Druid Fairy

Chapter 114 Visitors to the Emerald Dream

The Druid monastery is a place of continuous life and natural peace.

The villagers of Peach Blossom Village felt that the village's situation had been getting better and better in the past two years. The crops in the fields grew more robustly than those elsewhere, and the livestock at home were all fat and strong, rarely getting sick.

Even the old village chief, who was bedridden, felt increasingly healthy, and his minor ailments had decreased significantly.

The entire village was enveloped in a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere.

Of course, the first to benefit were the members of the Li family.

Under the "protection of nature," both Li Rongzhou and his wife, as well as Li Pingfu and Li Pingan, felt light and healthy, full of energy, and even their efficiency in cultivating "Tree Breath" improved significantly.

Inside the Li family mansion, joyous occasions continued to unfold.

On this day, Jiang Ling'er, the eldest sister-in-law, gave birth to a baby boy after ten months of pregnancy.

The moment the child was born, Li Pingcan, who was meditating in the backyard, sensed something and suddenly opened his eyes.

He could clearly feel a pure and intimate life force rising from the other end of the courtyard. That force carried a natural resonance with this world and with his "Emerald Dream."

He rushed over immediately, just in time to see Li Pingfu carrying a swaddled baby with a joyful expression, carefully walking out.

"Little brother, look! This is my youngest son!" Li Pingfu laughed heartily, his voice filled with the joy of being a father.

Li Pingcan went closer and saw the tiny baby. Although the baby was wrinkled, he found his nephew rather cute, perhaps because of the bloodline connection.

"A large and prosperous family is a joyous occasion." Li Rongzhou smiled as he named his grandson, "Let's call him Li Yuanxi!"

Li Yuanxi, the third child of the young first generation of the Li family!
In recent years, the eldest sister-in-law Jiang Ling'er and the second sister-in-law Mu Wanqiu have successively given birth to children for the Li family.

The second brother, Li Ping'an, had a daughter two years ago during a confrontation with a cult. She was named Li Nianhe and is now over two years old.

The eldest brother, Li Pingfu, has just had his youngest son named Li Yuanxi, while his eldest grandson, Li Yuanhu, is now five years old.

"Let me see! Let me see!" Li Yuanhu's chubby hands tugged at his father's trouser leg.

Li Pingcan laughed and picked up the chubby-faced Li Yuanhu. Li Yuanhu stared at his younger brother with a big question mark on his small head. After a long while, he frowned and said, "My brother is so ugly. He looks like a little monkey. He doesn't look like me at all."

Children's innocent remarks caused everyone to burst into laughter.

Perhaps knowing that it was being mocked, the baby wrinkled its face and kicked its feet forcefully in dissatisfaction.

Li Pingfu was not surprised but delighted. "This kid seems to be a martial arts talent!" His eldest son, Li Yuanhu, was naturally strong, but he didn't expect his youngest son to be just as strong.

"Who told my eldest brother to be a martial arts prodigy?"

Li Pingcan smiled and took out a pre-prepared amulet from his pocket, gently hanging it around the baby's neck while casting the [Natural Grace] spell.

A soft green light emanated from the baby and merged into its body.

He offered his sincere blessing: "May my Li family descendants be free from illness and disaster, and have a smooth life."

…………

That night, red candles dripped tears, light gauze swayed, and a woman's soft voice rang out.

afterwards.

Li Pingcan got out of bed. He hadn't planned to be here today, but Xie Yuan was unusually enthusiastic and captivating.

He knew about Xie Yuan's inner conflict.

Two years into their marriage, she still hadn't conceived, and seeing her sister-in-law give birth one after another, she was probably getting anxious.

Li Pingcan had long known that it was difficult for cultivators to have offspring, but he never expected that it would be so difficult at the mere Qi Refining Level 3. It was truly unexpected.

Could it be because of the combined efforts of druids and cultivators?

"The time for a child hasn't come yet, there's no need to rush," Li Pingcan comforted his wife, sensing her sadness in his arms.

Xie Yuan forced a smile and said, "I know, husband, don't worry about me." She had taken all the medicine she was supposed to take and prayed to all the gods she was supposed to pray to over the years, but it still didn't work. You can imagine the psychological pressure she was under.

Li Pingcan offered a few more words of advice, and seeing that Xie Yuan was only depressed and physically fine, he went to the quiet room to meditate and cultivate himself.

Anxiety only leads to internal strife; only strength can make one invincible.

My mind sank into the druid's dojo in the Emerald Dream.

"what?"

Li Pingcan was surprised to see a green dot of light on the Heart of Nature in the center of the lake, dancing up and down like a firefly, creating a dreamlike scene.

He was greatly shocked, because although the Emerald Dream was almost identical to the real world, there were never any "living things" in it.

The green light before my eyes was full of vitality and a sense of kinship, making it feel strangely familiar, as if I had just seen it before...

"Could this be Li Yuanxi's spirit?"

After a moment of observation, Li Pingcan could not hide his astonishment. How did the soul of a newborn baby end up in the Emerald Dream?

Then you see a white lotus with two leaves supporting a green light, and under that care, the light spots visibly become denser.

"The power of the soul has increased?" Li Pingcan blinked, extremely surprised, afraid that he had seen wrong.

Unexpectedly, the Emerald Dream could enable the descendants of the Li family to cultivate their souls in the Daoist temple!

"They are all of the Li family bloodline, so why can't Li Yuanhu be one of them?"

Li Pingcan fell into deep thought, carefully sensing the green light, and discovered that Li Yuanxi's affinity with the "earth and water" attribute power was quite high, but Li Yuanhu was only naturally strong and did not have a strong affinity with the attribute.

Another point is age.

Li Yuanhu is already at an age where he is beginning to understand the ways of the world. Like a blank sheet of paper that is gradually being stained with ink, he is becoming less "pure." In contrast, a newborn baby is pure and innocent, and is more easily influenced by the dream of jade.

"Perhaps, as long as a child has high affinity with the attributes and possesses the 'spiritual root' aptitude, they can cultivate their divine soul in the Emerald Dream!"

This discovery is exciting; Li Pingcan has benefited from the power of his divine sense before. Leaving aside combat, even in developing the various arts of cultivation—whether it's talismans, formations, alchemy, or weapon crafting—divine sense plays a crucial role!
"Perhaps every future cultivator in my Li family will possess powerful divine sense and be proficient in cultivation techniques!"

…………

The next day.

The backyard of the Li family.

On a newly opened training ground.

Little Li Yuanhu was standing in a horse stance, his face flushed red, and he was shouting in a childish voice, "Hey! Ha! Third Uncle, see how awesome I am!"

As the eldest grandson of the first branch of the family, Li Yuanhu was pampered from a young age. He was fearless and dared to talk back to his father, Li Pingfu. He was definitely a little tyrant.

But for some reason, whenever I see my third uncle, I always subconsciously restrain my temper and really want to receive his praise.

Li Pingcan smiled and patted the child's head, observing him. Sure enough, the child had a weak affinity for others.

But this doesn't mean Li Yuanhu has no future.

Li Pingcan once sensed a unique and vigorous life energy in Sun Zheng, so he made an exception and allowed his elder brother to take him as a disciple at the martial arts school. Sun Zheng then displayed astonishing, even terrifying, martial arts talent. At only sixteen years old, he had already entered the Divine Fiend realm and was on track to become a Primordial Immortal!

It wasn't like his elder brother's reliance on martial arts talent and comprehension; it was more like a special physique, similar to a "dominant body."

Li Yuanhu also possesses a similar, but different, physique. Coupled with the "Five Spirits Play" that breaks through limits, he may well be able to challenge immortals with martial arts and become a body-tempering cultivator.

Li Pingcan cleared his throat, a mysterious smile appearing on his face.

"Tiger Cub, from today onwards, I have a special martial art. Would you like to learn it?"

"I want to!" Li Yuanhu's eyes sparkled. His third uncle was the best; even his father wouldn't let him learn martial arts!

"Then follow my instructions."

Lee Pyeongchan modified the first layer of "Tree Breathing" into a set of catchy nursery rhymes and simple, fun breathing games.

"Spring breeze blows, green buds grow, take a breath, and you'll grow tall..."

"Summer rain falls, lotus flowers bloom, exhale a breath, and all illnesses disappear..."

The innocent voices of children echoed across the training ground.

Li Yuanhu treated it as a fun game, unaware that his body was undergoing a subtle process of cleansing and strengthening, further enhanced by various gentle herbs. This laid a solid foundation for his future martial arts training.

Xie Yuan was embroidering absentmindedly, watching her husband interact with her nephew, when her fingertips were pricked by a sharp silver needle, and bright red blood seeped out, causing a fine stinging pain.

She was sucking on her finger, lost in thought.

The eldest sister-in-law, Jiang Ling'er, and the second sister-in-law, Mu Wanqiu, both bore children for the Li family, two sons and a daughter. Only her room remained quiet.

She was anxious, seeing that her two sisters-in-law were already mothers, enjoying the happiness of family life and spending their days with their grandchildren. Although she didn't say it, she couldn't hide the envy and loneliness deep in her eyes.

But for a woman, bearing children for the one she loves is her purest wish.

But she also knew that this couldn't be forced.

Xie Yuan could only bury this anxiety deep in her heart, be filial to her parents-in-law, be friendly to her sisters-in-law, and manage the backyard in an orderly manner so that her husband would not have any worries.

…………

Yunshui County.

Just then, a small auction was taking place. Li Pingcan changed into an ordinary blue cloth robe to conceal his presence and walked unhurriedly down the streets of Yunshui County.

When I arrived at a secluded alley in the west of the city, I was attracted by a loud argument and crying.

A thin, sallow-faced young man was snatching a purse from a young girl's arms with bloodshot eyes.

"Give it to me! Give me the money right now!"

The young man, acting like a madman, shouted, "This is the last round! I'm sure I can win it all back! When I win big, I'll take you out for the best!"

"No way! This is Qingqing's life-saving money for medical treatment!"

The girl was thin, but she held tightly to her money bag and a pale, shivering little girl.

"Brother! Wake up! You've already gambled away the ancestral home our parents left us, and now you're even trying to steal your sister's life-saving money?!"

"Bullshit! What life-saving money! That little bitch is a money-loser, the sooner she dies, the better!"

The young man, his secret exposed, became enraged and pushed Zhao Qingqing, who had run out to shield her sister, instead of shoving her.

The girl fell to the ground, her forehead hitting the bluestone slab, and blood appeared instantly.

The young man, however, didn't even look at it. He just gripped the money pouch tightly in his hand and turned to leave.

"stop!"

The girl's eyes were red, and she held a rusty longsword, blocking the young man's path.

Her hand holding the knife trembled, but she didn't flinch at all. "Zhao Lei! Do you have no humanity? You pushed Qingqing, she's sick!"

"Zhao Sisi! You're the one who's crazy! You dare point a knife at me? I'm your own brother!" Zhao Lei was stunned for a moment, then flew into a rage.

"I don't have a brother like you!" Tears welled up in Zhao Sisi's eyes, but her voice grew even more resolute. "This money is Qingqing's life! No one can take it away!"

"They've rebelled! They've really rebelled!"

Enraged, Zhao Lei's face hardened, and he reached out to snatch the knife from Zhao Sisi's hand.

"Let go of me!"

"I do not!"

The brother and sister started tearing at each other at the gate of the courtyard.

Li Pingcan watched this scene quietly. He recognized the girl as Zhao Sisi, a member of the Zhao family whom he had met once before.

Since the Zhao family was suppressed by Liang Xianguan and Zhou Shan, their once-prominent family collapsed overnight. Most of their experts were killed or wounded, and their assets were completely stripped away. They were reduced to a laughingstock in the eyes of others.

Now, this seemingly frail girl displays astonishing courage in protecting her younger sister, reminding Li Pingcan of his own past, when he too was cherished by his older brother in the same way.

Alas, this compassion.

Seeing Zhao Lei's fierce expression and impending attack, Li Pingcan stepped in without hesitation. He flicked his finger, and a pebble struck Zhao Lei's wrist with pinpoint accuracy.

"Ouch!"

Zhao Lei felt a piercing pain in his wrist and instinctively let go, crying out in pain.

He looked around in surprise and doubt, and when he saw Li Pingcan, his expression changed, and he became timid and hesitant, "Young Master Li... Third Young Master Li!"

In Yunshui County, everyone knows the names of Li Pingfu and Li Ping'an. This Third Young Master Li is someone they can't afford to offend!

Li Pingcan said indifferently, "Get lost."

Zhao Lei's smile froze, and his eyes widened.

Taking advantage of Zhao Lei's momentary daze, Zhao Sisi snatched the money bag back, clutching it tightly to her chest, and watching her brother warily.

Zhao Lei was both shocked and furious, but he knew he had no choice but to leave today. He glared at the two sisters and said a harsh word: "Fine! Zhao Sisi, you just wait!" Then he covered his wrist and slunk away.

"Qingqing, are you alright? Does it hurt?"

"Sister, it doesn't hurt, don't cry."

Seeing the two sisters huddled together for warmth, Li Pingcan felt a slight stirring in his heart.

He handed over the medicine bottle, his tone softening as he said, "This is medicine for injuries; it's not good for a girl to be disfigured."

Looking at his gentle smile, Zhao Sisi felt her wariness and unease dissipate considerably. She hesitated for a moment, then took the medicine bottle and whispered, "Thank you for your help, Young Master Li."

She opened the medicine bottle, carefully poured out some powder, and applied it to her younger sister Zhao Qingqing's forehead. The bleeding stopped instantly, and the originally swollen wound began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Zhao Qingqing touched her forehead in surprise, "Sister, it doesn't hurt anymore! This time it really doesn't hurt at all!"

Upon seeing this, Zhao Sisi was both surprised and delighted. This medicine was definitely extraordinary. She quickly pulled her sister and bowed gracefully to Li Pingcan, saying, "Young master, I have no way to repay your great kindness."

"It's alright." Li Pingcan waved his hand. "Meeting is fate."

Having gone all the way, seeing the two down-on-their-luck sisters, he took out another silver ingot and handed it to them, saying, "Take this silver for now, young lady. If your brother comes to harass you again, you can go to the Li Family Escort Agency and mention my name."

Zhao Sisi looked at the silver ingot and shook her head. "I appreciate your kindness, young master. But we can't accept this silver. I have hands and feet, and I can earn my own money to pay for Qingqing's medicine."

Seeing her like this, Li Pingcan stopped insisting, but his appreciation for her only grew stronger.

He nodded and turned to leave.

Zhao Sisi watched his departing figure, remaining silent for a long time, her heart filled with ripples of emotion.

…………

In the afternoon, a gentle breeze blew, and the aroma of tea wafted from the pavilion in the backyard of the Li family.

Xie Yuan was sitting opposite a richly dressed woman, Lei Yunyun, who had come to visit her.

She had long since married and become the mistress of the richest family in Pantao Town. The girlish naiveté had faded from her eyes, replaced by a mature and elegant charm.

"Yuanyuan, you're living a life more comfortable than a fairy."

Lei Yunyun picked up her teacup, took a sip, and looked at the children chasing and playing in the courtyard. "Look at you, you don't have to worry about those troublesome household chores. Your older brothers' children are all close to you. Unlike me, I have so many things to do at home, I'm always calculating and worrying myself sick."

Upon hearing this, Xie Yuan simply smiled gently and refilled her teacup. "Sister, you're too kind. Everyone knows how capable you are at managing the household and how well you run your husband's business. Everyone praises you for it."

Lei Yunyun waved her hand, a hint of reminiscence and relief flashing in her eyes. She was deeply moved by the life-saving grace.

"Back then, I really thought I couldn't live without him."

She chuckled softly, her tone devoid of any obsession, only a faint nostalgia for her youth, "Looking back now, I was so foolish. Someone like him is like a cloud in the sky, only to be admired from afar, not to be forced."

She now has a happy family and a respectful husband, and has long since let go of that unrealistic girlish sentiment.

Xie Yuan listened quietly, but the smile on her face faded slightly, and a hint of loneliness flashed across her face.

Yes, my husband is indeed like a cloud in the sky. He is wonderful, impeccably so to her and to everyone in this family. But precisely because he is so wonderful, almost celestial, she, his wife, often feels a distant sense of detachment.

Especially... for the past two years, her belly has remained completely flat.

Her two sisters-in-law had both given birth to children, but she alone had yet to receive any good news. This made her feel a heavy burden of pressure and guilt, even as she rejoiced at the growth of her family.

Yesterday, she heard about the Zhao sisters' situation from a maid. The kind-hearted "Li" who helped them was most likely her own third master, Li Pingcan. Her husband was always cold on the outside but warm on the inside, with a kind heart.

The young woman Zhao Sisi, who drew her knife to fend off her gambling brother in order to protect her younger sister, earned her even more respect and sympathy.

Xie Yuan's heart stirred slightly, and a thought quietly emerged.

She looked at Lei Yunyun and asked casually, "Sister Yunyun, do you think... all men hope that their families can have many children and grandchildren, and that their lineage can continue?"

(End of this chapter)