CHAPTER 41: CHAPTER 41: INVITATION FROM WHITE BONE CAVE (PLEASE FOLLOW!)

The quarrel between father and son, especially when the father holds all the power in the family, makes it almost impossible for the son to win.

Nezha, punished to kneel in the ancestral shrine, understood this well. So right after Li Jing left, he sat cross-legged on the cushion, assuming the most comfortable position.

Looking at the rows upon rows of dark, shadowy ancestral tablets, he yawned and irreverently said, "What a shame to the family, for the Li Family to have someone like Li Jing. I feel embarrassed for you all."

The family shrine wasn’t large; Nezha sat cross-legged on the cushion, continuing to cultivate with Li Gen’s inner core. Before long, he heard a rustling noise behind him, like mice.

Nezha didn’t open his eyes, just sniffed the air, detecting the aromas of roasted chicken with lotus leaf and then found the scent of warm meat buns. Among these aromas, there was a fresh, sweet milk scent that belonged to a young girl.

No need to guess; there was only one little girl in the residence with such a clean scent without any powder—Lv Zhu’er, the overly beautiful girl from his room who was getting clumsier by the day.

He maintained his posture, smiled with his eyes closed and said, "There’s no one else here, so sneaking around like a thief is unnecessary. Just come in."

Lv Zhu’er, carrying a food box in one hand and pinching her skirt corner with the other, struggled over the shrine’s high threshold before panting and saying, "Didn’t they say young master you were punished to kneel here? Turns out you were cultivating instead. The sisters tricked me again."

"Ouch, young master, it hurts!"

"Quiet down. I didn’t even touch you." Nezha withdrew his hand from flicking Lv Zhu’er, opened the food box, and upon seeing the contents, marveled that his nose might be even keener than that of the Howling Celestial Dog, "Why would the sisters lie to you? Punishment is punishment, but doesn’t mean we accept it. We’re not fools. We just put on a show when others are around. When they’re gone, why should we kneel?"

"The young master truly is smart."

Nezha stuffed his mouth full with two buns, took a sip of water, and then said, "Of course I’m smart, but you, this girl, are cleverer than I thought. The food box is full of the things I love to eat."

Lv Zhu’er looked at him with her bright eyes and said, "It’s not true. I thought you’d already eaten. Sister Cui Yu’s place knew you got scolded at noon and missed the meal, so afraid you’d go hungry, she picked some food from the kitchen and asked me to secretly bring it to you. She asked me to tell you that Madam has already gone to plead with Master not to worry, and you’ll be free soon."

Nezha thought to himself, of course soon, I’m only staying here because it’s quiet, providing a chance to cultivate. If I wanted to leave, I could anytime.

After eating, Nezha continued to sit cross-legged in meditation.

Lv Zhu’er also pulled over a cushion to sit on, first glancing at the shrine tablets, arranged in several ominous rows, the names on them were all formidable, combined their aura was like a collapsing mountain.

One glimpse was enough to make her cover her eyes, unable to look further. She then glanced around, seeing countless columns arranged as the Eight Diagrams, leading into darkness, unsure what could be concealed within. Wanting to go and see but lacking the courage.

She ended up dragging her cushion to Nezha’s back to hide.

Lv Zhu’er eventually focused her gaze entirely on Nezha, noticing how her Nezha brother was currently enveloped in a layer of dazzling golden light, distinctly different from the warm yellow glow surrounding her.

These days, sleeping in Nezha’s room, waking up at night, she’d see Nezha never sleeping, just sitting cross-legged, with something in his arms emitting a water-blue glow.

Initially fearful, being from a fishing village, she’d heard rumors among neighbors about the young master being possessed by a demon.

Though she didn’t believe it before, seeing Nezha cultivating at night, she couldn’t help but feel afraid initially.

But upon careful thought, seeing how kind Nezha was to her, even if he were a demon intending to fatten her up to eat her, she’d accept it.

After watching for several days, Nezha couldn’t bear it anymore and explained cultivation to Lv Zhu’er, sharing with her the "Infinite Longevity Scripture." Since she was illiterate, Nezha read it to her word by word.

Nezha didn’t expect Lv Zhu’er to be so intelligent; after listening to his recitation for just two days, she could memorize the entire 2,300 words of the Infinite Longevity Scripture.

He also taught her how to meditate and regulate her breathing, so at night, the two children sat cross-legged, cultivating properly.

Nezha had no particular intent, believing, as Mr. Fan said, that being able to cultivate was a gift from the heavens.

It’s exceedingly difficult; you either can or cannot, so he never expected Lv Zhu’er to succeed in cultivation.

Lv Zhu’er, from her first day of meditation until this morning, took only ten days to attain an insight into the inspiration realm, not having had the chance to inform Nezha yet.

She heard from Nezha that achieving insight indicates potential for cultivation, but truly stepping into the inspiration realm requires mastering control, harmonizing all channels, which she couldn’t figure out.

Seeing Nezha meditating, she, being bored, also attempted meditation.

After a while, Nezha heard a soft snore from behind, turned and saw the young girl curled up on the cushion, sleeping like a cat.

"The shrine is cold, yet you’re not afraid of freezing sleeping here."

"Daoist sure knows how to care for people," Bi Yun said, thinking if the senior sister ever ended up with this boy, it wouldn’t be a bad thing.

This thought only lingered for a moment before Bi Yun dismissed it—impossible, senior sister was a cultivator, uninterested in romantic affairs, and if she did find a man in the future, he must be sincere not to break her heart, unlike Nezha, who seemed to have no shortage of admirers.

Thinking this, Bi Yun couldn’t resist sneaking another glance at Lv Zhu’er sleeping on the cushion, wondering who she was to be so beautiful.

Seeing Bi Yun’s arrival, Nezha was delighted—not having to face Li Jing’s sour face meant he was happy to see anyone—and said, "Daoist Bi Yun, you came at the right time. Yesterday, the kitchen purchased some rare delicacies from Zhaoge traders. I’ll get some for you in a moment."

Bi Yun swallowed and hesitated, "This doesn’t seem appropriate."

"What’s wrong with that? Lady Shi Ji has shown me great kindness, a bit of food is nothing. Besides, you and I are fated together as fellow Daoists, so I must fulfill my role as your host."

Bi Yun thought to himself, you’ve learned to do the same, attributing everything to the indefinable fate as Daoists whenever uncertain.

Before he could speak, Nezha pulled him to sit on the cushion, "Daoist, you came personally today, there must be something. Speak freely."

Bi Yun, with a calm expression, said, "My master sent me, saying there’s an opportunity for you. You may come if you wish or not if you don’t."

Such words, how could one turn away good fortune coming to their door?

Nezha offered thanks again, saying, "It is fortuitous indeed. I intended to visit your cave residence soon enough, firstly to express gratitude for assistance, and secondly to return Lady Shi Ji’s Water-Repelling Pearl. Would you inform the Lady for me, I’d like to prepare a gift and head over immediately."

He thought, I might as well ask about the path after the God Absorption Realm too, like how to condense the Golden Core.

If I keep cultivating without guidance, even as Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi keeps increasing, truly filling that boundless Qi Sea might take until the life after next.

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