Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation
Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The light element illuminated the place.
About nine feet into the cave, a stone bed occupied a sizable part of a corner. A stone box, which was half a meter wide and one meter long, lay in front of the stone bed. The quaint-looking box was filled with shiny, pebble-sized crystals.
“I found this cave a long time ago. Every time when Father came, I wanted to tell him about this. But he left just as quickly as he came. I didn’t get a chance to tell him.”
“Your father must have something important to do, so he couldn’t stay for too long.” Wutian comforted her.
“How do you know, Wutian? Father said that, too, every time. But I wish he could stay for a few days.” Shishi looked up with a hint of disappointment in her pinky face.
“Because everyone has something to do. Don’t you need to take care of Flora?” Wutian comforted the girl, patting her on the head. He then came up in front of the stone box, picked up a crystal, and carefully studied it. He gradually furrowed her brow.
The crystal was angular like a diamond, extremely beautiful and mesmerizing. He suddenly sensed warm energy pouring out from the crystal into his hand before gathering in his Sea of Qi.
“The Essence elixir!” Wutian was stunned. This warm energy felt exactly the same as what Little Tian refined. Not only that, it was even purer and more powerful.
Putting down the Essence elixir, he stomped his feet on the ground. It felt solid. He then thoughtfully walked to a wall, the surface of which looked smooth and even without a single crack. As he reached to touch with his hand, a layer of lime peeled off.
Wutian scanned around and had figured out something.
This was a strange cave. It looked as if someone had dug out a space inside a giant rock. He suspected that this was the place where the ancients practiced their cultivation. Because this was ironstone, which was tougher than black iron, it took a thousand years for its compound to weather into a fine powder.
“Did you find anything else when you first discovered this cave?” asked Wutian.
Shishi put her hand under her chin and thought for a moment. “I remember I found a skeleton. I pitied it and so buried it outside.”
“So, that was really the case.”
Wutian was curious and carefully studied every corner of the cave. If the ancients had cultivated in this cave, they must not just leave behind these Essence elixirs. There must be something else, something precious.
Little Tian was overjoyed, jumping onto the Essence elixirs, eyes darting around, drooling. At last, it lay on them with its leg crossed. Its eyes moved as it kept an eye on Yi. Apparently, it wanted to keep the things to itself.
It seemed that it was not only gluttonous but also greedy.
Yi rolled its eyes with his chin raised, looking at Little Tian in disdain as if saying that it could have them all as those beards were worthless in its eyes.
“What are you looking for, Wutian?” Shishi was baffled at seeing Wutian paced around.
“I am looking for treasures.” Wutian knocked about and searched around without looking at her. He did not want to leave an inch of the cave unsearched.
Shishi chortled, finding it amusing. “This is a cave of the dead. How could it contain any treasure?”
“Not really. Look at these Essence elixirs; they are good stuff. Just that you don’t know. By the looks of things, there must be something else.” Wutian was unashamed of his intention. He came to the stone bed and lay with his face down to rummage underneath it.
“I think I have found something.” He felt something at the bottom, solid and cold. “Can I borrow your light, please, Shishi?”
Shishi went up curiously. She lay down on her stomach, reached her hand under the bed so the light would illuminate the space inside.
“Eh, there is really something!” Shishi was surprised, wanting to take it out. But her hand was too short to reach the thing.
“Can you give me a hand, Little Tian?” Wutian called for help, as he could not reach with his hand, too.
Little Tian scurried over immediately at the mention of treasures. Its slender eyes scanned around and instantly brightened up. It went under the bed in excitement, but when it emerged, it looked unenthusiastic. It quickly dropped the thing to the ground and climbed back up on the stone box.
It was an ordinary-looking ring, blackish and old. The coating on the ring seemed to have peeled off. There was no ornament, just three characters engraved on the surface. These characters were twisty and hard to read.
“This ring looks horrendous.” Shishi puckered her mouth. Women like things that are beautiful. So, she was no exception.
Looking at the ring for a long time, Wutian still could not work out what it was about and felt disappointed. At first, he thought he had found a treasure, but it turned out to be just an ordinary item. He had not given up. He searched around again. At last, he found nothing and threw in the towel.
Probably the owner of the cave was not some powerful figure, so naturally he had nothing precious with him. He tucked the ring under his clothes and took his next course of action.
There was no treasure, but those Essence elixirs were not a bad finding either. After being stored here for a thousand years, the Essence content of the elixirs was concentrated and pure. If he consumed all of them, he might boost his cultivation to another level.
“Caw, caw!” But Little Tian would not comply. It lay on them and looked at him threateningly, as if telling him that these things belonged to it and no one could take them from it.
“Let go, Little Tian, you shouldn’t keep them to yourself.” Shishi was amused, going up to trying to pursue it. But Little Tian was unimpressed like a miser, it was adamant not to let go of its private possession.
“Get the hell out of here!” Blue veins popped up on Wutian’s forehead, his face darkening as Little Tian vehemently resisted.
Yi growled in a low voice as it looked sideways like it was sneering. Little Tian was not too happy with that expression, and it cawed furiously. Basically, it meant, “Watch your eyes, you stinky white puppy! I would rip your skin off and make underwear out of it!”
A human and a beast glared at each other. At last, Wutian had to make a deal with it; they would share the elixirs; each could have half of them. Little Tian thought for a moment before compromising reluctantly. But it demanded that it was to split the things.
Little Tian took out the elixirs and split them into two heaps. Each time it threw one elixir to the heap belonging to Wutian, it would become hesitant with its muscles convulsing. Wutian and others looked on and had no word for it.
Time flew. Wutian had stayed here for ten days.
During those ten days, he accompanied Shishi to explore around, leaving behind their footprints on each inch of this pure land. He had seen different kinds of plants and flowers and met various monster beasts. They were friendly and had never turned aggressive.
Since having the Essence elixirs, Little Tian was no longer interested in Yi or following Wutian around aimlessly. He moved the Essence elixirs to the meadow and slept inside them all day.
Each time walking past, Wutian would feel indignant.
Had Little Tian wanted these Essence elixirs for enhancing its strength, he would have no qualm. Instead, he would be very supportive of it. But Little Tian just used them as decorations, mattresses, and playthings. Was it not wasteful? He could not have been more enraged.
He gave Little Tian a nickname: Prodigal.
“You are practicing cultivation again, Wutian? What is so fun about cultivation? You might as well live a carefree life every day.” Shishi was wearing a white dress today, her big round eyes glittering like an elf.
She had never felt so happy for the past few days. Her emptiness had been quenched, and she felt fulfilled and warm. She became emotionally dependent on Wutian like he was her family.
Wutian opened his eyes that glittered with the Essence energy. Every day, at this hour when the sun rose, he would come to the cliff to cultivate, absorbing the Essence energy of the elixirs. These Essence elixirs were real ancient treasure, its Essence energy content was so high that one elixir was enough to power an entire day of cultivation.
He had gotten out ninety of those Essence elixirs from the cave, and he had only consumed ten of them so far. Even so, the level of concentration of Essence energy in his Sea of Qi had increased multiple times. It was now sticky like glue. Another transcendence was imminent.
Retracting his energy, Wutian rose to his feet and rubbed her tiny nose. “Cultivation is a serious practice. It makes me stronger so I can protect my family from the bullies, and Shishi from the monster beasts.”
“You are willing to protect me, really?” She looked up in puzzlement.
“Of course. You are my good sister. It is my duty to protect you.”
Shishi was delighted. “Then you promise to protect me forever. Don’t allow anyone to bully me. Don’t let me cry. You have promised and must not go back on your word.”
“I promise. I will protect Shishi forever.” Wutian and she made a promise gesture by locking their little fingers together.
“When are we going to leave, Wutian? I have never gone out since I was small. I am looking forward to seeing the outside world.” Shishi was excited.
Leaving? Shit! Wutian was transfixed. Had he just walked into her trap?
“I can’t bring you along, Shishi. I have many things to do. It would only expose you to dangers if you tag along. Besides, if you leave, your father would be worried when he finds you are not here.”
Before his voice trailed off, smiles had faded from Shishi’s face. Her eyes reddened with tears bursting out of them. “Is what you said just now just a lie? You said you wanted to protect me forever, and won’t let me cry. Is all that just a lie?”
She cried and could not have been sadder. Wutian felt so sorry and drew her into his arms.
“I didn’t lie to you, Shishi. My enemy is too strong. If you stay with me, I’ll put you in danger. How about you wait for me to finish my business and come back after that?”
“It is all about business. Father is the same. You are also the same. You’re all lying. I hate all of you!” Shishi pushed him away and ran toward the house.
A crystal-clear teardrop landed in Wutian’s hand, a chilly sensation creeping into his soul. He wanted to slap himself for knowing that he could not keep his word, yet still making the promise.
“Was the promise you made to me last time the same lie, Grandpa?” Wutian looked said as he mumbled to himself.
He chased after her and stopped her. “I am sorry, Shishi. I have made you cry. I promise I will bring you with me tomorrow.”
A promise is a promise. He had to keep it. He did not want Shishi to experience the same sadness he had gone through before. It was an obsession to remedy the regret in his heart.
“Really? You are not lying to me?” Shishi looked at him, her eyes blinking. She was doubtful.
“Yeah.” Wutian nodded.
“I know you hold me dearest in your heart.” The girl finally smiled with anticipation. She could finally leave this place. She was eager to see the world.
Shishi had accomplished many things today. She had cleared the weed from the garden, exhorted Flora to stay healthy, watered the pine trees and bamboo, and fed the birds resting up there. She had even gone to visit the monster beasts in this pure land to say her goodbye.
She sat beside the pond the entire night, gazing at the stars and telling her father she was leaving.
It was not until first light that she returned to the house. Not wanting to let her father worry about her, she left behind a letter.
It was a tough decision for her to leave the home she had been living in for twelve years. For a moment, she could not let go. As her tears dropped with a crisp sound, she brought Yi along and departed.