Longevity Candle

Chapter 6 I am the spirit in the green lamp
The imagined excruciating pain did not come; instead, I bumped into something soft, like a warm embrace.

Ayan was jolted awake and staggered backward.

She saw a young man, dressed in white, handsome as a star.

"You, you..." She pointed at the young man, wondering when and how he had appeared.

“This isn’t your fault, so why give in to that wicked woman’s wishes?” Jiang Zhu said, “You’re not afraid of death, so why are you afraid of me?”

"I, I..." Ayan opened her mouth, but was speechless for a moment.

“Your father is not dead. He only injured his leg. I gave him a bit of strength, so there will be no hidden dangers,” Jiang Zhu said.

"Thank you, thank you." Ayan bowed repeatedly. "What do you need? My life? I heard from the aunt next door that the evil god likes to eat children. I am a bit dirty, but I should taste good. I just beg you not to hurt my father."

Jiang Zhu sighed softly, "I am not an evil god, but the green lamp you picked up. You can call me... an elf."

He didn't call himself a wandering spirit, because that would frighten Ayan.

"Elves? What are those?" Ayan didn't understand.

"A kind of supernatural being, possessing power like an evil god, but not harmful to people."

Jiang Zhu said, "Your health is a bit poor, but it's not beyond saving. I can teach you martial arts."

"Practicing martial arts?" Ayan said, "My father taught me, but my body is too weak. I was in excruciating pain all over my body as soon as I started."

“You are indeed not suited for external training, but you are suited for internal training, which can cultivate your true qi, nourish your body, and then you can engage in external training.”

Jiang Zhu explained, "Once you learn martial arts, you can help your father hunt, and you won't need medicinal soup to recuperate."

"I can help Father?" Ayan looked up at him, young and self-conscious: "Can I really?"

"Of course, I don't have much time. Let me first explain the Seven Star Sword Technique to you..."

He explained the Seven Star Sword Technique, then used his magic to directly transmit it into her mind: "My time is limited, so I will focus on internal cultivation..."

The mortal body cannot withstand the essence of the sun and moon, and he did not know how to test whether someone had the talent for immortality.

All I could do was teach the Seven Star Sword Technique, starting with the internal cultivation method.

Ayan seemed to understand but not quite, yet she remembered the operating route.

"I am going into slumber. My cultivation insights are in my mind. If you still don't understand, wait for me to awaken," Jiang Zhu said.

"When did you wake up?" Ayan asked.

"I don't know. I need to absorb the light of the sun and moon. If you put me in the scorching sun during the day and in a place where the moonlight can reach at night, it will speed up my awakening."

Jiang Zhu smiled and said, "My name is Jiang Zhu, the spirit in the green lamp. It's a pleasure to meet you, Ayan."

“I am also very happy, Green Lantern Spirit.”

She watched as Jiang Zhu's body disappeared, the green lamp remained, and no divine signs appeared.

She placed the lamp by the window, where the sun could shine through.

Ayan sat cross-legged and calmed her mind. Over the years, her greatest skill had been quietness.

Gradually, she felt the Qi and tried to circulate it. She felt a warm current in her body, and her pale face regained some color.

She opened her eyes in surprise and couldn't help but look at the sword technique information in her mind.

Jiang Zhu's voice echoed in her mind, explaining how to cultivate and what it meant.

Ayan was overjoyed. She didn't know many characters, but with Jiang Zhu's explanation, she wouldn't have any difficulty understanding.

"The fairy of the green lamp is truly wondrous." She suppressed her joy.

From that day on, she persisted in internal training every day, and the chubby boy delivered her meals on time.

Seven days later, the father returned, bringing with him a wild boar.

Her father seemed younger and stronger.

"Father, your injuries are really healed." Ayan hugged him happily.

"How did you know I was injured? Did Zhou Tong tell you?" The father frowned.

"No, it's a spirit from the blue lamp. He healed you and even taught me martial arts. I'll never need medicine again," Ayan said excitedly. "Blue lamp? Spirit?"

The father's gaze sharpened as he stared at the dim lamp, but he saw nothing unusual.

He was puzzled; his injuries were so severe that the doctor had said he would be crippled, yet he suddenly recovered.

Not only has his injury recovered, but his physical strength has also surpassed his peak.

"What did he ask for?" the father asked anxiously, hoping it wasn't Ayan.

"He didn't ask for anything, at that time..."

Ayan didn't hide anything and told Jiang Zhu about how she wanted to commit suicide and was saved by him.

The father was furious; the wicked woman next door was cursing his son, Ayan, in such a way.

I had heard the Zhou family remind me before and went to their house to argue, but the wicked woman next door was a rogue and refused to admit it to the death.

Moreover, the imperial court had no laws against punishing someone for cursing.

Unexpectedly, this drove Ayan to the point of wanting to commit suicide.

"Father won't let her talk nonsense anymore, he won't," the father comforted gently, but a fierce glint seemed to appear in his eyes.

“Father, don’t be afraid, Ayan. With the help of the Green Lantern Spirit, I can also practice martial arts,” Ayan said.

"Don't let outsiders know about the Green Lantern Spirit, not even Zhou Tong next door," the father instructed.

“Ayan knows.” Ayan nodded emphatically: “The Green Lantern Spirit needs to sleep. It needs to accumulate enough sunlight and moonlight before it can briefly awaken.”

The father nodded and noted down Ayan's words: "I will enlarge the window so that more sunlight and moonlight can shine in."

He dared not leave it outside casually, for the surrounding area was full of poor people, and many people coveted his single lamp.

The father and daughter's lives improved, and he also practiced the Seven Star Sword Technique with Ayan.

Ayan has great talent. In just one year, he has already achieved some success in internal energy cultivation and has also mastered the basics of swordsmanship.

Her father made her a wooden sword; her swordsmanship was elegant and agile, like the stars in the sky, sparkling and captivating.

Her father practiced the same sword technique with much wider, more expansive movements, creating an astonishing effect.

She began to follow her father into the mountains, carrying a green lamp, and walking in open spaces to let the lamp absorb sunlight.

Her father went to the neighbor's house. She didn't know what had happened. After that, the neighbor's wife never cursed her again, and she would quickly avoid her whenever she saw her.

Life got better and better, there were more and more prey, and the neighbors around became more and more welcoming.

Similarly, they also attracted strange looks.

The hunters of Baiyun Town gathered around, eager to learn their hunting secrets.

The father and daughter naturally kept quiet, and some people with ulterior motives were also dealt with by them, and only then did things settle down.

Knowing that it was a big no-no to eat alone, the father began to take care of those around him and take them hunting.

His fame spread throughout Baiyun Town, making him the number one hunter.

Time flies, and Ayan is now twenty years old. She is ethereal and lively, and is admired by countless people.

Her martial arts skills far surpassed those of her father, but she never fully revealed them because there was no worthy opponent.

Her father loved her very much and wouldn't let anyone get close to her, so those who admired her could only keep their feelings to themselves.

On this day, a sickly-looking young nobleman came to the house. He was dressed in fine clothes and had a jade pendant hanging from his waist, looking very wealthy.

He looked at Ayan with surprise, as if he hadn't expected that such a beautiful woman could be found in such a remote town.

"One hundred taels for killing a tiger, and the tiger meat is yours." The sickly young master quickly withdrew his gaze, calmed his mind, and stated his purpose.

The father frowned. One hundred taels was a high price, but hunting a tiger was still dangerous.

Even if he had achieved some skill in martial arts, he would not dare to claim that he could emerge unscathed.

Ayan was somewhat tempted; although the tiger was strong, she no longer took it seriously.

(End of this chapter)