Republic of China Era: Entering the Dao through Divine Strike.

This gives us more confidence that we can control this desperate situation.

It also gave us more opportunities to try things out.

Even if you get hurt, you can start over, right?

……

Two light, delicate footsteps quietly came from the end of the corridor, breaking the extreme tranquility of the bamboo garden.

Zhuang Hongxiu was dressed in a simple light blue cloth dress, her posture gentle and dignified.

He was holding a vermilion lacquered wooden tray in his hands.

The plate holds a bowl of slow-cooked chicken soup that has been simmering overnight; the soup is golden and clear.

The oil floats evenly on the surface of the soup, and the steam rises gently, releasing a rich and savory aroma.

A bowl of refreshing plain noodles is served alongside...

Thin white noodles soaked in clear broth, garnished with a few sprigs of bright green scallions, simple yet full of warmth and homely charm.

Little Li Xiaoyue followed closely behind her. The six or seven-year-old girl had her hair styled in two buns, with soft, fine strands of hair at her temples, and she took light, quick steps.

He carefully held a small white porcelain bowl in both hands, in which lay two perfectly fried eggs.

The outer skin is golden brown and slightly charred, while the inside is tender, moist, and juicy. Steam rises from the heat, and the aroma is irresistible.

The little girl's big, dark eyes sparkled with joy.

As they walked, he whispered instructions to Zhuang Hongxiu in front of him:

"Sister Hongxiu, you must tell Second Brother later! I fried these two eggs myself."

I watched the heat for a long time, and it didn't burn at all!

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Hongxiu smiled gently and slowly, afraid of disturbing the people meditating in the courtyard. She replied softly, "Okay, I will definitely tell the young master."

Xiaoyue is amazing.

These words were not a deliberate attempt to flatter, but rather a genuine expression of admiration.

Making an egg may seem simple, but it truly tests one's composure and control over the force applied.

An ordinary six or seven-year-old child can't even stand up and hold things steadily, let alone control the stove fire and control the temperature of frying.

Xiaoyue's ability to fry two eggs perfectly and with excellent taste demonstrates her composure and self-control, which far surpasses that of her peers.

Such a temperament and talent are not found in ordinary children.

Zhuang Hongxiu sighed softly, "If Xiaoyue cultivates diligently, she will surely grow into a skilled female warrior who will roam the martial world in the future."

To everyone's surprise, Li Xiaoyue shook her head vigorously, her twin buns swaying as she said earnestly, "I don't want to be a female knight-errant, I want to be a cook when I grow up!"

Zhuang Hongxiu was slightly taken aback, and a sense of curiosity arose in her heart: "Why is that? Isn't it good for a female knight-errant to live a life of chivalry and vengeance, so majestic and awe-inspiring?"

"Oh no!" Xiaoyue exclaimed crisply, her eyes sparkling with intelligence. "Sister Feiyan is a true heroine! She was seriously injured in a fight last month!"

It took them a long time to recover after staying at our home...

She talks about how delicious our food is every day and doesn't want to leave.

This tells us that being a female knight-errant means fighting and battling every day, braving wind and rain.

"It's so hard to even get a decent hot meal!"

She held the porcelain bowl in her hands, her eyes crinkling with joy: "But the cook is different! She can make so many delicious things."

"I can cook whatever I want to eat, and I can even make delicious meals for my older brothers and Sister Hongxiu. Isn't that wonderful!"

Zhuang Hongxiu felt a warmth in her heart and gently ruffled her hair: "Xiaoyue is so smart."

"My second brother said the same thing."

Zhuang Hongxiu couldn't help but chuckle, "Xiaoyue, it's your birthday in two months, and I'll fry you some eggs too."

"Really? I want three!" Li Xiaoyue's eyes lit up instantly, and she stood on tiptoe with joy.

Looking at the cheerful and innocent little girl, a hint of melancholy flashed across Zhuang Hongxiu's eyes.

She remembered that Li Xin had mentioned a certain incident when they were chatting about the past.

Back in my hometown of Cangzhou, life was very difficult.

Every year on their birthdays, their mother would promise that when things got better, she would definitely cook a bowl of longevity noodles for the three siblings and fry a golden poached egg on top...

Life was hard and difficult, and the obsessions and expectations buried deep in the past may have long since faded in the hearts of children.

But Xiaoyue clearly remembered.

She blurted out, "Three fried eggs."

It wasn't that she was greedy; she just missed her mother.

As Zhuang Hongxiu thought of this, a gentle smiling face appeared in her mind. It has been half a year since her mother left. She wondered if her mother was doing well in the afterlife.

After their thoughts settled slightly, the two had already arrived outside the bamboo garden pavilion.

Upon spotting the boy standing quietly in the pavilion, Xiaoyue, holding a warm poached egg, quickened her pace and hurried forward.

"and many more!"

Zhuang Hongxiu reacted quickly, grabbing her arm and gesturing for her to be quiet.

His brows and eyes looked slightly heavy.

"The young master is not behaving properly."

Li Xiaoyue suddenly stopped, and the smile on her face instantly froze.

Following Zhuang Hongxiu's gaze into the pavilion, her small face instantly filled with panic.

In the bamboo garden, the wind stirs the bamboo, casting dappled shadows...

The boy in the pavilion is changing in appearance.

His face, which was originally gentle and radiant with youthful vigor, quickly lost its color.

It turned deathly pale at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The skin on the neck, arms, and other exposed areas lost its moist and radiant glow, becoming dry and withered.

In just a few breaths, his full and firm skin began to loosen and wrinkle.

The skin loses all elasticity and vitality, revealing layers of wrinkles and signs of aging.

His once upright and graceful figure now subtly reveals a hunched and weathered appearance.

The youthful vigor and vitality have vanished, replaced by a weariness and loneliness that comes with the passage of time.

He was clearly a thirteen-year-old boy, but at this moment he looked like a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties who had experienced many hardships.

He was weathered and forlorn. The light and shadow continued to flicker, and the changes never ceased.

His skin became increasingly dry and withered, his flesh clinging tightly to his bones, making him increasingly emaciated.

In the blink of an eye, he looked like a frail old man in his seventies or eighties.

As the oil runs out and the lamp goes out, life gradually fades away.

Time seemed to accelerate infinitely at this moment, and decades passed in a flash.

"Second brother..."

Li Xiaoyue's eyes widened in fright, her mouth slightly open, her hands clenched tightly around the porcelain bowl, her knuckles turning white, and she even subconsciously held her breath.

She wanted to call out, but was afraid of disturbing her second brother's cultivation, so she had to hold it in.

Her large, wet eyes instantly filled with tears of fear.

Zhuang Hongxiu, who was always gentle, calm and composed, was no longer as serene as before.

Fine beads of sweat soaked through her forehead and temples, slowly sliding down her fair cheeks.

The back of his clothes was also soaked with cold sweat, clinging tightly to his back.

Her heart pounded, her chest was filled with extreme worry and anxiety, her fingers clenched tightly, and her palms were covered in cold sweat.

But she bit her lower lip tightly, not daring to make a sound.

They were afraid of disturbing their young master.

"Don't be afraid." Zhuang Hongxiu suppressed the turmoil in her heart, her voice slightly hoarse and so low that it was almost inaudible. "Young Master had already instructed that his breakthrough this time was based on the path of internal energy withering and flourishing, breaking through and then rebuilding."

In cultivating internal energy, the qi and blood naturally ebb and flow, flourishing and withering. Without first entering a state of utter stillness and despair, one cannot shed the mortal body, awaken the original life force, and unravel the mysteries of true qi.

Li Xiaoyue's eyes were red and swollen. She bit her lower lip tightly and sobbed softly, "But... Second Brother has become so old. It scares me. Will he never turn back?"

"No, it won't happen." Zhuang Hongxiu shook her head vigorously and gently reassured him, "In the path of cultivation, adversity turns into prosperity. The more desperate the situation, the greater the chance of breakthrough. Young Master knows what he's doing and nothing will go wrong."

She understood all the principles; the ancient books and the young master's instructions were all clearly and distinctly presented.

Witnessing such a terrifying sight of near-immortal aging, the panic and worry in my heart were still hard to suppress.

In the past, Li Xin's breakthroughs in cultivation were all small-scale trials and cautious explorations, never before had he faced such an extremely dangerous and life-or-death situation.

This time, he truly gave it his all, leaving no way out.

They risked their own foundation and all their vital energy to bravely face the perilous gates of life and death.

The atmosphere between heaven and earth became increasingly oppressive and stifling.

The courtyard, which had been gently breezy just moments before, suddenly fell into a deathly silence.

Dark clouds pressed down heavily, shrouding the entire Li Garden.

The clouds overhead gathered rapidly, turning the bright daylight into a dark twilight.

A torrential downpour is coming.

All around was silent.

Two girls, one big and one small, stood quietly under the eaves, like two frozen statues, motionless.

His gaze was fixed on the increasingly aged and withered figure in the pavilion, his heart filled with anxious anticipation.

Time slips away bit by bit, each moment feeling incredibly long and agonizing.

Finally, at the moment when the entire world was completely dark and oppressed to the extreme, a sudden change occurred!

A nameless gale suddenly arose from all directions, howling through the halls and pavilions, sweeping across the entire backyard.

Hundreds of lush bamboo swayed and bent wildly, their leaves rustling and swaying, as if a group of demons were dancing wildly.

shuh...

A blindingly bright white bolt of lightning tore through the dark sky, suddenly slicing across the horizon.

A dazzling flash of lightning illuminated the entire bamboo garden, making the figures in the pavilion clearly visible.

Rumble!

A deafening clap of thunder followed, exploding with a deafening roar that shook the surrounding area.

The roof tiles trembled slightly, the echoes lingering.

A torrential downpour suddenly began!

The rain poured down relentlessly, creating a dense, continuous patter as it struck the roof tiles, bluestone, and bamboo branches.

Water vapor rises and spreads...

The cool rain quickly soaked Zhuang Hongxiu and Li Xiaoyue's clothes and hair, and the chill seeped into their skin, but the two of them were completely unaware.

His gaze was fixed on the bamboo pavilion.

The next moment, their eyes lit up, and their fear turned into ecstasy.

In the instant the lightning flashed, the withered, aged figure in the pavilion, who seemed to be on the verge of death, suddenly experienced a reversal of his life force!

The deathly silence completely vanished, and a tremendous burst of life erupted...

The previous decay, aging, desolation, and decadence have all vanished.

The frail, aged body, like parched, decaying earth, was suddenly nourished by sweet rain.

Gradually recovering, it is ushering in a new life.

First, like tender grass that has survived a desperate situation, it breaks through the soil and quietly stretches out.