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墨書 Inktalez
Everyone has their share of past regrets. Looking at Chen Yaojin, Li Xiaonan could guess a few things; it must be related to his life. "Go on, the boss is waiting for you in Qingyu City!"
"Thank you, boss!" Chen Yaojin's smile stretched from ear to ear.
"Little Jin, wait! Take this Seven-Level Pagoda." Although Li Xiaonan didn't know what Chen Yaojin was planning to do, it was always better to be prepared.
Chen Yaojin was taken aback and didn't reach out to take it. He shook his head and said, "No need, boss. You've treated Little Jin well enough. I can handle this on my own!"
Li Xiaonan nodded but still insisted, "The sooner you go, the sooner you return!"
"Understood!" Chen Yaojin nodded heavily before transforming into a shadow and shooting into the sky.
Li Xiaonan took his seat at the main table in the hall, with Spirit Weapon and Mei Qingdan seated below him, followed by Mei Yingluo and a group of young women.
Spirit Weapon frowned and said, "Xiao Nan... you’re not..." He shook his head, organizing his thoughts before continuing, "Why don’t you take Qingjing Year as your disciple? It might benefit us."
Li Xiaonan lightly waved his hand and poured everyone a cup of tea. He smiled and replied, "Father-in-law, have you ever considered why he wants to take me as his master? It's simply because I have strength; he wants to use my power to protect himself while attacking others. But what good does that do me?"
He took a sip of tea and continued, "Strategic Vision might be beneficial for the Imperial Family, but what about for a Cultivator? I certainly don't want my first disciple to fall like that. If Qingjing Year can't let go of Qingyu City and wants to be an eternal emperor, then..." Li Xiaonan shook his head repeatedly.
The others nodded in agreement. After his analysis, it seemed there was indeed no need to take on a disciple. Li Xiaonan added, "Think about it; if taking on disciples were beneficial, Chestnut Peach and the others would have done so long ago. Why would it come down to me?"
The two standing at the door exchanged awkward smiles. They were both seasoned individuals with keen insight. Taking on disciples would bring more disadvantages than advantages; it would only turn them into enforcers for Qingyu City, far less convenient than living off offerings.
"Let's all return to our rooms. Chestnut, come with me!" Nine Phoenix said with a grin as he touched the Ruyi Collar around his neck. Dog Egg chimed in, "Big Bird, why are you smiling? It feels ominous. Can you take me outside to play? This palace is so dull."
Nine Phoenix was in particularly good spirits; he had guessed what his boss was planning. Casually, he replied, "There's a fun place in the palace called the Imperial Kitchen; all the delicious food in the world is there!"
Li Dogdan drooled at the thought. "I want to go! I want to go!"
Mei Yingluo looked at the two mischievous children in the corner, shaking her head repeatedly. Just as she was about to approach them, she was pulled back by Mei Qingdan, who frowned and said, "Xiao Meizi, there are some things your father wants to discuss with you..."
Mei Yingluo was taken aback and nodded.
In the courtyard, flowers bloomed in abundance. Li Xiaonan's long hair fluttered slightly; he had grown accustomed to not tying it up for a while. He sighed and said, "I'm sorry..."
Dai Lizi furrowed her brows, the two dots of vermilion on her forehead coming together.
"I didn't intend to take you as pets, but regardless of my intentions, things have already happened. All I can do now is apologize and... lift the Spirit Capture Technique. From now on, you and Taozi will be free; I just want a share of this Qingyu City." Li Xiaonan gazed at the falling petals in the courtyard, suddenly feeling that his plain clothes were too simple; he wished he could wear a bright red robe.
"No way!" Dai Lizi exclaimed anxiously.
Li Xiaonan smiled slightly and turned to look at her. "You should know that you can't defeat me. Moreover, with this incident, Qingyu City is already in my hands. You have to yield, whether you like it or not!"
Dai Lizi pursed her lips, shook her head, and transformed into a snow-white cat. Above her sapphire-blue eyes were two red dots as she said, "Once a master, always a master!"
Li Xiaonan couldn't help but frown. The deterrent power of the Spirit Capture Technique was indeed strong, but it shouldn't be to this extent. If it were his charm... he scoffed; that was simply absurd. "Give me a reasonable explanation."
Suddenly, Li Xiaonan's mind flashed with two words: "Taozi." The white cat flicked its paw playfully as the voice in his mind continued, "I haven't been with Taozi like this for a long time. We used to be very close, but ever since he went astray in his cultivation, his temperament changed a lot. He runs around everywhere; sometimes I can't find him for months or even years. But now that the master has appeared... he won't run off anymore..."
Li Xiaonan coldly stared at Dai Lizi and finally sighed as he picked up the white cat from the ground. With the Harmony Technique combined with Fiery Eyes, there were few who could deceive him.
He stroked Chestnut's soft fur between her brows. "Today, nothing happened. Go play with Taozi."
The white cat squinted its eyes and affectionately rubbed against Li Xiaonan's chest before nimbly jumping down to find An Quan Tao.
Li Xiaonan shook his head; perhaps no one could truly escape from emotions.
He returned to his room alone. Rarely without any companions, he had never sat in meditation for an extended period during his cultivation journey. So much had happened along the way that there was now an overwhelming amount to sort through. Moreover, he wanted to create a new world during the Qing Yu Year and needed to make some preparations.
"Little brother? Are you asleep?" A knock sounded from outside the door, and the speaker was Qing Yu Year.
"Come in!" Li Xiaonan smiled slightly, thinking to himself: The person who should come has arrived.
Qing Yu Year entered with Qingjing Year. "Have a seat," Li Xiaonan said. He had already cleared out all the extra tables and chairs in the room except for the bed, and Qing Yu Year pulled Qingjing Year down to sit on the floor.
"This is Jingnian, my grandson I mentioned before. I met his grandmother outside the palace, and unexpectedly, he ended up with a father. By the time I learned of this, only this unfortunate child remained... I..."
Li Xiaonan waved his hand, interrupting Qing Yu Year. "I'm not interested in the secrets of the Imperial Family, my lord... uh... Qing Yu Emperor, what brings you here today?"
Qing Yu Year held Qingjing Year's hand and smiled. "If little brother is willing to call me 'my lord,' it shows that our past friendship still exists. Please don't rush to refuse my request about taking him as a disciple; let me finish."
Taking a deep breath, Qing Yu Year continued, "I have died once before; I've seen through fame and fortune. I no longer care about them. The only thing that matters to me in Qingyu City is this child. I don't want him to walk the same path as I did in the future, so I hope little brother can guide his cultivation. As for the Kingdom of Qingyu, I will offer it up wholeheartedly!"
"Grandfather!" Qingjing Year frowned but was silenced by a glare from Qing Yu Year. "Be quiet!"
"Little brother, my health has improved significantly compared to before. I believe I can hold on for another twenty or thirty years without issue. I will fulfill my duties as an emperor, and as for my grandson, that will be up to you! All resources of Qingyu City will be at your disposal with just one word from you! After my death, you will be the eternal ruler of Qingyu City!" Qing Yu Year gritted his teeth.
Li Xiaonan couldn't help but laugh. "My lord, I do want to make a name for myself in Qingyu City, but I don't need the entire city. To be honest, I'm not interested in being an emperor at all; I don't care for such a burdensome title. If you want me to take Jingnian as a disciple, fine. I'll ask him a few questions first; if his answers satisfy me, I'll consider taking him under my wing for your sake. How does that sound?"
Qing Yu Year nodded excitedly and then knelt down to bow to Li Xiaonan. He pressed one hand down lightly, unable to bow fully. He chuckled, "Just a moment for the bow; no need to rush."
He turned to Qingjing Year and asked with a smile, "Jingnian, let me ask you: Do you like the feeling of being above thousands?"
Qingjing Year frowned slightly and nodded slowly. Beside him, Qing Yu Year coughed softly, causing Qingjing Year's frown to deepen.
Li Xiaonan smiled again and asked, "Everything in heaven and earth has Spiritual Energy; how do you view flowers and trees? If someone were to pick a flower, would you think it's good or bad?"
Qingjing Year glanced at Qing Yu Year beside him and shook his head.
The smile in Li Xiaonan's eyes grew even brighter as he slowly stood up and said lightly, "When flowers bloom, they should be picked; do not wait until there are no flowers left to pluck the branches. My disciple, I will take..."
Qing Yu Year was quite excited, pulling Qingjing Year to bow down. Li Xiaonan raised a hand to gently stop him, laughing, "I didn't say I would take him; I am taking you, Qing Yu Year!"
"Me?" Qing Yu Year was taken aback, pointing at himself. He couldn't help but wonder if Li Xiaonan had lost his mind.
He was already in his seventies. Even though his body had been modified by Li Xiaonan, after drifting through the mundane world for over seventy years, how could he compare to a young man in his twenties? What could a body on the verge of losing vitality do? Cultivation? Don't joke about it.
Li Xiaonan smiled and said, "Qing Yu Year, why aren't you coming to pay your respects? I have never taken a disciple before."
When Li Xiaonan called his name again, Qing Yu Year finally came back to his senses. Ultimately resisting the temptation in his heart, he shook his head. "Young brother... You should take Jingnian as your disciple instead. I am old... It wouldn't be good for the reputation of a great master if I were to mislead you... Opportunities should be left for the young..."
The smile on Li Xiaonan's lips widened. This decision had been pondered for quite some time. What is cultivation about? It's about the body and the realm. Indeed, a seventy-year-old's body isn't much to speak of, but who is he? The grandson of Mei Qingdan. As long as he is willing, this flickering candle in the wind can still burn brightly. With enough speed in cultivation, shedding this frail body would only be a matter of time.
Thus, as long as one has time, perseverance, and opportunity, cultivating the body is not difficult at all. The real challenge in cultivation lies in one's mindset. How much can a person experience in their limited lifetime? Take life and death for example; how many can truly see through it? In simple terms, it's just that they haven't died yet. Once dead and having seen through it, what use is it if they can't come back to life?
Therefore, just the experience of Qing Yu Year's death and rebirth was enough to give him an advantage over others.
During his time in the Underworld, Li Xiaonan had taught Qing Yu Year the initial chapter of Swallowing Heaven Avenue. He knew what kind of foundation Qing Yu Year had; he was indeed suitable for cultivation. Looking at Qingjing Year again—though young—he was too burdened by his obsessions and focused on governance. How could one expect him to be a good disciple?
After considering all this, Li Xiaonan wouldn't voice it out loud. He smiled slightly and said, "Opportunities come only once, Qing Yu Year. Will you accept or not?"
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