"We didn't have children before, not because we didn't want them."
"Is it because of your body?" Yu Huilan immediately asked.
"Uh... why would you say that? Couldn't it be that Jinxiu has a problem?" Liu Nanfeng was speechless.
"Because Jinxiu looks like a girl with a very good upbringing, and you, back then, were out all day and never home. How could we know if you were messing around outside?"
"When was I ever out all day and never home?"
"After graduating from high school."
"That was a trip. Didn't I tell you?"
"A trip? Then why did you insist on going alone? I offered to go with you, and you refused."
Good heavens, all these years have passed, but this issue still hasn't been resolved. They've been waiting for this.
"I've told you countless times, it's because I wanted independence and didn't want to do anything with you both."
"You just grew wings and wanted to fly."
Just as Liu Nanfeng was about to retort, Liu Zonghe interrupted him.
"Alright, let's not talk about this for now. Nanfeng, tell us, what is the reason?"
"Do you believe in immortals?" Liu Nanfeng asked.
"Yes," Liu Zonghe said.
"No," Yu Huilan said.
Since the incident with Liu Yuancai, Liu Zonghe had become convinced of the existence of ghosts and spirits.
Liu Nanfeng didn't say anything. He turned and pulled a handful of weeds from the vegetable patch in the yard.
Then he pulled one out and showed it to them. "This is an ordinary weed."
The couple didn't know what he was doing, but they nodded.
At that moment, Liu Nanfeng's eyes suddenly emitted golden light. Countless halos unfolded layer by layer in the air, with countless runes flowing upon them, solemn and sacred.
Then, Liu Nanfeng gently tapped the weed with his finger. The weed in his hand grew wildly, instantly reaching over a meter long. The couple was so shocked they couldn't close their mouths.
Next, the circles in the air retracted layer by layer, finally disappearing into Liu Nanfeng's eyes. His eyes then returned to their original color.
Liu Nanfeng handed the meter-long weed to the couple.
"Look," Liu Nanfeng said with a smile.
"Gulp."
Liu Zonghe swallowed and then looked down at the weed in his hand.
He reached out to touch it, pinched it, and then smoothed it forward and backward, confirming it wasn't spliced but truly a single plant.
"Is this magic?" Yu Huilan asked, having recovered from her shock.
Her expression was one of disbelief.
"No, this is sorcery."
As Liu Nanfeng spoke, he picked up a weed from the ground. The tip of the weed suddenly bloomed with a flower.
"Huh?"
The couple was very surprised. They were most familiar with this ordinary weed and knew that it didn't produce flowers.
Yu Huilan curiously took it, touched it, and brought it to her nose to smell. A faint fragrance wafted towards her, and it didn't look fake at all.
"The reason I came back today is related to this."
By now, Liu Zonghe and his wife were starting to believe, so they waited for Liu Nanfeng to continue with serious expressions.
"The Su sisters are not ordinary people. They have cultivated for many years and possess powerful magic. But I am an ordinary person, so I couldn't make Jinxiu pregnant. Even though I have started cultivating, it has been too short a time to catch up to her."
"Why not?" Liu Zonghe asked, somewhat confused.
"Perhaps one is too strong and the other too weak," Yu Huilan said.
"It's more or less like that."
"More or less like that, which is why we haven't had children all these years," Liu Nanfeng added.
"Then how come you have one now? Have you become more powerful?" Yu Huilan asked impatiently.
"Actually, besides me becoming more powerful, there's another way, which is to take the Pregnant Mother Grass. By consuming this herb, one can suppress their own strength and become an ordinary person, making it easier to conceive. However, this herb is extremely rare. Jinxiu has been searching for it all these years, and recently she finally obtained a stalk, so..."
"That's good, that's good..."
Yu Huilan's face lit up with joy. As long as there was a child, that was all that mattered, regardless of the process.
However, Liu Zonghe expressed a different perspective.
"You say Jinxiu is beautiful, comes from a good family, and is a cultivator. Why did she fall for you?"
In fact, Liu Zonghe was still somewhat uneasy, mainly because the gap was too large. He couldn't imagine any reason why Su Jinxiu would fall for his son.
"Am I that bad?" Liu Nanfeng asked, speechless.
The couple nodded in unison.
"Alright, I've actually asked myself that question too."
Then, under their expectant gazes, he said, "Because Jinxiu and I have a past-life affinity."
"What does that mean?" Liu Zonghe was still confused.
"It means destiny is predetermined. Heaven is the ultimate authority."
"I know, I know! It's like the relationship between Madam White Snake and Xu Xian, right?" Yu Huilan said excitedly.
She had been obsessed with the Legend of the White Snake for a long time back then.
"You can understand it that way."
With that explanation, Liu Zonghe finally understood.
"Fortunately, they are still human. Otherwise, I would have been truly worried that this foolish son would be devoured in one bite," Liu Zonghe said with emotion.
Liu Nanfeng: ...
It was a good thing he hadn't directly revealed the identity of the Su sisters. Both a Bone Demon and a Painted Skin were not well-regarded in ancient myths.
As for calling them celestial maidens earlier, Liu Nanfeng thought it might be too much for Liu Zonghe and his wife to accept. Calling them cultivators, despite the disparity, still kept them within the realm of humans.
"No wonder Jinxiu's skin is good and her figure is great, and she hasn't changed over the years. So she's a cultivator. But is cultivation very difficult?" Yu Huilan asked with some eagerness.
Anyone who heard of this matter would be tempted; it was not surprising.
"It's not difficult, and it's not easy either. It all depends on talent," Liu Nanfeng said.
He wasn't lying. Although cultivation wasn't like novels described, requiring spirit roots or the like, it still had certain requirements for talent.
Not everyone could cultivate, which was not surprising. Some people were naturally sensitive to colors and suited for art, while others were naturally sensitive to sounds and suited for music. Often, if you were born with it, you had it; if not, you didn't.
It's not always about effort; that's the unfairness of it all.
Before Yu Huilan could ask again, Liu Nanfeng added, "Your talents aren't very good, but I can teach you some techniques to draw in Qi. Although you might not achieve much, it will definitely help you prolong your life."
This question had actually been asked by Liu Nanfeng to Su Jinxiu before, and Su Jinxiu had told him this.
"That's enough. Teach us when you have time," Liu Zonghe said. However, he couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.
Who wouldn't want to enjoy a leisurely life, witnessing the morning sun, gazing at the vast sea at noon, and soaring through the heavens at night, even if they couldn't become immortals or ancestors?
"Son, how much have you learned? Can you show us?" Yu Huilan asked curiously.
"This is what I'm going to tell you next."
As Liu Nanfeng spoke, he summoned Guanshanhai. With a wave, the couple vanished into thin air outside the house.