vrcanaries Chapter 44 Cultivation
Chapter 44 Cultivation
Filled with excitement and emotion, Xu Xiaoxiao ran all the way to her master's residence.
Before even entering the gate, one could see the eldest senior brother Jiang Jingzhi and the second senior brother Mu Zhusheng sparring in the courtyard, their sword energy surging and their spiritual power overflowing.
She composed herself, slowly stepped inside, and called out, "Master, Eldest Brother, Second Brother, I'm back!"
Li Changchun strolled out of the house, his gaze gentle yet expectant: "Xiaoxiao, seeing how happy you are, you must have gained a lot. Tell your teacher about it."
Xu Xiaoxiao's eyes were slightly red. She first bowed and then slowly recounted, "Master, this trial was too dangerous! As soon as we entered the secret realm, the dense spiritual energy made it hard to breathe. Strange noises would occasionally come from the shadows, and the vines around our feet seemed to come alive, able to wrap around us and trap us."
As he spoke, he unconsciously shivered.
Jiang Jingzhi sheathed his sword, strode over, and gently patted her shoulder: "Junior Sister, it's good that you escaped unharmed. Did you encounter any more difficulties afterward?"
Xu Xiaoxiao nodded emphatically: "When we encountered the giant python formed from spiritual energy, its attacks were fierce and intense. My disciple barely managed to escape with tattered clothes and bruised arms after dodging the attacks."
She thought finding the spiritual plant would be a turning point, but who knew that Senior Sister Yuan would suddenly come and snatch it away..." At this point, she clenched her fists, her face full of grievance.
Mu Zhusheng frowned and said angrily, "What kind of senior sister is this, being so unreasonable! Junior sister, you didn't suffer any loss, did you?"
Xu Xiaoxiao waved her hand: "Thanks to the fact that I later fell into the cave with Senior Sister Yuan and went through thick and thin together, we put aside our differences and joined hands to fight the enemy. The cave was full of dangers, beetles, leeches, rolling boulders, and spiritual vines, one wave after another."
When the conversation turned to the dangerous parts, Li Changchun frowned slightly, his eyes filled with worry.
Xu Xiaoxiao took a deep breath and continued, "After finally escaping the cave, I fell into the spiritual energy swamp and was almost swallowed up. Fortunately, Senior Sister Yuan pulled me out."
Immediately following were three vicious wolves, a spiritual tornado, and a vortex; my disciple thought he was going to die in the secret realm.
Her voice trembled slightly. Li Changchun raised his hand and gently stroked her head, comforting her, "You've suffered, girl. But you can only grow through hardship."
Jiang Jingzhi said with a face full of relief: "But Junior Sister managed to pull through and even returned with a full load of spiritual treasures. She must have found a way to escape. She's become much more resourceful and decisive!"
Xu Xiaoxiao scratched her head sheepishly: "It was Senior Sister Yuan and I who looked after each other. In our desperate situation, we saw light under the boulder, moved it aside, and found the exit. We stumbled into the Spirit Plant Garden, which is how we made our harvest."
Mu Zhusheng grinned and said, "Junior Sister, you seized this opportunity brilliantly! Your strength will surely increase significantly in the future."
Xu Xiaoxiao took out the jade slip and pills awarded by the sect and handed them to her master: "Master, this is an opportunity bestowed by the sect. I dare not keep it to myself. I hope you will take a look."
Li Changchun smiled and pushed it back: "The sect gave it to you to help you cultivate. Keep it safe and don't let them down. I am very pleased to see your growth. If you encounter any difficulties in your cultivation in the future, come to me anytime."
Xu Xiaoxiao's eyes welled up with tears, her heart warmed, and she secretly vowed: My master and senior brother love me so much, I will definitely cultivate diligently in the future, shine brightly in the sect, and protect those around me.
Xu Xiaoxiao carefully put away the jade slip and pills, and nodded emphatically: "Disciple will certainly live up to Master's expectations!" After saying that, she looked up at her fellow disciples, her eyes full of determination.
Jiang Jingzhi spoke first, his eyes smiling: "Junior Sister, you've gained courage during this experience. In the future, your senior brother will accompany you to practice more and solidify your combat skills."
He thought to himself that his junior sister had great potential. With more training, she would surely become a pillar of the sect in the future, so he should pay more attention to her.
Xu Xiaoxiao readily agreed: "Thank you, Senior Brother! With your guidance, I'm sure I'll make rapid progress."
She secretly hoped that she could catch up with her senior brother's skills as soon as possible, so that she would have more confidence when encountering danger in the future.
Not to be outdone, Mu Zhusheng patted his chest and assured her, "I'm here for you too! Junior Sister, if you encounter any tricky spiritual plants or strange problems with the use of spiritual power, just come to Second Senior Brother."
He thought to himself that his junior sister had a good talent for spiritual plants, and he was an expert in this field. Helping her would surely save her from taking detours.
Li Changchun was very satisfied with the harmonious demeanor of his disciples: "From now on, you should support each other and make progress together. Xiaoxiao, you should go back and recuperate properly. Don't rush into cultivation these next few days. Wait until your energy is restored before making any plans."
Xu Xiaoxiao obediently agreed, and before leaving, she bowed to everyone again before turning to leave.
Along the way, she was filled with emotion, clenched her fists and made a silent vow: from now on, she would work hand in hand with her senior brothers to protect the sect and never let her master worry!
Upon returning to her residence, Xu Xiaoxiao first tidied up her spirit objects, and then helped pack her clothes on the first and second days of the lunar new year. She then quietly began to plan her future cultivation journey.
Still mindful of his master's expectations and his senior brother's encouragement, he secretly vowed to recover as soon as possible and devote himself to cultivation.
Before she could even catch her breath, Senior Sister Yuan's clear voice came from outside: "Xiaoxiao, are you there?"
Xu Xiaoxiao opened the door and was met with Senior Sister Yuan's concerned gaze. Senior Sister Yuan pulled her left and right, looking her over with remorse: "Xiaoxiao, I was wrong in the cave before. Thanks to your magnanimity, I will definitely protect you from now on."
Xu Xiaoxiao's eyes welled up with tears, her heart filled with gratitude. She said repeatedly, "Senior Sister Yuan, it's all in the past. Thanks to you, I was able to seize the opportunity and escape unscathed."
Xu Xiaoxiao rummaged through boxes and cabinets, arranging the spiritual items she had brought out from the secret realm one by one on the table, her gaze finally settling on a spiritual plant.
The spiritual plant has leaves that are a deep blue with veins that shimmer with a faint light. It is a holy medicine for healing called "Spiritual Blue Essence". She risked her life to protect it back then, but now she picked it up without hesitation.
Reaching Yuan Mengyao, Xu Xiaoxiao handed over the spiritual plant, her hands trembling slightly, her face full of sincerity: "Senior Sister Yuan, here's the 'Spirit Blue Essence' for you. If it weren't for you pulling me out of the spiritual swamp in the secret realm, I'm afraid I would have lost my life long ago and wouldn't have gotten any opportunities."
She silently prayed that Senior Sister Yuan wouldn't find it offensive.
Yuan Mengyao's eyes widened, and she instinctively tried to refuse: "This is too precious. You helped me a lot in the secret realm, how can I accept it!"
Xu Xiaoxiao waved her hands anxiously, her eyes reddening: "Senior Sister Yuan, it's different. I was in despair at the moment in the swamp, but you reached out and pulled me back. I can't rest easy if you don't take me back."
Seeing her like this, Yuan Mengyao hesitated before accepting the plant, gently stroking it, and said with emotion, "Alright, Senior Sister will accept it. If you ever encounter trouble in the future, just call me and I'll go through fire and water for you!"
Xu Xiaoxiao stopped crying and smiled, nodding emphatically. A huge weight was lifted from her heart. She thought to herself that she would definitely stand with Senior Sister Yuan from now on, and this bond could not be broken.
As the two were talking, their senior brother Jiang Jingzhi strolled over, holding a martial arts manual in his hand. Seeing that the two of them seemed to be on good terms, he smiled slightly and said, "Perfect timing. This manual is suitable for junior sister's current skill level and can help you stabilize your spiritual power."
Xu Xiaoxiao accepted the gift with both hands, feeling warm and grateful. She thought to herself that her senior brother was so thoughtful in everything he did, and she must not slack off.
Mu Zhusheng arrived shortly after, shaking the porcelain bottle in her hand: "Junior Sister, this is a specially made healing medicine to help you recover quickly so we can explore the new secret realm together."
With tears welling up in her eyes, Xu Xiaoxiao accepted the gift, secretly encouraging herself to recover quickly so she could fight alongside her senior brothers and sisters.
At night, Xu Xiaoxiao sat alone by the window, caressing the manual and medicine bottle, gazing at the bright moon and murmuring to herself: "My master, senior brother, and senior sister Yuan have treated me so well. I must cultivate diligently, fear no hardship, become the pride of the sect, and protect everyone."
The moonlight spilled onto the windowsill, seemingly reflecting her bright future.