank together that day, it suddenly rained that night. I was planning to ask you to drink again the next day, but you left overnight."

He had forgotten what he had seen while escorting goods, but he hadn't forgotten drinking with Chu Xun.

Chu Xun nodded and casually said, "Mr. Pei lent me an umbrella."

Just as he was about to say something, he saw Wei Ting start to space out again.

Chu Xun sighed inwardly and glanced at Youyou beside him.

The girl stood beside Wei Ting, still holding the wine jar.

At this moment, his eyes were wide open, as if he was puzzled by something.

But she didn't ask, and Chu De didn't feel comfortable asking her either.

Ten more days passed. Before dawn, Youyou suddenly slammed the door open with her head and shouted to Chu Xun, "Master, my mother! My mother!"

Chu Xun got up and went to the side room.

The woman's life force was already waning, and she was about to die.

The underworld messengers from Zhangnan County have arrived.

But with the crows watching, he dared not approach.

Wei Ting is still asleep. If the underworld messengers were to take the woman's soul away now, it might alleviate some of his pain.

But Chu Xun did not do that. Instead, he summoned a wisp of spiritual energy to awaken Wei Ting.

Wei Ting rubbed his eyes, still half asleep, and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I'll see you off," Chu Xun said.

Wei Ting responded with an "oh," seemingly not fully understanding.

Chu Xun did not send any underworld messengers over. After the woman's soul left her body, he sent in a ray of spiritual light to stabilize her three souls and prevent her from becoming confused.

The woman regained her senses, looked at Youyou beside her, and then at the white-haired Weiting.

Her face was filled with astonishment, surprise, and delight.

Although he was old and frail, the bond between their souls allowed her to immediately recognize him as her husband, whom she hadn't seen for over twenty years.

Wei Ting lingered in that room for twenty-five years, believing he had been taking care of his wife all along.

Little did she know that the woman had never seen him and believed her husband had been dead for twenty-five years.

One person and one soul, living in the same room, yet separated by life and death.

"Let's go," Chu Xun said.

The woman could sense his special presence and nodded obediently, going over to take Wei Ting's arm: "I thought you had left first."

Wei Ting chuckled foolishly, it was unclear whether he had understood or not.

Chu Xun started walking towards the City God Temple in Zhangnan County.

The souls of Wei Ting and his wife drifted along, drawn by him.

The underworld messenger had already returned to report, and with Chu Xun present, this matter no longer needed his attention.

Yoyo followed behind, her head drooping.

On the way, we met Zhang Erzhu's grandson, Zhang Baodi, who was tall, burly, and very strong.

"Uncle Chen." Zhang Baodi, carrying a hoe, greeted him as he returned from the fields, then looked at Youyou.

"Hey girl, what's wrong? Did someone bully you? Tell me, and I'll deal with them later!"

Zhang Baodi paused, then chuckled dryly and said, "If it's Uncle Chen, then pretend I didn't say anything."

He is now the strongest man in the village, and his status is somewhat like that of Stone back then. He has been the leader of the children since he was a child.

He also learned a few tricks of the martial arts world from Liao Xingbang. He was loyal and righteous, somewhat like Li Ermao, who was killed by a single blow back then.

Unlike Li Ermao, who was a gambler, he was fond of whoring.

He hasn't married yet, and whenever he has a little money, he likes to go to the city's brothels.

His parents were furious, but there was nothing they could do.

They wouldn't listen when I told them to, and even after I hit them, they complained that their hands hurt.

Youyou looked up at him and said, "The master is here."

Her answers were always somewhat irrelevant, and Zhang Baodi had gotten used to it.

He scratched his head, puzzled, and watched Chu Xun and Youyou leave one after the other.

Suddenly feeling a chill all over my body, I unconsciously rubbed my arms hard and muttered, "What kind of weather is this? It's so cold even in the bright sunshine."

Not long after, Chu Xun brought the spirits of Wei Ting and his wife to the City God Temple.

A major battle took place here when Liao Shouyi was being seen off.

Fortunately, the fog obscured the noise, and although some people heard it, they didn't pay much attention to it.

There weren't many people in the temple at the moment. The City God stepped down from the golden statue and respectfully bowed to Chu Xun, saying, "Greetings, Immortal."

Youyou opened her eyes wide and looked at the City God, who was covered in yin energy and holding a jade tablet of merit.

Yo!

The master really has the power to speak with the City God!

Chu Xun gestured to Wei Ting and his wife, saying, "These two are old friends of mine. Please make arrangements for them."

The City God already knew his purpose; over the years, Chu Xun had used "backdoor" connections to send many people to the hospital.

Seeing that Wei Ting's spirit had dissipated but his remnant soul was so weak, he couldn't help but say, "This person's heaven and earth souls are too weak. If he leaves the human realm, he will probably die young."

It is quite normal for someone born with insufficient soul power to die young.

Chu Xun frowned and asked, "Is there any way to make amends?"

"No," the City God shook his head.

The three souls and seven spirits are formed through a lifetime of cultivation. If you are a low-IQ wild boar in this life, your souls and spirits can be restored under the heavenly order after a normal reincarnation.

But if it's a human, then they have to go through several more cycles of reincarnation.

After all, a person's three souls and seven spirits are far superior to those of an animal.

Therefore, even if Wei Ting is reincarnated as a human this time, he will not be able to recover in one lifetime.

Living a foolish life and dying young is even more pitiful.

Moreover, if one is reincarnated in Zhangnan County today, one does not know where one will go in the next life.

Perhaps they are still in Jing Kingdom, or perhaps they are far away, hundreds of thousands of miles away.

Chu Xun sighed. He wanted to help Wei Ting, but he was powerless to do so.

He could only say to the woman, "His lingering by your side all these years has weakened his two souls, one in heaven and one in earth. Even if he were to be reborn as a human, he would die young. You see—"

The woman sensed the aura of a celestial being from the underworld emanating from the City God, and felt an innate fear in her heart.

She only knew that her husband's remnant soul had been by her side for more than twenty years, but she had never seen it.

Overwhelmed with grief, she immediately knelt down and pleaded, "If my husband is not destined to be reborn as a human, I beg the immortals to grant our wish, so that my husband and I may live and die together."

"Even if you don't reincarnate as a human, you might not meet him again. And even if you do, you won't know each other's identities," Chu Xun said.

The woman was disappointed and didn't know how to respond.

She turned to look at Youyou and asked, "Then she—"

Youyou skipped over and helped her up, saying, "Mother, Master said I have a long life ahead of me."

A hint of relief appeared in the woman's eyes. She patted Youyou's head and said, "You've worked hard all these years."

Youyou raised her eyelids, looked at her palm, and twitched her ears slightly.

Wei Ting is now in a daze and unable to make any decisions.

Finally, Chu Xun made the final decision: the woman would be sent to the human realm, and Wei Ting would be sent to the animal realm.

Once the soul is fully restored in the future, there will be a chance to be reborn as a human.

Just then, the animal realm opened, and under the guidance of the City God, Wei Ting walked aimlessly toward reincarnation.

Upon reaching her, he suddenly turned around and looked at his wife.

"I'm leaving."

The woman was startled and was about to speak when Wei Ting stepped into the cycle of reincarnation.

After more than twenty years of hesitation, a simple farewell was given at the last moment.

The deep affection and profound sentiments are truly moving.

When the time of Yin (3-5 AM) arrives, human relations will begin, and the woman should leave.

Before entering reincarnation, she thanked Chu Xun and then looked at Youyou standing beside her.

"You need to learn to be tougher, so that no one can bully you."

The woman paused, a hint of reminiscence in her voice, and said, "Youyou has always been very outspoken and always the one bullying others. She's very bold."

Having said that, she took a step and entered the cycle of reincarnation.

Youyou stared with her big, dark eyes, looking at the Path of Reincarnation and then at Chu Xun.

Chu Xun understood that the woman probably already knew that the person accompanying her was not her biological daughter.

But Youyou is well-behaved and kind, and she does need someone to take care of her, which is why she hasn't exposed her.

He only uttered these words at the very last moment of his reincarnation.

Youyou tugged at Chu Xun's sleeve, seemingly puzzled: "Master, I'm not very brave."

She didn't understand what the woman meant. After all, although she had lived in the world for more than 20 years, she rarely interacted with outsiders, and no one had taught her about human relationships.

Everything depends on your own understanding.

Chu Xun looked at her and asked, "Aren't you sad?"

Youyou was even more confused: "What is sadness?"

"It's just that seeing them leave, and knowing I'll never see them again, makes me feel uneasy," Chu Xun explained.

Youyou thought for a moment, then lowered her head and said, "I don't know."

Such emotions do not exist in the world of fairies.

All birth, aging, sickness, and death are natural and inevitable.

She still couldn't understand what sadness was.

Chu Xun didn't say much, greeted the City God, and left.

Back in the village, Youyou skipped and hopped into the house.

It seems that seeing off Wei Ting and his wife had no real impact.

Seeing the wine bowl that Wei Ting had drunk from on the table, they curiously went over to it.

Seeing that she seemed eager to try it, Chu Xun asked, "Never tried it before?"

"No," Youyou said somewhat shyly, "Dad said I'm too young to drink alcohol."

Chu Xun poured Wei Ting's bowl onto the ground; the remnant soul had drunk from it, so drinking from it again would have no taste.

"You can try it if you want," Chu Xun said.

Youyou's eyes lit up slightly. She picked up the wine jar and poured in a little bit.

I picked it up, brought it to my nose, smelled it, then put it to my lips and drank it down in one gulp.

Then her eyes widened, she jumped several feet high, and shouted, "Yo! Spicy spicy spicy spicy spicy spicy spicy~!"

As she shouted, tears streamed down her face from the spiciness.

Four weasels ran in from outside and surrounded him, watching him.

Yoyo squatted down, looking at them with teary eyes: "They're really spicy."

It was so spicy that tears started streaming down my face and I couldn't stop.

The Wei couple left, but Youyou did not.

From then on, the lonely Chu Xun had a girl by his side who always liked to skip and hop, and was timid and afraid of spicy food.

Her name is Wei Youyou.

She is a fairy.

Spring has arrived once again.

Chu Xun revealed his divine status and left Zhangnan County with his sword in hand.

When he returned, he had gained control of two more counties.

At this point, all ten counties under the jurisdiction of Mingxiu Prefecture fell into his hands.

Further on, there are three more cities, and finally, the prefectural city.

Chu Xun did not act rashly.

The underworld deities in the city are more powerful than those in the county, and they are currently on high alert.

They will gather immediately at the slightest disturbance.

Either don't fight at all, or if you do fight, wipe them all out completely, leaving no chance for a comeback.

Most importantly, Zhang Jingheng is getting old.

The merits of this old prime minister were in no way inferior to those of Tang Shijun.

When he dies of old age, the City God will surely take action.

Before that, Chu Xun needs to conserve his energy and not act rashly.

In the blink of an eye, it was the twelfth year of Changning.

The Wu Kingdom has temporarily abandoned its attack on the southwest and instead launched a siege on the southwestern region controlled by Ma Huaian.

These two former allies have ultimately become adversaries.

In fact, this is a matter of course. If the State of Wu wanted to annex the State of Jing, how could it possibly give up the southwestern mountains and forests?

With the Jing Kingdom's border troops watching from the sidelines, the Wu Kingdom dared not attack too fiercely, lest someone else reap the benefits.

Meanwhile, the northern deserts were constantly being invaded, but there had been no major offensives, and it was unclear what they were planning.

The Wusun Kingdom to the east remained relatively quiet. They were shrouded in fog year-round, and apart from merchant caravans, outsiders rarely visited.

Under the rule of Emperor Changning, the Jing Kingdom has become increasingly prosperous in recent years.

Apart from some minor border skirmishes, the country can be described as peaceful and prosperous.

At this moment, Emperor Changning sat upright on the dragon throne in the imperial court.

At around forty years old, she's not considered too old.

He ushered in a new golden age for the Jing Kingdom, and his aspirations expanded accordingly.

Today's court assembly raised a matter that surprised many.

They launched a counterattack on the northern desert, wiping out the northern desert horse tribes that kept invading the border, and then took advantage of the momentum to invade the Yue Kingdom.

By then, the territory of the Jing Kingdom will have at least doubled!

This idea is shocking.

The civil and military officials almost unanimously opposed it.

We've only had a few years of peace, and now we're going to have war again?

Emperor Changning's meaning was clear: there's no reason to guard against thieves for a thousand days.

Rather than letting the northern nomadic tribes invade every twenty or thirty years, it would be better to simply incorporate them into our territory.

Among the ministers, only some young and radical military officers supported him.

No one expected that Zhang Jingheng, the prime minister who always valued people's livelihood, would step forward.

He was already very old and frail, and was specially given a chair to sit on when attending court assemblies.

Now, he rose shakily and said, "Your Majesty is right. Since ancient times, there has been no reason to guard against thieves for a thousand days."

"Now that the Wu Kingdom is busy with the traitor Ma Huai'an's struggle in the southwestern mountains, we should indeed take advantage of this opportunity to take over the northern desert in one fell swoop."

"This is His Majesty's will, and it is also the last wish of the founding emperor."

Zhang Jingheng's prestige was unmatched in the court.

He offered his support; what else could anyone else say?

I just don't understand why these two, the emperor and his minister, who have always been very concerned about the people's livelihood, would suddenly want to go to war.

After the court assembly, the officials dispersed.

Emperor Changning stepped down from the dragon throne and personally helped Zhang Jing up.

"Your Excellency is getting on in years; you should take better care of your health."

Zhang Jingheng looked at him and asked, "What did the imperial physician say?"

Emperor Changning gave a wry smile and said, "At most two or three years."

Perhaps due to overwork in handling state affairs, Emperor Changning vomited blood a few days ago.

After being diagnosed by the imperial physician, it was determined that the patient had consumed too much blood and energy, and that there was no cure for the disease.

Unless he abdicates now and takes good care of his health, he might live a few more days.

But Jing Kingdom has finally prospered, so how could Emperor Changning abdicate at this time?

The crown prince is a benevolent ruler, but the problem is that he is too benevolent.

The reason why we suddenly proposed to conquer the northern desert today is because of this.

Emperor Changning knew the Crown Prince's temperament. After his death, this benevolent ruler might not be able to bring himself to let his soldiers die on the battlefield, given the combined attack from the northern deserts and the Wu Kingdom.

In the event of a major war, such a temperament would definitely not be a good thing for the Jing Kingdom.

The other princes were even less capable of being trusted.

Emperor Changning couldn't help but sigh. He had clearly taught with all his heart, so why couldn't he produce a decent student?

Therefore, he had to lay a foundation for the stability of the Jing Kingdom before he died.

Taking over the northern desert, and even the more distant Yue Kingdom, is the most important part of this!

With these two pieces of land, Jing Kingdom became one of the more powerful kingdoms in the surrounding area.

Even the Kingdom of Wu might not dare to invade again so easily.

Zhang Jingheng sighed, "It's a pity that the Duke of Wei has passed away. He started his career from the barracks in the northern desert. If he were still alive, we would have a much better chance of winning this battle."

"But Your Majesty, please rest assured, I will do my utmost to ensure supplies and troops for this battle!"

Emperor Changning smiled and nodded, saying, "With you here, I am naturally at ease."

"Let us, ruler and subject, join hands and fight for a better future for the people of Jing!"

"With this victory, the Jing Kingdom will enjoy peace for the next hundred years!"

Songguo Village.

Chu Xun put down his brush, looked at the lightning protection talisman he had just finished, and nodded in satisfaction.

After several years of practice, I can now draw two lightning protection talismans a year.

The main reason is that, with the help of wood-element magic, parchment is more effective than what is sold on the market and can withstand the impact of spiritual energy.

In this way, four counterfeit lightning protection talismans have been accumulated.

Concentrating on drawing talismans for a long time left Chu Xun quite tired.

After placing the lightning protection talisman in the cabinet next to him, he left the room.

In the courtyard, a little girl with pigtails was squatting beside the vegetable garden, staring at several field mice that were holding radish tops.

"Just one."

"Chirp chirp!"

"I haven't eaten this in ages."

"Chirp chirp chirp!"

"How about I treat you to some salt?"

"Chirp chirp chirp chirp chirp!!!"

Chu Xun found it amusing; Wei Youyou loved to eat radish greens and also loved salt.

Sometimes when I'm hungry, I take a spoonful of salt from the salt shaker and put it in my mouth, enjoying it immensely.

He thought it tasted good, so he let the field mice eat it too, almost killing the little creatures on the spot with salt.

"Don't argue with them. Come on, I'll take you out for a walk," Chu Xun said.

Wei Youyou then stood up and walked towards Chu Xun. After taking a few steps, she turned back and asked pitifully, "Can't I even eat half a piece?"

It looked so pitiful. It was clearly a transformed demon, much more powerful than the animals in the yard.

But for a single radish top, they went on and on with the field mouse.

The field mouse probably felt really bad about it and quietly let go of its little paws.

Wei Youyou immediately jumped over with a big smile, carefully gesturing as she pinched the radish tassel in the middle.

Then she put it in her mouth, chewed it in small bites, and smiled as if her eyes were crescent moons.

As she ate, she asked, "Sir, where are we going?"

"Find a quiet place."

"A place with few people? Why would I go there?"

"progress."

Wei Youyou didn't quite understand what he meant, but she still obediently followed beside him.

The villagers we met along the way all greeted us warmly.

Now, Chu Xun is nearly fifty years old in the village, which makes him a veteran.

Most of the villagers were younger than him.

Some called him Brother Chen, some called him Uncle Chen, and some called him Grandpa Chu.

The one who has garnered the most attention is naturally Wei Youyou.

After living in the village for several years, he became the most popular "child" in the village.

I know she likes to eat vegetarian food, especially fresh and clean grass roots, fruits and the like.

Some villagers would even prepare these items at home in advance, and when they saw Wei Youyou, they would take them out of the house and wave to her.

"Hey, come quick, look what delicious treats I got for you!"

Wei Youyou skipped over: "Yo, thorn berries!"

It is a thorny shrub, somewhat like a bramble, that produces greenish-blue fruit.

When fully ripe, it turns yellowish-brown.

It tastes strange, like tree leaves, but it's not bitter.

After walking a few steps, another villager waved and called out, "Hey, come on over, want some pears?"

"Hey, these are some freshly bought dates, have a taste."

Before long, Wei Youyou was carrying a bunch of things.

With her head down, she struggled to choose which one to eat first.

Chu Xun remained silent, smiling faintly as he walked out of the village with her.

Zhang Baodi, who was wielding a hoe in the field, had very well-defined muscles.

Upon seeing Chu Xun and Wei Youyou, he stopped and called out, "Uncle Chen, little girl Youyou."

Wei Youyou ran over and asked with a smile, "Brother Dabao, do you have any sweet dates?"

Zhang Baodi unceremoniously took a sweet pear from her arms, wiped it on his clothes a couple of times, and started taking a bite.

"Pears are still the best; they're fragrant, sweet, and thirst-quenching."

Wei Youyou stared at him with wide eyes. That was the food she had planned to save for last because she couldn't bear to eat it!

He returned to Chu Xun's side with a miserable expression and said, "Brother Da Bao ate my pear."

Chu Xun laughed: "It's alright."

"I want to eat it too!"

"It will be ready in a moment."

Two figures, one tall and one short, walked along the field.

Zhang Baodi finished the pear in a few bites and casually tossed it away.

He wiped the sweat from his brow, picked up the hoe again, and was about to swing it when he suddenly felt something appear beside him.

Turning my head to look, I was taken aback.

Suddenly, wildflowers bloomed on the ridges of the fields.

Zhang Baodi was surprised; it hadn't been there just now.

Chu Xun and Wei Youyou have already gone far away.

After leaving Songguo Village, we headed further south.

Wei Youyou didn't care where he was going; she just followed him.

As for the flowers that kept blooming behind her, she would occasionally pick one out of curiosity and put it in her mouth to taste.

"Wow! Delicious!"

They traveled 180 li in this way.

The mountain I had seen before, and the village at its foot, were right before my eyes.

An old man and a young boy entered the village, attracting curious glances from many villagers.

When Chu Xun arrived at the place closest to the foot of the mountain, he saw the blacksmith shop from his memory.

Compared to thirty years ago, the blacksmith shop hasn't changed much, except that the building has been rebuilt.

In front of the house, a little boy wearing open-crotch pants was running around laughing, holding a thin stick, seemingly overjoyed.

A burly man is chopping wood with an axe.

The woman stood to the side and piled the chopped firewood into a heap in the yard.

The boy ran up to her just as she was holding the stick, and almost bumped into Wei Youyou.

The two stared at each other, and Wei Youyou hesitated for a moment before offering the half-eaten thorn fruit in her hand: "Want some?"

The boy, completely unfamiliar with the creature, curiously picked up a piece and put it in his mouth.

After chewing for a while without swallowing, she burst into tears: "It tastes awful!"

He ran back crying, leaving Wei Youyou somewhat at a loss.

It tastes really good!

The couple in the courtyard looked over at the sound.

The woman hugged the baby boy, while the man frowned slightly.

Chu Xun walked over, looked at the other person, and asked, "Don't you recognize me?"

The man naturally wouldn't recognize her; thirty years had passed, and Chu Xun's appearance had changed somewhat.

With the addition of a beard, he looked even more different from before.

But he felt the face looked familiar, yet couldn't quite place it, so he asked, "Still?"

Chu Xun smiled and said, "I learned how to use a sword here."

The man paused for a moment, then seemed to remember something and a look of surprise appeared on his face.

"yes!"

The boy who went into the mountains with a sword back then has not been forgotten to this day.

"Chun'er, go and call your father! Hurry!" the man ordered as he came over, instinctively reaching out his hand, but then seeming somewhat hesitant.

When Cheng Congyi first met Chu Xun thirty years ago, he was only seventeen or eighteen years old.

L was so carefree back then, unlike now, he's much more mature and composed.

He chuckled and scratched his head: "I really didn't expect to come back. My dad has been nagging me about it for years. Last year during the New Year, he even took out the twenty taels of silver he had left behind to show off."

"This silver is a family heirloom."

As Cheng Congyi spoke, he looked at Wei Youyou and asked, "Is this a daughter or a granddaughter?"

"Neither," Chu Xun shook his head. "The daughter of an old friend."

Wei Youyou hopped forward, holding up the thorn berries in her hand: "Want some?"

Cheng Congyi looked at the thorn berries, and remembering how his son had cried and said they tasted awful, he politely declined.

Wei Youyou said with some regret, "It really isn't bad."

Inside the house, Cheng Shan, who was over sixty years old, was helped out by his daughter-in-law, his steps unsteady.

Compared to many years ago, he now appears much thinner.

His hair was completely white, and he no longer looked like the strong blacksmith he once was.

Upon seeing Chu Xun, Cheng Shan's eyes widened.

"Quickly, quickly, I'll get there!"

He strode over and stood before Chu Xun, overwhelmed with excitement.

No one knew better than him just how amazing the boy was back then.

I thought I'd never see him again in this lifetime, but who could have imagined that after an illness, we'd meet again?

Looking around with keen insight, Chu Xun saw that Cheng Shan's vitality was almost gone, and he could only hold on for a year or two at most.

He sighed inwardly and asked, "Are you sick?"

"I'm getting old, it's only natural to get sick sometimes," Cheng Shan said without changing his mind.

He glanced at Wei Youyou and asked the same question: "Is this a daughter or a granddaughter?"

Wei Youyou jumped over and answered proactively, "Neither. I am the daughter of an old friend of the master."

Tu held up the thorn berries in his hand: "Want some?"

The boy, who had been hiding behind the woman, poked half his head out and shouted, "It tastes awful!"

Wei Youyou turned to look at him, pouting, "It's not bad!"

"It tastes so bad I could cry!"

Wei Youyou lowered her head and stopped arguing.

At this moment, a thin, wrinkled hand appeared before my eyes.

He took a thorn fruit from the palm of his hand.

Wei Youyou looked up and watched Cheng Shan put the thorn fruit into his mouth.

He chewed on the leftover meat and said with a smile, "It's not bad."

Tu immediately beamed with joy.

Cheng Shan then looked at Chu Xun and asked, "You didn't come here this time hoping for another sword, did you?"

"No," Chu Xun shook his head, "I found a very good piece of material, but it's already bent."

"That is?"

"I was looking for a quiet place, and as I walked, I ended up here," Chu Xun said.

Cheng Shan nodded. A master's actions naturally have their reasons, so there's no need to ask further.

"I need to go into the mountains," Chu Xun said.

"Will you come back?" Cheng Shan asked.

Chu Xun nodded: "We need to go back this way."

Cheng Shan's wrinkles gathered into a smile: "Then I'll have my family prepare some food."

"it is good."

Watching Chu Xun and Wei Youyou enter the mountains, the woman, Fu Yu, couldn't help but ask curiously, "Father, is he the extraordinary person you mentioned?"

Cheng Shan nodded and said, "We're not doing anything today. Go and buy some good wine and food!"

No one knew better than him how powerful the other party was. The ferocious beast that even two second-rank martial artists couldn't defeat was dealt with by the young man alone with his sword.

Decades later, this person will only become more formidable.

I don't know how amazing it is, but it's definitely a level that I can't even imagine.

It was an honor for Mo'er to be able to host such a person at home.

At this time, Chu Xun and Wei Youyou had already entered the mountain.

As they walked up the mountain, Wei Youyou became noticeably more cheerful.

Tu hasn't been back to the mountains for twenty or thirty years, and now everything seems wonderful to him.

Here, I'll pluck a blade of grass and put it in my mouth; there, I'll break off a piece of bark; and if I encounter any wild animals in the forest, I'll leap over to take a look.

After all, it is a transformed fairy, and even if it has no intention of harming people, it can instinctively sense the presence of birds and beasts in the forest.

They were all pinned down, lying on their backs, too afraid to move.

Soon after, they arrived at the valley where the old bat had been attacked.

Without strong winds, the vegetation in the valley is growing vigorously, almost completely obscuring the entrance.

Chu Xun looked around with a touch of nostalgia; it was his first time killing a monster, and he still felt a sense of accomplishment.

In the valley, Chu Xun sensed a faint, unusual atmosphere.

The vines automatically parted to the sides, allowing him to walk in without any obstruction.

Upon entering the valley, Chu Xun saw the shallow pool.

In the pool, a grass carp nearly five feet long was happily swishing its tail.

Chu Xun was somewhat surprised. He had noticed before that a grass carp had fallen into the pool.

I never imagined that things would change after so many years.

That unusual aura emanated from the grass carp.

It's clear that this fish is evolving in the direction of a spirit.

Wei Youyou curiously jumped over, squatted by the pond, and stared at the grass carp.

This is the first time I've ever seen such a small fish.

The grass carp sensed the aura of the transformed fairy on the body and was so frightened that it swam away, wagging its tail.

Wei Youyou was also startled by the splash and jumped up, quickly returning to Chu Xun's side.

Chu Xun smiled and said, "I'm going to be promoted in this way. If there are any unusual phenomena, please help me cover them up."

Wei Youyou responded with an "oh," and Chu Xun said no more.

With a thought, the grass, vines, and moss in the valley began to grow wildly.

Wood Movement Technique 99972/100000: Limited control over the wood element within a thousand-mile radius. Wood Movement Technique +1

Wood Element Skill +1

Wood Element Skill +1

The number of tons increased at an extremely rapid pace. Over the years, Chu De's Five Elements Techniques were about to be perfected.

Having traveled so far, the master was worried that the fusion of the five elements might produce too astonishing anomalies, frightening the villagers and causing unnecessary trouble.

When the number of the Wood Element spell reached 99999, the valley seemed to suddenly fall silent for a moment.

All things in heaven and earth seemed to fall silent at this moment.

Chu Xun sensed something, sat down cross-legged, and closed his eyes.

-

In an instant, five different beams of spiritual light emanated from his body.

Green represents wood, which is clear, moist, and gentle; red represents fire, which is warm but not fierce.

Yellow represents earth, symbolizing weight and stability.

White represents gold, signifying purity and austerity.

Black represents water, which is warm, gentle, and enduring.

Five-colored spiritual light surrounded him, like five flowing ribbons, slowly rising and circulating.

Snakes, insects, rats, ants, birds, and beasts roam the entire mountain forest.

Everything changed and fell at this moment.

They bowed their heads or lay prostrate on the ground, facing the valley in awe.

"Wow! The master is glowing!"

Wei Youyou opened her eyes and looked at the colorful spiritual light on Chu Xun's body, her eyes filled with a dazzling array of colors.

Chu Xun felt as if he were floating on air, as if he were ascending to heaven.

Having practiced the Five Elements arts for many years, each person has always gone their own way and has not interfered with the others.

Now they are intertwined, and the spiritual energy in the mountains and forests is constantly being drawn in and merged into the spiritual light, as if something is brewing.

Down the mountain, Cheng Shan, who was sitting in the courtyard and not allowed to return to his room, kept looking towards the direction of the mountain forest.

Suddenly, he saw something different.

Pieces of clouds could be seen gathering towards the mountain.

It gradually changed from pure white to five colors.

Five-colored energy gathered and lingered faintly in the sky above the valley, extremely mysterious.

Cheng Shan suddenly stood up, just like back then, even more excited.

The villagers in Gonglian Village all noticed it and looked up in surprise.

I have never seen such beautiful clouds.

In the valley, the spiritual light emanating from Chu Xun slowly permeated each other.

I am in it, and it is in me.

Each wisp of spiritual energy became increasingly pure and refined.

They blend together seamlessly without any sense of rejection, becoming a unified whole – a qualitative leap from "technique" to "principle".

After an unknown period of time, the five beams of spiritual light intertwined to form a colorful Daoist aura.

Above the mass of air, extremely complex and mysterious patterns faintly appeared.

Suddenly, the colorful clouds carrying these patterns floated into the sky.

It rises higher and higher, seemingly grinding the entire world into it.

Wei Youyou's eyes widened as she suddenly remembered Chu Xun's instructions.

Without the slightest hesitation, Tu shook her head and instantly transformed back into the form of an adult woman.

Unlike her previous appearance with pigtails, when she regained her beautiful features and slender figure, Tu's eyes also became much more composed.

Looking up at the air mass that was about to break through the valley and rush out of the forest.

Tu slowly bent down, his whole body radiating a pure and ethereal light.

"Yo yo~"

A strange cry resounded through the mountains and forests, clear and melodious like jade striking each other, and far-reaching like the sound of pine trees echoing through the valley.

The ethereal aura suddenly surged, and the beautiful face transformed into a deer head covered in snow-white fur. The slender body shed its silk robes, transforming into a lithe deer body with a few spots.

Her limbs were slender yet upright, and the tips of her scimitars gleamed with a bluish-green light.

A few strands of long, silvery-white hairs adorned the tip of its tail, fluttering gently in the light.

Even the colorful clouds could not conceal its exquisite beauty.

The deer cry out, "Yo-yo!" as they eat the wild apples.

The sound resonates through the woods, a natural and enchanting melody.

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