Fellow Daoist Entrusts His Child: Immortality Begins with Nurturing a Demoness

Chapter 13 Night Talk in the Cave
"Shui Shui."

The rain continued, the candlelight flickered dimly, and Ling Moxue's lips were cracked as she murmured incessantly.

She experienced tinnitus and dizziness, heavy eyelids, and felt as if her whole body was on fire. Her thin body curled up in pain, like a wild cat feeling insecure.

In her hazy consciousness, she felt as if she were being gently held in someone's arms, and a warm, slightly sweet liquid mixed with grains was slowly fed into her mouth, a warm and comforting feeling spreading from her meridians to her internal organs.

When she was young, she was often sick, and her mother would feed her sweet porridge, hold her, and hum a lullaby to lull her to sleep.

"Mom, I miss you so much."

"."

Hearing the girl's cuddly murmur, Luo Fanchen, who was feeding her spirit porridge, was slightly taken aback and couldn't help but smile.

“You little brat, after you’ve taken two of my antidote pills and a pound of spirit rice, calling me ‘Mom’ won’t help. You’ll have to pay me back with interest from now on.”

Ling Moxue couldn't hear clearly. She rested her head on Luo Fanchen's lap, her cheek gently rubbing against his knee, her expression serene.

She sobbed and groaned, her small hand trembling as she reached out, as if trying to touch her birth mother from her memory.

Luo Fanchen did not dodge, letting him touch her. His fingertips were icy cold, and he could feel the rough calluses left by years of hard work on his fingertips and palms.

The girl was depleted of qi and blood, and poisonous miasma entered her body. She had been in a coma with a high fever for three days, and the two antidote pills could only delay the onset of the poison.

Fortunately, he found the remains of the demon snake in time. After dealing with the snake, he mixed the snake gall and most of its essence into the spirit porridge and gave it to the girl in several portions. This saved her from danger. During this time, he consumed a whole spirit stone in order to refine the medicinal power.

"A humanoid spirit stone crusher."

Luo Fanchen sighed softly, as Ling Moxue pinched and rubbed his cheeks, then gently opened her mouth and carefully fed her meat porridge, his heart aching with heartache.

Monster flesh and blood are rich in vital energy, making them a great tonic and highly favored by cultivators. A mid-grade first-tier monster snake can be exchanged for at least seven spirit stones, with its most valuable parts being its gall bladder and essence blood.

This time, Ling Moxue swallowed at least five spirit stones from him.

Fortunately, Ling Moxue's teaching progress was also considerable. The girl's admiration value rose to 0, and she gained 30 admiration points.

Luo Fanchen deftly cut up the remaining snake meat and roasted it into jerky using fire magic. Although only a small portion of the spiritual energy in the meat was retained, it was still stronger than ordinary spiritual grains.

The snake demon is a treasure trove. Its poisonous miasma can kill enemies by surprise. Its scales and fangs, when used to make a fortune, can be used to forge a low-grade magic weapon.

After cleaning up the snake carcass, Luo Fanchen had time to take out Ling Youdao's storage bag. His eyes lit up at the sight of it, and he kept swallowing.

"No wonder cultivators love to kill and rob; one risk is worth ten years of my arduous cultivation."

In addition to the wood-type jade slip for transferring power, the storage bag also contained ten spirit stones, more than twenty spirit dust, several wooden plaques engraved with talismans, four jade bottles filled with pills, and several kinds of first-grade low-level magical materials.

The talismans, when combined, should form some kind of low-grade first-tier array plate, worth approximately two spirit stones.

As for the pills, one bottle contains a low-grade first-tier Qi Gathering Pill and a mid-grade first-tier Meridian Opening Pill, which are respectively for cultivators in the early and middle stages of Qi Refining to use for breathing exercises. The pills contain pure spiritual energy, which can greatly improve breathing efficiency.

Each bottle of Qi Gathering Pills is worth one spirit stone, and each bottle of Meridian Sharing Pills is worth three spirit stones. Each bottle contains ten pills.

The remaining two bottles contained a mixture of many unknown pills, most of which were bloody and foul-smelling demonic pills.

Luo Fanchen picked out five familiar pills: a Breath Concealing Pill, a Detoxifying Pill, and a Dew Pill, which together were worth about four spirit stones. He put the rest of the demon pills back in their place, intending to study them before selling them on the black market.

"The resources available to me alone are worth no less than twenty spirit stones."

Luo Fanchen swallowed silently. His eyes were on the jade slip for transferring power in his hand and the soul banner swirling with yin wind deep in the cave. He had the illusion that he had killed the Great Black Buddha Demon but instead obtained the Golden Cudgel.

Luo Fanchen felt a sense of unease; Ling Youdao was far weaker than the orthodox demonic cultivators he knew.

This person suffers from a hidden ailment, and the backlash from using his magic is quite severe. He does not have the strength to kill a legitimate demonic cultivator and seize the treasure, and is most likely an escapee who failed in the struggle.

Since Ling Youdao entrusted his son to him, he would probably help him conceal the news, and the demonic sects behind him should not come knocking on his door.

But if the agreement isn't fulfilled, then things might change.

Two days later, Ling Moxue's high fever subsided. She pressed her thumb to her temple and raised her head, feeling dizzy.

"here it is"

The campfire crackled, Ling Moxue's forehead throbbed with pain, and her memories were fragmented; she seemed to have died a gruesome death at the hands of a vengeful ghost.

She struggled to sit up, and only after glancing at Luo Fanchen out of the corner of her eye did she realize with a start that she was lying in his arms.

"Master Luo Luo?"

Ling Moxue hurriedly stood up, her voice trembling as she apologized repeatedly, but Luo Fanchen did not respond.

She cautiously looked up and saw that Luo Fanchen looked exhausted, his eyes closed as if he had fallen into a deep sleep.

"Master Luo, are you awake?"

Ling Moxue called out softly, while subconsciously searching for the dagger in her bosom.

Unexpectedly, the dagger was right in her bosom. She silently gripped the hilt, her gaze fixed on Luo Fanchen's haggard features and the small cauldron beside him cooking spirit porridge. Her face froze for a moment.

Outside the cave, it was drizzling, while inside, a faint, rusty, and sweet smell lingered. The small cauldron and the spoon not far away showed signs of having been washed many times.

Ling Moxue smacked her lips, the lingering fragrance on her tongue, and swallowed lightly as she savored the taste.

Was it Master Luo who saved her from the demonic cultivators and the serpent demon, and has been taking care of her ever since?
With her lips pressed tightly together, Ling Moxue hesitated for a moment, then took off the blanket from her body and quietly draped it over Luo Fanchen. After that, she quietly cleaned the cave.

After cleaning, Ling Moxue's pretty face flushed slightly, and her thin body slowly moved to squat down next to him again.

Their shoulders were pressed together, but Ling Moxue was still not satisfied. She quietly leaned down and rested her head between Luo Fanchen's legs again, listening to his even and steady breathing with her eyes half-closed. A faint smile appeared on her lips, and she felt peaceful and calm in her heart.

"Ah"

Luo Fanchen, who had been pretending to be asleep for a long time, couldn't help but chuckle. Ling Moxue was slightly startled, her ears burning red as she was about to get up.

"Master Luo...I...I..." Ling Moxue stammered, her dirty little face embarrassed and shy, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

Luo Fanchen gently placed his palm on Ling Moxue's hair, stopping the girl from getting up while tenderly comforting her.

"It's okay, you did a great job this time."

He underestimated Ling Moxue. The girl overcame her fear, returned, and bravely drew her sword against the demonic cultivator, defying the demonic power.

Despite the failure, he still managed to distract Ling Youdao, creating an opportunity for him to strike and sever Ling Youdao's arm, thus securing victory.

A mere Qi Refining Level 1 cultivator was able to get close to a Qi Refining Level 5 cultivator; even with the aid of a Breath Concealing Pill, it was nothing short of a miracle.

With her innate talent for swordsmanship, this woman is undoubtedly a genius in combat.

"It's good that I didn't hold Master Luo back."

Ling Moxue's face flushed slightly, and she awkwardly turned her head to the side as if rejecting the touch, while unconsciously rubbing her head against Luo Fanchen's palm.

After her mother passed away, apart from Qiuyun, she received no recognition or encouragement for a long time.

The girl suppressed a smile, secretly pleased. Luo Fanchen's expression softened; Mo Xue really liked being praised.

“Ling Youdao has been executed, and the other two demonic cultivators are already dead. Once this matter is settled, I will take you away from Yanyun City.”

"All the demonic cultivators are dead?"

Ling Moxue's pupils dilated slightly, both delighted that her great revenge had been achieved and distressed that she hadn't done it herself.

"Yes, I have collected Ling Youdao's body. You are the victim, so the final decision on how to deal with him is up to you."

Upon hearing this, Ling Moxue's almond-shaped eyes widened. If Luo Fanchen hadn't restrained her, she would have immediately felt the urge to whip the corpse.

"Before handing it over to you, I have some questions to ask you."

"Master Luo, please speak freely. I will tell you everything I know."

What do you think of Ling Qiuyun? What kind of person is she?

Luo Fanchen spoke slowly. When Ling Moxue heard that it concerned her younger sister, her face faltered slightly, and she cautiously probed.

"Qiuyun is my younger sister. She is kind to everyone, never bullies servants, and is gentle and elegant. She is the best in the world."

"Master Luo asked Qiu Yun, 'Is she still alive?'"

Luo Fanchen nodded slightly, replying ambiguously, "Perhaps."

"Tell me her story, her way of doing things, don't leave out a single detail."

"It's Master Luo. Qiuyun is my childhood playmate. She is kind, generous, noble and gentle. She is the real Miss Ling."

"Qiuyun takes good care of me and never looks down on the servants. If it weren't for her, I probably wouldn't have made it this far."

Ling Moxue slowly recounted that she didn't know why Master Luo cared about Qiuyun, but it must be related to her younger sister's life.

She recalled everything from her childhood, leaving no detail unnoticed, and deliberately embellished it, making Ling Qiuyun, in her words, almost a saint.

"I see."

After a long pause, Luo Fanchen nodded slightly and pursed his lips, weighing his options.

Ling Moxue, in her Heavenly Demon Spirit Puppet form, would not be in mortal danger even without Ling Qiuyun's help.

It cannot be ruled out that Ling Qiuyun deliberately approached Mo Xue. If Ling Qiuyun is truly a cunning and ruthless demonic cultivator, he would never show her any mercy.

He placed all his bets on Mo Xue, and any potential threat to her or himself had to be eliminated in advance.

As for cultivation techniques and soul banners, he also possesses some of the ruthless methods of demonic cultivators.

It is reasonable not to keep promises to demonic cultivators, and to use demonic methods against them.

After a long silence from Luo Fanchen, Ling Moxue, despite her timidity, mustered the courage to inquire about her sister's recent situation.

"Does Master Luo have any clues about Qiu Yun? Before you leave, Master Luo, could you take Qiu Yun with you?"

"She's my only sister. If you can help me find Qiuyun, I'll do anything to repay you."

Ling Moxue's almond-shaped eyes were anxious, and her two small hands timidly grasped Luo Fanchen's clothes.

She is now considered a semi-cultivator, and even if Master Luo is unwilling to take Qiu Yun away, she is confident that she can ensure Qiu Yun's safety and well-being in Yanyun City.

Luo Fanchen calmly extended his index finger and touched her lips, his eyes indifferent as he spoke.

"I can find her, of course, but if I ask you to kill her, can you do it?"

"You...you must be joking, Master Luo?"

Ling Moxue's face turned deathly pale. She choked back tears, her voice a mix of pleading and pleas, until she met Luo Fanchen's calm and unwavering gaze.

Master Luo wasn't joking.
"No, I can't do it. I'd rather die."

"Qiuyun is very kind. She has never offended Master Luo. Please let Qiuyun go. I am willing to vouch for her with my life."

"What if she is the culprit who possessed you?"

After Luo Fanchen finished speaking, he stared intently at Ling Moxue, whose almond-shaped eyes were vacant and who seemed to have lost her soul, and said, word by word.

"She's Ling Youdao's adopted daughter, didn't you know?"

"She wants to possess you."

(End of this chapter)