Druid Fairy

Chapter 53 Five Years
Spring Festival.

One year old is eliminated amidst the sound of firecrackers.

At this time, firecrackers were made by using bamboo as a container, and then igniting an explosive material, which would then explode into the sky with a "bang".

Rich people enjoy the noise, while poor people enjoy the noise from other people's houses. There's also a comparison of whose firecrackers fly the highest; the higher the firecrackers fly, the more prosperous that family will be that year.

Neither of them would admit that their firecrackers were inferior; it was either "You're blind" or "You're talking nonsense," and they engaged in a heated debate.

The children, bundled up in thick clothes, watched with a mixture of fear and excitement as people set off firecrackers. They then wandered from house to house, and if they happened to find a piece of rice cake or a meatball, they would jump for joy. They would then call out to their friends to watch the opera troupe that the old village chief had funded.

The graceful actors, with their ethereal movements, transformed into immortals, captivating the villagers who applauded and fantasized about what it would be like to be an immortal themselves.

There are also traditional operas such as lion dance and fire-lighting.

In fact, if Li Qian hadn't become an immortal and the news hadn't spread throughout the streets and alleys, these opera singers wouldn't have been willing to go to the mountains to perform operas. They were just seeking the "immortal aura" now.

At this time of year, the New Year has a strong "New Year's flavor," which Li Pingcan likes very much. While helping Qin Shi pick vegetables and chop meat, he enjoys the crispy dried fish that his mother just fried.

Mmm, crispy and fragrant, so delicious!

He gave her a thumbs up, and Qin covered her mouth and laughed happily, not forgetting to feed her husband a bite while she was busy.

We should share the good times!
When evening came, there was another large table of dishes, so many that Li Pingcan was overwhelmed with food. Even though he had "sneaked" a bite and was full, he was now hungry again.

Mandarin fish, pork hock, pork knuckle, sliced ​​lamb leg, mushroom soup... a very sumptuous meal.

With the two hundred taels of private money they had taken from killing Wang Li, plus the one hundred taels given by Li Fang, the family's finances became increasingly comfortable.

"Father, let me toast you."

"Brother, I'd like to toast you too."

"Second brother..."

Li Ping'an laughed and said, "Little brother, you only take a small sip when you toast someone, but you make them drink it all. You're too cunning, aren't you?"

"So, are you going to drink it or not? Second Brother, are you scared?"

"Drink." Li Ping'an downed the drink in one gulp. He had a high alcohol tolerance and didn't blush even after drinking a lot; he was still full of energy.

After drinking and eating, the family gathered around the stove to stay up all night. Li Rongzhou and Qin Shi talked about how they met and fell in love, the joy of their wedding, and the dangers of fleeing famine.

As he spoke, Li Pingcan seemed to see those past scenes through the warm orange light.

"Our family started from scratch," Li Rongzhou said with a smile. "I hope the family will prosper more and more."

"Dad, don't worry, things will definitely get better."

Li Pingcan poked at the firewood in the stove, and the flames burned even more fiercely.

…………

The Lunar New Year is relaxing, but things get busy again right afterward.

Li Pingcan studied the "Mysterious Record of Blessed Heaven Spirits" and successfully intercepted spiritual energy. Using this spiritual energy was equivalent to taking a "blue bottle," allowing him to unleash more than forty skills at once without harming his own essence, energy, and spirit.

In other words, you won't feel tired when using skills in the future.

Of course, the intercepted spiritual energy can only be preserved for about three days before it needs to be used again, otherwise it will slowly dissipate.

This method is actually somewhat similar to a formation. The "vessels" representing the five elements, such as a tree branch or a handful of water, are placed in the correct positions to artificially create a small "auspicious site" that allows spiritual energy to actively enter the vessel.

"If you replace the branches with better materials and arrange them in the five elements, this is a spirit-gathering formation."

"Reversing the orientation of the materials creates the Hidden Spirit Array."

However, this is not something Li Pingcan can consider right now. He has no way to obtain high-end materials, and besides, without cultivating immortality, gathering spiritual energy is not very useful for ordinary people.

Of course, leveling up skill proficiency is still a good option.

He tirelessly refreshed his skills, wanting to quickly max out [Magic Stone], [Clay Shaping], and [Repair].

…………

After the New Year, Xie Yuan turned seven. As usual, Qin Shi prayed for a divine talisman, while Li Rongzhou sought an auspicious day to test Xie Yuan's spiritual roots.

The atmosphere at home was tense amidst the busy activity. Xie Yuan noticed this and looked rather listless.

At night, Li Pingcan was sleeping soundly when suddenly a crow cawed strangely, and he abruptly opened his eyes.

A small figure pushed open the door and quietly crawled into Li Pingcan's bed in the darkness.

"Yuanyuan?" Li Pingcan subconsciously reached out to support Xie Yuan, but touched his hand and found it covered in tears. He exclaimed in surprise, "Why are you crying?"

"Brother Can, Qianqian doesn't want me anymore, don't you guys want me either?"

Xie Yuan sobbed softly, not daring to cry loudly for fear of disturbing others. "Yuan Yuan, can we not test your spiritual root?"

Li Pingcan sighed slightly and immediately understood Xie Yuan's thoughts. She had been separated from her family since childhood, which made her feel very insecure. Cultivating immortality was a completely unfamiliar and frightening environment for her.

"How could that be? Sister Li Qian has gone off to enjoy the bliss of immortality."

Li Pingcan reassured him, "If you have spiritual roots and do not wish to cultivate immortality, you can stay in the Li family."

There are precedents for this.

Xie Yuan is still young and may be afraid now, but if she gives up the opportunity to improve herself because of this fear, she may regret it when she grows up and understands everything.

It's better to test it first.

"Really?"

"really."

Li Pingcan used a handkerchief to wipe Xie Yuan's face and comforted her for a while before she finally fell into a deep sleep.

……

The results of the spiritual root test came out quickly.

Xie Yuan does not possess the beauty of an immortal.

The Li family members walked much quieter, afraid of upsetting Xie Yuan. In fact, Xie Yuan breathed a sigh of relief, felt very happy, and relaxed.

What is honey to one is poison to another.

Seeing this, Li Pingcan smiled and shook his head, recalling the scene of Xie Yuan testing her spiritual roots, and fell into deep thought.

The reason was simple: Xie Yuan's test of her spiritual root showed the same unusual phenomenon as his, with the jade stone flashing with spiritual light in the "wood" attribute.

This indicates that Xie Yuan has an extremely high sensitivity to the wood element, but her five elements are incomplete.

For ordinary mortals, jade does not react at all.

Speaking of spiritual roots.

"I wonder how Li Qian is doing."

Li Pingcan thought of that innocent little girl and hoped that everything would go well for her.

Perhaps it was because of Li Qian that he felt an increasing sense of urgency about time, so he worked even harder to plant and develop trees, study the combination of various skills, and comprehend the nature of heaven and earth.

…………

Time slips away in a blur, babbling brook.

That year, Li Pingfu successfully broke through to the "Bone Realm" and made a name for himself in Pantao Town.

That year, Li Pingcan also broke through to the "Flesh Realm" and continued to develop in a low-key and steady manner, planting more and more trees on the mountain, covering the entire mountainside.

Two years later, Li Pingfu broke through to the "Qi and Blood Warrior" level, and the martial arts school owner became even more enthusiastic in recruiting him. At the same time, he fought in underground boxing matches, earning money and the reputation of "Overlord Tiger".

Two years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Li Pingfu was at the peak of his Qi and blood, on par with Zhou Enxian. His illustrious reputation allowed him to gather a large group of good brothers, and he walked with an air of authority.

In the same year, Li Ping'an successfully passed the imperial examination and became the youngest person to achieve this honor.

The Li family's status rose steadily, with each generation producing outstanding individuals and the family flourishing.

(End of this chapter)