Chapter 417: Chapter 374, Li Er
Bai Jin grumbled, "Eat slower, young lady. You should be graceful. With the way you’re eating right now, anyone would think I’ve been mistreating you!"
Gu Liang shook her two little buns atop her head and giggled, "Heehee~ Elder Brother is the best to us.
By the way, Elder Brother, have you heard? A lot of Great Powers have reincarnated, saying they want to preach and earn Merit. Do we need to go down to the Lower Realm as well?"
Bai Jin spoke leisurely, "Going down to preach isn’t that simple. Those capable of preaching the Tao must be Great Powers who have found their own path. I, your Elder Brother, don’t even know where the Tao lies for me. What Tao would I preach? Even if I did preach, the Heavenly Dao wouldn’t recognize it."
"Ah~ What should we do then? Are we going to miss out on this great opportunity to earn Merit?" Gu Liang looked disappointed, her little hand reaching for another plate.
Bai Jin said in an unhurried manner, "I’m not in a hurry, so why are you?"
Gu Liang puffed up her cheeks and said, "Elder Brother, I’m worried for you." She grabbed a Flat Peach.
Bai Jin chuckled, "Of course I have my plans. Let them go first to develop and pioneer. Then I, Elder Brother, will go down to the Lower Realm and mooch off their Merit."
Gu Liang asked, puzzled, "Mooch off Merit? How?"
"Cough cough~ My bad, I misspoke. I meant to say ’help’ them."
"Elder Brother, the ones going down to preach are Saints and Quasi-Saint Great Powers. What help can we offer them?"
"You’ll find out when the time comes."
Half a month later, Bai Jin left the Heavenly Court. Transforming into a beam of white light, he descended from the Heavenly Court toward the Lower Realm.
...
In Spring and Autumn Chen State, on a hillside in Yuanlu Town, young Li Er sat cross-legged under a large tree, holding a brush in one hand and a book in the other. He was writing and drawing, occasionally glancing into the distance.
Beside him sat two young men, one with a round chubby face and the other simple and honest. They glanced at each other with a lack of solemnity.
"Brother Li Er, it’s time to eat~"
As the crisp voice rang out, a pretty young girl dressed in grey linen clothes approached quickly, carrying a basket on her arm.
Without thinking, Bai Jin glanced over at Eldest Uncle’s incarnation, feeling a strange emotion within. Could it be Eldest Uncle was really initiating a romance trial?
Li Er calmly put down his book, looking at the girl who approached with warmth.
The girl trotted playfully over, placed the basket in front of Li Er, and took out some dishes, chuckling, "Brother Dan, I picked some mushrooms in the mountains today and found a dead wild rabbit. I’ve made your favorite braised rabbit meat."
Li Er smiled and replied, "Thank you, Xi Yu."
"Brother Dan, if you keep being so polite, I’ll get angry!"
Xi Yu handed Li Er a pair of chopsticks, still smiling and said, "Brother Dan, eat while it’s hot."
Li Er nodded, took the bowl and chopsticks, and began to eat, savoring each bite.
Next to him, Bai Jin put on a wretched expression and said, "Uh, Sister Xiyu, we haven’t eaten either!"
Tu Shan Xiyu took out two large pancakes from the basket and handed them to Bai Jin, apologetically saying, "When I was coming here, I met a very pitiful bald man who begged off the food I had prepared for you."
Bai Jin took the pancake, smiling, "This is very nice, thank you Sister Xiyu!"
The chubby-faced Duo Bao impassively said, "I am not hungry."
Tu Shan Xiyu promptly put the other pancake back in the basket without any intention of persuading further.
Bai Jin bit into his pancake and gave a thumbs-up in admiration, "Sister Xiyu, your cooking skills are excellent. I feel like I’m tasting the sweet and sour of affection. Putting emotions into the food, even the culinary gods of the Heavenly Court can’t do better."
Tu Shan Xiyu blushed a bit and said, "It’s not as good as you say." She looked at the remaining braised rabbit meat, hesitated, and then said, "There’s still too much braised rabbit meat here that Li Er can’t finish. You have some too!"
"Thank you, Sister Xiyu. You’re not only beautiful but also kind-hearted," said Bai Jin as he unabashedly moved in to join the meal.
Tu Shan Xiyu smiled and handed him a set of chopsticks.
While Bai Jin and Li Er were eating, Tu Shan Xiyu squatted by their side, watching Li Er without diverting her gaze.
Duobao sat dryly beside them, watching the two enjoy their meal. It really seemed delicious!
After a moment, Li Er put down the food and, smiling at Tu Shan Xiyu, said: "I plan to leave."
Tu Shan Xiyu was stunned and asked uncertainly, "Leave? Where are you going?"
"Walking around and looking around, to perfect my book."
Tu Shan Xiyu said excitedly: "Great! I also want to roam about. Let’s travel the mountains and forests together."
Li Er shook his head slightly and said, "No! I must follow my own path, without distraction."
Tu Shan Xiyu was stunned, staring blankly at Li Er. He was going to leave me behind.
"Cough cough～" Bai Jin coughed twice.
Tu Shan Xiyu snapped back to reality and said anxiously, "But where should I go to find you?"
"There’s no need to deliberately search for me. If we are destined, we will naturally meet again."
Li Er stood up, and Bai Jin and Duobao also got up. The three of them walked forward into the sunset.
Tu Shan Xiyu stood on the hillside, biting her lip, her eyes reddening, and called out loudly, "Li Er, I will definitely go looking for you, and I will surely find you."
Li Er stopped in his tracks, bent down to pick up a stick from the ground, and casually planted it in the earth, saying, "If this dead wood sprouts and grows, it means that in this life, we are meant to meet."
Tu Shan Xiyu showed a radiant smile and said happily, "You can’t go back on your word!"
Li Er turned around to look at Tu Shan Xiyu and said with a faint smile, "I never break my promises."
Tu Shan Xiyu clenched her little fists, showed two little tiger teeth, and said with a smile, "I will definitely make it sprout and grow, and then I will take it to find you."
Li Er, accompanied by Bai Jin and Duobao, left against the evening glow, soon disappearing at the road’s turning corner.
Bai Jin glanced at Li Er and whispered, "Master, Miss Tu Shan Xiyu is no ordinary person. What if she really does revive the dead wood?"
Li Er calmly said, "Heaven and Earth have their laws; life and death are irreversible. That is the Tao!"
Bai Jin was speechless. You could just have said you played a trick on the dead wood, right? "Life and death are irreversible," but in reality, you simply never intended to give her a chance, you heartbreaker!
Li Er furrowed his brows at Bai Jin, saying, "What are you thinking?"
Bai Jin subconsciously said, "Disciple is pondering over your words, Master. They make a great deal of sense."
With a clap of his hands, a Big Horned Bull pulling a horse carriage ran from a distance, stopping before the three of them.
Bai Jin respectfully said, "Master, this is the horse carriage I have prepared for you."
Li Er said with satisfaction, "Very good, you are considerate." He stepped into the carriage.
Duobao curled his lip alongside them, the sycophant.
Bai Jin turned to Duobao and said with a grin, "Eldest brother, the trouble of leading the bull falls to you!"
Duobao frowned and said, "Me lead the bull? What will you be doing?"
"Of course, I will be making tea for Master." Bai Jin grabbed the carriage shaft, gave a slight pull, and climbed onto the carriage, slipping inside.
Duobao stood there, torn between options; to lead the bull or to lead the bull! Damn it, Bai Jin, how did you get up there so fast?!
Li Er’s voice came from inside the carriage: "Come on, Duobao!"
"Yes!" Duobao responded helplessly, moved forward to take the bull’s reins, and started walking slowly ahead.
...
Back on the hill, Tu Shan Xiyu leapt up, landed in front of the stick, and said proudly: "Is bringing Dead Wood Spring to life that hard? It’s nothing—if I so choose, not to mention sprouting, growing into a towering tree in an instant is easy. Brother Li Er, you can’t run away from me."
As she spoke, her lustrous black hair wrapped in cloth unraveled and fell, and her ears grew upward into a pair of fluffy fox ears, revealing her true identity as a Fox Demon.